Raids · Confirmed
WoW Forever Raids: Barrow Deeps & Hyjal Summit
See WoW Forever raids Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit, and Onyxia's Lair, with 10-, 20-, and 40-player sizes, December 9 release date, and beta boss lists.
World of Warcraft: Forever's first raid tier includes the new Barrow Deeps and Hyjal Summit raids plus the returning Onyxia's Lair. That gives guilds a 10-player, 20-player, and 40-player raid when the tier opens.
The raids unlock globally on December 9, 2026, a little over a month after Forever launches. The live beta does not provide level-60 raid testing, but the current client exposes Legacy challenge encounter names for both new raids.
WoW Forever raids at a glance
| Raid | Level and size | Location | Unlock | Current encounter data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barrow Deeps | Level 60 · 10 players | Three entrances are planned; one is in Mount Hyjal | December 9, 2026 | Eight encounters named in beta-client Legacy data |
| Hyjal Summit | Level 60 · 20 players | Mount Hyjal | December 9, 2026 | Thirteen encounters named in beta-client Legacy data |
| Onyxia's Lair | Level 60 · 40 players | Dustwallow Marsh; Forever entrance and attunement still TBD | December 9, 2026 | Onyxia remains the listed encounter |
Blizzard has also announced new tier sets and a legendary reward, but has not yet published their acquisition details.
For item-set effects, PvP sets, dungeon sets, and datamined tier bonuses, use WoW Forever Gear Set Bonuses. This Raid page remains focused on raid structure, locations, sizes, timing, and encounters.
Raid sizes and difficulty
The September 17 Q&A clarified the long-term raid structure:
- every raid tier is planned to include both a 10-player raid and a 20-player raid;
- dungeons and raids use one difficulty, with no launch plan for Flex raiding;
- 40-player raids are coming, starting with Onyxia's Lair, but not every tier will have a 40-player raid;
- Forever has no cross-faction gameplay;
- GDKP is not allowed in WoW Forever.
When do WoW Forever raids open?
The current roadmap says December 9, 2026 for the new raid unlock. Forever itself launches on November 4.
That separation matters for guide planning. Boss names from the client are useful for discovery, but mechanics, order, loot, and preparation advice would still be speculation before playable access.
For all timeline milestones, see the WoW Forever Roadmap.
Barrow Deeps
Blizzard describes Barrow Deeps as a maximum-level 10-player challenge in the sacred Night Elf prison tunnels. Current raid overviews say it has three entrances around the world, including one in Mount Hyjal, but exact coordinates and access requirements remain unknown.
Beta client build 1.60.1.69913 lists eight encounters through its Legacy raid challenge:
- Deepscar Matriarch
- Elder Tangleclaw
- Khalith the Dreadspinner
- Well of Sorrow
- Amethrax
- Del'lynar Songwood
- Ravus and Darlissa
- Sonya Darkhallow
The client order may not be the playable encounter order, and a listed encounter can represent a council, event, or multi-character fight rather than a single boss.
Hyjal Summit
Hyjal Summit is planned as a 20-player raid and connects directly to Forever's renewed focus on Mount Hyjal. Blizzard's zone reveal says players will explore the aftermath of Archimonde's defeat and Darkwhisper Gorge in the outdoor region, while the raid brings organized group content to the same larger setting.
The same beta build lists thirteen Hyjal Summit encounters:
- Bandalar
- Ancient of Decay
- Time-Lost Battalion
- Sylvestris Dusksong
- Old Gloomlurker
- Gharalis the Abyssal
- Kathris the Haunted
- Anara Chillwind
- Elder Minderel
- Tracker Stillwind
- Council of Thorns
- Nythus the Dreambound
- The Wild King
These names come from a Legacy challenge rather than playable raid testing. The client also contains a new area name, Archimonde's Fall, but does not yet attach it to a verified raid map.
Onyxia's Lair and future 40-player raids
The September 17 Q&A confirmed that 40-player raids are coming, starting with Onyxia's Lair. Onyxia is the returning 40-player option in the first raid tier, but Blizzard also said there will not be a 40-player raid in every tier.
Do not assume the Classic version's entrance, attunement, encounter tuning, or loot will carry over unchanged. Current Forever raid indexes still mark those details as unknown.
Are WoW Forever raids playable in the beta?
Not in the opening beta content. The test begins with a level-20 cap and later rises to 30, while all three first-tier raids require level 60. The encounter names above are client data, not evidence that the raids can currently be entered or completed.
What beta and later reveals need to verify
Before publishing boss strategies, we still need:
- playable encounter order and mechanics;
- entrance and attunement requirements;
- loot tables and tier-set sources;
- lockout and reset rules;
- recommended preparation;
- raid-specific quests;
- the exact global December 9 unlock time.
Pre-release note: player counts, raid locations, December 9 date, tier sets, and a future legendary reward are announced. The 21 new encounter names come from the current beta client's Legacy challenges and may be renamed, reordered, or changed before release.