World of Warcraft News and Raiding Strategies

Prepare to dive into mystery and mayhem with the newest content update in The War Within™— Siren Isle. Explore an enigmatic outdoor zone, procure new items and rewards for you and your alternate characters, engage in new campaign chapters—Dalaran epilogue and Lingering Shadows prologue to Undermine(d)—and more!

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New Zone to Explore

As raging tempests batter against Siren Isle, set off on an expedition to face off against a weekly rotation of adversaries while unraveling baffling new mysteries surrounding the abandoned Kul Tiran Azerite mine.

It's up to you, intrepid adventurer, to discover the fate of those who once lived and worked here. Explore alongside goblin, earthen, and Arathi expedition teams to learn more about the "singing crystal" at Siren Isle's heart.

While battling through enemies new and old with daring bravado, earn a new currency—Flame-Blessed Iron—to trade for items like mounts, pets, gear, and transmogs. It can also be used to open one of three Excavation sites on the island, presenting a face-off against a formidable foe to earn unique rewards.


A powerful new ring—Cyrce's Circlet—is available by completing the Siren Isle introductory quest line—The Radiant Vault. Complete a series of quests that will teach you how to upgrade the ring over time to increase its item level and gain new powers to help you journey around Siren Isle—keep reading to learn more.

While on your adventure, earn Singing Citrines that can be socketed in Cyrce's Circlet. These Citrines can be mixed and matched to create powerful combinations, and the gems can be socketed and unsocketed as you see fit.

Earn Crackling New Wings

Add a little spark to your adventure when you collect items from around the island to help release Thrayir, Eyes of the Siren—a new electrifying storm crow mount—from its bonds.

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Getting Around on Land, Sea, and Air

While flying is possible after fully upgrading Cyrce's Circlet, due to the raging Seafury Tempests, the winds of the Siren Isle make it a no-fly zone at the outset.

Master the less severe winds by completing a series of quests to upgrade the circlet, giving you the power to face all but the most punishing tempests.

To upgrade Cyrce's Circlet, a single quest unlocks weekly, and completing it offers a new power that helps you on the island while wearing the ring. Don't fret if you miss a week or two; you can complete the missed quests in the following week along with the new one.

• Week 1: Finish The Radiant Vault questline to get Cyrce's Circlet and learn how to socket and unsocket gems.
• Week 2: Complete Dipping a Toe to get Blessing of the Seadweller, which will allow you to walk on the seafloor, find treasures underwater, breathe underwater, and swim much faster in the surrounding waters of Siren Isle.
• Week 3: Complete Juicing Up and Storming Out to get Superjuiced, allowing you to activate the TR-06 Pummeler and N.U.K.U.L.A.R Target Painter while in the Seafury Tempest on the Siren Isle.
• Week 4: Complete Unleashing Her Power and earn Cyrce's Zephyr, allowing your spells and abilities to have a chance to summon Cyrce's Zephyr, which will cast every existing Singing Citrine ability over three seconds while the ring is equipped and you're on the Siren Isle.
• Week 5: Complete The Singing Bandit Catcher to gain the Thieves of the Siren power to illuminate invisible enemies attempting to steal Siren Isle's riches. They are often found trying to pilfer Flame-Blessed Iron from the strongest creatures on the isle.
• Week 6: Complete the final quest in this series—Cyrce Would Be So Proud—to earn Wings of the Siren, giving you the passive ability to control the winds, allowing you to take flight on Siren Isle.

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New Events for the Adventurous

New Special Assignment: Storms A Brewin

Siren Isle is regularly lashed by horrible storms. This Seafury Tempest stirs up powerful creatures of all types from deep in the roiling ocean to assault the island.


New Public Event: Excavations

Three Major Excavations hosted by the expedition teams on the island await eager treasure hunters. Contribute Flame-Blessed Iron to open Shuddering Hollow, The Drain, or The Drowned Lair. Once inside, complete the event to earn valuable loot and rewards!

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New Story Quests

Dalaran Epilogue

Explore the fate of the Kirin Tor when you dig deeper into the aftermath of Dalaran's fall. In this epilogue questline to The War Within—the Kirin Tor must confront their past mistakes and decide on the future course of their people.

Lingering Shadows

In this prologue to the Undermine(d) content update, continue the story of The War Within and uncover a familiar face in the darkness.

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A New Ear-resistible Customization

Make your way to the Barber Shop and embellish your head with a new and distinguished appEARance. Human and Kul Tiran characters can employ a pointed-ear look with the new Arathi ear customization.

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Cross-Faction Queuing


Gone are the days when someone from your cross-faction premade group had to face the wilds of Azeroth on the trek to a Meeting Stone to summon their companions from across faction lines—the time has come for you to grab your nearest group of premade frenemies and queue for Dungeons and unrated PvP through the Group Finder tool.

However, Dungeons will require a fully premade group, and party members who leave will not be replaced.

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Siren Isle Update Notes


Learn more about all the changes coming with the Siren Isle content update from our update notes.

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Looking Ahead!

The Turbulent Timeways Returns…Again!

The timeways shudder once again on January 7, 2025! Explore timewalking dungeons from past expansions each week to earn Heroic rewards. Those who Master the Timeways will be rewarded with the Timely Buzzbee Skyriding mount.

All Hands, on Deck—A Plunderstorm Surges in the New Year!

Keg Leg returns to pillage the Arathi Highlands. This battle-royale-inspired time-limited event returns on January 14, 2025, with new and updated abilities, an improved starting drop, a practice lobby, and a new Plunderstore to spend your Plunder on the loot you want most— including new and returning transmog pieces, pets, mounts, and more!

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We look forward to seeing how you fare during your adventures on Siren Isle.

Prepare to dive into mystery and mayhem with the newest content update in The War Within— Siren Isle. Explore an enigmatic outdoor zone, procure new items and rewards for you and your alternate characters, engage in new campaign chapters—the Dalaran epilogue and Lingering Shadows prologue to Undermine(d)—and more!

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ANSWER THE CALL OF SIREN ISLE


Explore alongside the goblin, earthen, and Arathi expedition teams to learn more about the "singing crystal" located at the heart of Siren Isle.

While battling through enemies new and old with daring bravado, earn a new currency—Flame-Blessed Iron—to trade for items like mounts, pets, gear, and transmogs. It can also be used to open one of three Excavation sites on the island, allowing players to kill a formidable foe and earn unique rewards.

A powerful new ring—Cyrce's Circlet—is available by completing the Siren Isle introductory quest line. By completing a series of quests, players can upgrade their ring over time to increase its item level and gain new powers to help them on Siren Isle.

Players can also earn Singing Citrines, which can be socketed in and out of Cyrce's Circlet. These Citrines can be mixed and matched to create powerful combinations, and the gems can be socketed and unsocketed as they see fit. [LEARN MORE]

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ARATHI EAR CUSTOMIZATIONS FOR HUMANS AND KUL TIRAN


Humans and Kul Tiran will gain new Arathi ear customizations. Head over to the Barber Shop to change up your appearance.

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CHARACTERS

• Racial Updates
  
  • Developer's note: We're making updates to several racial abilities with the goal of increasing the viability of some underrepresented races. Many of these abilities have fallen behind naturally within the game's ecosystem and our hope is that targeted tweaks will help promote increased diversity of racials across all content types.
  • Draenei
    
    • Gift of the Naaru cooldown reduced to 2 minutes (was 3 minutes).
  • Highmountain Tauren
    
    • Rugged Tenacity's effect increased by 50%.
  • Lightforged Draenei
    
    • Light's Judgment radius increased to 10 yards (was 5 yards) and its visual size increased.
    • Light’s Judgment’s damage increased by 40% and it now deals reduced damage beyond 8 targets.
    • Holy Resistance has been renamed to Holy Providence and now increases healing done by 1%.
  • Mag'har Orc
    
    • Stats granted from Ancestral Call increased by 30% and now increases one of your two highest secondary stats.
  • Nightborne
    
    • Arcane Pulse damage increased by 300% and now reduces movement speed by 80% (was 50%). Duration reduced to 8 seconds (was 12 seconds).
  • Void Elf
    
    • Spatial Rift movement speed of the rift increased by 80%, duration is increased to 8 seconds (was 6 seconds), and maximum range increased to 35 yards. The visual effect has been updated and no longer appears for party members.
    • Entropic Embrace: Proc activation rate adjusted, now increases healing and damage by 5% for 12 seconds (was duplicate healing/damage). Now functions with absorbs.
  • Vulpera
    
    • Bag of Tricks healing and damage increased by 40%.
    • Bag of Tricks now decreases enemy movement speed by 80% for 4 seconds and increases ally movement speed by 20% for 4 seconds. Now only affects a single target.
  • Worgen
    
    • Darkflight now stacks its speed bonus with other movement increasing effects.
    • Darkflight cooldown reduced to 1.5 minutes (was 2 minutes).
  • Zandalari Troll
    
    • Regeneratin' no longer cancels from periodic damage effects, its cooldown is now 3 minutes (was 2.5 minutes), and heals for 50% of your maximum health (was 100%).
    • Embrace of Akuna healing increased by 300% and chance to trigger increased by 250%.
    • Embrace of Bwonsamdi effect increased by 50%.
    • Embrace of Kimbul chance to trigger increased by 400%.

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CREATURES AND NPCS

• Sparring Oathsworn Peacekeepers at the Contender's Gate in Dornogal can now be dismissed by speaking with them and telling them to take a well-deserved break.

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DUNGEONS AND RAIDS

• Cross-faction groups can now queue for dungeons. Dungeons will require a fully premade group and party members who leave will not be replaced.

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ITEMS

• The number of Gilded Harbinger Crests needed to purchase a Nascent Gilded Harbinger Crest has been reduced to 60 (was 90).
• The number of Harbinger Crests needed to purchase trade-up bags has been reduced to 45 (was 90).
• Harbinger of the Gilded achievement now requires item level 636 in every slot (was 639).
• Currency rewards from Mythic+ (Crests, Gold, Valorstones) now scale by keystone level, up to +12:
  
  • Crests – Starting at 12, with an additional +2 per keystone level. Completing a keystone outside of the timer is now a flat -4 Crests (was -7).
• Orluna the Kyrian Path of Ascension armor vendor now allows any class to buy her Discordant cosmetics, regardless of armor type.
• Orluna will also sell the Reverent Armor pieces regardless of armor type, providing players have killed the necessary boss on Humility difficulty.
• Resolved an issue where quest rewards’ transmog appearances were not reliably unlocked.
  
  • Developer's note: To unlock quest reward transmog appearances from previously completed quests, you will still need to log into the character that completed the quest.

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PLAYER VERSUS PLAYER

• Cross-faction groups can now queue for unrated PvP.
• Siren Isle’s Cyrce’s Circlet Gems have the following reductions in PvP combat:
  
  • Thunderlord’s Crackling Citrine – Damage reduced by 75% in PvP combat.
  • Squall Sailor’s Citrine – Damage reduced by 75% in PvP combat.
  • Undersea Overseer’s Citrine – Damage reduced by 75% in PvP combat.
  • Windsinger’s Runed Citrine – Secondary stat enhancement reduced by 75% in PvP combat.
  • Stormbringer’s Runed Citrine – Secondary stat enhancement reduced by 75% in PvP combat.
  • Mariner’s Hallowed Citrine – Heal reduced by 75% in PvP combat.
  • Legendary Skipper’s Citrine – Effect reduced by 50% in PvP combat.
  • Seabed Leviathan’s Citrine – Stamina and damage reduced by 75% in PvP combat.
  • Storm Sewer’s Citrine – Absorb reduced by 75% in PvP combat.
  • Fathomdweller’s Runed Citrine – Mastery reduced by 75% in PvP combat.
  • Old Salt’s Citrine – Heal reduced by 75% in PvP combat.

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QUESTS

• New Campaign Chapter: Lingering Shadows
  
  • Continue the story of The War Within, and uncover a familiar face in the darkness.
• Explore the Fate of the Kirin Tor
  
  • Delve into the aftermath of Dalaran's fall in The War Within epilogue questline—the Kirin Tor must confront their past mistakes and decide on the future course of their people.

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USER INTERFACE AND ACCESSIBILITY

• A “disruption” option has been added to the “Gameplay Sabotage” category when reporting players for misbehavior.
• Tooltips have been added to chat tabs on mouseover.
• Macroing Pings can now use reference numbers:
  
  • /ping Attack = /ping 1
  • /ping Warning = /ping 2
  • /ping Onmyway = /ping 3
  • /ping Assist = /ping 4
  • /ping Look = /ping 5
  • /ping Threat = /ping 6
• The following icons have been updated with higher resolution artwork: Local Stories (map), player arrow (map), and quest type (quest log).
• The Group Manager pane has received visual updates for clarity.
• At max zoom on the map, quests will be placed in their actual location instead of consolidated in the quest hub.
• Quest items in the objective tracker will glow when they are in a usable range.
• By default, the in-game camera has been adjusted so it is less likely to jump when environmental objects are between the player and the camera.
• Mousing over the Delver’s Journey progress bar will now display how much progress has been made towards the next reward and towards completing the track.
• Upon reaching a focused destination in the world, the focus state will clear and a message will display in the middle of the screen confirming that the destination has been reached.

Who's ready to handle the heat? Players on new WoW Classic 20th Anniversary Edition Realms can now leap into the fire and face off against the Firelord, Ragnaros, in Molten Core and Onyxia in her lair. As a reminder, Anniversary Realms have no buff and debuff limits, so you can feel free to use every spell you can cast in a raid.

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Molten Core

Zone: Burning Steppes
Level: 60
Bosses: 10

The Molten Core lies at the very bottom of Blackrock Depths. It is the heart of Blackrock Mountain and the exact spot where, long ago, in a desperate bid to turn the tide of the dwarven civil war, Emperor Thaurissan summoned the elemental Firelord, Ragnaros, into the world. Though the Firelord is incapable of straying far from the blazing Core, it is believed that his elemental minions command the Dark Iron dwarves, who are in the midst of creating armies out of living stone. The burning lake where Ragnaros lies sleeping acts as a rift connecting to the plane of fire, allowing the malicious elementals to pass through. Chief among Ragnaros’ agents is Majordomo Executus - for this cunning elemental is the only one capable of calling the Firelord from his slumber.

To bring down Ragnaros in this 40-player Raid, you’ll want to be level 60 and attuned to the Core, saving you a long run through Blackrock Depths to reach the entrance. Here’s a handy guide for more details on Molten Core attunement.


“Behold Ragnaros - the Firelord! He who was ancient when this world was young! Bow before him, mortals! Bow before your ending!”

Facing the challenge of Molten Core is not without its rewards—this is the place to begin building your Tier 1 Raid set, and also where Hunter, Paladin, Rogue, and Warrior heroes have a chance to receive the left or right half of the Bindings of the Windseeker to start them on their quest for Thunderfury, Blessed Blade of the Windseeker.

Bosses

• Lucifron: Lucifron quietly waits for his opportunity to capitalize on any weakness the other flamewakers show. Lucifron and his two Flamewaker Protector guards can be found watching over the enormous core hound Magmadar, Ragnaros’ favorite pet.
• Magmadar: A terrifying behemoth composed of igneous rock and roiling magma, Magmadar serves as the origin of the core hounds that roam the earthen halls of Molten Core. Favored among Ragnaros’s pets, Magmadar is protected by the flamewaker Lucifron and surrounded by vicious packs of ravenous hounds.
• Gehennas: Gehennas resides near the bottom of the Firelord’s elemental hierarchy and covets the power and station of his superiors. He is distrusted by all who serve with him, except for his two loyal guards, who believe they might gain from their overseer’s ascension.
• Garr: One of the lieutenants that accompanied Ragnaros during the War of the Three Hammers, Garr is responsible for the betrayal and defeat of Prince Thunderran together with Baron Geddon. He guards the Rune of Blaz and is joined by eight Firesworn guards.
• Baron Geddon: A fire elemental that patrols near Shazzrah’s spawn area while guarding the Rune of Zeth, Geddon helped Ragnaros betray the wind lord, Prince Thunderaan, during the War of the Three Hammers.
• Shazzrah: Of all the flamewakers who followed Ragnaros into the world of Azeroth, Shazzrah is the most talented in the realm of the arcane. The conflict between Baron Geddon and Garr suits Shazzrah well, for, in fact, it is Shazzrah who seeks to possess both halves of the Talisman of Elemental Binding so that he might find a way to siphon its energies for his own use.
• Sulfuron Harbinger: The terrifying herald of Ragnaros himself and among the most favored of the flamewakers. From the infernal depths of the Molten Core, the Harbinger commands Ambassador Flamelash and the other lesser flamewakers in the outside world.
• Golemagg the Incinerator: The most feared soldiers of Ragnaros’s elemental forces are the molten giants, and among them, Golemagg the Incinerator is unrivaled for his sheer brutality and savage efficiency. So absolute is the molten behemoth’s power that he has cowed two core ragers — offspring of the colossal beast Magmadar — which he now uses as pets.
• Majordomo Executus: At the top of the elemental hierarchy resides Majordomo Executus, the terrifying herald of Ragnaros himself. This flamewaker gained his exalted status by proving nearly invincible in the raging battles within the elemental plane.
• Ragnaros: The elemental Firelord is more terrible than any nightmare that could have been imagined. Ragnaros’ apocalyptic rebirth into Azeroth has shattered the Redridge Mountains and created a raging volcano at the center of the devastation, where he orchestrates his rise to power.

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Onyxia’s Lair

Zone: Dustwallow Marsh
Level: 60

Onyxia’s Lair is home to a dragon of the Black Dragonflight, Onyxia. She is the younger sister of Nefarian and, with his help, seeks to finish the work of their missing father, Deathwing by manipulating the mortal races of Azeroth.

Enter Onyxia’s Lair at your own peril. This 40-player Raid is the resting place for her brood of new eggs and home to the remaining members of the insidious Black Dragonflight. Should anyone ever threaten Onyxia or her precious eggs within her lair, her wrath is terrible beyond comprehension.


To enter Onyxia’s Lair, you must get the Drakefire Amulet and have it in your bags to battle against everything that Onyxia hurls at you in this three-phase fight with harrowing odds that will test your fortitude.

More details on getting attuned can be found in the Onyxia’s Lair attunement guide. Read through Onyxia’s Lair Raid Strategy Guide to give you and your Raid the best chance of survival.

For the bravest of efforts, Onyxia drops several loot items that help with your adventure in Azeroth. Heroes of the Horde can complete their Victory for the Horde quest when they deliver the Head of Onyxia to the Warchief for great honor (and experience). Additional rewards for all raid members include an 18-slot Onyxia Hide Backpack, gems, and gold.

Drops from Onyxia’s Lair are also required to complete class quests for Hunters, Paladins, and Warriors. Hunters can receive a Mature Black Dragon Sinew to build Rhok’delar, Longbow of the Ancient Keepers. At the same time, Paladins and Warriors can forge the ancient dragon blade, Quel’Serrar, by placing the Unfired Ancient Blade on the ground before Onyxia, ensuring it gets hit by her breath attack during her final phase, and using it to finish her off.

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We look forward to seeing how you fare as you face the heat. Lok’tar Ogar!

Read through our previously published article to learn more about diving into a new adventure on the WoW Classic 20th Anniversary Edition realms.

Cataclysm Classic

• Fixed an issue with Shatter and Frostfire Bolt that caused other spells to sometimes benefit from Shatter when they should not.
• Fixed a problem with the Hunter 4-piece Tier 12 set bonus where its effect was not being properly consumed by some Shots.

Season of Discovery

• Removed gear from player-characters who obtained it from an unintentionally available testing NPC.
• The new relics that are crafted from Ahn'Qiraj are no longer Unique.
• Players dying outside the entrance to the areas of the Gates of Ahn'Qiraj, The Scarab Dais, or The Scarab Wall will no longer use the same graveyard as those who die inside Ruins or Temple of Ahn'Qiraj raids.
• Paladin
  
  • Divine Light will now correctly activate Scarab Brooch.