TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 3 Guide: Black Temple, Mount Hyjal, Attunement & Full Preparation

TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 3 is the most anticipated content update since the expansion launched — and it arrives on August 27, 2026. This phase unleashes two of the most iconic raids in WoW history: Black Temple and Battle for Mount Hyjal. Add in Netherwing Drake mounts, Epic Gems, Arena Season 3, and Tier 6 gear, and you have the biggest content drop of the entire expansion.

Whether you're a raid leader planning progression or a solo player preparing for Netherwing dailies, this guide covers every detail you need — from attunement walkthroughs to boss-by-boss strategies, shadow resistance prep, and gold budgeting. If you want to stock up on WoW TBC Classic Gold before prices spike, now is the time.

Table of Contents

• Phase 3 Overview: What's Coming
• Release Schedule & Timeline
• Black Temple Attunement: Complete Step-by-Step Chain
• Mount Hyjal Attunement: Vials of Eternity
• Black Temple Boss Guide: All 9 Bosses
• Battle for Mount Hyjal Boss Guide: All 5 Bosses
• Netherwing Reputation & Netherdrake Mounts
• Epic Gems: New Jewelcrafting Designs
• Arena Season 3: Changes & Preparation
• Shadow Resistance Gear Preparation
• Gold Preparation: How Much You Need
• Phase 3 Pre-Launch Checklist

Phase 3 Overview: What's Coming

TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 3 is the crown jewel of the expansion. Following Phase 2's Serpentshrine Cavern and Tempest Keep, Phase 3 escalates everything — harder raids, better loot, and the expansion's most iconic showdown with Illidan Stormrage himself.

Here's everything arriving on August 27:

Content	Details
Black Temple	25-player raid, 9 bosses, Tier 6 gear (legs & gloves), Warglaives of Azzinoth
Battle for Mount Hyjal	25-player raid, 5 bosses, Tier 6 gear (helm, shoulders, chest)
Netherwing Faction	Daily quests, reputation grind, Netherdrake mount at Exalted
Epic Gems	New gem cuts from Indormi (Caverns of Time), dropped from T6 raids
Arena Season 3	Launches September 1, 2026; weapon rating requirement lowered to 1,700
Tier 6 Set	Full 8-piece tier set available across both raids

Release Schedule & Timeline

Blizzard has confirmed that Phase 3 goes live on August 27, 2026, at 3:00 PM PDT. Arena Season 3 follows on September 1, after weekly maintenance. Here's the full TBC Classic Anniversary roadmap for context:

Date	Phase	Content
Jan 13, 2026	Pre-Patch	Blood Elves, Draenei, Jewelcrafting, Anniversary realm conversion
Feb 5, 2026	Phase 1	Outland opens: Karazhan, Gruul's Lair, Magtheridon, Arena Season 1
May 14, 2026	Phase 2	Serpentshrine Cavern, The Eye, Ogri'la, Sha'tari Skyguard
Aug 27, 2026	Phase 3	Black Temple, Mount Hyjal, Netherwing, Epic Gems
Sep 1, 2026	Arena S3	Arena Season 3 begins, Season 2 gear moves to vendors
Autumn 2026	Phase 3.5	Zul'Aman (10-player troll raid, Amani War Bear)
Autumn 2026	Phase 4	Sunwell Plateau, Isle of Quel'Danas (TBC finale)

Season 2 to Season 3 transition notes: Season 2 ends on August 18. All remaining Arena Points convert to Honor at a 1:10 ratio. Season 2 gear moves to Area 52 vendors at discounted prices. Season 1 gear becomes available through Honor vendors in Stormwind and Orgrimmar — an excellent catch-up opportunity for returning players.

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Mount Hyjal Attunement: Vials of Eternity

Before you can enter Battle for Mount Hyjal, you must complete The Vials of Eternity questline. This is shorter than the Black Temple chain but still requires two Phase 2 raid boss kills.

Prerequisites

• Level 70
• Revered reputation with Keepers of Time (run Old Hillsbrad and Black Morass on Normal and Heroic)

Step-by-Step Attunement

1. Reach Revered with Keepers of Time — Run the Caverns of Time dungeons (Old Hillsbrad Foothills and The Black Morass) repeatedly until you hit Revered. This should take roughly 8–10 full clears on Heroic difficulty.
2. Accept "The Vials of Eternity" — Speak to Soridormi inside the Caverns of Time in Tanaris (/way 60.0 57.4). She gives you the quest requiring two Vial Remnants.
3. Kill Lady Vashj in Serpentshrine Cavern — Defeat Lady Vashj (final boss of SSC) and loot the Vashj's Vial Remnant. This is a guaranteed drop for everyone on the quest.
4. Kill Kael'thas Sunstrider in Tempest Keep: The Eye — Defeat Kael'thas (final boss of The Eye) and loot the Kael's Vial Remnant. Also a guaranteed drop.
5. Return to Soridormi — Turn in both Vial Remnants. You are now attuned to Battle for Mount Hyjal. You also receive Revered standing with the Scale of the Sands faction as a bonus reward.

Important: Both Vashj and Kael'thas are end bosses of Phase 2 raids. If you haven't cleared SSC or The Eye yet, you must do so before Phase 3 launches. Guilds that wait until August 27 to start this quest will be a full week behind on Hyjal progression.

Black Temple Attunement: Complete Step-by-Step Chain

The Black Temple attunement is one of the longest quest chains in WoW history. It spans multiple zones, two raids, and a dungeon. In the Anniversary Edition, attunement is account-wide — complete it once and all characters on your account gain access.

Prerequisites

• Level 70
• Declared allegiance with The Aldor or The Scryers
• Access to The Arcatraz (Tempest Keep dungeon) — either via key quest or Rogue with 350 Lockpicking
• Mount Hyjal attunement completed (you'll need to enter Hyjal during this chain)

Stage 1: Shadowmoon Valley — Aldor or Scryer Questline

Head to Shadowmoon Valley. Your starting NPC depends on your faction allegiance:

• Aldor: Speak to Anchorite Ceyla at the Altar of Sha'tar (/way 62.6, 28.4)
• Scryers: Speak to Arcanist Thelis at the Sanctum of Stars (/way 56.2, 59.6)

1. Tablets of Baa'ri — Collect 12 Baa'ri Tablet Fragments from the Ruins of Baa'ri. These have a low drop rate from mobs, so look for glowing fragments on the ground instead. They have a green glow and are easier to spot.
2. Oronu the Elder — Kill Oronu the Elder at the Ruins of Baa'ri. He's located on a balcony to the north (/way 57.2, 32.6). Loot Orders from Akama from his corpse.
3. The Ashtongue Corruptors — Kill four named NPCs and loot their medallion fragments:
   • Haalum — Found near Netherwind Pass, south of Sanctum of the Stars (/way 57.0, 73.6). Drops Haalum's Medallion Fragment.
   • Eykenen — Found in the Fel Pits near the center of Shadowmoon Valley (/way 51.2, 52.8). Drops Eykenen's Medallion Fragment.
   • Lakaan — Found near Coilskar Point to the north (/way 49.8, 23.0). Drops Lakaan's Medallion Fragment.
   • Uylaru — Found in the Fel Pits near the Hand of Gul'dan (/way 48.2, 39.6). Drops Uylaru's Medallion Fragment.
4. The Warden's Cage — Head to the Warden's Cage, south of the Ruins of Baa'ri. Find the metal plate with stairs leading down at the feet of a Dreadwarden (/way 57.2, 49.6). You can fly straight down the hole without aggroing the demon. Interrogate Sanoru about Akama's whereabouts.

Stage 2: Shadowmoon Valley Continued

5. Proof of Allegiance — Kill Zandras, who patrols the upper walls of the Warden's Cage (/way 48, 59). He's accompanied by imps. Return to Sanoru after killing him. This awards 250 Ashtongue Deathsworn reputation.
6. Akama — Speak to Akama inside the hidden chamber in the Warden's Cage. Swim through the flooded passage behind Sanoru, turn right, then swim down a short underground passage to reach him.

Stage 3: The Arcatraz Dungeon

7. Seer Udalo — Enter The Arcatraz in Tempest Keep (Normal or Heroic both work). Find Seer Udalo's corpse in the last room before the final boss. Interact with it to complete the quest.
8. A Mysterious Portent — Return to Akama at the Warden's Cage in Shadowmoon Valley.

Stage 4: Ata'mal Terrace & Shattrath

9. The Ata'mal Terrace — Go to the top of the Ata'mal Terrace in Shadowmoon Valley. Kill Shadowlord Deathwail and his guards, then obtain the Heart of Fury. It is recommended to bring a group for this step — it's a challenging encounter.
10. Akama's Promise — Take the Medallion of Karabor to A'dal in Shattrath City. Upon turn-in, you can choose one of several reward items:
    • Akama's Sash (cloth waist)
    • Ashtongue Blade (one-handed sword)
    • Bloodwarder's Rifle (ranged)
    • Verdant Gloves (leather hands)
    • Spellbreaker's Buckler (shield)
    • Staff of the Ashtongue Deathsworn (staff)

Stage 5: Serpentshrine Cavern

11. The Secret Compromised — Enter Serpentshrine Cavern and defeat Fathom-Lord Karathress. After he dies, Seer Olum will appear and offer the quest. Accept it and return to Akama in Shadowmoon Valley.

Stage 6: Tempest Keep

12. Ruse of the Ashtongue — Akama gives you an Ashtongue Cowl disguise. Enter Tempest Keep: The Eye and defeat Al'ar (the first boss) while wearing the cowl. You must use the disguise before the encounter starts. If your raid wipes, re-equip the cowl before the next pull. You can keep the disguise active for the rest of the raid if you prefer.

Stage 7: Mount Hyjal (Phase 3 Required)

13. An Artifact From the Past — After the Tempest Keep step, Akama sends you into Hyjal Summit. Defeat Rage Winterchill (the first boss) and loot the Time-Phased Phylactery. Return to Akama.

This step requires Phase 3 to be live. You cannot complete it until August 27. However, all previous steps (1–12) can and should be completed during Phase 2.

Stage 8: Final Entry

14. The Hostage Soul — Return to A'dal in Shattrath City.
15. Entry into the Black Temple — A'dal sends you to the Black Temple entrance in Shadowmoon Valley.
16. A Distraction for Akama — Speak to Xi'ri near the Black Temple entrance (/way 71, 46). Watch the scripted event — escort Akama and Maiev Shadowsong to the temple entrance. Do not pull extra mobs. If Akama is not visible, wait a few minutes for the event to reset.

After completing this event, you receive the Medallion of Karabor, which allows you to enter Black Temple. Later, after defeating Illidan Stormrage, the medallion upgrades to the Blessed Medallion of Karabor, which grants a teleport to Shadowmoon Valley on a 15-minute cooldown — invaluable for Netherwing dailies.

Black Temple Attunement Quick Checklist

• ☐ Choose Aldor or Scryers
• ☐ Complete Tablets of Baa'ri
• ☐ Kill Oronu the Elder
• ☐ Complete The Ashtongue Corruptors (4 named NPCs)
• ☐ Complete The Warden's Cage quest
• ☐ Kill Zandras (Proof of Allegiance)
• ☐ Speak to Akama
• ☐ Find Seer Udalo in The Arcatraz
• ☐ Complete Ata'mal Terrace (Heart of Fury)
• ☐ Turn in Medallion of Karabor to A'dal
• ☐ Kill Fathom-Lord Karathress in SSC
• ☐ Defeat Al'ar in Tempest Keep (with Ashtongue Cowl)
• ☐ [Phase 3] Defeat Rage Winterchill in Mount Hyjal
• ☐ Complete The Hostage Soul & Entry into the Black Temple
• ☐ Escort Akama during A Distraction for Akama
• ☐ Receive Medallion of Karabor

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Black Temple Boss Guide: All 9 Bosses

Black Temple is located in eastern Shadowmoon Valley. The entrance is through the Karabor Sewers on the western side of the temple complex (/way 71, 46). The raid contains 9 boss encounters with a well-designed difficulty curve — from a straightforward gear check at the start to one of the most demanding multi-phase fights in the game.

Boss #	Boss Name	Key Mechanic	Notable Loot
1	High Warlord Naj'entus	Impaling Spine, Tidal Shield	T6 Gloves token
2	Supremus	Two-phase: tank-and-spank + chase	T6 Gloves token
3	Shade of Akama	Add management, burn phase	T6 Gloves token
4	Teron Gorefiend	Shadow of Death ghost mechanic	T6 Gloves token
5	Gurtogg Bloodboil	Bloodboil rotation, Fel Rage	T6 Gloves token
6	Reliquary of Souls	Three-phase essences	T6 Gloves token
7	Mother Shahraz	Fatal Attraction, shadow resistance	T6 Shoulders token
8	The Illidari Council	Four bosses simultaneously	T6 Shoulders token
9	Illidan Stormrage	Multi-phase, legendary weapons	T6 Legs token, Warglaives of Azzinoth

Boss 1: High Warlord Naj'entus

Overview: A gear check fight. If your raid can't beat Naj'entus, you're not ready for Black Temple.

Key Mechanics:

• Needle Spine: Fires at random players, dealing splash damage. Spread out at least 6 yards apart to mitigate.
• Impaling Spine: Impales a random player, pinning them in place. Other players must click the spine object to free them. The freed player then loots the spine.
• Tidal Shield: Naj'entus shields himself, becoming immune and healing over time. A player who looted an Impaling Spine must use it (via macro: /use Naj'entus Spine) to break the shield. Make sure the entire raid is topped off before breaking the shield — it deals 8,500 frost damage to everyone.

Strategy: Spread the raid around Naj'entus in a semicircle. Melee in two groups, one at each foot. Ranged spread 6 yards apart. Assign 2–3 players to spine duty. Use Heroism/Bloodlust on pull. Hunters can use Aimed Shot and Rogues Wound Poison to reduce Tidal Shield healing.

Boss 2: Supremus

Overview: A two-phase fight that alternates every 60 seconds. Relatively easy once your raid understands the movement.

Phase 1 (60 seconds) — Tank and Spank:

• Three tanks needed — Supremus uses Hateful Strike on the 2nd highest threat target. All three tanks must be top 3 on threat.
• Watch for Molten Punch (Molten Flame): A fire trail on the ground. Move away immediately.
• Massive tank damage — healers must be ready for spikes.

Phase 2 (60 seconds) — Kite Phase:

• No aggro table — Supremus chases random players.
• Fixate: If targeted, run away immediately. Do not let him catch you.
• Volcanic Geyser: Volcanoes spawn on the ground — do not stand near them.
• Spread out, recall pets, stay away from melee range.
• Aggro resets when Phase 1 returns — hunters use Misdirection to help the main tank re-establish threat.

Boss 3: Shade of Akama

Overview: A unique add-management fight. You must protect the NPC Akama while clearing channelers to free him.

Phase 1 — Add Clearing:

• Kill Ashtongue Channelers and Ashtongue Sorcerers as quickly as possible — these are what keep Shade of Akama chained.
• Assign 1 tank to pick up Ashtongue Defenders, other tanks pick up Spiritbinders, Rogues, and Elementalists that spawn at doorways.
• Hunters and Mages use Frost Trap and Frost Nova to help tanks kite adds.
• DPS ignores adds — focus entirely on channelers and sorcerers.
• Once Shade reaches Akama, Phase 2 begins.

Phase 2 — Burn (1 minute enrage):

• You have exactly 60 seconds to kill Shade of Akama before he kills the NPC Akama.
• Pop all cooldowns, Heroism/Bloodlust, and burn.
• Cleave any remaining adds while DPS focuses the Shade.

Boss 4: Teron Gorefiend

Overview: The first Death Knight in Warcraft lore. This fight is memorable for the Shadow of Death mechanic — one player failing can wipe the entire raid.

Key Mechanics:

• Shadow of Death (55-second debuff): Every 30 seconds, a random player gets this debuff. After 55 seconds, they die and become a Vengeful Spirit for 60 seconds. Four Shadowy Constructs spawn at their death location and move toward the raid — if they reach the raid, it's a wipe.
• Incinerate: Deals ~3,000 Fire damage plus a 3-second DoT for ~3,000/sec. Total ~12,000 damage. Must be dispelled immediately by Priests (Dispel Magic) and Paladins (Cleanse).
• Doom Blossom: Summoned clouds that cast Shadow Bolts at random players. Up to 4 can be active simultaneously.
• Crushing Shadows: Increases Shadow damage taken by 60% for 5 random players. Makes Doom Blossoms much deadlier.

Shadow of Death — Ghost Phase Guide:

1. When you get the debuff, wait until 15 seconds remain, then run to a far corner of the room.
2. When you die and become a Vengeful Spirit, you get a pet bar with new abilities:
   • Spirit Lance (3): Single-target slow (90% slow). Use on each Construct — Tab + 3 repeatedly.
   • Spirit Chains (4): AoE crowd control. Stuns all nearby Constructs.
   • Spirit Volley (5): AoE damage. Use on cooldown.
   • Spirit Shield (7): Cast on your tank to reduce damage.
   • Spirit Strike (1): Single-target damage on Teron.
3. Rotation: Spirit Volley → Spirit Chains → Spirit Lance each Construct → repeat until all Constructs are dead.
4. Once Constructs are dead, use Spirit Shield on tank and spam Spirit Strike on Teron.

Tips: Warlocks should pre-place Soulstones on Shadow of Death targets. Paladins, Rogues, Mages, and Hunters can use Divine Shield, Cloak of Shadows, Ice Block, or Feign Death during the cast to completely avoid the debuff. Practice on the Teron Gorefiend practice tool before raid night.

Boss 5: Gurtogg Bloodboil

Overview: A two-phase fight requiring careful group rotation and massive healing coordination.

Phase 1 (90 seconds) — Bloodboil Rotation:

• Three tanks must be top 3 on threat. Gurtogg uses Bewildering Strike which resets aggro on the main target — tanks must swap.
• Bloodboil: Targets the 5 furthest players from the boss, dealing increasing Shadow damage. Set up 3 soaking groups that rotate — when it's your group's turn, move to max range until you get hit, then move back.
• After 5 Bloodboil stacks, Phase 2 begins.

Phase 2 (30 seconds) — Fel Rage:

• Gurtogg gains Fel Rage and one random player also gains Fel Rage — they become the tank for this phase.
• The targeted player must face Gurtogg away from the raid (Fel-Acid Breath cone attack).
• Ranged stay at least 18 yards away to avoid Fel Geyser.
• Targeted player must use ALL defensive cooldowns, Healthstones, and self-heals.
• Do NOT Ice Block, Feign Death, or Vanish — Gurtogg will immediately go to the main tank and likely kill them.
• Paladins should use Blessing of Protection on the targeted player to reduce damage.
• No threat table in this phase. Pop Heroism/Bloodlust.

Boss 6: Reliquary of Souls

Overview: A three-phase fight against the Essences of Suffering, Desire, and Anger. Each phase has a unique raid-wide aura that changes the rules.

Phase 1 — Essence of Suffering (Aura of Suffering):

• Healing is completely disabled. No healing spells work.
• Whoever is closest to the boss has aggro — tanks swap by moving closer/further.
• Rogues can Evasion Tank. Priests use Power Word: Shield on the active tank.
• Healers dispel Soul Drain immediately.
• Healers should DPS the boss since they can't heal.

Phase 2 — Essence of Desire (Aura of Desire):

• All damage dealt is reflected back to the attacker at 50%. Healers must keep everyone topped off.
• Interrupt Spirit Shock — assign interrupters (Warriors, Rogues, Shamans).
• Warriors can Spell Reflect Deaden to gain its damage buff.
• Destroy Rune Shield quickly when it spawns (spellstealable by Mages).
• Warlocks use Curse of Tongues to slow Spirit Shock casts.

Phase 3 — Essence of Anger (Aura of Anger):

• Raid-wide damage increases over time — this is a DPS race.
• Watch threat when Seethe debuff is active.
• Tank must face the boss away from the raid (Soul Scream frontal cone).
• Healers prepare to top off targets with Spite debuff (heavy damage).
• Pop all cooldowns and burn.

Intermission: Between phases, adds spawn that restore health and mana to everyone within 10 yards when killed. Stack up between phases to replenish.

Boss 7: Mother Shahraz

Overview: The shadow resistance check. This is the fight that gates progression — guilds without sufficient shadow resistance gear will be walled here. Prepare your shadow resistance gear well in advance.

Requirements:

• 3 tanks (to split Saber Lash damage — without 3 targets, it one-shots)
• All non-tank players need ~174 Shadow Resistance from gear + 70 from Prayer of Shadow Protection
• Tanks do NOT need shadow resistance — Saber Lash makes them immune to shadow damage

Key Mechanics:

• Saber Lash: Massive physical damage split between 3 tanks standing on top of each other. Tanks must not move or turn the boss.
• Fatal Attraction: Teleports 3 random players to the same spot, linking them with purple beams. Damage ramps: 1,000 → 2,000 → 3,000 per tick. Players must run in different directions immediately to break the beams at 25 yards. This is the #1 cause of wipes.
• Beam attacks: Various beams (Sinister Beam, Wicked Beam, Sinful Beam, Fatal Attraction beam) target random non-tank players. All deal shadow damage.
• Prismatic Aura: Rotates through 6 elemental types (Shadow, Arcane, Fire, Nature, Frost, Holy). Reduces damage of one element, increases others. Casters must adapt.
• Silencing Shriek: Silences all players within 18 yards for 10 seconds. Casters and healers must stay 18+ yards away.
• Enrage at 10% HP: Main tank uses all defensive cooldowns.

Strategy: Position ranged and healers against walls or under decorative fish fountains to negate knockback. When teleported by Fatal Attraction, use class mobility (Blink, Sprint, Intercept) to break beams quickly. Use Master Healthstones and Major Shadow Protection Potions to survive Fatal Attraction damage. Mother Shahraz is a demon — use Elixir of Demonslaying for a damage boost.

Boss 8: The Illidari Council

Overview: Four bosses fought simultaneously, each representing a different class archetype. This is a coordination check — every role has a specific assignment.

The Four Members:

• Gathios the Shatterer (Paladin): Uses Consecration, Hammer of Justice, Blessing of Spell Warding. Main tank target. Interrupt his heals.
• High Nethermancer Zerevor (Mage): Casts Blizzard, Flamestrike, Arcane Explosion, and Dampen Magic. Spellsteal Dampen Magic with Mages. Tank should use spell resistance gear.
• Lady Malande (Priest): Heals other council members, casts Divine Circle (reflects spells), Empowering Touch. Interrupt her heals and Reflective Shield.
• Veras Darkshadow (Rogue): Vanishes periodically, then ambushes a random player. High burst damage. Assign a dedicated tank with high health.

Strategy: Assign one tank to each council member. Keep them separated. Interrupt all heals. Spellsteal Dampen Magic. When Veras vanishes, everyone spreads out. The fight is about sustained execution — it's long (7–8 minutes) with constant damage. Save Heroism/Bloodlust for the final burn when one or two members are dead.

Boss 9: Illidan Stormrage

Overview: The finale. One of the most iconic boss fights in WoW history, with five phases, multiple mechanics, and the legendary Warglaives of Azzinoth as the ultimate prize.

Phase 1 — Normal (100%–65%):

• Tank Illidan facing away from the raid (Shear debuff reduces tank's health by 60% — must be mitigated).
• Parasitic Shadowfiend: Debuffs a random player, spawning Shadowfiends after 10 seconds that chase and infect others. Assigned players must kill them before they spread.
• Flame Crash: Blue fire on the ground — move away immediately.
• Ranged spread out to avoid splash damage.

Phase 2 — Flames of Azzinoth (65%–neutral):

• Illidan flies and summons two Flames of Azzinoth (giant fire elementals).
• Each Flame must be tanked separately and kept at least 20 yards apart.
• Tanks need Fire Resistance gear — the Flames cast Blaze (fire damage aura).
• Eye Blast: Illidan fires a laser beam across the platform, leaving fire trails. Avoid at all costs.
• Both Flames must die within ~10 seconds of each other, or the surviving one enrages.
• Ranged DPS handles demonic circles that spawn during this phase.

Phase 3 — Normal resumed (neutral–30%):

• Same as Phase 1, but Illidan now also uses Aura of Dread (reduces healing received by 5%, stacking).
• Continue dodging Flame Crash, Shear, and Parasitic Shadowfiends.
• Manage Aura of Dread stacks — healers need to compensate.

Phase 4 — Demon Form (at 30%):

• Illidan transforms into a demon. Magic damage only — physical attacks are useless.
• He casts Flame Burst (raid-wide fire damage) and Shadow Demons that paralyze players and drag them toward Illidan.
• Shadow Demons must be killed immediately — if they reach Illidan with a player, that player dies.
• Warlocks and casters go all-out during this phase.
• This phase alternates with Phase 3 every 40 seconds.

Phase 5 — The Final 30% (Maiev's Trap):

• Maiev Shadowsong joins the fight, dropping traps on the ground.
• Tank Illidan onto a trap to trigger his enrage — during enrage, he takes 100% increased damage.
• Pop all cooldowns during enrage windows.
• This is the final burn — execute cleanly and Illidan falls.

Loot Note: Illidan drops Warglaives of Azzinoth — the most famous weapons in WoW history. Main-hand and off-hand glaives, each with an extremely low drop rate. Both are needed for the legendary set bonus. Only one drops per kill, and not every kill.

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Battle for Mount Hyjal Boss Guide: All 5 Bosses

Battle for Mount Hyjal is accessed through the Caverns of Time in Tanaris. The raid follows the events of the Warcraft III mission — you defend the World Tree from the Burning Legion. The raid consists of 3 trash wave defense encounters followed by a boss, repeated for each of the first 4 encounters, with Archimonde as the final standalone boss.

Boss #	Boss Name	Type	Notable Mechanic
1	Rage Winterchill	Lich	Ice Bolt, Frost Nova, Death & Decay
2	Anetheron	Nathrezim (Dreadlord)	Carrion Swarm, Infernal, Sleep
3	Kazrogal	Doomguard	Mark of Kazrogal (mana detonation)
4	Azgalor	Pit Lord	Rain of Fire, Howl of Terror, Doom
5	Archimonde	Eredar Lord	Grip of the Legion, Air Burst, Doomfire

Boss 1: Rage Winterchill

After defending the Alliance base camp from 8 waves of undead trash, Rage Winterchill appears.

• Ice Bolt: Random target, ~5,000 frost damage plus stun. Healers must be ready to top off the target.
• Frost Nova: Roots all nearby players. Dispels/decurses needed.
• Death & Decay: Large AoE on the ground dealing 15% HP per second. Move out immediately.

Strategy: Keep the raid spread out. Assign decursers for Frost Nova. Move out of Death & Decay. This is the easiest boss in Hyjal — a warmup for what follows. Don't forget, you also need to kill Rage Winterchill for the Black Temple attunement quest.

Boss 2: Anetheron

Defend the human base from 8 waves of demons and undead before Anetheron arrives.

• Carrion Swarm: Cone attack dealing ~4,000 shadow damage and reducing healing by 75%. Tank must face Anetheron away from the raid.
• Infernal: Summons an Infernal that casts Meteor on landing (~5,000 fire damage in a small area) then attacks random players. Assign an off-tank to pick it up.
• Sleep: Puts random players to sleep for 10 seconds. Can be dispelled by Priests and Paladins.
• Vampiric Aura: Heals Anetheron for a percentage of damage dealt. Don't waste damage on unnecessary targets.

Strategy: Off-tank handles Infernals. Dispel Sleep immediately. Keep the raid spread to minimize Carrion Swarm hits. The tank must turn Anetheron away from the group before each Swarm cast.

Boss 3: Kazrogal

Defend the Horde base from 8 waves before Kazrogal arrives.

• Mark of Kazrogal: The signature mechanic. Deals damage proportional to the target's current mana. If a player has no mana, they detonate for ~10,000 damage to themselves and nearby allies. Cast every 45 seconds, with the frequency increasing as his health drops.
• Cleavel: Frontal cleave — melee must be behind the boss.
• War Stomp: AoE stun for 6 seconds. Healers prepare for spike damage during stun.

Strategy: Mana users must dump their mana before Mark of Kazrogal hits. Assign mana management — casters should be at low mana when the mark is about to land. Position melee behind the boss. Warlocks can Life Tap to reduce mana. This fight is brutal for mana-heavy compositions.

Boss 4: Azgalor

The final wave defense before Archimonde.

• Rain of Fire: AoE fire damage in a large circle. Move out immediately.
• Howl of Terror: AoE fear for 4 seconds. Tremor Totems and Fear Wards help. Tank must be fear-protected.
• Doom: The most dangerous mechanic. Cast on a random player every 45 seconds. After 20 seconds, the player dies and spawns a Doom Guard that must be tanked and killed. Off-tank handles Doom Guards.
• Cleavel: Frontal cleave — melee behind the boss.

Strategy: Off-tank picks up every Doom Guard. Assign dedicated DPS to kill Doom Guards quickly. Fear ward the main tank. Spread out to minimize Rain of Fire hits. Players with Doom should move to the off-tank area before dying so the Doom Guard spawns in a manageable position.

Boss 5: Archimonde

The final boss of Mount Hyjal. Archimonde is not a wave defense — he's a standalone encounter that tests positioning, awareness, and survival above all else. The fight has a hard enrage timer of 10 minutes, after which he casts Finger of Death repeatedly until the raid wipes.

Key Mechanics:

• Doomfire: A trail of fire that chases random players across the battlefield. Deals heavy fire damage and applies a stacking DoT. Kite it away from the raid.
• Air Burst: Launches a random player and nearby allies into the air. They take fall damage on landing. Use Tears of the Goddess (provided by Tyrande at the start of the encounter) to slow your fall — click it just before landing.
• Grip of the Legion: A curse that deals increasing damage over time. Must be decursed immediately. Assign multiple decursers spread around the raid.
• Fear: Periodic AoE fear for 5 seconds. Tremor Totems, Fear Wards, and Will of the Forsaken help. The tank must be protected — if the tank is feared, Archimonde may turn and cleave the raid.
• Soul Charge: When a player dies, Archimonde gains a Soul Charge, which he later releases for raid-wide damage. Player deaths are catastrophic. Survival is more important than DPS.

Strategy: This is a survival fight, not a DPS race (until the 10-minute enrage). Spread the raid in a semicircle around Archimonde. Assign decurse groups for each quadrant. Kite Doomfire away from the raid. Use Tears of the Goddess for every Air Burst. Fear Ward the tank. If anyone dies, the Soul Chain can cascade into a wipe. Stay calm, stay alive, and DPS when it's safe.

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Netherwing Reputation & Netherdrake Mounts

Phase 3 unlocks the Netherwing faction in Shadowmoon Valley. This is one of the most popular grinds in TBC — the reward is a Netherdrake mount (280% flying speed).

How to Start

1. You must have Expert Riding (300 skill, 225% flight speed) and a flying mount.
2. Speak to Mordenai in the Netherwing Fields of Shadowmoon Valley (/way 59, 58). He offers the quest "Kindness," starting the Netherwing questline.
3. After completing the initial chain, you become friendly with Netherwing and can access Netherwing Ledge.

Daily Quests

Once you reach Friendly, Netherwing offers up to 10 daily quests per day. These include:

• A Slow Death: Collect Fel Glands and poison Dragonmaw peon camps.
• The Not-So-Friendly Skies: Collect Netherwing Relics from Dragonmaw transports flying between Netherwing Ledge and the mainland.
• The Great Netherwing Egg Hunt: Find Netherwing Eggs hidden around the ledge (also randomly spawn, can be looted from nodes).
• Nethermine Flayer Hide: Skin flayers in the Nethermine.
• The Booterang: A Cure For The Common Worthless Peon: Throw Booterangs at lazy peons.
• Disrupting the Twilight Portal: Kill mobs at the nearby Twilight camp.
• Rise, Obsidian Dragonshrine! and other reputation-specific dailies.

Netherwing Eggs

Netherwing Eggs are the fastest way to gain reputation. Each egg gives 250 reputation and can be found:

• On the ground in Netherwing Ledge (spawn points are fixed but on long timers)
• Mined from Nethercite deposits (requires Mining)
• Harvested from Netherdust Bushes (requires Herbalism)
• Looted from Nethermine Flayers (requires Skinning)
• Dropped by mobs in the Nethermine

Eggs are rare and highly contested. Many players collect them on multiple characters. The grind from Neutral to Exalted takes approximately 2–3 weeks of consistent daily quest completion.

Exalted Reward

Upon reaching Exalted with Netherwing, speak to Baron Sablemane / Mordenai to receive your Netherdrake mount. You choose from six color variants. A short cinematic plays, and the mount is added to your collection.

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Epic Gems: New Jewelcrafting Designs

Phase 3 introduces Epic Gems, which are significantly more powerful than the rare gems available in Phases 1–2. These gems become mandatory for competitive raiding and high-end Arena play.

Sources

• Black Temple and Mount Hyjal drops: Epic gems drop from trash and bosses in both T6 raids.
• Mining in Mount Hyjal: Miners can prospect Epic Gem nodes that spawn inside the Hyjal raid.
• Badge of Justice vendor: Some epic gem designs can be purchased with Badges of Justice.

New Jewelcrafting Designs

New gem-cutting designs are available from Indormi in the Caverns of Time. You need appropriate reputation with the Scale of the Sands or Keepers of Time to purchase them. Notable cuts include:

• Pyrestone cuts: +12 Spell Damage, +12 Attack Power, +12 Defense Rating, +10 Resilience, etc.
• Empyrean Sapphire cuts: +15 Stamina
• Crimson Sun cuts: +24 Attack Power
• Seaspray Emerald cuts: +12 Spell Damage and +10 Stamina hybrid cuts
• Shadowsong Amethyst cuts: Various hybrid stat cuts

Tip: If you're a Jewelcrafter, stock up on design purchases now. Guilds that can clear both T6 raids early will have a significant gearing advantage as they can socket their Tier 6 gear with epic gems immediately.

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Arena Season 3: Changes & Preparation

Arena Season 3 begins on September 1, 2026, just days after Phase 3 launches. Here's what changes:

Key Changes from Season 2

• Weapon rating requirement lowered from 1,850 to 1,700 — Blizzard's adjustment to make weapons more accessible.
• Season 2 ends on August 18. All remaining Arena Points convert to Honor at a 1:10 ratio.
• Season 2 gear moves to Area 52 vendors at discounted prices.
• Season 1 gear becomes available through Honor vendors in Stormwind and Orgrimmar — perfect for catch-up.
• New Season 3 gear includes weapons, shoulders, chest, legs, gloves, and head pieces.
• Blue PvP gear available through reputation during leveling — no longer need to choose between raiding and world PvP survivability.

Preparation Tips

• Hoard Honor and Arena Points now. Season 3 gear requires a currency runway — start building before September 1.
• Cap your Arena Points before Season 2 ends to maximize your converted Honor.
• Buy Season 2 gear at discount if you need it for PvE progression — some S2 pieces are competitive with T5 gear.
• Stock up on PvP consumables: Free Action Potions, Limited Invulnerability Potions, and Major Shadow Protection Potions will all be in demand.

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Shadow Resistance Gear Preparation

Mother Shahraz in Black Temple is a hard shadow resistance check. Your entire raid (except tanks) needs approximately 244 total Shadow Resistance (174 from gear + 70 from Prayer of Shadow Protection). Without it, you will wipe repeatedly.

Crafted Shadow Resistance Gear

The recipes are purchased from Okuno in the Black Temple (inside the raid, requires Friendly with Ashtongue Deathsworn). You'll need the following per non-tank raider:

Slot	Cloth	Leather	Mail	Plate
Cloak	Night's End (+30 Sta, +40 SR) — crafted by Tailors
Legs	Soulguard Leggings	Redeemed Soul Legguards	Greaves of Shackled Souls	Shadesteel Greaves
Waist	Soulguard Girdle	Redeemed Soul Cinch	Waistguard of Shackled Souls	Shadesteel Girdle
Bracers	Soulguard Bracers	Redeemed Soul Wristguards	Bracers of Shackled Souls	Shadesteel Bracers
Boots	Soulguard Slippers	Redeemed Soul Moccasins	Boots of Shackled Souls	Shadesteel Sabots

Each piece provides +54 to +72 Shadow Resistance. You only need 2–3 crafted pieces per player to hit the 174 cap — combine with enchants and consumables for the rest.

Enchants and Consumables

• Enchant Cloak — Greater Shadow Resistance: +15 Shadow Resistance
• Enchant Cloak — Lesser Shadow Resistance: +10 Shadow Resistance
• Shadow Armor Kit: +8 Shadow Resistance (chest, legs, or boots)
• Glyph of Shadow Warding: +20 Shadow Resistance (head slot, requires Revered with Keepers of Time)
• Inscription of Endurance: +7 Shadow Resistance (shoulder slot)
• Prayer of Shadow Protection: +70 Shadow Resistance (Priest buff)
• Major Shadow Protection Potion: Absorbs 2,800–4,000 Shadow damage

When to Start

Start crafting NOW, during Phase 2. Primal Shadow prices will triple on launch day. Gather materials, craft your gear, and enchant it before August 27. Guilds that arrive unprepared will lose a full week of progression while farming resist gear at inflated Auction House prices.

For the full shadow resistance gear breakdown, check our TBC Classic Shadow Resist Gear Guide.

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Gold Preparation: How Much You Need

Phase 3 is expensive. Between attunement consumables, shadow resistance gear, raid consumables, epic gems, enchants, and the 5,000g epic flying skill, your gold reserves will be tested. Here's a realistic budget:

Expense	Estimated Gold	Priority
Epic Flying Skill (280%)	5,000g	Essential for Netherwing
Shadow Resistance Gear (crafted + enchanted)	1,500–2,500g	Mandatory for Mother Shahraz
Raid Consumables (per week)	500–800g	Flasks, potions, food, oils
Epic Gems (cutting + materials)	1,000–2,000g	Full T6 gear socketing
Enchants (T6 gear)	800–1,200g	Per full gear upgrade cycle
Repairs (progression weeks)	200–400g/week	Ongoing cost
Total Recommended Reserve	7,000–9,000g	Comfortable raid-ready cushion

Gold Farming Methods in Phase 3

• Netherwing Dailies: ~150–200g per day from 10 daily quests. This is the most consistent income source in Phase 3.
• Dungeon Farming: Heroic dungeons drop gold, greens, and crafting materials. Particularly lucrative with a group that can clear quickly.
• Gathering Professions: Herbalism and Mining in Outland zones. Felweed, Dreaming Glory, Adamantite, and Fel Iron remain in high demand for raid consumables.
• Fishing & Cooking: Spicy Crawdad and Golden Fish Sticks are essential raid food. Fish in Terokkar and Nagrand.
• Auction House Flipping: Buy low, sell high on raid nights (Tuesday/Wednesday). Consumable prices spike before raid reset.
• World Bosses: Doom Lord Kazzak and Doomwalker drop valuable BoE items and crafting materials.

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Phase 3 Pre-Launch Checklist

Complete everything on this list before August 27 to be raid-ready on day one:

Attunement (Complete During Phase 2)

• ☐ Reach Revered with Keepers of Time
• ☐ Kill Lady Vashj in SSC — loot Vashj's Vial Remnant
• ☐ Kill Kael'thas in The Eye — loot Kael's Vial Remnant
• ☐ Turn in Vials of Eternity to Soridormi (Mount Hyjal attunement complete)
• ☐ Complete Black Temple attunement Steps 1–12 (Shadowmoon Valley → Arcatraz → SSC → Tempest Keep)
• ☐ Only Step 13+ (Rage Winterchill kill in Hyjal) requires Phase 3

Gear & Consumables

• ☐ Craft 2–3 Shadow Resistance pieces per non-tank raider
• ☐ Enchant and kit shadow resistance gear
• ☐ Stockpile Primal Shadows (prices will triple on launch day)
• ☐ Prepare raid consumables: Flasks of Mighty Restoration, Flask of the Titans, Elixirs, potions
• ☐ Stock up on food buffs: Spicy Crawdad, Golden Fish Sticks, Ravager Dog
• ☐ Gather weapon oils, wizard oils, and sharpening stones
• ☐ Prepare Marks of the Illidari for specialized flasks (requires Exalted with specific factions)

Profession & Reputation

• ☐ Reach Exalted with Aldor or Scryers (for shoulder enchants)
• ☐ Reach Exalted with Keepers of Time (for head enchant)
• ☐ Reach Exalted with Cenarion Expedition (for helm enchant option)
• ☐ Jewelcrafters: Purchase epic gem designs from Indormi
• ☐ Stockpile Badges of Justice for gem purchases

Gold & Resources

• ☐ Accumulate 7,000–9,000g minimum
• ☐ Purchase Epic Flying Skill (5,000g) if not already acquired
• ☐ Hoard Arena Points and Honor for Season 3
• ☐ Stockpile Primal Might, Primal Shadow, Primal Fire for crafting

Raid Organization

• ☐ Confirm 25-player roster with proper composition
• ☐ Assign 3 tanks for Mother Shahraz and Illidari Council
• ☐ Assign interrupters for Illidari Council and Reliquary of Souls
• ☐ Assign decursers for Archimonde (at least 4, spread across quadrants)
• ☐ Practice Teron Gorefiend ghost mechanic with all raiders
• ☐ Confirm everyone has Tears of the Goddess for Archimonde
• ☐ Set up loot council or DKP system for Warglaives priority

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Conclusion

TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 3 is the defining moment of the expansion. Black Temple and Mount Hyjal represent the peak of WoW raid design, and the addition of Netherwing, Epic Gems, and Arena Season 3 makes this the most content-rich update yet. The difference between a guild that prepared and one that didn't is measured in weeks of progression.

Start your attunements now. Craft your shadow resistance gear. Stockpile your gold. And when August 27 arrives, you'll be the one pulling Naj'entus while everyone else is still farming Baa'ri Tablet Fragments.

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For more TBC Classic guides, check out our Shadow Resistance Gear Guide and WoW TBC Classic Gold page.