Blizzard lays out raid locations, sizes, and what you’ll need before December 9
Blizzard has published an overview of the first three level 60 raids coming to World of Warcraft: Forever, confirming that Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit, and Onyxia’s Lair unlock on December 9. The post focuses on the practical details most raid groups care about up front: where each raid is located, how many players you’ll need, and—most importantly for Onyxia—how to complete the Drakefire Amulet attunement required for entry.
For MacGaming.com readers, the key takeaway is preparation. Whether you’re organizing a consistent weekly run with friends or joining a larger community roster, Blizzard’s breakdown helps you plan group sizes and start long quest chains early, especially if your schedule is tighter and you want to be raid-ready when the gates open.
Raid quick facts (as outlined by Blizzard)
Barrow Deeps: Located within Mount Hyjal, with multiple entrances connected through Mount Hyjal, Winterspring, and Blackmaw Hold. Level 60 raid for 10 players.
Hyjal Summit: Found at the summit of Mount Hyjal near the World Tree Nordrassil. Level 60 raid for 20 players.
Onyxia’s Lair: Located in Dustwallow Marsh. Level 60 raid for 40 players, and each raider must have the Drakefire Amulet in their inventory to enter.
Barrow Deeps: a 10-player descent with multiple entry points
Barrow Deeps is positioned as a smaller-group endgame raid: 10 players, eight bosses, and a setting tied to the ancient prison that held Illidan Stormrage for millennia. Blizzard says the raid’s entrances are connected through Mount Hyjal, Winterspring, and Blackmaw Hold, giving groups more than one path to get inside.
From a logistics standpoint, this is the most approachable of the three raids for tighter-knit groups—fewer roster headaches, fewer bench decisions, and an easier time keeping a regular weekly cadence.
Hyjal Summit: 20 players and 13 bosses with branching routes
Hyjal Summit scales up to a 20-player format, with Blizzard calling out 13 bosses and an opening fight against an ancient guardian. The structure sounds more flexible than a straight-line raid: groups can choose among multiple paths across the mountain, including areas above and below ground, before pushing toward the final encounters.
If your team enjoys planning routes, splitting responsibilities, and optimizing clears over time, this one looks designed for coordination without requiring the full 40-player infrastructure.
Onyxia’s Lair: 40 players, fire-heavy phases, and required attunement
Onyxia’s Lair is presented as the big roster check: 40 players at level 60, centered on Onyxia of the Black Dragonflight. Blizzard reiterates the fight’s iconic three-phase structure and warns that the encounter leans hard on punishing fire damage, recommending groups build fire resistance and be ready to reposition as phases shift.
The bigger barrier, though, is access. Blizzard states that every member of the raid must carry the Drakefire Amulet to enter Onyxia’s Lair (it does not need to be equipped, but it must be in your inventory).
Drakefire Amulet attunement: start early, expect dungeon runs
According to Blizzard, the Drakefire Amulet comes from a faction-specific questline that includes elite steps and multiple trips into high-level dungeons. If your group is aiming to be ready for the first reset window after December 9, the practical advice is simple: begin the chain as soon as you can and plan around the longer dungeon components.
Alliance highlights include starting in the Burning Steppes with “Dragonkin Menace,” progressing through “The True Masters” chain, and tackling key Blackrock Depths steps (including Marshal Windsor and “Jail Break!”). The chain culminates with an Upper Blackrock Spire objective to obtain the Blood of the Black Dragon Champion from General Drakkisath, leading to the Drakefire Amulet.
Horde highlights begin at Kargath with “Blood and Thunder” into “Warlord’s Command,” then continue through Orgrimmar steps involving Eitrigg and Thrall, plus a return to Lower Blackrock Spire for “For the Horde!” The route later sends players to Rexxar, Myranda the Hag, and Dustwallow Marsh for Emberstrife’s “Test of Skulls” sequence before finishing with an Upper Blackrock Spire run for General Drakkisath’s blood and the final Drakefire Amulet reward.
Weekly cadence and planning for launch-month raiding
Blizzard says the raids are currently planned to reset weekly, which should help groups settle into a predictable schedule—especially important for larger rosters trying to maintain a stable 40-player team. With December 9 as the unlock date, the window between launch progression and the first raid night will likely be where guilds and friend groups do the most recruiting, gearing, and attunement coordination.
Source and where to read more
Source: Blizzard News (published October 20, 2026).
For the full official breakdown straight from Blizzard—including the complete step-by-step attunement flow—visit the original post here:
https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/article/24303009/world-of-warcraft-forever-raid-overviewlocations-raid-sizes-and-attunement
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