The Barrow Deeps

Quick answer: The Barrow Deeps is WoW Forever's 10-player raid. It opens on 9 December 2026 for level 60 players, has 8 bosses, and lies beneath Mount Hyjal in the prison that held Illidan Stormrage for 10,000 years. You can enter from Mount Hyjal, Winterspring or Blackmaw Hold. Blizzard hasn't named any attunement for it, so it's the easiest raid for a new group to start with. Bring 2 tanks, 2-3 healers and 5-6 damage dealers.

Barrow Deeps at a glance

• Players: 10
• Bosses: 8
• Level: 60
• Opens: 9 December 2026, together with Hyjal Summit and Onyxia's Lair
• Entrances: Mount Hyjal, Winterspring and Blackmaw Hold (all three lead into the same raid)
• Attunement: none announced
• Resets: weekly, according to Blizzard's current plan
• Best for: a guild's first raid night, or a group of friends who don't have 20 or 40 players yet

Where is the Barrow Deeps?

The Barrow Deeps sits inside Mount Hyjal in northern Kalimdor. Blizzard says it has several entrances, connected through Mount Hyjal, Winterspring and Blackmaw Hold. If you're coming from Everlook, the Winterspring side is likely the quickest walk. If you've been farming Blackmaw Hold for pre-raid gear, you can head straight in from there.

The exact entrance spots haven't been published yet. We'll add map directions once the raid opens.

The story: Illidan's old prison

For 10,000 years the night elf Wardens kept Illidan Stormrage locked away in the barrow dens beneath Hyjal. In WoW Forever that prison has been opened. Raiders go down to find out what became of everyone else who was locked up there, and how the Wardens plan to keep the danger below contained.

Expect a dark, underground raid of tunnels, crystal caverns and old night elf ruins, with corrupted druids, wild creatures and prisoners who were never meant to see daylight again.

Barrow Deeps bosses

Blizzard confirms 8 bosses but hasn't published their names. Fan sites have found these names in the game files. Treat them as unconfirmed: names and order can still change before 9 December.

1. Deepscar Matriarch
2. Khalith the Dreadspinner
3. Amethrax
4. Ravus and Darlissa (a two-boss council fight)
5. Elder Tangleclaw
6. Well of Sorrow
7. Del'lynar Songwood
8. Sonya Darkhallow

One list built from the raid's achievement data names Chillhowl as the first boss instead of Deepscar Matriarch, and puts the bosses in a different order. Nobody outside Blizzard has fought them yet, so we'll confirm the real list on opening night.

What the names suggest (our guess, not confirmed): Khalith the Dreadspinner sounds like a spider boss, so bring poison and nature cleanses. Amethrax looks like a crystal giant, and the game files mention abilities called Amethyst Cleave and Amethyst Expulsion, so tanks should face it away from the raid. Ravus and Darlissa will almost certainly need two tanks.

Barrow Deeps boss strategies

There are none yet that we can honestly give you. The raid hasn't been publicly tested, so every "strategy" you see online right now is guesswork. We'll write a full guide for each boss as soon as the raid opens, including what each ability does, where to stand and which classes shine.

Until then, these general rules for a new 10-player raid will keep you alive:

• Pull with a plan. Mark the kill target with a skull and crowd control targets with other icons.
• Two tanks, always. Most 10-player fights have tank swaps or adds.
• Bring every dispel you can. Priests and Paladins for magic, Druids and Shamans for poison, Mages and Druids for curses.
• Interrupts win fights. Assign them before the pull: Rogue Kick, Warrior Pummel, Shaman Earth Shock, Mage Counterspell.
• Watch the boss timers. Install Deadly Boss Mods or BigWigs once they support WoW Forever.

Barrow Deeps loot

Blizzard hasn't published the loot tables, and in WoW Forever new items keep their stats hidden until someone loots them. Beta files suggest the raid drops Malleable Essence of Nature, a crafting material for new level 60 armor pieces, along with boss-themed items such as a Brooch of the Wardens. Treat all of this as unconfirmed until opening night.

Best group setup for Barrow Deeps

For 10 players, start with:

• 2 tanks: Warrior, Paladin or Druid
• 2-3 healers: at least two different healing classes, so you have more dispel types
• 5-6 damage dealers: a mix of melee and ranged, with at least one Mage or Druid for curses

If you're struggling on a fight, swap a damage dealer for a third healer first. With only 10 players, one Shaman and one Paladin or Priest give your whole group a lot of extra buffs.

Best raid builds

Our recommended raid spec for each role, from the class guides. Blizzard says it doesn't plan big class tuning changes before the raids open, so these builds should hold up on 9 December. Click one to open it in the talent calculator.

Tanks

Protection Warrior Protection Paladin Bear Druid

Healers

Holy Priest Discipline Priest Holy Paladin Restoration Shaman Restoration Druid

Melee damage

Fury Warrior Assassination Rogue Survival Hunter

Ranged damage

Fire Mage Arcane Mage Destruction Warlock Marksmanship Hunter Elemental Shaman Balance Druid

Most-voted player raid builds

See every raid build →

How to prepare for the Barrow Deeps

• Reach level 60 and finish your talents. Our class guides cover the best raid spec for every class.
• Gear up in level 60 dungeons. Blackmaw Hold sits right next to one of the raid's entrances, and Shaper's Terrace is another good source of blue gear.
• Stock up: healing and mana potions, food buffs, bandages and class reagents.
• Set up your raid macros. Mouseover heals, focus interrupts and marking macros save seconds on every pull. Find them on our Raiding macros page.
• Save gold for repairs. First nights in a new raid mean wipes.
• Skyborne players: your Charged and Attuned buffs are removed when you enter a raid, so don't count on them for the pull.

Frequently asked questions

How many players is the Barrow Deeps?

The Barrow Deeps is a 10-player raid for level 60 characters.

How many bosses are in the Barrow Deeps?

Blizzard confirms 8 bosses. Names found in the game files include Khalith the Dreadspinner, Amethrax, Ravus and Darlissa, Elder Tangleclaw and Sonya Darkhallow, but Blizzard hasn't confirmed the list.

Where is the entrance to the Barrow Deeps?

The raid is inside Mount Hyjal and has several entrances, reached from Mount Hyjal, Winterspring and Blackmaw Hold.

Do you need an attunement for the Barrow Deeps?

Blizzard hasn't announced one. Its raid overview only describes an attunement for Onyxia's Lair.

When does the Barrow Deeps open?

On 9 December 2026, together with Hyjal Summit and Onyxia's Lair. Blizzard plans for all three raids to reset weekly.

Is the Barrow Deeps the easiest WoW Forever raid?

It's the smallest and the easiest to organise, with only 10 players and no announced attunement. How hard the bosses are won't be known until the raid opens.