Forever mixes familiar Classic instances with new dungeons and two new raids. Our data lists 28 dungeons, 3 raids and 4 battlegrounds; nine dungeons, two raids and one battleground are new. This guide shows level ranges, group sizes and locations, explains what arrives with the raid unlock on 9 December 2026 and sums up the roadmap for 2027. Bosses and details for every instance are in the instance database.
The new dungeons
The new dungeons are spread across the whole levelling range. All are built for five players.
| Dungeon | Level | Location | Bosses |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Hall of Thanes | 13–18 | Ironforge | 4 |
| Ruins of Lordaeron | 15–22 | Undercity | 7 |
| Excavation Site: Wetlands | 24–29 | Wetlands | 4 |
| City of Dalaran | 28–33 | Alterac Mountains | 9 |
| The Drowned City | 35–40 | Stranglethorn Vale | 2 known so far |
| Krol'dok Stronghold | 40–45 | Riverglades | unknown |
| Alcaz Prison | 48–53 | Dustwallow Marsh | unknown |
| Blackmaw Hold | 55–60 | Azshara | unknown |
| Shaper's Terrace | 58–60 | Un'Goro Crater | unknown |
Worth noting: The Hall of Thanes in Ironforge and the Ruins of Lordaeron below Undercity give both factions an early dungeon in a capital – a counterpart to Ragefire Chasm in Orgrimmar and the Stockade in Stormwind. In Forever, Dalaran sits in the Alterac Mountains and, with nine bosses, is the largest new dungeon. Of The Drowned City, only Zul'Alai and Zin'aka are known so far, from a BlizzCon preview.
The Classic dungeons
All 19 Classic dungeons are included – from Ragefire Chasm (13–19) to Scholomance and Stratholme (58–60). The level ranges follow the Forever table on the Warcraft Wiki and partly differ from Classic. Blackrock Spire is listed for up to ten players in the data; every other dungeon is for five.
For Legacy, dungeons count in three steps: complete every dungeon of a level band to earn the "Spelunker" challenge (Novice, Experienced, Master) and one Legacy point each. More in the Legacy guide.
The three raids
All three raids open together on 9 December 2026 and require level 60.
| Raid | Players | Location | Bosses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrow Deeps | 10 | Mount Hyjal | 8 |
| Hyjal Summit | 20 | Mount Hyjal | 13 |
| Onyxia's Lair | 40 | Dustwallow Marsh | 1 |
Barrow Deeps
The smallest raid is the entry point for fixed groups. Its eight bosses are Deepscar Matriarch, Khalith the Dreadspinner, Amethrax, Ravus and Darlissa, Elder Tangleclaw, Well of Sorrow, Del'lynar Songwood and Sonya Darkhallow. The Warcraft Wiki contradicts itself on the group size (10 or 20 players); we list 10.
Hyjal Summit
The large new raid has 13 bosses, among them Bandalar, the Council of Thorns, The Wild King and Nythus the Dreambound. At 20 players it sits between Barrow Deeps and Onyxia – guilds need a bigger roster than for Barrow Deeps.
Onyxia's Lair
The familiar 40-player raid with a single boss returns. For the Legacy challenge "Conqueror of the Lair", defeating Onyxia is enough.
For raid planning: there is no in-game calendar, and groups across rulesets are not possible. Organise dates, sign-ups and waiting lists in the raid planner. Which specializations are considered strong before launch is shown in the rankings – keeping in mind that there are no raid logs before 9 December.
Battlegrounds
Besides Warsong Gulch (10 players), Arathi Basin (15) and Alterac Valley (40), the Darkspear Islands are a new 15-player battleground at level 60. The entrance is in Dustwallow Marsh.
The roadmap
| Date | Content |
|---|---|
| 4 November 2026 | Global launch |
| 9 December 2026 | Raids open: Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit, Onyxia |
| Winter 2026/27 | Hardcore mode |
| Spring 2027 | Two raids, two dungeons, legendary questline |
| Summer 2027 | Revamped iconic raid, new raid, two dungeons |
According to the Warcraft Wiki, spring also brings a new area and a PvP refresh, and summer brings profession and Legacy updates. Blizzard has not confirmed which iconic raid will be revamped. All dates are on the roadmap.
What is still open
Krol'dok Stronghold, Alcaz Prison, Blackmaw Hold and Shaper's Terrace have no boss lists yet: the current client contains no boss data for them, and they were not playable in the beta. Of The Drowned City we know only two bosses. The time of the raid unlock and the final size of Barrow Deeps are also unclear.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
When do the raids open in WoW: Forever?
On 9 December 2026, just over five weeks after launch. Blizzard has not given a time yet.
Which raids are there at the start?
Barrow Deeps (10 players) and Hyjal Summit (20 players) on Mount Hyjal, and Onyxia's Lair (40 players) in Dustwallow Marsh.
How many new dungeons does Forever have?
Nine: The Hall of Thanes, Ruins of Lordaeron, Excavation Site: Wetlands, City of Dalaran, The Drowned City, Krol'dok Stronghold, Alcaz Prison, Blackmaw Hold and Shaper's Terrace.
Are more raids coming?
According to the roadmap, the spring 2027 update brings two raids and two dungeons, and the summer 2027 update a revamped iconic raid, a new raid and two dungeons.