Onyxia's Lair

1:13:46 Onyxia's Lair is World of Warcraft: Forever's 40-player raid in Dustwallow Marsh, opening on Dec 9, 2026 for level 60 characters who carry the Drakefire Amulet. The developers call it "our throwback" to the original experience, where "everybody comes out of the woodwork and we're going to go kill the dragon together", on the End of Beta Special podcast of Oct 22, 2026. It is Forever's only 40-player raid so far, and the only one with an attunement (Blizzard). Blizzard's explainer of Sep 23 had said Onyxia would be available at launch; its overview of Oct 20 moved her to Dec 9, with Hyjal Summit and The Barrow Deeps.

Quick facts

The fight

Blizzard's overview gives only the outline. Onyxia is a dragon of the Black Dragonflight, the younger sister of Nefarian, guarding her brood while she manipulates Azeroth's mortal races. The encounter has three phases and "powerful fire attacks", so Blizzard advises building fire resistance beforehand. It does not say whether the fight differs from the original.

The Drakefire Amulet

54:13 The attunement survives on purpose. "You will still need to do that for Onyxia," the developers told the podcast of Oct 8, 2026: "It's not account-wide, at least at launch". They called it "a ritual that you go through when you hit max level". The amulet need not be equipped, only kept in the bags, and Blizzard recommends starting early and bringing friends for the elite quests.

Alliance chain

As Blizzard's overview sets it out:

1. Start "Dragonkin Menace" from Helendis Riverhorn in the Burning Steppes.
2. Finish the six quests of "The True Masters", on the Black Dragonflight's influence over the Blackrock orcs.
3. Go to Marshal Maxwell at Morgan's Vigil and recover Marshal Windsor, or proof of his death, in Blackrock Depths.
4. Return to Maxwell with "Abandoned Hope".
5. Take "A Crumpled Up Note" from enemies in Blackrock Depths to Windsor in his cell.
6. Recover Windsor's lost information from Golem Lord Argelmach and General Angerforge.
7. Help Windsor escape in "Jail Break!" and report back to Maxwell.
8. Meet Windsor at the Stormwind city gate.
9. Finish "The Great Masquerade" in Stormwind with allies.
10. Highlord Bolvar Fordragon sends you on "The Dragon's Eye" to find a helper.
11. In Upper Blackrock Spire, take the Blood of the Black Dragon Champion from General Drakkisath for "Drakefire Amulet".

Horde chain

1. Begin "Blood and Thunder" with Warlord Goretooth in Kargath.
2. Continue with "Warlord's Command" in Lower Blackrock Spire.
3. Report to Eitrigg in Orgrimmar, then to Thrall.
4. In "For the Horde!", bring Thrall the head of Warchief Rend Blackhand.
5. Hear "What the Wind Carries", then find Rexxar in Desolace for "The Champion of the Horde".
6. Take "The Testament of Rexxar" to Myranda the Hag in the Western Plaguelands.
7. Collect Black Dragonspawn Eyes for "Oculus Illusions".
8. Use the Amulet of Draconic Subversion in "Emberstrife" to find the drake Emberstrife in Dustwallow Marsh.
9. Complete four "The Test of Skulls" quests, against Scryer, Somnus, Chronalis and Axtroz.
10. Receive the Dull Drakefire Amulet in "Ascension..." and bring it to Rexxar.
11. Take the blood from General Drakkisath in Upper Blackrock Spire, for "Blood of the Black Dragon Champion".
12. Return to Rexxar for the Drakefire Amulet.

Both chains end with General Drakkisath in Upper Blackrock Spire, so raiders need a group for that dungeon before Dec 9. Blackrock Depths and Upper Blackrock Spire are on Original Dungeons and Raids.

Why 40 players

Forever's commitment is to keep making 10 and 20 player raids (see Raids). Onyxia is the exception, kept at the original size. MadSeasonShow noted in September that whether the other original 40-player raids change size remains to be seen, and Blizzard has not settled that as of Oct 31, 2026.

What is not known yet

Not known as of Oct 31, 2026:

• Her health, tuning and loot. Blizzard has shown no loot table.
• Whether the fight has changed. Blizzard describes three phases and fire attacks without saying what is new.
• Reset day and opening hour. Weekly resets are "currently planned".
• Account-wide attunement later. The developers said not "at launch" and "not initially".

Frequently asked questions

When does Onyxia's Lair open in WoW Forever? On Dec 9, 2026, with Hyjal Summit and the Barrow Deeps. It is not open at launch.

Do you need attunement for Onyxia in WoW Forever? Yes. Each raider must carry the Drakefire Amulet, earned from a faction quest chain.

Is Onyxia attunement account-wide? No, at least at launch: the developers said each character still does it.

Where is Onyxia's Lair? In Dustwallow Marsh, Kalimdor.

How many players is Onyxia's Lair in WoW Forever? Forty, and it needs level 60.

Do I need fire resistance for Onyxia? Blizzard advises building it before the fight, because of her fire attacks.

Does the amulet need to be equipped? No. It only has to be in your inventory.

Sources

• World of Warcraft: Forever Raid Overview: Locations, Raid Sizes, and Attunement, Blizzard Entertainment, Oct 20, 2026
• Dive into Dungeons with Devs ft. @hammerdancegaming | Episode 3 - The WoW: Forever Podcast, World of Warcraft, Oct 8, 2026 (video)
• End of Beta Special ft. @Meeix | Episode 5 - The WoW: Forever Podcast, World of Warcraft, Oct 22, 2026 (video)
• World of Warcraft: Forever - Everything We Know, MadSeasonShow, Sep 14, 2026 (video)