WoW Forever: 3 raids open 9 December, only Onyxia needs a key

Blizzard has laid out the first raids of WoW Forever. All 3 unlock on 9 December for level 60 characters, and each is a different size: 10, 20 and 40 players, in line with the promise of smaller raids every tier.

The Barrow Deeps is the small one, 10 players and 8 bosses inside Mount Hyjal, with entrances reached through Mount Hyjal, Winterspring and Blackmaw Hold. Hyjal Summit sits at the top of the mountain near the World Tree Nordrassil and takes 20 players through 13 bosses.

Onyxia's Lair in Dustwallow Marsh is the 40-player raid, a single encounter in 3 phases, and the only one with an attunement. Every raider needs the Drakefire Amulet in their bags; it does not have to be worn. Blizzard also advises gathering fire resistance before going in.

The amulet comes from a faction questline. Alliance players start with Helendis Riverhorn in the Burning Steppes and go through Blackrock Depths and Stormwind; Horde players start with Warlord Goretooth in the Badlands and go through Lower Blackrock Spire, Orgrimmar, Desolace, the Western Plaguelands and Dustwallow Marsh. Both chains end in Upper Blackrock Spire, and Blizzard suggests starting early and bringing friends for the elite quests.

All 3 raids are planned to reset weekly, and Blizzard frames that as the current plan rather than a final decision.