The City of Dalaran dungeon is open in the WoW: Forever beta, set in the Alterac Mountains of the Eastern Kingdoms. You clear out the threats that overran the city of mages after its magic barrier came down, fighting through nine bosses on the way to the final encounter. Access is not a true attunement: Horde runs a short quest chain, Alliance can teleport in through the Image of Archmage Modera, and only one player in the group needs the Dalaran Sewer Key to open the gate.
Where the City of Dalaran is and what level you need
The dungeon sits in the Alterac Mountains, and it is a new installment in WoW: Forever rather than a return of the domed Classic version of the city. The recommended level is between 28 and 34, and players usually shorten the name to "CoD".
Alliance players enter through the sewers in Dalaran, and the first trip means running there from Hillsbrad Foothills. Horde players use a special tunnel where the Image of Archmage Modera grants access, and the easiest approach is to swim from Silverpine Forest and walk on from The Sepulcher.
Wipes are painful here because of the long run back. If part of the group survives, a resurrection gets you up; Priests, Druids and Shamans learn one early, while Paladins need a quest for theirs. Otherwise you release, run back from the Spirit Healer as a ghost, and collect your body at the instance.
How to unlock the City of Dalaran
Horde players complete a short quest chain that starts in Tarren Mill in the Hillsbrad Foothills and takes them to the outskirts of Dalaran, clearing patrols and traitors while hunting the key to the sewers. The chain runs through Magus Wordeen Voidglare in Tarren Mill, then hands in to the Image of Archmage Modera outside Dalaran, and ends with the Dalaran Sewer Key in your keyring. Alliance players simply reach the Image of Archmage Modera for a teleport.
Only one person needs to open the gate for everyone else to enter, whether that is a party member or a friendly gatekeeper, so a key of your own is optional.
Every boss in the City of Dalaran
| Boss | Notes |
| Atrexis the Grave Knight | Early tank-and-spank boss that summons non-elite Skeletons |
| Arcane Anomaly | Focal Blast slicer rotates counterclockwise across the room |
| Manamorph | CCs a group member for 8 seconds and needs a Magic dispel |
| Fel Ancient | Entangle roots 2 targets; Fel Timbers leaves damaging green pools |
| Shade of the Archmage | Final boss; drains mana, then Mass Polymorph and Evocation |
Atrexis the Grave Knight shows up very early and tests your tank with Unholy Frenzy, Thrash and Strike, and he periodically uses Disarm on the tank. Kill his Skeletons, and avoid heavy AOE before the tank has threat.
Arcane Anomaly spawns small adds at the edge of the room when you engage, so stay inside the circle on the platform, and dodge Focal Blast or die. It also casts Arcane Bolt alongside its melee attacks.
Manamorph occasionally CCs a group member for 8 seconds, which someone with a Magic dispel has to clear, and it casts an AOE Silence on targets close to it, so your healer should stand away from the group. It continuously spawns small Arcane Manaling that need to be cleaved down.
Fel Ancient is only unlocked once the surrounding bosses are dead and the mana barrier protecting him is broken. Entangle roots 2 targets with damage over time, and Fel Timbers leaves a green pool; when the two overlap, use effects like Blessing of Freedom or Escape Artist.
Shade of the Archmage is the final boss and spends his mana pool on abilities, then uses Mass Polymorph and Evocation to refill it. Arcane Bolt is his main tank damage, Arcane Explosion hits anyone within 20 yards, and Bounding Mana is an arcane boomerang that hits one player and anyone standing in its path. Stay spread out, keep casters at max range, and be careful not to pull the boss out of his room, because he fully resets.
Trash mobs and dungeon quests
Mana Phantoms have a nasty Mana Burn that should be interrupted, and they are non-elite, so focus them down. A defeated Saturated Remnant leaves an area that restores mana to anyone standing in it. Almost every mob in the dungeon is immune to Arcane damage, which matters if you rely on Arcane Explosion, Arcane Shot or Counterspell.
The quests inside cover both factions, with Horde quests picked up in Tarren Mill, the Undercity and from Rexxie Copperclutch on entry, and Alliance quests from High Sorcerer Andromath in Stormwind, Shylamiir in the Park, and the Image of Archmage Modera outside the entrance. Quest rewards include the Witch's Finger off-hand.
City of Dalaran loot
Boss drops include Graveweave Bindings, Bonebinder's Signet and Gravespike Repeater from Atrexis the Grave Knight. Lyn the Ignored drops Cartilage Shapers, Tendonscraper Dagger and Bonepile Gaze, while Arcane Anomaly drops Runemender's Seal, Ephemeral Grips and Mana-Warped Chain Shirt. Fel Ancient drops Blightleaf Rope, Garb of Fallen Felbark and Felbough Arm, the Mana Devourer drops Spine of the Devourer, Manascale Treads and Slitherwrap Girdle, and the Unstable Sentinel drops Guardian's Dualblade, Refractory Scaleguards, Unstable Crystalline Shoulderpads and Blueprint: Spinning Wheel. Shade of the Archmage drops Ponderous Orb, Violet Sorcerer's Mantle, Archmagister's Faceted Pendant and Blueprint: Arcane Salvager.
Quest rewards include Gravewalker Boots and Undead Knight's Bracers from The Graveknight, Unstable Power Core and Construct Cloak from Source of Power, and Battle Spaulders, Striking Staff and Enchanted Sandals from Heart of Disruption. Alliance quest rewards include Violet Sash and Runebound Gloves from Power Overwhelming, Spellguard Pauldrons, Renewing Footpads and Defender of Dalaran from Heart of Disruption, Vine Pruner's Cloak and Thorn Protecting Girdle from A Green Sample, and Fallen Guard's Pendant and Arcane Infused Rod from Starving Arcane.
Summoning Lyn the Ignored
To summon Lyn the Ignored, clear Shadowfang Keep to Archmage Arugal and take the Black Tome from the book on his table. Run to the Dalaran-controlled town of Ambermill in Silverpine Forest and interact with the Black Tome next to the Ambermill Leyline Focus to turn it into the Tome of Dalaran. Inside the dungeon, kill Atrexis the Grave Knight, continue through the sewer, and instead of turning right toward the surface, go straight into the tunnel with the purple rune on the ground and use the Tome of Dalaran to summon Lyn.
If you want the run handled for you, a WoW Forever City of Dalaran Boost clears the nine bosses and closes the dungeon quests on your character.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need attunement for the City of Dalaran?
No. It is not technically an attunement, because only one person needs to open the gate for the rest of the group to enter. Horde players still need to finish a short quest chain to get their own Dalaran Sewer Key, while Alliance players can teleport in via the Image of Archmage Modera.
What level is the City of Dalaran dungeon?
The recommended level is between 28 and 34.
Who is the final boss of the City of Dalaran?
Shade of the Archmage is the final boss, using Arcane Bolt, Arcane Explosion and Bounding Mana before refilling his mana with Mass Polymorph and Evocation.
How many bosses are in the City of Dalaran?
The dungeon has nine bosses.
