The Burning Crusade Anniversary realms reintroduce attunements as a core progression system, combining legacy raid requirements with modern, account-wide unlocks. With the expansion launching on February 5 and Tier 4 raids opening on February 19, players need to complete more than just quest chains to ensure smooth access to dungeons, raids, and competitive content.
In this guide, we’ll cover:
- All TBC Anniversary attunements, including dungeon, raid, and Heroic access
- Heroic dungeon keys, reputation requirements, and alt-friendly unlocks
- The full Karazhan attunement (Master’s Key) step-by-step
- Tier 5 and Tier 6 raid attunements, including SSC, Tempest Keep, Hyjal, and Black Temple
- Compositional utility and logistics that affect raid eligibility
- Arena and PvP system changes in the Anniversary Edition
- Profession and leveling preparation for launch and early progression
In the Anniversary Edition, attunement is no longer limited to single-character quest completion. Progression now also includes reputation thresholds, profession readiness, gold requirements, and account-wide milestones designed to reduce repetition while preserving the original gating structure. Understanding how these systems interact is essential for players aiming to secure raid access efficiently and avoid progression bottlenecks in early TBC.
Legacy Raid Attunements and Pre-Patch Milestones
The three-week pre-patch window beginning January 13th is the optimal time to finalize Classic raid entry requirements. While talent trees shift to the WoW TBC versions, entry into certain instances remains gated by historical milestones.
- Naxxramas and the Argent Dawn: Access is determined by reputation standing. Final attunement costs are tiered: at Honored, it requires 60 gold and various materials; at Revered, the cost drops to 30 gold; and Exalted characters gain free entry. Improving standing is best achieved through Eastern and Western Plaguelands, plus Scholomance and Stratholme Scourgestone loops.
- Molten Core: Entry requires completing “Attunement to the Core,” involving a journey into Blackrock Depths to retrieve a core fragment near the portal.
- Blackwing Lair: Characters must retrieve a letter from the Scarshield Quartermaster to begin the attunement chain for the Orb of Command, finalized by defeating General Drakkisath.
Heroic Dungeon Attunements in TBC Anniversary (The Key System)
In the Burning Crusade Anniversary, heroic dungeons utilize pre-nerf tuning. This creates a significant challenge where mobs are more lethal, necessitating strategic coordination. Access to heroic mode is strictly gated by reputation grinds with five primary Outland factions.
To obtain heroic dungeon keys, a character must reach Revered reputation. However, the Anniversary Edition implementation includes a specialized Bind-on-Battle.net bag. Once one character on an account is fully attuned and purchases a key, they may send a bag to alts. These secondary characters only need to reach Friendly reputation to utilize the keys.
Key faction mappings include:
| Faction | Key Name | Heroic Dungeons Unlocked | Main Character Requirement | Alt Requirement (Anniversary) |
| Honor Hold / Thrallmar | Flamewrought Key | Hellfire Ramparts, Blood Furnace, Shattered Halls | Revered reputation | Friendly + Bind-on-Battle.net key |
| Cenarion Expedition | Reservoir Key | Slave Pens, Underbog, Steamvault | Revered reputation | Friendly + Bind-on-Battle.net key |
| Lower City | Auchenai Key | Mana-Tombs, Auchenai Crypts, Sethekk Halls, Shadow Labyrinth | Revered reputation | Friendly + Bind-on-Battle.net key |
| The Sha’tar | Warpforged Key | Mechanar, Botanica, Arcatraz | Revered reputation | Friendly + Bind-on-Battle.net key |
| Keepers of Time | Key of Time | Old Hillsbrad, Black Morass | Revered reputation | Friendly + Bind-on-Battle.net key |
Additionally, entry to Shattered Halls on normal difficulty requires a specific key obtained by defeating Smith Gorlunk in Shadowmoon Valley. Similarly, obtaining the shadow labyrinth key requires defeating Talon King Ikiss in Sethekk Halls on normal difficulty.
Karazhan Attunement: The Master’s Key Chain
Under the new ruleset, raid attunements are account-wide milestones rather than being character-specific. Once one character on a Battle.net account is considered fully attuned for a raid tier, all other characters gain access. The final quest for Karazhan involves a long quest chain to obtain The Master’s Key.
The process begins with Archmage Alturus outside Karazhan, who offers two quests: “Arcane Disturbances” and “Restless Activity”. The first requires entering a room filled with ghosts in the nearby cellars. From there, the next quest leads to a multi-dungeon sequence (all completed on Normal difficulty):
| Step | Location / Dungeon | Requirement |
| 1 | Deadwind Pass | Complete “Arcane Disturbances” and “Restless Activity” |
| 2 | Shadow Labyrinth (Normal) | Retrieve the first key fragment near Murmur |
| 3 | The Steamvault (Normal) | Retrieve the second fragment from the submerged container |
| 4 | The Arcatraz (Normal) | Retrieve the third fragment after the first boss |
| 5 | Old Hillsbrad | Required to unlock Black Morass |
| 6 | Black Morass | Complete the dungeon and speak with Medivh |
| 7 | Shattrath City | Turn in to Khadgar to finalize attunement |
- Shadow Labyrinth: Retrieve the first key fragment near the final boss, Murmur.
- The Steamvault: Retrieve the second fragment from the submerged containers.
- The Arcatraz: Retrieve the third fragment after the first boss. Note: Access to Arcatraz requires the Key to the Arcatraz (obtained via a Netherstorm quest chain) or a high-level Rogue.
- The Black Morass: Travel to the ruins of Dalaran in the Alterac Mountains and eventually visit Medivh in the Caverns of Time to finish the final step. Prerequisite: To access Black Morass, characters must first complete the introductory Caverns of Time quest and the “Escape from Durnholde” dungeon. Turn the finished key into Khadgar in Shattrath City.
Raid Attunements for Tier 5 and Tier 6
Beyond Tier 4, characters must prepare for Serpentshrine Cavern (SSC) and Tempest Keep (The Eye). While Blizzard has indicated that TBC Attunements for later tiers may be streamlined in the Anniversary Edition, historically, these tiers required the following trials to ensure raid access:
| Raid | Traditional Attunement Requirement |
| Serpentshrine Cavern (SSC) | Cudgel of Kar’desh quest: Heroic Slave Pens → Nightbane (Karazhan) → Gruul (Gruul’s Lair) |
| Tempest Keep (The Eye) | Trial of the Naaru (Mercy, Strength, Tenacity) + defeat Magtheridon |
| Hyjal Summit | Vials of Eternity from Lady Vashj (SSC) and Kael’thas Sunstrider (TK) |
| Black Temple | Medallion of Karabor: Akama questline + raid checkpoints in SSC, TK (e.g. Al’ar), and Hyjal |
Compositional Utility and Raid Logistics
A core part of securing a guild or group spot is providing mandatory utility. In TBC Classic, the meta was defined by stacking, but the Anniversary Edition utilizes raid-wide Bloodlust/Heroism.
- Systemic Shifts: Bloodlust/Heroism resets on boss kills or wipes.
- Soft Attunements: Roles like Affliction Warlocks (Improved Curse of Elements) and Arms Warriors (Blood Frenzy) are effectively mandatory for optimized raid compositions and loot efficiency.
- Drums: Leatherworking is highly valued, though the Tinnitus debuff prevents stacking.
- Financials: Saving 6,000 gold for an epic flying mount is essential to reach certain instances like Tempest Keep and efficiently navigate to Shattrath City.
Arena and PvP Changes (TBC Anniversary Edition)
| System | Rule |
| Arena Season Start | February 17 |
| Arena Rating | Starts at 1500 for all characters |
| Weekly Rating Reset | Paid reset to 1500 if rating drops below |
| Rating Requirements | Weapons: 1700 · Shoulders: 2000 |
| Dampening | Activates in 2v2 after 20 minutes |
| Honor Cap | Historically 75,000 (verify in-game) |
Arena Season 1 is scheduled for February 17. The Burning Crusade Anniversary replaces the old honor ranking system with a personal rating system where every character starts at 1500. Once per week, players can pay a gold fee to reset their rating back to 1500 if it falls below that mark.
Most Season 1 PvP gear has no rating requirement, though Arena Weapons (1700) and Shoulders (2000) remain gated. To prevent stalemate matches, “Dampening” is introduced in 2v2 arenas after the 20-minute mark. Because the pre-patch uses the modernized honor system, many players bank honor and marks ahead of launch. Blizzard hasn’t clearly stated carryover and cap details, so treat 75,000 as the historical cap for gear loot and verify in-game.
Profession and Leveling Preparation for TBC Anniversary
Efficiency at launch is predicated on a 25-quest log expansion. Completing 25 high-level quests during the pre-patch to hand in on February 5th is a vital strategy to avoid a time waste in crowded starting zones. This ensures the account is fully attuned for a rapid transition to level 70.
Characters should aim to hit the 300 skill cap in all professions—including Jewelcrafting—before the expansion begins. Mining can be leveled via a “smelting loop” where ores are bought, smelted, and resold. By completing requirements—from reputation grinds to heroic dungeon keys—characters will be fully attuned for the transition through the Dark Portal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are attunements in the TBC Anniversary Edition?
Attunements in the TBC Anniversary Edition are progression gates that determine access to dungeons, Heroic modes, and raids. Unlike the original Burning Crusade, Anniversary attunements combine classic quest chains with reputation thresholds and new account-wide unlocks designed to reduce repetition while preserving progression pacing.
Are attunements account-wide in TBC Anniversary?
Yes. Once one character on a Battle.net account completes a raid attunement, that raid tier becomes permanently unlocked for all other characters on the same account. This applies to Karazhan and later raid tiers, significantly reducing redundant questing for alts.
Do I need to attune every character to Karazhan?
No. Only one character needs to complete the Karazhan attunement chain. After the Master’s Key is obtained once, all other characters on the account can enter Karazhan without repeating the questline.
What is the Karazhan attunement process in TBC Anniversary?
The Karazhan attunement is a multi-step quest chain that starts outside Karazhan and sends players through several Outland dungeons. Completing the chain awards the Master’s Key, which unlocks permanent access to Karazhan for the entire account.
How many key fragments are required for Karazhan?
Three key fragments are required to complete the Karazhan attunement. Each fragment is collected from a different dungeon, making dungeon access and preparation an important prerequisite before attempting the full chain.
Do Karazhan attunement dungeons need to be completed on Heroic?
No. All Karazhan attunement dungeons are completed on Normal difficulty. However, some of these dungeons—such as Arcatraz—have separate access requirements that must still be met.
What are Heroic dungeon keys in TBC Anniversary?
Heroic dungeon keys unlock Heroic difficulty versions of Outland dungeons. Each key is tied to a specific faction and must be purchased after reaching Revered reputation, serving as a major progression gate into early endgame content.
Can alts use Heroic keys without Revered reputation?
Yes. After one character on the account purchases a Heroic key, a Bind-on-Battle.net version becomes available. Alternate characters only need Friendly reputation with the faction to gain Heroic access, greatly speeding up alt progression.
Which factions are required for Heroic dungeon access?
Heroic dungeon access is tied to five Outland factions: Honor Hold or Thrallmar, Cenarion Expedition, Lower City, The Sha’tar, and the Keepers of Time. Each faction controls access to a different set of Heroic dungeons.
Are Heroic dungeons harder in the Anniversary Edition?
Yes. Heroic dungeons in the Anniversary Edition use pre-nerf tuning, meaning enemies deal more damage and have more punishing mechanics. Groups are expected to use crowd control, careful pulls, and proper class utility.
Is Shattered Halls locked behind a key?
Yes. Shattered Halls requires a separate key even on Normal difficulty. This key is obtained by defeating Smith Gorlunk in Shadowmoon Valley and is independent of Heroic dungeon keys.
What is required to unlock Serpentshrine Cavern?
Serpentshrine Cavern traditionally requires completing the Cudgel of Kar’desh quest. This chain begins in Heroic Slave Pens and requires defeating Nightbane in Karazhan and Gruul in Gruul’s Lair.
How do you unlock Tempest Keep (The Eye)?
Tempest Keep historically requires completing the Trial of the Naaru questline. This includes multiple Heroic dungeon objectives and defeating Magtheridon, making it one of the more demanding attunements in early TBC.
Do you need to attune for Hyjal Summit?
Historically, Hyjal Summit required the Vials of Eternity quest, which involved defeating Lady Vashj and Kael’thas Sunstrider. While Anniversary realms may streamline this process, completing it on one character ensures raid access.
How is Black Temple unlocked in TBC Anniversary?
Black Temple progression historically required completing the Medallion of Karabor questline. This involved Akama’s storyline and raid checkpoints across Serpentshrine Cavern, Tempest Keep, and Hyjal Summit.
Do professions matter for attunements in TBC Anniversary?
While professions are not formal attunements, they act as soft requirements for group and raid acceptance. Professions like Leatherworking, Engineering, and Jewelcrafting provide utility, survivability, or economic advantages that guilds often expect.
How much gold should I have prepared for TBC Anniversary?
Players should aim to have around 6,000 gold prepared. This covers epic flying training and mounts, which are essential for efficient travel, raid access, and time-sensitive progression at level 70.
When does Arena Season 1 start in TBC Anniversary?
Arena Season 1 begins on February 17. All characters start at a personal rating of 1500, with a modernized system that allows weekly paid resets if a rating falls too low.
Do honor points carry over from the pre-patch?
Honor and battleground marks earned during the pre-patch are expected to carry over into launch. Blizzard has not confirmed a hard cap, but historically, 75,000 honor has functioned as the effective maximum for early gear purchases.
What should I prioritize before the Dark Portal opens?
Before launch, players should prioritize completing key attunements, unlocking Heroic dungeon access on one character, preparing professions, banking gold, and pre-stacking quests to accelerate leveling in early Outland.
