The Barrow Deeps is a new 10-player raid for level 60 characters in WoW: Forever, and it opens on December 9, 2026 alongside Hyjal Summit (20 players) and Onyxia's Lair (40 players). Blizzard's Legacy System confirms it has eight bosses, but Blizzard has not yet published an encounter guide, a loot table or an official entrance location.
This guide sorts what Blizzard has stated from what has only been reported, so you can plan a 10-player group without relying on guesses.
What Blizzard has confirmed
Everything official about the Barrow Deeps comes from three Blizzard articles and the launch roadmap. The What's Next panel recap of September 12, 2026 introduced it as a maximum-level 10-player challenge. The same recap said Hyjal Summit and the Barrow Deeps bring raid encounters, new tier sets, and a legendary reward to be revealed later.
The 2026/2027 roadmap image in that recap lists three raids under the December 9 unlock: Barrow Deeps (10), Hyjal Summit (20) and Onyxia's Lair (40). Blizzard notes on the roadmap that content and timing can change.
The Legacy System article of September 23, 2026 adds the boss count. Its raid challenges are "Defeat Onyxia", "Defeat all 13 Hyjal Summit bosses" and "Defeat all 8 Barrow Deeps bosses". Each is worth one Legacy Point.
The December 9 raid lineup
| Raid | Size | Bosses (official count) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrow Deeps | 10 players | 8 | New raid, max level |
| Hyjal Summit | 20 players | 13 | New raid at Mount Hyjal |
| Onyxia's Lair | 40 players | Onyxia (single Legacy challenge) | Returning raid |
The size spread matters for guilds. A 40-player roster can split into four Barrow Deeps groups, or two Hyjal groups, and still come together for Onyxia. A small guild of 10 to 15 active players has a full new raid of its own from December 9.
For the full raid schedule and how these three fit with later updates, see our WoW: Forever raids hub.
Bosses: what is known
The official count is eight. Blizzard has not published boss names in an article, nor any abilities or encounter order.
Names did surface through the Legacy Challenge list in the BlizzCon demo build. Blizzard Watch reported on September 14, 2026 that the Barrow Deeps challenge listed these eight: Deepscar Matriarch, Elder Tangleclaw, Khalith the Dreadspinner, Well of Sorrow, Amethrax, Del'lynar Songwood, Ravus and Darlissa, and Sonya Darkhallow.
Treat that list as provisional. It comes from a pre-release build, and the order shown there is not confirmed as the order you fight them in. We have not seen any official description of mechanics, so this guide does not attempt boss strategies.
| Boss (as listed in the demo build) | Official details |
|---|---|
| Deepscar Matriarch | None published |
| Elder Tangleclaw | None published |
| Khalith the Dreadspinner | None published |
| Well of Sorrow | None published |
| Amethrax | None published |
| Del'lynar Songwood | None published |
| Ravus and Darlissa | None published |
| Sonya Darkhallow | None published |
Where is the Barrow Deeps?
Blizzard has not named an entrance. Some fan sites and wiki pages place it at Mount Hyjal, next to Hyjal Summit, based on datamined beta data. None of that is in an official article, so we list the location as unconfirmed.
Mount Hyjal itself is confirmed as one of the four new regions in Forever. Our WoW: Forever zones page covers what Blizzard has said about it.
Loot, tier sets and the legendary
Blizzard's wording covers Hyjal Summit and the Barrow Deeps together: new tier sets and a legendary reward. It has not said which raid drops which tier pieces, or where the legendary comes from. The roadmap also lists a new legendary questline for Spring 2027, a separate item on the plan.
One loot rule is official. The Deep Dive panel recap of September 13, 2026 says epic raid drops grant their transmog appearance only to the player the item binds to.
Group rules: GDKP and group finding
GDKP raids, where gold is bid on loot, are not allowed in WoW: Forever. Inven Global reported the ban from the September 17 developer Q&A. We cover the policy in our GDKP ban guide.
Ten players is a small group, and composition matters more than in a 40-player raid. Hybrids that can switch roles help. Our dual spec guide explains how switching between two talent setups works in Forever.
What is not announced yet
- Entrance location and whether there is an attunement.
- Reset timer and lockout rules.
- Loot tables, tier set bonuses and the item level of drops.
- Boss mechanics and the official encounter order.
- Whether the raid will be testable in the beta, which runs only to level 30 and ends in October.
After December 9
The roadmap lists two more new raids for Spring 2027, one sized for 10 players and one for 20, plus a new legendary questline. Summer 2027 adds a revamped iconic raid and another new raid. Blizzard has not named any of them.
Raids open five weeks after launch. A character that is not 60 by December 9 misses the first lockouts; our boost and leveling price guide covers how long the climb takes.
Frequently asked questions
When does the Barrow Deeps open?
December 9, 2026, per Blizzard's roadmap, together with Hyjal Summit and Onyxia's Lair. Blizzard notes timing can change.
How many players is the Barrow Deeps?
Ten. Hyjal Summit is 20 players and Onyxia's Lair is 40.
How many bosses are in the Barrow Deeps?
Eight, according to the official Legacy Challenge "Defeat all 8 Barrow Deeps bosses". Names come from a demo build and are not yet confirmed in an article.
Where is the Barrow Deeps entrance?
Blizzard has not said. Secondary sources place it at Mount Hyjal, but this is unconfirmed.
Does the Barrow Deeps drop tier sets?
Blizzard says Hyjal Summit and the Barrow Deeps bring new tier sets and a legendary reward, without splitting the loot between the two raids.
Sources
- Blizzard: World of Warcraft: Forever What's Next Panel Recap (September 12, 2026, with roadmap)
- Blizzard: Get to Know the World of Warcraft: Forever Legacy System (September 23, 2026)
- Blizzard: World of Warcraft: Forever Deep Dive Panel Recap (September 13, 2026)
- Blizzard Watch: Who are the raid bosses of World of Warcraft: Forever?
- Inven Global: WoW Forever bans GDKP runs
- Warcraft Wiki: Barrow Deeps (instance)