Zul'Aman opens in TBC Anniversary on October 22, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. PDT (23:00 BST), as a 10 player raid with no attunement and a 3 day lockout. The same update removes the attunements for Black Temple and Mount Hyjal, turns Kazzak and Doomwalker loot into Bind on Equip, and lets every older raid boss drop Badges of Justice.
Zul'Aman key facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release date | October 22, 2026, 3:00 p.m. PDT / 23:00 BST |
| Location | Ghostlands, Eastern Kingdoms |
| Raid size and level | 10 players, level 70 |
| Lockout | 3 day reset |
| Attunement | None |
| Bosses | Nalorakk, Akil'zon, Jan'alai, Halazzi, Hex Lord Malacrass, Zul'jin |
| Signature reward | Amani War Bear from the timed hostage rescue |
| Loot level | Up to item level 138 (for example Jin'rohk, The Great Apocalypse from Zul'jin) |
Everything in this table comes from Blizzard's announcement "Face the Gods of Zul'Aman on October 22" and the Wowhead item database. In the official roadmap Zul'Aman is Phase 3.5: it lands between Phase 3 (Black Temple and Hyjal, live since August 27, 2026) and the final Sunwell phase, which Blizzard still lists only as autumn 2026.
Attunement removal: what changes on October 22
Blizzard's patch notes list two attunement changes: The Battle for Mount Hyjal and The Black Temple "will no longer require attunement to enter." Zul'Aman itself never had one. From October 22, any level 70 can zone into every raid of Phase 3 without the Vials of Eternity or the Black Temple quest chain.
The rest of the update is a catch up package aimed at fresh and returning 70s:
- Heroic keys: the reputation requirement drops from Revered to Honored.
- Heroic difficulty: all Heroic dungeons move to their final, reduced difficulty.
- Badges everywhere: Kazzak, Doomwalker and every boss in Karazhan, Gruul's Lair, Magtheridon's Lair, Serpentshrine Cavern, Tempest Keep and Zul'Aman drop Badges of Justice.
- New badge gear: G'eras in Shattrath sells stronger items, including Nether Vortex.
- World bosses: Doomlord Kazzak and Doomwalker loot becomes Bind on Equip.
- Crafting: Primal Nether and Nether Vortex are no longer soulbound, and epic gems can come from Magtheridon's Black Sack of Gems and Jewelcrafter's Brilliant Glass.
- Leatherworking: Outland faction vendors add Greater Drums, Knothide Quiver and Knothide Ammo Pouch recipes.
The timed run and the Amani War Bear
Zul'jin's lieutenants hold hostages. Blizzard's wording: "Each time you defeat one of Zul'jin's lieutenants and rescue a hostage, you will earn additional loot and extend the timer." Rescue all of them before the clock runs out and the raid earns the Amani War Bear, a level 70 epic mount that binds on pickup.
How the timer worked in the original game
In patch 2.3 the clock started at 20 minutes when the raid sounded the gong, and the first two kills added time for a combined 45 minutes to clear Nalorakk, Akil'zon, Jan'alai and Halazzi. Blizzard has not published Anniversary timer values, so treat these numbers as the 2007 baseline, not a confirmed Anniversary setting.
How long the bear stays available
The bear left the loot tables when Wrath of the Lich King launched in the original game. Blizzard has not announced a cutoff for Anniversary, and no Wrath Anniversary has been announced. With WoW Forever launching on November 4, 2026, many raiders expect bear groups to thin out quickly, so the first few weeks are the easy window.
The catch up patch makes badges and attunements cheap, which shifts value toward what a raid lockout cannot buy: tier 6 pieces, the Warglaives, arena titles, the Netherwing drake and, from now on, the Amani War Bear itself. Two level 70 characters with the same gear score are no longer worth the same if only one carries the bear.
Zul'Aman loot and where it fits
Zul'Aman is a 10 player tier, so its gear sits below Black Temple. Wowhead lists Zul'jin's two hander Jin'rohk, The Great Apocalypse at item level 138 and several Zul'Aman trinkets at item level 133, while Black Temple tier 6 gloves are item level 146 and the Warglaive of Azzinoth is 156.
| Source | Example item | Item level |
|---|---|---|
| Zul'Aman (Zul'jin) | Jin'rohk, The Great Apocalypse | 138 |
| Zul'Aman | Tome of Diabolic Remedy | 133 |
| Black Temple / Hyjal tier 6 | Gloves of Absolution | 146 |
| Black Temple (Illidan) | Warglaive of Azzinoth | 156 |
For a raider in tier 6 the draw is the bear, specific trinkets and weapons, and the badges. For a fresh 70 the draw is a fast 10 player gear jump that does not need 25 people, followed by an unattuned walk into Hyjal.
What it means if you are buying a level 70
For buyers this patch rewrites the checklist. Before October 22 a Black Temple attunement saved weeks of quests. After it, attunement adds nothing to a character's value, so do not pay extra for it. Our WoW Classic guide hub tracks these shifts by phase.
- Gear score and tier pieces now carry most of the value. Look for tier 5 or tier 6 and ask for current screenshots.
- Collectibles that cannot be farmed by badges: Amani War Bear, Netherwing drake, arena titles, legendaries.
- Heroic keys and reputations matter less with keys at Honored, so they are a small plus.
- Professions such as Jewelcrafting get slightly more useful with epic gems in Magtheridon's sack and Brilliant Glass.
If you want a character that can step straight into Zul'Aman on day one, browse our level 70 TBC Anniversary accounts, or read the best class for TBC Anniversary before you pick a role. For the wider Phase 3 picture, see our Black Temple accounts guide.
Frequently asked questions
When does Zul'Aman come out in TBC Anniversary?
October 22, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. PDT, which is 23:00 BST. Blizzard announced one global launch time for all regions.
Is attunement removed for Black Temple and Hyjal?
Yes. From October 22, 2026, The Battle for Mount Hyjal and Black Temple no longer require attunement. Zul'Aman never had one.
Is Zul'Aman 10 or 25 players?
Ten players. It has a 3 day lockout, like Karazhan, and six bosses ending with Zul'jin.
How do you get the Amani War Bear?
Kill the four animal bosses and rescue every hostage before the timer expires. The final hostage reward contains the bear for the raid.
Will the Amani War Bear be removed?
Blizzard has not announced a removal date for Anniversary. In the original game it disappeared when Wrath of the Lich King launched.
When is Sunwell Plateau coming?
Blizzard lists Phase 4, Fury of the Sunwell, as autumn 2026 without a specific date yet.
Get raid ready before October 22
If you would rather spend the first Zul'Aman reset raiding than leveling, buy a WoW Classic account with a geared level 70.
Every account is hand checked before listing, carries a lifetime warranty against recovery by the previous owner, and our team will help you choose the class and gear level that fits your guild. Browse TBC Anniversary accounts for sale and ask us anything before you buy.
