To enter Onyxia’s Lair in WoW Forever, every raider must earn a Drakefire Amulet on that character and keep it in their inventory. You do not need to equip the amulet. Alliance characters begin with Dragonkin Menace in the Burning Steppes; Horde characters begin with Warlord Goretooth in Kargath, then follow a different story through Blackrock Spire, Thrall and Rexxar.
Blizzard published both faction routes in its October 20, 2026 raid overview. We have cross-checked the order and quest names against available WoW Forever quest records, including places where the official summary and the quest database disagree. This is a pre-release planning guide, not a claim that either chain has been completed in the final November 4 client.
Onyxia Attunement at a Glance
| Question | Confirmed answer |
|---|---|
| What unlocks the raid? | A personal Drakefire Amulet, earned at the end of your faction-specific questline |
| Must the amulet be equipped? | No. Keep it in your character’s bags when you enter |
| Where is Onyxia’s Lair? | Dustwallow Marsh |
| Raid level and size | Level 60 / 40 players |
| Planned unlock | December 9, 2026; Blizzard has not specified an exact opening hour |
| Is one player’s amulet enough? | No. Every participant must bring their own |
| Do the other two opening raids use this chain? | No. This attunement is for Onyxia’s Lair, not Barrow Deeps or Hyjal Summit |
The first three raids are scheduled to open on December 9, with weekly resets currently planned by Blizzard. Fire resistance is recommended for surviving Onyxia, but it is not presented as a second item-based entrance requirement. Finish attunement before the first raid night rather than trying to solve the chain with 39 people waiting at the portal.
Alliance and Horde Chains Compared
The two routes share a final objective, but the work leading to it is not interchangeable. Start with your faction and check the latest quest you have completed before organizing any dungeon run.
| Decision | Alliance | Horde |
|---|---|---|
| First contact | Helendis Riverhorn, Burning Steppes — Dragonkin Menace | Warlord Goretooth, Kargath (Badlands) — Blizzard calls the introduction Blood and Thunder; the first separately indexed classic-style quest is Warlord’s Command |
| Storyline | The True Masters, Marshal Windsor, Stormwind’s Great Masquerade and Haleh | Goretooth, Eitrigg, Thrall, Rexxar, Myranda and Emberstrife’s dragon tests |
| Group instances | Blackrock Depths (BRD) and Upper Blackrock Spire (UBRS) | Lower Blackrock Spire (LBRS) plus several stages in Upper Blackrock Spire (UBRS) |
| Final dungeon objective | General Drakkisath in UBRS — Blood of the Black Dragon Champion | General Drakkisath in UBRS — Blood of the Black Dragon Champion |
| Final hand-in | Haleh, the blue dragon helper located through the Dragon’s Eye chain | Rexxar, who patrols the Desolace region and adjoining roads |
Quick warning for Horde: Blizzard’s overview refers to Lower Blackrock Spire for the For the Horde! kill of Warchief Rend Blackhand. The Forever quest database and the UBRS dungeon listing place Rend in Upper Blackrock Spire. Do not schedule a Lower-only clear for that objective. The unresolved Blood and Thunder introduction is explained further in the troubleshooting section.
Plan the Dungeon Runs You Actually Need
Dungeon progress is the most expensive scheduling mistake in this chain. Accept the correct quest before the relevant run, coordinate the actual boss, prisoner or item with your group, and check that the quest objective updates before leaving the instance. A full clear does not automatically turn in a quest.
| Faction / dungeon | Quest stage | What the group must help with |
|---|---|---|
| Alliance — BRD | Marshal Windsor → A Crumpled Up Note → A Shred of Hope → Jail Break! | Reach Windsor’s prison cell; obtain the note when eligible; retrieve information from General Angerforge and Golem Lord Argelmach; protect Windsor during his escape |
| Alliance — UBRS | Drakefire Amulet | Defeat General Drakkisath, obtain the quest blood and return to Haleh |
| Horde — LBRS | Warlord’s Command | Defeat Highlord Omokk, War Master Voone and Overlord Wyrmthalak; collect the Important Blackrock Documents |
| Horde — UBRS | For the Horde! | Defeat Warchief Rend Blackhand and bring his head back to Thrall |
| Horde — Upper Spire | Oculus Illusions | Collect 20 Black Dragonspawn Eyes for Myranda; confirm your quest is active before farming |
| Horde — UBRS | Blood of the Black Dragon Champion | Defeat General Drakkisath for the quest item, then turn it in to Rexxar |
Book the stage, not just the dungeon name. Alliance can need more than one BRD visit because the note stage follows Abandoned Hope. Horde cannot simply combine every UBRS objective in one early run: For the Horde!, Oculus Illusions and the final Drakkisath quest unlock at different points in the chain. Also verify your group’s entrance access to UBRS; classic key/access records are not proof that another player can skip your own personal attunement.
If finding the right group is the blocker, compare the two service scopes below. They solve different problems; neither option should be described as a guaranteed raid amulet without the relevant attunement component.
Get Into Onyxia's Lair on Your Terms
First identify which Blackrock runs and character quests remain. Order a dungeon clear if you need a group for an eligible instance, or add the attunement option to an Onyxia raid order if you want that questline handled with the raid. Keep following the free faction checklist below if you are doing it yourself.
Alliance Onyxia Attunement Walkthrough
Starting the Alliance Chain
- Dragonkin Menace (#4182): speak with Helendis Riverhorn in the Burning Steppes. The quest record calls for 15 Black Broodlings, 10 Black Dragonspawn, four Black Wyrmkin and one Black Drake. Return to Helendis to start the political investigation.
- The True Masters (six connected quests): follow Helendis through the Redridge/Stormwind/Burning Steppes sequence, including Magistrate Solomon, Highlord Bolvar Fordragon, Ragged John and Marshal Maxwell. These are six quests sharing a name, not six copies of one kill objective. Do not stop after the first turn-in; check the next NPC and follow the quest log.
Blackrock Depths and the Windsor Escort
- Marshal Windsor (#4241): Marshal Maxwell sends you into Blackrock Depths to find Windsor or evidence of his fate. Speak to Windsor in the prison area.
- Abandoned Hope (#4242): return to Maxwell at Morgan’s Vigil and report what Windsor told you. There may be no immediate follow-up exclamation mark. This is expected: the chain resumes through a dropped note.
- A Crumpled Up Note (#4264): return to BRD and look for the quest-starting item on eligible enemies. Use it, then take the note to Windsor in his cell. Do not rely on a guaranteed drop from the first enemy.
- A Shred of Hope (#4282): recover Windsor’s two pieces of lost information from General Angerforge and Golem Lord Argelmach in BRD, then return both to Windsor.
- Jail Break! (#4322): escort Windsor out. Clear the path and important rooms before initiating; make sure every player who needs credit has accepted the quest. Keep Windsor alive, stay near him, and speak with him at the end before leaving the instance. Report to Maxwell afterward.
Stormwind, Haleh and the Final Amulet
- Stormwind Rendezvous (#6402): go to Stormwind’s city gates and speak with Squire Rowe to summon Windsor. Blizzard’s article also prints ‘Squire Rower’ in one sentence; the NPC’s database name is Rowe.
- The Great Masquerade (#6403): accompany Windsor into Stormwind and witness the reveal. Stay close enough for quest credit, but avoid pulling the hostile dragonkin unnecessarily. If Windsor is absent, return to Rowe and check whether another group is using the event.
- The Dragon’s Eye (#6501): Bolvar gives you the Fragment of the Dragon’s Eye and sends you to seek help. The Forever quest records point to Haleh in Winterspring, reached through the blue-dragon area of Mazthoril. The official overview leaves the helper unnamed, so check your current quest objective before travelling.
- Drakefire Amulet (#6502): Haleh sends you to General Drakkisath in Upper Blackrock Spire. Obtain one Blood of the Black Dragon Champion for the quest, return to Haleh and claim your Drakefire Amulet. Keep it in your bags.
Alliance route tip: the two high-friction moments are the dropped note after Abandoned Hope and the escort before leaving BRD. Organize these around a quest-ready party rather than assuming one routine BRD full clear finishes every stage.
Horde Onyxia Attunement Walkthrough
Kargath, Orgrimmar and Rend Blackhand
- Blood and Thunder / Warlord’s Command (#4903): Blizzard’s October overview names Blood and Thunder as the first Kargath step from Warlord Goretooth. Current indexed Forever records show Warlord’s Command as the first numbered task. Speak to Goretooth and check the quest or command item he offers; do not treat the missing indexed Blood and Thunder entry as proof the official introduction is impossible. In LBRS, defeat Highlord Omokk, War Master Voone and Overlord Wyrmthalak, and recover the Important Blackrock Documents.
- Eitrigg’s Wisdom (#4941): return to the quest giver, then report to Eitrigg in Orgrimmar and speak to Thrall. A conversation step is required; do not look only for a conventional kill objective.
- For the Horde! (#4974): defeat Warchief Rend Blackhand in Upper Blackrock Spire, take his head and turn it in to Thrall. This is UBRS, despite the ‘Lower’ wording in Blizzard’s published overview.
- What the Wind Carries (#6566): listen to Thrall’s complete dialogue; the next part of the story begins only after you have heard his account.
- The Champion of the Horde (#6567): find Rexxar patrolling the roads near Desolace rather than expecting him to stand at one fixed quest marker.
Myranda and the Black Dragonspawn Eyes
- The Testament of Rexxar (#6568): deliver Rexxar’s message to Myranda the Hag in the Western Plaguelands. Some older quest lists label the equivalent intermediate step Mistress of Deception; use the name and objectives shown in your Forever quest log.
- Oculus Illusions (#6569): collect 20 Black Dragonspawn Eyes from the Blackrock Spire dragonspawn indicated by the quest. Turn them in to Myranda to prepare the disguise. This is another high-level Blackrock group task; schedule it only after the quest is available.
- Emberstrife (#6570): travel to the Wyrmbog in Dustwallow Marsh. In Emberstrife’s den, equip the Amulet of Draconic Subversion from the quest to assume the needed disguise and speak to the drake. This is a different amulet from the final Drakefire Amulet and has a different purpose.
Four Dragon Skulls and the Final UBRS Trip
Emberstrife sends you after three dragonflight champions, followed by Axtroz. These are outdoor elite objectives, not extra dungeon clears. They demand travel and may require friends, but do not add them to a dungeon-only order.
| Quest | Target | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| The Test of Skulls, Scryer (#6582) | Scryer — blue dragonflight | Winterspring |
| The Test of Skulls, Somnus (#6583) | Somnus — green dragonflight | Swamp of Sorrows |
| The Test of Skulls, Chronalis (#6584) | Chronalis — bronze dragonflight | Tanaris, near the Caverns of Time |
| The Test of Skulls, Axtroz (#6585) | Axtroz — red dragonflight | Wetlands, Grim Batol approach |
- Finish the dragon skull trials: hand the skulls to Emberstrife in the order your active quests allow. The three first tests are available as a group in the classic-style records; the Axtroz step follows them.
- Ascension… (#6601): take the Dull Drakefire Amulet back to Rexxar. This is still not the fully empowered entry item.
- Blood of the Black Dragon Champion (#6602): defeat General Drakkisath in UBRS and secure the quest blood. Return to Rexxar for the Drakefire Amulet.
Horde route tip: group trips to Blackrock Spire are separated by major story and outdoor tasks. Do not order multiple runs by guesswork before knowing whether the next accepted objective is Rend, the 20 eyes or Drakkisath.
Common Attunement Mistakes and Source Differences
| Problem | What to check |
|---|---|
| The Horde starter ‘Blood and Thunder’ is missing | Blizzard names it, but the indexed Forever quest chain begins with Warlord’s Command (#4903). Visit Warlord Goretooth in Kargath, inspect his dialogue or command item, and check your log before assuming you are blocked. |
| Rend is not in LBRS | He is an UBRS objective. The Blizzard summary says ‘Lower’ in that sentence, but Forever quest and UBRS records place Rend with the upper section. |
| No next quest after Abandoned Hope | The next Alliance step comes from a dropped A Crumpled Up Note (#4264). Return to BRD with the prior stage complete; no guaranteed first-kill drop is promised. |
| Squire Rower cannot be found | The NPC is Squire Rowe at the Stormwind city gates. The official article uses both spellings. |
| Rexxar is not at the pin | Rexxar patrols rather than remaining at a permanently fixed position. Recheck the roads and your current quest objective; avoid stale map coordinates. |
| Emberstrife will not speak to you | Check that Emberstrife is active and the Amulet of Draconic Subversion is equipped inside the den. This disguise is not the final Drakefire Amulet. |
| You killed Drakkisath but received no amulet | Make sure the appropriate final quest was active, your required blood was obtained, and you returned to Haleh (Alliance) or Rexxar (Horde) for the reward. The boss kill alone is not the final hand-in. |
Most numerical quest records above come from the Forever 1.60.1 database, which can retain Classic-era descriptions. The official October 20 roadmap confirms the faction routes and entry rule; use the live quest log to resolve final stage availability when the level-60 client becomes playable on November 4.
Before You Enter Onyxia’s Lair
- Finish the right questline on the character you plan to raid with. An alt’s completed chain does not give everyone in the group access.
- Put the Drakefire Amulet in your current character’s inventory. It does not have to occupy the neck slot. Do not leave it in the bank when travelling to the entrance.
- Confirm the raid unlock and lockout. The current plan is December 9 and a weekly reset; check the final realm schedule before assigning a raid time.
- Bring a raid-ready 40-player roster and useful fire protection. Blizzard recommends fire resistance for Onyxia’s three-phase encounter, but it is combat preparation, not an alternate access key.
- Prepare gear and group roles separately. For the broader system changes, buffs, loot expectations and tier-one planning, read our WoW Forever Raiding Guide. For new leveling dungeons and general group preparation, use the WoW Forever Dungeons Guide.
Entry and clearing are different jobs. The Drakefire Amulet gets your character through Onyxia’s entrance requirement. It does not defeat Onyxia, reserve a drop, or complete an unrelated raid challenge.
Onyxia Attunement FAQ
Do I need to equip Drakefire Amulet for Onyxia?
No. Blizzard explicitly says it needs to be in your character’s inventory, not equipped.
Can one attuned player open Onyxia for the entire raid?
No. Each raid member needs a personal Drakefire Amulet. Attunement is not described as account-wide at launch.
Can I complete Onyxia attunement before the December 9 raid opening?
The quest chain is part of preparation for the first raid wave. Its higher-level steps depend on the Level 60 launch client, scheduled for November 4; the raid itself is scheduled for December 9. Verify availability after release.
Does Horde need LBRS or UBRS?
Both. LBRS is used for Warlord’s Command. UBRS is required for For the Horde! (Rend), the Oculus Illusions eye collection and the final General Drakkisath step. Those objectives become available at different points in the chain.
Does a WoW Forever Dungeon Runs purchase finish the Drakefire Amulet questline?
No. Dungeon Runs provides the selected full clears and explicitly excludes dungeon quests and quest-chain completion. The Onyxia’s Lair raid offer separately allows the Onyxia’s Lair Attunement option to be added to a raid order.
Is Fire Resistance required to unlock the entrance?
Blizzard recommends fire resistance for surviving the encounter but names Drakefire Amulet as the entry item. The recommendation is not another attunement step.
How long does Onyxia attunement take?
There is no verified one-size-fits-all completion time for the Forever launch. It depends on your existing quest progress, group availability, travel, instance access and the number of trips needed for the later quests.
