Aqir Invasions are hourly public events in WoW Midnight Patch 12.1.5, alternating between Eversong Woods and Zul’Aman each week. At the top of the hour, players have ten minutes to complete a chain of zone objectives. An Aqir Monstrosity then appears for a short boss phase. The first boss kill of the week awards an Aqir Research Satchel with Champion-track gear and upgrade materials; repeat events are primarily for Aqir Research Enclave reputation, Voidlight Marl, achievements and cosmetic rewards.
If you only want the weekly gear, complete the introduction, join one invasion and kill the final boss. If you want the Corrupted Swarmer mount or the Bane of the Swarm title, plan for repeated events: the mount requires Exalted reputation and 2,500 Voidlight Marl, while the title also needs six scenario types and ten successful invasion completions. This guide covers the event itself; our Patch 12.1.5 priorities checklist covers everything else competing for your weekly time.
Aqir Invasions at a Glance: What Should You Farm?
| Your goal | Minimum useful action | What to remember |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly catch-up gear | Defeat Aqir Monstrosity once after unlocking the event. | The Aqir Research Satchel is a weekly reward, not an unlimited hourly gear farm. |
| Corrupted Swarmer mount | Reach Exalted with Aqir Research Enclave and save 2,500 Voidlight Marl. | This is a vendor purchase, not a chance drop from the boss. |
| Bane of the Swarm title | Get Exalted, see all six scenario types and complete ten boss-ending invasions. | Track your missing scenarios, not just your reputation total. |
| Other Midnight faction renown | Exchange an eligible Aqir Research Token at Matildeux Osril. | Token availability is not the same as repeatable event reputation. |
| Pets and Housing decor | Earn the required Enclave standing and spend Voidlight Marl at Estelia Archtender. | Choose your collection priorities before buying lower-tier cosmetics. |
Decide whether you are here for one satchel or a collection grind before starting. It is easy to spend several invasions earning reputation when the character actually needs a faster gearing source, or to spend your Marl on decor just before reaching the mount’s Exalted requirement.
Start the event with the right goal
The invasion itself is a public event. If you are not ready to join on your main or alt, use a preparation route below; if you are ready, follow the free weekly checklist.
How to Unlock Aqir Invasions in Midnight
Start with The Aqir Swarm from Lor’themar Theron in Silvermoon City. This is the opening quest of the Patch 12.1.5 campaign chapter and introduces the invasion mechanics in Eversong Woods. Complete the introductory sequence before treating the normal world-map invasion as your repeatable route.
- Go to Silvermoon City and look for Lor’themar Theron and The Aqir Swarm quest.
- Follow the introductory objectives into Eversong Woods and finish the campaign chapter.
- Open the world map and locate the purple scarab or insect-shaped invasion marker.
- Travel to the marked zone shortly before the next hour and follow the active objective.
- Stay for the Aqir Monstrosity after the scenario window, then check your weekly reward and reputation progress.
If you cannot see the event: check the quest log for an unfinished introduction, switch your world map from the city view to Eversong Woods or Zul’Aman, and inspect the timer on the invasion icon. The event is not permanently active everywhere; one of its two zones is selected by the weekly rotation. Do not confuse it with the separate Void Assault activity.
Aqir Invasion Timer and Locations
An invasion begins at XX:00 every hour in the active zone. The first ten minutes are for rapid public objectives. When that part ends, the Monstrosity appears; specialist launch guides describe a five-minute boss window, so treat it as an immediate priority rather than arriving late. The on-map countdown is the final authority for the instance or shard you are currently in.
| Approximate time | Phase | Best action |
|---|---|---|
| XX:55-XX:00 | Prepare | Check the zone on the world map; arrive before the new cycle and repair or switch talents if needed. |
| XX:00-XX:10 | Public scenarios | Travel between objective markers and finish as many progress bars as the shard can complete. |
| From XX:10 | Aqir Monstrosity | Stop side objectives, find the boss marker and help defeat it while the countdown is still running. |
| After the boss | Rewards and planning | Check the Satchel, tokens, Enclave standing and Marl; choose whether another hourly cycle serves your goal. |
Eversong Woods and Zul’Aman alternate as invasion locations on the weekly reset. There is no benefit in memorizing a fixed coordinate for the active scenario: the objective changes as players complete it. The world map is more useful than a static route, and the boss icon takes precedence once it appears.
For a first attempt, arrive about five minutes early. If you miss the Monstrosity, you do not have to wait for the following week; the next hourly cycle is another opportunity. Conversely, an empty shard may complete fewer objectives in ten minutes than a busy one, making a reliable group more important than a perfectly optimized solo damage build.
How to Complete an Aqir Invasion Efficiently
Every scenario is a public progress-bar task. One active objective finishes, another is marked elsewhere in the zone, and the sequence continues until the ten-minute timer ends. Resist the temptation to stay and kill spare enemies after the bar is full: those kills do not finish the next objective.
- Read the current objective. Some scenarios reward interacting with objects or helping defenders; attacking nearby mobs is not always the quickest way to fill the bar.
- Move as soon as a bar completes. The event rewards are tied to finishing scenarios, not camping the first location.
- Use mobility between sites. Flying helps when the new marker spawns across the active zone, and aerial Aqir can provide small reputation gains on the way.
- React to the combat modifier. A shielding Voidweaver or a webbing caster can slow a whole group more than several ordinary enemies.
- Switch targets at the boss spawn. Missing the Monstrosity costs your weekly Satchel if you have not claimed it yet, as well as its event-completion credit.
The Six Aqir Invasion Scenarios
Blizzard specifies three combat-oriented scenarios and three non-combat-oriented ones. The objective names are Disrupt Aqir, Aid Defenders!, Aqir Nesting Grounds, Whack the Aqir, Aerial Assault and Reinforce Defenses. You do not choose which comes next: the event rotates among them as the group finishes each bar.
| Scenario | How to approach it |
|---|---|
| Disrupt Aqir | Watch the on-screen target requirement and remove enemies or threats contributing to the bar. |
| Aid Defenders! | Follow the defender-focused objectives rather than spreading out to kill unrelated Aqir. |
| Aqir Nesting Grounds | Prioritize the marked nesting objective and any interactable targets shown by the event. |
| Whack the Aqir | Use the specific local interaction requested by the scenario; raw damage may not be the goal. |
| Aerial Assault | Follow the aerial instructions and watch your positioning instead of ignoring the event mechanics. |
| Reinforce Defenses | Focus on reinforcing or supporting the marked defenses until the bar is complete. |
If you are pursuing No Hives Left Standing, check the achievement tracker after each unfamiliar scenario. Seeing one of the six names on the map is not the same as receiving completion credit; make sure the objective actually finishes while you are participating.
All Eight Aqir Invasion Affixes and Their Counters
Combat scenarios can roll modifiers that change the correct target or safe position. You do not need a new talent build for each one, but the following responses save time and avoid unnecessary deaths.
| Affix | Effect | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Void Protection | Aqir Voidweavers shield nearby enemies. | Find and attack the Voidweaver first so the group can clear the rest. |
| Aqir Burrower | Burrowing attackers knock players upward. | Avoid the moving ground threat and keep an escape path. |
| Void Sphere | Moving spheres can trap players. | Move out of their path instead of remaining planted for a cast. |
| Astalor’s Anguish | Crystals damage Aqir and players caught in the blast. | Use enemy exposure when practical, but leave the blast yourself. |
| Swarms! | Regular Aqir are replaced with packs of smaller creatures. | Use efficient area damage and do not chase individual stragglers. |
| Aqir Elites | Fewer but much stronger enemies appear. | Focus the highest-threat elite and rotate defensives when needed. |
| Void Infestation | Infested Aqir explode after a delay and can spread danger. | Create distance before the detonation; do not stack on dying targets. |
| Web Weavers | Webweavers channel an immobilizing web. | Interrupt or control the caster before it traps a player. |
The two biggest slowdowns are Void Protection and Web Weavers. They prevent the group from using its normal damage or movement effectively. Focus those enemies before optimizing personal damage numbers. In a crowded event, one timely interrupt is worth more than padding meters on a shielded pack.
Aqir Monstrosity: How to Secure the Weekly Boss Kill
The Monstrosity is the event finale, not a dungeon or raid boss with a fixed party requirement. Nearby players can contribute in the open world. Its arrival is the moment to stop collecting extra scenario progress and move to the rare-framed invasion icon on the map.
For a reliable kill, get into the encounter early, use cooldowns while the group is present, avoid visible hazards and stay in range if the fight relocates. Healers and tanks can make a difference on quiet shards; DPS should prioritize surviving and staying engaged rather than trying to solo a crowded-world-event target. Check that you actually receive encounter credit before leaving.
One weekly kill matters more than many abandoned attempts. The first qualifying Monstrosity kill of the week grants an Aqir Research Satchel. Published loot listings include a Champion-track item, Champion and Hero Mistcrests, Coffer Key Shards, Voidlight Marl and gold. The chest is useful for a fresh or returning character; it does not replace repeated Mythic+ keys, targeted raid loot or the broader gearing systems covered in our Midnight Season 2 Gearing Guide.
What Resets Weekly and What Can You Repeat?
| Reward | How to treat it |
|---|---|
| Aqir Research Satchel and its gear | Weekly: first Monstrosity kill of the week. |
| Aqir Research Enclave reputation | Farmable: more completed scenarios and Monstrosity kills continue progressing the faction. |
| Voidlight Marl | Farmable: earned through participation; useful for vendor collectibles. |
| Aqir Research Token | Check your character: the item description refers to the first invasion of the week; some launch guides describe conflicting repeat-kill behavior. |
| Bane of the Swarm achievement progress | Trackable: successful boss completions and different scenario types count toward their own objectives. |
Do not plan to receive another Satchel every hour. Equally, do not assume you can collect unlimited reputation vouchers from tokens: check the in-game token availability and tooltip before building a long catch-up schedule around them. The reliable repeat-loop is reputation plus Marl.
Aqir Research Enclave Reputation: The Fastest Practical Farm
Aqir Research Enclave is a subfaction associated with the Silvermoon Court, but it uses old-style Neutral-to-Exalted standings rather than a normal 20-rank Midnight Renown track. Exalted takes 5,000 total reputation. You mainly earn it inside the invasion:
| Activity | Reputation | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one public scenario | 35 | Finishing several bars each hour makes a meaningful difference. |
| Defeat Aqir Monstrosity | 100 | Largest predictable single action and needed for the title objective. |
| Fly through an aerial Aqir | 1 | Small extra progress while travelling; not the main farm. |
For example, three finished scenarios plus the boss yield 205 reputation before other gains. At that pace, reaching 5,000 from zero would take roughly 25 hourly cycles. Four scenarios plus the boss yield 240 reputation, closer to 21 cycles. These are illustrations, not guaranteed completion times: scenario speed, mob density, missed boss kills, existing reputation and bonuses all change the total.
Reputation Milestones and Vendor Access
| Standing reached | Additional reputation | Cumulative reputation |
|---|---|---|
| Friendly | 500 | 500 |
| Honored | 1,000 | 1,500 |
| Revered | 1,500 | 3,000 |
| Exalted | 2,000 | 5,000 |
There is no need to sit in the same spot between hourly events. Check the next spawn on the map, then use the downtime for a Delve, a world quest or anything else nearby. Return a few minutes before the hour; the part you cannot recover is an invasion you arrived too late to finish.
Aqir Invasion Rewards and Vendor Locations
Two vendors serve different purposes near Falconwing Square in Silvermoon City. Estelia Archtender sells the Aqir-themed collection for Voidlight Marl and reputation. Matildeux Osril trades Aqir Research Tokens for catch-up vouchers tied to other Midnight factions.
TomTom waypoint: /way #2393 39.4 80.3
How to Get Corrupted Swarmer
Corrupted Swarmer is a guaranteed vendor mount once you meet both conditions: Exalted Aqir Research Enclave reputation and 2,500 Voidlight Marl. It is not a rare drop from Aqir Monstrosity. If this is your main target, keep the first 2,500 Marl unspent while grinding reputation.
- Unlock the invasions and repeat public scenarios plus Monstrosity kills until you reach 5,000 total Enclave reputation.
- Accumulate at least 2,500 Voidlight Marl and avoid spending the mount budget on early pets or decor.
- Travel to Estelia Archtender at Falconwing Square and purchase Corrupted Swarmer after reaching Exalted.
Pets, Toy and Housing Rewards
Estelia’s shop opens in stages. These are the collection choices that most often affect how you spend Marl:
| Standing | Notable rewards | Voidlight Marl |
|---|---|---|
| Friendly | Dormant Brood Egg, Nourished Brood Eggs; Aqir Wingreaver pet | 250 each decor; 1,000 pet |
| Honored | Dormant Brood Egg Cluster, Nourished Brood Egg Cluster; Aqir Scuttler pet | 250 each decor; 1,000 pet |
| Revered | Dormant Clutch of Brood Eggs, Nourished Clutch of Brood Eggs; Aqir Razorwing pet | Check decor prices in game; 2,000 pet |
| Exalted | Aqir Hunter’s Trophy; Curse of the Aqir toy; Corrupted Swarmer mount | 1,000; 2,500; 2,500 |
Older listings disagree about the price of the two Revered clutch decorations. That does not change the mount requirement or the correct farming strategy: inspect Estelia’s live inventory before calculating an exact all-items Marl budget. If you only want the mount, 2,500 Marl and Exalted remain the important numbers.
Aqir Research Tokens and Other Faction Catch-Up
Matildeux Osril’s vouchers are for Silvermoon Court, Amani Tribe, Hara’ti, Singularity and Zul’jarra’s Forces. They do not replace Enclave reputation needed for Corrupted Swarmer. Voucher values and token repeat limits have differed between launch-era guides, so read the purchased voucher tooltip and the token’s weekly eligibility on your character instead of counting on an unverified hourly exchange rate.
If your real goal is Amani Tribe renown rather than Aqir cosmetics, compare the time required to collect an eligible event voucher with LepreStore’s separate Amani Tribe Renown service. That service covers the Amani Tribe faction, not Aqir Research Enclave and not the Corrupted Swarmer purchase. For a free path, the invasion token exchange is a useful supplement to normal faction activities.
How to Earn the Bane of the Swarm Title
Bane of the Swarm is a meta-achievement for participating broadly in the new event, not just accumulating points. It combines three separate achievements:
| Achievement | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Aqir Research Associate | Reach Exalted with Aqir Research Enclave. |
| No Hives Left Standing | Complete each of the six different invasion scenarios at least once. |
| Driving Back the Swarm | Complete ten invasions by killing the final Aqir Monstrosity. |
Finish all three for the Bane of the Swarm title. The best way to avoid wasted hours is to keep an eye on your missing scenario names, not only the ten-kill tracker. If the final objective type never spawns in the current zone, check back when the weekly rotation changes.
Several event achievements are classified as Feats of Strength, and some specialist guides suspect the event could be temporary. Blizzard has not announced a specific removal date. Do not invent an expiry calendar for the title, but consider completing your collection while the event has a healthy player population.
The Best Aqir Invasion Routine for Your Goal
One weekly run for an undergeared character
Complete The Aqir Swarm, arrive before an hourly start, help with the scenario phase and prioritize the Monstrosity. Check your Satchel once, then return to a stronger source of targeted upgrades if you still need gear. See the Season 2 Gearing Guide for where raid, Mythic+ and Delve items fit.
Repeated runs for Corrupted Swarmer
Farm on a busy shard, keep moving as objectives complete, tag the boss and bank Marl until you have 2,500. Use the time between hourly cycles for other tasks instead of standing idle. Check your Enclave reputation after every few events so you know when an additional session is worthwhile.
Achievement hunting for Bane of the Swarm
Combine the Enclave grind with ten successful Monstrosity kills. Keep a written or in-game list of the six scenario types and check completion credit when an unfamiliar one appears. If you are missing a single scenario, another hour of repeating the other five may not help much; the weekly zone rotation is the thing to watch.
Renown catch-up for an alt
Do your first weekly Monstrosity for the Satchel, then check whether you have an eligible token. Visit Matildeux Osril and choose the voucher for the faction where an unlock matters most. Do not spend time expecting the same Satchel or the same token outcome from every additional boss kill.
Aqir Invasions FAQ
What time do Aqir Invasions spawn?
At the start of every hour in the active weekly zone. Public objectives occupy the first ten minutes; the Monstrosity spawns afterward. Watch the event’s world-map timer because the boss window is short.
Where are Aqir Invasions this week?
In either Eversong Woods or Zul’Aman. The active zone changes on the weekly rotation. Look for the purple insect or scarab marker rather than relying on last week’s coordinates.
How do you unlock the invasions?
Start The Aqir Swarm from Lor’themar Theron in Silvermoon City and complete its introductory 12.1.5 campaign chapter. Then locate the normal public event on your map.
Can you farm Champion gear every hour?
No. The Aqir Research Satchel with a Champion item is tied to the first qualifying Monstrosity kill of the week. Repeated events are mainly worthwhile for Enclave reputation, Marl and achievements.
How much reputation do you need for Exalted?
5,000 total Enclave reputation: 500 to Friendly, then 1,000 to Honored, 1,500 to Revered and 2,000 more to Exalted.
Does Corrupted Swarmer drop from the Monstrosity?
No. Buy it from Estelia Archtender for 2,500 Voidlight Marl after reaching Exalted with Aqir Research Enclave.
What happens if you miss the Monstrosity?
That hourly invasion ends without a qualifying boss kill for you. Return at the start of the next hour, complete the scenarios and move to the boss immediately after the ten-minute phase.
Is Aqir Research Enclave the same as Silvermoon Court Renown?
No. The Enclave is associated with Silvermoon Court but has its own classic standing bar ending at Exalted. The event’s catch-up vouchers are for other Midnight factions and do not replace Enclave reputation.
Is Bane of the Swarm time-limited?
The achievements are presented as Feats of Strength, which suggests limited availability, but no exact removal date has been announced. Complete the requirements while the invasions are active rather than assuming the title will always remain obtainable.
Last checked: October 17, 2026, for WoW Midnight Patch 12.1.5. Start with one weekly Satchel, then keep farming only if you want the Enclave collection, faction vouchers or Bane of the Swarm. For the wider week-by-week order of priorities, continue with our Patch 12.1.5 checklist.
