If you don’t know yet about the things to do before TBC Anniversary, we know where to start. In this guide you’ll find a clear checklist and practical tips aimed at returning Burning Crusade veterans, casual players, and min‑max raiders alike. You will also find a few steps to start Outland with full bags, plenty of gold, and the right gear for dungeons, raids, and PvP.
Things to Do Before TBC Anniversary Key Takeaways:
- TBC Classic Anniversary preparations include leveling up your main and alt characters to the current level cap, raising your reputations to Revered, saving up Gold and essential resources.
- Character preparations should be focused on leveling, gearing, reputation, and farming profession skills.
- To prepare for TBC Anniversary raids, gear up in the old raids, get enchants, and raise your reputation with the major factions for quick raid and dungeon access (dungeon access matters due to gearing).
- To prepare for Dungeons in TBC Anniversary, find the best gear early on, prepare consumables, and level up every essential reputation to Revered for heroic dungeon access.
4.9Things to Do Before TBC Anniversary
The Burning Crusade Anniversary is a large-scale update coming to WoW Classic. The initial phase of the expansion, the pre‑patch, arrives on January 12, 2026. But how to get ready for TBC Classic Anniversary? This window, before the start of TBC and during the pre-patch phase, though short, is your chance to get ahead before everyone piles through the Dark Portal. Here’s what to do before TBC Classic Anniversary:
- Finish quests, but do not turn them in;
- Level up essential reputations;
- Train available professions;
- Review and keep the strongest gear pieces;
- Level up your Defense and Weapon skills;
- Farm the most useful materials and crafting reagents;
- Complete pre-raid and dungeon preparations.
We explain each of these steps further. They are very useful and help you get set up before the expansion starts. Also, remember that Flying Mounts will be available from the start, so it’s worth saving up some Gold for flight teachers and learning available flight points and paths in advance.
Which Quests to Finish for TBC Anniversary
The first thing that comes to mind when you think of TBC Anniversary preparations is questing. Before the Burning Crusade starts, complete high‑reward quests now but don’t turn them in. When the pre‑patch goes live, scaling changes convert those experience points into a gold payout. Which quests to prioritise before TBC Classic Anniversary:
- Fast quests that take one turn-in to complete;
- Elite quests that are easily done at Level 60;
- Level 60 quest chains in Silithus, Eastern Plaguelands and inside dungeons. They provide large chunks of gold once handed in.
- Raid quests from Onyxia’s Lair, Molten Core and Blackwing Lair. Holding them until after the update yields even more gold.
- Weekly PvP quests — complete them before patch day, then cash in for bonus honour and currency.
We advise to stack up to 25 finished quests in your log, then turn them in the moment the patch hits. This immediate influx of gold and experience gives a head start over players who rushed into Outland empty‑handed.
Which Reputations to Level for TBC Anniversary
Reputation gates many systems in TBC Anniversary. Thus, there are four major factions that you need to focus on now to jump into TBC fully prepared: Argent Dawn, Cenarion Circle, Thorium Brotherhood, and Zandalar Tribe. Heroic dungeons, profession recipes, enchants, and even some pre‑raid gear require a certain standing. Focus your efforts before the pre‑patch on:
- Argent Dawn — provides early enchants and materials. Turn in Scourgestones or scourge stones during Classic events.
- Cenarion Circle — unlocks valuable crafting patterns. Farm Twilight Texts and summon bosses in Silithus.
- Thorium Brotherhood — offers fire‑resistant pieces and weapon recipes. Collect Dark Iron Ore and Core Leather.
- Zandalar Tribe — gives trinkets and enchants. Save bijous and coins to turn in when needed.
If you ignore reputation, say, Argent Dawn, it might lead to hitting a wall after reaching level 70. Choose one or two factions relevant to your class (for example, tanks benefit from Thorium Brotherhood, casters from Argent Dawn) and push them now.
Which Professions to Train for TBC Anniversary
Some professions can really come in handy once the TBC Classic Anniversary starts, so now is the best time to level them up. Profession leveling gets expensive when everyone needs the same materials. Preparing professions early for the Burning Crusade Anniversary saves gold and lets you start crafting right away in Outland. Recommended professions:
- Engineering — offers PvP gadgets and raid tools in early TBC.
- Alchemy — flasks and elixirs will be in high demand.
- Leatherworking — drums become mandatory in many raid comps.
- Enchanting — enchants always sell during progression.
But the best professions to choose for TBC Classic Anniversary are Mining and Herbalism. These gathering professions allow you to farm resources and crafting reagents that are pretty valuable for crafting. The resources that you farm can become a great gold supply if sold at the Auction House.
And don’t forget about Jewelcrafting — the new profession unlocks at pre‑patch; you can start gathering available ore and gems now to level quickly once it’s available. Don’t worry about finishing your profession to 300 in one go. Even preparing 70% of the materials for a desired profession, ahead of time protects you from the post‑patch price hike.
Which Gear to Get for TBC Anniversary
You will need reliable gear pieces when the Burning Crusade Anniversary arrives. Therefore, do not disenchant or vendor certain pieces that are about to shine. Spell‑power gear, feral DPS/tank sets, Retribution Paladin items and any off‑spec gear can become amazing leveling pieces. Trinkets with on‑use effects also gain value.
The best gear comes from previous raids, so aim to obtain gear pieces from the Blackwing Lair or Naxxramas. They will come in handy in early phases, during leveling, and even starting content when TBC Classic Anniversary launches:
| Raid | Gear | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Blackwing Lair | Weapons and trinkets | Outland leveling in early phases |
| Blackwing Lair | High stat gear and set bonuses | Up to level 70 |
| Naxxramas | Tier 3 and powerful trinkets | Up to level 70 |
| Naxxramas | Shoulder enchants | Alternative to early TBC enchants |
How to Prepare for TBC Anniversary
In addition to gathering resources, cleaning your inventory, and studying flight routes on mounts, you need to prepare your characters for the TBC Anniversary. The Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary preparation includes a number of important points that are worth completing for an easy entry into the new expansion:
- Leveling Defense and Weapon skills to 300;
- Deciding on a leveling spec;
- Cleaning bags.
And of course you should level up all your alts and the main character to the current level cap. It drastically speeds up the process of Leveling in the Burning Crusade, as there’s no need to run back and forth in the outdated content.
TBC Anniversary Defense Skill Leveling
WoW Classic Anniversary Defense skill directly impacts how often enemies critically hit you. It decreases the chance of critical hits and enhances dodge rate, parry chance, and block chance slightly. Leveling the Defense skill to 300 definitely makes a difference in the early Outland levels.
Increasing Defense before the TBC Anniversary event is essential, as the mobs in the Outland are more powerful compared to those in Classic realms. Players with insufficient Defense experience more spiky damage, heal more often, and progress more slowly. Tanks will benefit the most in this aspect, but even DPS and Healers will find questing smoother with max Defense.
How to Reach Level 300 Defense before TBC Anniversary:
- Find low-damage melee mobs with high speed (e.g., at The Barrens);
- Allow them to attack you without killing them quickly;
- Heal yourself slowly to avoid downtime;
- Use Troll Blood Potions to maintain health;
- Steer clear of tough enemies with frequent food breaks.
This requires very little gold and saves time once Outland opens. There are very few skills that provide more stats per skill point, yet many levels are ignored in this early stage.
TBC Anniversary Weapon Skill Leveling
Weapon skill in WoW Classic Anniversary affects hit chance and overall damage. A lack of Weapon skill means many missed attacks and weak attacks in general, especially at high-level monsters. If you have an underskilled character, it will come into Outland with very low Weapon skills, and it can make leveling very slow.
Optimizing Weapon skills prior to the Burning Crusade Anniversary allows you to get quest rewards and dungeon rewards right away without issues. You will not experience awkward situations where an upgrade results in something worse due to poorly optimized skills.
How to Train Weapon Skills Before TBC Anniversary:
- Practice all weapons that you could conceivably use (One-handed, two-handed, or ranged weapons, if appropriate);
- Use fast weapons for quicker hit frequency;
- Bring cheap buffs, scrolls, or Intellect to boost skill leveling speed;
- Train on enemies that cannot die or pose no real threat.
Weapon upgrades are introduced early on during quests and dungeons in Outland. This ensures that you maximize your skills and do not slow down the leveling progress.
How to Choose Leveling Spec Before TBC Anniversary
In WoW Classic Anniversary leveling specialization dictates how quickly you can level and how well a group-based leveling feels. Picking a spec before TBC Classic Anniversary hits will save gold and time down the road.
There are two popular methods of leveling in Anniversary realms: leveling in dungeons and open-world questing, both requiring different specs and preparations. Tanks/Healers are good for instant grouping, while DPS specs excel at single-player experience.
📌 Keep in mind that you are limited by the spec availability. Some classes do not have a healing or tanking spec, even as an off-spec option.
A quick guide to Choosing the Right Leveling Spec before TBC Anniversary:
- Tank spec for dungeon-focused leveling with quick group invitations;
- Healer spec for stable dungeon experience with minimal downtime;
- DPS spec for solo questing and open-world grinding.
If possible, you can stick to Dual-spec to be able to switch between different leveling methods or join your friends for group-based content. Alternatively, you can use our 1-60 + 60-70 Bundle for even faster leveling.
How to Clean Bags Before TBC Anniversary
Removing unnecessary items from your bags takes a little time, but it’s much more important to understand what you can throw away, sell, or keep. Here’s what’s best to remove from your bags before TBC Anniversary:
- What to Sell: Gray items and old quest rewards, unused green and blue items, outdated consumables and reagents.
- What to Keep: Classic materials that will be valuable in the future, more spacious bags for all slots, high-level gear, enchants.
Best Resources to Get for TBC Anniversary
Starting TBC Classic Anniversary with a stockpile of materials saves time and gold once everyone else is scrambling. Here is a list of the best resources to farm before the Burning Crusade arrives:
- Consumables for early leveling and dungeons — healing and mana potions, agility/strength/intellect elixirs, agility/strength/spirit scrolls and bandages will spike in price as soon as players race to level 70.
- Classic‑era crafting materials — items like runecloth, arcane dust, felcloth, rugged leather and core leather remain useful for first aid, enchanting and bag crafting in TBC.
- Limited‑supply materials — large brilliant shards, greater eternal essences, mooncloth and arcanite bars often get overlooked. Stocking up while they’re cheap protects against inflation during the rush.
📌 A general rule for stockpiling resources is simple: gather anything that forms the backbone of enchanting, tailoring, leatherworking or engineering.
Once the pre‑patch drops, certain TBC Anniversary Outland materials become available or surge in demand. Prepare a supply of Netherweave Cloth early on, Shadow/Water/Fire Motes, and basic cooking ingredients. These items feed daily quests, first aid, and early crafting. Having them means you’re ready to complete dailies and craft bandages from day one.
How to Prepare for TBC Anniversary Raids
To be ready to begin TBC Anniversary raid content in tier one, such as Karazhan, Gruul’s Lair, and Magtheridon’s Lair, it takes more than just being level 70. Raid preparations should start early on, as they include completing the attunement quests, leveling major factions reputation to Revered to acquire keys, and acquiring several sets of gear and consumables.
TBC Anniversary Raid Consumables
| Item | Effect |
|---|---|
| Flask of Supreme Power | Long‑lasting spell power buff |
| Flask of Titans | Long‑lasting stamina boost for tanks |
| Greater Arcane Elixir | Boosts spell power and mana regeneration |
| Fire Protection Potion | Absorbs fire damage during raid encounters |
| Nature Protection Potion | Absorbs nature damage |
| Superior Wizard Oil | Adds spell damage to weapons for casters |
| Major Mana Potion | Restores a large amount of mana |
TBC Anniversary Pre-Raid Items
Weapons, trinkets, and Tier 3 gear from Naxxramas remain competitive until level 70 in the Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary. High‑stat pieces from Blackwing Lair are still viable for early Karazhan. Additionally, on‑use trinkets from Classic content offer bursts during leveling and early raids.
For higher survivability, fire and nature resistance gear can be helpful for specific raid mechanics. When it comes to gear enhancements, Shoulder enchants and other enchants from Zul’Gurub match early Anniversary TBC alternatives. All these Pre-Raid Gear pieces are a must if you want to smoothly complete your first raid runs.
TBC Anniversary Reputation Requirements for Early Raids
Here’s a list of factions that can significantly improve your raiding experience in the Burning Crusade anniversary. Some of them affect the raid accessibility directly, while others are dungeon-oriented, but allow you to get gear tokens and items that are suitable for raiding:
- Karazhan attunement — starts at level 68; complete the quest chain through multiple dungeons and finish in the Black Morass.
- Honor Hold / Thrallmar (Revered) — grants the heroic key to Hellfire Citadel and gear tokens.
- Cenarion Expedition (Revered) — unlocks Coilfang Reservoir heroics.
- Lower City (Revered) — opens Auchenai Crypts and Sethekk Halls heroics.
- Sha’tar (Revered) — provides access to Tempest Keep heroics.
As you can see, you will also need Karazhan Attunement to be able to enter the raid and deal with the enemies inside.
✏️ Focus on the factions that offer gear for your role and stack quests during the pre‑patch to maximise reputation gains.
How to Prepare for TBC Anniversary Dungeons
Normal and heroic dungeons are the backbone of progression from 60 to 70 and offer essential gear and reputations. Preparing ahead matters, as it means smoother runs, fewer wipes, and faster attunements. It’s better to stock your bags with consumables, organize multiple gear sets, and start grinding the reputations you’ll need for heroic keys.
TBC Anniversary Dungeon Consumables
| Item | Effect |
|---|---|
| Major Healing Potion | Restores a large amount of health |
| Major Mana Potion | Restores a large amount of mana |
| Free Action Potion | Grants temporary immunity to stuns and movement‑impairing effects |
| Swiftness Potion | Increases run speed for a short time |
| Superior Wizard Oil | Adds spell damage to your weapon |
| Sharpening Stone | Adds attack power and weapon damage for melee |
TBC Anniversary Heroic Key Reputation Requirements
To get access to Heroic dungeons and good gear, you need to level up multiple reputations to Revered:
- Honor Hold / Thrallmar (Revered) — for the Hellfire Citadel heroic key.
- Cenarion Expedition (Revered) — for the Coilfang Reservoir heroic key.
- Lower City (Revered) — Revered for the Auchenai Crypts and Sethekk Halls heroic key.
- Sha’tar (Revered) — for the Mechanar, Botanica, and Arcatraz heroic key.
- Keepers of Time (Revered) — for the Caverns of Time heroic key, which also ties into the Karazhan attunement.
Dungeon Attunements are a key mechanic in the Burning Crusade Anniversary, which is why early preparations are essential.
✏️ Start farming these reputations during the pre‑patch to ensure you can run heroics as soon as you hit level 70.
TBC Anniversary Gear for Early Dungeons
Ensure that you have gear from the list below for smooth early dungeons in the Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary:
- Feral druid DPS sets, Retribution Paladin gear and other hybrid pieces from Classic remain powerful.
- On‑use trinkets such as Darkmoon cards provide strong burst effects.
- Head and leg enchants from Zul’Gurub offer cost‑effective stat boosts.
- Early Outland quest rewards with high stamina or attack power replace outdated gear quickly.
- Carry multiple gear sets if you intend to switch roles between tanking, healing, or damage.
Combine these recommendations with your pre‑patch prep, and you’ll breeze through normal and heroic dungeons, gaining the gear and reputation needed to step into raids.
How to Prepare for TBC Anniversary PvP
To prepare for PvP in the Burning Crusade, it’s best to stock up on Honor Points and Battleground Marks. The Battleground Marks (WSG, AB, AV Marks) usually carry over from expansion to expansion and allow you to buy decent PvP gear sets as soon as they become available. Thus, the more PvP currency you have, the better gear you’ll have at the start of TBC.
It’s best to start farming Honor Points with the release of the pre-patch, as they may be reset. If you’re unsure whether to save your points or not, you can spend them on top-notch gear right before the pre-patch release.
4.9Now that you know how to prepare for the TBC Anniversary, you can confidently start farming, leveling up your reputation and professions, and stocking up on gold. The sooner you start preparing, the less time you’ll spend on routine tasks at the beginning of the expansion, which means you’ll be able to become overpowered before others and easily complete any content.
