Karazhan Guide

In this TBC Anniversary Karazhan guide, we will take a look at one of the most iconic raids in World of Warcraft. Here you can find all the essential information, from the Karazhan raid release date, location, and shortcuts, to loot, tier sets, mounts, vendors, reputation, and detailed boss strategies. However, before you can even set foot inside the instance, you will need to attune to the raid, which you can learn about in our separate Attunement Guide.

TBC Anniversary Karazhan Key Takeaways:

• Karazhan is expected to launch during late Winter/early Spring 2026 with TBC Anniversary Phase 1. It will not be accessible during the pre-patch, starting January 13.
• Trash and bosses drop item level 115 BoP epics, while Tier 4 tokens are item level 120-125
• Karazhan provides TBC Anniversary tier tokens for gloves and helmets in Phase 1.
• The Violet Eye is a reputation tied to Karazhan and unlocks rings, repair access in raid, and profession patterns.

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TBC Anniversary Karazhan Release Date

TBC Anniversary Karazhan release date is currently unknown. However, we can estimate that the release date might happen within late Winter / early Spring of 2026 with the launch of TBC Anniversary Phase 1. As the pre-patch launches on January 13, we can expect the start of Phase 1 and the Karazhan raid in February 2026.

It’s important to note that Karazhan will not be accessible during the pre-patch phase. The pre-patch mainly introduces quality-of-life updates, character adjustments, and new mechanics, but raid content like Karazhan only unlocks once the full expansion releases.

If you want to prepare for Karazhan and Phase 1 of The Burning Crusade Classic, check out our TBC Starter Pack here at Overgear!

📌 We will update this guide as soon as more information becomes available.

The Burning Crusade Anniversary Karazhan Loot

Karazhan Loot in TBC Anniversary features a wide range of epic loot for raiders, including item level 115 BoP gear that can drop from nearly all trash mobs. This makes running the raid not only important for boss progression but also a reliable way to gear up characters with high-quality equipment early in TBC Anniversary.

TBC Anniversary Karazhan Tier Sets

Karazhan in The Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary is one of the instances that drops the first tier sets of the expansion. These sets provide class-specific bonuses for DPS, tanks, and healers, giving a strong boost to raid performance. While regular boss and trash epics are item level 115, Karazhan’s Tier 4 tokens are item level 120, and Prince Malchezaar drops item level 125 tokens.

Tier Token Classes

• Hero: Hunter, Mage, Warlock
• Champion: Paladin, Rogue, Shaman
• Defender: Warrior, Priest, Druid

📌 Karazhan Tier tokens can be exchanged only for Gloves and Helmets.

These tokens can be exchanged for set pieces in Shattrath City at vendors, depending on your faction: Asuur for Aldor members or Arodis Sunblade for Scryers.

Want to get your hands on all this loot and more? Our TBC Raid Bundle is perfect for you!

TBC Anniversary Karazhan Mount

In Karazhan during The Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary, there is a chance to obtain the Fiery Warhorse’s Reins mount, which drops from Attumen the Huntsman, the first boss in the raid. This ground mount has a very low drop rate of just 1%, so many players run Karazhan repeatedly on multiple characters to maximize their chances.

The Burning Crusade Anniversary Karazhan Location

Karazhan location in TBC Anniversary is at the southern tip of Deadwind Pass, the zone that borders Duskwood to the north and Swamp of Sorrows to the south. The exact coordinates are 47.1, 72.4. Since there are no direct flight paths, players must travel by ground mounts to reach the raid.

If you are playing as an Alliance character, you should start from Darkshire in Duskwood, taking the northeastern path into Deadwind Pass. As a Horde player, you can instead begin in Stonard, Swamp of Sorrows, and follow the western route up the hills.

📌 If you manage to get Atiesh, Greatstaff of the Guardian, you will be able to use Portal: Karazhan to teleport directly to the entrance of the raid.

The Burning Crusade Anniversary Karazhan Map

Servant's Quarters

Upper Livery Stables

The Banquet Hall

The Guest Chambers

The Opera Hall

Master's Terrace

Lower Broken Stair

Upper Broken Stair

The Menagerie

Guardian's Library

The Repository

Upper Library

The Celestial Watch

Gamesman Hall

Medivh's Chambers

The Power Station

Netherspace

© image from www.wowhead.com

Karazhan map in TBC Anniversary is large, and separated into 17 whole map sections. It features multiple raid wings with bosses, events, and shortcuts, making route planning essential for efficiency. Here we have prepared the best map routes for both quick clear and full clears of Karazhan in TBC Classic Anniversary.

For a quick clear focus on these encounters:

• Moroes ➡️ Opera Event ➡️ The Curator ➡️ Chess Event ➡️ Prince Malchezaar

This route is ideal for repeat runs, loot farming, and mount attempts like the Fiery Warhorse, as it skips optional bosses while still rewarding players with high-level epics and Tier 4 tokens.

For full progression, follow a complete path that ensures all major bosses and events are cleared:

• Attumen the Huntsman ➡️ Moroes ➡️ Maiden of Virtue ➡️ Opera Event ➡️ The Curator ➡️ Terestian Illhoof ➡️ Shade of Aran ➡️ Netherspite ➡️ Chess Event ➡️ Prince Malchezaar ➡️ Nightbane

You will also need to attune before you can even enter Karazhan in TBC Classic. If you want to skip the tedious quest chain, check out our Karazhan Attunement service.

Karazhan Shortcuts

After clearing the Opera Event, players can use a side entrance to save time. From the main entrance, head right, cross the creek, then follow the stairs to a bridge and door leading deeper into the raid.

The servant entrance above the ballroom mezzanine can also serve as a Karazhan shortcut in TBC Anniversary. Additionally, after defeating Shade of Aran, speaking to Berthold near the stairs allows teleportation directly to Aran’s room.

Karazhan Vendors

Karazhan vendors in Burning Crusade Classic are placed in the instance to help your raid stay prepared. Koren, located next to Attumen the Huntsman, can repair your gear if you are Honored with The Violet Eye. He also sells select epic Blacksmithing recipes, making him a useful stop for crafting-focused players.

Another Karazhan vendor, Ythyar, can be found outside the Gamesman’s Hall, in the room just before the Chess Event. Ythyar provides reagents and The Consortium reputation rewards, and also offers gear repairs, giving your raid a convenient way to stay stocked and ready without leaving the instance.

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The Burning Crusade Anniversary Karazhan Reputation

Karazhan reputation in TBC Anniversary is The Violet Eye, a raid-based faction. Killing enemies and completing quests inside the raid grants reputation from Neutral to Exalted, unlocking role-specific rings, a repair vendor, and various profession patterns.

Ythyar, located outside the Chess Event, represents The Consortium and sells reputation-based rewards like Jewelcrafting patterns and an enchanting recipe. Gaining rep with these factions encourages repeat raid runs and unlocks useful gear, recipes, and conveniences both inside Karazhan and in Outland.

TBC Anniversary Karazhan Bosses

The Burning Crusade Anniversary Karazhan bosses feature many classic encounters, each with unique mechanics and loot. In this section, we break down every major boss, from Attumen the Huntsman to Nightbane, so you know exactly how to approach each fight. You’ll find TBC Anniversary Karazhan strategies for tanking, DPS, and healing, plus tips on positioning, interrupts, crowd control, and handling special abilities.

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Attumen the Huntsman

The strategy for Attumen the Huntsman in TBC Anniversary is simple. The fight starts with Midnight alone and is about as simple as it gets. One tank picks her up, DPS goes to work, and healers keep things stable. There’s nothing fancy here, just keep doing damage and save cooldowns for later phases. Once Midnight hits 95% health, Attumen jumps in. At this point, you’ll want a second tank ready. Each tank grabs one target and stacks them right on top of each other, both facing away from the raid to avoid Shadow Cleave.

Everyone else should stack directly behind the bosses in melee range, with Hunters sitting at minimum range. Focus your damage on Midnight, letting cleave naturally hit Attumen. Intangible Presence is the big danger here. Mages and Druids should dispel it from tanks immediately, then from DPS if needed.

When either Attumen or Midnight reaches 25% health, they merge into a single mounted boss using the higher remaining HP. This is the final burn. The main tank stays in front, while everyone else stacks tightly behind the boss to avoid Berserker Charge. Hunters again stay at minimum range. Intangible Presence must come off tanks first, or healing will quickly fall apart, so make sure to dispel it.

Attumen the Huntsman Loot

Moroes

This boss requires some preparation, so here is how to beat Moroes in TBC Anniversary. Before pulling the boss, decide on a kill order. The highest priority targets are Lady Catriona Von’Indi and Lady Keira Berrybuck. This is because both provide healing and can quickly prolong the fight if left alive.

After the healers, kill Baroness Dorothea Millstipe due to her mana burn, followed by Baron Rafe Dreuger for his stuns. From there, kill Lord Robin Daris, then Moroes, and Lord Crispin Ference.

📌 Assign crowd control targets in advance and ensure everyone knows their role before the pull starts.

At the pull, immediately separate kill targets from crowd-controlled adds. The off-tank should stay second on threat on Moroes at all times. This is important because Moroes uses Gouge, temporarily incapacitating the main tank and dropping their threat.

DPS should focus on cleaving down kill targets where possible while paying attention to interrupts. Make sure Mana Burn and Greater Heal casts are stopped. Healers need to pay attention to Blind, which should be dispelled quickly. They should also be ready to heal players affected by Garrote, as it deals significant damage over time and cannot be removed by normal dispels. Once Moroes reaches 30% health, he will enrage, increasing his damage.

📌 Several abilities can completely remove Garrote, making them extremely valuable during the fight. These include Stoneform, Divine Shield, Blessing of Protection, and Ice Block.

Moroes Loot

Maiden of Virtue

Maiden of Virtue strategy in TBC Anniversary starts with the main tank keeping the boss positioned in the center of the room, exactly where she stands at the start of the fight. This makes the positioning easier for the rest of the raid.

Healers and ranged DPS should spread evenly around the room. This is important to avoid damage from Holy Wrath, which can become a problem if the group is standing too close together.

Healers must immediately dispel Holy Fire whenever it goes out. Classes with self-removal tools should use them to reduce load on healers.

Maiden periodically casts Repentance, stunning the entire group except the tank. To counter this, ranged DPS and healers should step into Holy Ground a few seconds before Repentance is cast. The damage from Holy Ground will break them out of the stun almost instantly.

After each Repentance, the main tank should use defensives, as healers may be briefly delayed in recovering, and Maiden’s melee damage can spike during this window. Paladins can use Blessing of Sacrifice or Divine Shield to break free from Repentance and assist with emergency healing.

Maiden of Virtue Loot

Opera Event

The Opera Event in TBC Classic can appear in three different variants, chosen randomly each lockout. While the arena stays the same, each performance has its own mechanics and win conditions, so it’s important to quickly identify which event you’re facing and adjust your strategy.

Opera Event: The Big Bad Wolf

This encounter is mostly a tank-and-spank fight, with the main danger coming from Little Red Riding Hood. When a player is targeted, they must immediately kite The Big Bad Wolf around the edges of the room, avoiding the center. The boss should otherwise be tanked normally, while the raid focuses on steady damage and clean positioning.

Healers should prioritize the player affected by Little Red Riding Hood, as they will take constant damage while being chased. Be ready for Terrifying Howl fears and Wide Swipe, which can catch poorly positioned players. Shamans can use Tremor Totem, Priests can apply Fear Ward, and abilities like Vanish, Feign Death, or Blessing of Protection can help players survive or drop the debuff.

Opera Event: The Big Bad Wolf Loot

Opera Event: Wizard of Oz

Phase one revolves around killing the cast in the correct order. Dorothee must die first, and Tito must not be killed while she is alive, or she will enrage. After Dorothee, kill Roar (off-tanked), then Strawman, who can be repeatedly disoriented by fire damage. Tinhead is killed last and should be tanked by the main tank, with kiting used if Rust stacks become dangerous.

Once all four are dead, The Crone spawns and begins phase two. Spread out to reduce damage from chain attacks. Crowd control and positioning make this phase simple, and once The Crone falls, the encounter ends.

Opera Event: Wizard of Oz Loot

Opera Event: Romulo and Julianne

Phase one focuses entirely on Julianne, who must be aggressively interrupted. Eternal Affection is the highest-priority cast, and her Devotion buff should be dispelled as soon as it appears. Once Julianne dies, phase two begins with Romulo, who should be tanked with his back near a wall while Daring is dispelled, and Warriors disarm him on cooldown.

In phase three, both bosses resurrect and must be killed within 10 seconds of each other. Melee DPS should stay on Julianne to handle interrupts, while ranged DPS focus Romulo. Both bosses continue using their earlier abilities, so careful DPS control and coordination are essential to avoid killing one too quickly and causing a wipe.

Opera Event: Romulo and Julianne Loot

Here we also prepared a list of shared loot that drops from all the Opera Event variations:

Opera Event Shared Loot

The Curator

The Curator in The Burning Crusade Anniversary alternates between controlled add management and short damage windows. Success depends on efficiently killing Astral Flares, managing Hateful Bolt targets, and maximizing damage during Evocation.

Flare Phase

During the main phase of the fight, Astral Flares spawn every 10 seconds and must be killed as quickly as possible. All DPS should prioritize Flares over the boss, as letting them stack up will overwhelm the raid with damage. Ranged players should spread at least 10 yards apart to minimize the constant chain damage coming from the Flares.

Throughout the encounter, Hateful Bolt targets the player with the second-highest threat, which should ideally be your off-tank. Healers must be ready to quickly top this player off, as Hateful Bolt hits hard and can easily cause deaths if ignored.

Evocation Phase

After the 10th Flare spawns, The Curator enters Evocation for 20 seconds. Quickly finish off the final Flare before swapping all damage to the boss. During this phase, The Curator takes triple damage, making it the most important burn window of the fight.

All DPS and healing cooldowns should be used here to push as much damage as possible. Warlocks should cast Curse of Doom after the 4th Flare spawns, ensuring it detonates during Evocation for maximum value.

Enrage Phase

Once The Curator reaches 15% health, he becomes enraged. Astral Flares stop spawning, and the fight turns into a pure burn phase. Focus entirely on killing the boss as quickly as possible. Be aware that Hateful Bolt will occur more frequently during enrage, increasing pressure on healers and the off-tank.

The Curator Loot

Chess Event

The Chess Event in TBC Classic Anniversary is a non-combat event where your goal is to kill Medivh’s King. Start by moving Pawns out of the way, then use your stronger pieces like Rooks, Knights, Bishops, and Queen. The event takes place in the Games Hall; speak to your faction’s King to start.

Each piece has unique abilities, and Medivh will cheat by buffing pieces, dealing area damage, or forcing berserk status. Focus on strong chess pieces and move your pieces out of hazards when needed.

Chess Event Loot

Terestian Illhoof

The strategy for Terestian Illhoof in TBC Anniversary is to tank him near the green circle in the room. This is to keep the fight in the middle of the room and prevent the adds from spreading. Kill Kil’rek early to apply the Broken Pact debuff on Illhoof. This will increase his damage taken.

When he casts a sacrifice, kill the chains and heal the targeted player. Mages and Paladins can use Ice Block or Divine Shield to remove sacrifice if needed. AoE down Imps that spawn from the two portals.

📌 The boss will target a player just before casting Sacrifice, meaning healers can pre-cast HoTs or absorbs.

Terestian Illhoof Loot

Shade of Aran

During the Shade of Aran fight in TBC Anniversary, casters should stand at least 10 yards away to avoid Counterspell. You should also set up an interrupt rotation for Fireball and Frostbolt, while allowing Arcane Missiles to go through.

Every player should pay attention to Aran’s three special abilities:

• Flame Wreath (stop moving before it finishes)
• Circular Blizzard (avoid by moving to the center or opposite side)
• Magnetic Pull followed by Arcane Explosion (run away to avoid).

At 40% health, Aran summons 4 Water Elementals that should be killed quickly or crowd-controlled. They need to be tanked if uncontrolled. At 20% mana, Aran will Polymorph the raid and cast Pyroblast, dealing heavy damage, so healers must react immediately. Warlocks can CC the Water Elementals, and tanks can equip DPS gear since there is no traditional aggro table.

Shade of Aran Loot

Netherspite

TBC Anniversary Netherspite boss is a portal-based fight requiring soaks and raid coordination. The fight alternates between Portal Phases and Banish Phases, each with its own mechanics.

Portal Phase

Each Portal Phase lasts 1 minute and spawns three colored beams: Red, Green, and Blue. You need 2 tanks and 2 DPS to soak the beams each phase. After soaking a beam, players receive Nether Exhaustion, preventing them from soaking the same color for 1:30.

Tank #1 soaks the Red Beam in 5-stack intervals, moving in and out, while Tank #2 soaks the Green Beam continuously. DPS #1 soaks the Blue Beam for 20 stacks, then DPS #2 takes over. Netherspite gains damage reduction, healing, and spell damage increases when hit by Red, Blue, or Green beams, respectively. Everyone must avoid Void Zones, and healers should focus on the DPS soaking the Blue Beam, who take increased spell damage and reduced healing.

Banish Phase

During the Banish Phase (30 seconds), Netherspite becomes shadowy. Nether Burn and Void Zones stop, and he casts Netherbreath on random players. Simply move to the far back side of the room to avoid damage. When the phase ends, aggro resets, so the assigned tank must pick up Netherspite and return to the Red Beam immediately.

Netherspite Loot

Prince Malchezaar

Prince Malchezaar strategy in TBC Anniversary starts with tanks positioning with their back against a wall. This is to avoid Shadow Nova knockbacks. Ranged DPS should maintain 30+ yards from the boss, especially when affected by Enfeeble. Melee DPS players should run out to avoid Shadow Nova, and healers should dispel Shadow Word: Pain on affected players. Every 45 seconds, an Infernal spawns in a random location, continuously casting Hellfire, requiring careful positioning.

At 60% health, the boss will enter Phase 2. This will grant him new abilities:

• Thrash
• Parry
• Sunder Armor

He will stop Shadow Word: Pain, but Enfeeble, Shadow Nova, and Infernal spawns will continue happening. Phase 3 begins at 30% health, returning to Phase 1 abilities with Amplify Damage and flying axes. Infernal spawns will become more frequent as well.

Prince Malchezaar Loot

Nightbane

TBC Anniversary Nightbane strategy alternates between Ground Phase and Air Phase. During Ground Phase, the tank should keep their back against the wall, while melee DPS stay on the sides to avoid Smoldering Breath and Tail Sweep.

Ranged DPS should stand at max range to avoid Bellowing Roar, and everyone must move out of Charred Earth if it spawns beneath them. Healers should dispel Distracting Ash immediately to prevent damage over time from spreading.

Air Phase occurs at 75%, 50%, and 25% health. DPS should focus on the skeletons that will be spawned by Rain of Bones, while healers focus on the player targeted by Smoking Blast. Everyone should stay close to Nightbane to minimize fireball hits across the raid. Nightbane will land after casting Rain of Bones and Smoking Blast, and he cannot be taunted during this time.

Nightbane Loot

TBC Anniversary Karazhan FAQ

In this TBC Anniversary Karazhan FAQ section, we will answer some of the most commonly asked questions about this raid.

When Will Karazhan Release in TBC Anniversary?

Karazhan is expected to open in late Winter/early Spring 2026 with Phase 1 of TBC Anniversary. It will not be accessible during the pre-patch period.

Where Is Karazhan Located in TBC Anniversary?

Karazhan is at the southern tip of Deadwind Pass (coordinates 47.1, 72.4). Alliance can start from Darkshire (Duskwood), and Horde from Stonard (Swamp of Sorrows). Players with Atiesh, Greatstaff of the Guardian, can use Portal: Karazhan for direct access.

What Tier Set Tokens Are in Karazhan in TBC Anniversary?

In TBC Anniversary Karazhan you can loot Tier 4 Tokens for Gloves and Helmets.

TBC Anniversary Leveling

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Karazhan is one of World of Warcraft’s most beloved raids, and the TBC Anniversary brings it back in all its glory. Be ready to fight tricky bosses to get some great loot and even to get a chance for a rare mount.