The War Within Season 2 Mythic+ Affixes and Keystone Rules
How The War Within Season 2 reworked Mythic+: a keystone no-deplete floor, the 3000-rating Keystone Legend title, and the new Xal'atath's Bargain affixes.
By:
John Langan
Key Takeaways
- The War Within Season 2 launched with Patch 11.1 (Undermine) in early March 2025 and reworked both the Mythic+ affix pool and the keystone-depletion rules.
- Season 2 added a no-deplete floor: once a player timed all eight dungeons at a given key level, their keystone could no longer drop below it for the rest of the season.
- The "The War Within Keystone Legend: Season Two" achievement and its title were earned at a Mythic+ rating of 3000, not the 2850 figure that circulated from the PTR.
- Xal'atath's Bargain: Pulsar replaced Xal'atath's Bargain: Oblivion, summoning pulsars that orbited players during combat.
- Xal'atath's Guile scaled enemy health and damage by 12% per level above key level 12, up from the previous 10%.
- Lindormi remained the keystone NPC, able to lower a key by a level on request when players wanted an easier run.
The following sections cover the no-deplete system, the season achievement, and the affix changes in turn.
The Keystone No-Deplete Floor
Season 2's headline keystone change was a protection against depletion. Once a player timed all eight Season 2 dungeons at a given level, their keystone could no longer fall below that floor for the remainder of the season. Time every dungeon at level 12 and a failed run would no longer drop the key under 12; clear the full set at 13 and the floor rose to 13, and so on up the ladder.
The effect was that pushing players stopped losing hard-won progress to a single bad timer. A missed clock still cost the upgrade and the timed reward, but the key itself stayed at the player's established floor rather than sliding back several levels. The weekly Great Vault keystone benefited from the same floor, so a player's vault key did not regress below the level they had locked in.
The floor did not lock players in entirely. Keystones could still be manually lowered through Lindormi, the bronze dragon who handled keystone modification, for groups that wanted to drop a level deliberately.
The War Within Keystone Legend: Season Two
The season's marquee Mythic+ achievement was "The War Within Keystone Legend: Season Two." Earning it required a Mythic+ rating of 3000 over the season. Blizzard had floated a 2850 requirement during testing, but the value that shipped and that the live achievement tracked was 3000.
Reaching 3000 rating took clean, timed runs across the full dungeon pool rather than a single high key, which is why the rating threshold and the no-deplete floor worked together: the floor preserved progress while a player ground toward the rating, and the achievement marked the point where that grind paid off with the seasonal title.
📌 The common misread of this system was treating the no-deplete floor and the Keystone Legend title as the same reward. They were linked but separate: the floor was a depletion rule tied to timing all eight dungeons at a level, while the title was an achievement gated behind 3000 Mythic+ rating.
The Reworked Xal'atath Affixes
Season 2 continued the Xal'atath's Bargain affix theme from the previous season but reshaped several of its members. The unifying mechanic was Xal'atath's Gift, a boon the affixes granted to enemies: affected foes gained up to 50% increased damage done and up to 100% reduced damage taken for 20 seconds, turning an ordinary pull into a brief, dangerous window.
| Affix | Season 2 change |
|---|---|
| Xal'atath's Gift | Unified boon: up to 50% increased enemy damage done and up to 100% reduced damage taken for 20 seconds. |
| Xal'atath's Bargain: Pulsar | Replaced Xal'atath's Bargain: Oblivion; Xal'atath summoned pulsars that orbited players in combat. |
| Xal'atath's Guile | Enemy health and damage scaled 12% per level above key level 12, up from 10%. |
| Xal'atath's Bargain: Voidbound | Redesigned Dark Prayer cast over 15 seconds; on completion it granted Xal'atath's Gift, with potency tied to the remaining shield on the Voidbound Emissary. |
The Voidbound redesign was the most involved of the set. Its Dark Prayer no longer reduced the caster's damage taken while active, and the strength of the Gift it produced depended on how much shield remained on the Voidbound Emissary when the cast completed, which gave groups a clear interrupt-or-burn decision on every Voidbound pack.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Mythic+ rating did the Season 2 Keystone Legend title require?
The War Within Keystone Legend: Season Two required a Mythic+ rating of 3000. A 2850 value appeared during PTR testing, but the live achievement tracked 3000 for the title.
How did the Season 2 no-deplete floor work?
Once a player timed all eight Season 2 dungeons at a given key level, their keystone could not drop below that level for the rest of the season. Timing the full pool at a higher level raised the floor. A failed timer still cost the upgrade, but the key stayed at the established floor instead of regressing.
Which affix replaced Xal'atath's Bargain: Oblivion?
Xal'atath's Bargain: Pulsar replaced Oblivion in Season 2. With Pulsar active, Xal'atath summoned pulsars that orbited players during combat, adding a movement and positioning element to affected pulls.
What was Xal'atath's Gift?
Xal'atath's Gift was the unified boon shared across the Bargain affixes. It granted affected enemies up to 50% increased damage done and up to 100% reduced damage taken for 20 seconds, briefly turning a normal pack into a high-threat window that groups had to play around.
Could keystones still be lowered manually in Season 2?
Yes. Lindormi, the bronze dragon keystone NPC, could lower a keystone by a level on request. The no-deplete floor protected against accidental loss, but players could still choose to drop a level deliberately through Lindormi.
Are these Season 2 affix rules still in effect?
No. The War Within Season 2 was part of Patch 11.1, and World of Warcraft has since moved on to the Midnight expansion with a new affix pool and keystone rules. This is a historical record of the Season 2 system. Players running the current pool can explore Mythic+ keystone boosting options for the live season.
Last reviewed 2026-06-28 against Patch 11.1 Undermine (The War Within Season 2). Maintained by WowCarry's WoW team.