The War Within Update Notes: Dragonflight Loses Awakened Raids
The War Within launch update notes explained: Dragonflight's Awakened rollback, the six-step Myth track, the Finer Things quest, and PvP socket changes.
By:
John Langan
Key Takeaways
- When The War Within went live, Dragonflight raids and world bosses reverted to their pre-Awakened difficulty, and the Season 4 vendors in Valdrakken were retired.
- The Myth track for item upgrades was extended to six steps, up from the previous cap of four.
- The Finer Things quest let raid teams collect Nerub-ar Finery from Nerub-ar Palace, scaling up to 18% bonus damage and healing.
- PvP gearing moved to the Vicious Jewelers Setting, which added a socket using Honor and Vicious Bloodstones.
- Khaz Algar reworked Cooking, Fishing, and Tailoring, and added the Earthen as a new allied race for both factions.
- The expansion opened four new zones: Isle of Dorn, The Ringing Deeps, Hallowfall, and Azj-Kahet.
Here is what the launch update notes changed across raids, gear, professions, and the new continent.
Launch Timing and Early Access
The War Within gave players who bought the Epic Edition a head start. Early Access opened on August 22, 2024 at 3:00 pm PDT, and the global release followed on August 26 at the same hour. Anyone with early access could begin leveling and exploring three days before the rest of the world.
Dragonflight Raids Lose Their Awakened Status
The launch update notes rolled Dragonflight back to a maintenance state. Its raids and world bosses dropped the Awakened difficulty modifier and returned to their original tuning, which made them easy to farm for transmog and mounts.
Season 4 Systems Retired
The Season 4 vendors in Valdrakken, along with their associated quests, rewards, and achievements, were retired as the season ended. The Dragonflight Great Vault was sealed at the same time, closing the book on that gearing cycle so Season 1 could take over.
Item Upgrades and Raid Rewards
The Myth Track Extended to Six Steps
The Myth track for item upgrades grew from four steps to six. That extra headroom let top-end gear climb further over a season and gave players a longer, more gradual upgrade path as they collected crests.
The Finer Things and Nerub-ar Finery
A month into Season 1, the quest "The Finer Things" asked raid teams to gather Nerub-ar Finery from inside Nerub-ar Palace. Collecting the Finery granted a stacking bonus to damage and healing that scaled as more was earned, which helped newer raiders catch up to the pace of the tier:
| Finery Collected Per Week | Maximum Power Increase |
|---|---|
| 8 | 18% |
The system rewarded steady weekly participation rather than a single big clear, so both fresh and veteran raiders saw consistent growth.
PvP Gearing Changes
PvP players gained a new way to add sockets to their gear. The Vicious Jewelers Setting (Blizzard's spelling uses no apostrophe) could be earned with Honor and Vicious Bloodstones, or more rarely from match victories, and it replaced the previous Dragonflight method of unlocking PvP sockets. The change gave players a more direct path to a fully socketed set.
Khaz Algar: Professions, Zones, and the Earthen
The expansion's new continent, Khaz Algar, reshaped several professions. Cooks could salvage materials from defeated enemies to craft unique recipes, Fishing gained journal entries that catalogued the fish of each region, and Tailoring kept its exclusivity, with humanoid enemies dropping cloth only for characters who carried the profession.
Khaz Algar held four new zones, each with its own questlines and challenges: Isle of Dorn, The Ringing Deeps, Hallowfall, and Azj-Kahet. The continent also introduced the Earthen, a new allied race that players could unlock for both the Alliance and the Horde. Players who want help clearing the tier that came with all of this can book a Nerub-ar Palace raid clear with our team.
FAQ
Did Dragonflight raids stay difficult in The War Within?
No. When The War Within launched, Dragonflight raids and world bosses lost the Awakened modifier and returned to their pre-Awakened tuning, which made them straightforward to solo or duo for collectibles.
How many steps did the Myth track have in Season 1?
The Myth upgrade track was extended to six steps, up from the four-step cap used before. This let high-end gear gain more item levels over the course of the season.
What did The Finer Things quest do?
The Finer Things had raid teams collect Nerub-ar Finery from Nerub-ar Palace. The bonus scaled up to 18% extra damage and healing at eight Finery per week, helping raiders keep pace with the tier.
How did PvP players add sockets in The War Within?
PvP players used the Vicious Jewelers Setting, bought with Honor and Vicious Bloodstones or earned from match wins. It added a socket to PvP gear and replaced the older Dragonflight socket method.
What new zones did The War Within add?
The War Within added four zones on the continent of Khaz Algar: Isle of Dorn, The Ringing Deeps, Hallowfall, and Azj-Kahet. Each zone carried its own story and side content.
What allied race came with The War Within?
The Earthen, a stone-skinned dwarven people from Khaz Algar, became a new allied race available to both the Alliance and the Horde.
Last reviewed 2026-06-22 against Patch 11.0.2 The War Within — Maintained by WowCarry's WoW team.