What item level do I need to run Nerub-ar Palace?

The World of Warcraft: The War Within will give us a new Season and a new raid to explore — Nerub-ar Palace. In addition to the previous difficulty modes we have seen before, this new expansion will also give us a Story Mode version of the final boss, similar to how Follower Dungeons let people complete quests in the Dragonflight 10.2 patch. Story mode does not seem to drop loot however, so transmog enthusiasts beware.

We haven’t see the full LFR version of Nerub-ar Palace on beta, and as the item levels were set automatically on queueing, we don’t know for certain what the minimum item level will be to queue. However we can estimate it based on the minimum item level in Dragonflight. For the Dragonflight Season 1-3 LFR raids, the minimum requirement was 17 item levels below the lowest level gear dropping in the raid.

For Nerub-ar, there are eight bosses dropping loot starting at 584 from the first boss, up to 593 from the last boss, and a number of rare items that drop across half of the bosses at item level 600.

This gives us an expected minimum item level to queue of 567.

Nerub-ar Palace LFR Item Levels

Nerub-ar Palace will drop loot on the Veteran upgrade track, ranging from 1/8 to 4/8 as you progress through the instance.

Wing 1 — The Skittering Battlements — NA opens 10th September 2024

• Ulgrax the Devourer — ilvl 584
• The Bloodbound Horror — ilvl 584
• Sikran, Captain of the Sureki — ilvl 587, drops Tier Glove Token, chance to drop rare item at ilvl 600

Wing 2 — Secrets of Nerub-ar Palace — NA opens 17th September 2024

• Rasha’nan — ilvl 587, drops Tier Shoulder Token, chance to drop rare item at ilvl 600
• Broodtwister Ovi’nax — ilvl 590, drops Tier Chest Token
• Nexus-Princess Ky’veza — ilvl 590, drops Tier Leg Token, chance to drop rare item at ilvl 600

Wing 3 — [name unknown] — NA Opens 24th September 2024

• The Silken Court — ilvl 593, drops Tier Helm Token
• Queen Ansurek — ilvl 593, drops Tier Vendor Token at 590, chance to drop rare item at ilvl 600

How do I gear up to do Nerub-ar Palace?

Any of your Timerunner characters will be coming in at item level 467, and a regular retail character will be coming in at whatever item level they have now. You are going to have to gear up in order to queue, your best sources of gear are likely to be:

• Crafted gear, which will start at item level 447 for rare gear, and up to 577 for epic gear. The profession order system will be continuing into The War Within, with the primary hub  located in Dornagal.
• Levelling Dungeons will drop item level 554 gear, not great but a step in the direction of running heroic dungeons.
• Heroic dungeons will drop gear of item level 580, but be aware the difficulty is pitched closer to Mythic 0 at the start of the last expansion. This gear will be on the Adventurer track starting at 4/8, and will be upgradeable.
• Mythic 0 dungeons will drop gear at item level 593, Veteran 4/8 upgradeable gear.
• Mythic+ dungeons will start at item level 597, Champion 1/8 upgradeable gear.
• World Boss events will have the chance to drop loot at item level 603, Champion 3/8 upgradeable gear.

What item levels are dropped in other difficulties?

If you are running higher difficulties, the raid leader will determine what minimum item level they expect. Most PUGs look for something within 15-20 item levels of what will drop in the instance.

• Nerub-ar Palace Normal will drop gear from item level 597 to 613, Champion track upgradeable gear.
• Nerub-ar Palace Heroic will drop gear from item level 610 to 626, Hero track upgradeable gear.
• Nerub-ar Palace Mythic will drop gear from item level 623 to 639, Myth track upgradeable gear.