Burning Crusade Classic anniversary realms moves to Phase 3 on August 27

The Burning Crusade Classic anniversary realms are progressing to Phase 3 on August 27, 2026 at 3 pm pacific time. If you stay prepared, you don’t have to get prepared, and there’s still time before Phase 2 officially ends to get ready. In the meantime, let’s take a look at what is coming ahead in Phase 3.

What is in Phase 3?

• Black Temple raid
• Battle for Mount Hyjal (or Hyjal Summit) raid
• Netherwing faction daily quests
• Epic Gems
• PVP Arena Season 3

The most anticipated activity in Phase 3 is a showdown with Illidan Stormrage inside the iconic Black Temple raid that players can take on after completing its attunement quest, which starts with The Tablets of Baa’ri quest and can be picked up from different quest givers depending on your allegiance to the either the Scryers (Arcanist Thelis) or the Aldor (Anchorite Ceyla). The Battle for Mount Hyjal raid is the other available Phase 3 raid that players can do once they complete The Vials of Eternity questline starting at Soridormi in the Caverns of Time.

Both raids have reward reputation with a new faction and have faction vendors within their instances and both raids are also sources of Epic Gems. Inside Mount Hyjal, players can start mining for Epic Gems and earn reputation with the Scale of the Sands faction, which in turn gives access to rewards from Indormi. The Black Temple grants reputation with the Ashtongue Deathsworn faction and eventually rewards from Okuno, while the bosses have a chance to drop Epic Gems as rewards.

If you have a flying mount, or flight form, you can travel to Netherwing Ledge in Shadowmoon Valley to start doing daily quests for the Netherwing faction in exchange for reputation and eventually access to Epic flying mounts at Exalted rank.

For PVP players, Arena Season 3 will begin on September 1 once the weekly maintenance ends. Season 2 ends on August 18 and any remaining Arena points will be converted to Honor points at a rate of 1 Arena point to 10 Honor points. Season 2 Arena gear will be sold by Area 52 vendors at a discounted price while Season 1 Arena gear can be purchased from Honor vendors in Orgrimmar or Stormwind City.