Classic Fresh Phase 3: Ultimate Preparation Guide
Time: 2025-03-13 by mmojugg Game: WoW Classic Anniversary Guide
Phase 3 of World of Warcraft Classic 20th Anniversary Realm introduces exciting new content like Blackwing Lair, the Darkmoon Faire, and expanded PvP opportunities. To help you prepare thoroughly, I've broken this guide into detailed sections with specific strategies, examples, and insider tips. Whether you're a raider, PvPer, or gold-maker, here's everything you need to know.
1. Blackwing Lair: Mastering the Raid
Blackwing Lair is a 40-player raid that demands preparation and teamwork. Here's how to get ready with precision:
Attunement Process:
Step-by-Step: Travel to Upper Blackrock Spire (UBRS), a 10-player dungeon. Fight your way to the Quartermaster (near the entrance to Blackrock Depths), defeat him, and loot the “Blackhand's Command” letter. Then, locate the orb behind General Drakkisath and click it to complete the attunement.
Why It Matters: Without this, you can't enter Blackwing Lair. During Phase 3's launch week, expect UBRS to be packed—some servers saw 50+ players queuing for the orb in 2019.
Specific Tip: Run this with your guild this week. A group of 5-10 can clear it in under an hour if you skip optional bosses.
Consumables Checklist:
Flasks: Flask of Supreme Power (for casters) or Flask of the Titans (for tanks) typically cost 50-70 gold now but could jump to 100-150 gold post-launch. Buy at least 3-5 per raider now.
Shadow Protection Potions: Chromaggus's shadow breath hits hard—craft these (requires Shadow Oil) or buy stacks of 20 for 10-15 gold.
Onyxia Scale Cloak: Nefarian's shadowflame will one-shot you without it. Crafters charge 50-100 gold currently, but prices may hit 200 gold later. Secure yours early.
Extras: Stock 10 Greater Fire Protection Potions (for Razorgore) and 20 Major Mana/Health Potions per raid night.
Boss-Specific Prep:
Razorgore the Untamed: Assign 2-3 hunters to kite adds and 5 players to control eggs. Practice this in a mock scenario using Molten Core trash pulls.
Nefarian: His class calls (e.g., warriors stuck in Berserker Stance) require quick adaptation. For example, mages should pre-cast Frost Nova to counter their call's polymorph effect.
2. Darkmoon Faire: Maximizing Rewards
The Darkmoon Faire offers buffs and gear that can boost your performance. Here's a detailed breakdown:
World Buffs:
Details: Sayge's Dark Fortune buffs include +10% spell damage for mages or +25 attack power for warriors. These last 2 hours and stack with other buffs like Onyxia's.
Schedule: It's expected to debut April 1 in Elwynn Forest, rotating monthly between Elwynn and Mulgore. Check your server's forums for exact times.
Example: A mage with this buff and a Flask of Supreme Power could see their Fireball crits jump from 800 to 950 damage—a huge edge in raids.
Key Rewards:
14-Slot Bag: Costs 50 tickets. Perfect for alts or extra bank space—cheaper than the 80-100 gold 16-slot bags on the Auction House.
Epic Necklaces: At 1,200 tickets, these (+15 stats) rival Molten Core drops. For comparison, the Choker of the Fire Lord (+17 stats) requires a rare drop from Ragnaros.
Darkmoon Card Trinkets:
Blue Dragon: Healers gain 2 mana per 5 seconds—enough to cast an extra Heal every minute.
Maelstrom: Melee DPS get a 1% crit chance proc, boosting rogue backstabs by 50-70 damage per hit.
How to Earn Tickets: Turn in Tier 5 items like 8 Rugged Armor Kits (leatherworkers) or 7 Dense Grinding Stones (blacksmiths). Farm these now—prices doubled from 5g to 10g per stack during Phase 2's faire.
Farming Strategy:
Cards drop from level 45-60 mobs. For example, the Ace of Beasts comes from The Beast in UBRS (5% drop rate). Start farming in groups to save time.
3. PvP: Conquering Rank 14 and Arathi Basin
PvP ramps up in Phase 3 with new goals:
Rank 14 Push:
Timeline: The rank 11 cap lifts April 3. To reach rank 14, earn 500,000 honor in week 1 (rank 12), then 418,750 weekly for 4-5 weeks.
Reward: Weapons like the High Warlord's Blade (+28 attack power) outclass most raid gear.
Tip: Join a premade group for Warsong Gulch—win rates jump from 40% to 80%, cutting grind time significantly.
Arathi Basin:
Basics: A 15v15 battleground with 5 resource nodes. Control 3+ nodes to win.
Strategy: Assign 3 players per node (e.g., blacksmith, stables) and roamers to reinforce. Practice this in Warsong Gulch now.
4. Economy Tips: Profit and Save
The market will shift—here's how to adapt:
Consumable Prices:
Example: Dreamfoil (for flasks) rose from 20s to 50s per herb during Phase 2's launch. Stock 200-300 now to craft or sell later.
Cloaks: Onyxia Scale Cloaks may hit 200 gold—buy at 50-70 gold today.
Darkmoon Prep:
Evil Bat Eyes (from Plaguelands bats) jumped from 2g to 8g per stack last faire. Farm 10 stacks now to save 60g.
Table of Content
WoW Classic Anniversary Gold
Anniversary Realm Boosting