WoW Classic: What to Know About 20th Anniversary Edition Phase 2
World of Warcraft: Classic has remained popular since its original release in late 2019. Since then, the player base of nostalgia-seeking veterans has remained surprisingly loyal to the Classic edition of WoW, with new updates steadily being released to this subset of the WoW fanbase. We’ve seen Season of Discovery and Classic Hardcore as additional features not previously in Retail World of Warcraft, along with watching the original Classic servers merge, go through The Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King, and Cataclysm expansions, and soon enough, we will see them enter Mists of Pandaria.
Around the 20th anniversary of World of Warcraft and the 30th anniversary of the Warcraft franchise, WoW Classic saw new servers come. These mega servers came as a fresh start for those looking to revisit Classic as it once was or those who couldn’t possibly catch up with the rigorous progression system WoW had in the early days. These 20th-anniversary servers will be seeing Phase 2 on January 9th, 2024, bringing new content to these servers. Some of this content has been modified slightly, as developers have learned from their previous shortcomings. In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about Classic’s 20th-anniversary servers entering Phase 2.
Table of Contents
New Content Overview
Phase 2 of the 20th-anniversary edition Classic servers will introduce the Honor System (along with the Alterac Valley and Warsong Gulch battlegrounds), the famed dungeon Dire Maul, and world bosses Azuregos and Kazzak to these fresh servers. What better way is there to start off a new year? The moment Phase 2 drops, which will be in the afternoon (PST) on January 9th, the updated Honor System, Dire Maul, and the two world bosses will be available. On the 16th of January, about a week after this initial debut, Warsong Gulch and Alterac Valley will be open for battle.
This week-long gap between the Honor System’s arrival and the opening of battlegrounds will allow players to indulge in a healthy amount of chaos. Outdoor PvP will likely be flourishing in popular hotspots during this week, so be prepared for a sneaky Rogue or a spellcasting Mage wherever you turn!
Dire Maul’s Arrival to 20th Anniversary Edition Servers
Dire Maul, releasing at the beginning of Phase 2, does not currently have any changes coming to it—at least none that have been announced. This section will be a refresher on the most notable aspects of this dungeon. Players will be able to enter Dire Maul once their toon is at or around level 55. The entrance is located in Feralas, Kalimdor, directly north of The High Wilderness. Alliance players can get there by flying into Thalanaar towards the eastern border of Feralas, traveling west along the main road (and avoiding Horde territory), and then taking a left when met with the juncture by The High Wilderness. Horde players should fly to Camp Mojache, located in Feralas, and then travel west on the main road until they meet the juncture near The High Wilderness, at which point they will need to head north.
While Dire Maul has solid itemization for armor and weapon drops, some players may also benefit from the loot pool in a different way. This dungeon is notably valuable for those equipped with professions including Leatherworking, Tailoring, and Cooking. Many 300 skill-level recipes drop from this dungeon for the aforementioned professions.
Quel’Serrar, a one-hand weapon sought after by tanking Paladins and Warriors, is awarded after a challenging questline. Part of this quest chain involves venturing into Dire Maul, with the remainder in Onyxia’s Lair. Obtaining Nostro’s Compendium of Dragon Slaying is the first step to obtaining this weapon. This item is a rare drop from the bosses of Dire Maul, but it can also be obtained from A Dusty Tome, which is a container that is found scattered throughout the instance.
Foes in Dire Maul and those aforementioned dusty tomes can sometimes drop rare books. These books can be taken to the Shen’dralar Library to be exchanged for a trinket tailored to fit your class, along with the added bonus of fire resistance. Below, you can find the reason your main class did this quick and easy quest–in other words, what the trinket does for your class. Note that every trinket is called Royal Seal of Eldre’Thalas, has an item level of 62, and adds 10 fire resistance to your character. They are also BoP.
| Class | Item/Quest Name | Trinket |
| Druid | The Emerald Dream | Increases healing done by up to 44 |
| Hunter | The Greatest Race of Hunters | Extra 48 ranged attack power |
| Mage | The Arcanist’s Cookbook | Restore an extra 8 mana every 5 seconds |
| Paladin | The Light and How to Swing It | Extra 150 armor and an increase to your healing done, up to 22 |
| Priest | Holy Bologna: What the Light Won’t Tell You | Restore an extra 4 mana every 5 seconds and an increase to your healing done, up to 33 |
| Rogue | Garona: A Study on Stealth and Treachery | Increases hit chance by 2% |
| Shaman | Frost Shock and You | Increases damage and healing done by your specifically magical abilities by up to 23 |
| Warlock | Harnessing Shadows | Increases damage and healing done by your specifically magical abilities by up to 23 |
| Warrior | Codex of Defense | Extra 200 Armor |
Lastly, Dire Maul has some quests available for completion. These quests are as follows.
- Arcane Refreshment
- Mage exclusive
- The Gordok Ogre Suit
- Lethtendris’s Web
- Requirements vary between Alliance and Horde
- The Madness Within
- Pusillin and the Elder Azj’Tordin
- Shards of the Felvine
- The Treasure of the Shen’dralar
- Unfinished Gordok Business
Azuregos and Kazzak – World Bosses
Along with Dire Maul, world bosses Azuregos and Kazzak will be available with the launch of Phase 2.
Azuregos, a trustee of Malygos, is a powerful blue dragon that roams the southern and eastern parts of Azshara, Kalimdor. He is immune to arcane spells and very resistant to frost damage, so DPS players should take their specialization into account before trying to best him. Azuregos does not have an immediate respawn. In fact, his spawn timer is quite random, with him sometimes taking days to respawn. He initially appears as neutral and turns hostile upon interaction. Alliance players should fly into Talrendis Point, Azshara to find him. Horde players should fly to Valormok in Azshara to do the same.
Lord Kazzak spawns in the Tainted Scar region of the Blasted Lands, Eastern Kingdoms. Specifically, he can be found to the southwest, near a giant crater filled with elite demon enemies. His respawn timer is, like Azuregos, random and can last several days. Alliance players can fly into Blasted Lands to reach him through Nethergarde Keep. Horde players will need to visit Stonard in Swamp of Sorrows to get there.
Both of these world bosses will require a team of plenty to defeat. They both have excellent gear loot tables and can drop a quest item.
Honor System and Battlegrounds (Alterac Valley and Warsong Gulch)
If you prefer battling other players over fighting alongside them to defeat world bosses, the updated Honor System and upcoming battlegrounds will suit you well! The new Honor System will drop on the 9th, with the battlegrounds coming on the 16th. Your Honor level will be maxed out at Rank 11 until Phase 3 comes out. While the best rewards come around Rank 14, it is worth getting started now. With the updated Honor System, your Honor will not decay and your ranking will remain set in place regardless of each week’s progress. Online calculators and addons such as Ranker (available on CurseForge) can help you set goals to reach the highest available rank with the most efficiency. Remember that dishonorable kills don’t matter much in the first week, so go wild at Tarren Mill and be merciless!
As far as the battlegrounds go, which will be released about a week into Phase 2, Warsong Gulch is a capture-the-flag type, and Alterac Valley is PvEvP with the goal being to eliminate the opposing faction’s general. Battlegrounds are a massive source of Honor for the new Honor System, so queue up when you can! Horde players will often experience longer wait times than Alliance. Open-world chaos awaits in the meantime!
Final Thoughts
Phase 2 of World of Warcraft: Classic’s 20th Anniversary servers are coming up, with the reentry of Dire Maul, Azuregos, Lord Kazzak, and two battlegrounds into the Classic version of the game! Dire Maul brings in a new 5-player instance for 20th Anniversary players to overcome, while world bosses Azuregos and Lord Kazzak will require the strength and might of many players to stand even a chance. An updated Honor System and improvements to how player versus player is going to play out will certainly cause some fun and interesting chaos. On January 9th, 2024, get out there and conquer these new (or returning, rather) challenges…and make or remake some memories while you’re at it!
