Blackwing Lair (BWL) is a 40-player level 60 raid at the top of Blackrock Mountain with 8 bosses, from Razorgore the Untamed to Nefarian. To get attuned, loot Blackhand's Command from the Scarshield Quartermaster in Blackrock Mountain. Then kill General Drakkisath in Upper Blackrock Spire. BWL drops most of Tier 2, and each boss gives at least one set piece.
Blackwing Lair quick facts
| Raid size | 40 players, level 60 |
| Location | Blackrock Mountain, through the top of Upper Blackrock Spire |
| Bosses | 8 |
| Attunement | Blackhand's Command (per character) |
| Lockout | Weekly |
| Main loot | Tier 2 bracers, belt, boots, gloves, shoulders and chest |
| Final boss gear check | Onyxia Scale Cloak for everyone fighting Nefarian |
Blackwing Lair bosses in order
- Razorgore the Untamed: one player takes over Razorgore with the orb and destroys the eggs while the raid holds off the adds. Drops Tier 2 bracers.
- Vaelastrasz the Corrupt: a short, hard DPS race. Burning Adrenaline turns players into bombs. Drops the Tier 2 belt.
- Broodlord Lashlayer: the hallway before him with suppression devices is the real fight. Drops Tier 2 boots.
- Firemaw, Ebonroc and Flamegor: three drakes, each with a different stacking debuff or enrage to handle. Each drops Tier 2 gloves.
- Chromaggus: random breath attacks and five kinds of brood affliction. Hourglass Sand cures Bronze. Drops Tier 2 shoulders.
- Nefarian: first a phase of drakonid adds, then class calls that punish every class in turn. Drops the Tier 2 chest and the Head of Nefarian.
How do you get attuned to BWL?
Kill the Scarshield Quartermaster, an elite orc in Blackrock Mountain on the path toward Blackrock Spire. He drops a note called Blackhand's Command, which starts the attunement quest. To finish it, kill General Drakkisath, the last boss of Upper Blackrock Spire. Every attuned player can then use the Orb of Command to enter Blackwing Lair without clearing UBRS first.
What is the best loot in Blackwing Lair?
The core of BWL loot is Tier 2. Six of the eight set slots drop here. Onyxia drops the helm and Ragnaros drops the legs. Some of the best non-set items are Ashkandi, Chromatically Tempered Sword and Dragonfang Blade. Nefarian's head starts a quest that rewards a strong ring, amulet or trinket. Many guilds use DKP or loot council because 40 players compete for each drop.
How hard is Blackwing Lair compared to Molten Core?
BWL is clearly harder. Molten Core mostly checks attendance and fire resistance. BWL tests individual mechanics: Razorgore's orb control, Vaelastrasz's DPS race, the Broodlord hallway and Nefarian's class calls. Fresh groups usually lose most of their attempts on Vaelastrasz and the suppression room.
Do you need anything special before Nefarian?
Yes. Every raider in the fight needs an Onyxia Scale Cloak equipped. Without it, Nefarian's Shadow Flame kills them almost instantly. Make sure everyone has the cloak before your first full clear.
If you'd rather not organize 40 players, PewPewShop's Blackwing Lair Classic Raid starts from EUR 90. Vetted, experienced raiders run it with you for loot and progression, with a long record of no bans.