There is no fixed calendar date for TBC Phase 2 — it opens when Blizzard announces it in an official news post, historically about three to four months after the previous raid tier. On the original 2021 Burning Crusade Classic run, Phase 2 landed in September 2021. The content is always the same: Serpentshrine Cavern, Tempest Keep and Arena Season 2.
Quick facts
- Phase 2 content: Serpentshrine Cavern (Coilfang Reservoir, Zangarmarsh) and Tempest Keep: The Eye (Netherstorm), plus Arena Season 2.
- Typical gap between phases: roughly 3-4 months, not a guaranteed interval.
- Where the date is confirmed: the official Blizzard news page and the in-game calendar. Phases go live with a weekly reset, not mid-week.
- Attunement matters: the tier 5 raids gate entry behind quest chains that run through the heroic Slave Pens and heroic Arcatraz, so keyed groups clear on night one.
TBC phase order
| Phase | Main content | 2021 Classic cadence |
| 1 | Karazhan, Gruul's Lair, Magtheridon's Lair | Launch, June 2021 |
| 2 | Serpentshrine Cavern, Tempest Keep, Arena Season 2 | September 2021 |
| 3 | Black Temple, Battle for Mount Hyjal | January 2022 |
| 4 | Zul'Aman | Spring 2022 |
| 5 | Sunwell Plateau, Isle of Quel'Danas | Spring 2022 |
When does WoW TBC Phase 3 start?
Same answer, one step later: Phase 3 is confirmed by Blizzard announcement, not by a published roadmap. It follows Phase 2 by a similar three-to-four-month stretch and brings Black Temple and the Battle for Mount Hyjal — the tier 6 tier that most guilds treat as the real end of progression before Sunwell.
If you want the earliest reliable signal, watch the public test realm. Raid tiers usually appear there for testing several weeks before they open on live servers.
What should I do before Phase 2 opens?
Three things pay off. Finish your tier 5 attunement chain while groups are still farming those heroics. Bank consumables and flasks before the price spike on patch week. And clear Karazhan and Gruul consistently, because the pre-raid and tier 4 gear you walk in with decides whether Vashj and Kael'thas are a fight or a wall.
Alts are the other quiet advantage. A second character parked at max level gives you a raid spot when your main's role is stacked.
Do phase dates differ between realms?
Content unlocks are scheduled per region, so EU and US realms can flip on different days of the same week, and time zones shift the exact hour. Within a region, all realms of the same type get the phase together — no realm is ahead of another.
Hardcore and seasonal realms can run their own timeline entirely, so check the announcement that names your realm type rather than assuming.
If a phase is landing sooner than your roster is ready, PewPewShop can help with the unglamorous part — a vetted human coach playing alongside you for attunement runs, heroic key farming or a fresh Draenei or Blood Elf leveled up for the tier, from EUR 25. No bots, no cheats, just experienced players who have cleared this content before.