WoW has been around for over 17 years and with each expansion, it gets harder to say which raid is the best. With that in mind, we’ve ranked the 6 most iconic raids of all time.
The wow raids ranked by difficulty is a list of the top 6 best raids in WoW’s history. These raids are ranked from easiest to hardest, and the article also includes a brief description for each raid.
Raids have been a big component of World of Warcraft from the beginning, with the first two raids being Onyxia’s Lair and Molten Core. We’ve seen more added to the game as updates and expansions have progressed, each one getting more complicated and extravagant.
How can we determine which raids are excellent and unforgettable when there are so many? Today, we’ll look at some of the most memorable raids from World of Warcraft’s lengthy history.
Let’s get this party started!
Raids in World of Warcraft are ranked from best to worst.
We’ll begin with the #6 selection and work our way up to the #1 top pick!
6/6
Dazar’alor’s Battle (Battle for Azeroth)
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Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes Themes and design aspects were all over the place in Battle for Azeroth, thus it wasn’t the best expansion. The Battle of Dazar’alor, however, was an exception to the norm.
With players on both sides of a massive military battle, this raid reflects the expansion’s primary concept of faction strife. Each side has its own point of view: the Alliance leads the charge, while the Horde protects the city.
The narrative changes, but the battles remain mechanically the same. Your race will briefly shift to reflect the difference when the following set of bosses makes more sense from one faction’s viewpoint.
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The Alliance sees firsthand why King Rastakhan was able to stay in power for so long thanks to the death Loa Bwonsamdi’s support. Meanwhile, the Horde faces up against High Tinkerer Mekkatorque and his arsenal of lethal creations for the first time (instead of randomly attacking him when he was stationed in Ironforge). They must also face the Daughter of the Sea’s wrath in the raid’s climactic showdown, when Jaina unleashes her entire arcane knowledge on her foes.
The great battle plainly shows both sides’ power. The raid seems like an epic fight as you cut down the other side’s soldiers against the background of the bright, golden metropolis of Dazar’alor. All of this adds up to Battle for Dazar’alor being one of the greatest raids in World of Warcraft.
5/6
5. The Wilderness (Cataclysm)
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After gamers defeated Ragnaros in the Molten Core, it took a long time for him to return. However, he was only partly summoned and not at full power at the moment. You’ve decided to take the battle to his home in the Firelands this time.
All fire elementals and creatures call this realm home, and it definitely lives up to its name. It seems as though the realm itself is on fire, with burned land, hazy sky, and lava pouring everywhere. It’s the ideal setting for a confrontation with the elemental king of fire himself. Killing him on his home plane will put a stop to his efforts to burn your planet to ashes for good.
Of course, if you want an audience with him, you must kill every single one of his followers and commanders. The standard elemental lord greeting.
The Matriarch of Cinderweb Spiders, the green dragon-turned-fire-hawk Alysrazor, and the treacherous former archdruid Fandral Staghelm are among the game’s deadliest enemies.
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Ragnaros was already extremely lethal in the Molten Core, but in the Firelands, he’s unleashed his full might. Waves of lava, deadly traps, and minions willing to lay down their lives to strengthen Ragnaros’ hammer await players. Ragnaros even rises from his lava lake to smash you (showing that he does have legs). Thankfully, with the assistance of the Cenarion Circle’s archdruids, you may be able to extinguish his light for good.
Players remember Firelands as one of the greatest raids in WoW because of famous loot like an upgraded version of Sulfuras (Ragnaros’ hammer) and the renowned mage-exclusive staff Dragonwrath.
4/6
4. The Thunder Throne (Mists of Pandaria)
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It’s difficult to imagine a raid in MoP that is more popular than Throne of Thunder. While the mogu may have always seemed like second-tier villains throughout the expansion, Lei Shen’s castle was always front of mind for gamers.
The raid is divided into three parts. The players must battle the Zandalari trolls competing for the Thunder King’s favor, as well as the numerous monsters and abominations that live under the palace and Lei Shen’s personal troops. It’s a challenge to keep up with the barrage of mechanics in each battle, but with each phase finished, you’ll get closer. You’ll eventually come face to face with the Thunder King, and boy, does he live up to his moniker. With his strength, conduits surge, and the dance to withstand his storm is frenetic (but satisfying, if you can pull it off).
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Multiple elements of the raid hinted to future narrative events, but the players didn’t realize it at the time. The Zandalari return, the mogu’s usage of anima as a life essence, and even the raid’s hidden boss are all included.
Lei Shen isn’t the actual last monster, as anybody who has braved the raid on Heroic level knows. For who knows how long, a former titan keeper has been imprisoned and tortured under the halls. Ra-den, the Keeper of Storms, has gone insane as a result of his imprisonment. Players have no idea what his powers are, thus the battle is all trial and error with limited tries. Top guilds competed for the honor of figuring out the battle at the moment, while other players fought to advance through the ruthless warlord’s realm, enjoying the difficulties and treasure discovered along the route.
While Lei Shen’s rule did not endure, the Throne of Thunder remains one of the greatest raids in World of Warcraft to this day.
3/6
Karazhan is a city in Kazakhstan (Burning Crusade)
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Few locations in Azeroth have as much magical power as the former Guardian of Tirisfal’s dominion. Medivh’s tower, Karazhan, was built at the crossroads of numerous ley-lines and held innumerable treasures and tomes.
Karazhan’s noble goal of storing knowledge in protection of Azeroth was abandoned when Medivh went insane and turned against the planet he was supposed to defend. The power inside, on the other hand, remained as strong as ever. That much focused magical energy shone across the universe like a beacon, attracting unwelcome attention to the tower. We’ve been summoned to prevent its power from being stolen, resulting to one of the game’s earliest and greatest raids.
Karazhan is filled with the souls of attendants and visitors alike, as much a home as a sanctuary of wisdom. The lower levels are littered with fancy dinner parties and social events, while the top stories are overflowing with libraries of books and study notes.
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With such a large tower, there is certain to be a wide range of battles. The Opera event (where you compete against a variety of fairy tales), the Shade of Aran (the peak of a boss mage), and the Chess event are all popular fan favorites (where players control various pieces in an effort to kill the enemy king).
It’s no surprise that Karazhan entered our list of the greatest raids in World of Warcraft, with such a diverse set of monsters and an extremely distinctive setting that seems like a combination of town and dungeon.
2/6
Citadel of the Ice Crown (Wrath of the Lich King)
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The Wrath of the Lich King campaign lasts months in Northrend simply to get a footing in Icecrown and confront the Lich King. The Alliance and Horde’s finest champions, the Ebon Hold’s knights, and the Argent Crusade’s paladins together weren’t enough to ensure victory, but players were determined to win and rescue their planet from undeath.
As the wails of the condemned reverberate in your ears, halls built of saronite – solidified ancient god blood — hover above you. The Scourge’s most powerful champions stand in your way, but you’ll keep going. You’ll kill the Lich King’s main alchemist and his insane, lumbering creatures, as well as the ancient blood queen vampire and her princely retinue. You’ll free the spirit of the old blue dragon queen, who has been imprisoned as a skeleton wyrm in your possession. Finally, you’ll come face to face with the Lich King.
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The fight against him is never-ending. The cold winds of Northrend come to his assistance, his Valkyries pursue you from the skies, the undead attempt to consume your bones, and Frostmourne’s soul-shattering strikes threaten to break you.
As the living send out their strongest, you’ll inevitably be killed and resurrected to serve the Lich King in undeath. Tirion Fordring will need a miracle to shatter Frostmourne and free the imprisoned player souls.
When Arthas the Lich King is killed on the top of Ice Crown Citadel, it is a triumph that players will remember for the rest of their lives. It’s the conclusion of a long battle against death, establishing Ice Crown Citadel as one of the greatest raids in World of Warcraft to this day.
1/6
Ulduar is a character in the game Ulduar (Wrath of the Lich King)
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Few people will ever forget their first visit to Ulduar. The enormous titan complex was one of Blizzard’s most ambitious raids, with major narrative revelations, unique hard mode versions of most battles, and a look into the actual cosmic scale upon which the WoW world was built.
Ulduar defies convention right on by having the opening battle revolve entirely around flying siege vehicles to knock down the gigantic Flame Leviathan. Players may opt to leave the empowerment towers up for a more difficult battle and greater rewards, which is something that most of the later boss fights do as well.
From here on out, the raid returns to on-foot combat, although it still gives players options by allowing them to select between delving further into the complex or securing side chambers by defeating optional monsters. You may “dance” Ignis in and out of the puddles of water to break his armor, rip Razorscale out of the air to pin her on the ground, or finally silence XT-002’s irritating playful voice.
You’ll keep going until you’ve subdued the four titan keepers who have gone insane as a result of Yogg-whispers. Saron’s Frost, lightning, nature, and mechanical components all play a role in their battles. You may ultimately put down the old god hiding deeper inside with their help.
Yogg-Saron puts your strength and sanity to the test. His whispers attack your head, hoping to drive you insane and turn you against your friends. It’s a battle against crazy as well as death. You’ll see key events in World of Warcraft history, but you must resist his seduction and put an end to the festering beast once and for all.
However, Yogg-Saron isn’t the ultimate danger. Those who complete the raid’s hard mode difficulties will be given one last quest: open the observatory and halt the herald.
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The symptoms of corruption in the globe have been detected by Algalon the Observer. He had sensed the presence of the ancient gods and determined that the world required re-origination. Of a new beginning. Players have various perspectives on things.
The struggle makes you realize how little you are in the grand scheme of things. Algalon harnesses the power of the stars, ripping black holes in order to consume you and demonstrating that you’re outmatched. Only your desire to life motivates you to persevere in the face of adversity and strive for a brighter future.
Ulduar brought the past back to life, exposing what had really infected the planet and hinting at the future difficulties you’d face out among the stars. It provided challenges to those who want more and rewarded them accordingly. The last raid before heroic mode became the norm and the game became more cross-server. It was a fitting send-off, and Ulduar now ranks first among the greatest raids in World of Warcraft.
Be a part of the High Ground
That concludes our look at the greatest raids in World of Warcraft! Please leave a comment below if you believe another raid deserves to be on this list. To stay up to date on the newest gaming articles and tutorials, sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media.
Have fun gaming!
The WoW raids in order is a list of the 6 best raids in WoW’s history, ranked. Reference: wow raids in order.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hardest raid in TBC?
The hardest raid in TBC is the Siege of Orgrimmar.
What is the hardest raid in WoW history?
The Molten Core raid is the hardest raid in WoW history.
What is the final raid of TBC?
The final raid is the end of the game.
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