World of Warcraft Classic · Tier 2.5 · AQ40
Temple of Ahn’Qiraj tactics
All nine bosses from the original 40-player raid: preparation, phases, role assignments and documented Vanilla changes.
English40-player raid9 bossesNerf history
Build your raid around resistances and utility
Late AQ40 is not just a gear check. Viscidus needs Frost and melee hits, Huhuran needs assigned Nature-resistance soakers, Twin Emperors require different damage types, and C’Thun demands precise spacing and target priorities.
These tactics cover the Classic Era / Anniversary 1.12 ruleset. Season of Discovery's Descent into Madness mechanics are not covered.
AQ40's nine encounters in chronological order
Temple of Ahn’Qiraj moves from Skeram’s platform groups and Silithid Royalty’s optional kill order through Sartura and Fankriss add control, Viscidus and Huhuran resistance checks, the Twin Emperors teleport endurance test, and the final encounters with Ouro and C’Thun.
For raid lead: Check platform groups, target priorities, Frost/melee hit thresholds, Nature resist, Twin Emperors tanking and C'Thun's 40-player spread map.
Quick links
Nerfs, Buffs and crucial hotfixes
Patch 1.9.3’s general AQ fixes cannot be reliably assigned to individual bosses. The table includes only named changes: Fankriss’s buff, Huhuran’s exploit fix, and the substantial April 2006 nerfs to Ouro and C’Thun.
| Time | Change | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Patch 1.10 | Spawn of Fankriss enrages if not killed in time. | Boss buff |
| Patch 1.10 | Removed stacking acid from C'Thun's Flesh Tentacles. | Nerf |
| 4/18/2006 hotfix | Ouro's Quake damage decreased; C'Thun's giant-tentacle HP and damage/rupture pressure decreased. | Significant nerf |
| April 25-26, 2006 hotfixes | Fixed C'Thun's weakened spawns and Ouro's uptime/scarab/Sand Blast tuning. | Tuning nerfs |
| Patch 1.11 | Huhuran's Acid Spit no longer redirects to Grounding Totem. | Difficulty-increasing fix |
The original C’Thun encounter was known for overtuned numbers and encounter-breaking bugs. This guide covers the corrected Classic 1.12 version.
Temple of Ahn'Qiraj in chronological order
Encounter 1 / 9 · Temple of Ahn’Qiraj
The Prophet Skeram
Three platforms, mirror images and dangerous mind control.
Split raidInterruptMind control
TL;DR: Split the raid and tanks across three platforms. Interrupt Arcane Explosion. True Fulfillment cannot be dispelled: keep the affected player crowd-controlled with Polymorph, fear or stuns until it expires. Skeram creates two mirror images at 75, 50 and 25 percent health. Identify the real boss by his higher health, tank all three and kill the copies before returning to him.
Raid priorities
- Immediately crowd-control the True Fulfillment target: their damage, speed and resistances increase substantially. The mind control cannot be dispelled.
- Each platform has a tank and an interrupt for Skeram's Blink transitions.
- Kill mirror images quickly. Do not push the real boss toward another split until all copies are under control.
Before the pull
- Distribute tanks, healers and interrupts to the left, center and right platforms.
- Assign players and backups to crowd-control True Fulfillment targets.
- Agree on how to identify the real Skeram and who calls the kill target among the images.
Mechanics reference
True Fulfillment
Mind control greatly increases the player’s damage, speed and resistances. It cannot be dispelled; keep the player controlled with Polymorph, fear or stuns until the effect expires.
Arcane Explosion
Nearby Arcane damage and knockback is interruptible.
Earth Shock
Skeram penalizes targets that are too far or misplaced.
Blink
The boss moves between platforms, so players must adjust their positioning.
Mirror Images
At 75, 50, and 25%, two copies will spawn with the same core abilities but less health.
Phase plan and tactic
Start
Three squads take the platforms and the main tank starts in the middle. Keep interrupts ready.
Three squads take the platforms and the main tank starts in the middle. Keep interrupts ready.
Image cycles
At each health threshold, tank every Skeram, identify the real one and kill the images in order before pushing the boss further.
At each health threshold, tank every Skeram, identify the real one and kill the images in order before pushing the boss further.
Control
Immediately crowd-control the affected player and refresh control as needed until the mind control expires. Do not try to remove it by dispelling or killing your teammate.
Immediately crowd-control the affected player and refresh control as needed until the mind control expires. Do not try to remove it by dispelling or killing your teammate.
Role notes
Tanks
- Follow the encounter's tank change, threat and placement plan.
- Pick up adds quickly and keep dangerous front cones out of the raid.
DPS
- Follow target priority before boss damage.
- Save cooldowns for the decisive burn or weaken phase of the encounter.
Healers
- Anticipate burst damage on tanks and Nature or poison damage across the raid.
- Keep dispel and mana responsibilities active in long encounters.
Utility
- Use interrupts, Tranq, dispels and crowd control as agreed.
- Call out tentacles, teleports, adds and phase transitions immediately.
Nerfs: what changed
- Patch 1.9.3 talks about bug fixes for AQ dungeons in general, but does not specify the Skeram change.
- No undocumented numerical Vanilla nerf is attributed to Skeram.
No unique nerfPatch 1.9.3 general fixesClassic 1.12
Encounter 2 / 9 · Temple of Ahn’Qiraj
Silithid Royalty
Kri, Yauj and Vem — kill order determines difficulty and loot.
Optional3 bossesKill order
TL;DR: Tank Lord Kri, Princess Yauj and Vem separately. To leave Kri until last, use the order Yauj → Vem → Kri: interrupt Yauj's heal, recover after Fear and AoE the brood that spawns when she dies. Vem's death enrages the survivors. Kri leaves a toxic cloud on death, so keep other targets away from his body. Killing Kri last is the hardest route but offers the best loot.
Raid priorities
- Interrupt Yauj's Great Heal and immediately regain control of targets after Fear.
- Each death occurs separately from the others, especially Kri's toxic cloud.
- Plan tank defensives for the enrage triggered by Vem's death.
- The kill order is decided before the pull and is not changed in the middle.
Before the pull
- Assign a separate tank and healer team to each boss.
- Assign interrupts for Yauj's heal and agree on how to recover after Fear.
- Choose kill order according to loot/difficulty goal.
Mechanics reference
Lord Kri
Toxic Volley stacks poison; when dead, the body leaves a deadly toxic cloud.
Princess Yauj
Fear disrupts threat, Great Heal restores health, and Yauj’s death releases a swarm of Yauj Brood.
Vem
Charge and knockback interfere with positioning; his death enrages the remaining ones.
Death effects
The death of each royal changes the rest of the encounter and the loot is determined by the last one to die.
Phase plan and tactic
Separation
Move Kri, Yauj and Vem to different sides of the room. Keep ranged players around the current target but away from the area where Kri's cloud will appear.
Move Kri, Yauj and Vem to different sides of the room. Keep ranged players around the current target but away from the area where Kri's cloud will appear.
Leaving Kri until last
Kill Yauj and her brood, then Vem. Use defensives after Vem dies and move Kri into a clear area.
Kill Yauj and her brood, then Vem. Use defensives after Vem dies and move Kri into a clear area.
Difficult routes
If you target Yauj or Kri last, be prepared for boosted heal/poison and a significantly tougher end phase.
If you target Yauj or Kri last, be prepared for boosted heal/poison and a significantly tougher end phase.
Role notes
Tanks
- Follow the encounter's tank change, threat and placement plan.
- Pick up adds quickly and keep dangerous front cones out of the raid.
DPS
- Follow target priority before boss damage.
- Save cooldowns for the crucial burn or weaken phase of the encounter.
Healers
- Anticipate burst damage on tanks and Nature or poison damage across the raid.
- Keep dispel and mana responsibilities active in long encounters.
Utility
- Use interrupts, Tranq, dispels and crowd control as agreed.
- Call out tentacles, teleports, adds and phase transitions immediately.
Nerfs: what changed
- No unique Vanilla numerical nerf found for Silithid Royalty from notes 1.9-1.12.
- The difference in difficulty between the different kill orders is a deliberate base mechanic of the encounter, not a patch change.
No documented nerfOptional hard modeClassic 1.12
Encounter 3 / 9 · Temple of Ahn’Qiraj
Battleguard Sartura
Whirlwind kiting, three Royal Guards and an enrage at 20% health.
WhirlwindAddsStun windows
TL;DR: Assign tanks to Sartura and the three Royal Guards. Control or stun the guards and kill them one at a time. During Whirlwind, normal threat control breaks down and enemies move between targets: spread out, kite and use stuns only in a safe window. Sartura enrages at 20% health and also has a berserk for prolonged attempts.
Raid priorities
- Kill the Royal Guards before focusing damage on Sartura.
- During Whirlwind, the raid spreads and does not lead the rotating add through the others.
- At the end of Whirlwind, tanks will quickly retake their target.
- Save cooldowns for the enrage at 20% health.
Before the pull
- Name four tank groups and guard kill order.
- Spread the raid throughout the room and leave a kite space in the middle.
- Agree on stun rotations and boss's 20 percent burn.
Mechanics reference
Whirlwind
Sartura and the guards rotate, switch targets and deal heavy nearby damage.
Sartura's Royal Guard
Three adds use their own Whirlwind and knockback.
threat reset
After Whirlwind, the target can change, so tanks have to rebuild control.
Enrage
At around 20%, Sartura's damage increases; a long fight triggers a separate berserk.
Phase plan and tactic
Adds
Separate all four targets and focus one guard at a time, using stuns for control.
Separate all four targets and focus one guard at a time, using stuns for control.
Whirlwind
Spread out and move away from an approaching Whirlwind; do not try to tank a spinning enemy in place.
Spread out and move away from an approaching Whirlwind; do not try to tank a spinning enemy in place.
Boss
After the guards die, maintain the same movement discipline. Push below 20 percent only when cooldowns are ready.
After the guards die, maintain the same movement discipline. Push below 20 percent only when cooldowns are ready.
Role notes
Tanks
- Follow the encounter's tank change, threat and placement plan.
- Pick up adds quickly and keep dangerous front cones out of the raid.
DPS
- Follow target priority before boss damage.
- Save cooldowns for the decisive burn or weaken phase of the encounter.
Healers
- Anticipate burst damage on tanks and Nature or poison damage across the raid.
- Keep dispel and mana responsibilities active in long encounters.
Utility
- Use interrupts, Tranq, dispels and crowd control as agreed.
- Call out tentacles, teleports, adds and phase transitions immediately.
Nerfs: what changed
- No unambiguous boss-specific Vanilla numerical nerf has been released for Sartura in notes 1.9-1.12.
- General AQ bug fixes in patch 1.9.3 do not establish a boss-specific nerf to Sartura.
No unique nerfClassic 1.12
Encounter 4 / 9 · Temple of Ahn’Qiraj
Fankriss the Unyielding
Tank swaps for Mortal Wound, teleports and spawns that enrage quickly.
Tank swapAddsTeleport
TL;DR: Tank Fankriss and swap tanks according to Mortal Wound stacks. The boss teleports players to three tunnel entrances, where assigned tanks pick up incoming Vekniss Hatchlings. Spawn of Fankriss is always the highest priority: tank it and kill it quickly before it enrages.
Raid priorities
- Kill Spawn of Fankriss immediately, before it can enrage.
- Mortal Wound tanks trade at agreed stack limit.
- Each tunnel has an add tank and healer support.
- Teleported players return safely without pulling corridor trash.
Before the pull
- Assign 2–3 boss tanks and a Mortal Wound stack limit.
- Place a tank in each of the three tunnel mouths.
- Assign an immediate target call, burst damage and stuns for each Spawn.
Mechanics reference
Mortal Wound
Healing reduction that stacks on a tank requires a tank change.
Teleport
Players are randomly moved to tunnels.
Vekniss Hatchlings
Small adds come from tunnels and stack without tank/AoE.
Spawn of Fankriss
Large worm add enrages if not killed in time.
Entangle
Roots make movement difficult and can leave the player in the path of adds.
Phase plan and tactic
Boss
Tanks rotate on Fankriss while melee players stay at his sides.
Tanks rotate on Fankriss while melee players stay at his sides.
Tunnels
The three add tanks collect Hatchlings. Use AoE only once the enemies are gathered under control.
The three add tanks collect Hatchlings. Use AoE only once the enemies are gathered under control.
Spawn
All available DPS switches to the large worm, uses stuns and kills it before returning to Fankriss.
All available DPS switches to the large worm, uses stuns and kills it before returning to Fankriss.
Role notes
Tanks
- Follow the encounter's tank change, threat and placement plan.
- Pick up adds quickly and keep dangerous front cones out of the raid.
DPS
- Follow target priority before boss damage.
- Save cooldowns for the crucial burn or weaken phase of the encounter.
Healers
- Anticipate burst damage on tanks and Nature or poison damage across the raid.
- Keep dispel and mana responsibilities active in long encounters.
Utility
- Use interrupts, Tranq, dispels and crowd control as agreed.
- Call out tentacles, teleports, adds and phase transitions immediately.
Nerfs: what changed
- Patch 1.10 added an enrage to Spawn of Fankriss if the add is not processed in time.
- This buff prevented players from ignoring the add; it was not a nerf. The Classic 1.12 strategy accounts for the need to kill it quickly.
Patch 1.10 buffSpawn enrageClassic 1.12
Encounter 5 / 9 · Temple of Ahn’Qiraj
Viscidus
Frost hits freeze Viscidus, melee hits shatter him, and killing Globs reduces his health.
Frost hitsMelee hitsPoison
TL;DR: Viscidus cannot be defeated through ordinary DPS alone. Land repeated Frost hits until the slime slows and freezes, then deal a rapid series of melee hits to shatter it into Globs. Kill as many Globs as possible before they return to the center. Repeat while dispelling poisons and healing through Poison Bolt Volley.
Raid priorities
- In the Frost phase, the number of hits is more important than raw damage.
- A fully frozen Viscidus is immediately dealt a large number of melee hits.
- After the shatter, switch to the Globs and kill them before they reach the center.
- Poison Cleansing Totems, dispels and Nature protection keep the raid alive.
Before the pull
- Bring frost wands, quick Frost abilities and oils/consumables as needed.
- Assign melee-hit responsibilities and sectors for killing Globs.
- Maximize poison-dispel and Nature resistance without missing hit thresholds.
Mechanics reference
Poison Bolt Volley
Deals raid-wide Nature damage and applies a dispellable poison damage-over-time effect.
Toxin Clouds
Poison clouds force players to switch locations.
Freeze stages
Repeated Frost hits will slow, freeze and eventually lock Viscidus.
Shatter
The frozen boss will only disintegrate after enough melee hits.
Globs of Viscidus
Fragments move toward the center. Each Glob killed reduces the health Viscidus recovers when he reforms.
Phase plan and tactic
Freeze
All assigned players repeatedly use fast Frost attacks and watch the visible slowing stages.
All assigned players repeatedly use fast Frost attacks and watch the visible slowing stages.
Shatter
Once Viscidus is fully frozen, use fast melee swings to reach the hit threshold as quickly as possible.
Once Viscidus is fully frozen, use fast melee swings to reach the hit threshold as quickly as possible.
Globs
Split into assigned sectors and use slows, AoE and single-target damage to kill Globs. Return to Viscidus when he reforms for the next cycle.
Split into assigned sectors and use slows, AoE and single-target damage to kill Globs. Return to Viscidus when he reforms for the next cycle.
Role notes
Tanks
- Follow the encounter's tank change, threat and placement plan.
- Pick up adds quickly and keep dangerous front cones out of the raid.
DPS
- Follow target priority before boss damage.
- Save cooldowns for the crucial burn or weaken phase of the encounter.
Healers
- Anticipate burst damage on tanks and Nature or poison damage across the raid.
- Keep dispel and mana responsibilities active in long encounters.
Utility
- Use interrupts, Tranq, dispels and crowd control as agreed.
- Call out tentacles, teleports, adds and phase transitions immediately.
Nerfs: what changed
- There is no documented Vanilla numerical nerf for Viscidus in the public notes for patches 1.9-1.12.
- Encounter Frost and melee hit thresholds are core design, not standard damage check.
No documented nerfResistance EncounterClassic 1.12
Encounter 6 / 9 · Temple of Ahn’Qiraj
Princess Huhuran
Nature resistance, Wyvern Sting and 30% berserk race.
Nature resistEnrage30% Burn
TL;DR: Tank Huhuran in place, remove Frenzy with Tranquilizing Shot and keep ranged players spread out for poison and Wyvern Sting. Assign 15 high-Nature-resistance soakers near the boss. At 30% health, Huhuran goes berserk and rapidly uses Poison Bolt Volley on the closest targets. The soakers take these hits while the raid burns the boss.
Raid priorities
- Hunter rotation removes regular Frenzy immediately.
- 15 designated Nature-resist soak players are closest to the boss at the 30% stage.
- Wyvern Sting is judiciously removed as Dispel deals additional damage to the target.
- All damage cooldowns are saved to 30 percent burn.
Before the pull
- Assign 15 Nature-resistance soakers and check their gear and consumables.
- Name the hunters' Tranquilizing Shot rotation.
- Set ranged wide and agree on Wyvern Sting dispels and 30 percent healing cooldowns.
Mechanics reference
Frenzy
Increases attack speed and is removed with Tranquilizing Shot.
Wyvern Sting
Puts players to sleep; Dispel triggers poison damage.
Noxious Poison
The poison cloud on the ground forces you to move.
Acid Spit
Nature attack targets raid players.
Berserk 30%
Poison Bolt Volley quickly hits the 15 closest players and the damage pressure increases drastically.
Phase plan and tactic
Over 30%
Keep threat stable, keep ranged players spread out and remove Frenzy immediately. Avoid the clouds on the ground.
Keep threat stable, keep ranged players spread out and remove Frenzy immediately. Avoid the clouds on the ground.
Preparation
At about 35 percent, the soaks move closer, the rest of the raid further away, and the healers share the targets.
At about 35 percent, the soaks move closer, the rest of the raid further away, and the healers share the targets.
Berserk
Push to 30% health when called. Use raid, healing and damage cooldowns, and keep the soakers alive until Huhuran dies.
Push to 30% health when called. Use raid, healing and damage cooldowns, and keep the soakers alive until Huhuran dies.
Role notes
Tanks
- Follow the encounter's tank change, threat and placement plan.
- Pick up adds quickly and keep dangerous front cones out of the raid.
DPS
- Follow target priority before boss damage.
- Save cooldowns for the decisive burn or weaken phase of the encounter.
Healers
- Anticipate burst damage on tanks and Nature or poison damage across the raid.
- Keep dispel and mana responsibilities active in long encounters.
Utility
- Use interrupts, Tranq, dispels and crowd control as agreed.
- Call out tentacles, teleports, adds and phase transitions immediately.
Nerfs: what changed
- Patch 1.11 prevented Huhuran's Acid Spit from redirecting with Grounding Totem.
- This removed a shaman tool that had made the fight easier. It increased difficulty rather than nerfing the encounter.
Patch 1.11 fixGrounding removedClassic 1.12
Encounter 7 / 9 · Temple of Ahn’Qiraj
Twin Emperors
Physical and magical immunity, teleport exchanges and shared health.
2 tanksImmunitiesTeleport
TL;DR: Separate Emperor Vek'nilash and Vek'lor at opposite ends of the room. A melee tank handles magic-immune Vek'nilash, while a warlock tanks physical-immune Vek'lor at range. The emperors share health, swap sides by teleporting about every 30 seconds and heal when near each other. After each teleport, tanks pick up the arriving emperor before anyone else deals damage.
Raid priorities
- Keep the emperors far enough apart that they cannot heal each other.
- After each teleport, both tanks re-establish threat before DPS resumes.
- Vek'nilash only takes physical damage and Vek'lor only takes spell damage.
- Kill dangerous bugs safely, away from the raid.
Before the pull
- Build a melee/tank squad for Vek'nilash and a shadow-resist warlock tank/healers for Vek'lor.
- Place the groups at opposite ends of the room and determine the locations after the teleport.
- Distribute bug control and ranged-DPS to Vek'lor.
Mechanics reference
Shared health
The emperors share a health pool, but their immunities require different damage types.
Twin Teleport
The emperors swap places. Tanks must immediately pick up the arriving emperor as threat changes.
Heal Brother
Adjacent emperors heal each other heavily.
Vek’nilash
Magic-immune melee emperor uses Unbalancing Strike and knockback.
Vek’lor
Physical-immune caster uses Shadow Bolt, Blizzard, and Arcane Burst on nearby targets.
Mutate Bug
Vek'lor turns nearby bugs into explosive adds.
Phase plan and tactic
Separate sides
Keep the emperors at the ends of the room and the damage groups according to the correct immunity.
Keep the emperors at the ends of the room and the damage groups according to the correct immunity.
Teleport
Everyone stops dealing damage just before the teleport. The new tank picks up the arriving emperor and calls when threat is secure.
Everyone stops dealing damage just before the teleport. The new tank picks up the arriving emperor and calls when threat is secure.
Adds
Control bugs away from the raid; ranged players kill dangerous adds before they reach explosion range.
Control bugs away from the raid; ranged players kill dangerous adds before they reach explosion range.
Sustaining the fight
Repeat the teleport cycle carefully, manage tank mana and resistances, and avoid letting the emperors heal each other.
Repeat the teleport cycle carefully, manage tank mana and resistances, and avoid letting the emperors heal each other.
Role notes
Tanks
- Follow the encounter's tank change, threat and placement plan.
- Pick up adds quickly and keep dangerous front cones out of the raid.
DPS
- Follow target priority before boss damage.
- Save cooldowns for the crucial burn or weaken phase of the encounter.
Healers
- Anticipate burst damage on tanks and Nature or poison damage across the raid.
- Keep dispel and mana responsibilities active in long encounters.
Utility
- Use interrupts, Tranq, dispels and crowd control as agreed.
- Call out tentacles, teleports, adds and phase transitions immediately.
Nerfs: what changed
- No unique Vanilla numerical nerf found for Twin Emperors in public 1.9-1.12 patch notes.
- Patch 1.11 added a teleport service to use after killing them, but it shortened the corpse run and did not change the encounter.
No combat nerfPatch 1.11 travel QoLClassic 1.12
Encounter 8 / 9 · Temple of Ahn’Qiraj
Ouro
Sand Blast threat control, kiting during submerge and an enrage at 20% health.
OptionalSubmergeNature damage
TL;DR: Position Ouro so Sand Blast hits only the assigned tank or soaker. It reduces threat, so a backup tank must be ready. Avoid poor melee positioning during Sweep. While Ouro is submerged, dodge moving dirt mounds and kill scarabs. At 20 percent, he enrages and the normal cycle becomes chaotic: spread out and finish quickly.
Raid priorities
- Sand Blast doesn't hit the entire raid and the next tank is ready in threat.
- Submerge mounds are dodged with constant movement.
- Control and kill Ouro Scarabs before Ouro resurfaces.
- Damage and healing cooldowns are saved for 20 percent enrage.
Before the pull
- Name the main tank, Sand Blast backup tanks and the exact direction of the boss.
- Share submerge-adds' AoE and movement direction.
- Bring Nature protection and agree on 20 percent burn places.
Mechanics reference
Sand Blast
A powerful frontal Nature attack reduces threat and can hit several players if they are poorly positioned.
Sweep
Extensive knockback in close range breaks melee position.
Submerge
Ouro disappears underground and moving dirt mounds chase the players.
Ouro Scarabs
Adds spawned in Submerge need AoE control.
Enrage
At about 20 percent, the boss's damage and chaos increase significantly.
Phase plan and tactic
Surface
Tank boss in a fixed direction, raid on the sides/back and Sand Blast tanks in their own line.
Tank boss in a fixed direction, raid on the sides/back and Sand Blast tanks in their own line.
Submerge
Spread out and avoid the moving mounds. Gather scarabs safely and AoE them down.
Spread out and avoid the moving mounds. Gather scarabs safely and AoE them down.
Return
Tank picks up Ouro from new location before DPS.
Tank picks up Ouro from new location before DPS.
End
At less than 20% spread out, use all cooldowns and avoid mounds while burning the boss.
At less than 20% spread out, use all cooldowns and avoid mounds while burning the boss.
Role notes
Tanks
- Follow the encounter's tank change, threat and placement plan.
- Pick up adds quickly and keep dangerous front cones out of the raid.
DPS
- Follow target priority before boss damage.
- Save cooldowns for the decisive burn or weaken phase of the encounter.
Healers
- Anticipate burst damage on tanks and Nature or poison damage across the raid.
- Keep dispel and mana responsibilities active in long encounters.
Utility
- Use interrupts, Tranq, dispels and crowd control as agreed.
- Call out tentacles, teleports, adds and phase transitions immediately.
Nerfs: what changed
- 4/18/2006 hotfix significantly reduced the damage of Ouro's Quake effects.
- The hotfixes announced on 4/26/2006 increased Ouro's uptime before submerge, reduced scarab damage and increased the cooldown between Sand Blasts.
- These were clear encounter nerfs and tuning fixes.
Hotfix 4/18/2006Hotfix 4/26/2006Major nerfs
Encounter 9 / 9 · Temple of Ahn’Qiraj
C’Thun
Dark Glare cycles, tentacle priority and stomach weaken cycle.
Final boss2 phasesSpread
TL;DR: Enter one at a time and move to assigned spread positions to prevent Eye Beam chains. In phase one, kill Eye Tentacles immediately and move around C’Thun to avoid Dark Glare. In phase two, prioritize Giant Eye Tentacles and interrupt their beams; tank Giant Claws. Swallowed players kill both Flesh Tentacles and leave the stomach before acid stacks become dangerous. Their deaths weaken C’Thun, allowing the raid to damage him.
Raid priorities
- Everyone maintains at least about a 10 Yard spread to block the Eye Beam chain.
- Eye Tentacles and Giant Eye Tentacles are instantly killed; Giant Eye cannot cast beam.
- Move around C’Thun in the agreed direction to avoid Dark Glare. Never run through the beam.
- Stomach team kills both Flesh Tentacles in sync and exits before the deadly stacks of acid.
- Weaken stage is reached without living giant tentacles.
Before the pull
- Draw entry and spread positions for 40 players throughout the room.
- Share Eye Tentacle sectors, Giant Eye interrupts, and Giant Claw tanks.
- Review Flesh Tentacle targeting in the stomach, the exit pads and the call for the weakened phase.
Mechanics reference
Eye Beam
Green beam chains to nearby players with increasing damage and can destroy the stack.
Dark Glare
A long deadly eye beam circles the room, forcing the entire raid to move.
Tentacles
Eye/Claw types spawn around the room; giant versions are the main priority for phase 2.
Devour
Players are swallowed into C'Thun's stomach where Digestive Acid stacks.
Flesh Tentacles
Killing two stomach targets causes C'Thun to temporarily become weakened.
Weakened
C’Thun takes much more damage, and tentacle spawns stop in the corrected Classic version.
Phase plan and tactic
Entry
Players go through the door in rhythm to their own spread positions; no one cuts through the nearest player.
Players go through the door in rhythm to their own spread positions; no one cuts through the nearest player.
Phase 1
Kill the small Eye Tentacles, keep the spread and move in unison to run away from the Dark Glare. Push phase 2 transition from a safe position.
Kill the small Eye Tentacles, keep the spread and move in unison to run away from the Dark Glare. Push phase 2 transition from a safe position.
Phase 2 outside
Giant Eye > Eye Tentacle > Giant Claw priority. Interrupt beam, tank claw and avoid rupture spawns.
Giant Eye > Eye Tentacle > Giant Claw priority. Interrupt beam, tank claw and avoid rupture spawns.
Stomach
Swallowed DPS/healers damage both Flesh Tentacles, monitor acid stacks, and exit the pad before dying.
Swallowed DPS/healers damage both Flesh Tentacles, monitor acid stacks, and exit the pad before dying.
Weaken
When both Flesh Tentacles die, finish any dangerous adds still alive, then direct all available damage into C’Thun. Repeat the cycle if needed.
When both Flesh Tentacles die, finish any dangerous adds still alive, then direct all available damage into C’Thun. Repeat the cycle if needed.
Role notes
Tanks
- Follow the encounter's tank change, threat and placement plan.
- Pick up adds quickly and keep dangerous front cones out of the raid.
DPS
- Follow target priority before boss damage.
- Save cooldowns for the crucial burn or weaken phase of the encounter.
Healers
- Anticipate burst damage on tanks and Nature or poison damage across the raid.
- Keep dispel and mana responsibilities active in long encounters.
Utility
- Use interrupts, Tranq, dispels and crowd control as agreed.
- Call out tentacles, teleports, adds and phase transitions immediately.
Nerfs: what changed
- 4/18/2006 hotfix decreased the HP of Giant Claw and Giant Eye Tentacles, reduced the damage of Ground Rupture and made it resistable, and reduced the melee damage of Giant Eye Tentacles.
- Patch 1.10.1 / same time fixes prevented stomach faction debuff, tentacle spawns in stomach and Eye Beam targeting stomach player.
- 4/25/2006 hotfix prevented new Giant Eye Tentacle spawns in the weakened phase and extended the interval between alternating tentacle spawns.
- Patch 1.10 removed the stacking acid effect of Flesh Tentacles. The whole thing turned the original overly difficult/buggy version into a manageable Classic 1.12 encounter.
Hotfix 4/18/2006Hotfix 4/25/2006Patch 1.10/1.10.1
Sources and versioning
The boss list and original 40-player structure were checked against Warcraft Wiki’s Temple of Ahn’Qiraj and Classic raid boss documentation. History is based on patch 1.9.3, 1.10 and 1.11 notes and archived 2006 hotfixes.
- Warcraft Wiki — Temple of Ahn'Qiraj
warcraft.wiki.gg/wiki/Temple_of_Ahn%27Qiraj_(original) - Warcraft Wiki — Classic raid instance bosses
warcraft.wiki.gg/wiki/Classic_raid_instance_bosses - Warcraft Wiki — Patch 1.9.3
warcraft.wiki.gg/wiki/Patch_1.9.3 - Warcraft Wiki — Patch 1.10.0
warcraft.wiki.gg/wiki/Patch_1.10.0 - Warcraft Wiki — Patch 1.11.0
warcraft.wiki.gg/wiki/Patch_1.11.0 - Warcraft Wiki — 2006 hotfix Archive
warcraft.wiki.gg/wiki/Hotfixes/2006_Archive
The 20-player version of Season of Discovery and Descent into Madness are not included in this guide. Updated 8/18/2026.