Wrath of the Lich King · Tier 7-10 · Vault of Archavon
Vault of Archavon raid guide
4 boss-specific tactics, progression checklists and a documented change history from the original Wrath to Wrath Classic.
English10/25-player4 bossesNerf history
How to use this guide
Read the raid change history and the boss TL; DR before the detailed steps. Each card separates mandatory core tactics, role responsibilities and hard/heroic mechanics that change depending on the version.
The target version is level 80 Wrath. Classic level 60, Timewalking and the legacy scaling of later expansions do not change the tactics of this guide.
Vault of Archavo in chronological Wrath progression
Mastering Wintergrasp unlocks a short catch-up raid. Four Watchers were added with the different tiers, so bosses appear in both raid and release order.
For raid lead: First choose the 10- or 25-player version, review the normal, hard-mode, or heroic scope, and assign each boss-specific responsibility before the pull.
Quick links
Vault of Archavon: nerf and change history
The timeline separates intentional difficulty changes, release schedule, loot/catch-up changes, and actual bug fixes. Inaccurate pre/post figures are not filled with guesswork.
| Date | Documented change | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 11/13/2008 | Archavon opened the Vault as a Tier 7 boss. | Access was tied to Wintergrasp's control. |
| Patch 3.1 / 3.2 / 3.3 | Emalon, Koralon and Toravon were added along with successive raid tiers. | The raid grew from one to four bosses without removing the old ones. |
| Wrath Classic | Re-entry and resurrection problems were fixed with hotfixes. | It was about accessibility, not a number nerf. |
The boss card nerf sections use this raid level timeline and only raise differences relevant to the encounter.
Vault of Archavon - bosses in order of progression
Encounter 1 / 4 · Vault of Archavon
Archavon the Stone Watcher
Tier 7 wing · Stomp, tank lifting and moving from clouds.
10/25-playerLevel 80Tier 7 wing
TL;DR: Stomp, lifting the tank and moving from the clouds. Spread Off-tank taunt liberally behind the boss as soon as the current tank is raised Exit the cloud and heal Shards targets.
Raid priorities
- Spread loosely behind the boss.
- Off-tank taunts as soon as the current tank is raised.
- Exit the cloud and heal the Shards items.
Before the pull
- Replicates the tanking, healing, and damage responsibilities of an Archavo the Stone Watcher encounter for a 10- or 25-player lineup.
- Mark movement and rally points for mechanics: Rock, Leap, Stomp, Berserk.
- Name interrupt, dispel, crowd control and target swap responsibilities before the pull.
- Save your raid and personal cooldowns for the most dangerous stage of the guide.
Mechanics reference
Rock Shards
Rock Shards fall around the target
Leap jättää Choking Cloudin
Leap leaves Choking Cloud
Stomp
Stomp makes the tank Impale lift
Berserk
Berserk requires a quick Kill
Phase plan and tactic
Step 1
Spread loosely behind the boss.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Spread loosely behind the boss.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Step 2
Off-tank taunts as soon as the current tank is raised.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Off-tank taunts as soon as the current tank is raised.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Step 3
Exit the cloud and heal the Shards items.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Exit the cloud and heal the Shards items.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Role notes
Tanks
- Keep the boss direction and adds away from the raid; switch when required by debuffs or phases.
- Announce defensive and dangerous tank changes to healers in advance.
Healers
- Share tank and raid-healing responsibilities and dispels before the pull.
- Time your raid cooldowns for the largest foreseeable damage window, not overlapping.
Melee DPS
- Keep the safety of the front and rear cones and change the add right from the call.
- Don't sacrifice movement or soak mechanics for damage uptime.
Ranged DPS
- Keep the required spread and take care of remote adds, Orbit or moving objects in priority.
- Save abilities used while moving for mandatory transitions.
raid utility
- Agree on interrupt, purge, stun, slow and immunity rotations depending on the encounter.
- Combat Resurrection is only used if the dead role is essential to the next mechanic.
Nerfs: what changed
- The boss-specific history is read in conjunction with the Vault of Archavon raid timeline; original Wrath and Wrath Classic are kept separate.
- A separate confirmed number nerf is not claimed without a patch or hotfix source; bug fixes are marked as bug fixes.
- Level squish, Timewalking and saltability changes from later add-ons are not part of the level 80 tactic.
Original WrathWrath ClassicSource delimiter
Encounter 2 / 4 · Vault of Archavon
Emalon the Storm Watcher
Tier 8 wing · Overcharge-add is an absolute target priority.
10/25-playerLevel 80Tier 8 wing
TL;DR: Overcharge-add is an absolute target priority. Tank boss and four add separately Spread for Chain Lightning Change all damage to marked Overcharge add and kill before ten stacks.
Raid priorities
- Tank boss and four add separately.
- Spread for Chain Lightning.
- Change all damage to the marked Overcharge-add and kill before ten stacks.
Before the pull
- Recounts the tanking, healing, and damage responsibilities of an Emalon the Storm Watcher encounter for a 10- or 25-player lineup.
- Mark movement and rally points for mechanics: Chain, Lightning, Overcharge.
- Name interrupt, dispel, crowd control and target swap responsibilities before the pull.
- Save your raid and personal cooldowns for the most dangerous stage of the guide.
Mechanics reference
Chain Lightning
Chain Lightning punishes stacking
Lightning Nova
Lightning Nova requires moving far
Overcharge
Overcharge spawns one Tempest Minion and explodes it if not killed
Phase plan and tactic
Step 1
Tank boss and four add separately.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Tank boss and four add separately.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Step 2
Spread for Chain Lightning.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Spread for Chain Lightning.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Step 3
Change all damage to the marked Overcharge-add and kill before ten stacks.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Change all damage to the marked Overcharge-add and kill before ten stacks.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Role notes
Tanks
- Keep the boss direction and adds away from the raid; switch when required by debuffs or phases.
- Announce defensive and dangerous tank changes to healers in advance.
Healers
- Share tank and raid-healing responsibilities and dispels before the pull.
- Time your raid cooldowns for the largest foreseeable damage window, not overlapping.
Melee DPS
- Keep the safety of the front and rear cones and change the add right from the call.
- Don't sacrifice movement or soak mechanics for damage uptime.
Ranged DPS
- Keep the required spread and take care of remote adds, Orbit or moving objects in priority.
- Save abilities used while moving for mandatory transitions.
raid utility
- Agree on interrupt, purge, stun, slow and immunity rotations depending on the encounter.
- Combat Resurrection is only used if the dead role is essential to the next mechanic.
Nerfs: what changed
- The boss-specific history is read in conjunction with the Vault of Archavon raid timeline; original Wrath and Wrath Classic are kept separate.
- A separate confirmed number nerf is not claimed without a patch or hotfix source; bug fixes are marked as bug fixes.
- Level squish, Timewalking and saltability changes from later add-ons are not part of the level 80 tactic.
Original WrathWrath ClassicSource delimiter
Encounter 3 / 4 · Vault of Archavon
Koralon the Flame Watcher
Tier 9 wing · Meteor Fists and increasing raid damage.
10/25-playerLevel 80Tier 9 wing
TL;DR: Meteor Fists and increasing raid damage. Tanks stand together and deal Meteor Fists raid spreads out and exits Cinder Apply healing and damage cooldowns to subsequent Fury stacks.
Raid priorities
- Tanks stand together and deal Meteor Fists.
- raid spreads out and exits Cinder.
- Use healing and damage cooldowns for subsequent Fury stacks.
Before the pull
- Recounts the tanking, healing, and damage responsibilities of Koral the Flame Watcher encounter for a 10- or 25-player lineup.
- Mark movement and assembly points for mechanics: Meteor, Burning, Flaming, Burning.
- Name interrupt, dispel, crowd control and target swap responsibilities before the pull.
- Save your raid and personal cooldowns for the most dangerous stage of the guide.
Mechanics reference
Meteor Fists
Meteor Fists deals a tank hit to another nearby tank
Burning Breath
Burning Breath hits the entire raid
Flaming Cinder jättää tulialueen
Flaming Cinder leaves an area of fire
Burning Fury
Burning Fury increases boss damage over time
Phase plan and tactic
Step 1
Tanks stand together and deal Meteor Fists.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Tanks stand together and deal Meteor Fists.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Step 2
raid spreads out and exits Cinder.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
raid spreads out and exits Cinder.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Step 3
Use healing and damage cooldowns for subsequent Fury stacks.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Use healing and damage cooldowns for subsequent Fury stacks.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Role notes
Tanks
- Keep the boss direction and adds away from the raid; switch when required by debuffs or phases.
- Announce defensive and dangerous tank changes to healers in advance.
Healers
- Share tank and raid-healing responsibilities and dispels before the pull.
- Time your raid cooldowns for the largest foreseeable damage window, not overlapping.
Melee DPS
- Keep the safety of the front and rear cones and change the add right from the call.
- Don't sacrifice movement or soak mechanics for damage uptime.
Ranged DPS
- Keep the required spread and take care of remote adds, Orbit or moving objects in priority.
- Save abilities used while moving for mandatory transitions.
raid utility
- Agree on interrupt, purge, stun, slow and immunity rotations depending on the encounter.
- Combat Resurrection is only used if the dead role is essential to the next mechanic.
Nerfs: what changed
- The boss-specific history is read in conjunction with the Vault of Archavon raid timeline; original Wrath and Wrath Classic are kept separate.
- A separate confirmed number nerf is not claimed without a patch or hotfix source; bug fixes are marked as bug fixes.
- Level squish, Timewalking and saltability changes from later add-ons are not part of the level 80 tactic.
Original WrathWrath ClassicSource delimiter
Encounter 4 / 4 · Vault of Archavon
Toravon the Ice Watcher
Tier 10 wing · Frozen Orbs, tank change and Whiteout.
10/25-playerLevel 80Tier 10 wing
TL;DR: Frozen Orbs, tank change and Whiteout. Switch tank with Frostbite stacks Ranged kills Orb instantly and melee dodges it Save raid cooldowns for later Whiteout stacks.
Raid priorities
- Change tank with Frostbite stacks.
- Ranged kills the Orb immediately and melee dodges it.
- Save raid cooldowns for later Whiteout stacks.
Before the pull
- Recounts the tanking, healing and damage responsibilities of Toravon the Ice Watcher encounter for a 10- or 25-player lineup.
- Mark movement and assembly points for mechanics: Frozen, Frozen, Whiteout.
- Name interrupt, dispel, crowd control and target swap responsibilities before the pull.
- Save your raid and personal cooldowns for the most dangerous stage of the guide.
Mechanics reference
Frozen Mallet
Frozen Mallet stacks Frostbite on tank
Frozen Orb
Frozen Orb moves through the raid and deals melee damage
Whiteout
Whiteout permanently increases the entire raid's frost damage
Phase plan and tactic
Step 1
Change tank with Frostbite stacks.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Change tank with Frostbite stacks.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Step 2
Ranged kills the Orb immediately and melee dodges it.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Ranged kills the Orb immediately and melee dodges it.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Step 3
Save raid cooldowns for later Whiteout stacks.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Save raid cooldowns for later Whiteout stacks.raid lead confirms success before the next target or phase change.
Role notes
Tanks
- Keep the boss direction and adds away from the raid; switch when required by debuffs or phases.
- Announce defensive and dangerous tank changes to healers in advance.
Healers
- Share tank and raid-healing responsibilities and dispels before the pull.
- Time your raid cooldowns for the largest foreseeable damage window, not overlapping.
Melee DPS
- Keep the safety of the front and rear cones and change the add right from the call.
- Don't sacrifice movement or soak mechanics for damage uptime.
Ranged DPS
- Keep the required spread and take care of remote adds, Orbit or moving objects in priority.
- Save abilities used while moving for mandatory transitions.
raid utility
- Agree on interrupt, purge, stun, slow and immunity rotations depending on the encounter.
- Combat Resurrection is only used if the dead role is essential to the next mechanic.
Nerfs: what changed
- The boss-specific history is read in conjunction with the Vault of Archavon raid timeline; original Wrath and Wrath Classic are kept separate.
- A separate confirmed number nerf is not claimed without a patch or hotfix source; bug fixes are marked as bug fixes.
- Level squish, Timewalking and saltability changes from later add-ons are not part of the level 80 tactic.
Original WrathWrath ClassicSource delimiter
Sources and version limit
raid boss count, release structure and Classic availability have been checked from Blizzard's publications. Mechanics and original patch entries are cross-checked from the Warcraft Wiki encounter and patch history.
- Blizzard — Ulduar now live and new Vault boss
worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com/en-us/news/23897173/wrath-classic-unearth-the-secrets-of-ulduar-january-19 - Blizzard — Wrath Classic October 2022 hotfixes
worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com/en-us/news/23800887/hotfixes-october-7-2022 - Warcraft Wiki — Vault of Archavon
warcraft.wiki.gg/wiki/Vault_of_Archavon
Updated 19.08.2026. Legacy changes from later add-ons have been cut out.