Phase 4 isn't just the biggest patch in Wrath of the Lich King, it's one of the biggest patches in WoW history. There are huge upgrades coming to nearly every system in Wrath from the new rep grinds to the new Dungeons and raids to an entirely new weekly quest system. In this Wotlk Phase 4 update guide, we'll cover all the biggest upgrades coming that you need to know about.

Wotlk Classic Phase 4: Release Date, New Quests, Items, Dungeons, Raids & More

When new phases are released in Wrath Classic, it's essential to prepare adequately to make the most out of the new content and stay competitive. According to the Wotlk Phase 4 leaks, we talk about the release date, new quests, items, gear, raids, and more changes. Remember that preparation can significantly enhance your enjoyment of new content, but it's also essential to stay flexible and adapt to any unexpected challenges or changes that might arise during the new phase.

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Wotlk Classic Phase 4 DPS Tier List - Best DPS Classes & Specs Ranked In Wotlk

Wotlk Classic Phase 4 Release Date

Wotlk Phase 4 start date is presumably around early December 2023.

Wotlk Classic Phase 4 Quests

Quel’ Delar Questline

The upgrade we're talking about here is the actual Quel’ Delar itself, you should get excited for the epic 12 part questline full of lore and adventure and of course, that weird part where you wash gnome clothes. This is also the best way in the game to get a 251 item level weapon with zero requirements The Battered Hilt item that starts the quest chain is a Boe drop from the three new Icecrown dungeons. That means as a fresh 80 you could just buy the hilt from the auction house and quickly get a 657 spell power main hand sword or mace. This will be a huge game changer considering the biggest bottleneck for new level 80s is a lack of high item level bite and equipped weapons.

Weekly Quests

Weekly quests are a huge upgrade for phase 4 Wotlk since we'll be moving away from the daily system towards a more manageable and rewarding random quest system each week. The first thing we get is the new weekly raid kill quest. This quest sends you to a random red to kill a boss and your reward is five frost emblems and five triumph emblems. The other new set of weekly quests comes directly from ICC. When you're clearing Icecrown, one of five quests will randomly be available. Once you finish the quest, the reward will be a frosty sack containing five emblems of frost and random epic gems. Also sometimes the bag will contain a 264 item level trash Boe from the raid which you can sell for a huge profit.

Wotlk Classic Phase 4 Vendors

Ashen Verdict Vendor

The next big upgrade we'll be getting in Wotlk Classic phase 4 update is the new Ashen Verdict reputation system. Runs through Icecrown will give you a reputation similar to Karazhan back in TBC. There's an upgradable ring that goes from 251 item level at friendly all the way to 277 exalted. Max out a rep as soon as possible with trash farming methods. There are also new leg and boot recipes which mean more Boe upgrades for fresh characters and mains as well. You can look forward to the new arrow and bullet recipes that require no Gnomish and Goblin engineering. Respectively these will be great Wotlk gold makers especially if Wizard gives us a well-deserved Hunter buff in time for the phase.

Ashen Verdict Vendor

The biggest upgrade in WoW Wotlk phase 4 is the new dungeons for catchup gear. The three new dungeons are arguably the best catchup mechanic we've seen in Wrath so far. Unlike other dungeons in Wrath, there is an attunement process that basically requires you to run through Forge of Souls which leads to Pit of Saron and then finally holds the reflection. Don't worry, the questline involved is really easy and you'll be given plenty of good Lich King related lore. These dungeons throw 232 item level gear at you like candy. There's a possibility of getting a hill drop into the Quel’ Delar questline. Not only is this the best way to catch up new alts but you can also sell the hilts on the auction house for bonus gold too.

Wotlk Classic Phase 4 NPCs

Frozo

You may have heard that the new NPC Frozo is coming and he exists to destroy your frozen orbs. You can turn one frozen orb into an eternal of your choice which means eternal fire prices should come way down. There is also another NPC Brazie Getz. He's hanging out at an ICC near the Gunship Battle and originally sold highly inappropriate gnome books. Though suspiciously in the last few years, the stock has been changed to be much more like a generic vendor.

Wotlk Classic Phase 4 Gear

New Wintergrasp Gear

We'll be getting brand new Wintergrasp gear from the new vendor Rosaline in Wrath of the Lich King phase 4. There are new 245 cloaks, shoulders, and necklaces available. This will be great for catching up on your cloak slot if you never got that tribute chess cloak. This also may very well be the final time in your life you get to do Wintergrasp so you'll definitely want to grab those upgrades for both PvE and PvP. Also on the Wintergrasp topic, we get the final VOA boss who drops tier 10 legs and gloves as well as Wrathful Gladiator PvP gear.

Wotlk Classic Phase 4 Items

New Rings

We have the final Kirin’ Tor Rings for Classic WotLK Phase 4. If you've been home holding onto your cure into a ring this whole time, Harold Winston in Dalaran will give you your final upgrade which is 251 item level for 1250 gold. All in all, maybe it would have been worth buying a Kirin’ Tor eight months ago.

Shadowmourne

Shadowmourne is such a big upgrade. It'll undoubtedly have half the game re-rolling to Warriors, Death Knights, and Paladins. This is the most difficult legendary to acquire with a nine part quest chain. Not only will you have to kill bosses in the raid in specific ways like Sindragosa. But you'll also have to collect 50 Shadowfrost Shards. Retail data puts Shadowfrost Shards at around a 75% drop rate on heroic which means it'll take five to seven weeks of full rates to complete each Shadowmourne. 

Wotlk Classic Phase 4 Raids

ICC Raid

Talking about the ICC raid, this may very well be the biggest upgrade in phase 4. We get 12 bosses with some of the most epic and memorable fights in WoW history. This is a harder and longer raid than even Alduar. Luckily your time won't be wasted though, since the gear is out of this world compared to the first three phases. We'll be getting extremely contested bis drops up to 284 item level. The raid is also directly tied in with the brand new Ashen Verdict reputation system and the buyable rewards. When you talk about rewards, you can't forget about raid drops like Invincible which will be jealousy inducing for years to come. The real treasure here though is the best legendary in the game since Thunder Fury.

Wotlk Classic Phase 4 Dungeons

Dungeon Finder

Dungeon Finder is likely the biggest upgrade in phase 4 Classic Wotlk, also known as RDF. This is a cross-realm system that cues up to five players automatically for groups based on roll. If you're thinking back to that Blizzard interview where they said RDF wouldn't be coming to Wrath. The way phase 4 is designed in the original Wrath is directly tied to RDF. The best example of this is the random dungeon option which lets you earn extra rewards like two Emblems of Frost per day and bonus gold. If Blizzard wants to skip RDF, they'll have to introduce a new NPC with daily quests all over again. Also towards the end of the expansion, groups do tend to dry up. By not adding RDF, they'd be purposely causing fewer groups to form which just doesn't make any sense. With RDF, you can queue up for specific dungeons as well and it overall makes the process of getting into groups took a small fraction of what it currently takes. There's the downside of everything being randomized and the personal connections between players being almost completely lost. But the upside is that if you group with 100 random players, you get access to a perky pug who might just be the cutest pet in WoW history.

Before Wotlk Classic phase 4 releases, you should be changing up your professions as we head towards the end game to maximize profit and character power.