World of Warcraft: The War Within: Full details, new dungeons, zones & more

❘ Updated: 2023-11-04T16:50:33

Blizzard Entertainment

Blizzcon 2023 was a considerable success for the developer, particularly when expectant fans were greeted with the news that World of Warcraft was about to enter into a new era known as The Worldsoul Saga.

Essentially, this is a single narrative thread that will play out over three expansions, all of which were announced simultaneously. The first of these is The War Within, a story that looks set to take players to the center of Azeroth itself.

As well as full confirmation of the story, Blizzard were keen to reveal a ton of details on what players can expect when the expansion does release, most likely at some point during the Fall of 2024. This unprecedented approach should see the life cycle for expansions made shorter, possibly with a yearly release model moving forward.

Thankfully, the developer has given us plenty of information that should give a fairly accurate representation of what The War Within is going to look like.

The War Within story explained

The release of the cinematic trailer for the upcoming expansion revealed the general premise and threaded some huge characters into the story from the outset. Thrall has been receiving visions “from the heart of the world” and, amid fears of a new approaching darkness, he and Andiun Wrynn agree to face it together, in a further boon for Horde/Alliance relations.

Specifically, the mysterious figure known as the Harbinger will be revealed as Xal’atath. Her former masters in The Black Empire have fallen and the Old Gods are dead. Xal’atath now wants to use a new alliance with the Nerubians to form a force that seeks to enact the machinations of the Void. More details will inevitably emerge between now and release, but Anduin, Thrall, Magni and Alleria Windrunner are all set to play a significant role.

The War Within new continent and zones

In a first for the game, the new continent the expansion introduces will be entirely subterranean. Introduced as Khaz Algar, this is the home of a specific subset of the Earthen, who players have seen before in zones like Ulduar. Within the continent are four zones – The Isle of Dorn, The Ringing Deeps, Hallowfall & Azj-Kahet.

The Isle of Dorn is on the “surface” area of Khaz Algar and will act as the central hub for players in the new area. Billed as a fertile paradise, the limited screenshots show a combination of epic structures and beautiful vistas reminiscent of Valdrakken.

The Ringing Depths are the home of the Earthen’s great works, characterized by quarries, mines and forges. Kobolds look like they will be the most numerous enemy in the zone and Titan relics will litter the environment with regularity.

Hallowfall is described as a “vast hollow area in the earth” and the screenshot provided doesn’t exactly make it clear what that means in the context of a subterranean continent. This area will be home to the Arathi and their capital Mereldar.

The deepest of the new zones is Azj-Kahet is home to the frightening Nerubian City of Threads. It’s a city that has been built on the ruins of itself many times over and is billed as having a complex political system and culture.

The War Within Dungeon list

When The War Within expansion launches, it will do so with eight dungeons for players to conquer. In line with previous expansions, four of these will be leveling dungeons while the other four are reserved for max-level characters. The full list is as follows:

Level-Up Dungeons

The Rookery
The Stonevault
Priory of the Sacred Flame
City of Threads

Maximum Level

Cinderbrew Meadery
Darkflame Cleft
The Dawnbreaker
Old City

Additionally, the expansion will include one Raid Dungeon that will presumably follow a similar formula to Dragonflight’s Dawn of the Infinite megadungeon. Entitled Nerub’ar Palace, it will also serve as the conclusion of the main story at the start of the expansion.

The War Within new Allied Race

The new Earthen race from The War Within

The newest playable race added to the roster is the Earthen. Taking some visual cues from the Dark Iron Dwarves, they are available for use by both the Horde and the Alliance. They also promise to be the most customizable choice ever, with the gem encrustations a particular high point for their design.

The War Within additional new features

The expansion will also introduce Delves. This new activity will see players join the Dragonscale expedition in search of treasure. The developer describes it as an evergreen activity similar to World Quests and they will provide seasonal rewards as well as being integrated into the Great Vault system.

There are currently twelve planned Delves accompanying the release of The War Within, eleven of which are currently public knowledge. The full list of Delves and their associated zones so far are as follows:

Isle of Dorn: Earthcrawl Mines, Kriegval’s Rest, Fungal Folly
Azj-Kahet: The Spiral Weave, Rak-Rethan Abyss
Hallowfall: Skittering Breach, Nightfall Sanctum, The Sinkhole, Mycomancer Cavern
The Ringing Deeps: The Waterworks, The Dread Pit, Deepwalker Hold

The War Within also sees an overhaul in a more technical sense with the introduction of Hero talents. Working alongside the usual system, each class will have three trees to build into from Level 71 up to Level 80.

This article will continue to be updated as the expansion approaches to ensure it provides the most accurate information possible. With this and a whole raft of other World of Warcraft games and expansions on the way, it’s an exciting time to be a fan of the franchise.

For our breakdowns of The War Within’s upcoming Hero Talent trees, check out the guides below: