Summary
World of Warcraft Classichas officially marked down May 1 as the start date for Phase 4 of the 20th Anniversary Edition realms.ClassicFresh fans can dive into Zul’Gurub, challenge the Dragons of Nightmare, and participate in the Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza and the Stirring of the Silithids once the update arrives in theWorld of Warcraftrealms.
On Jun 22, 2025,World of Warcraftkicked off a brand-new cycle ofClassicserverswith the 20th Anniversary Edition realms. Colloquially called “ClassicFresh,” these realms are progressing through VanillaWoWall over again, with some of the servers planning to continue onward into The Burning Crusade, while others will stay behind.
Now,WoW Classicplayers on these realms are getting ready for the fourth phase of Vanilla to arrive once again. Phase 4 officially begins on May 1, the headline feature of which is Zul’Gurub, a 20-man raid where fans battle through 10 encounters, ending with Hakkar, the Soulflayer. Featuring no attunement process, a shorter reset time, and easier mechanics than most raids, Zul’Gurub is a great place for players to catch up on gear as they prepare for future phases – and to obtain the rareSwift Razzashi Raptor and Swift Zulian TigerWorld of Warcraftmounts.
When Does Phase 4 Start in WoW Classic Fresh?
Fans who have earned their Tier 0 dungeon gear will also be able to begin the process of obtaining Tier 5 dungeon sets in this update as well. By speaking to Deliana in the Great Forge of Ironforge for Alliance, or Mokvar in the Valley of Wisdom in Orgrimmar for Horde, heroes can start the quests to earn this powerful equipment.
Once players are geared up, they can also challenge the Dragons of Nightmare – four rotatingGreen Dragon world bosses inWorld of Warcraftfound in Ashenvale, Duskwood, Feralas, and the Hinterlands. Lethon, Emeriss, Ysondre, and Taerar each have unique and deadly mechanics, so fans should be sure to gather plenty of powerful allies before attempting to defeat them.
Angling enthusiasts can also participate in the Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza – a fishing contest held every Sunday that takes place in the southernmost zone of the Eastern Kingdoms – to earn rare prizes like the Lucky Fishing Hat, the Arcanite Fishing Pole, or the Dread Pirate Ring. Alternatively, players looking to prepare for theGates of Ahn’Qiraj inWorld of Warcraft ClassicPhase 5can head to Silithus, where the Cenarion Circle’s investigations into the Twilight Hammer and the Silithid offer plenty of challenges and quests for high-level adventurers.
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World of Warcraft is an incredibly successful MMORPG that has been going strong for almost two decades. It’s one of the highest-grossing franchises in history and is widely considered the most popular MMORPG ever made.
