WoW The War Within Mythic+ Guide

Mythic+ is one of the most engaging and rewarding systems in World of Warcraft. It transforms regular 5-player dungeons into endlessly scaling challenges that test your coordination, skill, and efficiency. Unlike regular dungeons, which most players steamroll through, M+ makes the entire group play smart and approach each mob pack with caution.

Each run is timed. Each success pushes the difficulty higher. And with every new season, the dungeon lineup, affixes, and reward structure change — keeping things fresh and offering new goals for players of all levels. But for many, the system can feel overwhelming at first: What is a keystone? How do affixes work? When do you get loot? What should you even expect when you zone in?

This WoW Mythic+ guide is built to answer all of that and more. Whether you’ve never done a Mythic+ dungeon before or you’re aiming to push +20s, you’ll find everything you need here — from the foundational mechanics to seasonal updates, role-specific strategies, and progression systems.

Let’s break it all down, one pull at a time.

What Is Mythic+?

Let’s start the Mythic Plus guide with some basics. Often abbreviated as M+, Mythic Plus is World of Warcraft’s scalable dungeon system designed for 5-player groups. It builds on the base Mythic dungeon format by adding a keystone system that increases enemy difficulty, introduces unique modifiers (called affixes), and places a time limit on each run. The result is a fast-paced, repeatable challenge with escalating rewards — and no ceiling.

At its core, Mythic+ is about efficiency and execution. Each time you complete a dungeon within its allotted time, your keystone upgrades to a higher level, which raises the difficulty of the next run. With higher difficulty comes stronger enemies, tougher affix combinations, and better loot — both from the dungeon itself and from the weekly Great Vault reward system.

Every Mythic+ season introduces a curated pool of eight dungeons, selected from the current expansion and past expansions. This seasonal rotation keeps the experience fresh and allows older dungeons to be reworked and reintroduced with modern mechanics and balance.

While Mythic+ offers competitive ladders, timed runs, and elite-level achievements, it’s not just for hardcore players. The system is accessible to anyone at max level. Whether you’re just looking to get better gear, explore new dungeons, or climb toward Keystone Master or even Keystone Hero, M+ has a role for every kind of player — from weekend warriors to leaderboard chasers.

If you’ve played Challenge Modes in earlier expansions like Mists of Pandaria or Warlords of Draenor, Mythic+ is their evolved form: less punishing on time limits, but more flexible, more complex, and far more rewarding.

How Mythic+ Works: The Basics

Mythic+ revolves around a key gameplay loop: get a keystone, start a dungeon, beat it in time, and repeat — at higher difficulty.

Here’s how it works in simple terms:

Mythic Keystones

A Mythic Keystone is your entry ticket into Mythic+ content. Every keystone is tied to:

• A specific dungeon

• A difficulty level (e.g., +2, +10, +15)

• A set of affixes, which are special modifiers that change how the dungeon plays

• A weekly lockout timer (keystones expire at weekly reset if unused)

You can only hold one keystone at a time per character. Once you complete a Mythic+ dungeon — regardless of success — your keystone will be replaced by a new one (different dungeon and updated level).

How to Get a Keystone

If you don’t already have these, here are all the ways how to unlock Mythic+ keystones:

• Complete any Mythic 0 dungeon (no keystone required)

• Join someone else's Mythic+ run and finish it

• Loot it from the Great Vault if you completed a dungeon the previous week

• Speak to Lindormi, the Keystone Vendor, if you’ve earned one before and lost it

Tip: If you're new, it's a good idea to run a few Mythic 0s first to get comfortable with boss mechanics and dungeon flow.

Starting a Run

To begin a Mythic+ dungeon:

1. Form a group of 5 players (usually its 1 tank, 1 healer, 3 DPS — no matchmaking available)

2. Travel to the entrance of the dungeon listed on your keystone

3. Set the difficulty to Mythic

4. Insert your keystone into the Font of Power at the start of the instance

5. Review affixes and key level, then hit Activate

6. After a short countdown, the timer starts — and the challenge begins

Once started, you cannot change gear (except weapons) or talents unless you leave and re-enter the dungeon. Make sure your setup is locked in before activating the key.

Dungeon Objectives

To complete the run, your group must:

• Kill all dungeon bosses

• Kill enough trash mobs to reach 100% enemy forces

• Do it all before the timer expires

If you finish within the timer:

• You "time the key" — the keystone upgrades by 1–3 levels

• Loot rewards are at full item level

If you run out of time:

• You still get loot, but at a slightly reduced item level

• Your keystone downgrades by 1 level

A death in the dungeon adds +5 seconds to the timer (or removes 15 seconds at higher levels with affixes). Efficiency and survival both matter — and every second counts.

Dungeon Rotation & Seasonal Structure

Unlike traditional dungeons that remain static throughout an expansion, Mythic+ dungeons operate on a seasonal rotation. Each season — usually aligned with a major patch or expansion phase — introduces a new dungeon pool, shuffles affix combinations, and updates the reward structure.

What Is a Mythic+ Season?

A Mythic+ season typically brings:

• A new set of 8 dungeons in the M+ rotation

• Updated affix behavior and scaling

• New Keystone achievements and cosmetic rewards

• Adjusted loot item levels and upgrade tracks

• A reset of everyone's Mythic+ rating

Seasons are designed to keep the content fresh and give players new goals — whether that’s pushing keys, collecting teleports, or improving your personal best.

Seasonal Dungeon Rotation

Each season includes a mix of:

• Current expansion dungeons, usually 4–5

• Legacy dungeons from older expansions, updated to current mechanics and scaling

For example, in The War Within: Season 2, the Mythic+ dungeon pool includes:

Current Expansion Dungeons:

• Operation: Floodgate

• Cinderbrew Meadery

• Darkflame Cleft

• The Rookery

• Priory of the Sacred Flame

Returning Dungeons:

• The MOTHERLODE!! (Battle for Azeroth)

• Operation: Mechagon – Workshop (Battle for Azeroth)

• Theater of Pain (Shadowlands)

This rotation means that not all expansion dungeons are available in Mythic+ at the same time. Each season’s selection is fixed, so all keystones during that season will point to one of the eight in the pool.

The seasonal WoW Mythic+ Dungeon rotation affects everything:

• Learning curve: Even veteran players must relearn bosses, mechanics, and optimal routes

• Performance: Some dungeons are faster or harder, influencing the meta

• Preparation: Players need to plan consumables, interrupts, and class utility for specific encounters

Finding the Dungeons

To help you access the seasonal dungeons — especially older ones from other continents — you’ll find portals near Lindormi in the current capital city. These portals take you to zones with legacy dungeons, eliminating the need for long flights or complicated travel.

Keystone Level Scaling & Affix System

As your keystone level increases, so does the challenge — and the complexity. Mythic+ uses a two-layered system to scale difficulty:

1. Numerical scaling: Enemies gain more health and deal more damage.

2. Affixes: Special modifiers are added that change dungeon mechanics.

Understanding how these layers work is key to mastering Mythic+.

Keystone Level Scaling: Health & Damage

Each keystone level increases enemy health and damage by a set percentage. The scaling starts off gentle, but becomes significantly more punishing at higher levels.

Here’s a simplified version of the scaling curve:

Beyond this, scaling continues linearly at roughly +30% health/damage per level — creating a steep curve at high-end keys.

Affixes: What They Are and When They Appear

Mythic+ affixes are modifiers that change how enemies behave — or add new threats entirely. They’re tied to your keystone level and rotate weekly, keeping dungeon runs unpredictable and dynamic.

Affix Breakpoints (Season 2 – The War Within)

• +2 to +3: No affixes

• +4: 1 Xal’atath’s Bargain affix

• +7: Adds either Tyrannical or Fortified

• +10: Adds the other of Tyrannical/Fortified (both now active)

• +12: Replaces Bargains with Xal’atath’s Guile (death = -15s)

At +4, you’ll encounter one of these Bargain affixes each week:

• Ascendant: Orbs spawn that can be interrupted. Interrupt them for player buffs; fail and mobs get the boost instead.

• Voidbound: A Void Emissary empowers mobs. Kill it for cooldown and versatility buffs.

• Pulsar: Players are orbited by void pulsars. Soak them for buffs or let them empower enemies.

• Devour: A debuff shield is applied to players. Heal or dispel it to prevent mob healing — and gain HP/Crit bonuses.

Each Bargain affix rewards skilled play with buffs, but punishes failure by empowering your enemies. They encourage active coordination and class utility.

At +7, you’ll get one of:

• Tyrannical: Bosses have more health and hit harder

• Fortified: Trash mobs are tougher and more dangerous

At +10, both affixes are active. This means every dungeon will have strong bosses and strong trash — making route planning and cooldown usage more critical than ever.

At keystone level 12 and beyond, Xal’atath’s Bargains are removed and replaced with Xal’atath’s Guile. This affix doesn’t introduce new mechanics — instead, it increases the penalty for deaths:

• Each player death removes 15 seconds from the timer

This change emphasizes execution. Mistakes at high keys are far more punishing, making clean runs essential.

Affixes shape how your group approaches pulls, crowd control, interrupts, and even class selection. Some comps handle certain affixes better than others. Learning how each modifier works — and adapting your strategy around them — is crucial for pushing Mythic Dungeons +10 and higher keys.

Rewards and Progression

Mythic+ is one of the most efficient and repeatable ways to gear your character — and the higher you go, the better the rewards. Success in M+ means faster gear upgrades, access to high-end loot, and seasonal achievements that show off your accomplishments.

Here’s how it all breaks down:

End-of-Dungeon Loot

At the end of every completed run — whether you time the key or not — a loot chest spawns that contains two pieces of gear for the group. Item level and upgrade potential depend on the key level:

• Timed Runs: Both items are at full item level

• Untimed Runs: One item is slightly downgraded

• Gear can be traded between group members if tradable

• Item drops come from the dungeon’s full loot table

You can repeat the same dungeon as many times as you want — there’s no lockout for Mythic+ loot table.

The Great Vault

The Great Vault is your weekly Mythic+ reward chest — and it’s where the best loot comes from. Each week, depending on how many M+ runs you completed (and at what level), you unlock up to three loot choices:

• The highest keystone completed determines the item level of each slot

• Vault gear has a higher ilvl ceiling than end-of-dungeon rewards (up to ilvl 662 in Season 2)

Tip: Even if you don’t time your runs, you still get credit toward the Vault.

Gear Upgrading: Valorstones & Crests

The War Within uses a universal gear upgrade system carried over from Dragonflight. To upgrade Mythic+ loot, you’ll need two currencies:

• Valorstones – Common upgrade currency from all PvE content

• Crests – Tiered tokens earned based on keystone level

Each piece of loot has a track (Champion, Hero, or Mythic), and can be upgraded within that track using crests. Once you’ve upgraded or looted an item at a given level, future upgrades to that Mythic+ Dungeons ilvl are cheaper — encouraging continued progress.

Key Rating and Achievements

Every dungeon run contributes to your Mythic+ Rating — a visible score that increases as you complete higher keys. Your best timed run for each dungeon (on both Fortified and Tyrannical weeks) counts toward your total.

Season 2 Rewards:

• Keystone Explorer (750 rating)

• Keystone Conqueror (1500 rating) – Title: the Enterprising

• Keystone Master (2000 rating) – Mount: Crimson Shreddertank

• Keystone Hero (2500 rating) – Cosmetic item: Bombstone

• Keystone Legend (3000 rating) – Mount: Enterprising Shreddertank (Silver)

• Top 0.1% – Elite title: the Enterprising Hero

You also unlock dungeon teleports by timing each dungeon at +10 or higher. These become account-wide via Warbands.

Resilient Keystone System

New in Season 2: once you complete all dungeons at a given level (e.g., +12), your keystone will never drop below that level again. This gives you a safety net when pushing content — one bad run won’t send you back to lower keys.

Party Composition & Utility

Mythic+ dungeons require a group of five players, and success often hinges on more than just raw damage output. Group composition, utility coverage, and role synergy play a significant part in how smoothly a run goes. While you don’t need a perfectly optimized setup to complete keys, understanding what each role brings — and how to fill key utility gaps — will increase your chances of success, especially in higher keystones.

At a basic level, every Mythic+ group should contain a tank to control enemies, a healer to sustain the group, and three damage dealers. Within that framework, certain utility tools are essential, and some classes offer more flexibility or coverage than others.

Standard Group Setup

The typical Mythic+ composition includes:

• 1 Tank

• 1 Healer

• 3 DPS

You’ll need to form your own group manually. This can be done through guilds, the Group Finder, or community-run Discord servers. For players new to M+, beginner-focused communities like No Pressure (EU) and WoW Made Easy (NA) are great places to find low-stress groups.

Once the dungeon starts, your party is locked in. If a player disconnects or leaves, they cannot be replaced unless the entire dungeon is reset — and doing so will deplete the keystone. This makes it important to check gear, talents, and group readiness before inserting the key.

Certain utility types are considered critical at nearly every level of Mythic+, especially as affixes become more punishing and pulls require tighter coordination.

Essential Utility to Bring

Groups perform best when they cover the following categories:

• Bloodlust/Heroism: A high-impact haste buff from classes like Mage, Shaman, or Evoker. If unavailable, Feral Hide Drums can be used as an alternative.

• Combat Resurrection: Brought by Druids, Warlocks, Death Knights, and Paladins. Engineers can also use items that mimic this effect. Resurrections are limited to one shared charge to start, with more granted every 10 minutes, up to a maximum of five.

• Interrupts: Every group should coordinate interrupt responsibilities. Some mob casts, if not stopped, can wipe the party or delay critical moments.

• Crowd Control: Both hard CC (e.g. Polymorph, Sap) and soft CC (e.g. stuns, slows) help reduce incoming damage and allow for safer pulls.

• Offensive Dispels and Soothes: Some mobs apply strong buffs to themselves or others. These effects can often be removed with class-specific spells like Soothe, Purge, or Arcane Torrent.

While most classes offer at least one piece of relevant utility, some bring several and are therefore more flexible in team compositions. This is less about mandatory picks and more about ensuring coverage across the board.

Balanced Damage Profiles

Just as important as utility is your group's damage profile. Different encounters and dungeon layouts reward different types of DPS. For efficient clears, try to include a mix of the following:

• Area-of-effect (AoE) damage for large trash pulls

• Cleave damage for multiple-target bosses or elites

• Strong single-target for bosses with tight enrage timers or healing checks

Between pulls, be aware of how your group's damage is split. Bringing a single-target-heavy setup to a dungeon packed with trash will slow down progress, while an all-AoE setup may struggle to finish bosses on time. Adjusting talents and builds to favor the dungeon ahead is often worth the effort.

A well-prepared group with proper utility and a flexible damage spread will always have a better chance of timing their key. It’s not about chasing perfection — it’s about covering your bases and playing to your group's strengths.

Preparing for Your First Run

Stepping into Mythic+ for the first time can feel like a big leap, but with a bit of preparation, your early experiences can be smooth and rewarding. The key to a good start is making sure your character, group, and mindset are ready before you insert a keystone. This means more than just having a high item level — it’s about having the right setup and being mentally ready for a team-based challenge.

If you’ve never done any Mythic content, it’s a good idea to run a few Mythic 0 dungeons first. These runs don’t require keystones and offer the same boss mechanics and dungeon layouts, minus the time pressure and affixes. They give you time to learn routes, practice interrupts, and understand your role in a more forgiving environment.

Before launching your first M+ run, take time to check the basics. Make sure your gear, talents, and consumables are fully set. Once the keystone is activated, you won’t be able to change talents or most gear unless you reset the dungeon, which also depletes the key.

Pre-Run Checklist

Make sure the following is done before slotting the keystone:

• Equip your correct gear set and weapons

• Lock in your chosen talent build

• Bring flasks, food, health potions, and any required augment runes

• Confirm all players are inside the dungeon

• Discuss affixes and general route if needed

• Assign interrupt priorities or utility roles if applicable

After everyone is ready and inside the dungeon, the keystone holder can insert their key into the Font of Power. A short countdown begins, after which the dungeon starts and the timer begins. From this point on, every second counts — and every mistake could cost you time or even the key.

While you don’t need perfection to succeed, small habits like rechecking buffs, using consumables early, and communicating before each pull can help prevent avoidable wipes or confusion. These simple routines quickly become second nature and form the foundation of good Mythic+ play.

Early key levels are meant to be approachable. Take your time, don’t stress over the timer, and focus on learning how the system works. The best way to improve is by running keys regularly, reviewing what worked and what didn’t, and adjusting as you go. A prepared team with good communication and basic execution will outperform a group that jumps in uncoordinated.

Mythic+ Ratings & Achievements

The Mythic+ rating system is Blizzard’s built-in way of tracking your progress across seasonal dungeons. It functions as both a personal tracker and a public benchmark, visible in your character UI and to others in the group finder. This rating determines seasonal achievements, titles, mounts, and teleports — making it central to your long-term Mythic+ goals.

Your score is earned individually for each dungeon, then totaled across the full seasonal pool. Each dungeon contributes points from two categories: Tyrannical and Fortified weeks. The higher of the two gives 100% score, and the lower contributes 33%. This system encourages running every dungeon on both affix sets to maximize your total.

Rating is determined by the keystone level, the affixes present, and how quickly the dungeon is completed. Completing a dungeon in time gives more score, while exceeding the timer reduces it. Dungeons finished far over time award no score.

Base Rating Calculation Overview

Each run begins with 37.5 points, gains +7.5 per key level, and includes bonus points for affixes (+7.5 each, +15 for the seasonal). Completing the dungeon up to 40% faster than the timer can award up to +7.5 additional points. If over the timer, up to -15 may be deducted.

As you accumulate rating across all dungeons, you unlock seasonal achievements tied to rating milestones. These titles offer personal goals and community recognition.

Seasonal Rating Milestones & Rewards

Achieving these milestones often comes with rewards like seasonal mounts, exclusive titles, and achievement points. In some seasons, the Keystone Master reward includes a unique mount, while Keystone Hero may unlock rare cosmetic effects or exclusive teleports.

Mythic+ Rating isn’t just a number — it’s a structured way to track your progression, improve your skills, and earn rewards that carry into future seasons. For many players, hitting 2,000 for Keystone Master is the primary seasonal goal, while others push well beyond for personal glory and leaderboard placement.

Tips & Tricks

Beyond mechanics and timers, Mythic+ often comes down to execution and small optimizations. These can mean the difference between a timed run and a deplete, especially in higher keys or pug environments. Below are some practical tips to improve your consistency and comfort in dungeons, regardless of your role or experience level.

Many of these tips are rooted in group cohesion, communication, and prep. While knowledge of your spec is critical, the way you apply that knowledge in coordination with others is just as important. Efficient teams tend to prioritize awareness, cooldown timing, and resource management more than just raw output.

Useful Addons & Tools

Integrating a few key addons and resources can help streamline your Mythic+ experience:

• Mythic Dungeon Tools (MDT): Visual route planner with preset paths and pull strategies

• LittleWigs / BigWigs / DBM: Boss mechanic warnings and timers

• Details! Damage Meter: Useful for analyzing mistakes and improving performance

• Plater Nameplates: Customize mob visibility and key spell alerts

• OmniCD: Tracks ally cooldowns like interrupts, externals, and Bloodlust

• Raider.IO Addon: Displays Mythic+ scores, historical run data, and role-specific performance

Even basic route awareness with MDT can drastically reduce wasted time and deaths.

Most successful groups also develop a routine around cooldown usage. Knowing which packs require Bloodlust or defensive cooldowns helps avoid panic decisions mid-pull. Practice builds consistency here.

Smart Pulling & Skipping

Pull strategy matters just as much as raw power. Aim for clean pacing that balances risk and reward. Some trash packs hit harder than others, and strategic skips can open up safer options.

A few common skip methods include:

• Invisibility Potions or class-based stealth to bypass mobs

• Rogue’s Shroud of Concealment for full-group skips

• Death skips using checkpoints and battle resurrection

These skips require coordination. Failing to communicate a plan ahead of time can cost your group precious minutes.

Cooldown Coordination

Cooldown misuse is one of the most frequent ways groups fall apart. Defensive and offensive abilities should be planned around key pulls or affix bursts.

Tips for better cooldown planning include:

• Setting up interrupt orders before tough trash pulls

• Reserving personal defensives for known danger windows

• Pairing major DPS cooldowns with group-wide buffs or Lust

• Keeping Lust ready for big pulls or boss fights that need a push

Cooldown sync is a learned habit that pays off in every dungeon tier.

Mythic+ Etiquette in Pugs

Random groups vary in pace, communication, and patience. That’s why basic etiquette can make pugging a smoother experience.

Good habits to follow:

• Use short, helpful messages before key moments (e.g. “skip next,” “Lust 2nd boss”)

• Offer advice or observations constructively if something goes wrong

• Mention if it’s your first time doing a specific dungeon or affix

• Avoid blaming players mid-run — fix mistakes, don’t dwell

• Say thanks or give praise when runs go well — positivity encourages performance

Success in Mythic+ is not just about numbers or class meta — it’s often about preparation, teamwork, and mutual respect. Even the smallest adjustment or comment can impact the outcome of a run.

Conclusion

Mythic+ stands as one of WoW’s most engaging endgame systems. It challenges players to grow through scaling difficulty, smart planning, and strong teamwork — offering real rewards at every level of play.

As seasons shift and affixes rotate, the core loop stays the same: improve, adapt, and push further. With preparation and consistency, every run becomes a step forward — in gear, rating, or skill.

Now that you have the full picture, it’s time to step into your next key and see just how far you can go.