How WoW Dungeon Keystones Actually Work

Dungeon Keystones

Mythic Keystones were called like that for a reason. Not only are they difficult to obtain, but you also can’t get into any Mythic+ dungeon without them. So what are Mythic keystones, how do they actually work, and where to find them? All you need to know is stashed below! 

Let’s Get One First!

What’s the point of thinking about keystones without having them? Go and get one! Here are all the ways to acquire them:

  • Enter any Mythic 0 dungeon and finish the boss to draw your first mythic keystone item right from its cooling ashes. 
  • Team up with any other player who already has a keystone and enters a Mythic+ dungeon together. It’s a great fair opportunity to get a keystone in the final reward chest. 
  • Did you complete a Mythic+ dungeon during the last weekly reset? If so, all you need is to open the Great Vault in Oribos and select any reward you like, including a new keystone item. 
  • Don’t hurry to leave Oribos! Go and find Ta’shup, talk to him, and you’ll get a keystone for completing at least one Mythic+ dungeon. 

The level of the keystone you receive depends on several factors and will always match the following requirements:

  1. One level than your last week’s keystone level;
  2. Equal to the highest last week’s dungeon level given that you finish it in time or one level lower than that if you fail to complete it in time. 

Once you receive a keystone, you can view its tooltip to understand how to apply it. The tooltip always discloses the dungeon that can be entered with a keystone, the keystone level, the remaining time before the weekly lockout, and affixes that you might need in the matching dungeon. 

Upgrade Your Keystones

There’s a strict mythic keystone upgrade system, and you’d better learn it to get the most out of your Mythic+ dungeon attempts. 

If you manage to complete at least one mythic dungeon in time, you will receive back a keystone upgraded by 1-3 levels, depending on the speed of your devastating march through the dungeon. Here are the strict rules that apply to every attempt:

  • Finish a dungeon with 20% or less time remaining, and you will receive only a 1 level upgrade. 
  • Get a 2-level upgrade for clearing a dungeon with 21%-40% of the time remaining.
  • Get things done with over 40% time remaining to get 3 level points.
  • Fail to finish a dungeon in time, and you will lose 1 point from the initial level of your keystone. 
  • Once you finish a dungeon, the next one will be randomly assigned to your keystone so that you can’t predict what waits for you behind the next Mythic gates. 

Wait, What Are the Affixes?

In simple words, affixes are additional keystone items that affect enemy behavior in a dungeon. Affixes first appear in level 2 dungeons and provide most of your enemies (mobs) with a particular piece of property. The affixes will change weekly unless you enter a level 10 dungeon and achieve the same affix for one more week. Affixes rotate all the time, and the cycle resets every 12 weeks. The updates may add or remove some affixes to refresh the cycle and make it more thrilling to enter a new dungeon. Here’s the example of an affix list after the Shadowlands Patch 9.1:

  • Fortified
  • Tyrannical
  • Bolstering
  • Bursting
  • Inspiring
  • Raging
  • Sanguine
  • Spiteful
  • Explosive
  • Grievous
  • Necrotic
  • Quaking
  • Storming

Ready to Dash!

Now that you know all the ropes, it’s time to get some snacks, get your keystones, and rush towards the nearest dungeon. Master your skills, and more opportunities will unfold on your warrior path. Don’t forget to communicate as collaboration is the best way to progress in Mythic+ dungeons! 

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