Return to Northrend

WRATH of the LICH KING

A cinematic tribute to the expansion that defined an era

Enter the Realm
Scroll
The Legend
Did you think we would not notice? Did you think we would not respond? — The Lich King
Chapter I

The Fall of Arthas

Once a paladin of the Silver Hand, Prince Arthas Menethil took up the cursed runeblade Frostmourne in a desperate bid to save his kingdom from the undead Scourge. In that single act of noble sacrifice, the prince was lost — and the Lich King was made whole.

Beneath the ice of Icecrown Citadel, atop a frozen throne, Arthas merged with the spirit of Ner'zhul. Two become one. The Lich King rules Northrend with an iron will, a legion of the dead, and a hunger that will not be sated.

This is the story of an expansion that redefined what an online world could be — where heroes marched to their deaths against the final boss of a generation, where twelve thousand players earned their Glory of the Raider, where every raid night ended with either triumph or a corpse run.

Arthas Menethil, The Lich King, seated upon the Frozen Throne
The Throne Itself

Arthas
The Lich King

Once a paladin of the Silver Hand, Prince Arthas Menethil traded his humanity for power. He claimed the cursed runeblade Frostmourne, slaughtered his own people in Stratholme, and ascended the Frozen Throne to merge with the spirit of Ner'zhul.

Two souls became one. The Lich King was whole. And from atop his frozen citadel, he watched the world burn — for the dead had no other purpose.

10,000+ Souls Consumed
1 Frozen Throne
Years Reigning
The Continent

Northrend

Eight zones of frozen tundra, viking fjords, crystalline wastes, and unholy ground. The frontier of the war against the dead.

Borean Tundra
Borean Tundra
Level 68 — 72
The D.E.H.T.A. struggle. Where the taunka and tuskarr cling to survival against the Scourge.
Howling Fjord
Howling Fjord
Level 68 — 72
Vrykul longhouses cling to the cliffs. Utgarde Keep rises from the mist.
Dragonblight
Dragonblight
Level 71 — 75
Wyrmrest Temple. The Ruby Sanctum. The dead whisper beneath ancient dragon bones.
Grizzly Hills
Grizzly Hills
Level 73 — 75
Furblogs and forests. A quieter front in the war — but the Wendigo still hunt at night.
Zul'Drak
Zul'Drak
Level 74 — 77
The Drakkari trolls sacrifice their gods to survive. Ancient ziggurats pulse with dying light.
Sholazar Basin
Sholazar Basin
Level 75 — 78
A tropical paradise untouched by the Lich King. The Frenzyheart fight the Oracles for dominance.
Storm Peaks
Storm Peaks
Level 76 — 80
Ulduar sleeps beneath the snow. The Titans left their secrets. Yogg-Saron waits in the dark.
Icecrown
Icecrown
Level 77 — 80
The frozen heart of Northrend. Citadel of the damned. Twelve wings. One throne.
Icecrown Citadel
The Frozen Throne

Icecrown Citadel awaits. Twelve bosses. One Lich King. One throne.

0 Boss Encounters
0 Lich King
0 Frozen Throne
The Raids

Seven Raids of Wrath

From the return of Naxxramas to the Frozen Throne itself — the raids that defined a generation.

Naxxramas
15 BOSSES

The floating necropolis returns. Kel'Thuzad awaits at the apex. The original 40-man classic, now tuned for 25.

Obsidian Sanctum
4 BOSSES

Sartharion the Onyx Guardian. Pull all three drakes at once for the bonus. Risk vs reward in its purest form.

Eye of Eternity
1 BOSS

A single fight. Malygos, the Spell-Weaver. The whole raid is an aerial dogfight on a frozen disc.

Ulduar
14 BOSSES

The Titan prison. Yogg-Saron whispers madness. Algalon the Observer descends from the stars to judge us all.

Trial of the Crusader
5 BOSSES

The Argent Tournament. Paladins, warlocks, Anub'arak. Twenty-five on horseback. Pure spectacle.

Icecrown Citadel
12 BOSSES

The final assault. Marrowgar, Sindragosa, the Lich King himself. Frostmourne hungers.

Ruby Sanctum
2 BOSSES

Halion, the Twilight Destroyer. The final raid of the expansion — released in patch 3.3.5.

Legendaries

Blades of Legend

Six weapons that changed a class — or defined a moment — in the war against the Lich King.

Shadowmourne
Shadowmourne
Two-Hand Axe · Death Knight

Born of Shadow's Edge, fed on the Lich King's own essence. Forged to break Frostmourne.

Val'anyr, Hammer of the Ancient Kings
Val'anyr
Healing Mace · Shaman / Paladin

Hammer of the Ancient Kings. Its wielder shields allies with shields of light and ancient gold.

Shadow's Edge / Frostmourne
Shadow's Edge
One-Hand Dagger · Death Knight

A corrupted dagger. Feeds on the slain. Becomes Shadowmourne when its purpose is fulfilled.

Warglaive of Azzinoth
Warglaive of Azzinoth
Fist Weapon · Demon Hunter*

Torn from the demon lord Azzinoth by Illidan himself. The twin crescents return to Northrend.

Frostmourne vs Ashbringer
Ashbringer
Two-Hand Sword · Paladin

The sacred blade that shattered Frostmourne. Wielded by Tirion Fordring in the Lich King's final hour.

Warglaive of Azzinoth
Fist Weapon · Demon Hunter*

Torn from the demon lord Azzinoth by Illidan himself. The twin crescents return to Northrend.

The Lich King
The First Hero Class

A New Class
Enters the War

For the first time in the history of Warcraft, a new hero class joined the fight. The Death Knight — once the Lich King's own champions, now freed from his will and turned against him.

Beginning at level 55, every Death Knight starts at the Scarlet Enclave — a starting zone unique to the class — breaking free of the Lich King's grasp, raising your first ghouls, and gathering the runes that would let you rival Arthas himself.

Runeforge

Engrave runes into your weapon. Each rune transforms your strikes.

Raise Dead

Summon ghouls to fight alongside you. The dead are your servants now.

Anti-Magic Shell

A shield of pure unholy energy. Magic breaks against you like waves on stone.

"Glory of the Raider."

The hardest achievements in the expansion. Earned by the few. Remembered by all.

0
Player Hard Modes

Light-fused Heroic Lich King kills. The expansion's ultimate flex.

0
Yogg+0 Light

Defeat Yogg-Saron with zero keepers. The hardest Ulduar achievement.

0
Algalon

Summon the Observer. Defeat him before he transmits the signal of doom.

0
Achievement Points

A benchmark that separated the hardcore from the legendary.