Hellfire Citadel, the final raid of Warlords of Draenor, remains a great source of transmogs, mounts, and achievements in The War Within. This massive demon stronghold in Tanaan Jungle has 13 bosses, including Archimonde, with unique rewards like the Felsteel Annihilator mount and Tier 18 armor sets.
If you’re farming cosmetics or challenging yourself solo, this guide will help you get the best out of Hellfire Citadel in WoW Retail (The War Within).
Hellfire Citadel Entrance and Subregions
Hellfire Citadel is located in Tanaan Jungle, the main zone of Warlords of Draenor. To get there, you must first unlock Tanaan Jungle by completing the Shipyard questline in your garrison. Once unlocked, fly to the center of the zone—the raid entrance sits atop a massive fortress at 46.5, 53.0.
The entrance is hard to miss—a giant demonic gate guarded by Fel orcs and siege engines. Walk inside, and you’ll begin the raid in Hellbreach, the first of several distinct sections.
Hellfire Citadel is divided into the following areas:
Each area has its own bosses, mechanics, and loot. We’ll cover them in detail below.
Hellfire Citadel Bosses Overview
Hellfire Citadel is the brutal final raid of Warlords of Draenor, where players assault the Legion’s stronghold in Tanaan Jungle. The raid features 13 demonic bosses, starting with the chaotic Hellfire Assault and ending with an epic showdown against Archimonde himself.
Fights range from massive battles like the Iron Reaver, a flying siege engine that bombards players, to twisted encounters like Gorefiend, who drags players into a nightmare realm. The Hellfire High Council forces players to juggle multiple deadly foes at once, while Mannoroth brings back the iconic pit lord fight with devastating new abilities. The final battle against Archimonde is a multi-phase war across time and space, where players must survive his world-ending magic.
Each boss fits the demonic invasion theme, from the corrupted orc Kilrogg Deadeye to the fel-powered Xhul’horac. The encounters test all raid skills – positioning, target switching, and precise execution.
Below we’ll break down each Hellfire Citadel boss fight and their rewards.
Can You Solo Hellfire Citadel in The War Within?
Farming Hellfire Citadel solo in The War Within is a great method to gather transmog sets, mounts, pets, and achievements from the Warlords of Draenor expansion.
Level & Gear Requirements:
You must be at least level 60+ (though level 80 makes it trivial).
Gear from The War Within will make fights extremely easy.
Some mechanics may still require attention (e.g., knockbacks, insta-kills).
Difficulty Selection:
Normal/Heroic: Easily soloable.
Mythic: Mostly soloable, but some bosses (e.g., Archimonde) may have mechanics that require strategy.
Class Considerations:
Self-healing (e.g., Paladin, Death Knight, Demon Hunter) helps.
Hellfire Assault is a chaotic add-control fight where players defend two Hellfire Cannons while collecting Felfire Munitions from Siege Weapons to destroy a fortified door. Prioritize killing Gorebound Terrors (transformed Felcasters) and Felfire Crushers (insta-kill Cannons). Tanks must swap on Hulking Berserkers (2–3 Slam stacks), while DPS focus Siege Weapons and mobile players ferry munitions. Use Bloodlust early to push boss Mar’tak to 50% (she flees). Mythic adds dual Siege Waves and mini-bosses (U’rogg/Grute), requiring split raids and timed cooldowns.
Preferred Classes:
Tanks: Strong active mitigation (e.g., DKs, Paladins) for Slam stacks from Berserkers.
Iron Reaver is a two-phase boss in Hellfire Citadel (WoD 6.2). In Ground Phase, dodge Barrage (watch her left foot), swap tanks on Artillery, and spread for Unstable Orbs. During Air Phase, kill Volatile Firebombs (25s fuse) and avoid Fuel Streaks while marked players run far for Artillery. Use Bloodlust on pull and save raid CDs for Pounding. Mythic adds 4 bomb types (prioritize Quick-Fuse > Reactive > Burning > Reinforced).
Preferred Classes:
Tanks: Classes with strong mobility (e.g., Druid, Warrior) to handle Artillery runs.
Kormrok is a boss in Hellfire Citadel (WoD 6.2) with three key mechanics tied to pools (Fiery, Foul, Shadow), empowering his abilities like Explosive Runes (trigger or wipe), Grasping Hands (AoE adds), and Fel Outpouring (dodge waves). Tanks must swap after empowered attacks (Swat, Explosive Burst, Foul Crush), while DPS prioritize adds. Raid stacks loosely for Pound and tightly for Grasping Hands. Use Bloodlust on pull for maximum uptime. On Mythic, Residue pools limit safe zones after each leap.
Preferred Classes:
Tanks: Strong mitigation for Swat/knockbacks (e.g., DK anti-magic, Paladin bubble).
DPS:
High AoE (e.g., Fire Mage, Affliction Warlock) for Grasping Hands.
Mobile classes (e.g., Hunters) for Empowered Fel Outpouring.
Healers: Strong raid CDs (e.g., Holy Priest, Resto Druid) for Pound + Hands overlaps.
Tips:
Pool Order: Fiery (Explosive) → Foul (Grasping) → Shadow (Fel) to minimize Empowered Fel Outpouring overlaps.
The Hellfire High Council is a 3-boss fight in Hellfire Citadel where you face Dia Darkwhisper, Gurtogg Bloodboil, and Blademaster Jubei’thos simultaneously. Kill them in order: Gurtogg → Jubei’thos → Dia to manage their deadly 30% “Final Hour” abilities. Key mechanics include dodging Fel Blade, kiting Fel Rage, and spreading Mark of the Necromancer before Reap. Use Bloodlust during Gurtogg’s 30% phase to minimize Tainted Blood stacks. On Mythic, assign ranged groups to soak Bloodboil and save raid CDs for Dia’s final phase.
Kilrogg Deadeye is an add-heavy fight in Hellfire Citadel, where players must prioritize killing Salivating Bloodthirsters (before they transform into Hulking Terrors) and Blood Globules (spawned by Heart Seeker). Key mechanics include managing Fel Corruption stacks (avoid Demonic Possession), soaking Vision of Death runes for damage/healing buffs, and mitigating Death Throes raid damage. Tanks must swap on Hulking Terrors and use active mitigation for Shred Armor. Use Bloodlust on pull and assign teams for visions. On Heroic/Mythic, Heart Seeker becomes a line-AOE, and Mythic adds Fel Puddle soaking.
Preferred Classes:
Tanks: Classes with strong active mitigation (e.g., Warrior, Paladin) to handle Shred Armor.
DPS:
Ranged: Prioritize killing Blood Globules and Bloodthirsters (e.g., Hunters, Mages).
Melee: Focus on Hulking Terrors and interrupts ( Rogues, DKs).
Healers: Strong AoE healers (e.g., Resto Druid, Holy Priest) for Death Throes.
Gorefiend is a two-phase boss in Hellfire Citadel. In Phase 1, players are sent into his stomach via Shadow of Death to handle adds (DPS kill constructs, healers heal essences, tanks tank spirits). Escaped adds must be managed outside. Phase 2 (Feast of Souls) is a burn phase where Gorefiend takes 100% more damage; the raid soaks Unstable Souls to extend it. Use Bloodlust in Phase 2 for maximum damage. Key mechanics include spreading for Surging Shadows, kiting constructs, and (on Heroic/Mythic) stacking for Shared Fate.
Preferred Classes:
Tanks: Strong survivability for Gorebound Spirits (e.g., DKs for self-healing).
Healers: High throughput (e.g., Holy Priests, Resto Druids) for raid-wide damage.
DPS:
Ranged: Prioritized for killing Corrupted Soul fragments (Mythic) and kiting constructs.
Shadow-Lord Iskar is a mechanics-heavy boss in Hellfire Citadel (WoD) where players must manage the Eye of Anzu to counter illusions. The fight alternates between grounded phases (dodge Fel Chakram, dispel Phantasmal Winds) and add phases (prioritize killing Corrupted Talonpriest). Key mechanics include passing the Eye to interrupt Fel Conduit, dispel Fel Bomb, and (on Mythic) resolve Dark Bindings. Use Bloodlust during the final add phase (20% HP) for a clean kill. Loot includes strong trinkets like Anzu’s Cursed Plume and a battle pet (Corrupted Nest Guardian).
Preferred Classes:
Tanks: Classes with strong mobility (e.g., Druid, Monk) to handle Fel Chakram kiting.
Healers: Priests (mass dispel utility) and Resto Druids (HoTs for Phantasmal Wounds).
DPS: Ranged with cleave (e.g., Mage, Warlock) for add phases; melee with interrupts (e.g., Rogue, Warrior) for Fel Conduit.
Fel Lord Zakuun is the first boss of the Destructor’s Rise wing of Hellfire Citadel LFR in the 6.2 Warlords of Draenor expansion. He is accessible from the Nexus of Souls by following the corridor east to Grommash’s Torment or after defeating Shadow-Lord Iskar by taking the door in the northeast corner of Iskar’s Clutch.
Xhul’horac alternates between Fel (Fire) and Void (Shadow) phases, summoning adds like Wild Pyromaniacs and Unstable Voidfiends that must die first. Avoid mixing Feltouched (Fire) and Voidtouched (Shadow) debuffs to prevent deadly Shadowfel Annihilation explosions. Tanks swap for Fel Strike/Void Strike**, while DPS prioritize adds. In the final phase (<20%), use Bloodlust to burn the boss before Overwhelming Chaos stacks wipe the raid. Key mechanics include spreading for Void Surge and collapsing Black Holes safely.
Preferred Classes:
Tanks: Strong active mitigation (e.g., Paladin, DK) to handle heavy hits.
DPS:
High burst for adds (Wild Pyromaniacs/Voidfiends).
Classes with stuns/interrupts ( Rogues, Mages) for Pyromaniacs.
Ranged for spreading during Void Glare.
Healers: Strong raid cooldowns ( Disc Priest, Holy Pala) for Black Hole/burst phases.
Tips:
Debuff Management:
Feltouched (Fire) and Voidtouched (Shadow) last 15s. Avoid taking the opposite damage type.
Use Shadowfel Annihilation strategically to clear fire/void patches.
Tyrant Velhari is a three-phase boss in Hellfire Citadel (WoD 6.2), each with a unique Aura (movement damage, heal cap, or increased damage). She gains Corrupt Power via phase-specific abilities (e.g., Annihilating Strike, Tainted Shadows) and spends it on deadly spells like Infernal Tempest. Adds spawn at 90%, 60%, and 30% health—prioritize killing the Harbinger (interrupt heals) and Sovereign (removes damage reduction). Key mechanics: Stack for Edict of Condemnation, heal Touch of Harm absorbs, and minimize movement in Phase 1. Use Bloodlust in Phase 3 (or Phase 2 on Mythic) for a clean burn.
Preferred Classes:
Tanks: Strong active mitigation (e.g., DKs, Paladins) for Seal of Decay swaps.
Mannoroth is a multi-phase fight in Hellfire Citadel where players first kill Fel Iron Summoners to stop demon adds (Doom Lords, Fel Imps, Dread Infernals). In Phase 2, Gul’dan resurrects Mannoroth, who uses Glaive Combos (tank swaps required) and Fel Hellstorm (avoidable AoE). Phase 3 adds Shadowforce, pushing players back—strafe to avoid falling. Final Phase 4 empowers all abilities; use Bloodlust here and manage Gazing Shadows (soak in pairs). Key mechanics: prioritize adds, dodge ground effects, and position carefully for knockbacks.
Preferred Classes:
Tanks: Strong active mitigation (e.g., Paladin, DK) for Glaive Combo.
Archimonde is the final boss of Hellfire Citadel (WoD 6.2), featuring three phases with escalating mechanics like Doomfire kiting, Shackled Torment (break tethers carefully), and Twisting Nether realm portals. Prioritize killing adds (Doomfire Spirits, Infernals) over the boss. Use Bloodlust in the final phase (sub-25%) to burn Infernals and Archimonde. Tanks must swap on Death Brand/Shadow Blast, while healers mitigate raid-wide damage from Unleashed Torment. Heroic adds Wrought Chaos beams and Living Shadows. Loot includes the Grove Warden mount (pre-Legion) and Eredar-themed transmog.
Preferred Classes:
Tanks: Strong cooldowns for Death Brand/Shadow Blast (e.g., DKs, Paladins).
Melee DPS: High burst for Overfiends/Infernals ( Warriors, Rogues).
Ranged DPS: Mobile for Doomfire kiting ( Hunters, Mages).
Healers: Raid-wide cooldowns for Unleashed Torment ( Druids, Holy Priests).
Tips:
Doomfire: Kite spirits away; stack for Allure of Flames baiting.
Shadowfel Burst: Spread before launch, stack to split damage.
Shackled Torment: Break tethers one by one to avoid raid wipe.
Comments: