Instance attunement

Instance attunement refers to the process of gaining permanent access to an instance. The term comes from one of the first of such quests created:. Many of the endgame instances originally required you to complete a quest or obtain a certain item to enter. This strategy has largely been phased out, although some instances (particularly heroic raid modes) still require attunement.

With patch 1.11, players received a keyring, which holds many items required for attunements. However, some items, like Scepter of Celebras and Mallet of Zul'Farrak, still take up inventory space.

Since patch 2.0.1 the keyring grows dynamically as the player gathers more keys, rather than a certain number slots per so many levels.


 * For a detailed look at attunement to the non-Burning Crusade instances, see Instance attunement (Original).
 * For a detailed look at attunement to the Burning Crusade instances, see Instance attunement (Burning Crusade).

Heroic mode keys
To enter the heroic mode version of an Outland instance you must earn reputation status with a specific faction related to that instance. Once status is obtained, the keys can simply be purchased from that faction's quartermaster. The currently available instances and their respective factions are listed below. Please note that all party members must have a key to enter the instance in heroic mode.

As for instances in Northrend, upon reaching the level cap (level 80) Heroic mode is automatically unlocked for all instances. In addition, Northrend raids (Naxxramas, The Obsidian Sanctum and The Eye of Eternity) now include a Heroic (25-man as opposed to the normal 10-man) version as well, which is also unlocked by reaching level 80.

Raids
Except for Upper Blackrock Spire and Karazhan, all raid members originally needed to possess a key to enter the instance. Both Molten Core and Blackwing Lair required respective attunement through quests to enter by their respective shortcuts but not to enter the instances themselves.
 * Upper Blackrock Spire No attunement required as of patch 3.0.8
 * Molten Core - Attunement still required for shortcut. Can be summoned in by warlock or use the entrance in Blackrock Depths.
 * Onyxia's Lair No attunement required as of patch 3.0.2
 * Blackwing Lair - Attunement still required for shortcut. Can be summoned in by warlock or use the entrance in Upper Blackrock Spire.
 * Naxxramas ''Original Naxxramas no longer in existence as of 3.0, new Naxxramas has no attunement
 * Karazhan Only 1 person needs key for their entire raid as of patch 2.4
 * Coilfang Reservoir: Serpentshrine Cavern No attunement required as of patch 2.1.2
 * Tempest Keep: The Eye No attunement required as of patch 2.1.2
 * Caverns of Time: Battle for Mount Hyjal No attunement required as of patch 2.4
 * The Black Temple No attunement required as of patch 2.4

Paradigm shift
For April Fool's 2007, Blizzard released a joke attunement page listing all of the impossible tasks that needed to be accomplished in order to enter the Black Temple. This has been taken in retrospect as foreshadowing the attunements' later removal and the fact that subsequent raids (starting with Sunwell Plateau) lacked the ridiculous attunement requirements that had been introduced for the original Burning Crusade content. Blizzard instead decided that it would be better to make content more accessible for everyone and to make the storyline quests optional for the players who want to do them.

In Wrath of the Lich King
Attunement to instances was for the most part removed entirely in Wrath of the Lich King. Notable exceptions include the heroic versions of the Trial of the Crusader and Icecrown Citadel raids in that the raid leader is required to have completed the respective non-heroic versions of the instance in order to be able to switch to heroic difficulty. Heroic versions of 5man dungeons simply require all party members to be level 80.

While actual attunement has been removed, there are nevertheless gear check boss fights in all instances to prevent an under geared and unprepared raid from waltzing through.

Other keys

 * Key to Searing Gorge
 * Yeh'kinya's Scroll
 * The Scarlet Key
 * Prison Cell Key
 * Workshop Key