World of Warcraft's Dreadlord Tichondrius

With Patch 7.1.5 and World of Warcraft: Legion's third raid right around the corner, Blizzard has decided to do a bit of a preview showcasing the challenges that lie ahead. So if you're interested in learning more about the bosses that inhabit the Nighthold, and don't mind the slight spoilers that come with such revelations, head on over to the official blog.

Perhaps the most interesting piece of information there is that unlike most other raids that are designed to be as dreary and gloomy as possible, the Nighthold has been built from the ground up with the image of grand palace in mind - a rather stark contrast to the dreary gloominess of the Emerald Nightmare. Or as the developers themselves put it:

"Even though Gul’dan awaits atop the main spire of the Nighthold, and even though mighty Legion adversaries like Tichondrius and Krosus lurk within the walls of the compound, the Nighthold is not a traditional demonic raid. It stands as a testament to perhaps the greatest civilization Azeroth has ever seen: the pinnacle of elven magic and sophistication.

Just as our artists and designers approached the creation of the city of Suramar with the aim of evoking the feel and bustle of a living city under occupation, the dungeon team wanted to make sure the Nighthold really felt like the grand palace of Suramar. From botanical gardens to guest quarters, from an observatory to chambers enclosing the power source of nightborne civilization, we tried to build a grand royal court and then consider how the Legion’s presence would affect and transform that foundation. Many of our raid zones are dark and oppressive places, by necessity—the domain of Xavius cannot be bright and cheery—but the Nighthold offers a raid environment that is both beautiful and deadly."

For those of you wondering about the exact date when the Nighthold will open, and more importantly when it will open in Mythic and Raid Finder difficulties, here's the full schedule:

Tuesday, January 17: Nighthold Normal and Heroic difficulties open.

Tuesday, January 24: Nighthold Mythic difficulty and Raid Finder Wing 1 (Arcing Aqueducts) open.

Tuesday, February 7: Nighthold Raid Finder Wing 2 (Royal Athenaeum) opens.

Tuesday, February 21: Nighthold Raid Finder Wing 3 (Nightspire) opens.

Tuesday, March 7: Nighthold Raid Finder Wing 4 (Betrayer’s Rise) opens.

And finally, if you're looking for the full and extremely detailed patch notes, you can find them by heading over to the WoW forums. There is a truly ridiculous amount of changes there, so I would recommend getting a cup of coffee before you dive in. Enjoy!

Gul'Dan from World of Warcraft's Nighthold raid

Elisande from World of Warcraft's Nighthold raid