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:  [60] Attunement to the Core. 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]  [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).

Instances

The instances listed here require a key or attunement to access some or all areas of the instance. In some cases, a rogue can use lockpicking in lieu of a key. In most cases, only one player needs to open the door for all members of the group to gain access.

• Scarlet Monastery (Armory and Cathedral)
• Blackrock Depths (the latter half of the instance; The Grim Guzzler, General Angerforge and subsequent bosses)
• Dire Maul (North and West)
• Scholomance
• Stratholme
• Hellfire Citadel - Shattered Halls
• Auchindoun - Shadow Labyrinth
• Tempest Keep - Key to the Arcatraz

Heroic mode keys

To enter the heroic mode version of an Outland instance you must earn honored reputation status with a specific faction related to that instance. Once honored 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.

Hellfire Citadel	Honor Hold Thrallmar
Coilfang Reservoir	Cenarion Expedition
Auchindoun	Lower City
Tempest Keep	Sha'tar
Caverns of Time	Keepers of Time
Magister's Terrace	You just need to complete the quest chain that starts from Exarch Larethor on the Isle of Quel'Danas.

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. Indeed, in a blue post that the person who added this content didn't take the time to link to, someone from Blizzard stated, "Attunements tended to cause more frustration than benefit so we have aimed to put the story parts into optional quests and allow players to have easier access to the dungeons. I don't remember when heading to Onyxia anybody being excited to help someone do the attunement again."

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 Icecrown Citadel and Trial of the Crusader in which you need to bring down the final boss in the respective non heroic versions of the instance in order to access the heroic versions. Heroic versions of regular instanced dungeons require the person to simply be at 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

Patch changes

Patch 2.0.3 (2007-01-09): The Requirement for Heroic Keys has been lowered to Honored.
Patch 3.0.8 (2009-01-20): [Mallet of Zul'Farrak] is no longer required to summon Gahz'rilla in Zul'Farrak.
Patch 3.0.8 (2009-01-20): [Scepter of Celebras] is no longer required to create a portal to the Earth Song Falls area of inner Maraudon.
Patch 3.0.8 (2009-01-20): [Seal of Ascension] is no longer required to open the door leading to Upper Blackrock Spire.