World of Warcraft’s “Ghosts of K’aresh” Update Opens the Door to Season 3
Blizzard has rolled out the Ghosts of K’aresh patch for World of Warcraft: The War Within, expanding the MMORPG’s ongoing Worldsoul Saga with a fresh zone, a new storyline chapter, and several systems designed to keep veteran players busy ahead of Season 3 on August 12. The update returns players to the shattered Etherial homeworld of K’aresh, a location teased as far back as The Burning Crusade, and sets the stage for a confrontation with the Void Lord Dimensius.
Beyond the narrative beats, the patch introduces quality-of-life tweaks and a handful of experimental mechanics, most notably “Phase Diving,” which lets characters slip into a parallel layer of the world using a new artifact cloak. With Season 3 only a week away, this content drop effectively bridges the gap between story progression and the upcoming raid tier.
Key Changes:
- New Zone: K’aresh, a void-scarred planet scattered with eco-domes and Etherial ruins.
- City Hub: Tazavesh, the Veiled Market returns as a safe-zone hub rather than a standalone dungeon.
- Faction: The K’aresh Trust offers a Renown track and cosmetic rewards.
- Raid: Manaforge Omega launches with three Raid Finder wings, starting August 12.
- Artifact Cloak: Reshii Wraps upgrade over time and unlock Phase Diving content.
- Delve: The Archival Assault, set inside the Dragon Isles’ Azure Vaults.
- Ecological Succession: a sandbox system that tasks players with repopulating eco-domes.
- Dungeon: Eco-Dome Al’dani (Normal, Heroic, Mythic 0 on day one).
- Season 3 Dungeon Pool: a mix of classics like Halls of Atonement and both halves of Tazavesh, plus the new Eco-Dome run.
- Class tuning: reworks for Shadow Priest, Brewmaster Monk, Frost and Unholy Death Knight, among others.
- PvP update: revised talents and a new outdoor skirmish zone, Vanquisher’s Wake.
K’aresh has been part of Warcraft lore since 2007, when Etherials first appeared in Netherstorm. Until now the planet was unplayable, referenced only in quests and novels. Its arrival gives long-time players a concrete look at Etherial culture while reinforcing The War Within’s cosmic focus. The update also ties directly into Midnight, the next chapter of the Worldsoul Saga that Blizzard plans to ship after The War Within.
Season 3 timeline
- August 12: Normal, Heroic, Mythic, and Raid Finder Wing 1 go live alongside the Season 3 Mythic+ rotation.
- August 19: Story Mode and Raid Finder Wing 2 become available.
- August 26: Raid Finder Wing 3 unlocks, culminating in the Dimensius encounter.
Further reading: Official announcement
