TL;DR
- Phase 3 launches June 20 with Titan Rune Dungeons and Trial of the Champion
- Three major raids open June 22: Trial of the Crusader, Grand Crusader, and Level 80 Onyxia’s Lair
- Titan Rune Dungeons offer Ulduar-level gear and Sidereal Essence currency
- Smart item investments now can yield significant gold profits later
- Heroic mode raids require specific preparation and strategy adjustments
The highly anticipated WotLK Phase 3: Call of the Crusade arrives on June 20, bringing substantial new content and gameplay opportunities. Three major raid dungeons—Trial of the Crusader, Trial of the Grand Crusader, and Level 80 Onyxia’s Lair—will become available on June 22, giving players just enough time to master the new systems.

Strategic preparation is crucial for maximizing your experience and profitability in the new phase. Early investments in specific materials and items can generate substantial returns as demand spikes for new content. Our comprehensive preparation guide reveals exactly which markets to target and how to optimize your gold-making strategies.
(New) Titan Rune Dungeons-Defense Protocol Beta
Challenge yourself in Titan Rune Dungeons featuring Defense Protocol Beta, where enemies gain enhanced abilities, increased health pools, and dangerous new mechanics. Successfully defeating bosses with this protocol active rewards gear equivalent to 10-player Ulduar quality. The final encounter also grants Sidereal Essence—a valuable currency exchangeable for 10-player Hard Mode Ulduar equipment at the Animated Constellation vendor in Dalaran.

Titan Rune difficulty represents a significant step up from standard heroic dungeons, applying to all existing Wrath of the Lich King heroic instances. Many players hope Blizzard will extend this challenging mode to original vanilla dungeons in future updates.
The gear progression system provides 10-man Ulduar level equipment as catch-up gear, with occasional Trial of the Crusader quality items appearing in end-game dungeons like Stratholme, Upper Blackrock Spire, and Scholomance. These challenging encounters are designed to maintain player engagement through difficult, rewarding content.
Trial of the Champion
Begin your coliseum journey at the Crusader’s Coliseum within the Argent Tournament grounds. This 5-player dungeon introduces unique mechanics and valuable rewards.

Trial of the Champion features a single dedicated quest: the Heroic daily ‘Proof of Demise: The Black Knight.’ Completing this quest daily provides consistent rewards and reputation gains.
This excellently designed dungeon showcases innovative combat mechanics, including spell reflection opportunities where players can use abilities like
Hammer of Justice to counter boss abilities. The final encounter against the Black Knight presents a challenging two-phase battle featuring exploding ghouls that test raid awareness and coordination.
The Argent Tournament
Participate in the Argent Tournament to access fresh questlines and daily objectives while demonstrating your jousting skills for exclusive rewards.
Wrath of the Lich King PvP Season 7 Begins
Three Big Dungeons Will Open on June 22:
Trial of the Crusader and Trial of the Grand Crusader: Confront the demanding trials of the 10 and 25-player raid versions. These encounters require precise execution and thorough preparation.

Level 80 Onyxia’s Lair: Confront the legendary dragon Onyxia in her redesigned level 80 raid encounter.
Trial of the Grand Crusader serves as the heroic difficulty version of Trial of the Crusader. These represent the most demanding raid challenges available before Icecrown Citadel. The primary distinction between standard and heroic versions involves the Argent Crusade Tribute Chest reward system.
Onyxia’s Lair returns as a level 80 raid dungeon situated in Wyrmbog, Dustwallow Marsh. The updated encounter drops headpieces sharing visual designs and naming conventions with the original Tier 2 sets from the level 60 version. Additionally, Onyxia now yields an upgraded version of
Quel’Serrar, making this encounter valuable for both nostalgia and practical gear progression.
Strategic gearing for Phase 3 requires understanding the new itemization patterns. Titan Rune Dungeons provide excellent catch-up gear, while the new raids offer substantial upgrades. Focus on acquiring items with optimal stat distributions for your specialization.
Gold-making opportunities abound with new content releases. Materials required for raid consumables, enchants, and crafted items will see significant demand spikes. Early investment in frost lotus, eternal elements, and specific crafting materials can yield impressive returns as players prepare for progression raiding.
Common preparation mistakes include underestimating consumable requirements, neglecting reputation grinds, and failing to research boss mechanics beforehand. Avoid these pitfalls by planning your consumable stockpile, completing necessary reputation requirements, and studying encounter guides in advance.
Advanced players should focus on optimizing their rotation for the new encounters, practicing movement patterns, and coordinating with their raid team on specific assignments.
Action Checklist
- Stockpile raid consumables (flasks, potions, food)
- Complete Argent Tournament reputation requirements
- Study boss mechanics for Trial of the Crusader and Onyxia
- Acquire Titan Rune dungeon gear for catch-up
- Invest in high-demand crafting materials for gold making
No reproduction without permission:GameCDjnh » WotLK Phase 3 Is Coming on June 20 Master WotLK Phase 3 with expert strategies for new dungeons, Titan Rune mechanics, and gold-making opportunities
