Tougher enemies and greater rewards, but never stronger gear.
Feature Overview
- Adjustable difficulty - Choose your Torment level, each increasing enemy strength and rewards.
- Dynamic scaling - All creatures, elites, and bosses grow stronger in Torment Mode.
- Bonus rewards - Gain more experience, extra loot, and open-world elite drops equivalent to dungeon gear.
- Challenge beyond limits - Go beyond Torment level ten for personal achievement, not higher rewards.
- Co-op ready - The group leader sets the Torment level for the whole party.
Why and Philosophy
In the original Wrath of the Lich King, the world felt dangerous, alive, and sometimes punishing. Over time, familiarity and optimization made it easier, and with Specless and Gear Affixes, players are now more powerful than ever.
We didn't want to take away that power. Instead, we wanted to reintroduce a sense of danger and accomplishment while letting you choose your path.
Torment Mode allows players to shape their own experience, from casual adventurers to those who crave brutal challenges.
How It Works
In Torment Mode, every creature in the world, from common mobs to raid bosses, becomes stronger. They gain more health, armor, damage, and resistances, and some will randomly acquire WoTLK-themed affixes that grant them new abilities or effects. Encounters feel more dynamic, unpredictable, and rewarding.
You'll also earn more for facing the challenge:
- Increased experience gains from killing mobs.
- Extra loot from enemies and bosses (more, but not stronger loot).
- Open-world Rare Elites can drop dungeon LFG equivalent gear.
- Max-level dungeons and raids reward achievements, titles, and extra loot per clear in Torment.
- Extra gold, it helps offset repair costs, since you'll likely need more of it.
Starting and Scaling Difficulty
Every new character begins in Torment Mode.
If you find it too challenging, you can disable it at any time.
If you want more, you can increase your difficulty up to Torment 10, with each level scaling both enemy strength and rewards. As you level up, you unlock new Torment difficulty levels you can choose to activate.
If you want to push beyond Torment 10, you must complete a full run and clear the latest available Raid in your highest unlocked Torment. Each time you do it, you unlock a new difficulty level. However, beyond Torment 10, besides achievements and titles, there's no more increase in the other rewards.
Rules and Mechanics
Group play
The group leader chooses the Torment level, which applies to everyone in the group.
Unlocking difficulty
You can't start at the highest level immediately. Every ten player levels unlocks one new Torment tier.
For example, reaching level 20 unlocks Torment 2.
Phasing
With Torment mode, the world is phased as follows:
- In sanctuaries and inns, all the players are in the same phase
- All the players that disable Torment mode are in the same phase
- Between Torment level 1 and Torment level 10, there's one phase per Torment level
- After Torment level 10, the additional levels are only applied in dungeons and raids, so all players in Torment 10 or more are in the same phase
Changing difficulty
You can switch between Torment difficulty, choosing any level you have unlocked in the dedicated interface. If you are in a group, only the leader can change for the whole group. You have to be out of combat to change Torment difficulty.
Automatic scaling
Torment difficulty doesn't increase automatically when you level up.
When you reach a new ten-level bracket, a higher Torment tier unlocks, but it's your choice to activate it.
World coverage
Torment Mode applies everywhere except in sanctuaries and inns, where all players share the same phase and difficulty is disabled.
Torment Gains
| Torment Level | HP % | Damage % | % Experience | Gold Raids On Bosses % | Other Effects | Unlock at Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 50% | 25% | 300% | 0 | - | 1 |
| 1 | 60% | 30% | 400 % | 0 | - | 10 |
| 2 | 60% | 30% | 450 % | 0 | - | 20 |
| 3 | 60% | 30% | 500% | 0 | - | 30 |
| 4 | 60% | 30% | 550% | 0 | - | 40 |
| 5 | 60% | 30% | 600 % | 0% | 50 | |
| 6 | 60% | 30% | 650 % | 60% | 2 Affixes on boosted Enemies Open World | 60 |
| 7 | 60% | 30% | 700% | 75% | 3 Affixes on boosted Enemies Open World | 70 |
| 8 | 100% | 50% | - | 100% | All enemies can aggro you. | 80 |
| 9 | 300% | 75% | - | 200% | - | 80 |
| 10 | 750% | 100% | - | 300% | 4 Affixes On Enemies Open World | 80 |
| X | +5 per level | + 2.5 % per level | - | no changes | no changes | 80 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I get better gear for higher Torment levels?
No, you get more loot, not stronger loot. Torment Mode is about challenge and reward pacing, not item power inflation.
Can I change Torment difficulty anytime?
Yes, you can freely switch between any levels you've unlocked, as long as you're not in combat. If you are in a group, only the leader can change the difficulty level.
Can low-level players join high-level Torment groups?
Yes, if you have unlocked the required Torment level. For instance, if you are level 20 (you have access to Torment level 2), you won't be able to play in Torment 5, even in a group. The group leader has to tune down the difficulty to Torment level 2 so that you can play together.
Why make the game harder?
Because the challenge was part of what made WotLK memorable. Torment Mode keeps that feeling alive while respecting player freedom. You decide how far to push your character's limits.
Torment Mode brings danger back to the world, on your terms.
Fight harder battles, earn greater rewards, and rediscover what it means to conquer the world.