In The War Within, the Great Vault remains a central system for weekly rewards in WoW. It grants players high-level gear based on their activities across three categories: Raids, Mythic+ dungeons, and Open-World content. The more objectives completed in each category, the greater the number of reward options available for the week. This system enables players to plan their progression and select equipment that best suits their character/alts needs.
If you want to get the most out of the Great Vault and understand how to maximize your rewards each week, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know.
Great Vault Weekly Reset Times
In The War Within, the Great Vault refreshes with the weekly realm reset. This means that all the rewards you’ve earned by completing Great Vault objectives during the previous week become available to choose from only after the reset.
- NA: Tuesday, 10:00 AM PST
- EU: Wednesday, 04:00 AM CET
You can only fill reward slots until the reset occurs, so you won't be able to claim anything beforehand. After the reset, go to Dornogal's bank to open the Vault and choose your item.
Location Great Vault
In the The War Within expansion of World of Warcraft, the Great Vault is physically located in the bank in Dornogal.
- You access the Great Vault weekly chest inside the bank building there.
- This location is consistent and players can visit it any time after the weekly reset to claim their rewards.
How the Great Vault Works In The War Within
The Great Vault functions as your weekly summary and reward hub for endgame activities in The War Within. Each week, your progress across three key gameplay categories fills the Vault with potential gear rewards:
- Raid Boss Kills: Defeating bosses in the current season’s raid unlocks raid loot options. The number of bosses defeated determines how many reward slots you earn, with up to three slots possible here.
- Dungeons: Completing dungeons in Heroic, Mythic, Timewalking, or Mythic+ difficulties adds dungeon loot choices to your Vault. The quantity of dungeons cleared correlates directly with the number of slots unlocked, again up to three.
- World Content Activities: Engaging in Delves, World events, and other special activities contributes to your World Content progress, unlocking additional loot slots, with a maximum of three slots.
Each category grants up to 3 reward slots, allowing you to unlock up to 9 total reward options each week.
However, despite unlocking multiple choices, you can only select one item from the Vault weekly. This limitation emphasizes the importance of completing as many objectives as possible, since more choices mean a higher likelihood that the Vault will offer gear that truly benefits your character.
Also before The War Within expansion, you could earn Great Vault rewards through PvP activities as well. However, since The War Within, PvP no longer contributes to the Great Vault. Instead, the PvP slot was replaced by World Content objectives such as Delves and world events.
How to Unlock Great Vault Rewards: Objectives and Requirements
Here is exactly what you need to do each week to unlock the corresponding Great Vault rewards:
| Content Type | Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raids | Defeat 2 Raid Bosses | Defeat 4 Raid Bosses | Defeat 6 Raid Bosses |
| Dungeons | Complete 1 Dungeon | Complete 4 Dungeons | Complete 8 Dungeons |
| World Content | Complete 2 Delves or World Activities | Complete 4 Delves or World Activities | Complete 8 Delves or World Activities |
Great Vault Raid Objectives
So, each week you can unlock up to three raid-based choices in the Great Vault by hitting these milestones: defeat 2 bosses, defeat 4 bosses, and defeat 6 bosses in the current raid.
The item level for each of those three choices is set by the highest difficulty you reached for that specific milestone (LFR, Normal, Heroic, or Mythic). It doesn’t average difficulties. For example, if you kill 6 bosses total but only 4 of them on Heroic, your first two raid choices will be Heroic, while the third (the 6-kill slot) will drop to Normal.
Similarly, if you have 2 Mythic, then 2 more on Heroic (4 total), then 2 on Normal (6 total), your slots will line up as: Mythic - Heroic - Normal. Killing a later boss without earlier ones still counts, your reward can come from that boss or any earlier boss in the instance.
And remember: any Vault slot can roll a Tier piece, so even non-raid categories can offer Tier. If time is tight, prioritize getting your first 2 and 4 kills at the highest difficulty you can manage! They lock in better item levels for those slots, and you can treat the 6-kill target as your stretch goal.
Dungeon Objectives (Mythic+, Heroic, Timewalking)
In The War Within, completing different types of dungeon content in the Great Vault's dungeon section will reward players. It's not just limited to Mythic+ runs, Heroic and Timewalking runs also contribute towards unlocking your slots. However, the rewards from Heroic and Timewalking runs are capped at a lower item level compared to high Mythic+ keys.
Each week, you can unlock up to three dungeon slots in the Great Vault. One run opens the 1 slot, 4 runs open the second, and 8 runs open the third. Heroic and Timewalking count toward the total, but only Mythic+ keys set the reward item level.
While Heroic and Timewalking dungeons can help you reach the 1/4/8 completions faster, they won’t match the item level from higher Mythic+ keys. For Mythic+, pushing higher keys early in the week ensures better rewards in every unlocked slot.
Mythic+ Great Vault Rewards in TWW Season 3
| Keystone Level | End-of-Dungeon iLvl | Great Vault iLvl | Upgrade Track |
|---|---|---|---|
| +2 | 684 | 694 | Hero 1/6 |
| +3 | 684 | 694 | Hero 1/6 |
| +4 | 688 | 697 | Hero 2/6 |
| +5 | 691 | 697 | Hero 2/6 |
| +6 | 694 | 701 | Hero 3/6 |
| +7 | 694 | 704 | Hero 4/6 |
| +8 | 697 | 704 | Hero 4/6 |
| +9 | 697 | 704 | Hero 4/6 |
| +10 | 701 | 707 | Myth 1/6 |
| +11 | 701 | 707 | Myth 1/6 |
| +12+ | 701 | 707 | Myth 1/6 |
To get the highest dungeon reward, complete at least one high-key run (10+) each week. Then aim for 4 and 8 runs to maximize your choices.
World Content Objectives (Delves, Events, Quests)
In The War Within, the World Content section of the Great Vault rewards you for engaging with open-world activities rather than instanced group content.
You can fill up to three slots here each week by completing Delves, world events, or certain weekly PvE quests. One activity unlocks your first choice, three activities unlock your second, and five activities unlock your third.
The item level for these rewards is lower than raid or high-level Mythic+ gear, but still competitive, especially for alts. Since Delves and events are quick to complete, this is often the easiest category to max out for the week.
Bountiful Delves Great Vault Rewards (Season 3)
| Delve Tier | End-of-Run iLvl | Great Vault iLvl | Upgrade Track |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 655 | 668 | Veteran 1/8 |
| 2 | 658 | 671 | Veteran 2/8 |
| 3 | 661 | 675 | Veteran 3/8 |
| 4 | 664 | 678 | Veteran 4/8 |
| 5 | 668 | 681 | Champion 1/8 |
| 6 | 671 | 688 | Champion 3/8 |
| 7 | 681 | 691 | Champion 4/8 |
| 8+ | 684 | 694 | Hero 1/6 |
If you’re aiming for Hero-track gear from the World Content slot, you’ll need to finish at least 8 Tier 8 Delves in a single week.
About Great Vault Rewards in The War Within
The Great Vault remains one of the best sources of high-level gear in WoW, covering Raids, Dungeons (Heroic, Mythic+...), and World Content. The more challenging objectives you finish, the greater your chances of receiving better loot options each week.
Tier Set Pieces: In the current Great Vault is that Tier Set gear can drop from any category, even if you never set foot in a raid. This means you can complete dungeons or Delves and still progress your tier set.
If no gear suits your character, you can take the Algari Token of Merit Currency, exchangeable with Ardgaz for useful items.
Algari Token of Merit Currency
This special currency allows you to exchange unused Vault slots for valuable items that can help you progress in other ways.
The number of tokens awarded depends on how many Vault reward slots you’ve unlocked that week:
| Unlocked Vault Slots | Tokens Earned |
|---|---|
| 1 Slot | 2 Tokens |
| 2 Slots | 4 Tokens |
| 3+ Slots | 6 Tokens |
Even if you’ve unlocked all nine possible slots, you’ll still get a maximum of 6 tokens if you pass on gear entirely.
Tokens can be exchanged at Ardgaz, an NPC standing right next to the Great Vault in Dornogal’s bank.
| Item | Cost | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Chest of Gold | 1 Token | Grants 1,000 gold instantly. |
| Triumphant Satchel of Carved Ethereal Crests | 1 Token | 15 Carved Ethereal Crests (mid-tier upgrades). |
| Celebratory Pack of Runed Ethereal Crests | 2 Tokens | 15 Runed Ethereal Crests (higher-tier upgrades). |
| Technomancer’s Gift | 6 Tokens | Adds a socket to helm, bracers, or belt (if no socket). |
| Fractured Spark of Starlight | 6 Tokens | Combine with Valorstones to craft/upgrade high-end gear. |
Opting for tokens can be the smarter choice if:
- All offered items are lower item level than your current gear.
- None of the pieces fit your stat priorities.
- You’re working toward a socket or crafting materials for future upgrades.
Because sockets and Sparks are crucial for min-maxing at high gear levels, many players stockpile tokens during weeks when Vault rewards are poor, ensuring they can buy these high-value items later.
Gear Upgrade Tracks for The War Within Season 3
These tracks define the progression curve for The War Within gear, this should help you get your bearings:
| Track | Item Level Gear |
|---|---|
| Explorer | 642–664 |
| Adventurer | 655–678 |
| Veteran | 668–691 |
| Champion | 681–704 |
| Hero | 694–710 |
| Myth | 707–723 |
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, the Great Vault in The War Within is your weekly shot at some of the best gear in the game. You’re the one giving yourself the chances, with just a little luck on the drops... and of course, the more slots you unlock, the better your odds of seeing something worth taking home.
Don’t forget, if the Vault offers nothing you need, those Algari Tokens of Merit can quietly turn into sockets, crests, or gold that’ll still help you in the long run.
Play steady, plan ahead, and enjoy that moment of suspense each week when you crack open the Vault!