The Venomous Abyss is the eight-boss raid introduced in World of Warcraft: Midnight Season 2. It opened during the week of August 18, 2026, as part of the Curse of Ula’tek update. The raid is located in the Vaults of Atal’Utek beneath the Coiled Isle and is available on Raid Finder, Normal, Heroic, and Mythic difficulties.
Ula’tek is an ancient serpent goddess once worshipped by the Amani. Guided by the spirit of Malacrass, Zul’jan frees her broods from their prison, forcing the champions of Azeroth to descend into the vaults and stop him before Ula’tek is unleashed.
In this guide:
- Release Date and Raid Schedule
- Bosses and Encounters
- Venomous Abyss Raid Skip
- Glory of the Venomous Raider
- Hall of Fame: Ula’tek
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The Venomous Abyss rewards include class set armor, unique weapons, trinkets, Cantrip gear, tier set tokens, achievements, and mounts. The final boss, Ula’tek, also drops a Slumbering Coil Curio that can be exchanged for a tier set piece.
The Venomous Abyss Release Date and Raid Schedule
Confirmed Raid Schedule
| Content | Availability |
| Curse of Ula’tek Update | Week of August 11, 2026 |
| Season 2 and Raid Launch | Week of August 18, 2026 |
| Normal, Heroic, and Mythic | Week of August 18, 2026 |
| Raid Finder Wing 1 | Week of August 18, 2026 |
| Story Mode and Raid Finder Wing 2 | Week of August 25, 2026 |
| Raid Finder Wing 3 | Week of September 1, 2026 |
| Raid Finder Wing 4 | Week of September 8, 2026 |
The Curse of Ula’tek content update went live during the week of August 11. Midnight Season 2 and The Venomous Abyss followed during the week of August 18. Normal, Heroic, Mythic, and the first Raid Finder wing opened together, followed by the remaining Raid Finder wings on August 25, September 1, and September 8.
Venomous Abyss PTR Testing: Historical Schedule
The PTR testing schedule below is included as a record of the pre-launch testing period. These dates have passed, and the schedule is no longer relevant to live raid access. Testing could change because of bugs, server issues, and other test environment factors. The final boss, Ula’tek, was excluded from the scheduled raid testing.
Heroic Testing (June 25 and 26, 2026)
| Date | Boss | Time (PDT) |
| Thursday, June 25 | Nek’zali the Soulcoiler | 12:00 PDT |
| The Lost Explorers | 13:00 PDT | |
| Entombed Sentinels | 14:00 PDT | |
| Friday, June 26 | Sszorak | 11:00 PDT |
| Vashnik the Malignant | 12:00 PDT | |
| The Twin Fangs | 13:00 PDT | |
| The Coiled Altar | 14:00 PDT |
Mythic Testing (July 9 and 10, 2026)
| Date | Boss | Time (PDT) |
| Thursday, July 9 | Vashnik the Malignant | 12:00 PDT |
| The Lost Explorers | 13:00 PDT | |
| Entombed Sentinels | 14:00 PDT | |
| Friday, July 10 | Sszorak | 12:00 PDT |
| The Twin Fangs | 13:00 PDT | |
| The Coiled Altar | 14:00 PDT |
Normal Difficulty Weekend Test (July 10 to 13, 2026)
| Event | Start | End |
| The Venomous Abyss Normal | Friday, July 10 at 15:00 PDT | Monday, July 13 at 10:00 PDT |
Additional Mythic Testing (July 16, 2026)
| Boss | Time (PDT) |
| Nek’zali the Soulcoiler (Mythic) | 11:00 PDT |
| The Lost Explorers (Mythic) | 12:00 PDT |
| Vashnik the Malignant (Mythic) | 13:00 PDT |
| The Coiled Altar (Mythic) | 14:00 PDT |
The Venomous Abyss Bosses
The Venomous Abyss has 8 bosses. Here is a brief overview of each encounter.
| Boss | Lore / Description |
| Nek’zali the Soulcoiler | Long ago, the shadow hunter Nek’zali and her followers were entombed for the blasphemous act of summoning Ula’tek. Restored by the very power she unleashed, she calls the other Soulcoilers from their tombs to serve her once more. |
| Entombed Sentinels | The Blood and Breath of Ula’tek bar the way to Vashnik’s inner sanctum. Ancient golems that long stood guard within the vaults, now corrupted by the venom of the nightmarish monster they imprisoned. |
| The Lost Explorers | A band of tortollans, possessed by spirits, have come to their senses near the sarcophagus of an ancient Soulcoiler. Trapped in the vault, they seek ancient artifacts to protect themselves from further possession by vengeful spirits. |
| Vashnik the Malignant | Within The Chamber of Virulence, Vashnik the Malignant distills Ula’tek‘s venoms into ever more lethal forms. The creature lurks in its noxious chamber, brewing foul toxins to empower its brood. |
| Sszorak | A horrifying creature, warped by Ula’tek‘s toxic venom, Sszorak is a brutal instrument of vengeance. Calling upon the winds that howl deep within Atal’Utek, it tears apart any living creature it encounters. |
| The Twin Fangs | The first of Ula’tek‘s blood, Vexhul and Ithraz brood beneath a roiling sea of venom deep within the vault of Atal’Utek. Any foolish enough to enter the prison’s inner chamber risk their monstrous jaws and toxic strikes. |
| The Coiled Altar | The spirit of Malacrass will not release his grip on Zul’jan so easily. At the Coiled Altar, the shaman commands the warrior to enact the final ritual to unleash Ula’tek on the Amani for revenge, and to gain their promised reward. |
| Ula’tek | Not available for PTR testing. The great shame of the Amani empire. The vast complex of Atal’Utek was created to imprison the weapon that proved to be as much of a threat as the enemy she was intended to destroy. Ula’tek has risen from her ancient slumber and threatens all of Azeroth if she should escape. |
Venomous Abyss Skip: How to Unlock Deception Unmasked
The Venomous Abyss skip is unlocked through The Venomous Abyss: Deception Unmasked. Complete the quest by collecting 3 Mask Fragments from Hex Lord Malacrass in The Coiled Altar on the difficulty you want to skip in future runs.
| Requirement | Details |
| Quest | The Venomous Abyss: Deception Unmasked |
| Required items | 3 Mask Fragments |
| Source | Hex Lord Malacrass in The Coiled Altar |
| Difficulty | Normal, Heroic, and Mythic have separate quest progress |
| Route | Defeat Nek’zali, then use the unlocked route to bypass the middle section and reach The Coiled Altar and Ula’tek |
The skip is designed for repeat runs focused on the final encounters. It is not a direct teleport from the entrance to Ula’tek, and Nek’zali still needs to be defeated. Plan a full clear when you need loot or progression from the bosses along the skipped route. Do not confuse Mask Fragment with the separate cosmetic item Hex Troll Mask Fragment.
Glory of the Venomous Raider: Achievement and Mount
Glory of the Venomous Raider is the Season 2 raid meta-achievement. It requires completing eight boss-specific achievements in The Venomous Abyss, one for each encounter, on Normal difficulty or higher. Completing the meta-achievement rewards the Crimson Venomfang mount.
Raid Finder and Story Mode do not count toward the eight Normal-or-higher achievement requirements. Before starting, make sure the group understands the extra objective for each boss instead of treating the run as a standard clear. The requirements are tied to encounter-specific actions, so check the current achievement tracker and review the relevant boss strategy before each pull.
Use the Venomous Abyss raid guide and boost page for the boss roster and raid details. Keep the achievement run separate from a routine loot clear if the group needs time to coordinate the special objectives.
Venomous Abyss Hall of Fame: Ula’tek
Hall of Fame: Ula’tek was awarded to the first 200 guilds worldwide to defeat Ula’tek on Mythic difficulty. The reward included the title Famed Slayer of Ula’tek. Blizzard’s Hall of Fame reached its 200-guild limit in October 2026 and closed with the weekly reset on October 13 in the Americas and October 14 in Europe. The achievement and title are no longer obtainable by new guilds.
This is different from the regular Mythic Ula’tek kill and from the Glory of the Venomous Raider meta-achievement. Glory is an eight-boss challenge achievement available on Normal or higher, while Hall of Fame was a limited Race to World First milestone for the first 200 guilds to defeat the final boss on Mythic.
Venomous Abyss Key Takeaways
| Aspect | Details |
| Raid Name | The Venomous Abyss |
| Bosses | 8 (Ula’tek is the final boss) |
| Season | Midnight Season 2 |
| Patch | 12.1 Curse of Ula’tek |
| Confirmed Start | Week of August 18, 2026 |
| PTR Testing | Completed before live release |
| Raid Skip | Unlock The Venomous Abyss: Deception Unmasked with 3 Mask Fragments on the relevant difficulty |
| Glory Achievement | Complete eight boss-specific achievements on Normal or higher to earn the Crimson Venomfang |
| Hall of Fame | Closed in October 2026 after 200 guilds defeated Ula’tek on Mythic |
| Special Gear | Cantrip and other special effect items |
| Theme | Amani troll, serpent, poison, Ula’tek |
FAQ
When did the Venomous Abyss raid launch?
The Venomous Abyss launched during the week of August 18, 2026, with Midnight Season 2. Normal, Heroic, Mythic, and Raid Finder Wing 1 opened first. Story Mode and Raid Finder Wing 2 followed during the week of August 25, Wing 3 during the week of September 1, and Wing 4 during the week of September 8.
Where is the Venomous Abyss?
The Venomous Abyss is located in the Vaults of Atal’Utek beneath the Coiled Isle. The raid follows the story of Zul’jan, Malacrass, and Ula’tek and ends with the encounter against Ula’tek.
How many bosses are in the Venomous Abyss?
The Venomous Abyss has eight bosses: Nek’zali the Soulcoiler, Entombed Sentinels, The Lost Explorers, Vashnik the Malignant, Sszorak, The Twin Fangs, The Coiled Altar, and Ula’tek.
How do I unlock the Venomous Abyss skip?
Complete The Venomous Abyss: Deception Unmasked by collecting 3 Mask Fragments from Hex Lord Malacrass in The Coiled Altar. Normal, Heroic, and Mythic have separate quest versions, so progress the difficulty you intend to use. The shortcut still requires defeating Nek’zali and does not teleport you straight to Ula’tek.
What is Glory of the Venomous Raider?
It is the Season 2 raid meta-achievement. Complete one special achievement for each of the eight bosses on Normal difficulty or higher to earn the Crimson Venomfang mount. Raid Finder and Story Mode do not count for these requirements.
Can I still earn Hall of Fame: Ula’tek?
No. Hall of Fame: Ula’tek was limited to the first 200 guilds worldwide to defeat Ula’tek on Mythic. It closed with the October 13, 2026 reset in the Americas and the October 14 reset in Europe. The associated title is Famed Slayer of Ula’tek.
Which difficulties are available?
The raid is available on Raid Finder, Normal, Heroic, and Mythic difficulties. Story Mode also opened during the Season 2 release schedule.
Where do the tier set tokens come from?
Tier set tokens come from bosses 2 through 6. Ula’tek drops the Slumbering Coil Curio, which can be exchanged for a tier set armor piece of your choice.
Can I get special effect gear from the raid?
Yes. The Venomous Abyss contains Cantrip and other special effect items, along with class sets, unique weapons, trinkets, tier set tokens, and other rewards.
