World of Warcraft
What Are Mythic+ Affixes in World of Warcraft?
Modifiers on Mythic+ keystones that make enemies tougher or add mechanics, with more of them as the key level rises.
What are affixes in WoW Mythic+?
Affixes are modifiers attached to a Mythic+ keystone that change how the dungeon plays: tougher enemies, extra mechanics or harsher penalties. Low keys have few affixes; as the key level rises, more are added. Knowing the active affixes decides the route, the group composition and how carefully you pull.
Fortified and Tyrannical
These two are the backbone of Mythic+. Fortified gives non-boss enemies more health and damage, which makes trash pulls the hardest part of the run. Tyrannical does the same for bosses, turning boss fights into the main challenge. At lower levels they alternate week by week; since The War Within, high keys have both active at the same time.
How the affix system has changed
| Era | How affixes worked |
|---|---|
| Legion to Dragonflight | A rotation of weekly affixes such as Bolstering, Bursting, Raging, Sanguine, Spiteful, Storming or Volcanic, plus a seasonal affix in many seasons, like Infested, Prideful, Tormented or Thundering |
| The War Within onward | A simpler, tiered system: Xal’atath’s Bargain affixes at lower levels, Fortified and Tyrannical stacking higher up, and at the top Xal’atath’s Guile, which removes the Bargain but makes every death cost more time |
Blizzard reviews the affix list and the key levels where each one appears every season, so check the current week in the game’s Mythic+ panel or on Raider.IO before planning a push.
Playing around affixes
- Fortified weeks: smaller, safer pulls and stops on dangerous casts; save cooldowns for the biggest packs.
- Tyrannical weeks: plan defensives and Bloodlust for bosses, and learn each boss’s deadliest ability.
- Death penalties: at the top levels a single wipe can cost the timer, so playing safe is often faster than pulling big.
- Rotating affixes: assign who handles each one, such as interrupts, dispels or positioning, before the key starts.
Example
On a Tyrannical week, a group running a high key plans Bloodlust for the hardest boss instead of the first big pull, and uses personal defensives on the boss’s main damage ability. They lose a bit of time on trash but time the key.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do affixes affect my Mythic+ rating?
Indirectly. Your rating depends on the key level and time, and higher keys come with more affixes. A strong push often happens in the week whose affixes suit your group best.
Where can I see this week’s affixes?
In the Mythic+ tab of the Group Finder in game and on sites like Raider.IO, which also show upcoming weeks.