How to Get Atiesh, Greatstaff of the Guardian in WoW Classic Era

Obtaining Atiesh, Greatstaff of the Guardian remains one of the most prestigious accomplishments in WoW Classic Era. This legendary staff, once wielded by Medivh the Last Guardian, requires dedication, teamwork, and patience to acquire. Whether you’re a Mage, Warlock, Priest, or Druid, this comprehensive guide will walk you through every step needed to claim this iconic weapon.

What is Atiesh, Greatstaff of the Guardian?

Atiesh is a legendary two-handed staff that can only be obtained by four caster classes: Mages, Warlocks, Priests, and Druids. Each class receives a unique version of the staff with stats tailored to their role, making it a best-in-slot weapon for endgame raiding.

Beyond its impressive stats, Atiesh offers unique features that set it apart from other weapons. The staff grants the ability to open a portal to Karazhan, attracts ravens around the wielder, and provides a powerful aura that enhances nearby party members’ spell damage by up to 33.

Atiesh Stats by Class

Each class version of Atiesh has slightly different stat allocations to match their specific needs:

Mage Version:

• +31 Stamina, +32 Intellect, +24 Spirit
• +28 Spell Critical Strike Rating
• +150 Spell Damage and Healing

Warlock Version:

• +30 Stamina, +29 Intellect
• +28 Spell Critical Strike Rating
• +150 Spell Damage and Healing

Priest Version:

• +28 Stamina, +28 Intellect, +27 Spirit
• +28 Spell Critical Strike Rating
• +150 Spell Damage and Healing

Druid Version:

• +28 Stamina, +28 Intellect, +27 Spirit
• +28 Spell Critical Strike Rating
• +150 Spell Damage and Healing

All versions share the same party-wide aura benefit and portal capability, making Atiesh valuable beyond just personal power.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Get Atiesh

The journey to obtain Atiesh is divided into several distinct phases, each requiring different raids and challenges.

Phase 1: Collect 40 Splinter of Atiesh from Naxxramas

The first and most time-consuming step involves farming Naxxramas to collect splinters of the shattered staff.

Key Information:

• You need exactly 40 Splinter of Atiesh
• Splinters drop from 13 of the 15 bosses in Naxxramas (all except Sapphiron and Kel’Thuzad)
• Drop rate is approximately 20-30% per boss
• Splinters are Bind on Pickup and class-restricted (Mage, Warlock, Priest, Druid only)
• Expect to clear Naxxramas 10-15+ times to gather all 40 splinters

Since splinters don’t drop from every boss kill, your guild will need to decide which player receives priority for splinters. Most guilds funnel all splinters to one person at a time to ensure at least one staff can be completed during the limited time Naxxramas is current content.

Average Drop Rates: With approximately 3-4 splinters dropping per full Naxxramas clear, completing this step typically takes 2-3 months of consistent raiding. Keep in mind that RNG can significantly affect this timeline.

Phase 2: Create the Frame of Atiesh

Once you’ve collected all 40 splinters, you can combine them to create the Frame of Atiesh.

How to Combine Splinters:

1. Have all 40 Splinter of Atiesh in your inventory
2. Right-click on any splinter to combine them
3. This creates Frame of Atiesh and begins the quest chain

The Frame of Atiesh quest will instruct you to find someone who can help cleanse the staff of its corruption. This leads you to the next phase.

Phase 3: Speak with Anachronos at the Caverns of Time

After obtaining the Frame of Atiesh, you must travel to Tanaris to meet with Anachronos, a powerful bronze dragon.

Important Reputation Requirement:

• You must have at least Neutral reputation with the Brood of Nozdormu
• Most players start at Hated (0/36000) with this faction
• If you haven’t done the Ahn’Qiraj opening events or raids, you’ll be Hated by default

How to Reach Neutral Reputation:

There are several methods to gain reputation with the Brood of Nozdormu:

Method 1: Kill Trash Mobs in AQ20/AQ40

• Trash mobs award reputation up to 2999/3000 Neutral
• Each trash mob in AQ40 grants 100 reputation
• This is the fastest way to reach Neutral if you’re starting from Hated

Method 2: Turn in Silithid Carapace Fragments

• Farm fragments from silithids in Silithus
• Turn in 200 Silithid Carapace Fragments for 500 reputation (repeatable quest)
• This method is available through the Scepter questline

Method 3: Complete Quests and Turn-ins

• Qiraji Lord’s Insignias: 500 reputation each (drops from AQ bosses)
• Ancient Qiraji Artifacts: 1000 reputation each (rare drops from AQ trash)

Once you reach Neutral reputation, you can interact with Anachronos at the entrance to the Caverns of Time in southern Tanaris. He will give you the next quest: Atiesh, the Befouled Greatstaff.

Phase 4: Defeat Kel’Thuzad and C’Thun

Anachronos tasks you with retrieving two critical components to complete the staff:

Component 1: Staff Head of Atiesh

• Drops from Kel’Thuzad in Naxxramas
• 100% drop rate when you have the active quest
• Kel’Thuzad is the final boss of Naxxramas

Component 2: Base of Atiesh

• Drops from C’Thun in the Temple of Ahn’Qiraj (AQ40)
• 100% drop rate when you have the active quest
• C’Thun is the final boss of Temple of Ahn’Qiraj, located in Silithus

Both bosses are extremely challenging and represent the pinnacle of Classic raiding difficulty. You’ll need a full 40-player raid team with appropriate gear and coordination to defeat them.

Raid Requirements:

• Naxxramas: 40 players, Nature Resistance gear recommended
• Temple of Ahn’Qiraj: 40 players, Nature Resistance essential for several bosses

Phase 5: Cleanse the Staff in Stratholme

After collecting both components, Anachronos will give you a corrupted version of Atiesh and instruct you to cleanse it in Stratholme.

Location:

• Travel to Stratholme (located in Eastern Plaguelands)
• Enter through the Service Entrance (Undead side)
• Navigate to Festival Lane, between Elders’ Square and King’s Square
• You’ll need the Service Entrance Key to access this area

The Cleansing Ritual:

On the consecrated ground in Festival Lane, use the corrupted Atiesh to summon the demon Atiesh, Hand of Sargeras.

Boss Encounter Details:

• The demon has over 200,000 HP
• Hits for 600-1000 damage per swing on Naxxramas-geared tanks
• Requires a strong group (recommended: tank, healer, DPS, curse remover)

Key Mechanics:

Unholy Aura

• Deals 150 Shadow damage every 2 seconds to nearby players
• Cannot be dispelled
• Shadow Resistance gear is highly recommended
• This aura persists throughout the fight

Breath of Sargeras

• Cursed debuff that reduces Melee and Ranged Attack Power by 1000
• Must be dispelled immediately by a Druid or Mage
• Failing to dispel this will severely hamper your damage output

Disarm Strategy:

• Warriors can disarm the demon, causing him to drop one of his swords: Andonisus, Reaper of Souls
• Any melee class can pick up and use this sword temporarily (5 minutes)
• The sword provides significant DPS boost against the demon
• This is the intended strategy to make the fight manageable

Group Composition Tips:

• Protection Warrior (for tanking and disarm ability)
• Holy Priest or Resto Druid (for healing)
• Mage or Druid (for curse removal)
• Additional DPS to burn down the boss quickly
• Clear all nearby enemies before starting the encounter

Once you defeat the corrupted Atiesh, the staff will be cleansed of Sargeras’ corruption.

Phase 6: Return to Anachronos for Your Reward

With the demon defeated and the staff purified, make your final trip back to Anachronos in Tanaris.

Turn in the completed quest Atiesh, Greatstaff of the Guardian to receive your class-specific version of the legendary staff. Congratulations—you now wield one of the most prestigious weapons in WoW Classic Era!

Timeline and Difficulty

Expected Timeline:

• Collecting 40 Splinters: 2-3 months of consistent Naxxramas raids
• Brood of Nozdormu Reputation: 1-2 weeks of AQ farming (if starting from Hated)
• Boss Kills (Kel’Thuzad & C’Thun): Depends on your raid team’s progression
• Stratholme Cleansing: 1 hour with a competent group

Total Time Investment: 2-4 months minimum, assuming regular raid attendance and priority on splinters.

Tips for Success

⚡ Guild Coordination is Essential

• Work with your guild to establish a clear priority system for splinters
• Most guilds choose to funnel all splinters to one person at a time
• Make sure you’re consistently attending Naxxramas raids

⚡ Start Farming Brood of Nozdormu Reputation Early

• Don’t wait until you have 40 splinters to start working on reputation
• Begin farming AQ20/AQ40 as soon as possible
• Save Qiraji Lord’s Insignias and Ancient Qiraji Artifacts for when you reach 2999/3000 Neutral

⚡ Prepare for the Stratholme Encounter

• Gather Shadow Resistance gear beforehand
• Bring Nature Protection Potions and health consumables
• Practice the encounter with your group before using the corrupted staff
• Consider reviewing your Pre-Raid BiS gear to ensure you’re well-equipped

⚡ Document Your Journey

• Take screenshots at each milestone
• Atiesh is one of the rarest weapons in the game—you’ll want to remember this achievement

🎯 Class Priority Considerations

Guilds typically prioritize Atiesh distribution based on several factors:

• Attendance and Dedication: Consistent raiders who’ve been with the guild longest
• Class Benefit: Some argue Priests benefit most due to healing improvements
• DPS Performance: Top DPS casters may receive priority to maximize raid DPS
• Role Scarcity: Classes with fewer representatives might receive priority

Every guild handles this differently, so discuss with your officers early in the process.

Common Questions About Atiesh

Alternative Path: Professional Boosting Services

For players who find the Atiesh grind overwhelming or don’t have the time to commit to months of raiding, professional boosting services are available. These services can help with:

• Full Naxxramas clears and splinter collection
• Guaranteed Kel’Thuzad and C’Thun kills
• Brood of Nozdormu reputation farming
• Stratholme cleansing encounter assistance

However, keep in mind that even with boosting services, the time investment for collecting 40 splinters remains substantial due to RNG drop rates.

Final Thoughts

Obtaining Atiesh, Greatstaff of the Guardian is one of the most challenging and rewarding accomplishments in WoW Classic Era. This legendary weapon represents months of dedication, countless raid nights, and triumphant victories over the game’s most difficult bosses.

The journey to acquire Atiesh will test your commitment, your guild’s coordination, and your ability to overcome the toughest challenges Classic WoW has to offer. But when you finally hold the purified staff in your hands and open that first portal to Karazhan, you’ll know it was all worth it.

Whether you’re a Mage seeking the ultimate DPS weapon, a Warlock looking to dominate damage meters, a Priest aiming to maximize healing output, or a Druid wanting the best caster staff available, Atiesh represents the pinnacle of achievement in WoW Classic Era. Start collecting those splinters, rally your guild, and begin your legendary journey today!