World of Warcraft
What Is a Raid Lockout in WoW?
The weekly limit on raid loot in World of Warcraft: once you loot a boss on a difficulty, you can’t loot it again there until the reset.
What is a raid lockout in WoW?
A raid lockout is the weekly limit on how often you can get loot from raid bosses in World of Warcraft. After you kill a boss on a difficulty, you can’t loot it again on that difficulty until the weekly reset. On Raid Finder, Normal and Heroic the lock is loot-based; on Mythic you are saved to a specific raid ID.
How raid lockouts work by difficulty
| Difficulty | Lockout type | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Raid Finder, Normal, Heroic | Loot-based | You can kill a boss again with other groups, but you only get loot from it once per difficulty each week. |
| Mythic | Raid ID | Your character is saved to that group’s instance. You can only continue in a Mythic raid with the same progress. |
When lockouts reset
Lockouts clear with the weekly reset: on Tuesday in the Americas and on Wednesday in Europe. You can check your current locks in the game under Raid Info.
Example
You kill the first three bosses on Heroic with your guild. Later that week, a friend’s group is also doing Heroic. You can join and help on those bosses, but they won’t drop loot for you again until the reset. On Mythic, joining a group with different progress would not be possible.
Why lockouts matter
- Loot is limited. Each week gives a set number of chances to gear up, so planning your raid nights matters.
- Other weekly content helps. Mythic+ dungeons can be run any number of times and also reward gear, which is why players combine both to raise their item level.
- Mythic needs a stable group. Because Mythic uses raid IDs, guilds keep the same team across the week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I kill a raid boss more than once a week?
On Raid Finder, Normal and Heroic, yes, but you only get loot from it once per difficulty each week. On Mythic, you are locked to your raid ID until the reset.
Are Mythic+ dungeons affected by raid lockouts?
No. Mythic+ dungeons don’t have a raid lockout and can be run as often as you like.