Naxxramas Naxxramas is an introductory level - 80 raid dungeon floating above Dragonblight in Northrend . It is a Scourge necropolis , the seat of the Arch Lich Kel ' Thuzad . The 40 - man classic version of Naxxramas is no longer available , having been permanently closed with the release of the Wrath of the Lich King expansion . The original incarnation of the dungeon was regarded as the most difficult pre - " " raid , requiring 40 well - equipped , skilled players to complete . In the " " expansion , Naxxramas was moved to Northrend and retuned as an entry - level raid dungeon for level 80 players . Like all other Wrath raid dungeons , Naxxramas has both 10 - man and 25 - man versions . Background . Years ago , the crypt lord Anub ' arak led an army of undead warriors into the ancient nerubian ziggurat now known as Naxxramas . The Scourge forces overran the citadel , and under the will of the Lich King its corridors were transformed into a potent war machine . Dark magic tore the fortress from its subterranean home and lifted it into the sky . Hidden behind a thick layer of clouds , Naxxramas grew in strength . At the Lich King ' s bidding , the burgeoning wrath within the necropolis was unleashed upon the world . Brave heroes breached the citadel and eventually overcame Naxxramas ' vile commander , the lich Kel ' Thuzad , but the victory was short - lived . Above the war - ravaged wastes of the Dragonblight , Naxxramas has returned with renewed fury . Kel ' Thuzad , once again seated in the frigid heart of the necropolis , has laid siege to the Alliance fortress of Wintergarde Keep . As factions from around the world converge at the gate to Icecrown , the war against the Scourge enters its most pivotal hour . It is within Naxxramas that the tide of battle could turn against the Lich King . . . or irrevocably in his favor . History . An ancient Nerubian Necropolis , Naxxramas was torn free from the ground by agents of the Lich King to serve as Kel ' Thuzad ' s base of operations as he spreads the plague throughout Lordaeron . Other sources say Obrahiim , the Traveler , a great skeletal architect , was pivotal in the conception of Naxxramas , hinting that it was altered or retooled . See the " Compendium of Fallen Heroes " for more details . Due to his fighting a war against the Scarlet Crusade , the Argent Dawn , the Forsaken and the Humans of the Alliance , as well as constant incursions of adventurers from every race and nation into the Scourge - controlled Plaguelands on a daily basis , the forces of Kel ' Thuzad have been severely taxed to maintain the security of the necropolis . But now the gates of Naxxramas are open , and Kel ' Thuzad ' s new forces are rapidly sweeping away all opposition to the Scourge . Road to Damnation . Blizzard has posted a short back story for Naxxramas on the official site : Road to Damnation Recent history . After the defeat of Kel ' Thuzad in the Eastern Plaguelands , Naxxramas has returned to Northrend and now hovers above the Carrion Fields in eastern Dragonblight , where it lays siege to the Alliance stronghold of Wintergarde Keep . Naxxramas loot . Naxxramas loot includes the Tier 7 raid sets , which are based on the Tier 3 raid sets that dropped in the original Naxxramas . There are two versions : The Tier 7 " Heroes ' " sets from the normal mode 10 - man , and the Tier 7 . 5 " Valorous " sets from the heroic mode 25 - man . While these sets are inspired by the original Tier 3 sets , they have received significant model updates . Since Patch 3 . 3 . 0 , 10 and 25 player both drop a total of 16 .