What Delves Are in Midnight (And Why 11 Matters)

Delves are bite-sized, repeatable mini-instances designed to be flexible: you can run them solo or with a group (up to five), and you bring an NPC companion who can support you. In Midnight, Blizzard leans harder into Delves as an on-ramp to endgame by doing three important things:

• Expanding the menu: Midnight adds 11 new Delves—enough variety to keep the loop fresh and to distribute loot opportunities across different themes and zones.
• Adding a seasonal “boss Delve”: one of the 11 is a Nemesis Delve, meant to be the hardest seasonal challenge and a prestige target.
• Improving quality-of-life tracking: Delves are integrated into the new Journeys hub (so your progress, companion setup, and related tracking are easier to manage).

Why the number matters: with 11 options, you’re less likely to feel “forced” into a single hated layout for weeks. In practice, this means you can pick Delves that match your strengths (mobility, interrupts, kiting space, puzzle comfort) and still keep your gearing plan intact.

The 11 Midnight Delves

Midnight’s 11 Delves (including the seasonal Nemesis Delve) are:

• The Shadow Enclave
• Collegiate Calamity
• Parhelion Plaza
• The Darkway
• Twilight Crypts
• Atal’Aman
• The Grudge Pit
• The Gulf of Memory
• Sunkiller Sanctum
• Shadowguard Point
• Torment’s Rise (Nemesis)

Even if you never memorize every layout, knowing the full list helps for one reason: your weekly routine becomes smoother when you recognize which Delves you personally clear fastest and safest. Over a season, your “best 3–5” Delves will become your reliable weekly gearing route.

How Delves Slot Into The Gearing Ladder

Think of Midnight gearing as a ladder with multiple rails. Raiding and Mythic+ are still top-end rails, but they’re not the only rails anymore. Delves sit in a powerful middle position because they provide:

• Consistent, repeatable rewards without needing a perfect group.
• Upgrade resources that let you turn “good enough” loot into real power.
• Great Vault progress that converts your weekly Delve effort into a high-value weekly reward choice.
• An alt-friendly path because Delves scale with your ability and planning more than your social schedule.

Delves are not meant to completely replace Mythic+ or raiding for players chasing the absolute highest ceilings. But Delves absolutely can replace the stress those modes create when you just need steady upgrades, crest income, and a weekly Vault choice.

A practical way to view Delves is this:

• Early season: Delves help you stabilize item level quickly and fill weak slots while you learn dungeons/raid.
• Mid season: Delves become your “maintenance engine” (Vault, crests, targeted upgrades).
• Late season: Delves are the best low-drama way to keep alts caught up, finish upgrades, and chase cosmetics/achievements without reorganizing your life.

Delve Tiers Explained (From Story Runs to Tier 11 Mastery)

Delves scale by tier. The tiers create a smooth progression curve: you start at comfortable difficulty and climb as your gear and execution improve.

A useful mental model is to divide tiers into three bands:

• Learning / story tiers: These are where you learn the Delve’s “language”—what kinds of enemies it uses, how it signals danger, what objectives show up.
• Endgame progression tiers: These are your “weekly workhorse” levels—hard enough to give meaningful rewards, but stable enough to farm efficiently.
• Mastery tiers: These are where mistakes get punished and your run quality matters. You’re not only clearing—you’re clearing cleanly.

The biggest mistake players make is treating tier increases like a pride challenge. For gearing, the goal isn’t “highest tier you can barely survive.” The goal is “highest tier you can clear consistently and quickly.” Consistency beats ego every single week.

Bountiful Delves, Restored Coffer Keys, and Why They’re Your “Real Loot Runs”

Not every Delve completion is equal for gearing. The phrase you should build your entire plan around is:

Bountiful Delves = your premium reward runs.

In the Delves ecosystem, there’s a difference between:

• Regular Delve clears (good for practice, progress, some rewards), and
• Bountiful clears (the runs that are most worth your time when you care about loot efficiency).

Bountiful mechanics are designed to create a weekly rhythm:

• You do a limited number of “high value” runs per week.
• You use keys and special loot mechanics to open the best chests.
• You convert that effort into either direct upgrades or upgrade resources.

Your practical rule:

• If you have limited time, save it for Bountiful runs.
• If you have more time, use regular runs to unlock tiers, learn routes, and fill Great Vault progress.

And yes: keys matter. If your plan is “spam random Delves,” you’ll feel like your gearing is slow. If your plan is “target Bountiful runs + Vault thresholds,” Delves feel shockingly efficient.

The Great Vault: Turning Delves Into Weekly Power

The Great Vault is where Delves go from “nice loot sometimes” to “weekly power plan.”

Delves contribute to the World row of the Great Vault. The typical structure is:

• Complete 2 Delves/world activities to unlock the first choice
• Complete 4 to unlock the second choice
• Complete 8 to unlock the third choice

For gearing, this gives you three huge advantages:

• Bad luck protection: even if your end-of-run loot is mediocre, the Vault gives you a weekly shot at a meaningful item.
• Choice: you get options instead of one random drop, which is especially valuable when you’re hunting specific slots.
• Planning: you can decide your weekly schedule around hitting 2/4/8 with the best tier you can reliably complete.

A high-value habit:

If you can only do a few Delves per week, aim for 2 at a strong tier rather than 8 at a weak tier. Quality of completions matters for your Vault outcome.

Crests, Upgrade Tracks, and the Post-Squish Item Level Reality

Midnight’s gearing uses the modern philosophy: you don’t just chase drops—you upgrade them. That means your Delve value is not only “what item dropped,” but also “what upgrade currency/resources did I gain to improve my gear.”

Midnight also brings an item level squish that changes the numbers you see, but the logic remains:

• Gear comes on upgrade tracks.
• Tracks are upgraded using crests (and whatever seasonal currency system supports upgrades).
• Higher difficulty content yields higher-tier resources and better upgrade potential.

So how do Delves fit?

• Delves give you steady access to upgrade resources without needing Mythic+ spam or raid schedules.
• Higher tier Delves push you toward the resources that matter for the next set of upgrades.
• Done weekly, Delves become a predictable “fuel line” for upgrading the items you actually want to keep.

A simple mindset that keeps you sane:

• Delves are your consistent income.
• Mythic+ and raids are your high spikes.
• When you combine the two, your gearing becomes both fast and stable.

Nemesis Delve: Torment’s Rise and the “Season Boss” Loop

Torment’s Rise is the seasonal Nemesis Delve—the “headline” challenge of Midnight Delves. You should treat it differently from the other ten Delves because its value isn’t only gearing. It’s also:

• A seasonal skill test
• A prestige chase
• A long-term improvement target
• A way to measure your readiness as your gear and companion progress

Here’s how Nemesis Delves usually fit into gearing behavior:

• Early season: most players avoid it or do it at lower tiers while learning.
• Mid season: it becomes a weekly target for confident players chasing the bigger challenge and better efficiency.
• Late season: it becomes a “clean clear” goal and an achievement/cosmetic chase.

If you’re a practical player, the best use of Torment’s Rise is this:

• Don’t brick your week trying to force it too early.
• Use it as a benchmark: when your normal Delves feel easy, push Nemesis difficulty next.

Valeera Sanguinar Companion: How to Use Her for Faster, Safer Clears

Midnight replaces Brann as the Delve companion with Valeera Sanguinar. This matters for gearing because your companion is not flavor—your companion is part of your efficiency.

Your companion impacts:

• How safely you can handle packs solo
• How quickly you can stabilize after mistakes
• How aggressive you can be with pulls
• How many “dead time” moments you have (drinking, resetting, slow pulls)

The best way to approach Valeera is not “she will carry me,” but:

She reduces friction so your runs become consistent.

Practical companion habits for gearing:

• Pick a setup that matches your weakest area (survivability, sustain, control).
• Build a repeatable pull pattern: if your companion setup works for your first two pulls, replicate it.
• Avoid chaotic movement: companions perform best when you keep fights predictable.

In other words: treat Delves like a speedrun loop, not a random adventure. Valeera’s value scales with your discipline.

Solo vs Group Delving: What’s Efficient for Gearing

Delves are flexible, but efficiency changes depending on your goals.

Solo Delves are best for:

• Players with limited schedules
• Players who hate waiting for groups
• Consistent weekly Vault progress
• Learning tiers and layouts without pressure
• Alt gearing when you don’t want to gear your alt socially

Group Delves are best for:

• Faster clears once everyone knows the route
• Smoother higher-tier pushes (less risk of a single mistake ending the run)
• Players who want to speed-farm weekly thresholds
• Friends/guildmates who want easy, repeatable progress together

A simple rule that works all season:

• Solo for consistency.
• Group for speed.

If you’re a PUG player, don’t underestimate the solo lane. The “best” gearing plan is the one you actually complete every week.

The Best Weekly Delve Routine (3 Levels of Time Commitment)

The cleanest way to use Delves for gearing is to pick a weekly routine that matches your real life. Here are three practical templates (no overthinking required).

Weekly Plan A: Minimal Time (Strong Value, Low Stress)

Goal: get meaningful progress with the fewest runs.

• Do 2 Delves at the highest tier you can reliably clear
• Make at least one of them a Bountiful run if possible
• Use the rest of your time on one other gearing lane (a few Mythic+ keys, raid, or crafting prep)

Why this works:

• The first Vault threshold is a huge value per minute.
• Two good runs beat eight sloppy runs.

Weekly Plan B: Balanced (Best for Most Players)

Goal: solid Vault choices plus stable upgrade income.

• Do 4 Delves total
• Prioritize Bountiful runs for your best loot chances
• Add tier climbing runs only if they unlock better weekly efficiency

Why this works:

• Four completions smooth out RNG.
• You get enough repetition to learn and speed up.

Weekly Plan C: Full Delver (Maximum Delve Value)

Goal: maximize Delves as a main gearing lane.

• Do 8 Delves to unlock all Vault choices
• Ensure your highest-tier clears are used to “set” your best Vault reward level
• Mix:
• a few fast, comfortable clears for volume
• a few high-tier clears for quality
• targeted Bountiful clears for loot spikes

Why this works:

• You turn Delves into a complete weekly progression loop.
• You get the most control over your gearing without needing a raid schedule.

The hidden trick in Plan C is not running 8 random Delves. It’s running 8 Delves with intent: quality first, then volume.

How Delves Combine With Crafting for Fast Power

Crafting is the quiet multiplier in Midnight gearing. Delves become dramatically stronger when you treat them as crafting fuel:

• Delves give you repeatable resources and upgrade momentum
• Crafting lets you target problem slots (especially when drops refuse to cooperate)
• Upgraded crafted items can stabilize your build early and keep you competitive while you wait for the “perfect” item

A practical crafting loop that pairs well with Delves:

• Use Delves to stabilize your baseline gear level
• Identify your weakest slot(s)
• Craft or recraft targeted upgrades
• Use Delve-earned upgrade resources to keep those items relevant

This is why Delves are so alt-friendly: crafting plus Delves lets you build a functional character without begging the loot gods.

How Delves Combine With Mythic+ and Raiding Without Wasting Time

Delves aren’t competing with Mythic+ and raiding—they’re solving their pain points.

Mythic+ pain points Delves help with:

• “I can’t get a group” → Delves are always runnable
• “My key bricked” → Delves still progress your week
• “I’m missing just one slot” → Delves give repeated chances + Vault choices
• “I’m behind” → Delves provide steady catch-up momentum

Raiding pain points Delves help with:

• Lockouts slow your weekly volume
• Bad luck weeks feel awful
• Some slots never drop
• You can’t always raid on schedule

The best combined plan for most players:

• Use Delves to keep weekly power steady and predictable
• Use Mythic+ for bursts of gear and high-end practice
• Use Raid for peak items, set chase, and progression goals

When you do that, you stop feeling like your entire week depends on a single night going well.

Alt Gearing With Delves in Midnight

Delves are basically built for alts. Here’s why:

• You can gear at your own pace
• You can play solo when your alt isn’t “invite-worthy” yet
• You can learn your alt’s rotation and defensives in real combat, not target dummies
• You can get Vault progress without committing to group content

Alt strategy that works:

• Pick 2–3 Delves you clear quickly on your main
• Run those same Delves on your alt (familiarity = speed)
• Focus on consistent clears and weekly Vault
• Upgrade gradually rather than forcing max tiers immediately

If you want an alt to feel “real” fast, Delves are the most reliable on-ramp because they remove the social barrier that usually slows alts down.

Common Delve Gearing Mistakes That Slow You Down

If Delves feel unrewarding, it’s usually not because Delves are bad—it’s because the plan is messy. Avoid these mistakes:

• Spamming low-value runs instead of prioritizing Bountiful clears and Vault thresholds
• Pushing tiers too early and turning every run into a wipe-fest
• Ignoring run consistency (a 20-minute clean clear beats a 45-minute chaotic clear)
• Not “setting” your Vault with your best-tier completions first
• Treating Delves as random content instead of a repeatable weekly loop
• Overpulling when your companion/setup isn’t built for it

Your guiding rule:

If you want gearing, optimize for reliability and routine—not hero moments.

Role Tips: Tanks, Healers, DPS in Delves

Even though Delves are role-flexible, your playstyle matters for efficiency.

Tanks:

• Your biggest speed gain is pull control. Chain pulls are great, but only if you can keep damage predictable.
• Use corners and line-of-sight to group enemies and reduce chaos.
• If you’re dying, it’s usually because you’re pulling like a Mythic+ tank without Mythic+ teammates to back you up.

Healers:

• Delves reward proactive healing and cooldown planning.
• Don’t heal avoidable damage forever—teach yourself to move first, heal second.
• In higher tiers, treat your defensives and mobility as healing tools.

DPS:

• Interrupts and stops are your “hidden DPS.” The fastest runs are the runs where you prevent damage and keep the pull stable.
• Build a priority mindset: kill what’s dangerous, not what’s closest.
• If you want to gear faster, optimize for fewer deaths and fewer resets, not bigger numbers.

BoostRoom: Delve Coaching and Gearing Plans for Midnight

If you want Delves to be a real gearing lane (not a time sink), the fastest improvement is usually not “more runs.” It’s smarter structure.

BoostRoom helps you turn Delves into a clean weekly plan by focusing on:

• Tier progression strategy: when to push higher, when to farm stable
• Route and pull efficiency: how to clear faster without random deaths
• Companion setup choices: making Valeera work for your class and comfort
• Weekly planning: hitting Vault thresholds with minimum wasted time
• Confidence for solo and PUG play: consistent clears, fewer bricked weeks

If your goal is to gear smoothly, keep alts caught up, and feel ready for Mythic+ and raids without stress, Delves are the perfect system—when you run them with a plan.

FAQ

Do I need to run all 11 Delves to gear efficiently?

No. Most players end up with a “best few” Delves they clear quickly and safely. Consistency and weekly thresholds matter more than variety.

What’s the single most important Delve habit for gearing?

Prioritize Bountiful runs and set a weekly Vault goal (2/4/8). Random spam is the fastest way to feel unrewarded.

Is Torment’s Rise required for gearing?

Not required, but it’s the seasonal Nemesis Delve and a strong benchmark once you’re comfortable. Treat it as a progression target, not a week-one obligation.

Should I run Delves solo or in a group?

Solo is best for consistency and schedule freedom. Group is best for speed and higher-tier stability. Pick what you’ll actually do every week.

How do Delves compare to Mythic+ for gearing?

Mythic+ is higher pressure and can spike rewards, but it depends on groups and timers. Delves are steadier and more controllable, making them excellent weekly “baseline power.”

Can Delves help me gear alts fast?

Yes—Delves are one of the most alt-friendly systems because you can run them without waiting for invites, while still building Vault progress and upgrade momentum.