What Are Ascendant Venomstones?
Ascendant Venomstones are a new upgrade currency introduced in WoW Patch 12.1.5, replacing Ascendant Voidcores as the primary endgame gearing tool. These stones allow you to boost the item level of your best gear to maximum potential. Each Ascendant Venomstone upgrade costs 10 stones and applies to fully upgraded weapons, trinkets, and necklaces, pushing them to higher item levels for significant power gains.
The key difference from previous patches: venomstones specifically target gear that's already maxed out on the Hero or Mythic track. You can't use them on partially upgraded items or armor pieces. Once upgraded with venomstones, your gear receives the "Ascendant Voidforged" status and cannot be upgraded further.
How to Unlock Venomstones
The venomstone system is gated behind a two-week unlock timeline. During the week of October 13, travel to Silvermoon City and find Orin Straylight near the Catalyst at coordinates 40.0, 64.7. Accept his quest "Ancient Depths, Ancient Venom" and complete it to begin the process.
After you finish the quest, Orin starts researching how to use venomstones. During the week of October 20, once his research completes, ascendant venomstones begin dropping from endgame content. This gives players time to gather stones before committing them to upgrades. The same NPC location serves as your upgrade hub; return to Orin to spend 10 venomstones and boost your gear.
Where to Farm Ascendant Venomstones
Ascendant venomstones drop from four primary sources. The table below shows where you can find them and what content you need to run:
| Farming Source | Requirement | Weekly Lockout | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raid Bosses (Kith'ix) | Heroic or Mythic difficulty | Yes | Consistent weekly drops |
| Mythic+ Dungeons | Keystone level +10 or higher | No | Unlimited farming potential |
| Bountiful Delves | Tier 11 completion | No | Solo-friendly, no gear checks |
| Nightmare Prey Hunt | Champion gear chest reward | Yes | Weekly bonus with other activities |
For steady farming, focus on Mythic+ dungeons at +10 difficulty since they have no weekly cap. You can run as many keys as you want, making this the fastest path to 10 venomstones. Raid bosses drop stones consistently each week, so include The Unbinding of Kith'ix raid in your rotation for guaranteed weekly income.
Tier 11 Bountiful Delves are excellent for solo players or those without a consistent raid group. Nightmare Prey Hunt champion chests provide bonus stones on top of raid lockouts, so prioritize getting to champion difficulty if possible.
Best Items to Upgrade First
Upgrading everything at once isn't practical, so prioritize your slots for maximum impact. Your weapon should be first priority, regardless of weapon type or class. A boosted weapon ilvl gives the largest direct DPS increase and affects every ability you cast. If you're running a spec with two weapons, do both before touching anything else.
After weapons, focus on your best trinket. Most BiS trinkets in Midnight are proc-based, and the extra item level amplifies their effect values. Once your main trinket is upgraded, move to your secondary trinket if you have a strong choice there. Necklaces are last priority since they provide the smallest stat gains relative to other slots.
Skip armor completely. Ascendant venomstones only work on weapons, trinkets, and necklaces. Your chest, shoulders, legs, and other armor pieces cannot use this currency, so don't waste resources trying.
Tips for Efficient Farming
Stack your farming. Group Mythic+ runs into back-to-back sessions so you're farming efficiently without travel downtime. Ten keystone runs at +10 difficulty will get you one full upgrade, and you can knock that out in a single evening with your group.
Combine sources. Run your raid rotation each week, then fill remaining time with M+ keys. By doing both, you'll hit 10 venomstones consistently without burning out on a single activity. Bountiful Delves are particularly efficient because they scale with your gear and require no group coordination.
Don't spend immediately. Bank your stones until you have a full 10 ready to upgrade. This prevents buyer's remorse and keeps your focus on consistent farming rather than micro-upgrades. Once you hit 10, visit Orin in Silvermoon City and apply the boost to your pre-planned priority item.
Use a boost service if you're time-capped. If you're short on hours, Heroic raid carries and Mistcrest farming services let you collect venomstones faster. Farm carry services like Tier 11 Delves let you knock out 10 stones in minimal personal playtime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use venomstones on partially upgraded gear?
No. Your gear must be fully upgraded on the Hero track (8/8 upgrades) or Mythic track (6/6 upgrades) before you can spend ascendant venomstones on it. Partially upgraded items won't work. For Tidal Crafted gear, it must be at maximum quality before it qualifies.
How many venomstones should I farm each week?
If you're running raids consistently, aim for at least 10 per week so you can do one upgrade weekly. If you plan to add M+ farming, you can push that to 20+ and upgrade twice per week. The more you farm, the faster you gear up.
What happens after I use venomstones on an item?
The item becomes "Ascendant Voidforged" and cannot be upgraded further. Venomstones are the final upgrade step, so plan carefully before spending them. You can't add more venomstone upgrades to the same item later.
Do I need to be a specific raid tier to farm venomstones?
No. Raid bosses drop venomstones on Heroic difficulty and above. You don't need to clear Mythic raids; Heroic progression alone gives you steady weekly income. Mythic+ keys at +10 are actually the most accessible unlimited source regardless of your raid tier.
Can I upgrade armor pieces with venomstones?
No. Ascendant venomstones only work on weapons, trinkets, and necklaces. Armor pieces like chest, shoulders, gloves, and legs have no venomstone upgrade path. Focus your stones on the three eligible slot types.
When should I start farming venomstones?
As soon as the week of October 20 arrives and the unlock quest completes. The sooner you start accumulating stones, the sooner you'll hit your first upgrade. Even if you're still gearing your base items, banking venomstones gives you a head start for end-of-season power spikes.
Related Guides
- Patch 12.1.5 Guide - Full patch overview and changes
- Midnight Gearing Guide - Complete gearing progression path
- Upgrading Gear in Midnight - All upgrade systems explained
- Weekly Gearing Routine - What to do each week for optimal progression