The Mythic+ dungeon system is the infinitely scaling endgame progression path in Vampires vs. Werewolves. While the Tower of Shadows offers a fixed 100-floor challenge with static mechanics, Mythic+ dungeons scale upward without limit, adding new modifiers (called Affixes) at key thresholds and increasing enemy power with every keystone level. The system rewards consistent group play, build optimization, and deep knowledge of every dungeon layout. This guide explains every component of the Mythic+ system: keystones, affix combinations, the reward curve, timer management, and the group compositions that dominate the leaderboards.
What Are Keystones?
A Keystone is a consumable item that transforms a standard dungeon (D1–D10) into a Mythic+ version. Each Keystone has two properties:
- Dungeon: Which dungeon (D1–D10) the Keystone applies to.
- Level: The difficulty modifier, starting at +2 and scaling infinitely upward.
You receive your first Keystone by completing any dungeon on its base Mythic difficulty (Mythic+0, which is simply the hardest non-scaled version). Completing a Mythic+ dungeon within the timer upgrades your Keystone by 1–3 levels depending on how much time remains. Failing the timer downgrades your Keystone by 1 level. This creates a natural push-and-pull progression: good runs propel you forward, and bad runs provide a gentle cushion rather than a hard reset.
Keystone Level Scaling
| Keystone Level | Enemy HP Scaling | Enemy Damage Scaling | Number of Affixes | Difficulty Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| +2 to +3 | +20% per level | +15% per level | 1 (Base Affix) | Challenging |
| +4 to +6 | +20% per level | +15% per level | 2 (Base + Secondary) | Demanding |
| +7 to +9 | +25% per level | +18% per level | 3 (Base + Secondary + Tertiary) | Brutal |
| +10 to +14 | +25% per level | +18% per level | 3 + Seasonal Affix | Tyrannical |
| +15 to +19 | +30% per level | +20% per level | 3 + Seasonal Affix | Mythic |
| +20+ | +30% per level | +20% per level | 4 (all affix slots active) | Legendary |
The scaling is multiplicative, not additive. At Keystone +10, enemies have roughly 6x their base HP and 4.5x their base damage compared to Mythic+0. At +20, those numbers balloon to approximately 25x HP and 18x damage. This exponential scaling means that even small improvements in gear, coordination, and route planning produce measurable differences in your maximum viable Keystone level.
The Affix System
Affixes are modifiers that add new mechanics to Mythic+ dungeons. They rotate weekly, meaning the affix combination changes every Monday with the weekly reset. Understanding which affixes are active and how they interact is the single most important factor in Mythic+ success.
Base Affixes (Active at +2)
One Base Affix is always active. It determines the fundamental challenge of the week:
| Affix | Effect | Counter Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Fortified | Non-boss enemies have +30% HP and +20% damage | Plan careful AoE pulls; do not overpull trash |
| Tyrannical | Boss enemies have +40% HP and +25% damage | Save cooldowns for bosses; optimize boss strategies |
Fortified weeks favor groups with strong AoE damage (Blood Mage, Moon Warrior), while Tyrannical weeks favor single-target burst (Shadow Assassin, Feral Striker). Knowing which week it is should influence your group composition before you even start.
Secondary Affixes (Active at +4)
| Affix | Effect | Counter Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Bolstering | When a non-boss enemy dies, nearby enemies gain +15% HP and damage (stacks) | Kill enemies evenly; never let one mob die far ahead of others |
| Raging | Non-boss enemies enrage at 30% HP (+75% damage) | Focus fire one target at a time; burst through enrage quickly |
| Sanguine | Dying enemies leave a blood pool that heals other enemies for 5% HP/s | Kite surviving enemies away from pools; do not stack kills in one spot |
| Spiteful | Dying non-boss enemies spawn a Spiteful Shade that fixates a random player | Ranged DPS kite Shades; tanks pick up Shades when possible |
| Bursting | Killing an enemy applies a stacking DoT (Burst) to the entire party. 4+ stacks = lethal | Control kill pace; never AoE more than 3 enemies simultaneously |
| Inspiring | Some enemies inspire nearby allies, making them immune to CC | Kill the Inspiring enemy first; mark them before pulling |
Tertiary Affixes (Active at +7)
| Affix | Effect | Counter Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Volcanic | Enemies spawn volcanic plumes under ranged players; standing in one deals 40% max HP | Ranged players must constantly micro-adjust position |
| Quaking | Periodic shockwaves emanate from each player; overlapping shockwaves deal stacking damage | Spread out; never stack melee players on the same spot |
| Storming | Enemies periodically spawn moving tornados that knock back and deal damage | Position against walls to prevent knockback into additional packs |
| Grievous | Players not at full HP receive a stacking DoT. Only removed by healing to 100% HP | Healers must top everyone off between pulls; self-healing is critical |
| Explosive | Enemies periodically spawn Explosive Orbs (low HP) that detonate for 50% max HP if not killed in 6 seconds | Assign one DPS to orb duty; prioritize orbs over enemies |
| Necrotic | Enemy melee attacks apply a stacking debuff reducing healing received by 3% per stack (max 30 stacks) | Tanks must kite periodically to drop stacks; ranged-heavy comps excel |
Seasonal Affix (Active at +10)
The Seasonal Affix rotates with each ranked season (every 28 days) and adds a unique, thematic challenge:
- Season 14 — "Shadowbound": Shadow orbs periodically spawn throughout the dungeon. Collecting them grants +10% damage for 15 seconds but also increases damage taken by 5%. The risk-reward decision of picking up orbs adds a strategic layer to routing.
Reward Scaling
Mythic+ rewards scale with Keystone level, creating powerful incentives to push higher. Rewards come from two sources: the end-of-dungeon chest (immediate) and the weekly Great Vault (delayed, higher quality).
End-of-Dungeon Chest
| Keystone Level | Gear Quality | Bonus Items (Timed Run) | Gold Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| +2 to +4 | Rare (enhanced) | +1 crafting material | 500 – 1,200 |
| +5 to +9 | Epic | +1 Epic Essence | 1,500 – 3,500 |
| +10 to +14 | Epic (enhanced) | +1 Legendary Shard | 4,000 – 8,000 |
| +15 to +19 | Legendary | +1 Mythic Fragment | 10,000 – 18,000 |
| +20+ | Legendary (enhanced) + Mythic chance | +1 Mythic Shard | 20,000+ |
Weekly Great Vault
The Great Vault rewards you every Monday based on your best Mythic+ runs from the previous week. You receive up to three choices (based on completing 1, 4, or 10 Mythic+ dungeons that week), and the item quality scales with your highest timed Keystone:
- 1 Mythic+ completed: One choice from the Great Vault.
- 4 Mythic+ completed: Two choices.
- 10 Mythic+ completed: Three choices (maximum).
Great Vault items are always one tier higher than end-of-dungeon rewards. A +15 timed run gives Legendary from the chest but Mythic from the Great Vault. This makes the Great Vault the primary source of top-tier gear for most players and creates a strong incentive to complete at least 10 Mythic+ dungeons per week.
Timer Strategies
Every Mythic+ dungeon has a completion timer. Beating the timer upgrades your Keystone; failing it downgrades. How much time remains determines the upgrade amount:
- Completed with 40%+ time remaining: Keystone upgrades by +3 levels.
- Completed with 20–39% time remaining: Keystone upgrades by +2 levels.
- Completed within timer: Keystone upgrades by +1 level.
- Completed over timer: Keystone downgrades by 1 level. You still receive loot but at reduced quality.
Route Planning
The most impactful timer strategy is route planning — determining which enemy packs to pull and in what order. Every Mythic+ dungeon requires you to kill a minimum percentage of trash enemies (called "Enemy Forces") before the final boss becomes accessible. Efficient routes kill exactly the required percentage using the fastest-dying packs while skipping dangerous or time-consuming groups.
Key route planning principles:
- Pull size optimization: Larger pulls clear faster if your group has the AoE to handle them. Small, safe pulls are time-inefficient at higher Keystones where the timer is tight.
- Skip optimization: Certain enemy packs are significantly harder than their Enemy Forces percentage warrants. Identifying and skipping these "death packs" saves more time than any DPS optimization.
- Boss order flexibility: Some dungeons allow non-linear boss kill orders. Prioritize bosses that drop the items your group needs, or kill the hardest boss first while cooldowns are fresh.
- Death recovery: A single death costs approximately 15–20 seconds (respawn + run back). At +15, two deaths typically mean a failed timer. Zero-death runs are the goal.
Dungeon Timer Reference
| Dungeon | Base Timer | Enemy Forces Required | Bosses | Difficulty Rating (Community) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1: Crimson Crypts | 25 min | 100% | 3 | Easy |
| D2: Howling Caverns | 28 min | 100% | 3 | Easy |
| D3: Duskwood Tunnels | 30 min | 100% | 4 | Medium |
| D4: Silverblood Mines | 32 min | 100% | 3 | Medium |
| D5: Cathedral of Ash | 30 min | 100% | 4 | Medium |
| D6: Moonfall Sanctum | 33 min | 100% | 4 | Hard |
| D7: Throne of Fangs | 35 min | 100% | 5 | Hard |
| D8: Wolfbane Fortress | 33 min | 100% | 4 | Hard |
| D9: Abyssal Spire | 38 min | 100% | 5 | Very Hard |
| D10: Eternal Nighthold | 40 min | 100% | 6 | Extreme |
Best Group Compositions
Mythic+ dungeons are designed for 3-player groups in Vampires vs. Werewolves. The optimal group follows the traditional Tank + Healer + DPS framework, but the specific subclass choices matter enormously at higher Keystones.
S-Tier Composition: Dark Knight + Pack Shaman + Blood Mage
The most consistent and forgiving composition. The Dark Knight provides unmatched tankiness and threat generation, the Pack Shaman handles all healing and provides group buffs, and the Blood Mage delivers sustained AoE damage with self-healing that reduces pressure on the Shaman. This composition excels on Fortified weeks where trash packs are the primary challenge.
S-Tier Composition: Dark Knight + Pack Shaman + Feral Striker
The burst-damage alternative. The Feral Striker's bleed stacking and high single-target damage makes this composition dominant on Tyrannical weeks where boss damage output is the bottleneck. The trade-off is weaker AoE compared to the Blood Mage version.
A-Tier Composition: Moon Warrior + Pack Shaman + Shadow Assassin
The Moon Warrior serves as an off-tank with strong damage, while the Shadow Assassin provides the highest burst DPS in the game. This composition has a higher skill ceiling and lower margin for error — the Moon Warrior is not as tanky as the Dark Knight, meaning positioning and pull planning must be precise. Excellent in the hands of experienced players.
Niche: Triple DPS (No Healer)
At Keystone levels +2 through +7, experienced players sometimes run triple DPS compositions (e.g., Blood Mage + Shadow Assassin + Feral Striker) to maximize damage and clear speed. The Blood Mage's lifesteal provides enough group survivability for lower Keystones. This strategy falls apart at +8 and above where incoming damage overwhelms lifesteal.
Affix Combination Strategies
Knowing the weekly affix combination before you start allows you to adjust your approach. Here are strategies for the most common and impactful combinations:
Fortified + Bolstering + Volcanic
One of the harder weeks. Bolstering means you must kill trash evenly (no focus-firing one target down while others survive), and Fortified makes that trash hit harder. Volcanic forces ranged players to constantly move, reducing DPS uptime. Strategy: run melee-heavy compositions to avoid Volcanic, use AoE that hits all targets evenly (Blood Nova, Lunar Cleave), and pull small groups to manage Bolstering stacks.
Tyrannical + Spiteful + Grievous
A healer-intensive week. Bosses are brutal (Tyrannical), Spiteful Shades add pressure between pulls, and Grievous punishes any moment where players are not at full HP. Strategy: the Pack Shaman is non-negotiable this week. Pre-heal before boss encounters, assign a DPS to handle Spiteful Shades, and ensure the healer has mana potions for extended boss fights.
Fortified + Bursting + Explosive
A mechanical nightmare. Bursting limits your kill speed (too many kills = party wipe), Explosive spawns orbs that must be killed immediately, and Fortified makes trash tankier (longer exposure to both mechanics). Strategy: controlled small pulls, one DPS assigned to Explosive orbs full-time, and careful AoE management to avoid triggering lethal Bursting stacks.
Dungeon-Specific Tips
D1: Crimson Crypts (Easiest Mythic+)
The shortest dungeon with the most forgiving layout. Linear path, three bosses, minimal trash complexity. This is the dungeon to push your highest Keystone on — most players' peak Mythic+ level comes from Crimson Crypts. The final boss (Crimson Lich) has an interruptible heal that must be kicked every cycle or the fight becomes unwinnable on Tyrannical.
D7: Throne of Fangs (Hardest Layout)
Five bosses and a non-linear layout with multiple paths. The difficulty comes from route optimization: pulling the wrong packs wastes minutes, and the third boss (Fang Lord Malachar) has a one-shot mechanic that wipes groups unfamiliar with the fight. Study routes before entering this dungeon on Mythic+.
D10: Eternal Nighthold (Hardest Overall)
Six bosses, the longest timer, and the most mechanically demanding encounters. The Nighthold is where Mythic Scores are won and lost. Every boss has at least two phases, and the final boss (The Eternal Night) requires perfect execution across a 3-phase encounter that lasts 6–8 minutes on Tyrannical. Only attempt D10 at Keystone levels where you have comfortably timed D7–D9.
Mythic+ Score Optimization
Your Mythic Score is the sum of your highest timed Keystone across all 10 dungeons. To maximize your score:
- Balance your dungeons: A player with ten +12 clears (score: 120) outscores a player with one +20 and nine +5s (score: 65). Spread your efforts across all dungeons.
- Push on easy dungeons first: D1 and D2 are significantly easier to push high. Get your highest keys on these, then bring up your weaker dungeons.
- Time favorable affix weeks: When the affix combination is easy, push aggressively. When it is hard, maintain your existing keys and farm Great Vault runs instead.
- Group consistency: Running with the same group repeatedly builds coordination that translates directly to higher keys. PUG groups hit a ceiling around +12–+14 due to communication limitations.
Common Mythic+ Mistakes
- Ignoring affixes: Players who treat every week the same will hit a wall at +7 when the third affix activates. Adjust your strategy weekly.
- Overpulling on Fortified: The most common cause of failed keys. When trash hits 30% harder, that extra pack you pulled can one-shot your healer.
- Saving cooldowns for bosses on Fortified weeks: On Fortified, trash is the challenge. Use your burst cooldowns on dangerous trash packs, not bosses.
- Neglecting Enemy Forces percentage: Reaching the final boss without 100% Enemy Forces means backtracking, which is a guaranteed timer fail at +10 and above.
- Running without consumables: At +10 and above, the stat advantage from consumables is the difference between timing and failing. Bring potions, elixirs, and food buffs to every run.
- PUG group conflicts: Blame and toxicity after a wipe destroy group coordination. If the group wipes, discuss what went wrong calmly. One wipe is recoverable; the tilt from blame causes three more.
For subclass-specific Mythic+ builds, see our Blood Mage Guide and Dark Knight Guide. For the other endgame progression path, read our Tower of Shadows guide. To understand how Mythic+ gear feeds into PvP performance, check the Complete PvP Guide.