WowUtils

11.2 Vault Min-Max Guide

Optimize your Great Vault strategy for hardcore progression in the early weeks of Season 3.

7/28/2025
12 min read
Penkek

11.2 Vault Min-Max Guide

The Great Vault is a key weekly loot opportunity in early Season 3. This guide covers optimal vault strategy for hardcore and semi-hardcore players looking to optimize progression gearing.

Vault Simulator

Use our Vault Playground to simulate different vault scenarios and test your weekly strategy before committing to activities.

How the Great Vault Works

The Great Vault provides one piece of gear weekly from up to 9 possible options across three categories:

Raid
2/4/6 bosses for 3 slots
Dungeons
1/4/8 keys for 3 slots
World/Delves
2/4/8 delves for 3 slots

Season 3 Timeline

Week 1: Do M0s and delves to fish for tier pieces or strong Hero track trinkets. There's about a 40-50% chance of having to take a socket here.

Week 2+: Business as usual - do as much content as you want.

Vault Holding Strategy

Unless you're progressing a boss where the gear matters or it's impossible your choice changes, hold your vault. Even though it might not give you the big dopamine hit on Wednesday, doing this as a whole team gives concrete gains over the tier:

  • Save catalyst charges for higher item level Mythic pieces
  • Coordinate tier distribution across the raid
  • Wait for socket information from other sources
  • Optimize around actual progression needs vs theoretical upgrades

Once raid opens, stop doing delves if Hero tier isn't useful and delve trinkets aren't upgrades. Otherwise keep doing them - the loot pool is small so hitting trinkets is likely.

Always fill M+ vault with +10s minimum. Do whatever raid your guild does.

TL;DR
  • Week 1: M0s and delves to fish for tier/trinkets
  • Week 2+: Business as usual based on your progression
  • Hold your vault unless gear matters for current progression
  • Team coordination on vault holding gives concrete gains over the tier