The Witherbark Direwing is a terrifying giant bat, a rare and brutal flying mount raised in secrecy by the Witherbark forest trolls deep within the Arathi Highlands. Its leathery wings span wider than a warhorse, its razor‑sharp claws can shred armour, and its blood‑red eyes glow with ancient, feral intelligence. For collectors who favour savage, tribal‑themed creatures over gleaming magical steeds, this bat is a true prize. The in‑game flavour text hints at its exclusivity: “Only a handful of these giant bats remain in the Arathi Highlands, carefully raised by the Witherbark forest trolls who first brought them here.”
First introduced in patch 8.0.1 “Battle for Azeroth”, the Witherbark Direwing has become a favourite among mount enthusiasts who enjoy hunting rare spawns tied to the Warfront system. Unlike most mounts that can be farmed daily or weekly, this one is locked behind a unique cycle that requires patience and an understanding of how the Arathi Highlands phases change over time. The bat itself is not difficult to defeat, but knowing when you can attempt to loot it separates successful collectors from frustrated travellers. For those willing to learn the rhythm of the Warfront, the reward is one of the most distinctive flying mounts from the Battle for Azeroth era.
The Witherbark Direwing drops from Nimar the Slayer, a level 50+ rare troll found in Witherbark Village in the Arathi Highlands. The mount has an estimated drop rate of 5.56%, which is relatively high for a rare mount. However, the limiting factor is the Warfront reset system: Nimar can only be looted once per full Warfront cycle (specifically, once per Patrol phase), regardless of how many times you kill him. Killing him again in the same cycle will yield no loot (and no mount chance).
To access the correct phase of Arathi Highlands, your character must be at least level 50. You do not need to complete any lengthy questlines — simply fly to the zone or use the Warfront portal if your faction currently controls the area (the portal is a convenience, not a requirement). The zone cycles through three phases (Patrol, Contribute, Siege), and Nimar the Slayer only spawns during the Patrol phase — regardless of which faction is listed as the controller. Even if the map says the enemy faction holds the Highlands, you can still fly there and kill the rare as long as the Patrol phase is active.
When Arathi Highlands is in the Patrol phase (the zone’s world quests and rares are active), you can find Nimar the Slayer inside Witherbark Village in the southern part of the zone. He stands near the centre of the village, surrounded by other Witherbark trolls. You do not need your faction to control the zone — during Patrol, the rare is present for everyone, regardless of who “owns” the Highlands on the map. Use the following coordinates:
/way Arathi Highlands 67.9, 60.9 – Nimar the Slayer
Combat notes: Nimar is a level 50 rare with moderate health approx. 66k. He is easily soloable at level 60+ and even at level 50 with decent gear. He has no deadly mechanics — simply burst him down. However, be aware that Witherbark Village is filled with hostile trolls. Clear a few around him before engaging to avoid being overwhelmed. After death, he drops the Witherbark Direwing directly into your inventory (bind‑on‑pickup).
Important reset rule: Even if you kill Nimar, you will not receive loot again until the Warfront cycle completes and a new Patrol phase begins. This means you have roughly one attempt per character per Patrol phase — which can last from several days to over a week.
The Warfront system in Battle for Azeroth controls the availability of rares and world quests in Arathi Highlands, but not which faction can enter the zone. The zone cycles through three phases, and only during the Patrol phase do rares (including Nimar the Slayer) spawn and become lootable. Below is a breakdown of each phase:
Once the Siege phase ends, the cycle restarts with a new Patrol phase, and all rares become available again — regardless of which faction “wins” the Warfront. The only thing that changes with victory is which faction gets the portal convenience; the rares themselves are always accessible to everyone during Patrol.
How to check the current phase: Visit the Warfront table in Boralus (Alliance, near the docks at /way 66.17 25.58) or Dazar'alor (Horde, in the Port of Zuldazar at /way 51.84 94.53). The table will show a progress bar and the current phase text. You can also open your world map and look at Arathi Highlands – if you see world quest icons, you are in Patrol phase.
Because you only get one loot attempt per character per Warfront cycle (Patrol phase), the most efficient way to farm the Witherbark Direwing is to use multiple level 50+ alts. The good news is that you do not need to wait for your faction to control the zone — as soon as the Patrol phase begins, you can fly to Arathi Highlands (or use the portal if your faction has it) and kill Nimar on every alt you have.
Pro tip: The Warfront cycle length depends on your faction’s contribution speed. On active servers, a full cycle can take about 3–5 days. On less populated servers, it may take a week or more. You can speed up the cycle by donating resources during the Contribute phase (if you want the next Patrol phase to arrive faster).
Tracking the Warfront cycle and rare spawns is much easier with a few quality‑of‑life addons. Below are the most useful tools for this farm.
Pro tip: Combine SavedInstances with a simple note on your desktop or calendar. Write down the date when you last saw Patrol phase active – this helps you predict when the next Patrol might start.
