When raid night is still hours away or your guild hasn’t yet formed a group, the new “Delves” system in The War Within offers a flexible, rewarding way to stay active, keep progressing and fill time meaningfully. This article explains *how* to use Delves effectively as those “in-between” sessions, *why* they’re a strong choice instead of simply questing or idling, and what strategy will let you maximise their value without derailing your raid preparation.

If you want to stay sharp, gear-ready and moving while your main group gets organised, this is your guide.

What Are Delves & Why They Work for Gap-Filler Sessions

Delves are short, purpose-built instanced challenges available in The War Within: they can be done solo or in small groups (1–5 players) with an NPC companion, and typically take around 10-15 minutes to complete.

This makes them ideal for “in-between times” because:

• They don’t require the coordination of a full raid team.
• They have meaningful rewards, so you’re not wasting time.
• They’re flexible — you can start one, pause if needed, or pick one that suits your timeframe.

Using them as a gap-filler keeps your progression momentum going instead of hitting a lull while waiting for the main event.

How to Fit Delves Into Your Weekly Routine

Here’s a suggested workflow to slot Delves in around your raid night:

1. **Pre-raid warm-up:** 30-60 minutes before raid night, run 1 or 2 Delves to sharpen rotation, check gear, maybe upgrade minor items. This primes you for the bigger session.
2. **Between content segments:** If raid night has multiple wings or there’s a mythic-key push, insert a Delve during breaks to keep alt/secondary characters progressing.
3. **Post-raid cooldown:** After the main raid finishes, run one Delve with a friend or alt to finish your session on a positive note, gather extra rewards, and avoid burnout.

This way you’re never “waiting around” — you’re always doing something meaningful that supports your progression and gear readiness.

Choosing the Right Delve for Your Goals

Not all Delves are equal — here’s how to pick smart:

• **Time available:** If you only have 15 minutes, pick a Tier 1–2 Delve you’re comfortable with and aim for clean completion rather than pushing difficulty.
• **Resource needs:** If you need upgrade materials or gear upgrades, pick a Delve known for the loot you’re chasing (check community lists or vendor tracks).

• **Alt progression:** Use a Delve on an alt character to bank account-wide rewards while your main rests or queues.

By tailoring your pick to your timeframe, you maximise the value of that session rather than picking a random Delve and getting stuck or frustrated.

What to Focus On During a Delve Run for Maximum Benefit

Here are targeted goals to make each Delve run count:

• Check your gear before entry — if you’re under-geared, treat it as practice rather than expecting top loot.
• Focus on flawless completion (no wipes) — shorter durations and clean runs mean you’re saving time.
• Pick up any upgrade items (tokens, drop-loot, rewards) and bank them immediately so they’re ready for your raid session.
• Save new mechanics or encounters from the Delve for post-raid learning — you don’t want to learn something new during critical raid windows.

Using your Delve time effectively means you’re prepping rather than just “killing time”.

Common Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them

Watch out for these mistakes:

• **Choosing a Delve too difficult for your current gear:** leads to wipes and lost time. Instead pick one you can reliably clear in 10-15 minutes.
• **Running Delves with no purpose while ignoring your raid gear/checklist:** if you’re using gap-time run for random junk, you lose focus. Always tie it back to your progression plan.

• **Using Delves during peak raid time when you should be prepping for raid:** reserve your Delve session for lower-stakes role or alt, not your main run.

Avoid these and your use of Delves will enhance rather than distract your main progression.

Conclusion

Delves in The War Within serve not only as fun side-content — they are a strategic tool to keep you engaged, progressing and ready for the big group content. By slotting them into your schedule around raid nights, picking the right Delves for your available time and focusing on value rather than just running for fun, you’ll turn “waiting time” into progress time. And when your raid group logs in, you’ll be sharper, better-geared and more ready than if you’d spent those hours idling.

So the next time you’re hung up waiting for raid invites, queue, or group-formation — pick a Delve, dive in, and come out stronger.