Is Excavation Site open, and what level is it?
Blizzard’s 1 October beta notes opened Excavation Site: Wetlands with a published range of 26–31. Use this updated range when planning your group; it does not establish a hard entrance requirement.
Checked on 2 October, this guide combines published beta observations and quest records with our preparation advice. RaidMuster has not independently completed the dungeon. Confirm quest availability on your character before arranging travel; a database entry alone does not prove that every faction can accept it.
Where is the Excavation Site entrance?
Riyani’s Wowhead walkthrough places the new expedition southeast of Whelgar’s Excavation Site, reached by the new roads uphill. Look for the dungeon entrance and meeting stone at the top. The old outdoor excavation and the new instance are different destinations.
Alliance can approach through Loch Modan or Menethil Harbor. Horde’s overland approach passes through Hillsbrad and Arathi Highlands. Set a travel meeting time before the first-pull time, and share the entrance image with anyone unfamiliar with the area. Agree who will guide late arrivals before everyone zones in.
Quest pickups worth checking before travelling
Wowhead’s dungeon quest reference supplies the pickup locations below; the linked quest records identify the objectives. This is a useful selection, not a claim that every quest chain is complete or available to every player.
| Quest | Pickup or prerequisite | Dungeon objective |
|---|---|---|
| Highland Hides | James Halloran, Menethil Harbor; finish Daily Delivery first. | Collect four Thicket Raptor Hides. |
| Songblade Search | Dorin Songblade, Redridge Mountains. | Look for his brother Daewyn. |
| Horrors in the Highland | Rethiel the Greenwarden, Wetlands. | Bring back the Highland Horror’s root core. |
| Lost in the Thicket Things | Check Seeking Caitlin, starting with Llana in Ashenvale. | Learn what happened to Ardin Grassman. |
Check the Titan Relic and cooking quest
The Titan Relic record identifies a quest-starting drop from Relic Guardian. Two recorded handoffs differ: Lost Relic Carry sends it to Prospector Whelgar, while Elder Knowledge sends it to Thunder Bluff’s Elder Rise. Follow the quest your character receives; check your bags before leaving.
Changing Tastes asks for four Thicket Raptor Meat and lists Recipe: Twice-Spiced Raptor Slice among its rewards. The recipe record requires Cooking 75. If a guild cook is joining, check that quest before the run so useful meat does not become a missed objective.
Which encounters are documented so far?
The current dungeon walkthrough names Saltspine, Shadetooth and Relic Guardian but leaves their mechanics unfinished. The Horrors in the Highland quest also establishes a Highland Horror objective. These references do not establish a tested boss order or a complete strategy.
Treat the first visit as a learning run. Read actual casts and debuffs, then write down what affected the party and which response worked. Distinguish an observed ability from an assumption based on an enemy’s appearance. Record the build with those notes so later groups can recognise outdated advice.
Organise the first guild group around its objectives
Use the guild roster template to gather players, roles, levels and availability. Give each person a separate quest checklist. Ask whether they want discovery, quest completion or a particular reward, then agree the evening’s priority before invitations.
Our suggested record below makes the next run more useful. Capture the exact quest name, remaining objective and turn-in destination. After each encounter, check individual progress rather than assuming everyone received the same item. Keep a finish time and recovery plan, especially when the group is still learning the approach.
