Excavation Site: Wetlands is one of the new dungeons introduced in World of Warcraft: Forever.
This dungeon takes you through an excavation site overrun by dangerous wildlife, Dragonmaw Orcs, and ancient Titan technology.
It is designed primarily for players around levels 26-33. Excavation Site: Wetlands offers several quests for both Alliance and Horde players, three main loot-dropping bosses, and an additional encounter tied to an Alliance quest.
It is also a worthwhile dungeon if you are looking to earn experience and collect useful equipment while exploring the new content.
This guide covers how to find Excavation Site: Wetlands, where to pick up its quests, how to defeat each boss, and all the important loot available inside.
Excavation Site: Wetlands Location and Recommended Level
Excavation Site: Wetlands is located in the Wetlands, near Whelgar’s Excavation Site. The dungeon entrance is on a hill south of Thelgen Rock, with the route leading towards the excavation area.
Alliance players can reach the dungeon from Menethil Harbor, which is the closest convenient flight point.
Horde players will have a longer journey, travelling through the Arathi Highlands before reaching the Wetlands.
Its quests become available at level 24; entering at that level can make the boss encounters considerably harder. Reaching at least level 26 before attempting the dungeon is a better approach.
| Dungeon Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Wetlands |
| Recommended Level | 26-33 |
| Group Size | 5 players |
| Main Bosses | 3 |
| Additional Encounter | Highland Horror |
| Estimated Clear Time | 20-35 minutes |
The dungeon has a relatively straightforward layout, but you should be careful when moving through areas containing hidden enemies.
Several encounters can become difficult if the group accidentally pulls additional creatures.
All Excavation Site: Wetlands Dungeon Quests
There are five Alliance quests and three Horde quests associated with Excavation Site: Wetlands.
Some quests can be collected before entering the dungeon, while others require you to find specific characters or collect items during the run.
It is worth completing the available prerequisite quests before starting the dungeon, as this allows you to collect several rewards without having to repeat the entire instance.
Alliance Quests
| Quest | Starting Location | Objective |
|---|---|---|
| Songblade Search | Dorin Songblade, Lakeshire | Find Daewyn Songblade inside the dungeon. |
| Highland Hides | James Halloran, Menethil Harbor | Collect four Thicket Raptor Hides. |
| Horrors in the Highland | Rethiel the Greenwarden, Wetlands | Defeat Highland Horror and collect its Horrible Rootcore. |
| Lost in the Thicket Things | Caitlin Grassman, Menethil Harbor | Find out what happened to Ardin Grassman. |
| Lost Relic Carry | Relic Guardian, inside the dungeon | Take the Titan Relic to Prospector Whelgar. |
Songblade Search
This quest begins with Dorin Songblade in Lakeshire, Redridge Mountains. Your objective is to find his brother, Daewyn Songblade, who went missing in the Wetlands.
Daewyn’s body can be found inside a small camp hut in the dungeon, along the route after the Shadetooth encounter.
Interact with the body to complete the objective and unlock the follow-up quest, Fallen in the Fen.
Returning to Dorin in Lakeshire rewards you with 6,150 XP and a choice between Daewyn’s Girdle and Songblade Stabilizer.
Highland Hides
James Halloran in Menethil Harbor gives this quest after you complete Young Crocolisk Skins.
You need to collect four Thicket Raptor Hides from the raptors found in the dungeon.
These creatures appear in the second section of the instance, so you can complete the objective while progressing through the dungeon.
The quest rewards 1,150 XP, 12 Silver, and 50 Stormwind Reputation.
Horrors in the Highland
This quest comes from Rethiel the Greenwarden in the Wetlands. However, you must first complete the Greenwarden questline, which starts with First Mate Fitzsimmons in Menethil Harbor.
The prerequisite chain includes Tramping Paws, Fire Taboo, and Blisters on the Land.
Once unlocked, enter Excavation Site: Wetlands and defeat Highland Horror. Collect the Horrible Rootcore from the encounter and return it to Rethiel.
Completing the quest grants 6,150 XP and a choice between Ironwood Destroyer, Curl of Life, and Hornbeam Heft.
Lost in the Thicket Things
Caitlin Grassman in Menethil Harbor offers this quest, but you must first complete Seeking Caitlin, which starts with Llana in Astranaar, Ashenvale.
Your objective is to find Ardin Grassman inside Excavation Site: Wetlands. He can be found on a wooden platform near the final boss area.
Finding Ardin completes the initial objective and unlocks Heartwoven. He gives you the Reed-woven Heart, which must be returned to Caitlin in Menethil Harbor.
Heartwoven rewards 6,150 XP and a choice of potions or a Satchel of Potions.
Lost Relic Carry
This quest begins when you obtain the Titan Relic from the final boss, Relic Guardian.
Take the relic to Prospector Whelgar at Whelgar’s Excavation Site in the Wetlands. Completing the quest unlocks Prehistoric Prism, which sends you to High Explorer Magellas in Ironforge.
Prehistoric Prism rewards 6,950 XP, 60 Silver, and a choice between Explorer’s League Dustcover, Heavehammer, and Healer’s Staff.
Horde Quests
| Quest | Starting Location | Objective |
|---|---|---|
| Changing Tastes | Borstan, Orgrimmar | Collect four Thicket Raptor Meat. |
| Open the Maw | Deathstalker Agent, Wetlands | Kill Dragonmaw enemies and retrieve their dispatch. |
| Elder Knowledge | Relic Guardian, inside the dungeon | Take the Titan Relic to Bashana Runetotem. |
Changing Tastes
Borstan in Orgrimmar gives this quest. You need to collect four Thicket Raptor Meat from the raptors inside Excavation Site: Wetlands.
The required creatures can be found in the Stalker’s Thicket section of the dungeon.
Once you have collected enough meat, return to Borstan to receive 6,950 XP and a choice of rewards, including Satchel of Potions or Serrated Raptor Claw.
You also receive the Twice-Spiced Raptor Slice recipe and prepared food.
Open the Maw
This quest is given by the Deathstalker Agent outside Excavation Site: Wetlands.
Before you can access it, you must complete Dragonmaw Rumors, which is obtained from Zaruk at Hammerfall in the Arathi Highlands.
For Open the Maw, you must kill two Dragonmaw Saboteurs and four Dragonmaw Warders.
You also need to retrieve a Dragonmaw Dispatch, which can drop from a Dragonmaw Thaumaturgist.
The Dragonmaw enemies are located around the Lost Dig Site section of the dungeon.
Completing the quest rewards 6,950 XP and a choice between Knife-Polishing Rag and Dirt-Heavy Bracers.
Elder Knowledge
Like the Alliance’s Lost Relic Carry quest, Elder Knowledge requires you to obtain the Titan Relic from the Relic Guardian.
Take the relic to Bashana Runetotem in Thunder Bluff. This unlocks Earthen Echo, which sends you to Muln Earthfury at Skywatcher Plateau in Mulgore.
Completing the follow-up rewards 6,950 XP, 60 Silver, and a choice between Heavehammer, Healer’s Staff, and Furs of the Earthen Ring.
Excavation Site: Wetlands Bosses
Excavation Site: Wetlands has three main bosses that drop equipment, along with Highland Horror, an additional encounter required for an Alliance quest.
The three main bosses are Saltspine, Shadetooth, and Relic Guardian. Each has different mechanics, so your tank and healer should be prepared before starting an encounter.
1. Saltspine
Saltspine is the first main boss of Excavation Site: Wetlands. It patrols around the edge of the crocolisk lake. It’s relatively easy to encounter while clearing the initial section.
Its most important ability is Dust Storm, which significantly reduces the tank’s threat generation.
This can make it difficult for the tank to maintain control of the boss, especially when the group is dealing high damage.
Saltspine also uses Fatal Bite and Tendon Rip against its target. These attacks can put additional pressure on the tank and make the encounter more demanding for the healer.
How to defeat Saltspine
The main priority is to avoid pulling additional enemies when engaging Saltspine. The boss patrols near other creatures, and an accidental extra pull can make the fight unnecessarily difficult.
The tank should focus on maintaining threat whenever possible, while DPS players should be ready to control their damage if the boss switches targets.
Healers should keep an eye on the tank throughout the encounter, particularly when Saltspine uses its damaging abilities.
2. Shadetooth
Shadetooth is the second main boss and one of the more dangerous encounters in the dungeon.
The boss patrols along the raptor pathway and is accompanied by two Thicket Hunters.
These additional enemies can quickly overwhelm an unprepared group, so make sure the surrounding area is clear before starting the fight.
Shadetooth’s most troublesome ability is Terrifying Roar, which fears nearby players.
The ability becomes dangerous because it can send affected players running into hidden enemy groups in the tall grass.
The boss also applies Rend to its target, dealing 77 physical damage every three seconds. At 20% health, Shadetooth enters an Enrage state, increasing its attack speed by 30% and physical damage by 15%.
How to defeat Shadetooth
Clear the nearby enemies and hidden packs before engaging the boss. This is important because Terrifying Roar can cause players to run directly into additional enemies.
Shamans should use Tremor Totem to help counter the fear effect, while Priests can use Fear Ward on the tank.
The tank should maintain control of Shadetooth and be prepared for the increased damage during its Enrage phase. Healers should also save enough mana to handle the final portion of the fight.
DPS players should focus on eliminating the two Thicket Hunters as needed and then concentrate on Shadetooth.
3. Highland Horror
Highland Horror is an additional encounter aside from one of the three main loot-dropping bosses. Alliance players need to defeat it for the Horrors in the Highland quest.
You can find the creature in the Lost Dig Site area, on the right-hand side as you enter the section.
Highland Horror has two primary abilities: Entangling Roots and Wild Regeneration.
Although the encounter is relatively straightforward, the surrounding slimes can cause problems if the group accidentally pulls them during the fight.
How to defeat Highland Horror
Clear the nearby slimes before engaging the creature. Once the surrounding area is safe, the group can focus on defeating Highland Horror.
There are no particularly complicated mechanics to manage. However, you should watch out for Entangling Roots and make sure the healer is prepared to handle incoming damage.
After defeating it, collect the Horrible Rootcore to complete the Alliance quest.
4. Relic Guardian
Relic Guardian is the final boss of Excavation Site: Wetlands and the most important encounter in the dungeon.
Unlike the other bosses, Relic Guardian must first be activated using the Titan Control Panel located nearby. Once activated, the ancient Titan construct becomes hostile.
The boss is level 31, which makes the encounter more challenging for groups entering the dungeon at lower levels.
Relic Guardian has several abilities that you need to watch out for.
Thunderclap: Reduces the attack speed of nearby players, lowering the group’s overall damage output.
Arcing Smash: A frontal cleave attack that damages players in front of the boss. The tank should keep Relic Guardian facing away from the rest of the group.
Knockaway: Targets an individual player and reduces their threat, causing the boss to switch targets.
War Stomp: An area-of-effect attack that knocks back and stuns nearby players. Ranged characters should maintain their distance to avoid being caught in this ability.
How to defeat Relic Guardian
The tank should position Relic Guardian away from the rest of the party so that Arcing Smash does not hit other players.
Ranged DPS and healers should maintain enough distance to avoid War Stomp. Melee players need to be careful about the boss’s area attacks and should avoid standing in front of it.
The tank should also watch for Knockaway, as losing threat at the wrong moment can put considerable pressure on the healer.
One useful detail is that Relic Guardian can be stunned and slowed. Hunters can use Concussive Shot, while Shamans can use Earthbind Totem to help control its movement.
Once defeated, Relic Guardian drops the Titan Relic, which is required for the Alliance and Horde follow-up quests.
Excavation Site: Wetlands Dungeon Loot
The dungeon offers several equipment pieces for different classes and roles.
Saltspine and Shadetooth drop useful early-game gear, while Relic Guardian has some of the more interesting rewards, including a spellpower ring and an agility-based gun.
Here is the loot available from each boss.
Saltspine Loot
| Item | Equipment Type |
|---|---|
| Glinteye Slippers | Cloth Feet |
| Saltscale Girdle | Mail Waist |
| Supple Bellyskin Leggings | Leather Legs |
Shadetooth Loot
| Item | Equipment Type |
|---|---|
| Raptorclaw Greaves | Mail Feet |
| Raptor’s Gaze | Held in Off-hand |
| Garb of Florid Feathers | Leather Chest |
| Blueprint: Greenhouse | Herbalism Recipe |
Highland Horror Loot
Highland Horror does not have a regular equipment loot table. Its main reward is the Horrible Rootcore, which is required for the Alliance quest Horrors in the Highland.
Relic Guardian Loot
Final Boss
| Item | Equipment Type |
|---|---|
| Ring of Power Regulation | Finger |
| Golemsight Long Gun | Ranged Gun |
| Reliquary Mantle | Mail Shoulders |
| Blueprint: Rock Garden | Mining Recipe |
| Titan Relic | Quest Item |
Is Excavation Site: Wetlands Worth Completing?
Yes. Excavation Site: Wetlands is worth running if your character is around level 26-33 and you want to gain experience and collect useful equipment.
The dungeon is relatively short, with an estimated completion time of around 20-35 minutes.
Its three main bosses have manageable mechanics, although Shadetooth and Relic Guardian require more coordination than Saltspine.
The quests are another major reason to complete the dungeon. Both factions have several objectives to finish, and the Titan Relic follow-up questlines offer additional experience and equipment choices.
You should ideally collect your available quests before entering the dungeon. Doing so saves time and makes it easier to complete multiple objectives in a single run.
Excavation Site: Wetlands also provides an interesting look at the Titans and Dragonmaw Clan through its encounters and environment.
