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Excavation Site: Wetlands Dungeon Guide for WoW Forever

New in Forever

A new WoW Forever dungeon for levels 24-29: a Wetlands dig site with four bosses from Saltspine to the Relic Guardian, quests for both factions and the blues to chase.

Level
24–29 recommended
Players
5
Location
Wetlands, Eastern Kingdoms

Before your run

Access and maps

Choose your group using the recommended level range.

Wetlands area guide →

Use the area guide and individual quest pages to plan your route.

Quests and equipment

13 quests. 2 quests have earlier steps.

Choose your character in the loot finder, then compare upgrades with your equipped set.

Filter all loot →Compare equipment →Prepare group assignments →
Wetlands area map

This map shows the surrounding area. Quest pages cover objectives and travel.

0 locations
Wetlands
  • Wetlands
Quest preparation13 quests

Review the earlier steps on each quest page, along with its objectives, rewards and travel details.

Bosses and loot

Saltspine

Level 28
  • Legs, Leather
  • Waist, Mail
  • Feet, Cloth
View encounter

Saltspine selected

On this page
Updated

Written by stillsixty staff.

Related official updates

Text checks compare the guide with a version of a post. In-game testing is recorded separately.

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Overview

Excavation Site: Wetlands is a dig site in the Wetlands and one of WoW Forever's new dungeons. Four bosses stand in your way: Saltspine, Shadetooth, Highland Horror and the Relic Guardian.

It's a dungeon for your mid-to-late 20s, levels 24 to 29. It sits level with The Stockade and Blackfathom Deeps, and it gives both factions a new dungeon in that stretch of the climb. Each side has its own quests here, and the Titan Relic you find inside starts a two-step chain for both.

Getting there

The dig site lies in the Wetlands, above Whelgar's Excavation, in the marshland between Loch Modan and the Arathi Highlands. The Wetlands is contested territory.

  • From the south: take the road north out of Loch Modan through Dun Algaz.
  • From the north: cross the Thandol Span from the Arathi Highlands.
  • By sea: ships dock at Menethil Harbor, the Alliance port on the west coast.

Quests

All of them open from level 24. Two have to be picked up before you go, one per faction, and the Titan Relic chains end far from the Wetlands.

Alliance

  • Horrors in the Highland

    Level 31Requires 24Alliance

    From Rethiel the Greenwarden in the Wetlands (56.2, 40.5): wants the Highland Horror's Horrible Rootcore.

  • Lost Relic Carry

    Level 31Requires 24Alliance

    Started by the Relic Guardian's Titan Relic, for Prospector Whelgar at the excavation site.

  • Prehistoric Prism

    Level 31Requires 24Alliance

    The next step of the Titan Relic chain, for High Explorer Magellas in Ironforge's Hall of Explorers.

  • Fallen in the Fen

    Level 31Requires 24Alliance

    Ends in Lakeshire, where Dorin Songblade wants to hear what became of his brother.

Horde

  • Changing Tastes

    Level 31Requires 24Horde

    From Borstan in Orgrimmar (57.4, 53.4): wants 4 Thicket Raptor Meat from the dig site.

  • Open the Maw

    Level 31Requires 24Horde

    Sends you after the Dragonmaw inside: bring their dispatch to the Deathstalker Agent outside.

  • Elder Knowledge

    Level 31Requires 24Horde

    Started by the Horde's Titan Relic, for the Elder Rise in Thunder Bluff.

  • Earthen Echo

    Level 31Requires 24Horde

    The next step of the chain, for Muln Earthfury on the Skywatcher Plateau in northwest Mulgore.

Other quests

Bosses

  1. 1. SaltspineLevel 28
  2. 2. ShadetoothLevel 29
  3. 3. Highland HorrorLevel 28
  4. 4. Relic GuardianLevel 31Final boss

1. Saltspine

Level 28

Loot (3)

Abilities

  • Big health poolDamage dealers

    No tricks yet seen, just hard melee and a big health pool. Elite crocolisks share his patrol through the marsh, so either clear them or pull him clear before the fight.

2. Shadetooth

Level 29

Loot (4)

He is a summon: track down the raptor matriarch hiding in the grass, kill her, beat the wave of raptors her death sets off, and Shadetooth follows.

Abilities

  • Hidden raptorsBleed

    Little raptors leap from the tall grass as you cross it and cause bleeding. Expect them on the way in.

  • Raptor waveDamage dealersImportant

    Finish the raptor wave before he joins, or the group fights everything at once. That is how groups wipe here.

  • FearTankImportant

    He fears the tank more than once. A shaman’s Tremor Totem saves a lot of trouble.

3. Highland Horror

Level 28

Loot (1)

Its Horrible Rootcore is the objective of Horrors in the Highland. It drops nothing else.

Abilities

  • Dragonmaw camp

    He stands among Dragonmaw packs that pull one at a time with ease: clear them before him. The fight is brief and plain.

4. Relic Guardian

Level 31Final boss

Loot (5)

The last boss of the dig site. Its Titan Relic starts the Alliance's Titan Relic chain, and it drops four blues and Blueprint: Rock Garden.

Abilities

  • Threat dropTankImportant

    Expect a threat wipe partway through. Tank: taunt at once. Damage dealers: hold until he is back on the tank.

Loot

Saltspine and Shadetooth drop three blues each, the Relic Guardian four, and two bosses carry a campsite blueprint. Saltspine's and Shadetooth's gear needs level 26, the Relic Guardian's 28. The standouts:

  • Casters

    • From Shadetooth
    • From Saltspine
    • From Relic Guardian
    Raptor's Gaze from Shadetooth, an off-hand with spell power, Glinteye Slippers from Saltspine, cloth boots with Intellect and Spirit, and Ring of Power Regulation from the Relic Guardian, a ring with mana regeneration.

  • Mail

    • From Saltspine
    • From Shadetooth
    • From Relic Guardian
    Saltscale Girdle from Saltspine, Raptorclaw Greaves from Shadetooth and Reliquary Mantle from the Relic Guardian: a belt, boots and shoulders.

  • Leather

    • From Shadetooth
    • From Saltspine
    Garb of Florid Feathers from Shadetooth, a chest with Agility and Intellect, and Supple Bellyskin Leggings from Saltspine, leggings with Strength and Stamina.

  • Ranged

    • From Relic Guardian
    Golemsight Long Gun from the Relic Guardian, a gun with Agility.

  • Campsites

    • From Shadetooth
    • From Relic Guardian
    Blueprint: Greenhouse from Shadetooth needs Herbalism 140 and Blueprint: Rock Garden from the Relic Guardian needs Mining 140. They teach you to place a Greenhouse and a Rock Garden at your campsite.
Every drop (13)
Create a character

13 items

Excavation Site: Wetlands loot
Legs
Leather
31
26
Waist
Mail
31
26
Feet
Cloth
31
26
Feet
Mail
31
26
Chest
Leather
31
26
Held In Off-hand
31
26
25
25
Shoulder
Mail
33
28
Finger
33
28
Titan Relic (Common)
1
1
Ranged
Gun
33
28
25

Class and level narrow the candidates; other requirements may apply. Compare with your equipment in the gear planner →

Tips

  • Tip

    Go in with a tank, a healer and three damage dealers, and make sure someone in the group brings crowd control.

  • Tip

    Pick up Horrors in the Highland (Alliance) or Changing Tastes (Horde) before you set out: they don't start at the dig site.

  • Tip

    Stock food, water, healing potions and bandages, train your new ranks and repair before you leave town.

  • Tip

    The Wetlands is contested, so travel to the entrance as a group.

Changelog

  • Guide published.
  • Refreshed the page title and summary.
  • The dungeon is open: added its quests, loot and boss drops, and the new level range.
  • Updated the level range to 24-29.

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