Excavation Site

Not in the files Excavation Site (Wetlands) uses the unfinished Dwarven area that runs up toward Dun Morogh, with Titan ruins, an old lagoon and tall grass where raptors ambush groups.

The files The Excavation Site map exists in the client; the description of its spaces isn't checkable from the tables.

World of Warcraft, Oct 8 at 24:21

Not in the files In Excavation Site the physical-damage disease was reduced after a tuning error (an extra zero); it still exists. The raptor boss's bleed was not changed and is intended.

The files Creature abilities and their numbers are server-side; the client diffs after build 70170 show no tenfold cut to a disease spell.

World of Warcraft, Oct 8 at 29:53

Not in the files Excavation Site is punishing for groups without disease or bleed removal; other dungeons will test different classes in different ways.

The files A statement of intent or server-side behaviour; nothing in the client files to check.

World of Warcraft, Oct 8 at 37:59

Matches the files Excavation Site: Wetlands is map 2998 in the beta client, a copy of a large part of northern Wetlands and southern Dun Morogh. It sits above Whelgar's Excavation, against the back of Ironforge mountain, and you zone in seamlessly into an outdoor-style instance. It opens when the beta cap rises to 30.

The files Map 2998 'Excavation Site: Wetlands' (MapDifficulty 6012/6341, 5-player). Its copied signposts (Dun Algaz, Dun Modr, Grim Batol, Loch Modan, Menethil) show it is a copy of the surrounding overworld. The official recap says 'a mysterious excavation site above Whelgar's Excavation'. Oct 1 notes: level cap 30 and 'New Dungeon - Excavation Site: Wetlands (26-31)'.

720 Zone, Sep 27 at 0:00

Matches the files Excavation Site bosses and areas (client data): Lost Marsh (crocolisks, some swimming) with Saltspine, a large albino crocolisk; Stalker's Thicket (raptors, nests) with Shadetooth, a nod to the Sarltooth quest raptor; the Lost Dig Site with Highland Horror, a bog beast like the Fen Creepers; and Site of the Guardian with the final boss Relic Guardian. Spider eggs and webs line the final path.

The files Excavation Site encounters: Saltspine 3480, Shadetooth 3481, Highland Horror 3644, Relic Guardian 3482 (order 2000, last). Subzones: Lost Marsh 16877, Stalker's Thicket 16878, Lost Dig Site 16880, Site of the Guardian 16879.

720 Zone, Sep 27 at 1:37

Matches the files Killing Highland Horror in Excavation Site triggers a 'Highland Horror Defeated' boss-kill banner with sound and animation, although it's a quest mob. Xaryu wondered if it was a bug.

The files Data supports the banner: Highland Horror is DungeonEncounter 3644 on map 2998 (OrderIndex 1500, Flags 4), so an encounter-complete banner is expected and probably not a bug.

Xaryu, Oct 3 at 16:21

Partly Sodapoppin's group pulled Shadetooth, the Excavation Site raptor boss, together with its Thicket Hunter escorts. Members were feared and several died, and Soda relied on a Warlock Soulstone.

The files Shadetooth is DungeonEncounter 3481 on map 2998 (second boss). The 'Thicket Hunter' escorts, fear and deaths are gameplay. Creature names and abilities aren't in the client tables (no obs/combat-log data for this dungeon).

Sodapoppin, Oct 3 at 6:24

Partly Relic Guardian, Excavation Site's final boss, is immune to bleeds. Sodapoppin found it boring: it has mechanics, but they didn't matter for his group, and the fight felt like other dungeons of that level.

The files Final boss confirmed: Relic Guardian, DungeonEncounter 3482, OrderIndex 2000 (last), in subzone Site of the Guardian (AreaTable 16879). Bleed immunity and fight feel are server-side.

Sodapoppin, Oct 3 at 32:41

Partly Relic Guardian (level 31) was rough for Xaryu's under-leveled group: lots of misses, healers and DPS out of mana and wanding. The Hunter pulled aggro, and the Paladin tank had to bubble, then used a taunt to take the boss back. It dropped a Stamina/mana-per-5 ring.

The files Relic Guardian is the final boss (encounter 3482). Level 31, misses, mana and aggro are gameplay. A ring with exactly +8 Stamina/+2 Mana per 5 exists: Militant's Band 271916 (ilvl 33, req 28). It sits in a faction-paired reward set (Theramore Signet / Darkspear Signet), so it can't be confirmed as this drop.

Xaryu, Oct 3 at 21:03

Partly NOHITJEROME's group ran the new Excavation Site: Wetlands about seven levels below its recommended level. A Beast Mastery and a Marksmanship Hunter carried it by trapping extra mobs (traps work in combat) and out-damaging everything.

The files Traps working in combat is confirmed: Freezing Trap (1499/13795) lost Classic's 'not in combat' attribute (Attributes_0 0x10010000 -> 0x10000). Excavation Site: Wetlands is a new dungeon (map 2998, 26-31 per the Oct 1 notes). The under-leveled run itself is not checkable.

NOHITJEROME, Oct 4 at 8:17

Partly Highland Horror (Excavation Site) is an Alliance kill-quest target rather than a real boss. It was immune to some of Sodapoppin's spells, and the group executed it quickly.

The files Highland Horror is a real DungeonEncounter (3644, map 2998, OrderIndex 1500, between Shadetooth and Relic Guardian). Its Flags are 4 (the other three bosses have 1024) and Faction is -1, so it isn't faction-limited in encounter data. The client treats it as an encounter (with a different flag), not just a quest mob. The quest link and immunities are server-side.

Sodapoppin, Oct 3 at 25:22

Partly Excavation Site Alliance chain from Lakeshire: look for Daewyn, Doran Songblade's brother, at Whelgar's Excavation Site. Inside, at Daewyn's body, the follow-up ('Fallen in the Fen', heard as 'Fallen in the Fin') starts: report his fate to Doran Songblade in Lakeshire for 6,000 XP. Rewards: Daewyn's Girdle (cloth belt, 9 Spirit, +6 spell damage/healing, 10 health per 5 sec) or a mail belt (10 Stamina, +0.7% dodge).

The files Daewyn's Girdle is item 271769 (cloth belt, ilvl 33): +9 Spirit, +6 Spell Power, +10 Health per 5 sec, matching '10 health per 5 sec'. The mail-belt alternative isn't readable. Item 271768, an encrypted mail waist item between Healer's Staff 271767 and Daewyn's Girdle, is the likely candidate. Quest names, NPCs and 6,000 XP are server-side.

Xaryu, Oct 3 at 14:28

Partly Dwarven Excavators near the end of Excavation Site take an Alliance quest turn-in that leads back to Menethil Harbor. Its reward includes Satchel of Potions, a trinket with a 10-minute cooldown ('Reach into the bag and hope for the best').

The files Satchel of Potions is item 280766 (trinket, ilvl 33, rare). On use it casts spell 1309685 'Reach into the bag and hope for the best.' with a 600,000 ms (10 min) cooldown. The Dwarven Excavators quest and turn-in at Menethil Harbor are server-side.

Xaryu, Oct 3 at 19:32