Guide · October 24, 2026

WoW Forever Deadmines Guide: Entrance, Quests and the Defias Story

The Deadmines in World of Warcraft: Forever (WoW Forever) is a mine-and-ship dungeon beneath Moonbrook in Westfall, where Alliance players fight through the Defias Brotherhood to reach Edwin VanCleef on his ship. Sources disagree on the level range (15 to 22 at Warcraft Tavern, 17 to 26 at Method and Icy Veins, 18 to 24 at Warcraft Wiki), so check the in-game recommendation. Warcraft Tavern says it is unchanged from Classic apart from rewards and one new quest.

Quick answer: Enter through the Defias Hideout house in Moonbrook. Boss order: Rhahk'Zor, Sneed, Gilnid, Mr. Smite, Captain Greenskin and Edwin VanCleef, with Miner Johnson and Cookie optional. Warcraft Tavern and Icy Veins say all quests are Alliance-only. Method estimates a 20 to 30 minute clear.

The Deadmines route runs from Rhahk'Zor, optional Miner Johnson, Sneed's Shredder, Gilnid, Mr. Smite and Captain Greenskin to final boss Edwin VanCleef, with optional Cookie, in Moonbrook, Westfall. — Deadmines boss order from Warcraft Tavern and Method, with Alliance quest givers.

Key facts

Level range: 15 to 22 (Warcraft Tavern); 17 to 26 (Method, Icy Veins); 18 to 24 (Warcraft Wiki); 17 to 21 (Mobalytics)
Location: Moonbrook, Westfall; the entrance is in the Defias Hideout house near 42, 72 (Warcraft Tavern)
Bosses: Rhahk'Zor, Miner Johnson (optional rare), Sneed's Shredder and Sneed, Gilnid, Mr. Smite, Captain Greenskin, Edwin VanCleef; Cookie is optional (Warcraft Tavern, Method)
Clear time: 20 to 30 minutes (Method)
Quests: seven, all Alliance-only (Warcraft Tavern, Icy Veins)
Profession loot: Rockslicer, Miner's Cape, Blueprint: Anvil, Blueprint: Cookie's Feast (Method)
Changes from Classic: same dungeon, new rewards, one new quest in a new Westfall chain (Warcraft Tavern)

How do you get into the Deadmines?

Warcraft Tavern says to enter the Defias Hideout, the large building in the southwest corner of Moonbrook near 42, 72, then navigate a cave maze down to the dungeon entrance. Icy Veins describes it as a house in Moonbrook at the southern end of Westfall. Method adds that the entrance is revealed by finishing the Defias Brotherhood quest chain.

Inside, the route runs from mineshaft tunnels to a large cavern, then the docks and the ship (Warcraft Tavern). Icy Veins notes that Horde players need a boat ride from Ratchet in the Barrens. For more dungeons, see the WoW Forever dungeons overview.

What are the Deadmines bosses, in order?

Rhahk'Zor: a level 19 elite ogre with two Defias Watchmen. His Rhahk'Zor Slam stuns the tank for 3 seconds (Method). Kill or crowd control the Watchmen first.
Miner Johnson (optional rare): may not spawn. He is surrounded by Defias Miners and casts Pierce Armor on the tank (Method).
Sneed and Sneed's Shredder: clear the goblins first. Killing the Shredder ejects Sneed, who casts Disarm on the player with threat.
Gilnid: comes with a Goblin Craftsman and Goblin Engineer. His Molten Metal makes tanking harder: Warcraft Tavern says it reduces threat generation, while Method adds a 50% slow.
Mr. Smite: guards the ship with two stealthed Defias Blackguards. He stuns with Smite Stomp as he changes phases, then fights with two weapons. Kill the Blackguards first.
Captain Greenskin: easy to pull by accident, with a Squallshaper, a Pirate and a Companion. Warcraft Tavern says he must die before VanCleef.
Edwin VanCleef: the final boss. Two Blackguards wait stealthed, and at half health he summons more adds (Warcraft Tavern, Icy Veins), unless he is stunned as he crosses 50% (Method).

Cookie is optional. Interrupt his Cookie's Cooking heal. Icy Veins says he is usually the last mob pulled, and Warcraft Tavern says his drops include the wand Cookie's Stirring Rod.

What quests does the Deadmines have?

Warcraft Tavern lists seven Alliance quests, though its own text says six:

Destruction in Deadmines: Alba Fairmoon, Sentinel Hill, place explosives at the forge
The Defias Brotherhood: Gryan Stoutmantle, Sentinel Hill, kill VanCleef and bring back his head
Red Silk Bandanas: Scout Riell, Sentinel Hill, collect 10 Red Silk Bandanas from elite humanoids
Collecting Memories: Wilder Thistlenettle, Dwarven District, Stormwind, collect 4 Miners' Union Cards
Oh Brother…: Wilder Thistlenettle, retrieve a badge from Foreman Thistlenettle
Underground Assault: Shoni the Shilent, Stormwind, retrieve Gnoam Sprecklesprocket from Sneed's Shredder
The Unsent Letter: begins with a letter dropped by VanCleef, finished with Baros Alexston in Stormwind

Method adds a Paladin-only quest, The Test of Righteousness for the Alliance, and lists A Moon-Kissed Blade as a Horde quest at level 20 (its text calls the Horde quest Paladin-only, but its table does not). The Alliance versus Horde guide covers faction access.

What loot drops and how do professions use it?

Method lists Rhahk'Zor's Hammer and Rockslicer from Rhahk'Zor, Miner's Cape from Miner Johnson, a Blueprint: Anvil from Gilnid, and Cape of the Brotherhood and Cruel Barb from VanCleef. Icy Veins says Sneed drops the Repair Bot Blueprint, and Method says Cookie drops Blueprint: Cookie's Feast. Blizzard says every dungeon drop was re-examined and unique boss items are now blue. See the Mining guide and Engineering guide.

Who was Edwin VanCleef?

Warcraft Wiki says Edwin VanCleef was the elected Guildmaster of the Stonemasons Guild, which rebuilt Stormwind after the orcs razed it. The in-game Defias Brotherhood quest chain, quoted on Warcraft Wiki, says he "had been leader of the Stonemasons who rebuilt Stormwind." Warcraft Wiki adds that the guild went unpaid, that the House of Nobles ordered it disbanded when VanCleef demanded restitution, and that the survivors fled to Westfall and became the Defias Brotherhood, which turned to banditry.

In the original game era, which WoW Forever follows, adventurers storm the Deadmines and kill him. Later stories about the Defias, such as Cataclysm onward, are outside WoW Forever. Read the full Defias Brotherhood explained and Stormwind history. The free Lore Forever add-on shows quest and zone background in game.

What is not confirmed yet

The level range differs by source (15 to 22, 17 to 21, 17 to 26, 18 to 24), and Method's Horde route text mentions Blackfathom Deeps, which looks like an error.
Quest details differ: Destruction in Deadmines is level 9 at Warcraft Tavern and 14 at Method, and Warcraft Tavern's text says six quests while its table lists seven.
Method says the entrance is revealed by a quest chain, but Warcraft Tavern describes walking in through the Hideout.
No source states group size explicitly, and none describes Scrolls or Research here.
The unpaid-guild and disbanding details rest on Warcraft Wiki alone, which cites Blizzard books and other supplementary sources; the sources do not agree on whether the nobles refused or were unable to pay.
Icy Veins lists Blueprint: Repair Bot as a Sneed drop, but Method's Sneed loot list does not include it.

Frequently asked questions

What level is the Deadmines in WoW Forever?

Warcraft Tavern lists 15 to 22, Method and Icy Veins list 17 to 26, Warcraft Wiki lists 18 to 24, and Mobalytics lists 17 to 21. Check the in-game recommendation.

Where is the Deadmines entrance in WoW Forever?

It is in Moonbrook, Westfall, inside the Defias Hideout house near 42, 72, according to Warcraft Tavern.

Can the Horde run the Deadmines in WoW Forever?

Yes, but Warcraft Tavern and Icy Veins say all quests are Alliance-only. Method lists one Paladin quest for the Horde.

How long does the Deadmines take in WoW Forever?

Method estimates 20 to 30 minutes. Warcraft Tavern gives no clear time.

Who is the final boss of the Deadmines?

Edwin VanCleef, leader of the Defias Brotherhood, is the final boss. Killing him is the objective of The Defias Brotherhood quest.

Sources

Reviewed October 24, 2026. Beta information may change before launch. Lore Forever is fan-made and is not affiliated with Blizzard Entertainment.