Old Hillsbrad Foothills Dungeon Guide TBC Classic
Old Hillsbrad Foothills: Escape from Durnholde Keep is a level 66–70 dungeon in the Caverns of Time in Tanaris in The Burning Crusade Classic. This escort-style instance features mostly humanoid trash, strong crowd control opportunities, and three boss encounters that offer solid leveling gear on Normal and strong catch-up options on Heroic.
It is commonly run before The Black Morass as part of the Caverns of Time progression. Visit the TBC Classic Dungeon Hub for all dungeon guides, quests, and bosses.
Old Hillsbrad Foothills Dungeon Overview
Quick facts
How to Get to Old Hillsbrad Foothills
The entrance to the Caverns of Time is in Tanaris at 65, 50. Inside the Caverns of Time, Old Hillsbrad Foothills has a half buried tower lookout as a landmark to indicate you are headed to the correct area:
Heroic Old Hillsbrad Foothills Requirements
Heroic requires Level 70 and Revered with the Keepers of Time. Once Revered, purchase the Heroic key 30635 from the quartermaster 21643.
In Heroic, bosses hit harder and may gain additional pressure, but the mechanics are mostly the same. Each Heroic boss drops 29434 (trade to G’eras in Shattrath for epic rewards), and the final boss also guarantees a 23572.
Old Hillsbrad Foothills Quests
This video walkthrough shows where to pick up every Old Hillsbrad Foothills quest before entering the dungeon and inside Old Hillsbrad Foothills in TBC Classic.
The 20142 in the Caverns of Time begins a questline starting with 10279 and ending with 10285, rewarding your choice of: 29317, 29319, 29318, or 29316. Completing it also unlocks 10296, which is required to enter The Black Morass.
Bosses
Lieutenant Drake
Straightforward warrior-style boss. Watch 31911 (healing reduction) and keep the group stable through Whirlwind pressure.
Lieutenant Drake Strategy
- Tank him normally and keep melee aware of spin/cleave windows.
- His biggest threat is 31911, reducing healing on the target briefly.
- Heroic: all damage is higher, especially his whirlwind-style pressure.
Lieutenant Drake Abilities
Captain Skarloc
Paladin-flavored fight with extra mobs. Kick heals, kill the warden add first, and move out of Consecration on Heroic.
Captain Skarloc Strategy
- He appears after escorting Thrall through the front gate and is accompanied by additional mobs.
- Prioritize the Durnholde Warden first (they can heal/fear/DoT).
- Interrupt heals and keep the pull controlled with CC if needed.
- Heroic: he gains a Consecration-style ability. Step out immediately.
Captain Skarloc Abilities
Epoch Hunter
Kill the dragonkin waves, then tank him facing away and pin the tank to a wall for Wing Buffet.
Epoch Hunter Strategy
- Three waves of dragonkin spawn before he lands. Stabilize health/mana after the last wave.
- Tank Epoch Hunter facing away from the group to avoid the frontal cone breath.
- Position the tank with their back to a wall to reduce knockback issues from Wing Buffet.
- Heroic: abilities hit harder but mechanics are unchanged.
Epoch Hunter Abilities
Trash Overview
Trash TL;DR
- Most mobs are Humanoid, so CC (Polymorph, Sap, Fear, Roots outdoors) is extremely valuable.
- Interrupt and prioritize “warden-type” healer mobs first. Fears can easily chain-pull in tight areas.
- In the Tarren Mill section, Protectors are the scariest packs: control extras and kick aggressively.
- Defilers/Saboteurs: watch curses and heavy damage stacking. Use line-of-sight pulls near houses to keep packs tight.
Key mobs called out in this guide:
- 17833 (Wardens: interrupt fear/heals, re-CC targets they break)
- 17820 (Riflemen: consider CC if healer is at risk)
- 18093 (Protectors: high damage, kick key casts)
- 23175 (Guardsman: kill after Protectors, damage ramps)
- 18171 (Defilers: dangerous curse, decurse ASAP)
- 18172 (Saboteurs: high damage, LoS pull near houses)
Loot from Old Hillsbrad Foothills in TBC Classic
Here is a breakdown of loot categorized by item type.
| Accessories Drops | ||
|---|---|---|
| Slot | Item | Boss |
| Back | 27423 | Lieutenant Drake |
| Finger | 27436 | Lieutenant Drake |
| Finger | 27432 | Epoch Hunter |
| Neck | 27440 | Epoch Hunter |
| One-Handed Weapon Drops | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Stat | Item | Boss |
| Axe | Stamina | 27424 | Captain Skarloc |
| Mace | Stamina + Intellect | 27426 | Captain Skarloc |
| Dagger | Stamina + Intellect | 27431 | Epoch Hunter |
Heroic Loot in Old Hillsbrad Foothills in TBC Classic
Old Hillsbrad Foothills Heroic loot has some higher item level gear, a chance for some epics, and the usual Primal Nether off the last boss.
| Accessories Drops | ||
|---|---|---|
| Slot | Item | Boss |
| Finger | 28211 | Lieutenant Drake |
| Finger | 27904 | Epoch Hunter |
| Finger | 28227 | Epoch Hunter |
| Neck | 28217 | Captain Skarloc |
| Neck | 28233 | Epoch Hunter |
| Cloth Drops | ||
|---|---|---|
| Slot | Item | Boss |
| Legs | 28212 | Lieutenant Drake |
| Legs | 28218 | Captain Skarloc |
| Chest | 28191 | Epoch Hunter |
| Waist | 29250 | Epoch Hunter |
| Leather Drops | ||
|---|---|---|
| Slot | Item | Boss |
| Hands | 28214 | Lieutenant Drake |
| Head | 28220 | Captain Skarloc |
| Waist | 27911 | Epoch Hunter |
| Head | 28224 | Epoch Hunter |
| Wrist | 29246 | Epoch Hunter |
| Mail Drops | ||
|---|---|---|
| Slot | Item | Boss |
| Head | 28215 | Lieutenant Drake |
| Legs | 28219 | Captain Skarloc |
| Chest | 28401 | Epoch Hunter |
| Shoulders | 28344 | Epoch Hunter |
| Legs | 30534 | Epoch Hunter |
| One-Handed Weapon Drops | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Stat | Item | Boss |
| Mace | Stamina | 28210 | Lieutenant Drake |
| Mace | Stamina + Intellect + Spirit | 28216 | Captain Skarloc |
| Dagger | Stamina | 28226 | Epoch Hunter |
| Off-Hand and Shield Drops | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Stat | Item | Boss |
| Off-Hand | Stamina + Intellect + Spirit | 28213 | Lieutenant Drake |
| Two-Handed Weapon Drops | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Stat | Item | Boss |
| Axe | Stamina | 28222 | Epoch Hunter |
| Misc Drops | ||
|---|---|---|
| Slot | Item | Boss |
| Recipe | 22927 | Captain Skarloc |
| Recipe | 24173 | Epoch Hunter |
| Gem | 30589 | Any boss |
| Gem | 30590 | Any boss |
| Gem | 30591 | Any boss |
| Crafting Material | 23572 | Epoch Hunter |
Old Hillsbrad Foothills FAQ
What level is Old Hillsbrad Foothills?
Old Hillsbrad Foothills is designed for players around level 67–70 in The Burning Crusade Classic, and you can enter as early as level 63.
How many bosses are in Old Hillsbrad Foothills?
Old Hillsbrad Foothills has three bosses: Lieutenant Drake, Captain Skarloc, and Epoch Hunter.
Where is Old Hillsbrad Foothills located?
Old Hillsbrad Foothills is located inside the Caverns of Time in Tanaris.
What is required for Heroic Old Hillsbrad Foothills?
Heroic mode requires level 70 and Revered with the Keepers of Time to purchase the Heroic key.
Do I need Old Hillsbrad Foothills to access The Black Morass?
Yes. Completing the Old Hillsbrad questline unlocks the follow-up quest required to enter The Black Morass.
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