Highpass Hold - Classic EQ Leveling Guide

This zone is a good place to level around 15-20 while hunting orcs, gnolls, and a few bandits. There’s really only three camps here, but enough to keep a few groups or multiple soloers occupied.

To get to Highpass Hold, you must enter from East Karana by going up the long ledge in the ravine, or come through Kithicor Forest by the western wall. Be careful going through Kithicor because it’s undead all the time now; just hug the walls and you should be fine. Highpass Hold also attaches to High Keep, which is a great place to have nearby; it has numerous merchants, a Wizard GM, and a bank where you can bind at.

The biggest camp is near the Kithicor line, in the southern part of the zone. It holds a camp with 4 stationary orcs, and 2-3 roaming orcs. These orcs range from levels 12-22; the high level mob is an orc fanatic who is levels 19-22. The initial pull can be difficult for a soloer, but a group should be fine; just wait for the roamers to head back towards the Kithicor zone line.

If you get in trouble and aren’t KOS to the guards here, you can run to them for help. There’s a guard tunnel just steps from the orc camp with approximately 10 guards including Captain Ashlan on the 2nd story. If you’re KOS, or camped near the Kithicor zone line, just run there; just don’t linger in Kithicor too much due to high level undead mobs.

While hunting orcs save their scalps and hand it in to Captain Ashlan. You need to be dubious with him or be in wolf form to turn scalps in. You’ll get a faction increase, some experience, and about 5 GP; you can also turn in scalps from Crushbone for experience, faction, and gold!

The other main camp is at the north side of the zone, near the East Karana zone line; this is the camp with the gnolls. This camp is also very close to a guard tunnel which holds approximately 8 guards and Captain Orben. These gnolls range from levels 13-19; the high level mob is a gnoll champion which is level 17-19. These are easier to break up compared to the orcs, with the 1st pull likely to aggro only two gnolls. Once you kill the two gnolls near the guard tunnel, you can move forward and left/east where there are four more gnolls; two are stationary while the other two are roaming. If you get in trouble you can run to the guards by going up the hill and across the bridge, or heading back towards the tunnel; either method will get you saved my multiple guards!

The last camp is the smallest and closest to High Keep. It’s the bandit camp directly straight after you’ve entered Highpass from High Keep, and it holds only three mobs. These bandits share the same faction as the bandits in the Karanas, so chances are you’ll be KOS to them. If you run into trouble, run to High Keep, and you’ll be fine. The initial pull can be tough for a soloer, so you may want to forego these three; but they do drop nice loot.

The downside to Highpass Hold is that it’s not particularly crowded, meaning you’ll have to bring/create your own group or solo here. It can also be hard for those who are KOS to the guards. The guards also have an annoying way of helping you by killing the mob you’re fighting and taking the experience; so beware! The tunnels can also be confusing, so make sure your maps are ready. Don’t practice your swimming here; it can be hard to exit the pond.

The positive side of Highpass Hold is the availability for soloers and multiple groups, and the decent loot to be had. There is also a brew barrel, forge, kiln, and an oven for tradeskillers! There are many merchants that will buy your loot, lots of guards that will help you, and High Keep is close by; which has a bank and bind locale. There’s also decent music here, and invisibility works against most mobs. Bring a friend or solo kill; either will get you levels and decent loot here.

 

Additional Information

- Players can reach Highpass Hold one of two ways. You can travel through East Karana and up the long windy cliff ledge or enter from Kithicor Forest.

- This guide wasn't written by me but it's incredibly descriptive so I've kept it all these years.

Highpass Hold Allakhazam Zone Information