Pull backward from the first room
Deadmines stays dangerous because it has stairs, corners, runners, and a ship where groups rush the next pull. Decide whether this is a careful clear or a quest run before the first pull. Low level means the toolkit is still small when the pull breaks.
The pull points
Tunnels and runners: kill runners cleanly, pull off odd corners, and use line of sight to bring casters into a clear pull location.
Stairs: a tidy pull becomes a half-pull when the second pack joins from the angle nobody watched. Move to flat ground before fighting if the tank cannot hold the room there.
Ship: drink, mark, and reset before boarding. Mr. Smite has stun transitions. VanCleef brings allies. Clear the patrol before Cookie.
Let the room choose the pace
Pull back when the room allows it. Reset before the ship. Mana bars and runner control set the pace for the next pull.
Buildings hide extra packs
Buildings hide runners and packs the same way caves do. Treat Deadmines as a route with narrow pulls.
Quest board boundary
The first prep board tracks six Alliance quests tied directly to this route. The Paladin-only Test of Righteousness belongs to a separate class-chain review because its objectives also cross Loch Modan, Shadowfang Keep, and Blackfathom Deeps.