Stormwind Stockade, aka The Stockade, is a heavily guarded prison in the middle of Stormwind City. A large number of dangerous criminals, including some criminal masterminds and Defias mercenaries, are currently being held in the stockade. However, not so long ago, there was a revolt inside the dungeon, and the prisoners now keep the Stockade under their control.
Recommended group composition is a competent and reasonably balanced group of players around level 27, with a decent level 27, at least, tank or very competent players for the final mini-boss.
From the World Dungeons page on the official World of Warcraft Community Site:
Stormwind Stockade is a high-security prison complex, hidden beneath the canal district of Stormwind city. Presided over by Warden Thelwater, Stormwind Stockade is home to petty crooks, political insurgents, murderers and a score of the most dangerous criminals in the land. Recently, a prisoner-led revolt has resulted in a state of pandemonium within the stockade - where the guards have been driven out and the convicts roam free. Warden Thelwater has managed to escape the holding area and is currently enlisting brave thrill-seekers to venture into the prison and kill the uprising's mastermind - the cunning felon, Bazil Thredd.
Possibly the smallest instance in the game in terms of size, though due to the number of mobs in close quarters it can take as long as a full-sized instance to run with a level-appropriate group.
Must be at least level 15 to enter the instance.
Even though Horde players can enter this instance as well, due to its position and the quests it is often regarded Alliance-only. Horde players can however access it as normal through the Looking for Dungeon tool.
This is one of the few instances in the game where [Amplify Magic] shines, as none of the enemies here use magical attacks (except Hamhock who uses Chain Lightning). If you have a mage with you, get him/her to use it so as to strengthen your healers.
Due to the small area of the dungeon, feared enemies and players can be fatal to your party if they run into a room full of enemies. Keeping enemy mobs from fleeing (e.g. [Hamstring]) and dealing with fear effects from Dextren Ward ([Fear Ward], [Tremor Totem]) can go a long way to ensuring your group's survival in this dungeon.
Unlike most instances, Stormwind Stockade has exceptionally poor loot from bosses, with the exception of one rare spawn. This is believed to be because, being in the center of the human capital, it would be too easy to farm.
This is a great place to farm for [wool] as all of the mobs here drop it (almost always) and it usually drops in 2's and 3's.
The Stockade is smaller than Deadmines but has about the same number of mini-bosses.
Sometimes a group of Defias Rioters will come from the instance and attack the Guards and other players. They won't survive that long and it only lasts for about 5–10 seconds.