WoW Classic Dire Maul North Location, Quests, Bosses, & Rewards

Dire Maul North Dungeon Guide
  • Author: Luxrah
  • Date: January 6, 2025
  • Updated: January 6, 2025
  • Expansion: WoW Classic

Dire Maul is the remains of Eldre’Thalas, the Highborne city that held all of Queen Azshara’s most valuable secrets on the arcane arts. The massive dungeon is split into three wings, although only the East Wing is accessible without a key. In the North wing, also known as Gordok Commons, you will encounter an army of ogres. While progressing, you can choose to defeat bosses along the way to end at a showdown with King Gordok, or choose to bypass most of the bosses to receive a tribute chest as a reward.

The Dire Maul instances are the only dungeons that are not available in WoW Classic at launch. They are added in Phase 2.

Location & Map

The main entrance to Dire Maul North is on the northern wall of the central courtyard in Dire Maul. The Crescent Key is required to open the door; it can be looted from Pusillin in Dire Maul East. This entrance puts you on the upper level of the large room where Guard Mol’dar and Stomper Kreeg are found.

Technically, Dire Maul West and Dire Maul North are part of the same instance, connected by The Athenaeum with no portals in between. You can therefore enter Dire Maul North from Dire Maul West, using the Crescent Key to open the door on the lower level near Guard Mol’dar. Usually players choose to enter The Athenaeum from this side since you can do so without a fight if you’re careful.

Progressing through the instance requires picking up a couple of keys to open the doors that block the way. The Gordok Courtyard Door must be opened with the Gordok Courtyard Key, which must be looted from Fengus’s Chest in the center of the room where Guard Fengus patrols. The Gordok Inner Door requires the Gordok Inner Door Key from Guard Mol’dar. Alternatively, the door can be opened with a Rogue’s Lockpicking, a Powerful Seaforium Charge via Engineering, or a Truesilver Skeleton Key via Blacksmithing.

Players looking to complete a Dire Maul Tribute Run will need to be more careful about how they proceed through the instance. Tribute Runs are covered in their own section below.

dire maul north map wow classic

Dire Maul Tribute Runs

A Tribute Run is a special way of clearing Dire Maul North in which you avoid killing most of the bosses. Although you are avoiding combat as much as possible, this approach is more challenging than a straightforward clear and requires a bit of planning. The only boss you’ll be killing is the last boss, King Gordok. The others will need to be dealt with using alternative methods.

Before you start a Tribute Run, you will need a few items:

You will also need a way to open the Gordok Inner Door without the key: 300 Lockpicking skill, a Powerful Seaforium Charge, or a Truesilver Skeleton Key. So you will either need a level 60 Rogue or someone with at least 200 skill in Engineering or Blacksmithing.

Here is how to deal with each of the bosses leading up to King Gordok so you don’t have to kill them:

  • Guard Mol’dar should be avoided altogether. You’ll need to use one of the alternative methods above to open the door that is normally opened with his key.
  • Stomper Kreeg should also be avoided altogether.
  • Guard Fengus should be avoided as well, but his chest must be looted for the Gordok Courtyard Key to open the door. Just be careful passing through his room and looting the chest.
  • Guard Slip’kik must be trapped by turning in the Frost Oil and Thorium Widget you brought to repair the Broken Trap in his room. Be sure to avoid him in the process.
  • Captain Kromcrush must be fooled with an Gordok Ogre Suit, which requires completing The Gordok Ogre Suit by turning in the other materials you brought.
  • Cho’Rush the Observer must be tanked while King Gordok is killed, at which point he will become friendly.

When you have killed King Gordok without killing any of the other bosses, Mizzle the Crafty will spawn nearby and grant the King of the Gordok buff when spoken to. You can then bring other characters into the instance and run them to Mizzle to obtain the buff, allowing access to the other rewards.

Tribute Run Rewards

The rewards for a Tribute Run are well worth the effort even though it means you won’t be able to get loot from most of the bosses. First there is the Gordok Tribute chest that spawns near the last boss, which contains unique loot. You’ll also be able to complete the quest Unfinished Gordok Business, which awards your choice of 4 gloves.

The other bosses will be friendly once you have the King of the Gordok buff. Stomper Kreeg becomes a vendor who sells Gordok Green Grog and Kreeg’s Stout Beatdown. Three of the guards will give World Buffs when spoken to:

Each of these buffs lasts for two hours, but they do not persist through death.

Quests

There are a few quests inside Dire Maul North, most of which are connected to Tribute Runs.

Quest Name
Acquired From
Shareable
A Broken Trap
Broken Trap (Dire Maul North)
No
Free Knot!
Knot Thimblejack (Dire Maul North)
No
The Gordok Ogre Suit
Knot Thimblejack (Dire Maul North)
Yes
Unfinished Gordok Business
Captain Kromcrush (Dire Maul North)
No

Neutral Quests

A Broken Trap

This quest allows you to trap Guard Slip’kik and proceed with a Tribute Run without killing him. You will need to bring a Thorium Widget and some Frost Oil.

The Frost Oil can be crafted with Alchemy from 4 Khadgar’s Whiskers, 2 Wintersbite, and 1 Leaded Vial. The Thorium Widget can be crafted with Engineering from 3 Thorium Bars and 1 Runecloth, using a Blacksmith Hammer and an Arclight Spanner. Both items can also be purchased on the Auction House.

dire maul north quests broken trap
Broken Trap in Dire Maul North
dire maul north quests frost trap
Guard Slip’kik trapped

Free Knot!

This quest simply requires handing over the Gordok Shackle Key, which can be looted or pickpocketed from many of the Gordok ogres inside the dungeon. Do not complete this quest if you want to complete The Gordok Ogre Suit, as Knot will make his way out of the instance and not offer any more quests.

When Knot is on his way, he leaves behind Knot Thimblejack’s Cache, which will contain miscellaneous crafting materials and has a chance to contain any of the following crafting recipes:

dire maul north quests knot thimblejack
Knot Thimblejack in Dire Maul North

The Gordok Ogre Suit

This quest is required to complete a Tribute Run. You’ll need to loot an Ogre Tannin, which can be looted from the Ogre Tannin Basket you’ll find upstairs. It’s in the corner after the first ramp. Turn this in along with 8 Rugged Leather, 4 Bolt of Runecloth, and 2 Rune Thread (or half of each if you have Leatherworking or Tailoring) and you’ll get the Gordok Ogre Suit.

The Gordok Ogre Suit is another version of the same quest that is repeated after the first time.

dire maul north quests ogre tannin basket
Ogre Tannin Basket in Dire Maul North
dire maul north quests gordok ogre suit
The Gordok Ogre Suit in action

Unfinished Gordok Business

This quest can only be picked up while wearing the Gordok Ogre Suit from the quest above or after a Tribute Run has been completed. Otherwise Captain Kromcrush will be hostile. To complete the quest, you will need to defeat Prince Tortheldrin in Dire Maul West and loot Gauntlet of Gordok Might from the chest behind him.

dire maul north quests captain kromcrush
Captain Kromcrush in Dire Maul North
dire maul north quests prince's chest
The Prince’s Chest in Dire Maul West

Bosses

There are six bosses in the North wing of Dire Maul, including 5 that should not be engaged if you are attempting the Dire Maul Tribute Run.

Guard Mol’dar

Guard Mol’dar is one of the guards in Dire Maul North, and should not be engaged if you are attempting the Dire Maul Tribute Run. Note that he drops the Gordok Inner Door Key. If you are doing a Tribute Run, to get past the Inner Door, you will need to use a Seaforium Charge, Truesilver Skeleton Key, or pickpocket (Rogues only) Mol’dar for the key. If you are running Dire Maul North with the intention of killing all the bosses, engage Mol’dar and enjoy a simple fight. Once Friendly, Mol’dar will grant you the two hour Mol’dar’s Moxie stamina buff.

guard mol'dar

Strategy

  • Tank: Tank Guard Mol’dar up against a wall to avoid being tossed around by Knock Away. Save any defensive cooldowns for when the boss Enrage.
  • Healer: Focus your healing output on the Tank, as your DPS shouldn’t be taking much, if any, damage.
  • Damage Dealers: Ranged DPS should stand at maximum range to avoid being hit by Knock Away or Shield Charge.

Loot

Stomper Kreeg

Stomper Kreeg is a drunken ogre who can be bypassed simply by waiting for him to fall asleep. If you intend to kill the ogre, engage him after defeating the surrounding adds. If you are attempting the Dire Maul Tribute Run, do not engage with Stomper Kreeg, and simply move along.

stomper kreeg

Strategy

  • Tank: Engage the boss and maintain the primary threat position. Save any defensive cooldowns for when Kreeg Enrage.
  • Healer: Keep your Melee DPS topped off as they will take damage from Whirlwind and War Stomp, but your primary focus needs to be on keeping your Tank alive.
  • Damage Dealers: Be aware that Booze Spit reduces you chance to hit by 75% and gets you hammered. Ranged DPS need to stand at maximum range to avoid being hit by his Whirlwind and War Stomp abilities.

Loot

Guard Fengus

Guard Fengus is another of the Guards in Dire Maul North who needs to be skipped for the Tribute run, or defeated for his loot. To get past him, make sure he walks away from his chest and steal the key to open the door and move on. Once Friendly, Fengus will grant you the two hour Fengus’ Ferocity attack power buff.

guard fengus

Strategy

  • Tank: Tank Guard Fengus up against a wall to avoid being tossed around by 10101. Save any defensive cooldowns for when the boss Enrage.
  • Healer: Focus your healing output on the Tank, as your DPS shouldn’t be taking much, if any, damage.
  • Damage Dealers: Ranged DPS should stand at maximum range to avoid being hit by Knock Away or Shield Charge.

Loot

Guard Slip’kik

Guard Slip’kik patrols the walkway below the ramps which take you upward in Dire Maul North. Slip’kik can be killed for some rare loot. If attempting the Dire Maul North Tribute run, you will require a Thorium Widget and a vial of Frost Oil in order to fix the broken trap on the ground in Slip’kik’s path. Upon success, the Guard will be trapped in ice and your group may move along. Once Friendly, Guard Slip’kik grants you the two hour Slip’kik’s Savvy spell critical chance buff.

guard slip'kik

Strategy

  • Tank: Tank Guard Slip’kik up against a wall to avoid being tossed around by Knock Away. Save any defensive cooldowns for when the boss Enrage.
  • Healer: Focus your healing output on the Tank, as your DPS shouldn’t be taking much, if any, damage.
  • Damage Dealers: Ranged DPS should stand at maximum range to avoid being hit by Knock Away or Shield Charge.

Loot

Guard Kromcrush

Captain Kromcrush is the final of the named ogres that stand between you and King Gordok at the end of Dire Maul North. The boss can be defeated for loot, or bypassed in the Tribute run. If you are attempting the Dire Maul North Tribute run, you will need to loot an Ogre Tannin from one of the Ogre Tannin Baskets in the room before where Captain Kromcrush Stands. Once you have the tannin, speak with Knot Thimblejack downstairs near Slip’kik and receive your Gordok Ogre Suit. Take the suit back up to Kromcrush, equip it, and speak with the Captain. At the end of your dialogue he will storm off in a fit.

captain kromcrush

Strategy

  • Tank: When the boss spawns his Gordok Reaver adds, get threat on them before your DPS or Healer take significant damage from them.
  • Healer: Be aware that Mortal Cleave reduces the effect of healing spells on the target, and your Tank will be effected with this debuff during the fight.
  • Damage Dealers: Be prepared to CC the reaver adds when they are summoned around 50% health. Use any abilities available to break the fear from Intimidating Shout, especially if you are running right into trouble. Stay behind the boss to avoid being hit with Mortal Cleave.

Loot

King Gordok

King Gordok and Cho’Rush the Observer are together in the last encounter of the instance. The final challenge in the Tribute run is to not kill Cho’Rush the Observer. He must live through the encounter in order to “observe” your worthiness. This is the final requirement of the tribute, and upon success grants you access to the Gordok Tribute chest and the buffs from the now friendly Ogre guards. For a Tribute run where Cho’Rush must live, the fight is a bit of a DPS race. Cho’Rush must be managed but the faster that King Gordok dies, the better. He does a decent amount of damage to the tank so healer mana can disappear rapidly. In a normal run of Dire Maul North, it is much easier to focus down Cho’Rush the Observer first, then move on to King Gordok.

king gordok

Strategy

  • Tank: Establish and maintain threat on King Gordok. If your group is killing Cho’Rush, focus the ogre down with your DPS, making sure to interrupt Healing Wave and secondly Mind Blast.
  • Healer: Focus on your tank, and be aware that your DPS will be taking some damage from the two ogres abilities. Use an ability like Fear Ward or Tremor Totem to try and negate the Psychic Scream fear from your Tank. Stand at max range from Cho’Rush to avoid being feared.
  • Damage Dealers: Burn Down Cho’Rush first if you are not attempting the tribute, making a point to interrupt the ogre’s abilities – especially Healing Wave. Switch to Gordok and be aware of his War Stomp ability. In the Tribute Run, assign one player to interrupt Cho’Rush’s abilities while the group burns down Gordok.

Loot

Gordok Tribute

After King Gordok is defeated, a tribute chest will appear. What loot is inside is determined by how many of the guards are kept alive. If all of them remain standing, then the largest number of rare items will be inside. If guards were killed, then only uncommon items will be inside.

gordok tribute

Loot

Quest Rewards & Loot

Quest Rewards

Boss Drops

 

About the Author

Luxrah

I've been playing World of Warcraft on and off since vanilla, usually as a healer or caster and often as a guild leader. I play both retail and classic. I also love RPGs, sandboxes, and sims.
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