The WoW Forever Dire Maul key is the Crescent Key from Classic: run Dire Maul East, which needs no key, talk to the imp Pusillin until he stops running away, kill him and loot the Crescent Key, which opens Dire Maul West and North. WoW Forever keeps Classic’s quests, NPCs and spawns in the original zones, so Pusillin waits where this guide puts him in both games.
What Blizzard hasn’t said is whether WoW Forever’s Dire Maul doors still need the key. Dire Maul (recommended level 54 in Zockify’s beta data) was never in the beta, which stopped at level 30. Confirmed for every Forever dungeon: the Group Finder lists groups but doesn’t queue or teleport you, and meeting stones can’t summon, according to a developer interview reported by Zockify, so the whole group travels to Feralas.
Updated November 5, 2026: now covers WoW Forever, which keeps Classic’s Crescent Key and Pusillin. Corrected: the key opens the West and North wings, not East and North.
How to get the Crescent Key for Dire Maul
In order to enter the West and North wings of the Dire Maul dungeon complex, at least one member of your party will need the DM key, also known as the Crescent Key. It is one of the easier dungeon keys to obtain, and here is how you get it:
- Enter DM East, which doesn’t need a key, and take the left road
- At the end of the road, there is a small demon called Pusillin. You need to talk to it.
- Pusillin will run away a short distance. You don’t need to be quick, just follow him. When you reached him, talk to him again and he will run away again.
- This process repeats itself 4-5 times and at the end, you need to kill the demon, who will then drop the Crescent Key for every party member.
Why you should run Dire Maul
Apart from the fact that the North wing of Dire Maul can be done solo by some classes in Classic, there are several good reasons to be running the dungeon.
- Some of the gear in DM is on par with loot from the Molten Core and other raids in Classic. It is a great way to catch up if you haven’t been able to raid a lot yet.
- There are class specific quests for all classes in the Dire Maul dungeon complex. This includes better water for mages and the warlock epic mount, the Dreadsteed of Xoroth. Blizzard hasn’t announced Forever’s class mount quests yet, as our WoW Forever mount guide explains.
- Tons of new crafting Patterns for Tailors, Leatherworkers and Blacksmiths!
- Librams from the open world can be turned in at Dire Maul’s library for head and leg enchants.
- The Quest for Quel’Serrar, an epic sword, can be started in DM with a book called “Foror’s Compendium of Dragon Slaying”
There are plenty of reasons to run Dire Maul. And even if you don’t need anything from there, it can be a good way to make some extra gold. Wowhead’s 2019 article on the Dire Maul phase of Classic covers these rewards in more detail.
Dire Maul Key in WoW Forever
Dire Maul returns in WoW Forever in Feralas, with a recommended level of 54 in Zockify’s beta data. Blizzard hasn’t said whether the Crescent Key is still needed for the West and North wings, and the beta never got past level 30. The key only costs one Dire Maul East run, so pick it up on your first visit either way.
WoW Forever changes what a run pays. Dungeon monsters give much less XP than in Classic and dungeon quests much more, according to Blizzard’s Kris Zierhut in an interview with The Sun, so bring the Dire Maul quests while you are under 60; our WoW Forever XP changes guide has the details. Our WoW Forever dungeons by level list shows where Dire Maul sits next to the nine new dungeons, one of which has a key of its own: the City of Dalaran needs the Dalaran Sewer Key from a level 30 quest, as our WoW Forever City of Dalaran guide explains.
Level 60 dungeons matter more in Forever’s first weeks than they did in Classic. Molten Core isn’t on Forever’s roadmap, and the first raids open on December 9: Barrow Deeps (10 players), Hyjal Summit (20) and Onyxia’s Lair (40), according to Blizzard’s raid overview. Until then, level 60 characters gear up in the top dungeons: Dire Maul, Scholomance, Stratholme and Blackrock Spire, plus the new Blackmaw Hold (55 to 60) and Shaper’s Terrace (58 to 60). The full timeline is on our WoW Forever release date and roadmap page.
FAQ
Do you need the Crescent Key in WoW Forever?
Blizzard hasn’t said as of November 5, 2026. In Classic the Crescent Key opens Dire Maul West and North, and WoW Forever keeps Pusillin and the key, so getting it on your first Dire Maul East run is the safe plan.
Who drops the Dire Maul key?
Pusillin, an imp in Dire Maul East, drops the Crescent Key in Classic and WoW Forever. Talk to him until he stops running, then kill him.
Sources for the WoW Forever section: Blizzard’s raid overview, Kris Zierhut’s interview with The Sun as quoted by Zockify, and Zockify’s beta level data. Dire Maul rewards: Wowhead’s 2019 Dire Maul article.