Blacksmithing Guide 1-375

Blacksmithing is one of the most valuable professions in all of WoW. It allows players to craft their own mail and plate armor as well as one and two-handed maces, axes, and swords. While in Vanilla, Blacksmiths were able to craft a number of high-value, endgame recipes, Blizzard has chosen to greatly expanded that in TBC. Once Blacksmiths cap, they’ll be able to begin sequences that end in crafting gear like Bulwark of Ancient Kings and Embrace of the Twisting Nether or weapons like Bloodmoon, Dragonstrike, and Blazefury as well as a vast number of BoE epics like Oathkeeper’s Helm and Hammer of Righteous Might.

To complement this, Blizzard has added to the existing specialization, Armorsmithing. The value of Armorsmithing has increased.

Most smiths choose Mining as their gathering profession, as Blacksmithings huge potential can also come with a huge price tag, if you choose to buy your materials on the AH. This combination is suitable for most classes that wear Mail and Plate armor, regardless of spec, though it is especially beneficial for Tanks and Melee DPS.

Trainers

Vanilla

Since Patch 2.3 Blizzard has streamlined the process for training most professions. As a result, trainers in any major capital can teach you from Apprentice through Artisan. Because the only recipes you’ll need to acquire before heading to Outlands are in Gadgetzan, it would be the most advantageous to train in a capital in Kalimdor if you’re power leveling, but this isn’t required.

Outland

Once you cross through the Dark Portal, the Master Blacksmithing trainers will be in your faction’s first outpost in Hellfire Peninsula. This means Alliance smiths will need to find Humphry in Honor Hold, and Horde players will speak with Rohok at Thrallmar.

There are also additional trainers from both the Aldor and Scryers once you reach Shattrath. In Aldor’s Rise, any player with the appropriate reputation can learn from Onodo, and Barien will do the same in the Scryer’s Tier.

Required Materials

Vanilla

• 210x Rough Stone
• 230x Coarse Stone
• 5x Silver Bar
• 180x Bronze Bar
• 190x Heavy Stone
• 5x Gold Bar
• 210x Iron Bar
• 30x Green Dye
• 380x Steel Bar
• 660x Solid Stone
• 220x – 250x* Mithril Bar
• 150x Mageweave Cloth*
• 630x – 690x* Thorium Bar**

*only needed if you are unable to find Plans: Mithril Spurs

* inclusive of Thorium needed for necessary quest turn-ins

TBC

• 250x Fel Iron Bar
• 25x Adamantite Bar
• 10x Netherweave Cloth

Either:

• 160x Fel Iron Bar (Additional)
• 70x Primal Water
• 60x Primal Fire (Aldor)

OR

• 280x Adamantite Bar (Additional to make Hardened Bars)
• 180x Arcane Dust
• 40x Large Prismatic Shard (Scryers)

Specializations

Armorsmithing:

• 108x Mithril Bar
• 18x Truesilver Bar
• 8x Thick Leather
• 7x Solid Grinding Stone
• 2x Aquamarine
• 1x Heart of Fire

Weaponsmithing

• 56x Mithril Bar
• 56x Iron Bar
• 32x Steel Bar
• 16x Gold Bar
• 16x Heavy Grinding Stone
• 4x Solid Grinding Stone
• 28x Heavy Leather
• 4x Thick Leather
• 16x Strong Flux
• 12x Lesser Moonstone
• 8x Shadowgem
• 4x Citrine
• 2x Black Pearl

Leveling Blacksmithing

1 – 25: Rough Sharpening Stone

• Sharpen Rough Stone into Rough Sharpening Stone.

25 – 65: Rough Grinding Stone

• Grind Rough Stone into Rough Grinding Stone.

After you’ve ground enough stones to reach at least skill level 50, go train Journeyman.

65 – 75: Coarse Sharpening Stone

• Sharpen Coarse Stone into Coarse Sharpening Stone.

75 – 100: Coarse Grinding Stone

• Grind Coarse Stone into Coarse Grinding Stone.

100 – 105: Silver Rod

• Combine Silver Bar and Rough Grinding Stone to make Silver Rods.

105 – 125: Rough Bronze Leggings

• Convert Bronze Bar into Rough Bronze Leggings.

Once you’ve completed making the leggings, return to a trainer to learn Expert.

125 – 150: Heavy Grinding Stone

• Grind Heavy Stone into Heavy Grinding Stone.

150 – 155: Golden Rod

• Combine Gold Bar and Coarse Grinding Stone into Golden Rods.

155 – 185: Green Iron Leggings

• Combine Iron Bar, Heavy Grinding Stone, and Green Dye to make Green Iron Leggings.

185 – 200: Golden Scale Bracers

• Convert Steel Bar and Heavy Grinding Stone into Golden Scale Bracers.

200 – 210: Solid Grinding Stone

• Grind Solid Stone into Solid Grinding Stone.

210 – 215: Golden Scale Bracers

• Continue turning Steel Bar and Heavy Grinding Stone into Golden Scale Bracers.

215 – 235: Steel Plate Helm

•  Convert Steel Bar and Solid Grinding Stone into Steel Plate Helm.

When you’ve finished forging your helms, you’ll have enough skill to become an Artisan Blacksmith.

The path between 235 and 275 offers you a number of choices. The most efficient is to craft Mithril Spurs. To do so, you’ll need Plans: Mithril Spurs, a rare world drop. If you have not found it yourself or do not feel like trying to farm for it, you can search the Auction House. If it is unavailable, there are still other options available.

235 – 250: Mithril Spurs

• Turn Mithril Bar and Solid Grinding Stone into Mithril Spurs.

250 – 260: Dense Sharpening Stone

• Sharpen Dense Stone Dense Sharpening Stone.

260 – 275: Mithril Spurs

• Continue turning Mithril Bar and Solid Grinding Stone into Mithril Spurs.

OR

235 – 250: Mithril Coif

• Combine Mithril Bar and Mageweave Cloth to make Mithril Coif.

250 – 260: Dense Sharpening Stone

• Sharpen Dense Stone into Dense Sharpening Stone.

260 – 270: Mithril Coif

• Continue combining Mithril Bar and Mageweave Cloth to make Mithril Coif.

To continue in either path, you’ll need to earn Plans: Imperial Plate Bracers. To do so, find Derotain Mudsipper in Gadgetzan, Tanaris and take the quest Imperial Plate Bracer. This will require you to bring simply him 10x Thorium Bar, and then you receive the plan. If you have the extra bars, this is also a good time to complete the Imperial Plate Boots quest in order to get Plans: Imperial Plate Boots for later.

270/275 – 295: Imperial Plate Bracers 

• Convert Thorium Bar into Imperial Plate Bracers.

After you’ve finished crafting the bracers, you can cross through the Dark Portal and become a Master Blacksmith! For the first few levels, however, you’ll still be crafting Vanilla recipes in order to maximize the more easily gathered materials, so hold onto your Thorium Bar for a bit longer.

295 – 315: Imperial Plate Boots

• Smelt Thorium Bar into Imperial Plate Boots.

315 – 320: Fel Iron Chain Gloves

• Turn Fel Iron Bar into Fel Iron Chain Gloves.

320 – 325: Fel Iron Chain Tunic

• Convert Fel Iron Bar into Fel Iron Chain Tunic.

325 – 330: Lesser Rune of Warding

• Turn Adamantite Bar into Lesser Rune of Warding.

330 – 340: Fel Iron Chain Tunic

• Continue turning Fel Iron Bar into Fel Iron Chain Tunic.

Before continuing, you’ll need to purchase Plans: Lesser Ward of Shielding. It can be bought by Alliance players from Mari Stonehand at Wildhammer Stronghold in Shadowmoon Valley and by Horde players from Rohok at Thrallmar. This is also a good time for all players to purchase Plans: Adamantite Weightstone from Feydryen Swiftspear at Cenarion Hold in Zangarmarsh. The Weighstone Plans require you to be Honored with the Cenarion Expedition to purchase.

340 – 350: Lesser Ward of Shielding

• Convert Adamantite Bar into Lesser Ward of Shielding.

350 – 360: Adamantite Weightstone

• Combine Adamantite Bar and Netherweave Cloth to make Adamantite Weightstone.

From 360 – 375, your path to capping will depend on whether you have reputation with the Aldor or the Scryers, as the most efficient crafting patterns are purchased from their Quartermasters.

Aldor

For the Aldor, you’ll have to be at least Revered to finish leveling. When you’ve reached Honored, you’ll need to purchase Plans: Flamebane Gloves from Quartermaster Endarin in Shattrath, and when you get to Revered, you’ll buy Plans: Flamebane Breastplate.

360 – 370: Flamebane Gloves

• Turn Fel Iron Bar, Primal Water, and Primal Fire into Flamebane Gloves.

370 – 375: Flamebane Breastplate

•  Combine Fel Iron Bar, Primal Water, and Primal Fire to make Flamebane Breastplate.

Scryers

To cap with the Scryers, you’ll also need to reach Revered reputation. While you only need to be Friendly with them to purchase the Plans: Enchanted Adamantite Belt from Quartermaster Enuril in Shattrath, you’ll need to reach Revered to purchase the Plans: Enchanted Adamantite Breastplate. While it may be unbalanced, the Scryers path costs significantly more than the Aldor path to complete.

360 – 370: Enchanted Adamantite Belt

• Turn Hardened Adamantite Bar, Arcane Dust, and Large Prismatic Shard into Enchanted Adamantite Belt.

370 – 375: Enchanted Adamantite Breastplate

• Combine Hardened Adamantite Bar, Arcane Dust, and Large Prismatic Shard to make Enchanted Adamantite Breastplate.

And you’ve capped! Congratulations! Continue reading to find out about the benefits of each specialization and to see a comprehensive list of Endgame BoE recipes.

Specializations

Armorsmithing

To become an Armorsmith, you’ll begin by taking The Art of the Armorsmith quest from either Grumnus Steelshaper in Ironforge or Okothos Ironrager in Orgrimmar. Regardless of faction, this will require you to craft:

• 1x Ornate Mithril Breastplate
• 2x Ornate Mithril Boots
• 4x Ornate Mithril Helm

In total, the materials needed to craft that are:

• 108x Mithril Bar
• 18x Truesilver Bar
• 8x Thick Leather
• 7x Solid Grinding Stone
• 2x Aquamarine
• 1x Heart of Fire

After handing those in, you’ll become an Armorsmith and will be able to craft unique, high-level mail and plate gear which Weaponsmiths cannot. Check below for the high-level recipes!

Weaponsmith

To become a Weaponsmith, you need to begin The Way of the Weaponsmith quest. Horde players will need to find Borgosh Corebender in Orgrimmar, and Alliance smiths will need to speak with Ironus Coldsteel in Ironforge. Regardless of faction, all smiths will need to craft:

• 2x Big Black Mace
• 2x Heavy Mithril Axe
• 4x Massive Iron Axe
• 4x Moonsteel Broadsword

In total, the materials for those are:

• 56x Mithril Bar
• 56x Iron Bar
• 32x Steel Bar
• 16x Gold Bar
• 16x Heavy Grinding Stone
• 4x Solid Grinding Stone
• 28x Heavy Leather
• 4x Thick Leather
• 16x Strong Flux
• 12x Lesser Moonstone
• 8x Shadowgem
• 4x Citrine
• 2x Black Pearl

Once you hand all of those in, you’ll become a Weaponsmith and be able to craft specialized Axes, Maces, and Swords.

In TBC, Blizzard has expanded the Weaponsmith specialization to include three sub-specilizations: Swordsmithing, Hammersmithing, and Axesmithing. These do not require the additional completion of any quests and can be learned from a group of NPCs in Everlook, Winterspring.

• To become a Master Axesmith speak with Kilram.
• To become a Master Hammersmith speak with Lilith the Lithe.
• To become a Master Swordsmith speak with Seril Scourgebane.

Each has distinct advantages in the Weaponsmithing specialization, and you can check the list below to see which recipes will suit your needs best.

Endgame Blacksmithing

In TBC, the recipes for Armorsmithing and Weaponsmithing successively. For each specialization this means that players will have to make each piece in a tiered fashion, using the current item as material for the next. So, for example, to create the Bulwark of Ancient Kings as an Armorsmith, you must first create Breastplate of Kings, then combine that with additional materials to make the Bulwark of Kings, and then finally combining the Bulwark with even more materials to create the Bulwark of Ancient Kings.

Each of these crafting chains is learned from your Armor or Weaponsmithing trainers.

Armorsmithing:

• Breastplate of Kings (Plate)
  • Bulwark of Kings
    • Bulwark of Ancient Kings
• Nether Chain Shirt (Mail)
  • Twisting Nether Chain Shirt
    • Embrace of the Twisting Nether

Weaponsmithing:

• Axesmithing:
  • The Planar Edge (1-Handed)
    • Black Planar Edge
      • Wicked Edge of the Planes
  • Lunar Crescent (2-Handed)
    • Mooncleaver
      • Bloodmoon
• Hammersmithing:
  • Drakefist Hammer (1-Handed)
    • Dragonmaw
      • Dragonstrike
  • Thunder (2-Handed)
    • Deep Thunder
      • Stormherald
• Swordsmithing:
  • Fireguard (1-Handed)
    • Blazeguard
      • Blazefury
  • Lionheart Blade (2-Handed)
    • Lionheart Champion
      • Lionheart Executioner

Next are the lists of BoP and BoE plans that all smiths are able to make. In TBC Blizzard has added an unprecedented number of plans for BoE epics, so there are plenty of opportunities to make a good deal of profit for players who are willing to invest their time or gold into acquiring them. For BoE items specifically, there will be multiple zones, dungeons, and raids that they can be found in, unless otherwise specified. The list following that is made up of recipes you can only purchase after having met reputation requirements with certain factions. Click through the plans in each list to find the specifics for the item of your choice.

BoP:

• Hard Khorium Battletplate
  • Plans: Hard Khorium Breastplate are a rare zone drop (<1%) from mobs in Sunwell Plateau and are contained in Cache of the Shattered Sun
• Hard Khorium Battlefists
  • Plans: Hard Khorium Battlefists are are a rare zone drop (<1%) from mobs in Sunwell Plateau and are contained in Cache of the Shattered Sun
• Sunblessed Breasplate
  • Plans: Sunblessed Breastplate are are a rare zone drop (<1%) from mobs in Sunwell Plateau and are contained in Cache of the Shattered Sun
• Sunblessed Gauntlets
  • Plans: Sunblessed Gauntlets are are a rare zone drop (<1%) from mobs in Sunwell Plateau and are contained in Cache of the Shattered Sun
• Dawnsteel Bracers
  • Plans: Dawnsteel Bracers are dropped by mobs in Black Temple
• Dawnsteel Shoulders
  • Plans: Dawnsteel Shoulders are dropped by mobs in Black Temple
• Swiftsteel Bracers
  • Plans: Swiftsteel Bracers are dropped by mobs in Black Temple
• Swiftsteel Shoulders
  • Plans: Swiftsteel Shoulders are dropped by mobs in Black Temple

BoE:

• Khorium Champion
  • Plans: Khorium Champion
• Belt of the Guardian
  • Plans: Belt of the Guardian
• Boots of the Protector
  • Plans: Boots of the Protector
• Red Belt of Battle
  • Plans: Red Belt of Battle
• Red Havoc Boots
  • Plans: Red Havoc Boots
• Black Felsteel Bracers
  • Plans: Black Felsteel Bracers
• Blessed Bracers
  • Plans: Blessed Bracers
• Bracers of the Green Fortress
  • Plans: Bracers of the Green Fortress
• Dirge
  • Plans: Dirge
• Eternium Runed Blade
  • Plans: Eternium Runed Blade
• Fel Edged Battleaxe
  • Plans: Fel Edged Battleaxe
• Fel Hardened Maul
  • Plans: Fel Hardened Maul
• Felfury Gauntlets
  • Plans: Felfury Gauntlets
• Felsteel Longblade
  • Plans: Felsteel Longblade
• Felsteel Reaper
  • Plans: Felsteel Reaper
• Gauntlets of the Iron Tower
  • Plans: Gauntlets of the Iron Tower 
• Hammer of Righteous Might
  • Plans: Hammer of Righteous Might
• Hand of Eternity
  • Plans: Hand of Eternity are a rare drop in Karazhan
• Helm of the Stalwart Defender
  • Plans: Helm of the Stalwart Defender
• Oathkeeper’s Helm
  • Plans: Oathkeeper’s Helm
• Runic Hammer
  • Plans: Runic Hammer
• Steelgrip Gauntlets
  • Plans: Steelgrip Gauntlets
• Storm Helm
  • Plans: Storm Helm

Reputation Rewards: 

• Cenarion Expedition (Nature Resist)
  • Wildguard Helm
    • Plans: Wildguard Helm require Revered and are sold by Feydryen Swiftspear at Cenarion Hold in Zangarmarsh
  • Wildguard Leggings
    • Plans: Wildguard Leggings require Revered and are sold by Feydryen Swiftspear at Cenarion Hold in Zangarmarsh
  • Wildguard Breastplate
    • Plans: Wildguard Breastplate require Exalted and are sold by Feydryen Swiftspear at Cenarion Hold in Zangarmarsh
• Violet Eye (Frost Resist)
  • Iceguard Breastplate
    • Plans: Iceguard Breastplate require Honored and are sold by Koren in Karazhan
  •  Iceguard Helm
    • Plans: Iceguard Helm require Honored and are sold by Koren in Karazhan
  • Iceguard Leggings
    • Plans: Iceguard Leggings require Revered and are sold by Koren in Karazhan
• Ashtongue Deathsworn (Shadow Resist)
  • Shadesteel Bracers
    • Plans: Shadesteel Bracers require Friendly and are sold by Okuno in Black Temple
  • Shadesteel Girdle
    • Plans: Shadesteel Girdle require Friendly and are sold by Okuno in Black Temple
  • Shadesteel Greaves
    • Plans: Shadesteel Greaves require Honored and are sold by Okuno in Black Temple
  • Shadesteel Sabots
    • Plans: Shadesteel Sabots require Honored and are sold by Okuno in Black Temple