Blacksmithing can be one of the most useful and profitable professions in all of World of Warcraft. It gives plate and mail armor wearers as well as axe, mace, sword, and shield users all the opportunity to craft their own gear. In endgame content, like Ulduar and ToC, smithing patterns drop for some of the best BoE plate items available. Smiths are also able to craft useful – and profitable – additions to gear.

At the level cap tanks can craft items like the Titansteel Shield Wall, Indestructible Plate Girdle, and the Saronite Swordbreakers, which are vital to increasing item level. DPS can create Spiked Titansteel Treads and Titanium Razorplate while healers can make Brilliant Titansteel Treads or Treads of Destiny. All of these will enable you, regardless of spec, to get closer to tackling more difficult raids. All smiths can also craft Eternal Belt Buckle and Titanium Weapon Chain, both of which can be sold on the AH and are often in high demand.

Mining is the gathering profession usually paired with Blacksmithing, as it offers the opportunity to gather what could otherwise be costly materials. Despite sharing the same raw mats as Engineering, as you reach skill level 450, the cost of materials will often be quite high if you do not gather them yourself, but the price you can sell the crafted items for is almost always worth it.

Table of Contents

• Training Blacksmithing
• Required Materials
• Leveling Blacksmithing
• Endgame Blacksmithing

Training Blacksmithing As is standard with all professions, Blacksmithing can be leveled alongside your character. The mining nodes will appear in level appropriate areas, and the gear you craft along the way can often give better stats than items received from quest rewards or in dungeons. Doing so is a standard way to level, and Old World and Outland trainers are listed below. This is, however, a Blacksmithing power leveling guide. All trainers in Northrend will be able to teach you the preceding recipes required to complete 1 – 450 as cheaply and as quickly as possible, unless otherwise noted. If you are leveling at the level cap, or when you have access to Dalaran, you’ll want to find Alard Schmied. Leveling with him will give you proximity to an Auction House should you choose to buy any materials or sell any of your crafted items.
1 – 300 To begin leveling, Alliance players should speak to Bengus Deepforge in Ironforge, and the Horde should find Saru Steelfury in the Valley of Honor in Orgrimmar. Both of these trainers can take players up to Expert (skill level 140). To reach Artisan, all smiths will need to find Brikk Keencraft in Booty Bay; both factions should receive a quest leading them to Brikk if they have not found him organically.
300 – 375 In Outland, the Master trainers will be in your faction respective starting area. For Alliance that means going to Honor Hold and speaking with Humphry, and for Horde, Rohok in Thrallmar will help you hone your skills. As you progress through TBC and work your way into Shattrath, Barien of The Scryers and Onodo of The Aldor will take you through 375. Unlike other professions, there is not a Blacksmithing trainer in Lower City.
375 – 450 Similar to Outland, trainers in the your first questing area will be able to teach you Grand Master Blacksmithing. In Valiance Keep, Alliance players must speak with Argo Strongstout, and Crog Steelspine will do the same for the Horde in Warsong Hold. Once you reach Dalaran, Alard Schmied of the Kirin Tor will be your trainer. Given his proximity to the Auction House, he is your best bet for leveling quickly, efficiently, and with the best chance at profit. Alternatively, either faction can find Rekka the Hammer at the Argent Tournament Grounds. She will be able to teach you the same recipes as Alard, and is a good alternative if you are already leveling in Icecrown.
Blacksmithing Specialization Like other professions, Blacksmithing presents players with two options of specializing their crafting ability: Armorsmithing and Weaponsmithing. While choosing was essential in Vanilla and TBC, with the release of WotLK, Blizzard has greatly diminished the importance of specializing. The decision is most useful either while leveling, as each can make solid level 78 gear, or if you want to create gear for lower-level alts or twinks.
Armorsmithing Armorsmithing, as the name implies, focuses on creating lower-level mail and higher-level plate armor. To start the chain, Horde smiths must find Aturk the Anvil in Orgrimmar and take The Old Ways. The Alliance counterpart, The Art of the Armorsmith, is taken from Grumnus Steelshaper in Ironforge. In WotLK, Armorsmithing allows player to make Chestplate of Conquest and Legplates of Conquest.
Weaponsmithing Initially, Weaponsmithing was broken down even further into three sub-specialties: Axesmithing, Hammersmithing, and Swordsmithing. While these distinctions are still important if you’d like to craft vintage gear, similar the specializations more generally, they’ve become less important as time has gone on. All post-TBC gear that requires the Weaponsmithing specialization does not require that you’ve chosen between Axe, Hammer, and Sword. To start the general Weaponsmithing chain, Horde players will need to find Borgosh Corebender in Orgrimmar and start The Way of the Weaponsmith. The Alliance version of The Way of the Weaponsmith begins by speaking with Ironus Coldsteel in Ironforge. In WotLK, Weaponsmithing lets players craft Corroded Saronite Edge, Corroded Saronite Woundbringer, and Saronite Mindcrusher.
Required Materials
Old World

• 100x Rough Stone
• 190x Copper Bar
• 20x Coarse Stone
• 5x Silver Bar
• 120x Bronze Bar
• 75x Heavy Stone
• 5x Gold Bar
• 230x Iron Bar
• 35x Green Dye
• 50x Steel Bar
• 5x Truesilver Bar
• 60x Solid Stone
• 320x Mithril Bar
• 150x Mageweave Cloth
• 30x Dense Stone
• 430x Thorium Bar
• 15x Arcanite Bar
• 80x Rugged Leather OR 10x Star Ruby

Outland

• 150x Fel Iron Bar
• 5x Netherweave Cloth
• 80x Adamantite Bar

Northrend

• 320x Cobalt Bar
• 430x Saronite Bar
• 20x Crystallized Air
• 30x Eternal Earth
• 10x Eternal Water
• 10x Eternal Shadow
• 20x Titanium Bar

At least:

• 40x Saronite Bar
• 30x Titansteel Bar
• 10x Frozen Orb

Leveling Blacksmithing
1 – 30: Rough Sharpening Stone

• Use Rough Stone to make Rough Sharpening Stone.

30 – 65: Rough Grinding Stone

• Convert Rough Stone into Rough Grinding Stone.

Hold onto these! You’ll need to use them later. Many of the Grinding Stones you make will be useful in other recipes, so they’re usually worth holding onto until you train through the next tier or two of smithing. At 60, you can also learn Journeyman!
65 – 75: Copper Chain Belt

• Use Copper Bar to make Copper Chain Belt.

75 – 87: Coarse Grinding Stone

• Convert Coarse Stone into Coarse Grinding Stone.

87 – 100: Runed Copper Belt

• Use Copper Bar to make Runed Copper Belt.

100 – 105: Silver Rod

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

105 – 125: Rough Bronze Leggings

• Turn Bronze Bar into Rough Bronze Leggings.

125 – 150: Heavy Grinding Stone

• Convert Heavy Stone into Heavy Grinding Stone.

Once again, you’ll want to hold onto these! At some point while making these, you’ll also want to train up to Expert.
150 – 155: Golden Rod

• Combine Gold Bar and Coarse Grinding Stone to make Golden Rod.

All of the Rods (Silver, Golden, and later Truesilver and Arcanite) you craft are used by Enchanters, and they can either be sold directly to them or on the AH quite easily.
155 – 165: Green Iron Leggings

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

The Green Dye for this recipe and the next can be purchased from any Trade Supplies Vendors
165 – 190: Green Iron Bracers

• Combine Iron Bar and Green Dye into Green Iron Bracers.

190 – 200: Golden Scale Bracers

• Use Steel Bar and Heavy Grinding Stone to make Golden Scale Bracers.

200 – 205: Truesilver Rod

• Convert Truesilver Bar and Heavy Grinding Stone into Truesilver Rod.

205 – 210: Solid Grinding Stone

• Use Solid Stone to make Solid Grinding Stone.

At this point, you should learn Artisan smithing. If you are training while leveling, this means you should find Brikk Keencraft in Booty Bay. The Mageweave Cloth needed for the next few recipes is looted off of level appropriate (high 30s – mid 40s) mobs.
210 – 225: Heavy Mithril Gauntlet

• Combine Mithril Bar and Mageweave Cloth to make Heavy Mithril Gauntlet.

225 – 235: Mithril Scale Bracers

• Convert Mithril Bar into Mithril Scale Bracers.

For these bracers, you will need to purchase Plans: Mithril Scale Bracers from either Gharash in the Swamp of Sorrows (for Horde players), Harggan in the Hinterlands (for Alliance), or from the Auction House. There is also a choice while leveling 235 – 250 between the Mithril Coif and Mithril Spurs. Plans: Mithril Spurs is a rare world drop which can either be farmed (though, it takes a lot of time), or it can be purchased from the AH. If it isn’t available, the materials the Spurs save vs. the Coif are not necessarily worth the time it would take to find the recipe.
235 – 250: Mithril Coif

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

OR
235 – 250: Mithril Spurs

• Combine Mithril Bar and Solid Grinding Stone to make Mithril Spurs.

250 – 260: Dense Sharpening Stone

• Convert Dense Stone into Dense Sharpening Stone .

260 – 275: Thorium Bracers

• Use Thorium Bar to make Thorium Bracers.

Plans: Thorium Bracers are necessary to learn how to make these, but unlike the Mithril Spurs, these are more often found on the AH for a relatively cheap price.
275 – 280: Arcanite Rod

• Combine Arcanite Bar and Dense Grinding Stone to make Arcanite Rod.

280 – 290: Imperial Plate Bracers

• Use to make Thorium Bar Imperial Plate Bracers.

To get the Plans: Imperial Plate Bracers bring 10 Thorium Bar to Derotain Mudsipper in Gadgetzan in Tanaris. After you finish crafting these, you should head through the Dark Portal and learn Master Blacksmithing. For 290 – 300, the choice between Thorium Boots and Thorium Helm can be made by seeing which additional material (stacks of Rugged Leather or Star Ruby) are cheaper or more readily available to you.
290 – 300: Thorium Boots

• Combine Thorium Bar and Rugged Leather to make Thorium Boots.

OR
290 – 300: Thorium Helm

• Use Thorium Bar and Star Ruby to make Thorium Helm.

300 – 305: Fel Weightstone

• Combine Fel Iron Bar and Netherweave Cloth to make Fel Weightstone.

305 – 315: Fel Iron Plate Belt

• Convert Fel Iron Bar into Fel Iron Plate Belt.

315 – 320: Fel Iron Chain Gloves

• Use Fel Iron Bar to make Fel Iron Chain Gloves.

320 – 325: Fel Iron Plate Boots

• Use Fel Iron Bar to create Fel Iron Plate Boots.

325 – 330: Lesser Rune of Warding

• Convert Adamantite Bar into Lesser Rune of Warding.

330 – 335: Fel Iron Breastplate

• Use Fel Iron Bar to make Fel Iron Breastplate.

To get plans for the next two recipes, players will have to venture across Outland. Plans: Adamantite Cleaver can be quickly purchased by both factions in Shattrath from any of the Blacksmithing Supplies vendors, but to get Plans: Lesser Ward of Shielding, Alliance players will need to find Mari Stonehand at Wildhammer Stronghold in Shadowmoon Valley. Horde players will need to return to Rohok at Thrallmar.
335 – 340: Adamantite Cleaver

• Use Adamantite Bar to make Adamantite Cleaver.

340 – 350: Lesser Ward of Shielding

• Convert Adamantite Bar into Lesser Ward of Shielding.

After you craft your last Ward of Shielding, it’s time to head to Northrend and learn Grand Master. Alliance will train at Valiance Keep with Argo Strongstout, and Crog Steelspine will do the same for the Horde at Warsong Hold. For 350 – 375, all the options require the same amount of materials, so if you are leveling, it could be worthwhile to create a full set of armor and then to sell the more valuable option at each stage with the extra Cobalt Bars.
350 – 360: Cobalt Boots or Cobalt Belt

• Convert Cobalt Bar into either Cobalt Boots or Cobalt Belt.

360 – 370: Cobalt Triangle Shield or Cobalt Bracers

• Use Cobalt Bar to make Cobalt Triangle Shield or Cobalt Bracers.

370 – 375: Cobalt Legplates or Cobalt Helm

• Use Cobalt Bar to craft Cobalt Legplates or Cobalt Helm.

375 – 380: Cobalt Gauntlets

• Convert Cobalt Bar into Cobalt Gauntlets.

380 – 385: Spiked Cobalt Boots

• Use Cobalt Bar to craft Spiked Cobalt Boots.

385 – 390: Sure-fire Shuriken

• Use Cobalt Bar to make Sure-Fire Shuriken.

390 – 395: Notched Cobalt War Axe

• Convert Cobalt Bar into Notched Cobalt War Axe.

395 – 400: Brilliant Saronite Belt

• Combine Cobalt Bar and Saronite Bar to make Brilliant Saronite Belt.

400 – 405: Horned Cobalt Helm

• Use Cobalt Bar to make Horned Cobalt Helm.

405 – 415: Deadly Saronite Dirk

• Combine Saronite Bar and Crystallized Air into Deadly Saronite Dirk.

415 – 425: Eternal Belt Buckle

• Combine Saronite Bar, Eternal Earth, Eternal Water, and Eternal Shadow to make Eternal Belt Buckle.

425 – 430: Titanium Weapon Chain

• Combine Saronite Bar and Titanium Bar to craft Titanium Weapon Chain.

430 – 435: Savage Saronite Hauberk

• Use Saronite Bar and Eternal Earth to make Savage Saronite Hauberk.

435 – 440: Daunting Legplates

• Convert Saronite Bar and Eternal Earth into Daunting Legplates.

Once you reach skill level 440, there are a couple of paths you can take to cap. The first involves making Daunting Legplates until 445 and then crafting epic gear until you reach 445. While this may save some time and gold on materials, the potential profit from epic gear may make the alternative worth the investment. The other option involves crafting a variety of epic items to reach 450. This is entirely possible to accomplish, and it can prove quite lucrative as long as you work intelligently. Some epic items require less materials to make than others, so focusing your energy and resources on the lower cost ones will allow you to cap faster. In order of material costs, the epic gear goes: Boots = Shield < Helmet < Weapons (with the exception of Titansteel Spellblade). Below are the mats required to make the epic armor, shield, and the Titansteel Spellblade. From this point, it’s up to you to judge your server’s economy and to figure out which of these would have the biggest payoff or personal benefit when crafted.
440 – 450: Epic Armor (Variable Mats) or Continue Making Daunting Legplates and Some Epic Gear (In order of least to most mats required)

• Tempered Titansteel Treads, Brilliant Titansteel Treads, Spiked Titansteel Treads
• Titansteel Shield Wall
  • 4x Saronite Bar, 3x Titansteel Bar, and 1x Frozen Orb
• Tempered Titansteel Helm, Brilliant Titansteel Helm, Spiked Titansteel Helm
  • 4x Saronite Bar, 4x Titansteel Bar, and 1x Frozen Orb
• Titansteel Spellblade
  • 6x Titansteel Bar, 6x Infinite Dust, and 2x Frozen Orb

Endgame Blacksmithing After you’ve reached 450, a new tier of epic armor is available to craft. While earlier pieces required the Frozen Orb that drops from Heroic dungeons, these sets require either Runed Orb, which drop in Ulduar, or Crusader Orb, which drop in ToC. Both sets of gear are BoE, and all of it can be sold on the AH to plate wearers who want to upgrade their item level and stats before more serious raiding.
Ulduar Gear All gear that requires a Runed Orb is learned from recipes dropped in Ulduar. All the plans have a small chance of dropping directly from bosses or in Large Sack of Ulduar Spoils, and all the gear they create is BoE. Each gear crafting profession will be able to learn recipes for belts and boots, and for Blacksmiths, the Ulduar patterns create:

• Battlelord's Plate Boots, Spiked Deathdealers, or Treads of Destiny
• Belt of the Titans, Indestructible Plate Girdle, or Plate Girdle of Righteousness

ToC Gear The other set of BoE epic gear that Blacksmiths can learn comes from Trial of the Crusader. They require both Crusader Orb, which have the chance to be dropped by bosses and are contained in Crusader or Champion’s chests, and the plans which can either drop from bosses or from the Champions' Cache. ToC patterns are for chest pieces and bracers; for Blacksmiths, these are:

• Breastplate of the White Knight, Titanium Razorplate, or Sunforged Breastplate
• Saronite Swordbreakers, Titanium Spikeguards, or Sunforged Bracers