Blacksmithing

October 1st, 2006 by Alice

What is Blacksmithing?

The skill of forging weapons and armour from metal bars and other reagents. They can enhance any player’s weapons with special stones. They can make items for other professions such as Enchanter’s Rods and also keys to unlock chests.

They are usually Miners also so that they are able to collect their own materials such as copper ore and gems.

Blacksmithing is a Primary Production Profession and therefore counts towards your 2 primary profession limit.

How do I become a Blacksmith?

You can train to five levels of proficiency and each has certain prerequisites that you need to meet before you are able to progress to the next rank of proficiency. You need to be character level five or above to begin your training as a Blacksmith. Below is a list of locations with links to maps which pinpoint exactly where the Trainer can be found.

Trainer Rank	Horde	Alliance	Neutral
Journeyman Trains you to Apprentice	Dwukk, 27, Razor Hill, Durotar Ug’thok, 25, Valley of Honor, Orgrimmar Guillaume Sorouy, 28, The Sepulcher, Silverpine Thrag Stonehoof, 24, Elevation 1, Thunder Bluff Basil Frye, 26, War Quarter, Undercity	Delfrum Flintbeard, 25, Auberdine, Darkshore Tognus Flintfire, 30, Kharanos, Dun Morogh Smith Argus, 24, Goldshire, Elwynn Forest Groum Stonebeard, 25, Great Forge, Ironforge Dane Lindgren, 30, Dwarven District, Stormwind
Expert Trains you to Journeyman	Traugh, 31, Crossroads, Barrens Snarl, 31, 7 Valley of Honor, Orgrimmar Karn Stonehoof, 35, Elevation 1, Thunder Bluff James Van Brunt, 35, War Quarter, Undercity	Clarise Gnarltree, 31, Darkshire, Duskwood Rotgath Stonebeard, 31, Great Forge, Ironfroge Therum Deepforge, 33, Dwarven District, Stormwind
Artisan Trains you to Expert	Saru Steelfury, 45, Valley of Honor, Orgrimmar	Bengus Deepforge, 45,Great Forge, Ironforge
Master Trains you to Artisan			Brikk Keencraft, 54, Booty Bay, Stranglethorn
Specialist	Borgosh Corebender, 51, Weaponsmith Valley of Honor, Orgrimmar Okothos Ironrager, 52, Armorsmith Valley of Honor, Orgrimmar Shayis Steelfury, 60, Armor Crafter, Valley of Honor, Orgrimmar Taur Stonehoof, 30, Elevation 1, Thunder Bluff	Ironus Coldsteel, 54, Special Weapon Crafter, Great Forge, Ironforge Grumnus Steelshaper, 60, Armor Crafter, Great Forge, Ironforge Borgus Steelhand, 60, Weapon Crafter, Dwarven District, Stromwind	McGavan, 55, Mithril Order, Booty Bay, Stranglethorn Trenton Lighthammer, 55, Mithril Order, Gadgetzan, Tanaris
Supplies Sells you stoof	Hraq, 18, Crossroads, Barrens Smith Slagtree, 47, Revantusk Village, Hinterlands Sumi, 30, Valley of Honor, Orgrimmar Samuel Van Brunt, 30, War Quarter, Undercity	Thurgrum Deepforge, 30, Great Forge, Ironforge Kaita Deepforge, 30, Dwarven District, Stormwind	Jazzrik, 38, Valley of Fangs, Badlands Jansen Underwood, 49, Booty Bay, Strangethorn Hurklor, 46, Booty Bay, Stranglethorn Krinkle Goodsteel, 40, Supplies, Gadgetzan, Tanaris Lokhtos Darkbargainer, 60, Blackrock Depths, Searing Gorge

Once found you simply request to be trained at which time you’ll be given a few recipes to start you on your way. You will receive a 10% discount if you train in a city where you are honoured.

To Train to rank of:	Cost	Required		Create/find items from/to skill level
To Train to rank of:	Cost	Char Lvl	Prof Skill Lvl	Create/find items from/to skill level
Apprentice	10c	5	-	75
Journeyman	5s	10	50	50 - 150
Expert	50s	20	125	125 - 225
Artisan	5g	35	200	200 - 300
Armorsmith/ Weaponsmith	-	40	200	200 - 300 By doing Quest
Axesmith/ Hammersmith/ Swordsmith	-	54	250	250 + By doing Quest

After training you will need to buy a blacksmithing hammer at the Blacksmith supplier and if you’re a miner too, you’ll need a pick to mine for ore. You need to carry these in your inventory to use them, don’t store them in your bank. You do not need to equip them when smithing or when mining.

How do I get the supplies I need?

The most efficient way is to train as a Miner too so that you are able to collect your own reagents (ores and gems). You can also trade for the reagents from NPC traders or other players.

The ore you mine needs to smelted into bars before it can be used in Blacksmithing. It can’t be used as ore. You need to find a forge to smelt. Find out about smelting on the Mining page. Other components you will need can be found as loot from monsters or will have to be bought from Blacksmithing and General Suppliers (such as Weak Flux), or traded from other places.

Some weapons need Alchemists potions
to create

Fabrics can be looted from Humanoids and skins from beasts
or traded with other players

If you don’t want to rely on other people for reagents such as an Alchemist for the above potions or a skinner for leathers then Blacksmithing is probably not the profession for you.

What can I make?

Armor and weapons can be created, including items that can not be found at NPC traders or dropped by monsters. Highly prized therefore. Such as:

Weapons of particular use to melee characters
Mail or plate armours so best for Paladin and Warriors (and higher level Shamans)
Items which can temporarily improve a weapon’s damage. (Can not stack with other temporary enhancements.
A few items needed by other classes and for other Professions (Enchanters rods for example)

When becoming an Apprentice Blacksmith you are automatically given three plans to start you on your way. As you increase your skill level in Blacksmithing (by making items) you will be able to follow higher level plans that you must first learn at a Trainer for a cost.

Make sure you buy your plans from Trainers in locations where you have a higher reputation. You’ll get them for a better price.

The colour of the plan {in your menu} indicates whether you will gain a skill point in Blacksmithing when you create the item. The colour codes are as follows:

Grey = No skill increase.
Green = Unlikely to get a Blacksmithing skill point.
Yellow = Probably get a Blacksmithing skill point.
Orange = Will receive a Blacksmithing skill point.
Red = Can not create yet, need a higher skill level in Blacksmithing

As long as you have all the required reagents to follow a plan you will never fail to make the item. You will always create it but you may or may not increase your skill level in Blacksmithing depending on the colour of the plan (as listed above).

Go here for a detailed list of all the items you can create >

How do I make Items?

You will need to locate an Anvil before you can create items (other than items listed as ‘trade goods’ such as stones) and these can often be located near Blacksmithing Trainers/Suppliers. However, occasionally Anvils & Forges are not by Trainers and listed below are such instances where you’ll find them on their own.

Arathi Highlands
- Refuge Pointe
- Hammerfall
Barrens
- Ironzar in Ratchet
- Crossroads, near northern entranceway
- Thorn Hill, East of Crossroads
- The Dry Hills, Vrang Wilgore, 48
- Camp Taurujo
- Bail’dun Keep
Desolace
- Shadowprey Village
- Nijel’s point (alliance)
Durotar
- Ula’elek in Sen’jin Village
Elwynn
- Village shop, Goldshire
Hinterlands
- Revantusk Village
Loch Modan
- Blunderblast Gunsmith, Thelsamar
- Rann Flamespinner, Tailor, Thelsamar
Redridge Mountains
- Lakeshire
Stonetalon Mountains
- Sun Rock Retreat
Strangethorn
- Grom’gol Base Camp
Swamp of Sorrows
- Stonard
Tirisfal Glades
- Brill
Westfall
- Saldean’s Farm
Wetlands
- Thandol Span (downstairs with Dark iron Sabotuers. Anvil only)

You only need stand next to an Anvil to be able to start Smithing your own items. You do not need to equip your Blacksmith Hammer, it just needs to be in one of your bags (not your bank) when you wish to create something.

When you trained as an Apprentice Blacksmith the icon on the left would have been placed into your Abilities book {P}. You should move this down to your action bar so you can activate it easily. When activated you will see a list of plans you have learnt which, as long as you have the necessary reagents, you can make. You simply click on the plan and hit ‘create’ and your character will do the rest. Once made, the item will move to one of your bags.

What are the Blacksmithing Specialisations?

When you reach a Blacksmithing skill of 200 and character level of 40 you can choose to specialise in a particular area of blacksmithing. You will need to complete special quests before you can specialise however. The categories are:

Armorsmith
Weaponsmith
- Swordsmiths
- Axesmiths
- Hammersmiths

Armorsmith, as you’d expect, enables you to learn how to create very powerful armours and Weaponsmith, powerful weapons. Further specialisation is available to Weaponsmiths when they reach a blacksmithing skill of 250 and character level of 45. They can choose between Sworthsmithing, Axesmithing or Hammersmithing. Choosing any will require you, again, to complete quests first.

Armorsmithing plans appear to require more materials on the whole but you do have more armour slots on your character than weapon slots to fill, so more potential to make things for yourself. However, Weaponsmithing allows you to specialise even further.

One thing to note when specialising, it’s non-reversible. For example, if you choose Weaponsmith and go on to complete the Hammersmith quest and decide you wish to specialise as a swordsmith instead, even unlearning Blacksmithing altogether and re-training from scratch you will still not be able to go Swordsmith as Hammersmith is now locked onto that particular character. A case of Once a Hammersmith, Always a Hammersmith I’m afraid. However, if you abandon any specialising quest before completing it you can choose another specialisation. Below are some examples of the specialised equipment you can craft.

Armorsmith		Dark Iron Shoulders
Weaponsmith		The Shatterer
Swordsmith		Blazing Rapier
Hammersmith		Enchanted Battlehammer
Axesmith

How do I train in one of these Specialisations?

Most important thing to remember is you can only specialise when you have reached a character level of 40 and Blacksmithing skill of 200. Before that you will not be able to get any of the quests below.

Alliance

To begin on the route to specialisation you need to locate The Great Anvil, Ironforge and first speak with Bengus Deepforge, the Artisan Trainer and then to Myolor Sunderfury. He will ask you to choose your path and once you’ve done so a quest will be offered by either the Armorsmith or Weaponsmith stood near him.

Armorsmith

Quest Giver and Name	Asks for	Total Reagents Needed	Relevant Reward

Horde

Armorsmith

To begin on the route to specialisation you need to activate the Mithril Order quests and in order to do that you first need to complete a quest:

Quest Giver and Name	Asks For	Total Reagents Needed	Relevant Reward

Alliance and Horde Weaponsmith

This specialisation is the same process for each faction.

Quest Giver and Name	Asks for	Total Reagents Needed

Can I make money from Blacksmithing?

It’s not the best profession to make huge wads of money from. The finished products often sell for less than the components used to create them. The raw materials such as ore and gems can be sold for more. Better items drop than those available to make as a blacksmith so ultimately it’s those items people will end up equipping.

The drop rate of Blacksmith plans from monsters is very low so it’s slow going learning higher level plans which will hamper any fast track to a high income.

Can I unlearn Blacksmithing?

You can unlearn professions for free any number of times. Go to your skills panel (press K). Click on the Profession you wish to unlearn and a small icon will appear next to it and clicking on this will unlearn the skill. Be aware you will lose all associated recipes and support skills too and if you wish you hadn’t unlearnt it (eek!) you will have to start your training again at Apprentice level and work you way up again. Click the image on the right for a fully captioned shot. Use this feature with caution, Blizzard will not undo a mistake of this nature.

Do not unlearn Blacksmithing if you wish to take the other specialisation (Armorsmith or Weaponsmith (Swordsmiths, Axesmiths or Hammersmiths)) because that choice has been locked down with your character. If you unlearn Blacksmithing and start over again when you reach the appropriate level you will only be able to take your original specialisation again. However, the specialist quests which reward you with a Bind on Pickup plan are not made available again.

To recap basics of Blacksmithing:

Training as a Blacksmith costs money
Learning Blacksmith plans costs money
Cheaper plans in places you have a higher reputation in
There are Blacksmith specific quests
Can specialise in Armor or Weapon creating at higher levels
Can create armour and weapons found by no other method in the game
It’s best to train in the supportive skill Mining so you can collect your own materials for free
Trainers/suppliers are usually located near forges and anvils
You need a blacksmithing hammer before you can create anything so carry it with you, don’t store it in your bank
Not all items require you to be near an anvil to create
Once trained in an area of specialty (Armorsmith or Weaponsmith (Swordsmiths, Axesmiths or Hammersmiths)) you can not change, even if you unlearn Blacksmithing and begin from scratch.

Further Blacksmith Reading & Resources

		List of Blacksmithing Plans
		Blacksmithing Quests
		List of Blacksmith Trainers
		List of Blacksmith Suppliers

		Professions Forum
		Profession UIs/Mods
		WWN Data

Patch Changes to Blacksmithing

Patch 1.8.0 (11 October 2005)

Additional Blacksmithing recipes can be found in encoded messages found on the members of the Twilight’s Hammer in Silithus.

Patch 1.7.0 (13 September 2005)

Blackfury and Black Amnesty now bind when equipped.
Dark Iron Boots have been added as Blacksmithing plans that require Exalted reputation with the Thorium Brotherhood.
Timbermaw Reputation Recipes are no longer sold in limited quanities with a restock time. If you have the reputation, you will always be able to buy the recipe.

Patch 1.6.0 (12 July 2005)

Additional Smithing Recipes added to Timbermaw at Honored Reputation.
Additional Smithing Recipes added to Argent Dawn at Honored and Revered Reputation.
Lokhtos Darkbargainer in Blackrock Depths now has many additional recipes that can be learned at Honored, Revered and Exalted reputation. Recipes are available Blacksmithing (Armorsmithing, and Weaponsmithing (all three specialty types).

Patch 1.5.0 (7 June 2005)

Engineering Vendors now sell Blacksmith’s Hammers
Elemental Flux added to blacksmith vendors.

Patch 1.4.0 (19 April 2005)

Seven new blacksmithing recipes are available to seasoned blacksmiths via a series of turn-in quests.
Three new armorsmithing recipes are available to master armorsmiths. All 3 recipes are gained via quest.
Expert Blacksmithing Trainers will now point you to the appropriate artisan smith when you get a high enough skill.

Patch 1.1.0 - 7 November 2004

Skeleton Keys added to blacksmithing. Smiths can now open locks (though the keys are consumed)
Dark Iron Armor stats have been changed.
Requirements to make blacksmithing recipes annihilator and invulnerable mail increased.

Beta Patch 0.11.0 - 28 September 2004

All equipped items made from professions have had their stats tweaked to make them more desirable.

Beta Patch 0.10.0 - 19 September 2004

Mithril Shield Spike damage slightly reduced, Thorium Shield Spike (more powerful crafted item) added.
Blacksmithing recipes added up to skill 300. There are no recipes on the trainer past skill 250. You need to do quests or find drops to get those recipes.
Additional blacksmithing specializations added. Weaponsmiths can become Swordsmiths, Axesmiths, or Hammersmiths.
Players who already have either blacksmithing specialization, weaponsmith or armorsmith, will continue to be able to make those recipes that they already know. However, to learn further recipes in those specializations, they will need to complete the weaponsmith or armorsmith quest, respectively.
New daggers have been added to blacksmithing.
Reagents for some blacksmithing items changed.

Beta Patch 0.9.0 - 15 August 2004

Goblin and Gnomish engineering recipes and trainers are now in the game for engineers above skill 200, but be warned as their devices do not always work as intended. You can only choose one or the other and may need to search to find the trainer.
Truesilver breastplate is now somewhat harder to make.
Solid Iron Maul, now available to both horde and alliance.
Blacksmithing Reagents required to make ornate mithril pants, boots and breastplate increased.
Blacksmithing Recipes have been added to Blackrock depths requiring 250+ skill.