WoW Blacksmithing
Blacksmithing is one of WoW's crafting professions - it requires materials produced with another profession, usually Mining. Blacksmiths turn various reagents (mostly metals) into plate armor, weapons, and some utility items.
Unlike some of the more "magical" professions in the game, blacksmithing functions in a more direct fashion. While professions like Enchanting or Alchemy provide subtle buffs to your character, blacksmithing hands you the item you need.
Aside from uncommon, rare, and even epic armor and weapons, blacksmithing doesn't have much else to offer. To compensate for this, however, blacksmiths have access to some very solid pre-raiding gear, as well as powerful items for both PvE and PvP that you will use into the end-game.
Training as a Blacksmith
Blacksmithing is taught by various blacksmithing trainers located throughout the world. Prospective blacksmiths must be at least level 5. Initial training costs 10c, granting the Apprentice level with a potential skill of 75 and access to apprentice blacksmithing plans taught by trainers, or found throughout the world. Most recipes require the use of a blacksmith hammer and anvil. However, some products (such as [Rough Sharpening Stone], for example) do not.
The following are the required levels and potential skill of each stage of the profession:
| Proficiency | Level | Skill |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | 5 | 1 - 75 |
| Journeyman | 10 | 75 - 150 |
| Expert | 20 | 150 - 225 |
| Artisan | 35 | 225 - 300 |
| Master | 50 | 1 - 75 The Burning Crusade |
| Grand Master | 65 | 1 - 75 Wrath of the Lich King |
| Illustrious Grand Master | 75 | 1 - 75 Cataclysm |
| Zen Master | - | 1 - 75 Mists of Pandaria |
| Draenor Master | - | 1 - 100 Warlords of Draenor |
| Legion Master | - | 1 - 100 Legion |
| Kul Tiran / Zandalari | - | 1 - 175 Battle for Azeroth |
Advancing as a Blacksmith
Crafting items is the only way to progress through the stages. Plans will appear as one of four colors in the profession window, with a certain chance for a skill up (gaining a point):
Skill Up Percentages
| Color | Chance |
|---|---|
| Orange | 100% Chance |
| Yellow | 50-75% Chance |
| Green | 50% Chance or less |
| Grey | 0% Chance |
As blacksmithing skill increases, plans will eventually change from orange to yellow, yellow to green and green to grey. Only by finding higher skill plans can one continue to progress through the profession. Approximately every 5-10 points, new plans will become available to learn from the trainers. Alternatively, plans can be looted from corpses, given as quest rewards, or can be purchased either from vendors, or from the auction house. All plans have a requisite blacksmithing skill to be able to be learned and manufactured. Additionally, some plans cannot be learned until you have a certain reputation standing with a given faction.
Blacksmithing Specialization
As of WoW Patch 4.0.1 the blacksmithing specializations of Armorsmith and Weaponsmith have been removed from the game. However, there is an article to preserve the information relevant to the now-deprecated Blacksmithing Specialization.
Socketing
Blacksmiths can also create belt buckles, which can be traded to non-blacksmiths. Belt buckles add a permanent extra gem socket to level-appropriate waist-slot items:
- [Eternal Belt Buckle], learned at 420, usable on level 60 or higher belts, up to a maximum item level of 299.
- [Ebonsteel Belt Buckle], learned at 525, usable on belts that are item level 300 - 374.
- [Living Steel Belt Buckle], learned at 600, usable on belts that are item level 375 or higher.
Patch changes
Battle for Azeroth Patch 8.0.1
- Each expansion now has a separate profession skill bar, with smaller caps for each expansion, instead of one gigantic profession skill bar for all expansions put together
Patch 0.6
- Low level dagger added.
- Low level weapons now require cloth instead of leather as a component.
