Blacksmithing in World of Warcraft is less like cooking a fixed meal and more like running a forge that never cools. You gather ore, smelt it into bars, and then combine those bars with optional reagents to craft gear, weapons, and armor enhancements. What makes a “recipe” genuinely useful is knowing which bars to keep, which recipes to learn first, and how to avoid wasting rare materials on items you will outlevel in an hour. This guide walks you through the core blacksmithing recipes that remain relevant from leveling to endgame, with exact ingredient lists and step-by-step instructions for each.
Ingredients
All quantities are for a single craft. Ore amounts assume you are smelting bars yourself.
- Rough Stone x1 (for Rough Sharpening Stone)
- Copper Bar x1 (for Copper Bracers)
- Copper Bar x6 (for Copper Chain Belt)
- Copper Bar x14 (for Runed Copper Bracers)
- Fine Thread x1 (for Copper Bracers)
- Fine Thread x2 (for Copper Chain Belt)
- Fine Thread x2 (for Runed Copper Bracers)
- Weak Flux x1 (for smelting Copper Ore into Copper Bars)
- Rough Stone x1 (for Rough Grinding Stone)
- Tin Bar x1 (for Rough Grinding Stone)
- Bronze Bar x2 (for Bronze Bracers)
- Bronze Bar x4 (for Bronze Mace)
- Bronze Bar x6 (for Bronze Greatsword)
- Rough Grinding Stone x2 (for Bronze Greatsword)
- Medium Grinding Stone x1 (for Bronze Greatsword)
- Bronze Bar x8 (for Heavy Bronze Mace)
- Medium Grinding Stone x2 (for Heavy Bronze Mace)
- Iron Bar x6 (for Iron Shield Spike)
- Iron Bar x8 (for Ironforge Chain)
- Iron Bar x10 (for Golden Iron Destroyer)
- Gold Bar x1 (for Golden Iron Destroyer)
- Strong Flux x1 (for smelting Iron Ore into Iron Bars)
- Steel Bar x4 (for Steel Weapon Chain)
- Steel Bar x6 (for Steel Plate Helm)
- Steel Bar x8 (for Steel Breastplate)
- Solid Grinding Stone x1 (for Steel Weapon Chain)
- Heavy Grinding Stone x1 (for Steel Plate Helm)
- Heavy Grinding Stone x2 (for Steel Breastplate)
- Mithril Bar x6 (for Mithril Shield Spike)
- Mithril Bar x10 (for Mithril Coif)
- Mithril Bar x12 (for Mithril Breastplate)
- Mithril Bar x16 (for Mithril Heavy Hammer)
- Solid Grinding Stone x2 (for Mithril Heavy Hammer)
- Thorium Bar x8 (for Thorium Shield Spike)
- Thorium Bar x12 (for Thorium Helm)
- Thorium Bar x16 (for Thorium Breastplate)
- Dense Grinding Stone x2 (for Thorium Breastplate)
- Dense Grinding Stone x1 (for Thorium Helm)
Instructions
- Smelt your ore. Visit any forge (found in capital cities, major towns, and some outposts). Right-click the forge and choose the smelting recipe that matches your ore. For example, smelt 1 Copper Ore and 1 Weak Flux to make 1 Copper Bar. Smelting does not require a blacksmithing skill level, only the ore and flux.
- Learn the recipe. Open your spellbook (default key: P) and find the Blacksmithing tab. Recipes you have learned appear there. To learn a new recipe, right-click the recipe item in your bags. If a recipe requires a specific skill level, it will say so in its tooltip.
- Craft a Rough Sharpening Stone. With 1 Rough Stone, click the forge and select Rough Sharpening Stone. This is your first craft and will raise your skill by 1 point.
- Make Copper Bracers. Combine 1 Copper Bar and 1 Fine Thread at the forge. This yields a pair of cloth-like bracers that are not useful for combat but are excellent for leveling your skill.
- Craft Copper Chain Belt. Use 6 Copper Bars and 2 Fine Thread. This belt is a slight upgrade and gives more skill points.
- Create Runed Copper Bracers. Combine 14 Copper Bars and 2 Fine Thread. This is a common recipe to push from skill 40 to 60.
- Smelt Bronze. Smelt 1 Copper Bar and 1 Tin Bar to create 1 Bronze Bar. You will need this for many mid-level recipes.
- Make a Rough Grinding Stone. Combine 1 Rough Stone and 1 Tin Bar at the forge. This is used in later recipes and also gives skill.
- Craft Bronze Bracers. Use 2 Bronze Bars. This is a simple recipe that takes you through skill 60 to 80.
- Forge a Bronze Mace. Combine 4 Bronze Bars. This weapon is a decent leveling weapon and gives good skill.
- Build Bronze Greatsword. Use 6 Bronze Bars, 2 Rough Grinding Stones, and 1 Medium Grinding Stone. This is a popular skill-up recipe from 80 to 100.
- Create Heavy Bronze Mace. Combine 8 Bronze Bars and 2 Medium Grinding Stones. This takes you to about skill 120.
- Smelt Iron. Smelt 1 Iron Ore and 1 Strong Flux to make 1 Iron Bar. Iron is the next tier of metal.
- Craft Iron Shield Spike. Use 6 Iron Bars. This is a useful item for tanks and gives skill.
- Make Ironforge Chain. Combine 8 Iron Bars. This is a chest piece that is a decent upgrade and helps you reach skill 150.
- Forge Golden Iron Destroyer. Use 10 Iron Bars and 1 Gold Bar. This is a strong two-handed sword and a good skill-up recipe.
- Smelt Steel. Smelt 1 Iron Bar and 1 Coal to make 1 Steel Bar. Coal is purchased from blacksmithing suppliers.
- Craft Steel Weapon Chain. Combine 4 Steel Bars and 1 Solid Grinding Stone. This is a popular recipe for warriors and rogues.
- Make Steel Plate Helm. Use 6 Steel Bars and 1 Heavy Grinding Stone. This helm is a solid piece for leveling.
- Create Steel Breastplate. Combine 8 Steel Bars and 2 Heavy Grinding Stones. This is a reliable skill-up recipe from 170 to 200.
- Smelt Mithril. Smelt 1 Mithril Ore and 1 Strong Flux to make 1 Mithril Bar.
- Craft Mithril Shield Spike. Use 6 Mithril Bars. This is a cheap skill-up recipe.
- Make Mithril Coif. Combine 10 Mithril Bars. This is a helmet that is useful for leveling.
- Forge Mithril Breastplate. Use 12 Mithril Bars. This is a good armor piece and a common skill-up from 200 to 230.
- Create Mithril Heavy Hammer. Combine 16 Mithril Bars and 2 Solid Grinding Stones. This is a strong weapon and takes you to about skill 250.
- Smelt Thorium. Smelt 1 Thorium Ore and 1 Strong Flux to make 1 Thorium Bar.
- Craft Thorium Shield Spike. Use 8 Thorium Bars. This is a useful tanking item.
- Make Thorium Helm. Combine 12 Thorium Bars and 1 Dense Grinding Stone. This is a solid helmet.
- Forge Thorium Breastplate. Use 16 Thorium Bars and 2 Dense Grinding Stones. This is the final classic blacksmithing recipe in this guide, taking you to skill 300.
Tips
- Always keep your skill level in mind. Recipes turn yellow at 25 skill points below the maximum, and green at 50 below. You will gain skill points less reliably once a recipe turns green. If a recipe is grey, you will not gain any skill from it. Use the highest-level recipe you can still learn from.
- Buy ore from the Auction House if you are short on time. Gathering ore yourself is free but slow. Check the Auction House for ore prices; sometimes it is cheaper to buy ore than to farm it.
- Do not throw away low-level bars. Copper and Tin bars are used in many recipes, even at higher levels. Store them in your bank or a reagent bank.
- Use a blacksmithing hammer. Some recipes require a blacksmithing hammer in your inventory. You can buy one from a blacksmithing supplier. It does not wear out.
- Common mistake: not using flux. Smelting ore without flux will fail. Always have a stack of flux in your bags when smelting.
Serving Suggestions
Blacksmithing is best paired with Mining, as you will need a steady supply of ore. The gear you craft is often on par with dungeon drops, so you can save your gold by crafting your own upgrades. Shield spikes and weapon chains are excellent for tanks and melee classes, and you can sell them on the Auction House for a steady income. For endgame, blacksmithing lets you create powerful items like the Lionheart Executioner (a two-handed sword) and the Titanic Leggings, which are best-in-slot for many warriors and paladins.
Variations
There are two specializations in blacksmithing: Armorsmith and Weaponsmith. You can choose one at skill 200 by completing a quest. Armorsmiths can craft exclusive plate armor sets like the Imperial Plate, while Weaponsmiths can craft exclusive weapons like the Edge of the People’s Militia. Each specialization has its own recipes that require rare materials like Arcanite Bars and Dark Iron Bars. You can also learn recipes from trainers, world drops, and reputation vendors. Some recipes are limited to a faction, such as the Dark Iron recipes from the Thorium Brotherhood.
Storage and Reheating
Blacksmithing materials do not spoil, but they do take up bag space. Store your bars in a reagent bank (available in most capital cities) or in a guild bank. You can also create a bank character to hold excess ore and bars. As for crafted items, they last forever unless you sell or disenchant them. If you are leveling, you will outgrow your crafted gear quickly, so do not hoard low-level items. Sell them to vendors or on the Auction House. For endgame gear, you can reforge or transmogrify it, but you cannot “reheat” it; you will need to craft a new one if you want a different stat distribution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the fastest way to level blacksmithing?
A: The fastest way is to buy all the ore you need from the Auction House and craft the highest-level recipe you can that is still orange or yellow. Use a guide to know exactly which recipes to craft at each skill level to avoid wasting materials. Typically, you will smelt ore to bars, then craft items that require the fewest bars per skill point.
Q: Should I choose Armorsmith or Weaponsmith?
A: It depends on your class and goals. Armorsmith is better for tanks and plate DPS who want to craft their own armor. Weaponsmith is better for melee DPS who want to craft their own weapons. You can also sell the exclusive items you craft, so consider what sells well on your server.
Q: Can I learn recipes from other players?
A: No, blacksmithing recipes are learned from trainers, found as world drops, or purchased from vendors. You cannot learn from another player’s recipe book. However, you can buy crafted items from other blacksmiths.
Q: What is the best way to make gold with blacksmithing?
A: Crafting shield spikes, weapon chains, and high-level armor pieces that are in demand for raiding is a solid way to make gold. Also, selling the rare materials you gather while mining can be profitable. At max level, some recipes like the Titanic Leggings are highly sought after.
Q: Do I need to be a certain level to start blacksmithing?
A: No, you can learn blacksmithing at level 5 from a trainer in any major city. However, you will need to be at least level 35 to wear the plate armor you craft, as plate armor requires level 40 (or level 30 for warriors and paladins with the Plate Specialization talent).
Q: Can I reset my specialization?
A: Yes, you can unlearn blacksmithing and relearn it from scratch, but you will lose all your skill points and recipes. There is no way to change specialization without dropping the profession entirely.
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