For as long as WoW has been out, Engineering has been one of its’ most interesting professions. Engineers specialize in creating small, useful gadgets as well as ammunition and even mounts. Each of these can be, and often are, sold on the AH or banked by a player’s guild to better equip characters at all stages of the game. At each tier, the explosives and equipment you can make as an Engineer can be useful to level, and in the endgame, you’ll be able to create some of the most valuable additions to a raid.
In WotLK, one of the major emphases in pre-raid Engineering is on ammunition and ranged weapons. All engineers are able to craft Saronite Razorheads and Mammoth Cutters as well as the Armor Plated Combat Shotgun and the Nesingwary 4000 once they cap. Within Engineering there are two specializations — Gnomish and Goblin — which enable you to create, among other things, Iceblade Arrow and Shatter Rounds, respectively, at 450. Regardless of specialization, you’ll also be able to make an Epic Helmet like Armored Titanium Goggles, Greensight Gogs, Visage Liquification Goggles, or Weakness Spectralizers.
In addition to gear, Engineers in WotLK can create a slew of useful items. For personal use, Blizzard has added Mekgineer’s Chopper and Mechano-hog onto the Flying Machine and Turbo-Charged Flying Machine mounts available from TBC. These new ground mounts are BoE, meaning they can be sold on the AH or crafted for people who bring you the mats directly. This category of items also includes two robot companions that can benefit groups greatly: Jeeves and MOLL-E. While MOLL-E is only a mailbox (which is useful in its own right), Jeeves is a full-on vendor with repair capabilities. This makes him incredibly helpful in dungeons, raids, or while questing away from supply vendors and potential repair spots.
Players who choose Engineering often pair it with Mining as their gathering profession in order to gather the materials necessary to level. Otherwise, the cost can become overwhelming as you get closer to capping. At all levels, Engineers are also able to Salvage, which allows them to loot Mechanical corpses for parts in a manner similar to Skinning.
Training Engineering
Like all professions, leveling Engineering is entirely doable while you quest and level your character normally. If you choose to take up Mining, ore nodes will appear in level appropriate areas, and the damage caused by explosives will be relatively proportional to mobs’ health. Because of this, Old World and Outland trainers are listed below.
Ultimately, however, this is a power leveling guide, and it will cover the fastest, most cost-effective way to reach 450. If you are training with access to Dalaran, you should find Timofey Oshenko in the Magus Commerce Exchange. Along with other Northrend trainers, he’ll be able to teach you all Vanilla and TBC recipes. His proximity to the AH is also invaluable for getting any additional materials you may need or selling what you’ve created.
Old World
In patch 2.3 ,Blizzard gave all trainers in the Old World the ability to train up to Artisan, so the choice of what city you start in is yours. If you are interested in specializing after reaching skill 200 and level 30, check out the section below and pick your city accordingly.
Outland
When you cross through the Dark Portal, Master Engineering Trainers will be in the first area your faction quests in. For Alliance that means going to Honor Hold and finding Lebowski. Zebig at Thrallmar will do the same for the Horde. Unlike most other professions in TBC, the neutral trainer for Engineering is in Netherstorm, not Shattrath. If you are questing and leveling concurrently, Xyrol in Area 52 will be your next stop. As you finish up the Master tier, all players will need to visit Shattrath, however, to purchase Schematic: White Smoke Flare from Wind Trader Lathrai in Lower City.
Northrend
Just like in Outland, Northrend Grand Master trainers will be in each faction’s starting area. At Warsong Hold, the Horde will need to speak with Chief Engineer Leveny, while at Valiance Keep the Alliance will need to find Sock Brightbolt. Once you reach Dalaran, all engineers can train with Timofey Oshenko in the Magus Commerce Exchange. There are also two specialized trainers in Dalaran: Findle Whistlesteam for Gnomish and Didi the Wrench for Goblin. Outside of the capital, all players can also find Binkie Brightgear at the Argent Tournament Grounds.
Specializations
In Vanilla, Blizzard created the two branches of Engineering specialization: Gnomish and Goblin. Gnomish was originally focused more on creating small inventions, and Goblin emphasized volatile explosives. As time has gone on, however, the importance of choosing one path has diminished, and in WotLK, the choice can really be divided into whether you’d like to make Shatter Rounds with Goblin or Iceblade Arrow with Gnomish.
To become a Gnomish Engineer, all players will need to find Oglethorpe Obnoticus and complete Show Your Work. The Goblin Engineer quest chain begins with Nixx Sprocketspring and ends with the other version of Show Your Work.
In 3.2, Blizzard also added the ability for Engineers of any specialization to visit Narain Soothfancy at Steamwheedle Port in Tanaris and pay 150 gold to switch their choice.
Required Materials
* = Optional material, depending on choice
Old World
- 20 – 40x Rough Stone
- 29 – 40x Linen Cloth
- 100 – 114x Copper Bar
- 15 – 20x Coarse Stone
- 15x Silver Bar OR 5x Moss Agate
- 100 – 120x Bronze Bar
- 20x Medium Leather
- 40x Heavy Stone
- 80x Wool Cloth
- 4x Steel Bar
- 180x Solid Stone
- 143x Mithril Bar
- 12x Mageweave Cloth
- 40x Dense Stone
- 130x Thorium Bar
- 20x Runecloth
Outland
- 95x Fel Iron Bar
- 10 – 15x Mote of Fire
- 20 – 30x Mote of Earth
- *5x Heavy Stock
- 40x Adamantite Bar
- 30x Netherweave Cloth
Northrend
- 288 – 300x Cobalt Bar
- 33 – 43x Crystallized Water
- 10x Crystallized Earth
- 8x Frostweave Cloth
- 380x Saronite Bar
- 14x Borean Leather
- 9x Eternal Shadow
- 15 – 20x Skinning Knife
- 15 – 20x Blacksmith Hammer
- 15 – 20x Mining Pick
- 16x Titanium Bar
- 2x Eternal Water
- 2x Eternal Fire
- 2x Eternal Air
- 4x Heavy Borean Leather
- 1x Frozen Orb
Leveling Engineering
1-300
1 – 30: Rough Blasting Powder
- Grind Rough Stone into Rough Blasting Powder.
OR
1 – 20: Rough Blasting Powder
- Grind Rough Stone into Rough Blasting Powder.
21 – 30: Rough Dynamite
- Use Rough Blasting Powder and Linen Cloth to make Rough Dynamite.
30 – 50: Handful of Copper Bolts
- Convert Copper Bar into Handful of Copper Bolts.
Visit the trainer and learn Journeyman Engineering.
50 – 51: Arclight Spanner
- Use Copper Bar to make Arclight Spanner.
51 – 75: Copper Tube
- Convert Copper Bar into Copper Tube.
75 – 90: Coarse Blasting Powder
- Grind Coarse Stone into Coarse Blasting Powder.
OR
75 – 85: Coarse Blasting Powder
- Grind Coarse Stone into Coarse Blasting Powder.
85 – 90: Coarse Dynamite
- Combine Coarse Blasting Powder and Linen Cloth to make Coarse Dynamite.
90 – 100: Copper Modulator
- Combine Copper Bar, Handful of Copper Bolts, and Linen Cloth to make Copper Modulator.
Between 110 and 125, you have a decision on what items to make, but you have to finish whichever path you start as the materials for each step are used in subsequent ones. The choice ultimately comes down to the availability or price of Silver Ore vs. Moss Agate.
100 – 110: Silver Contact
- Convert Silver Bar into Silver Contact.
110 – 120: Bronze Tube
- Convert Bronze Bar into Bronze Tube.
120 – 125: Large Copper Bomb
- Combine Copper Bar, Silver Contact, and Coarse Blasting Powder into Large Copper Bomb .
OR
100 – 105: Practice Lock
- Use Bronze Bar and Handful of Copper Bolts to make Practice Lock.
105 – 120: Bronze Tube
- Convert Bronze Bar into Bronze Tube.
120 – 125: Standard Scope
- Combine Bronze Tube and Moss Agate to make Standard Scope.
Regardless of what choice you make, at 125 you can train up to Expert.
125 – 150: Heavy Blasting Powder
- Grind Heavy Stone into Heavy Blasting Powder.
- During this, you’ll also need to make: Whirring Bronze Gizmo
- Combine Bronze Bar and Wool Cloth to make.
150 – 155: Bronze Framework
- Combine Bronze Bar, Wool Cloth, and Medium Leather to make Bronze Framework.
155 – 175: Explosive Sheep
- Combie Bronze Framework, Whirring Bronze Gizmo, Heavy Blasting Powder, and Wool Cloth to make Explosive Sheep.
175 – 176: Gyromatic Micro-Adjustor
- Convert Steel Bar into Gyromatic Micro-Adjustor.
176 – 195: Solid Blasting Powder
- Grind Solid Stone into Solid Blasting Powder.
195 – 200: Mithril Tube
- Convert Mithril Bar into Mithril Tube.
200 – 210: Unstable Trigger
- Combine Mithril Bar and Mageweave Cloth to make Unstable Trigger.
After you finish making these Triggers, return to your trainer and learn Artisan.
210 – 225: Hi-Impact Mithril Slugs
- Convert Mithril Bar into Hi-Impact Mithril Slugs.
225 – 235: Mithril Casing
- Use Mithril Bar to make Mithril Casing.
235 – 245: Hi-Explosive Bomb
- Combine Mithril Casing and Unstable Trigger to make Hi-Explosive Bomb.
245 – 250: Mithril Gyro-Shot
- Convert Mithril Bar into Mithril Gyro-Shot.
250 – 260: Dense Blasting Powder
- Grind Dense Stone into Dense Blasting Powder.
260 – 280: Thorium Widget
- Combine Thorium Bar and Runecloth to make Thorium Widget.
280 – 285: Thorium Tube
- Convert Thorium Bar into Thorium Tube.
At 285, you can cross into Outland and learn Master Engineering. You’ll still have one more Old World recipe to make, but going to Hellfire Peninsula will let you continue leveling seamlessly.
285 – 300: Thorium Shells
- Use Thorium Bar to make Thorium Shells.
300-375
300 – 310: Handful of Fel Iron Bolts
- Convert Fel Iron Bar into Handful of Fel Iron Bolts.
310 – 320: Fel Iron Casing
- Use Fel Iron Bar to make Fel Iron Casing.
- During this you’ll also have to make Elemental Blasting Powder.
- Combine Mote of Fire and Mote of Earth to create.
Between 320 and 325, you’ll also have another choice. If you have an excess of Bolts and Casings, Fel Iron Musket might be the best option to make. You’ll have to purchase Heavy Stock from a Trade Supplies vendor, however. If you have excess Blasting Powder, Fel Iron Bomb could be a better choice, but watch out because you’ll still need more afterwards. This is also a good point to purchase Schematic: White Smoke Flare from Wind Trader Lathrai in Lower City.
320 – 325: Fel Iron Bomb
- Combine Handful of Fel Iron Bolts, Fel Iron Casing,and Elemental Blasting Powder to make Fel Iron Bomb.
OR
320 – 325: Fel Iron Musket
- Use Handful of Fel Iron Bolts, Fel Iron Casing, and Heavy Stock to make Fel Iron Musket.
325 – 335: Adamantite Grenade
- Combine Adamantite Bar, Handful of Fel Iron Bolts, and Elemental Blasting Powder to make Adamantite Grenade.
335 – 350: White Smoke Flare
- Use Elemental Blasting Powder and Netherweave Cloth to make White Smoke Flare.
After you finish making the flares, you can go to Northrend and become a Grand Master.
375-450
350 – 370: Handful of Cobalt Bolts
- Use Cobalt Bar to make Handful of Cobalt Bolts.
Northrend offers more choices in how to level your Engineering. Your first one, between 370 and 385, looks obvious but requires close consideration. If you choose to make Volatile Blasting Trigger and Overcharged Capacitor only, there is a chance it could take less bars than if you were to also make Hammer Pick, but the Capacitor recipe goes green at a lower level than the pick. So, if you don’t make the Hammer Pick, there’s a chance you could end up using more bars than you would if you had just chosen to initially.
370 – 377: Volatile Blasting Trigger
- Combine Cobalt Bar and Crystallized Water to make Volatile Blasting Trigger.
378 – 385: Overcharged Capacitor
- Combine Cobalt Bar and Crystallized Earth to make Overcharged Capacitor.
OR
370 – 375: Volatile Blasting Trigger
- Combine Cobalt Bar and Crystallized Water to make Volatile Blasting Trigger.
375 – 380: Overcharged Capacitor
- Combine Cobalt Bar and Crystallized Earth to make Overcharged Capacitor.
380 – 385: Hammer Pick
- Convert Cobalt Bar into Hammer Pick.
385 – 390: Explosive Decoy
- Use Volatile Blasting Trigger and Frostweave Cloth to make Explosive Decoy.
390 – 400: Froststeel Tube
- Combine Cobalt Bar and Crystallized Water to make Froststeel Tube.
400 – 405: Diamond-cut Refractor Scope
- Use Handful of Cobalt Bolts and Froststeel Tube to make Diamond-cut Refractor Scope.
405 – 410: Box of Bombs
- Combine Volatile Blasting Trigger and Saronite Bar to make Box of Bombs.
410 – 415: Mammoth Cutters
- Use Volatile Blasting Trigger and Saronite Bar to make Mammoth Cutters.
415 – 425: Saronite Razorheads
- Convert Saronite Bar into Saronite Razorheads.
425 – 430: Mechanized Snow Goggles
- Combine Saronite Bar, Borean Leather, and Eternal Shadow to make Mechanized Snow Goggles.
430 – 435: Noise Machine
- Use Handful of Cobalt Bolts, Froststeel Tube, and Overcharged Capacitor to make Noise Machine.
435 – 448: Gnomish Army Knife
- Combine Saronite Bar, Skinning Knife, Blacksmith Hammer, and Mining Pick to make Gnomish Army Knife.
This recipe goes green during his step, so you’ll have to make more than 13. The 25x advised in the materials list is to be safe, but buy each of these from a Trade Supplies Vendor in small stacks as you approach 448 just so you don’t purchase too many extra.
These next two steps are the only pre-450 recipes in WotLK that will stay Orange until you cap, so even though you are able to make them earlier, it’s best to save them until your final 2 levels.
448 – 449: Wormhole Generator: Northrend
- Combine Titanium Bar, Eternal Shadow, Eternal Water, Eternal Fire, and Eternal Airto make your Wormhole Generator: Northrend.
For your final level, you’ll make your Epic Engineering helmet. All the options are listed below and require different combinations of Eternal elements and Rare gems. These can be purchased, mined, or converted by an Alchemist. The only constant materials between these pieces are Titanium Bar, Heavy Borean Leather, and Frozen Orb, all of which have been accounted for in the materials list. The decision and remaining materials are up to you.
449 – 450: Any Epic Helmet
- Armored Titanium Goggles, Charged Titanium Specs, Electroflux Sight Enhancers, Greensight Gogs, Truesight Ice Blinders, Unbreakable Healing Amplifiers, Visage Liquification Goggles, Weakness Spectralizers
Endgame Engineering
In the endgame, Engineering makes BiS ammo and scopes as well as pre-raiding BiS ranged weapons. All Engineers are able to make the Heartseeker Scope, Armor Plated Combat Shotgun, and the Nesingwary 4000. Iceblade Arrow are restricted to Gnomish Engineers and can be learned from Findle Whistlesteam in Dalaran; Shatter Rounds are made by Goblin Engineers and are learned from Didi the Wrench.
In addition to these, Engineers can make the two new motorcycle ground mounts. Each recipe is able for purchase after reaching Exalted rep with your faction’s Northrend contingent. To get Schematic: Mechano-Hog, players will need to become Exalted with the Horde Expedition, and to learn Schematic: Mekgineer’s Chopper, players will need to earn Exalted with the Alliance Vanguard.All Engineers also have the opportunity to learn Schematic: Jeeves. This BoP recipe has the highest drop chance from Salvaging the Mechanical mobs in Ulduar, but it can also be found on other mechs throughout Northrend. Jeeves is incredibly useful while completing dungeons, raids, or during any type of extended farming, and it becomes an immensely valuable part of any Engineer’s toolkit.