Guide to obtaining every blacksmithing recipe

This is a guide to obtaining every blacksmithing recipe in order to be the most complete Blacksmith. It has been designed primarily around Blacksmithing skill level rather than character level.

There are times, though, where character level will intrude — where you must be a particular level if you wish to learn a given rank of Blacksmitning skill or where you must face foes of a particular level should you want to do some particular task.

This guide specifically omits recipes learned from trainers. If you cannot find Blacksmithing Trainers, this guide is probably not of much value to you.

What to do?

 * Shopping
 * When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping! Many recipes are available from vendors, in limited quantities or not. Part of the point of this article is to tell you where to go to get them...


 * Auction House trawling
 * Many recipes are world drops. That is, anything, anywhere, of the appropriate level can drop the recipe. Since there are many more tradeskills available than you can take, the odds that a given recipe drop being one that you can use is small. Your odds are much better looking to the auction house.


 * Hunting
 * As opposed to the above, some recipes are looted off of only a select number of creatures. For some, you need defeat only one (or a very few). Others are more elusive, and you may find yourself devoting days to the hunt. And some, you must defeat a boss in some instance to acquire. Still, some (but not all) of these are Bind on Equip, and so may be found in the auction house.


 * Questing
 * Sometimes, the only way to learn a recipe is to do 'favors' for people. Or work the right lever on the right machine. Also, there are some quests that require the fruits of some tradeskill. While this article is primarily about gaining recipes, these quests may (or may not) provide opportunity to gain skill in your craft. Note that some of these recipes are tradable, others are not. While it is mechanically possible to find these recipes on the neutral auction house (or even the opposite faction one), it is vanishingly rare to actually find them there.


 * Reputation
 * Many recipes are privately held by a group, and you may only acquire it when you reach some level of favor with that group. As gaining reputation is more arduous (generally) than either gaining levels or gaining skill, these recipes have been listed separately.


 * Other
 * Some things just do not fall into neat categories. "Everything is miscellaneous."

Some schematics fall into several categories. Where possible, the easiest means of acquiring the schematic is the one mentioned.

Also, schematics that are Bind-on-Pickup(BoP) are noted as such. All schematics requiring reputation, and some vendor-sold ones, are Bind on Pickup.

Auction House

 * 60 Plans: Gemmed Copper Gauntlets
 * 75 Plans: Copper Chain Vest

Quest

 * 75 Plans: Heavy Copper Longsword
 * Supplying the Front - must have Blacksmithing skill 30 or more.

Auction House

 * 80 Plans: Runed Copper Breastplate
 * 125 Plans: Deadly Bronze Poniard
 * 125 Plans: Silvered Bronze Shoulders
 * 130 Plans: Silvered Bronze Breastplate
 * 140 Plans: Iridescent Hammer
 * 145 Plans: Green Iron Boots
 * 145 Plans: Mighty Iron Hammer
 * 150 Plans: Green Iron Gauntlets
 * 150 Plans: Iron Shield Spike

Quest

 * 100 Plans: Ironforge Breastplate
 * Gearing Redridge - must have blacksmithing skill 60

Auction House

 * 155 Plans: Silvered Bronze Leggings
 * 160 Plans: Green Iron Shoulders
 * 165 Plans: Iron Counterweight
 * 170 Plans: Golden Iron Destroyer
 * 170 Plans: Golden Scale Leggings
 * 175 Plans: Jade Serpentblade
 * 175 Plans: Golden Scale Shoulders
 * 185 Plans: Polished Steel Boots
 * 190 Plans: Searing Golden Blade
 * 190 Plans: Steel Weapon Chain (VERY uncommon)
 * 195 Plans: Golden Scale Cuirass
 * 200 Plans: Frost Tiger Blade
 * 200 Plans: Golden Scale Boots (rare plans that make an uncommon item)
 * 200 Plans: Shadow Crescent Axe
 * 210 Plans: Heavy Mithril Pants
 * 215 Plans: Mithril Shield Spike
 * 220 Plans: Blue Glittering Axe

Vendor

 * 155 Plans: Solid Iron Maul
 * Jazzrik in the Badlands
 * Muuran in Ghost Walker Post in Desolace
 * Jannos Ironwill in Refuge Pointe in Arathi Highlands
 * 160 Plans: Hardened Iron Shortsword
 * Sumi in the Valley of Honor in Orgrimmar
 * Kaita Deepforge in Stormwind City
 * Jutak in Booty Bay
 * 180 Plans: Moonsteel Broadsword
 * , on the lower boardwalk in Booty Bay, Stranglethorn Vale
 * 185 Plans: Massive Iron Axe
 * Vharr in Grom'gol Base Camp in Stranglethorn Vale
 * Jaquilina Dramet at Nesingwary's Expedition in Stranglethorn Vale
 * 190 Plans: Golden Scale Coif
 * in Gadgetzan, Tanaris
 * 215 Plans: Mithril Scale Bracers
 * Gharash in Stonard in the Swamp of Sorrows
 * Harggan in Aerie Peak in The Hinterlands

Hunt

 * 225 Plans: Wicked Mithril Blade - A BoP recipe, for some reason. Often found in Zul'Farrak, but also found elsewhere.

Quest

 * 160 Plans: Barbaric Iron Breastplate
 * Barbaric Battlements
 * 160 Plans: Barbaric Iron Shoulders
 * On Iron Pauldrons
 * 170 Plans: Barbaric Iron Helm
 * Horns of Frenzy
 * 180 Plans: Barbaric Iron Boots
 * Trampled Under Foot
 * 185 Plans: Barbaric Iron Gloves
 * Joys of Omosh
 * 190 Plans: Edge of Winter
 * You're a Mean One... (Horde)
 * You're a Mean One... (Alliance)
 * These quests are only offered during the Feast of Winter Veil.

Followed by all of:
 * Completing the Mithril Order quest chain yields the following plans:
 * either
 * 205 Plans: Golden Scale Gauntlets - The Origins of Smithing
 * or 230 Orcish War Leggings - The Old Ways

Other

 * 200 Plans: Inlaid Mithril Cylinder
 * created by Gnome Engineering, a specialization of Engineering. Look in the auction house, or ask on the trade channel.

Weaponsmithing Trainer

 * 235 The Shatterer
 * 245 Phantom Blade
 * 250 Blight (polearm)
 * 260 Truesilver Champion

Armorsmithing Trainer

 * 245 Truesilver Breastplate

Vendor

 * Magnus Frostwake
 * To gain access to this vendor, you must complete Kirtonos the Herald to gain Spectral Essence. (You must also have the essence equipped.)
 * 255 Plans: Ebon Shiv (BoP)
 * 275 Plans: Ornate Thorium Handaxe (BoP)
 * 280 Plans: Huge Thorium Battleaxe (BoP)
 * 295 Plans: Storm Gauntlets (NOT BoP)


 * Derotain Mudsipper
 * A neutral NPC who gives quests for the entire Imperial Plate set. You have to have at least 265 blacksmithing skill to get these quests. Note also that many of the recipes require considerably more skill than 265 to use (that is, to learn the recipe). As the quests consist of: Pay X Thorium Bars, get a recipe, he is much like a vendor.
 * [265] Plans: Imperial Plate Shoulders - Imperial Plate Shoulders
 * [265] Plans: Imperial Plate Belt - Imperial Plate Belt
 * [270] Plans: Imperial Plate Bracers - Imperial Plate Bracer
 * [295] Plans: Imperial Plate Boots - Imperial Plate Boots
 * [295] Plans: Imperial Plate Helm - Imperial Plate Helm
 * [300] Plans: Imperial Plate Chest - Imperial Plate Chest
 * [300] Plans: Imperial Plate Leggings - Imperial Plate Leggings

Quest

 * 230 Orcish War Leggings (noted above, under Expert and the Mithril Order quests.)
 * 285 Plans: Demon Forged Breastplate - The Demon Forge
 * 290 Plans: Fiery Plate Gauntlets - Fiery Plate Gauntlets


 * The (former) Weaponsmithing subspecialization quests

Hunting

 * 275 Plans: Dark Iron Sunderer - dropped by Ribbly's Crony or Hammered Patrons in Blackrock Depths. Found on the AH fairly regularly.
 * 285 Plans: Dark Iron Plate from Ribbly Screwspigot in Blackrock Depths (2.5%...easier to get it from the AH)
 * 290 Plans: Volcanic Hammer from Volchan, a rare Burning Steppes giant.
 * Blacksmithing Plans in Blackrock Depths
 * 270 Plans: Dark Iron Mail - plans are BoP
 * 280 Plans: Dark Iron Shoulders - plans are BoP
 * Blacksmithing Plans in Stratholme
 * 285 Plans: Serenity - plans are BoE, part of the Hammersmith specialization quest.
 * 290 Plans: Corruption - plans are BoE, part of the Swordsmith specialization quest.

Artisan skill: 300
300 was the skill cap prior to Burning Crusade. A lot of items require 300 skill to learn/craft. And a lot of those required adventuring rather than simply asking a vendor...

Auction House

 * 300 Plans: Invulnerable Mail
 * 300 Plans: Lionheart Helm
 * 300 Plans: Persuader
 * 300 Plans: Radiant Leggings
 * 300 Plans: Sageblade
 * 300 Plans: Stronghold Gauntlets
 * 300 Plans: Thorium Leggings
 * 300 Plans: Titanic Leggings
 * 300 Plans: Helm of the Great Chief
 * 300 Plans: Whitesoul Helm

Hunting

 * Runic armor drops
 * 300 Plans: Runic Breastplate - Tidelord Rrurgaz on Alcaz Island in Dustwallow Marsh
 * Also off of Strashaz Myrmidon
 * 300 Plans: Runic Plate Helm - (BoP) the Strashaz Warriors on Alcaz Island drop this (rarely)
 * 300 Plans: Runic Plate Shoulders - (BoP) sometimes seen as a drop off of Strashaz Serpent Guard
 * 300 Plans: Runic Plate Leggings - (BoP) the Scarlet Smith in Hearthglen in Western Plaguelands often drops this.
 * 300 Plans: Runic Plate Boots - (BoP) dropped uncommonly by Scarlet Cavaliers in Hearthglen in Western Plaguelands

Questing

 * 300 Plans: Sulfuron Hammer - A Binding Contract, only offered if you have Sulfuron Ingot in your possession, at any reputation level.
 * 300 Plans: Darkrune Gauntlets, Plans: Darkrune Helm, Plans: Darkrune Breastplate - turn in Encrypted Twilight Texts to Hermit Ortell in Silithus; this is occasionally a reward.


 * The Naxxramas blacksmithing quests
 * Icebane Bracers - Icebane Bracers
 * Icebane Breastplate - Icebane Breastplate
 * Icebane Gauntlets - Icebane Gauntlets


 * The Advanced Armorsmithing quests of Dire Maul
 * You have to acquire the books on Advanced Armorsmithing by combining 2 halves dropped from various bosses. (The parts are BoE, so can occasionally be found on the auction house.)


 * Plans: Enchanted Thorium Breastplate - Enchanted Thorium Platemail: Volume I
 * Plans: Enchanted Thorium Leggings - Enchanted Thorium Platemail: Volume II
 * Plans: Enchanted Thorium Helm - Enchanted Thorium Platemail: Volume III

Auction House

 * (365) Plans: Black Felsteel Bracers
 * (365) Plans: Blessed Bracers
 * (365) Plans: Bracers of the Green Fortress
 * (365) Plans: Dirge
 * (365) Plans: Eternium Runed Blade
 * (365) Plans: Fel Edged Battleaxe
 * (365) Plans: Fel Hardened Maul
 * (365) Plans: Felfury Gauntlets
 * (365) Plans: Felsteel Longblade
 * (365) Plans: Felsteel Reaper
 * (365) Plans: Gauntlets of the Iron Tower
 * (365) Plans: Hand of Eternity
 * (365) Plans: Helm of the Stalwart Defender
 * (365) Plans: Khorium Champion
 * (365) Plans: Oathkeeper's Helm
 * (365) Plans: Runic Hammer
 * (365) Plans: Steelgrip Gauntlets
 * (365) Plans: Storm Helm
 * (365) Plans: Hammer of Righteous Might

Vendor

 * Aaron Hollman in Shattrath City
 * Arras in The Exodar
 * Eriden in Silvermoon City
 * (325) Plans: Adamantite Cleaver
 * (330) Plans: Adamantite Dagger
 * (335) Plans: Adamantite Rapier


 * at Shadowmoon Village in Shadowmoon Valley
 * at Telredor in Zangarmarsh
 * (335) Plans: Adamantite Plate Bracers
 * (335) Plans: Adamantite Plate Gloves
 * (340) Plans: Adamantite Breastplate


 * at Thrallmar in Hellfire Peninsula
 * at Wildhammer Stronghold in Shadowmoon Valley
 * (340) Plans: Lesser Ward of Shielding - limited supply (1)
 * (360) Plans: Eternium Rod - limited supply (1)


 * (350) Plans: Adamantite Rod
 * (350) Plans: Adamantite Rod

Hunting

 * All the plans here are BoP, and can only be rolled on by blacksmiths


 * 360 Plans: Felsteel Gloves - Auchenai Monk in the Auchenai Crypts.
 * 360 Plans: Felsteel Leggings - Unchained Doombringer in Arcatraz.
 * 360 Plans: Khorium Belt - Murkblood Raider in Nagrand
 * 360 Plans: Khorium Pants - Deathforge Guardian in Shadowmoon Valley
 * 365 Plans: Felsteel Helm - Cabal Fanatic in Shadow Labyrinth
 * 365 Plans: Khorium Boots - Disembodied Protector in Netherstorm
 * 365 Plans: Ragesteel Gloves - Boulderfist Warrior in Nagrand
 * 365 Plans: Ragesteel Shoulders - Any of Enraged Air Spirit, Enraged Fire Spirit, Enraged Earth Spirit, Enraged Water Spirit in Shadowmoon Valley
 * 365 Plans: Ragesteel Helm - Anger Guard in Blade's Edge Mountains. Also reported to drop from the enraged spirits in Shadowmoon Valley
 * 370 Plans: Ragesteel Breastplate - Crazed Murkblood Foreman, Crazed Murkblood Miner, or Ashtongue Warrior in Shadowmoon Valley
 * 370 Plans: Earthpeace Breastplate - High Botanist Freywinn, in The Botanica
 * 370 Plans: Swiftsteel Gloves - Nexus Stalker in Mana-Tombs in Auchindoun.
 * 375 Plans: Greater Ward of Shielding - Sunfury Bloodwarder in Netherstorm.


 * Hunting in Northrend (all BoP)
 * 375 Plans: Reinforced Cobalt Legplates - Gundrak Savage in Zul'Drak
 * 375 Plans: Reinforced Cobalt Helm - Iron Rune-Shaper in Grizzly Hills
 * 375 Plans: Reinforced Cobalt Chestpiece - Venture Co. Excavator in Sholazar Basin
 * 375 Plans: Reinforced Cobalt Shoulders - Onslaught Mason in Dragonblight


 * These plans are largely BoE, though the items they create may or may not be.
 * From random mobs in The Eye and Serpentshrine Cavern:


 * 375 Plans: Belt of the Guardian
 * 375 Plans: Boots of the Protector
 * 375 Plans: Red Havoc Boots
 * 375 Plans: Red Belt of Battle


 * From random mobs in Black Temple


 * 375 Plans: Dawnsteel Bracers
 * 375 Plans: Swiftsteel Shoulders


 * From random mobs in Black Temple and in Mount Hyjal


 * 375 Plans: Dawnsteel Shoulders
 * 375 Plans: Swiftsteel Bracers


 * From random mobs in Sunwell Plateau


 * 365 Plans: Hard Khorium Battlefists
 * 365 Plans: Hard Khorium Battleplate
 * 365 Plans: Sunblessed Breastplate
 * 365 Plans: Sunblessed Gauntlets (BoP recipe)

Hunting

 * Recipes items from the Trial of the Crusader raid
 * 450 Plans: Breastplate of the White Knight
 * 450 Plans: Saronite Swordbreakers
 * 450 Plans: Sunforged Bracers
 * 450 Plans: Sunforged Breastplate
 * 450 Plans: Titanium Razorplate
 * 450 Plans: Titanium Spikeguards


 * Recipe items from Ulduar raids (hard modes)
 * 450 Plans: Indestructible Plate Girdle
 * 450 Plans: Spiked Deathdealers
 * 450 Plans: Battlelord's Plate Boots
 * 450 Plans: Treads of Destiny
 * 450 Plans: Belt of the Titans
 * 450 Plans: Plate Girdle of Righteousness

Recipes requiring Weaponsmithing specialization

 * Weaponsmithing trainer
 * 260 Light Earthforged Blade
 * 260 Light Emberforged Hammer
 * 260 Light Skyforged Axe


 * Axesmith specialties


 * 350 Lunar Crescent
 * 375 Mooncleaver
 * 375 Bloodmoon
 * 350 The Planar Edge
 * 375 Black Planar Edge
 * 375 Wicked Edge of the Planes


 * Hammersmith specialties


 * 350 Drakefist Hammer
 * 375 Dragonmaw (mace)
 * 375 Dragonstrike
 * 350 Thunder
 * 375 Deep Thunder
 * 375 Stormherald


 * Swordsmith specialties


 * 350 Fireguard
 * 375 Blazeguard
 * 375 Blazefury
 * 350 Lionheart Blade
 * 375 Lionheart Champion
 * 375 Lionheart Executioner


 * Hunting
 * 265 Plans: Dark Iron Pulverizer - dropped from Grizzle in Blackrock Depths (~13%). (tradable)

Recipes requiring Armorsmithing specialization

 * Armorsmithing trainer
 * 260 Earthforged Leggings
 * 260 Windforged Leggings


 * 350 Breastplate of Kings
 * 375 Bulwark of Kings
 * 375 Bulwark of the Ancient Kings
 * 350 Nether Plate Shirt
 * 375 Twisting Nether Plate Shirt
 * 375 Embrace of the Twisting Nether