World of Warcraft Classic · 1–300

Profession Guides

Actual leveling paths: what to make or gather, when to move on, and where the good farming routes are.

Choose profession

Crafting · 1–300

Alchemy

Alchemy turns herbs and other reagents into potions, elixirs, flasks and transmutes. Herbalism supplies most of the raw materials, and high-end consumables stay useful for dungeons, raids and the Auction House.

Training: Both factions have city trainers. Higher ranks can require a specific trainer, quest, book or vendor recipe; check the step before you travel away.

Skill	Craft / focus	What to do	Alternatives / price checks
1–60	≈65 Minor Healing Potion	65 Peacebloom + 65 Silverleaf; keep the potions for the next step.	If one starter herb is overpriced, farm it yourself rather than changing recipes.
60–110	≈65 Lesser Healing Potion	Use the Minor Healing Potions plus Briarthorn.	None better: this recycles your previous crafts.
110–140	≈35 Healing Potion	Bruiseweed + Briarthorn.	Compare Elixir of Wisdom / other orange trainer recipes only if herbs are unusually cheap.
140–155	≈20 Lesser Mana Potion	Mageroyal + Stranglekelp; expect a few yellow skill-ups.	Continue Healing Potion briefly if Stranglekelp is expensive.
155–185	≈35 Greater Healing Potion	Liferoot + Kingsblood.	Elixir of Firepower can be attractive when Fire Oil is cheap.
185–210	≈30 Elixir of Agility	Stranglekelp + Goldthorn.	Greater Mana Potion / Lesser Invisibility Potion can be cheaper depending on herb prices.
210–215	5 Elixir of Greater Defense	Wild Steelbloom + Goldthorn.	Continue an earlier orange/yellow recipe if Steelbloom is inflated.
215–230	15 Superior Healing Potion	Sungrass + Khadgar’s Whisker.	Check Greater Mana Potion if those herbs are cheaper.
230–265	≈45 Elixir of Detect Undead	Arthas’ Tears + vial; simple one-herb route.	Use other orange elixirs if Arthas’ Tears is being price-gouged.
265–285	≈30 Superior Mana Potion	Sungrass + Blindweed; buy the limited-supply recipe before committing.	Continue a cheaper yellow recipe if the vendor recipe is unavailable.
285–300	≈20 Major Healing Potion	Golden Sansam + Mountain Silversage; limited-supply recipe in Everlook.	If the recipe is camped, compare Major Mana / high-end elixirs on your realm.

Crafting · 1–300

Blacksmithing

Blacksmithing consumes large amounts of ore and stone to make weapons, plate armor, sharpening stones and utility pieces. Mining is the natural material source, and several stretches are much cheaper if you save intermediate bars and grinding stones.

Training: Both factions have city trainers. Higher ranks can require a specific trainer, quest, book or vendor recipe; check the step before you travel away.

Skill	Craft / focus	What to do	Alternatives / price checks
1–30	40 Rough Sharpening Stone	40 Rough Stone.	Make a few extra if Rough Stone is cheap.
30–65	≈55 Rough Grinding Stone	110 Rough Stone; keep at least 10.	None—these saved stones are used later.
65–75	≈25 Coarse Sharpening Stone	25 Coarse Stone.	Continue Rough Grinding if it still skills and Rough Stone is much cheaper.
75–90	≈35 Coarse Grinding Stone	70 Coarse Stone; keep them.	If you miss 90, move on rather than overbuying.
90–100	10 Runed Copper Belt	100 Copper Bars.	Use extra Coarse Grinding Stone if it still gives skill.
100–105	5 Silver Rod	5 Silver Bars + 10 Rough Grinding Stones.	Skip and make more Runed Copper Belts if Silver is expensive.
105–110	5 Runed Copper Belt	50 Copper Bars.	Same recipe; only five more points.
110–125	15 Rough Bronze Leggings	90 Bronze Bars.	Use another orange Bronze craft if bars/components are cheaper.
125–140	≈35 Heavy Grinding Stone	105 Heavy Stone; keep them.	Extend toward 150 if Heavy Stone is cheap.
140–150	10 Patterned Bronze Bracers	50 Bronze Bars + 20 Coarse Grinding Stones.	Continue Heavy Grinding Stone if it remains economical.
150–155	5 Golden Rod	5 Gold Bars + 10 Coarse Grinding Stones.	No real need to force this if Gold spikes; use an orange Iron recipe.
155–165	10 Green Iron Leggings	80 Iron Bars + Heavy Grinding Stones + Green Dye.	Compare other trainer Iron pieces if dye is overpriced.
165–190	25 Green Iron Bracers	150 Iron Bars + Green Dye.	If Iron is scarce, compare Steel crafts that remain orange.
190–200	10 Golden Scale Bracers	50 Steel Bars + 20 Heavy Grinding Stones.	Keep some if you plan Armorsmithing.
200–210	≈30 Solid Grinding Stone	120 Solid Stone; keep at least 10.	If you own Mithril Spurs, keep all of them for later.
210–225	15 Heavy Mithril Gauntlet	90 Mithril Bars + 60 Mageweave Cloth.	Compare Mithril Scale / other orange crafts if cloth is expensive.
225–235	10 Steel Plate Helm	140 Steel Bars + 10 Solid Grinding Stones.	Use a cheaper orange Mithril recipe if Steel is inflated.
235–250	15 Mithril Spurs	60 Mithril Bars + 45 Solid Grinding Stones.	15 Mithril Coifs if you cannot get the Spurs plan.
250–260	20 Dense Sharpening Stone	20 Dense Stone.	Usually too cheap to replace.
260–270	≈20 Mithril Spurs	80 Mithril Bars + 60 Solid Grinding Stones; recipe turns green near the end.	Thorium Bracers / Thorium Belt / Radiant Belt, or trainer Heavy Mithril Boots then Imperial Plate Belt.
270–295	≈25 Imperial Plate Bracers	500 Thorium Bars + Star Rubies; expect yellow crafts late.	Use cheaper Thorium world/vendor plans if available on your realm.
295–300	5 Imperial Plate Boots	170 Thorium Bars + Star Ruby + Aquamarine.	Continue a cheaper yellow Thorium pattern if you already own one.

Crafting · 1–300

Enchanting

Enchanting converts dusts, essences and shards into permanent item enhancements. Most of those materials come from disenchanting uncommon-or-better gear, so saving crafted or quest greens can dramatically reduce the leveling bill.

Training: Both factions have city trainers. Higher ranks can require a specific trainer, quest, book or vendor recipe; check the step before you travel away.

Skill	Craft / focus	What to do	Alternatives / price checks
1–2	Runed Copper Rod	Make the required rod.	Do not buy the plain Copper Rod from the AH if a trade vendor has it.
2–50	48 Enchant Bracer: Minor Health	48 Strange Dust; disenchant greens as needed.	Disenchanting itself can cover some early points.
50–90	40 Enchant Bracer: Minor Health	Continue with Strange Dust.	If Greater Magic Essence is cheap, move to wand/rod steps sooner.
90–100	10 Enchant Bracer: Minor Stamina	30 Strange Dust.	Continue Minor Health if Strange Dust is exceptionally cheap.
100–101	Runed Silver Rod	Silver Rod + dust/essence + Shadowgem.	Required progression item.
101–110	9 Greater Magic Wand	9 Greater Magic Essence + Simple Wood.	Any comparable orange enchant if essence is expensive.
110–135	≈25 Enchant Cloak: Minor Agility	25 Lesser Astral Essence; vendor formula is limited-supply.	Enchant 2H Weapon: Minor Impact if Small Glimmering Shards are cheaper.
135–155	20 Enchant Bracer: Lesser Stamina	40 Soul Dust.	No special alternative unless Soul Dust spikes.
155–156	Runed Golden Rod	Golden Rod + pearl + essences/dust.	Required progression item.
156–185	≈40 Enchant Bracer: Lesser Strength	80 Soul Dust.	From 165, Enchant Bracer: Spirit if Lesser Mystic Essence is cheaper than 2 Soul Dust.
185–200	15 Enchant Bracer: Strength	15 Vision Dust.	Use another orange Vision Dust enchant if your target items are inconvenient.
200–201	Runed Truesilver Rod	Truesilver Rod + Black Pearl + Mystic Essence + Vision Dust.	Required progression item.
201–220	≈35 Enchant Bracer: Strength	Continue Vision Dust; recipe turns yellow.	Switch to another orange trainer enchant if yellow luck is bad.
220–225	5 Enchant Cloak: Greater Defense	15 Vision Dust.	Continue Bracer: Strength if cheaper.
225–230	5 Enchant Gloves: Agility	Lesser Nether Essence + Vision Dust.	Enchant Cloak: Greater Defense if Lesser Nether Essence costs too much.
230–235	5 Enchant Boots: Stamina	25 Vision Dust.	Any cheap orange Vision Dust enchant.
235–250	≈25 Enchant Chest: Superior Health	150 Vision Dust.	If you own Formula: Bracer Greater Stamina, compare its material cost.
250–265	≈20 Lesser Mana Oil	Dream Dust + Purple Lotus + Crystal Vials.	Enchant Bracer: Greater Strength if the oil formula is unavailable / Lotus expensive.
265–294	≈30 Enchant Shield: Greater Stamina	About 300 Dream Dust; vendor formula is limited supply.	Greater Stamina bracer or other yellow Dream Dust recipes if the formula is unavailable.
294–295	Runed Arcanite Rod	Arcanite Rod + Golden Pearl + Illusion Dust + Eternal Essences/Shards.	Required for the highest enchants.
295–300	5 Enchant Cloak: Superior Defense	40 Illusion Dust.	Continue Shield: Greater Stamina if Dream Dust is much cheaper.

Crafting · 1–300

Engineering

Engineering turns ore, stone, cloth and miscellaneous parts into explosives, gadgets, scopes, goggles and some of the strangest toys in the game. Mining supplies the bulk of the materials, and many early components are reused later, so do not vendor them too quickly.

Training: Both factions have city trainers. Higher ranks can require a specific trainer, quest, book or vendor recipe; check the step before you travel away.

Mithril route: The standard path uses Mithril Tubes, Unstable Triggers, Mithril Casings and Hi-Explosive Bombs through the expensive 195–250 stretch.

Skill	Craft / focus	What to do	Alternatives / price checks
1–30	60 Rough Blasting Powder	60 Rough Stone; keep it.	You may overshoot 30—stop once you have enough powder.
30–50	30 Handful of Copper Bolts	30 Copper Bars; keep them.	None; they are components for the next step.
50–51	Arclight Spanner	6 Copper Bars; keep permanently.	Required tool.
51–75	≈30 Rough Copper Bomb	Copper Bars + Handful of Copper Bolts + Rough Blasting Powder + Linen Cloth.	Any orange Copper device if Linen prices spike.
75–90	60 Coarse Blasting Powder	60 Coarse Stone; keep it.	Continue Rough Copper Bomb briefly if still orange and cheaper.
90–100	20 Coarse Dynamite	Coarse Blasting Powder + Linen Cloth.	Use other orange Coarse recipes if Linen is expensive.
100–105	5 Silver Contact	5 Silver Bars.	Flying Tiger Goggles if Silver Bars are expensive.
105–125	25 Bronze Tube	50 Bronze Bars + Weak Flux; keep useful tubes.	Other orange Bronze components are okay if bars fluctuate.
125–135	10 Standard Scope	Bronze Tube + Moss Agate.	Start Heavy Blasting Powder if Moss Agate is expensive.
135–150	Heavy Blasting Powder + Whirring Bronze Gizmo	Heavy Blasting Powder + Whirring Bronze Gizmo; make enough of both for the next steps.	Mix the two recipes to avoid overproducing one component.
150–160	≈15 Bronze Framework	Bronze Bars + Medium Leather + Wool Cloth; save the frameworks.	Stop early if you reach 160 before 15.
160–175	15 Explosive Sheep	Heavy Blasting Powder + Whirring Bronze Gizmo + Bronze Framework + Wool Cloth.	Keep 5 if you intend Goblin Engineering.
175–194	≈60 Solid Blasting Powder	120 Solid Stone; save it.	Iron Grenade if you need a few points and have spare Iron.
194–195	Gyromatic Micro-Adjustor	4 Steel Bars; keep permanently.	Required tool.
195–200	≈7 Mithril Tube	21 Mithril Bars; stop at 200.	Iron Grenade if Mithril is unusually expensive.
200–215	20 Unstable Trigger	Mithril Bars + Mageweave Cloth + Solid Blasting Powder; keep the triggers.	None—needed for Hi-Explosive Bombs.
215–238	40 Mithril Casing	120 Mithril Bars; keep them.	Make only until the target if bars are expensive.
238–250	20 Hi-Explosive Bomb	Mithril Casing + Unstable Trigger + Solid Blasting Powder.	Use other orange explosives if you over/under-produced components.
250–260	≈30 Dense Blasting Powder	60 Dense Stone.	Expect a few extra yellow crafts.
260–285	≈35 Thorium Widget	105 Thorium Bars + Runecloth.	Check vendor availability of the schematic before bulk-buying.
175–190	Solid Blasting Powder	Use Solid Stone as long as it is cheap. Get to at least 190 this way; if stone is dirt-cheap, you can keep pushing powder toward 195.	Do not overpay for Solid Stone just to avoid Mithril. The goal is cheaper leveling, not a rigid recipe list.
190–210	Big Iron Bomb	Start Big Iron Bombs at 190. Each craft uses Iron Bars, Heavy Blasting Powder and a Silver Contact and makes 2 bombs.	Goblin Engineers need this for their specialization quest, so either save them for your own specialization or throw them on the Auction House as they should sell pretty easily.
Before 225	Gyromatic Micro-Adjustor	Make one if you do not already have it. You will need it as a tool for both goggles recipes.	This is a permanent Engineering tool, not a leveling material sink.
210–225/230	Hi-Impact Mithril Slugs	Use whatever Mithril you already own here: 1 Mithril Bar + 1 Solid Blasting Powder makes 200 slugs. Move to goggles at 225, or stay on slugs a little longer if Star Rubies / leather are expensive.	This is where the route still spends some Mithril, but far less than mass-producing Mithril Casings. Skill-ups become less reliable as you approach 230.
225–245	Spellpower Goggles Xtreme	4 Thick Leather + 2 Star Rubies each. The recipe remains orange through 244, making this a predictable 20-point bridge from 225 to 245.	Coffee break: these have a 45-second craft time each. Twenty crafts is about 15 minutes of watching the progress bar.
245–250	Rose Colored Goggles	6 Thick Leather + 2 Star Rubies each. Use these for the final five points to 250.	These also take 45 seconds per craft, so the 245–250 stretch alone is about 3 minutes 45 seconds of crafting.
250–260	Dense Blasting Powder	Turn Dense Stone into Dense Blasting Powder. Save the powder for the next step.	This recipe goes yellow/green quickly, but Dense Stone should be very cheap.
260–270	Dense Dynamite	2 Dense Blasting Powder + 3 Runecloth makes 2 Dense Dynamite. Use this to finish the low-Mithril detour.	This is the tedious end of the route: Dense Dynamite is green from 260 onward, so expect to make extra. Check Runecloth prices before committing.
270–285	Thorium Widget	Rejoin the normal route here with Thorium Bars + Runecloth.	The Mithril-saving detour is over at 270; continue with the standard guide from here.
285–300	≈20 Thorium Tube	120 Thorium Bars.	Alternate Recipe: Thorium Shells can be cheaper if you have extra Dense Powder left over

Crafting · 1–300

Leatherworking

Leatherworking turns skinned hides into leather and mail armor, armor kits and later leg enchants and profession bonuses. Skinning supplies nearly everything you need, and several brackets have multiple viable recipes depending on leather, hide and thread prices.

Training: Both factions have city trainers. Higher ranks can require a specific trainer, quest, book or vendor recipe; check the step before you travel away.

Skill	Craft / focus	What to do	Alternatives / price checks
1–20	19 Light Leather	Convert 57 Ruined Leather Scraps.	Skip if you have no scraps and start Light Armor Kits.
20–45	40 Light Armor Kit	40 Light Leather.	Start here from skill 1 if scraps are unavailable.
45–55	20 Handstitched Leather Cloak	40 Light Leather + Coarse Thread.	Any orange Light Leather recipe if thread/vendor access is awkward.
55–100	≈50 Embossed Leather Gloves	150 Light Leather + Coarse Thread.	Use inexpensive trained Light Leather pieces if leather prices vary.
100–125	≈40 Fine Leather Belt	240 Light Leather + thread; keep belts if using Dark Leather Belt later.	Craft Cured Medium Hide whenever Medium Hide is cheap.
125–137	15 Dark Leather Boots	60 Medium Leather + Fine Thread + Gray Dye.	Dark Leather Belt if you saved Fine Leather Belts + Cured Medium Hides.
137–150	20 Dark Leather Pants	240 Medium Leather + dye/thread.	Other orange Medium Leather recipes if dye is overpriced.
150–155	≈7 Heavy Leather conversion	Convert Medium Leather.	Heavy Leather Ball if conversion economics are poor.
155–165	20 Cured Heavy Hide	20 Heavy Hide + Salt; save them.	If Heavy Hides are expensive, use Heavy Armor Kits through this band.
165–180	15 Heavy Armor Kit	75 Heavy Leather + Fine Thread.	Continue longer if you skipped Cured Heavy Hides.
180–190	10 Barbaric Shoulders	Heavy Leather + saved Cured Heavy Hides.	Guardian Pants / Barbaric Leggings if hides are unavailable.
190–200	10 Guardian Gloves	Heavy Leather + Cured Heavy Hide.	Barbaric Leggings if Moss Agate is cheaper than hides.
200–205	5 Thick Armor Kit	25 Thick Leather.	Move straight to Nightscape Headband if Thick Leather is cheap.
205–235	≈40 Nightscape Headband	200 Thick Leather + Silken Thread.	Thick Armor Kits use less thread but vendor for less.
235–250	15 Nightscape Pants	210 Thick Leather + Silken Thread.	Stay on Headbands if pants are materially worse on your realm.
250–260	≈13 Nightscape Boots	208 Thick Leather + Heavy Silken Thread.	Rugged Armor Kits can start earlier if Rugged Leather is cheap.
260–290	≈33 Wicked Leather Gauntlets	264 Rugged Leather + Black Dye + Rune Thread.	Wicked Leather Bracers if you can get the drop pattern; otherwise extend Nightscape Boots briefly.
290–300	10 Runic Leather Headband	140 Rugged Leather + 100 Runecloth.	Wicked Leather Headband / Runic Leather Belt / Bracers / Gauntlets—price the pattern and Runecloth before choosing.

Crafting · 1–300

Tailoring

Tailoring turns cloth from humanoid enemies into cloth armor, bags, specialty cloth and later profession-only enchants. It does not require a gathering profession; Enchanting is a common companion because many crafted greens can be disenchanted instead of vendored.

Training: Both factions have city trainers. Higher ranks can require a specific trainer, quest, book or vendor recipe; check the step before you travel away.

Skill	Craft / focus	What to do	Alternatives / price checks
1–45	≈102 Bolt of Linen Cloth	Convert about 204 Linen Cloth; stop at 45 and make more only as needed.	No reason to overproduce bolts unless Linen is very cheap.
40–70	40 Linen Belt	40 Linen Bolts + Coarse Thread.	Simple Linen Boots/other orange Linen crafts can bridge.
70–75	5 Reinforced Linen Cape	10 Linen Bolts + Coarse Thread.	Continue Linen Belt if materials are already on hand.
75–100	45 Bolt of Woolen Cloth	135 Wool Cloth.	Make only what you need if Wool is expensive.
100–110	13 Simple Kilt	Uses leftover Linen Bolts + Fine Thread.	Any orange Wool craft if you ran out of Linen Bolts.
110–125	15 Double-stitched Woolen Shoulders	45 Wool Bolts + Fine Thread.	Other orange Wool recipes if bolts are scarce.
125–145	≈201 Bolt of Silk Cloth	804 Silk Cloth; you use many later.	Stop at 145 and make remaining bolts on demand if capital is tight.
145–160	18 Azure Silk Hood	Silk Bolts + Blue Dye + thread.	Silk Headband once it becomes available if dye is expensive.
160–170	10 Silk Headband	30 Silk Bolts + Fine Thread.	Continue Azure Silk Hood if Blue Dye is cheap.
170–175	5 Formal White Shirt	Silk Bolts + Bleach + Fine Thread.	Continue Silk Headband if you do not want a vendor-material step.
175–185	≈94 Bolt of Mageweave	470 Mageweave Cloth.	Make only enough to hit 185, then produce the rest as needed.
185–205	20 Crimson Silk Vest	Silk Bolts + Fine Thread + Red Dye.	Use other orange Silk crafts if dye is overpriced.
205–215	10 Crimson Silk Pantaloons	Silk Bolts + dye/thread.	Black Mageweave pieces if Mageweave is cheaper than Silk.
215–220	5 Orange Mageweave Shirt	Mageweave Bolt + Orange Dye + Heavy Silken Thread.	Move to Black Mageweave Gloves early if dye is expensive.
220–230	10 Black Mageweave Gloves	20 Mageweave Bolts + Heavy Silken Thread.	Black Mageweave Headband can begin once available.
230–250	≈23 Black Mageweave Headband	69 Mageweave Bolts + Heavy Silken Thread.	Other Black Mageweave slots if their vendor/AH value is better.
250–260	≈239 Bolt of Runecloth	Convert Runecloth; most will be used later.	Make only enough to reach 260 if you prefer staged purchasing.
260–280	25 Runecloth Belt	75 Runecloth Bolts + Rune Thread.	Runecloth Bag can replace belts if bags sell well enough to recover cost.
280–290	≈18 Runecloth Bag	90 Bolts + Rugged Leather + thread; limited-supply pattern.	More Runecloth Belts to ~285 if the bag pattern is camped.
290–300	≈18 Runecloth Gloves	72 Bolts + Rugged Leather + thread; yellow near 290.	Brightcloth Cloak/Gloves/Robe or Runecloth Pants if their patterns/materials are cheaper.

Gathering · 1–300

Herbalism

Herbalism gathers herbs used primarily by Alchemy and, in Wrath, Inscription. The fastest leveling comes from dense loops rather than chasing one specific herb, so these routes favor zones where several useful herb tiers overlap.

Training: Both factions have city trainers. Higher ranks can require a specific trainer, quest, book or vendor recipe; check the step before you travel away.

Skill	Material	Best places / route	Alternate route / notes
1–70	Peacebloom / Silverleaf / Earthroot	Circle any starter zone, following road shoulders and hill edges.	Choose the least-contested starter zone; route density matters more than faction.
70–115	Mageroyal / Briarthorn / Stranglekelp	The Barrens, Silverpine, Loch Modan or Darkshore.	If coastal Stranglekelp slows the loop, stay inland on Briarthorn/Mageroyal.
115–170	Bruiseweed / Wild Steelbloom / Kingsblood / Liferoot	Hillsbrad, Wetlands and Stonetalon.	Move into the higher-elevation parts after 150 for Kingsblood/Liferoot.
170–205	Kingsblood / Liferoot / Fadeleaf / Goldthorn	Arathi Highlands and Stranglethorn Vale are efficient.	Khadgar’s Whisker begins at 185 and can extend these routes.
205–230	Khadgar’s Whisker / Firebloom / Purple Lotus	The Hinterlands, Tanaris and Feralas.	Tanaris is great if you also want Firebloom for Alchemy.
230–270	Sungrass / Blindweed / Gromsblood	Feralas, Hinterlands, Swamp of Sorrows.	Felwood is a strong Gromsblood alternative.
270–300	Dreamfoil / Mountain Silversage / Icecap	Un’Goro, Winterspring and Eastern Plaguelands.	Winterspring is the obvious choice if Icecap is valuable on your realm.

Gathering · 1–300

Mining

Mining gathers ore and stone for Blacksmithing, Engineering and Jewelcrafting. Smelting can bridge some awkward skill ranges, while the open-world routes focus on dense circuits and high-value ore once raw skill is no longer the only goal.

Training: Both factions have city trainers. Higher ranks can require a specific trainer, quest, book or vendor recipe; check the step before you travel away.

Skill	Material	Best places / route	Alternate route / notes
1–65	Copper	Run starter-zone mountain edges and cave mouths. Durotar, Dun Morogh, Elwynn and Mulgore are dependable.	Night Elves can move to Darkshore; Teldrassil has no Copper.
65–125	Tin + Copper	The Barrens and Loch Modan are easy mixed loops; Hillsbrad is good once Tin is comfortable.	Smelt Copper/Tin/Bronze when ore is cheap to bridge awkward skill gaps.
125–175	Iron + Tin	Arathi Highlands is one of the cleanest Iron loops; Thousand Needles is another strong route.	Badlands works if Arathi is crowded.
175–245	Mithril	Loop The Hinterlands, Tanaris or Badlands. Mine every Truesilver node you see.	Hinterlands is usually the cleanest low-competition route.
245–275	Mithril + Thorium	Transition through Tanaris / Un’Goro while Mithril still gives skill.	Burning Steppes is a viable Thorium transition route.
275–300	Thorium / Rich Thorium	Un’Goro, Winterspring and Eastern Plaguelands.	At cap, Rich Thorium is the higher-value farm; switch zones if competition is heavy.

Gathering · 1–300

Skinning

Skinning converts beasts you or other players kill into leather, hides and scales for Leatherworking. Mob density matters more than one exact species, so the best routes favor camps where you can move continuously with little downtime.

Training: Both factions have city trainers. Higher ranks can require a specific trainer, quest, book or vendor recipe; check the step before you travel away.

Skill	Material	Best places / route	Alternate route / notes
1–75	Light Leather	Durotar or Dun Morogh; skin everything you or other players kill.	Any starter-zone beast camp works.
75–155	Light / Medium Leather	The Barrens, Loch Modan and Wetlands.	Follow quest hubs where players leave corpses behind.
155–205	Medium / Heavy Leather	Thousand Needles and Arathi Highlands.	Stranglethorn beast camps are another dense option.
205–260	Heavy / Thick Leather	Feralas and higher-level Tanaris beast camps.	The Hinterlands is solid if Feralas is crowded.
260–300	Thick / Rugged Leather	Un’Goro is excellent due to constant dinosaur density.	Winterspring/Feralas high-level beasts are good alternatives.

Secondary · 1–300

Cooking

Cooking turns meat and fish into food buffs and useful raid consumables. Because many brackets have several recipes with identical skill colors, the cheapest route usually depends on what you can farm yourself or buy inexpensively that day.

Training: Both factions have city trainers. Higher ranks can require a specific trainer, quest, book or vendor recipe; check the step before you travel away.

Skill	Craft / focus	What to do	Alternatives / price checks
1–50	≈55 starter meat or fish	Charred Wolf Meat, Roasted Boar Meat, Brilliant Smallfish or Slitherskin Mackerel.	Use faction-specific cheap recipes such as Crispy Bat Wing / Scorpid Surprise / Kaldorei Spider Kabob if you already have the meat.
50–110	≈65 low-tier food	Boiled Clams, Coyote Steak, Longjaw Mud Snapper, Strider Stew, etc.	Use whatever meat/fish is cheapest; this bracket has many equivalent recipes.
110–130	≈20–30 mid-tier food	Crab Cake, Dry Pork Ribs, Bristle Whisker Catfish, etc.	Pick the recipe whose raw ingredient is cheapest on your AH.
130–175	≈50 Curiously Tasty Omelet	Raptor Eggs.	Mithril Head Trout / other fish route if you are leveling Fishing alongside Cooking.
175–225	Roast Raptor / Spider Sausage / fish progression	Work through trainer/vendor recipes using plentiful mid-level meats.	Fishing route is often cheaper if raw fish is abundant.
225–250	Artisan quest then Monster Omelet / Tender Wolf Steak	Complete the Artisan Cooking requirement before the final stretch.	Use Nightfin / Sunscale fish recipes if you are already fishing.
250–285	Monster Omelet / Tender Wolf Steak	High-level eggs/wolf meat.	Cook high-skill fish if meat prices spike.
285–300	Smoked Desert Dumplings / endgame fish	Finish on a useful high-level recipe instead of a pure vendor loss.	Choose based on what you can farm cheaply in Silithus / high-level fishing zones.

Secondary · 1–300

Fishing

Fishing supplies Cooking, alchemy fish and several valuable trade goods while requiring very little gear. Skill can be raised in almost any suitable water; the suggested zones emphasize useful catches and convenient Cooking overlap.

Training: Both factions have city trainers. Higher ranks can require a specific trainer, quest, book or vendor recipe; check the step before you travel away.

Skill	Craft / focus	What to do	Alternatives / price checks
1–75	Starter-zone / capital water	Use a lure and fish continuously; pair catches with early Cooking.	Any water is fine if you only care about skill.
75–130	Low-level rivers/coasts	Fish somewhere that supplies Longjaw Mud Snapper / Bristle Whisker Catfish.	Stay in a capital if travel time matters more than fish value.
130–205	Mid-level pools	Target fish that feed your Cooking route.	Move zones only when catch value, not skill-up mechanics, makes it worthwhile.
205–255	Artisan fishing quest + higher waters	Complete Nat Pagle’s Artisan Fishing quest when required.	Use strong lures/rod upgrades to reduce escapes.
255–300	Feralas / high-level pools	Feralas is a clean finishing zone and supplies useful Cooking fish.	Azshara / Tanaris high-level water if Feralas is crowded.

Secondary · 1–300

First Aid

First Aid turns humanoid cloth drops into bandages and is useful on every class that wants an emergency heal without mana. The route is mostly a cloth progression, so saving Linen through Frostweave while leveling keeps the cost down.

Training: Both factions have city trainers. Higher ranks can require a specific trainer, quest, book or vendor recipe; check the step before you travel away.

Skill	Craft / focus	What to do	Alternatives / price checks
1–40	≈50 Linen Bandage	50 Linen Cloth.	No alternative; use cheap low-level cloth.
40–80	≈45–60 Heavy Linen Bandage	90–120 Linen Cloth.	Stop as soon as Wool Bandage is available and cheaper.
80–115	≈60 Wool Bandage	60 Wool Cloth.	If Wool is expensive, finish a few points with Heavy Linen first.
115–150	≈60 Heavy Wool Bandage	120 Wool Cloth.	Buy/train the next manuals before leaving the relevant vendor.
150–180	Silk Bandage	Silk Cloth.	Expert First Aid book/manual checkpoint matters here.
180–210	Heavy Silk Bandage	Silk Cloth.	Move to Mageweave as soon as the recipe is available and cheaper.
210–240	Mageweave Bandage	Mageweave Cloth.	None.
240–260	Heavy Mageweave Bandage	Mageweave Cloth.	None.
260–290	Runecloth Bandage	Runecloth.	None.
290–300	Heavy Runecloth Bandage	Runecloth.	Continue past 300 in TBC builds; Classic stops here.