June 22, 2024

Cataclysm Classic Engineering guide 1–525: Fast and effortless leveling

Welcome, heroes of Azeroth, to your most efficient Cataclysm Classic Engineering guide from level 1 to 525.

Table of Contents

Why should you choose Engineering as your profession?
What is the best combo with Engineering in WoW?
Approximate materials required
Engineering trainers
1. Cataclysm Classic Engineering trainers: Major cities
  1. Horde trainers
  2. Alliance trainers
2. Cataclysm Classic Engineering trainers: Starting zones
  1. Horde trainers
  2. Alliance trainers
Cataclysm Classic Engineering guide: Leveling
Conclusion for Cataclysm Classic Engineering guide

If you want to find a list of in-depth guides for each primary profession in Cataclysm Classic, be sure to check out this article here:

A complete list of all 11 Cataclysm Classic professions

Why should you choose Engineering as your profession?

Engineering offers a variety of enhancements, devices, and tools that can boost your character’s abilities beyond basic stats. For example, Engineers can craft the following helmets:

Lightweight Bio-Optic Killshades – Intellect Cloth Helmet
Camouflage Bio-Optic Killshades – Intellect Leather Helmet
Agile Bio-Optic Killshades – Agility Leather Helmet
Energized Bio-Optic Killshades – Intellect Mail Helmet
Deadly Bio-Optic Killshades – Agility Mail Helmet
Specialized Bio-Optic Killshades – Intellect Plate Helmet
Reinforced Bio-Optic Killshades – Strength Plate Helmet

Additionally, Engineers can craft trinkets like Cogwheel Gems to enhance some of your stats. These gems can be only used with the Engineering helmets mentioned above:

Fractured Cogwheel – Mastery Rating
Quick Cogwheel – Haste Rating
Smooth Cogwheel – Critical Strike Rating
Rigid Cogwheel – Hit Rating
Precise Cogwheel – Expertise Rating
Subtle Cogwheel – Dodge Rating
Flashing Cogwheel – Parry Rating
Sparkling Cogwheel – Spirit
Mystic Cogwheel – Resilience Rating

Moreover, Engineering offers unique enchants that can be used in conjunction with regular ones, allowing you to benefit from both without having to choose between them:

Z50 Mana Gulper – Increases your potency and restores 10,730 to 12,470 mana.
Tazik Shocker – Lets you damage enemies from a distance.
Synapse Springs – Gives you a boost of 480 Main Stat for 10 seconds.
Spinal Healing Injector – Increases your potency and heals you for 27,000 to 33,000.
Quickflip Deflection Plates – Offers temporary armor when used.
Invisibility Field – Grants temporary invisibility, but it might break easily.
Grounded Plasma Shield – Provides damage absorption when activated.
Cardboard Assassin – Summons a target dummy that draws the attention of enemies.

What is the best combo with Engineering in WoW?

Engineering different metals and stones is a great way to make all kinds of things. If you pair it with Mining, you can gather most of the materials you need without buying them at the Auction House. As your skill levels increase, crafting Engineering-related items can become very expensive due to the need for numerous items. However, having Mining skills can significantly reduce these costs, which is great.

Approximate materials required

Below, you will find an estimate of the materials required to level up your Engineering profession from level 1 to 525.

Classic (1-300)

60x Rough Stone
36x Copper Bar
40x Coarse Stone
20x Linen Cloth
100x Bronze Bar – Made from 55x Copper Bar and 55x Tin Bar if you have Mining.
30x Heavy Stone
60x Wool Cloth
15x Medium Leather
4x Steel Bar
120x Solid Stone
161x Mithril Bar
20x Mageweave Cloth
60x Dense Stone
210x Thorium Bar
35x Runecloth

The Burning Crusade (300-350)

WotLK (350-425)

When purchasing Crystallized Elementals, be sure to also check the price of their Eternal counterparts, such as Eternal Water. You can convert 1x Eternal into 10x Crystallized, which is often a more cost-effective option.

275x Cobalt Bar
120x Saronite Bar
7x Frostweave Cloth
55x Crystallized Water (6x Eternal Water)
10x Crystallized Earth (1x Eternal Earth)
15x Crystallized Fire (2x Eternal Fire)

Cataclysm (425-525)

Engineering trainers

So, now that we’ve got all the materials covered, it’s time to start looking for good trainers who can teach you some excellent new Engineering recipes. In Cataclysm, you don’t have to run around to different trainers to learn different Engineering ranks. All the trainers in the major cities can teach you everything you need to know. Remember that Horde and Alliance trainers are different, so we’ve separated them to make things easier for you.

Cataclysm Classic Engineering trainers: Major cities

Horde trainers

Roxxik in Orgrimmar
Engineer Palehoof in Thunder Bluff
Franklin Lloyd in Undercity
Danwe in Silvermoon

Alliance trainers

Lilliam Sparkspindle in Stormwind
Springspindle Fizzlegear in Ironforge
Tana Lentner in Darnassus
Ockil in Exodar

Cataclysm Classic Engineering trainers: Starting zones

Horde trainers

KTC Train-a-Tron Deluxe in The Lost Isles
Runda in Durotar
Lalum Darkmane in Mulgore
Therisa Sallow in Tirisfal Glades
Saren in Eversong Woods

Alliance trainers

Jack All-Trades Derrington in Gilneas
Lien Farner in Elwynn Forest
Wembil Taskwidget in Dun Morogh
Iranis Shadebloom in Teldrassil
Valn in Azuremyst Isle

Cataclysm Classic Engineering guide: Leveling

And now, it’s time for the main dish. Below, you will discover a comprehensive Cataclysm Classic Engineering guide that will let you advance through as many levels with the least materials needed as possible.

Gnome characters get a +15 Engineering skill boost thanks to their Engineering Specialization. This means they can work on recipes that stay orange for 15 points longer, which can save a lot of gold.

Apprentice Engineering

1-35: 60x Rough Blasting Powder – 60 Rough Stone. You might even reach level 40 with this recipe. Be sure to keep the 60x Rough Blasting Powder, as you will need it later.
35-55: 30x Handful of Copper Bolts – 30x Copper Bar. You will need around 30x of these later.

Journeyman Engineering

Once you have reached level 10, visit your Alchemy trainer and learn Journeyman Engineering.

55-56: 1x Arclight Spanner – 6x Copper Bar. Keep this item as it will be essential for crafting engineering recipes. Your exact number may differ from 56, as this is only an estimate.
56-75: 30x Rough Copper Bomb – 30x Handful of Copper Bolts, 60x Rough Blasting Powder
75-90: 40x Coarse Blasting Powder – 40x Coarse Stone. Keep 20x of these.
90-100: 20x Coarse Dynamite – 20x Coarse Blasting Powder, 20x Linen Cloth
100-113: 13x Clockwork Box – 39x Bronze Bar
113-125: Right-click on the Clockwork Box you just crafted. This will grant skill points up to a maximum of 125.

Expert Engineering

Once you have reached level 20, visit your Engineering trainer and learn Expert Engineering.

Ensure you start by crafting the Heavy Blasting Powder first.

125-150: 30x Heavy Blasting Powder – 30x Heavy Stone and 15x Whirring Bronze Gizmo – 30 Bronze Bar, 15x Wool Cloth. You’ll need 30x Heavy Blasting Powder and 15x Whirring Bronze Gizmo later, so crafting these now will help you reach 150 skill points.
150-160: 15x Bronze Framework – 30x Bronze Bar, 15x Medium Leather, 15x Wool Cloth. Keep these items as well. Crafting them now can significantly boost your progress, likely up to level 160. After reaching that point, only craft more when necessary.
160-175: 15x Explosive Sheep – 30x Heavy Blasting Powder, 15x Whirring Bronze Gizmo, 15x Bronze Framework, 30x Wool Cloth. Keep 5x of these; you might need them if you choose Goblin Engineering at skill level 200.
175-176: 1x Gyromatic Micro-Adjustor – 4x Steel Bar. Keep this, you will need it to craft some of the Engineering recipes.
176-195: 60x Solid Blasting Powder – 120x Solid Stone. Save these because you will need them later.
195-200: 7x Mithril Tube – 21x Mithril Bar. Stop making these when you reach level 200. Keep 6x Mithril Tubes, because you might need them if you choose Gnomish Engineering at level 200.

Artisan Engineering

Once you have reached level 35, visit your Engineering trainer and learn Artisan Engineering.

When you reach skill level 200 in Engineering, you can specialize in Gnomish Engineering or Goblin Engineering. Some items can only be crafted by one specialization, while others can be crafted by one specialization but used by any Engineer. The good news is that both can use most recipes crafted by one specialization. You don’t have to choose a specialization to level up in Engineering, so you can always return to it later if you don’t feel like dealing with it right now.

200-215: 20x Unstable Trigger – 20x Mithril Bar, 20x Mageweave Cloth, 20x Solid Blasting Powder. Save these.
215-238: 40x Mithril Casing – 120x Mithril Bar. Save for later.
238-250: 20x Hi-Explosive Bomb – 40x Mithril Casings, 20x Unstable Trigger, 40x Solid Blasting Powder
250-260: 30x Dense Blasting Powder – 60x Dense Stone. You might need to make more than 30x to reach level 260.
260-285: 35x Thorium Widget – 105x Thorium Bar, 35x Runecloth. It will be yellow for the last few points so you might have to make a few more to reach level 285.
285-300: 17x Thorium Tube – 102x Thorium Bar. This will be yellow for 5 points, so you might have to make more.

The Burning Crusade Engineering

Master Engineering

Once you have reached level 50, visit your Engineering trainers and learn Master Engineering.

300-320: You will use these items later, so craft them now to earn free skill points: 40x Handful of Fel Iron Bolts – 40x Fel Iron Bar; 15x Elemental Blasting Powder (4) – 15x Mote of Fire, 30x Mote of Earth; 10x Fel Iron Casing – 30x Fel Iron Bar. Each Elemental Blasting Powder craft produces 4x Powders, giving you a total of 60x. If you don’t reach skill level 320, you may need to make a few more Fel Iron Bombs in the next step.
320-325: 10x Fel Iron Bomb – 10x Fel Iron Casing, 20x Handful of Fel Iron Bolts, 10x Elemental Blasting Powder. You might need to craft more of these if you are unlucky with skill point gains.
325-335: 10x Adamantite Grenade – 40x Adamantite Bar, 20x Handful of Fel Iron Bolts, 10x Elemental Blasting Powder. Stop using these recipes once you’ve reached level 335 through skill gains. The next recipe is significantly cheaper.
335-350: 40x White Smoke Flare – 40x Netherweave Cloth, 40x Elemental Blasting Powder. This will mostly be green, so it’s just an estimated number. The following vendors sell the Schematic: White Smoke Flare recipe: Wind Trader Lathrai, Captured Gnome, Feera, and Yatheon. It’s a limited supply item, so if someone bought it before you, you must wait for it to respawn, or you can check other vendors (around 7-10 minutes respawn timer).

WotLK Engineering

Grand Master Engineering

Once you have reached level 65, visit your Engineering trainers to continue your Grand Master journey:

You will need about 50x Handful of Cobalt Bolts and 24x Volatile Blasting Triggers later on. Craft these now to reach level 375 or higher. Be sure to make the Handful of Cobalt Bolts first, as the Volatile Blasting Triggers remain yellow longer, making it more efficient to craft them later. Also, when crafting a Handful of Cobalt Bolts, you can receive either 1 or 3 Bolts. Similarly, for each Volatile Blasting Trigger crafted, you will get 2 for each craft:

350-375: 35x Handful of Cobalt Bolts – 70x Cobalt Bar; 14x Volatile Blasting Trigger – 42x Cobalt Bar, 14x Crystallized Water. Save for later.
375-385: 10x Overcharged Capacitor – 40x Cobalt Bar, 10x Crystallized Earth. Save these too. You will need them.
385-390: 7x Explosive Decoy – 7x Frostweave Cloth, 21x Volatile Blasting Trigger. You might have to make a few more from this.
390-400: 15x Froststeel Tube – 120x Cobalt Bar, 15x Crystallized Water. Save these too. You will need them later.
400-405: 5x Diamond-cut Refractor Scope – 5x Froststeel Tube, 10x Handful of Cobalt Bolts. The recipe will be yellow so you might have to make a few more.
405-410: 5x Box of Bombs – 25x Saronite Bar, 5x Volatile Blasting Trigger
410-415: 5x Goblin Beam Welder – 30x Saronite Bar, 15x Crystallized Fire, 15x Crystallized Water
415-420: 5x Mana Injector Kit – 60x Saronite Bar, 10x Crystallized Water. If you were fortunate with your skill gains earlier, you might have already reached level 420 by now. If that’s the case, skip these steps and proceed directly to the section for level 420.
420-425: 5x Noise Machine – 10x Froststeel Tube, 10x Overcharged Capacitor, 40x Handful of Cobalt Bolts