Blacksmithing specialization

At skill level 200 and character level 40, Blacksmiths could choose to specialize as an Armorsmith or a Weaponsmith. Weaponsmiths could later further specialize into hammer, axe or swordsmiths. Many of the most powerful weapons and armor created by these specialists can only be wielded by other weaponsmiths/armorsmiths or by the smith who made the item.

History

Blacksmithing specializations were tied to the Mithril Order pseudo-faction and peaked in Burning Crusade which added weapon sub-specializations. The related recipes in Wrath of the Lich King became largely irrelevant and the feature was completely removed in Cataclysm for the most part.

Becoming an Armorsmith or Weaponsmith

Becoming an Artisan Armorsmith gave you access to a number of new, powerful armor recipes. Specializing in Artisan Weaponsmithing granted access to devastating weapons not normally available. Base prerequisites were character level 40 and a blacksmithing skill of 200. Choosing to specialize as an armorsmith would have precluded you from specializing in weaponsmithing and vice versa. Horde players would first speak with Krathok Moltenfist, to start the quest chain for becoming an Armorsmith or a Weaponsmith while Alliance players would speak with Myolor Sunderfury to start the Alliance versions of the same quests. They would both direct you to the appropriate quest giver behind them.

• Armorsmithing
• Weaponsmithing
  • If you wish to specialize even further in Weaponsmithing, you can become an Axesmith, Hammersmith, or a Swordsmith. You must be level 50 with a blacksmithing skill level of 250 with the Weaponsmithing specialty. The subspecialties are taught by trainers in Everlook, Winterspring. There is no cost to learn a Weaponsmithing subspeciality and it does not require a quest. The three trainers are:
    • Axesmithing - Kilram
    • Hammersmithing - Lilith the Lithe
    • Swordsmithing - Seril Scourgebane

Changing specialties

Blacksmithing specialties could be changed at the trainers for a cost. The cost depended on the specialty you wish to drop and the character's level. Once you dropped a specialty, you could then choose a new specialty for no cost. Each specialty could only be dropped at the trainer that originally taught it. In order to switch from a Weaponsmithing subspecialty (Axesmithing for example) to Armorsmithing, you would first drop the Weaponsmithing subspecialty (should you have chosen one), then drop the Weaponsmithing specialty before you can learn Armorsmithing. Once you had earned either the Armorsmithing or Weaponsmithing specialty, you did not need to complete the quest line for the other specialty if you wish to switch. The specialty would be given at no cost.

Specialty	Trainer	Cost to Drop
Armorsmithing	Grumnus Steelshaper Okothos Ironrager	Level 40 - 50: 25 Level 51 - 65: 50 Level 66 - 70: 100
Weaponsmithing	Ironus Coldsteel Borgosh Corebender	Level 40 - 65: 5 Level 66 - 70: 10
Axesmithing Hammersmithing Swordsmithing	Kilram Lilith the Lithe Seril Scourgebane	Level 40 - 50: 25 Level 51 - 65: 50 Level 66 - 70: 100

Specialization benefits

During the release of The Burning Crusade, you were able to learn any of the weapon subspecializations, by talking to one of the appropriate three masters in Everlook, and asking them to teach you (though you must still have completed the weaponsmithing quest, as above). The quests, however, rewarded the same plans. These abilities can be unlearned for 100 and another weapon subspecialization can be learned in their place.

Specialization-exclusive bind on pickup items

Blacksmithing exclusive BoP items