Leatherworking Guide - New Recipes and Changes

Leatherworking is one of the main crafting professions in WoW Forever, allowing players to turn Leather, Hides, Scales, and other materials into Leather and Mail armor, Cloaks, Armor Kits, Bags, and other extremely useful equipment.

The game adds much more to Leatherworking compared to Classic including adding hundreds of new recipes alongside updating some older recipes. There are new armor sets for different classes and specs, more equipment you can actually use while leveling, and some pretty interesting additions like Saddles, brand new Bags, Camping items and much more.

One of the biggest improvements is the variety of gear you can craft. Instead of only having a handful of worthwhile pieces at certain levels, there are now entire families of armor designed for different playstyles, all of which are strong and actually helpful while leveling. This makes keeping your Leatherworking leveled alongside your character significantly more appealing, especially if you're playing a class that wears Leather or Mail.

Skinning is easily the best profession to pair with Leatherworking since the a largemajority of recipes require Leather, Hides or Scales. Being able to gather those materials yourself while leveling can save you a TON of gold, especially early on when everyone is trying to level their professions.

Leatherworking also has some pretty good gold making potential through crafted gear, Armor Kits, Bags, and materials that other players need. Just remember that unlike consumables, players don't constantly need to replace their armor, so knowing which pieces are actually worth crafting will be important. More on that later.

If you want to learn more about the Classes, specs and leveling, make sure to also check out our Class Overviews and Leveling Guides!

WoW Forever gave Leatherworking one of the BIGGEST profession overhauls, with over 280 new recipes listed in the current profession data. There are new Leather and Mail armor sets, upgraded Armor Kits, Bags, and a ton of new profession bonuses that make Leatherworking much more interesting and worthwhile than it was in Classic.

One of the biggest improvements is the amount of gear available while leveling. There are entirely new armor families like Brawler's, Defender's, Trapper's, Wisdom's, Stormrider's and Totemic, giving different classes and builds A LOT more options. Some of these recipes are taught from trainers, while others require Merchant's Favor to purchase from special profession vendors and found out in the world or from bosses.

There are also some very interesting changes to older recipes. A LARGE portion of Classic Leatherworking patterns now turn yellow or gray earlier, meaning old Classic leveling routes won't necessarily work anymore. Several Mail recipes previously associated with Blacksmithing, including Storm Gauntlets and Helm of the Great Chief are also part of Leatherworking now, making crafters need to work with other professions as well.

New Armor Kits are another HUGE addition. The new Forceful Armor Kits provide Attack Power, while Mystic Armor Kits provide Spell Power as well as Armor. These have different ranks as you level Leatherworking and even use materials from Alchemy and Enchanting giving the profession more synergy to other crafters.

Leatherworking and Camping

Leatherworking also gets three items for the new Camping system.

The Camp Tent is really nice while leveling since players resting nearby can get an extra Rested Experience.

The Tanning Rack and Sewing Machine are even more interesting because these are real crafting stations. Certain recipes require you to be at one, so you can't just craft everything from anywhere anymore. Both upgrades also keep the Camp Tent's Rested Experience benefit.

There's also the new Merchant's Favor system, which allows you to purchase a large range of Leatherworking patterns by completing Waylaid Supply Crates. You can also earn Legacy Points by reaching 150, 225, and 300 Leatherworking, and eventually unlock the Leatherworker title through Leatherworking Certification.

Overall, there's WAY more reason to keep your Leatherworking leveled up alongside your character now. Between the new armor sets, profession bonuses and Camping features, Leatherworking has a lot more going for it than simply making a few pieces of gear until you reach Level 60.

Finding a Leatherworking Trainer is pretty straightforward early on. You can learn Apprentice and Journeyman Leatherworking in all the major cities, along with several smaller towns and leveling zones.

Things get a little more complicated once you reach Expert and Artisan, since each faction has specific trainers you'll need to visit to continue leveling the profession.

Here are the requirements for each rank:

You can train the next rank BEFORE reaching your current skill cap, so don't wait until you're already stuck at 75/75 or 150/150 to find a trainer.

Apprentice Trainer Locations

Apprentice Leatherworking can be learned immediately on a fresh character and raises your maximum skill to 75. WoW Forever also removed the old Level 5 requirement, so you can pick it up as soon as you find a trainer.

Alliance Trainers

Horde Trainers

Players leveling on Zephras Isle can also visit Indari Sunseam in Shen'dar Village to learn Apprentice Leatherworking.

Journeyman Trainer Locations

Journeyman Leatherworking requires 50 Leatherworking and Character Level 10, raising your maximum skill to 150.

You can still learn Journeyman in all the major cities however you'll need to visit a different trainer than the one who taught you Apprentice.

Alliance Trainers

Horde Trainers

You can also learn Journeyman Leatherworking from Emerii Tallgust in Valanaar on Zephras Isle.

I'd recommend training Journeyman as soon as you reach 50 Leatherworking, especially if you're crafting a bunch of items at once. There's no reason to waste potential skill points because you forgot to increase your Leatherworking cap.

Expert Trainer Locations

Expert Leatherworking requires 125 Leatherworking and Character Level 20, raising your skill cap to 225.

This is where you'll need to start planning ahead because there are only two primary Expert Trainers, one for each faction.

Alliance: Telonis

Telonis is located in the Craftsmen's Terrace in Darnassus. He's upstairs in the Leatherworking building.

/mappin 1457 64.4 21.4

Horde: Una

Una is located in Thunder Bluff, inside the Thunder Bluff Armorers building on the Middle Rise.

/mappin 1456 41.4 42.6

Both trainers are located in major cities, so getting Expert Leatherworking isn't too difficult. Just make sure you've trained it before heading back out to level your profession.

Artisan Trainer Locations

Artisan Leatherworking is the last rank and raises your skill cap to 300. You'll need 200 Leatherworking and Character Level 35 to learn it.

Unlike the earlier ranks the Artisan trainers are located in a major city.

Alliance: Drakk Stonehand

Drakk Stonehand is located inside Wildhammer Keep in Aerie Peak, The Hinterlands.

Enter the main building near the mailbox, turn left, follow the corridor, and head downstairs.

/mappin 1425 13.4 43.4

Horde: Hahrana Ironhide

Hahrana Ironhide is located in Camp Mojache, Feralas.

You can find her inside the main building across from the Inn.

/mappin 1444 74.4 43.0

Since the current Beta is capped at Level 30 you can't normally train Artisan Leatherworking yet. The trainer locations are documented, but anything beyond 225 Leatherworking will need further testing once the level cap increases.

Leatherworking Specialization Trainers

Leatherworking also has three specializations: Dragonscale Leatherworking, Elemental Leatherworking, and Tribal Leatherworking.

These have their own trainers which are separate from the normal profession ranks.

The specializations are present in the current Forever data, but their actual progression and requirements to unlock still need testing. Since the Beta doesn't let us progress beyond 225 Leatherworking, we can't fully confirm how Blizzard has changed these systems compared to Classic. Check back once the game launchse for an updated information

I'll cover some important recipes and differences in the Recipes section.

Leatherworking is arguably the best profession for Rogue, Druid, Hunterr, and Shaman since these classes can actually wear the gear they're crafting.

WoW Forever makes this even better with entirely new armor sets designed for different classes and specs. There are now options for physical DPS, Tanks, Healers, and even the Spellcasters so you're not stuck crafting a bunch of gear that doesn't actually benefit your character.

Rogue: One of the best classes for Leatherworking since you're wearing Leather throughout the entire game from the start. New sets like Brawler's Leather and Skulker's Leather provide stats that are useful for physical damage dealers which gives Rogues A LOT more crafted gear options while leveling.

Druid: Probably one of the biggest winners here. Due to so many different specs, Druids can take advantage of several new armor families. Brawler's and Prowler's are useful for physical builds, Defender's and Warden's provide defensive options, while Wisdom's, Mender's, and Stormrider's offer gear for Healing and Spell Damage.

Hunter: Another great choice because Hunters wear Leather before eventually switching to Mail at Level 40. The new Trapper's armor provides a nice combination of stats for Hunters, while the later Stalker's Mail set gives you more options once you can wear Mail. You can also craft Quivers and Ammo Pouches for additional ranged Attack Speed and slots.

Shaman: Much like Druids, Shamans benefit from having multiple new armor sets for different specs. Totemic gear offers hybrid stats, while Skycaller's and Skirmisher's provide additional options for caster and physical builds. Shamans also transition into Mail at Level 40, making the new Mail recipes especially useful later on.

One EXTREMELY important thing to remember is that some of the new crafted armor is Bind on Pickup (BoP). That means you'll actually need Leatherworking on the character you want to equip it on rather than simply buying the finished gear from another player.

Other classes can still benefit from Leatherworking through Armor Kits, Bags and other useful crafted items, which you don't need to be a Leatherworker to use those.

Personally, I'd recommend Leatherworking most for Rogues, Druids, Hunters, and Shamans, especially if you're planning to level Skinning alongside it. Being able to keep your own gear upgraded while leveling is a pretty nice benefit, plus you can always sell extra materials or crafted items to make some gold along the way.

Leveling Leatherworking in WoW Forever is pretty straightforward, but there are a few things worth knowing before you start dumping all your Leather into random recipes. With so many new armor sets and materials it's pretty easy to waste a TON of gold if you're not paying attention to what you're crafting.

Here are some big tips I'd recommend:

1. Level Skinning Alongside Leatherworking

Skinning is easily the best way to keep your Leatherworking supplied without spending all your gold on the Auction House. You're already killing Beasts while leveling, so you might as well skin them and turn those materials into useful gear.

Just make sure you're keeping your Skinning skill leveled too. Otherwise, you'll eventually run into Beasts you can't skin and miss out on A LOT of materials. Take the time and skin everything you see. What you don't use can quickly be sold to the vendors or Auction House.

2. Save Your Pristine Materials

WoW Forever introduces new scarce materials like Pristine Leather, Pristine Hide, and Pristine Scale which are used in a HUGE number of the new Leatherworking recipes. These are really important for the new armor sets. For example several pieces of Brawler's Leather require Pristine Leather alongside regular Leather and Cured Hides.

Do not automatically sell or vendor these materials. They're considerably harder to obtain than regular Leather and you'll need quite a few if you're planning to craft the new gear.

3. Don't Throw Away Your Cured Hides

A lot of Leatherworking recipes require Cured Light Hide, Cured Medium Hide, Cured Heavy Hide, and eventually higher level versions. These are made by combining regular Hides with Salt or other curing materials, and they're used in A LOT of recipes.

Some leveling routes also have you craft things like Fine Leather Belt before using them to make Dark Leather Belt later. So before selling everything you've crafted, check whether you'll need those materials or items again.

4. Buy Your Vendor Materials From Vendors

Leatherworking uses A LOT of Thread, Salt, and Dyes.

Most of these are sold by Leatherworking Supply or Trade Goods vendors, usually right next to your trainer. Don't be the guy paying ridiculous Auction House prices for Coarse Thread, Fine Thread or Salt when you can buy them from a vendor for practically nothing.

5. Don't Blindly Follow Classic Leveling Guides

This is a pretty important one. WoW Forever changed the skill ranges on A LOT of Leatherworking recipes. Some turn yellow or gray much earlier than they did in Classic, which means older leveling routes might have you crafting items that no longer give skill points.

Always check your recipe colors before crafting a huge batch of something. Orange recipes guarantee skill points, while Yellow and Green recipes become less reliable. You should also train your next Leatherworking rank as soon as you meet the requirements instead of waiting until you're already capped.

6. Start Collecting Merchant's Favor Early

A lot of the new Leatherworking patterns are purchased using Merchant's Favor, including pieces of the new Brawler's, Defender's, Trapper's and many other armor sets. Some of these patterns cost just 30 Merchant's Favor, so you can start unlocking useful gear pretty early.

I'd recommend working on Waylaid Supply Crates while you're leveling instead of waiting until you actually need a specific pattern. That way, you've already got some Merchant's Favor saved when you find something worth crafting, and don't spend it unless you know you'll craft that item, which leads to the next tip.

7. Don't Craft Every Piece of Gear Just Because You Can

This is probably one of the biggest traps with Leatherworking. There are so many new armor sets that it can be tempting to craft an entire set every time you unlock a new recipe. But some of these items require expensive materials like Pristine Leather, and you might replace that gear a few levels later with something from a Dungeon or Quest.

I'd focus on crafting pieces that are actually meaningful upgrades for your character, especially the new Bind on Pickup (BoP) gear that you can't simply buy from another player. And remember, gathering the materials yourself doesn't make them free. Sometimes selling your Leather or Pristine materials on the Auction House will make you WAY more gold than crafting something with them. Look around at the Auction House and check the prices often.

The nice thing about Leatherworking is that you can keep improving your own gear while you level, especially if you're playing Rogue, Druid, Hunter, or Shaman. Just be smart about which recipes you're investing your materials into.

Leveling Leatherworking in WoW Forever is a little different from Classic because Blizzard changed the skill requirements and difficulty ranges on A LOT of existing recipes. Some patterns turn Yellow or Gray much earlier than they used to, so following an old Classic leveling guide could end up wasting a TON of materials.

The good news is that most of your leveling can still be done using recipes learned directly from Leatherworking Trainers. You won't need to spend all your Merchant's Favor or hunt down rare patterns just to get through the early skill levels.

This guide focuses on getting from 1 to 300 Leatherworking while keeping material costs as low as possible. We'll also cover a few alternative recipes since Leather and Hide prices can vary quite a bit depending on your server.

IMPORTANT: The current Beta is capped at 225 Leatherworking, so the 225 to 300 progression is based on available recipe data rather than complete in game testing. Some of those recipes and skill ranges could still change before launch. Make sure to check back once launch arrives for an updated and complete list.

Leatherworking Shopping List

Here's an estimated shopping list for leveling Leatherworking from 1 to 225 using the recipes below. This is not accounting for any Legacy Tree perks.

The Ruined Leather Scraps are used to make Light Leather during the first 30 points. If you're purchasing regular Light Leather instead you'll need roughly 35 additional pieces.

You can also make the 26 extra Cured Heavy Hides yourself rather than purchasing them. That requires another 26 Heavy Hide and 78 Salt.

The exact amounts can vary since some recipes turn yellow or green before you're finished with them. I'd recommend keeping some extra Leather available instead of expecting every single craft to give you a skill point.

Leatherworking 225 to 300

The following is a preliminary shopping list for the Artisan route.

These estimates assume you'll use Wicked Leather Belt for the final stretch. If you use Heavy Scorpid Helm instead, you'll need a completely different set of materials. However, I'd hold off on purchasing everything for 225 to 300 until we can properly test the Artisan progression after launch.

Leatherworking 1 to 75

The first 75 points are very straightforward. You'll mainly be using Ruined Leather Scraps, Light Leather, and Light Hide, which are all materials you can gather while leveling through the starting zones.

1 to 30: Start by turning Ruined Leather Scraps into Light Leather. If you don't have enough scraps, you can also make Light Armor Kit using one Light Leather per craft.

30 to 55: Switch to Cured Light Hide. You'll want to keep at least 24 of these because they're used for Light Leather Pants later in the guide.

55 to 75: Make Embossed Leather Gloves. These use regular Light Leather and some Coarse Thread, so the materials are pretty easy to obtain.

Make sure you train Journeyman Leatherworking once you've reached 50 skill and Character Level 10.

Leatherworking 75 to 150

This is where you'll start going through A LOT more Leather.

You'll also begin making intermediate materials and equipment that get used in other recipes, so don't automatically vendor everything you craft.

75 to 90: Start by converting some Light Leather into Medium Leather, then make Cured Medium Hides. Keep all 10 Cured Medium Hides because you'll need them for Dark Leather Belts.

90 to 115: Make Fine Leather Belt until 100, then switch to Light Leather Pants. Save 10 Fine Leather Belts for the next step.

115 to 125: Make Dark Leather Belt using the Fine Leather Belts and Cured Medium Hides you saved earlier. This is why you shouldn't just vendor everything after crafting it.

125 to 140: Convert some Medium Leatherr into Heavy Leather, then start making Cured Heavy Hide. Keep all 20 because you'll need them for Barbaric Shoulders and Guardian Gloves.

140 to 150: Make Hillman's Leather Gloves. These use a pretty ridiculous amount of Medium Leather, so check the Auction House before committing to a large batch.

Leatherworking 150 to 225

You'll need Expert Leatherworking to continue beyond 150.

Alliance players can learn Expert from Telonis in Darnassus, while Horde players can visit Una in Thunder Bluff.

This is where materials start getting considerably more expensive, especially once you move into Heavy Leatherr and Thick Leatherr recipes.

You'll also start crafting pieces that could actually be useful for your character or sell for a decent amount of gold.

150 to 165: Continue making Hillman's Leather Glovess for the first few points, then switch to Barbaric Shoulders. These use the Cured Heavy Hides you made earlier.

165 to 195: Make Guardian Gloves. You'll need additional Cured Heavy Hides beyond the 20 you made previously, so either craft more yourself or purchase them from the Auction House.

195 to 205: Start making Thick Armor Kit. These use only Thick Leather and Silken Thread, making them a pretty straightforward option.

205 to 220: Switch to Nightscape Headband. The recipe turns Gray at 220 in current Forever data, so you'll need to stop there rather than following the old Classic leveling route.

220 to 225: Finish with Thick Leather Ammo Pouch. These require Cured Thick Hides and Elixir of Defense, so they're a little more complicated to craft.

Alternative: You may be able to use Nightscape Pants for part of the final stretch if you've learned the recipe from Drakk Stonehand or Hahrana Ironhide. However, those recipes aren't taught by the normal Expert Leatherworking Trainers, so make sure you've actually learned it before committing to that route.

Once you reach 225 Leatherworking, you've hit the current Beta profession cap.

Leatherworking 225 to 300

This is the final stretch of Leatherworking and where the material costs really start picking up.

The following route is still preliminary. The Level 30 Beta cap prevents players from normally training Artisan Leatherworking, so we can't fully test the progression beyond 225 yet.

You'll need 200 Leatherworking and Character Level 35 to train Artisan.

Alliance players can visit Drakk Stonehand in Aerie Peak, The Hinterlands, while Horde players should visit Hahrana Ironhide in Camp Mojache, Feralas.

225 to 235: Start with Rugged Armor Kit. These only require Rugged Leather, so they're one of the simpler recipes available in this range.

235 to 255: Switch to Wicked Leather Gauntlets. You'll need to purchase Pattern: Wicked Leather Gauntlets from Leonard Porter in Western Plaguelands or Werg Thickblade in Tirisfal Glades. The pattern is limited supply, so you might need to check back later if someone has already purchased it.

255 to 278: Make Frostsaber Boots. You'll need Pattern: Frostsaber Boots, which is sold by Qia in Everlook, Winterspring.

This is where things can get pretty expensive since you'll need A LOT of Frostsaber Leather.

278 to 300: Finish with Wicked Leather Belt, provided you've obtained the pattern. It's a world drop, so availability and Auction House prices could make this route expensive.

Alternative: You can also use Heavy Scorpid Helm for the final stretch. The pattern is sold by Zannok Hidepiercer in Silithus, but the recipe requires Heavy Scorpid Scales and Cured Rugged Hides, which could be considerably more expensive.

I'd recommend comparing the material costs before choosing which recipe to use. Unlike the earlier portions of Leatherworking, I wouldn't recommend buying everything for this range in advance. We still need proper Level 60 testing to determine which route is actually the cheapest.

Once we have access to Artisan Leatherworking, we'll be able to update the final 75 points with a more definitive route. Make sure to check back once the game launches.

WoW Forever adds a MASSIVE number of new Leatherworking recipes, including entirely new Leather and Mail armor sets, Armor Kits, Bags and some pretty interesting specialty equipment.

The important thing to know is that not everything is taught by your normal Leatherworking Trainer. Some patterns are purchased using Merchant's Favor, others come from special vendors, Quests, Dungeon Bosses, or random drops throughout Azeroth. And since there is so many new recipesI'd highly recommend figuring out which pieces you actually want to craft BEFORE spending a bunch of gold collecting materials.

New Leather and Mail Armor Sets

One of the biggest improvements to Leatherworking is the addition of entirely new armor sets for different classes and specs. The early sets include Brawler's Leather, Defender's Leather, Trapper's Leather, Wisdom's Leather, Stormrider's Leather and Totemic Leather.

These start becoming available at just 60 Leatherworking and more becoming available as you level the profession.

These sets are extremely useful while leveling, especially since they're designed around different stats and playstyles instead of giving every class the same generic Leather gear. You'll also start unlocking stronger armor families later, including Mender's, Prowler's, Skulker's, Skirmisher's, Skycaller's, Stalker's and Warden's equipment.

One VERY important thing mentioned earlier is that some of this new crafted gear is Bind on Pickup (BoP). So if you're planning to use it on your character you need to make sure you're leveling Leatherworking on the character that actually needs the equipment.

Merchant's Favor Patterns

Merchant's Favor is one of the main ways to obtain new Leatherworking patterns. You earn this currency by collecting and completing Waylaid Supply Crates which can then be turned in at your faction's supply camp.

Each faction has its own Leatherworking vendor:

• Alliance: Daniel Stitchsong at Three Corners in Redridge Mountains, approximately 10, 72.
• Horde: Pawani outside the Crossroads in The Barrens, approximately 49.6, 29.6.

Both vendors offer the same main Leatherworking pattern progression, with costs increasing as you unlock stronger recipes.

There are roughly 80 Leatherworking patterns available through Merchant's Favor, so you're definitely not going to purchase everything immediately. Some of the higher level patterns also have reputation requirements listed in current vendor data, although their actual enforcement still needs further Beta testing.

I'd recommend the patterns that give your character meaningful upgrades. There's no reason to spend all your Merchant's Favor unlocking pieces you'll never actually craft or wear.

Vendor, Quest and Dungeon Recipes

Merchant's Favor is not the only way to get new recipes. There are also special vendors scattered throughout Azeroth, Quest rewards, and even Dungeon Bosses that drop Leatherworking patterns.

Here are some important examples:

The Blueprint: Tanning Rack is one I'd definitely keep an eye on. You need 140 Leatherworking to learn it, and it's required to craft your second Camping item.

Current Beta players have confirmed the Blueprint dropping from Razorclaw the Butcher in Shadowfang Keep, although the drop rate appears pretty low.

Another good one is Pattern: Light Leather Reagent Bag, which you can get VERY early.

Alliance players can purchase it from Saenorion in Darnassus and Horde players can obtain it through the Beasts of Thunder Ridge quest.

There are also multiple ways to obtain some of the new armor patterns. For example certain Hoods can drop inside Dungeons even though you can purchase them using Merchant's Favor.

I'd generally recommend buying those patterns with Merchant's Favor rather than specifically farming a Dungeon Boss, unless you're already running the Dungeon for experience or gear.

Armor Kits and Other Useful Recipes

Leatherworking also gets several new Armor Kit recipes that are worth paying attention to. The new Forceful Armor Kits provide Attack Power, while Mystic Armor Kits provide Spell Power. Both come in different ranks as you progress through Leatherworking.

These recipes are particularly interesting because they require materials from other professions. For example Mystic Rugged Armor Kit requires Dream Dust from Enchanting and Major Mana Potion from Alchemy along with other materials.

That means Leatherworkers have to work with other professions to make some of the better items, which also creates many more gold making opportunities for those other crafters.

Leatherworking Specialization Recipes

Leatherworking also has three specializations that provide access to different types of high level equipment.

• Dragonscale Leatherworking: Focuses primarily on Mail armor made from Dragonscales. Generally for Hunter and Shaman.
• Elemental Leatherworking: Focuses on Leather armor using Elemental materials, with equipment generally suited toward physical damage builds.
• Tribal Leatherworking: Focuses on special Leather equipment, including several popular crafted items for Druid and Rogue.

WoW Forever has also updated several of the existing specs recipes, including Dragonscale armor sets and other high level equipment. However, since the current Beta only allows players to reach 225 Leatherworking, we still need to properly test how these specializations work at higher levels. I wouldn't recommend committing to a specific spec based entirely on old Classic guides until we know which recipes and bonuses are actually worth pursuing.

For now focus on collecting the new patterns you can use while leveling, saving your Merchant's Favor for meaningful upgrades and keeping an eye out for rare recipes while running Dungeons and out in the world. There's A LOT more to Leatherworking than just buying recipes from a trainer now and some of the best patterns are going to require some extra work to obtain.