ADVERTISEMENT
Engineering
From WoW: IncGamers World of Warcraft Wiki
Contents |
What is Engineering?
Introduction
The engineering profession lets a player construct different kinds of gadgets and widgets to aid them in their adventures. A lot of engineering devices are of an offensive nature, and that's probably why Engineering is very popular among PvP people; for example, Engineers can make a wide selection of explosives, such as [Ez-Thro Dynamite]. However, it's not all about causing damage, on the other end of the spectrum, Engineers can make [Goblin Jumper Cables], allowing the Engineer to attempt to bring a dead player back to life (though not always successfully!).
Most of the parts needed in Engineering can be acquired through Mining. In fact, if your character is not exceptionally rich, you probably won't get along with engineering without having Mining as your second profession.
On higher Engineering levels an Engineer may choose whether he/she wants to specialise in gnomish or goblin Engineering. The most notable difference between the two is the location where your Transporter will get you: Gnomish transporter gets you into Gadgetzan in Tanaris, Goblin transporter into Everlook in Winterspring.
Gnomes get a +15 racial skill bonus to Engineering.
Type of Profession
- Engineering is a Primary Profession, and therefore counts towards your 2 Primary Professions Limit.
- Engineering is a Crafting Profession, it is not used for Gathering materials.
- Engineering requires Ore for the make the metal to make engineered products, therefore players that take up Engineering are usually also Miners so that they are able to collect their own materials such as [Copper Ore] and [Heavy Stone].
How Do I Become an Engineer?
Trainers
You can train to five levels of proficiency and each has certain prerequisites that you need to meet before you are able to progress to the next rank of proficiency. You need to be character level five or above to begin your training as a Engineer. Below is a list of locations with links to maps which pinpoint exactly where the Trainer can be found.
| Trainer Rank | Horde | Alliance | Neutral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Journeyman Trains you to Apprentice | Graham Van Talen, 26, The Rogue's Quarter, Undercity Twizwick Sprocketgrind, 25, The Venture Co. Mine, Mulgore Gloresse, 30, Farstrider's Square, Silvermoon City Mukdrak, 26, Razor Hill, Durotar Thund, 23, Valley of Honor, Orgrimmar | Sprite Jumpsprocket, 24, Dwarven District, Stormwind Bronk Guzzlegear, 24, Steelgrill's Depot, Dun Morogh Jemma Quikswitch, 24, Tinker Town, Ironforge Artificer Daelo, 18, Azure Watch, Azuremyst Isle Ghermas, 30, Traders Tier, The Exodar Jenna Lemkenilli, 26, Auberdine, Darkshore Deek Fizzlebizz, 27, Stonewrought Dam, Loch Modan | Tinkerwiz, 25, Ratchet, Barrens |
| Expert Trains you to Journeyman | Franklin Lloyd, 33, The Rogue's Quarter, Undercity Danwe, 30, Farstrider's Square, Silvermoon City Nogg, 35, Valley of Honor, Orgrimmar | Lilliam Sparkspindle, 35, Dwarven Disrict, Stormwind Ockil, 30, Traders Tier, The Exodar Trixie Quikswitch, 31, Tinker Town, Ironforge Finbus Geargrind, 31, Darkshire, Duskwood | |
| Artisan Trains you to Expert | Roxxik, 46, Valley of Honor, Orgrimmar | Springspindle Fizzlegear, 45, Tinker Town, Ironforge | |
| Master Trians you to Artisan | Buzzek Bracketswing, 53, Gadgetzan, Tanaris | ||
| Gnome Engineering | Tinkmaster Overspark, 57, Tinker Town, Ironforge | Oglethorpe Obnoticus, 50, Booty Bay, Stranglethorn Vale | |
| Goblin Engineering | Vazario Linkgrease, 40, Ratchet, Barrens Nixx Sprocketspring, 55, Gadgetzan, Tanaris | ||
| Grand Master Trains you to Master | Zebig, 60, Thrallmar, Hellfire Peninsula Mack Diver, 60, Zabra'jin, Zangarmarsh | Lebowski, 60, Honor Hold, Hellfire Peninsula K. Lee Smallfry, 65, Telredor, Zangarmarsh | Xyrol, 65, Area 52, Netherstorm |
| Supplies Sells you stuff | Sovik, 30, Valley of Honor, Orgrimmar | Bossi Pentapiston, 67, Toshley's Station, Blade's Edge Mountains Fradd Swiftgear, 24, Sundown Marsh, Wetlands Gearcutter Cogspinner, 30, Tinker Town, Ironforge Herble Baubbletump, 30, Darkshire, Duskwood Loslor Rudge, 10, Steelgrill's Depot, Dun Morogh Tink Sprocketwhistle, 24, Clean Zone, Gnomeregan Namdo Bizzfizzle, 24, Clean Zone, Gnomeregan | Gnaz Blunderflame, 42, Mosh'Ogg Ogre Mound, Stranglethorn Vale Jinky Twizzlefixxit, 30, Mirage Raceway, Thousand Needles Knaz Blunderflame, 42, Mosh'Ogg Ogre Mound, Stranglethorn Vale Mazk Snipeshot, 36, Booty Bay, Stranglethorn Vale Qiff , 65, Area 52, Netherstorm Rizz Loosebolt, 31, Slaughter Hollow, Alterac Mountains Ruppo Zipcoil, 52, Quel'Danil Lodge, The Hinterlands Xizzer Fizzbolt, 57, Everlook, Winterspring Viggz Shinesparked, 64, Lower City, Shattrath City |
Training Costs
Once found, you simply request to be trained; at which time you'll be given a few recipes to start you on your way. You will receive a 10% discount if you train in a city where you are honoured.
| Proficiency | Level | Skill | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | 5 | 1-75 | 10 
|
| Journeyman | 10 | 50-150 | 5 
|
| Expert | 20 | 125-225 | 50
|
| Artisan | 30 | 200-300 | 5 
|
| Gnome Engineering | 30 | 200-300 | Quest |
| Goblin Engineering | 30 | 200-300 | Quest |
| Master | 50 | 275-375 | 10
|
What are the Engineering Specialisation?
Engineering takes a twist when you reach level 30 and have an engineering skill level of 200. At this level of proficiency you reach a fork in the road and you can take one of two routes. Either you concentrate your further training in the art of Goblin Engineering or you go for Gnome Engineering. It doesn't matter which race you are however. Once you've chosen which, you can not create (but you can use) any of the items available to the other discipline. This choice is given to you via the [Manual of Engineering Disciplines], along with two quests. Accept one quest for Goblin (in Gadgetzan) or the other for Gnome (in Booty Bay) Engineering.
Here's a quick example of the sort of thing you can expect to make as either a Gnome or a Goblin Engineer:
| Gnomish | [Gnomish Net-o-Matic Projector] |
| Gnomish | [Gnomish Poultryizer] |
| Goblin | [Super Sapper Charge] |
| Goblin | [Goblin Rocket Launcher] |
Gnome Engineering
The Gnomes as a race tend to excel in the design of items intended to manipulate and control the world around them. While they maintain a cursory understanding of explosives and weaponry, Gnome engineering focuses instead on items that quite literally try to make life easier and more accessible. In a word, gadgets.
A Complete List of the Gnomish Schematics that are available
Goblin Engineering
As a race that finds itself as neutral in almost every conflict, Goblins have taken great steps to turn science into profit. They embrace the practical applications of engineering, as evident in their radical designs of explosives, firearms, and machinery. Goblin engineering only maintains a passing interest in engineering theory; their inventions usually don't have the issue of not working, but rather working too well. In a word Bombs.
A Complete List of the Goblin Schematics that are available
How Do I Train in One of These Specialisations?
You will need to complete your chosen quest first to prove your competence before being granted membership to the discipline. Your membership card will last for 2 weeks (that's 14 days played not 14 real world days) and renewal costs 2 gold (you get a free gift on renewal!). This will give you continued access to new schematics in your chosen branch. Your existing plans aren't affected if your membership lapses.
Gnomish and Goblin-made items can be used by any Engineer, as long as their engineering skill is a high enough level.
Gnomish Engineering Quest
When you have reached Level 30 and have at least 200 Engineering, go to either Oglethorpe Obnoticus in Booty Bay or Tinkmaster Overspark in Ironforge (Alliance only) and take the quest: The Pledge of Secrecy. Complete that quest by handing back the document, now you are ready for the next part: Show Your Work. You will need to collect 6 x [Mithril Tube], 1 x [Accurate Scope] and 2 x [Advanced Target Dummy]. Return the items to the quest giver, and you receive [Gnome Engineer Membership Card].
Goblin Engineering Quest
When you have reached Level 30 and have at least 200 Engineering, go to either Nixx Sprocketspring in Gadgetzan or Vazario Linkgrease in Ratchet and take the quest: The Pledge of Secrecy. Complete that quest by handing back the document, now you are ready for the next part: Show Your Work. You will need to collect 20 x [Big Iron Bomb], 20 x [Solid Dynamite] and 5 x [Explosive Sheep]. Return the items to the quest giver, and you receive [Goblin Engineer Membership Card].
How Do I Change Engineering or Unlearn It?
Unlike Blacksmithing and Leatherworking, you cannot simply change your choice of specialisation in Engineering. If you want to change your specialisation, you have to completely unlearn Engineering, start again from scratch, then read the book [Unknown Item: Soothsaying for Dummies] (which is found on a table inside Narain Soothfancy's house, just North of Steamwheedle Port in Tanaris) to clear your previous specialisation.
Crafting
How Do I Get Supplies?
Many you can loot from monster drops such as [Linen Cloth] and [Light Leather], some will come from Mining mineral veins ([Copper Ore], [Tin Ore], gems, stone etc} and vendors also sell Engineering supplies. You can trade with other players to save you the effort of collecting. However, it's advisable to train in Mining so that you can collect from mineral veins yourself while out questing.
Mining is quite a good Profession to make money with too, selling to Smiths and other Engineers alike.
Engineering can be quite a convoluted process. For example, to create a [Target Dummy] requires that you have a piece of [Wool Cloth], a [Bronze Bar] which in turn is made from 1 [Copper Bar] and 1 [Tin Bar]. You will also need some [Handful of Copper Bolts] (made from 1 [Copper Bar]) and 1 [Copper Modulator] (to make this you will need 2 [Handful of Copper Bolts], 1 [Copper Bar] and 2 [Linen Cloth]). So it's one of the more fiddly Trade Skills and although you can get some pretty cool items (with higher level plans) this may not be worth the considerable time and effort needed to get there. You may prefer to just trade for the individual components instead.
Other components you will need can be found as loot from monsters or will have to be bought from Engineering and General Suppliers (such as [Weak Flux], [Wooden Stock], [Blank Parchment]).
- Metals, gems and stones can be mined
- Fabrics from Humanoids, skins from beasts
You will also need to trade with other players for components created with other Professions such as [Frost Oil] (made by Alchemists) and [Nightcrawlers] (caught from Fishing) [Dusky Belt] (made by Leatherworkers).
How Do I Make Items?
You will need to locate an Anvil before you can create most Engineering items and these can often be located near Blacksmithing Trainers/Suppliers. However, occasionally Anvils & Forges are not by Trainers. Listed below are the locations of some Anvils & Forges.
- Arathi Highlands
- Barrens
- Ironzar in Ratchet
- Crossroads, near northern entranceway
- Thorn Hill, East of Crossroads
- The Dry Hills, Vrang Wilgore, 48
- Camp Taurujo
- Bail'dun Keep
- Desolace
- Shadowprey Village
- Nijel's Point (alliance)
- Durotar
- Ula'elek in Sen'jin Village
- Elwynn Forest
- Village shop, Goldshire
- Hinterlands
- Loch Modan
- Redridge Mountains
- Stonetalon Mountains
- Strangethorn
- Swamp of Sorrows
- Tirisfal Glades
- Westfall
- Wetlands
- Thandol Span (downstairs with Dark iron Sabotuers. Anvil only)
You only need stand next to an Anvil to be able to start creating your own items. You do not need to equip your Blacksmith Hammer, it just needs to be in one of your bags (not your bank) when you wish to create something.
When you trained as an Apprentice Engineer the icon on the left would have been placed into your Abilities book (P). You should move this down to your action bar so you can activate it easily. When activated you will see a list of plans you have learned which, as long as you have the necessary reagents, you can make. You simply click on the plan and hit 'create' and your character will do the rest. Once made, the item will move to one of your bags. You simply need all the components to follow a schematic. [Blacksmith Hammer] [Arclight Spanner]
There will be a number of tools of the trade you need. A [Blacksmith Hammer] which you can buy from a Blacksmith supplier, an [Arclight Spanner] and to a lesser extent and for mid to higher level schematics a [Unknown Item: Gyromatic Micro-Adjuster] both of which you can create yourself. These need to be in your backpack to use and you don't equip either of them, they just need to be in your bag. A lot of the time you will need to be near an Anvil to make things. A list of Anvils can be found a little further up this page.
What Items Can I Create?
Once you have the required components you may begin creating. Creating items will increase your level in Engineering. Thankfully, you'll notice that the schematics in your list are colour coded and below is a key to those colours:
Grey = Will not receive a skill point in Engineering when creating. Green = Rarely will you gain a skill point in Engineering when creating. Yellow = Probably gain a skill point in Engineering when creating. Orange = Always gain a skill point in Engineering when creating. Red = Not high enough level in Engineering to create.
You will never fail creating something (as is the case in some other games). You will be able to create clothes, ammunition, bombs, augments for weapons and trinkets.
Here is a full list of schematics available to an Engineer
What Can I Make That Other Professions Need?
- Leatherworking: [Salt Shaker]
- Fishing: [Aquadynamic Fish Attractor]
- Alchemy: [Goblin Rocket Fuel]
- Blacksmithing: [Inlaid Mithril Cylinder]
Anything Else?
[Fused Wiring] - This is now a craftable item, and also comes from a couple of sources. The first are mechanical mobs as listed and the other is looted from [Target Dummy] after they've expired.
Level Requirements - A lot of Engineering items come with a character level requirement for use. As with any game items you don't want level 5 characters using advance weaponry because of the cheese factor so familiar level restrictions will apply, a couple of examples are:
- [Thorium Rifle] - level 47
- [Mithril Gyro-Shot] - level 44
- [Accurate Scope] - level 20
- [Flash Bomb] - level 27
Cloth Wearers - All the armour type gear the Engineer can make are cloth so that means your Mage, Priest and Warlock can take full advantage of the profession.
Can I make money from Engineering?
Your wares can be targeted at a very small market, however you do have a number of money-making options:
- Sell Guns, ammunition, [Ez-Thro Dynamite], [Mechanical Squirrel Box] and Scopes and Spyglasses to other players.
- Sell high level Engineering items to other Engineers who can't be bothered collecting the materials to make them for themselves
- Sell materials to other Engineers
- Sell specialised Engineering items to Engineers who learnt the other specialisation (Goblin/Gnome)
Why are Engineering items "Engineer" Only?
A great many items created with Engineering can be used by Engineers only, however there are a few that can be used by anyone who meets the level requirement. Guns, ammunition, [Ez-Thro Dynamite], [Mechanical Squirrel Box] and Scopes and Spyglasses.
Below is an explanation from Blizzard's Lead Professions Designer on a couple of issues that were raised during the beta regarding Engineering's usability:
World Flavor: If every raid started with every player throwing a bomb or using a flamethrower and every player wore silly looking goggles instead of a helmet, we would be moving away from a swords and sorcery world that has technological flavor and to a technological world with a fantasy flavor and that is not our intent. This is one of the main reasons why engineering items are engineer only and also why we don’t make engineering a secondary skill instead of a profession.
Game Flavor: If different professions operate differently, the game will appeal to a wider variety of folks. Certainly there are people who think engineering is the worst skill ever as you cannot sell many of the items, and other players think it’s the best skill ever as you can make all kinds of cool stuff that’s unique to you. This seems like a plus in that we have some people who are engineers and wouldn't take anything else and others who you couldn't force to take engineering, thus creating a diverse community.
Fantasy Lore: Engineers don’t make devices that are easy to use, in fact often times they can only barely figure out what they had in mind when they were making something. Certainly if a non-engineer ever figured out how to use an engineering device the engineer that made the device would be ostracized by the community (or at least be mocked mercilessly).
Current Issues: It is agreed that if Engineering is better than the other professions, then many players will feel forced to take up a skill that they may or may not enjoy so they can maximize the power of their character. To this end we have been changing the items that seem to be too powerful. In the upcoming patch, bombs now only do a “Sleep” effect instead of a “Stun” so they will be less effective in PvP (and in PvE to some extent) and the [Unknown Item: Gnomish Net-o-Matic] has a much greater fail rate than it used to. As we identify areas where Engineering feels too powerful, we will modify it to bring it in to line with the other professions. Certainly it’s going to be a judgement call on whether making a cool piece of armor or making a lot of cash selling gathered items is equivalent to making some bombs, but we will do our best to balance things out.
If the community wants to participate in the direction of Engineering, then talking about specifics on what items are too powerful and why they are too powerful is certainly useful feedback that gets listened to. It may be hard to believe from the position of someone posting on the boards, but many of the developers do visit the boards on a regular basis and feedback therein does get listened to.
Requires Engineering to Use: For many people the fact that most Engineering items require Engineering skill to use means that to maximize their character they must be an Engineer as they can easily buy the products of the other production professions. To some extent it’s what makes Engineering interesting, but it‘s also a hindrance and we are going to try and address that issue. Each of the professions will have at least a few items that are Bind on Pick up or that require the profession to use. For example in the future, Alchemists are going to be able to make an Alchemist specific trinket. This trinket will require Alchemy to equip, will be Bind on Pick up and will give the wearer a bonus to the effect of any potion they drink. We are not going to go overboard on Bind on Pickup items for the other professions, but there should be enough there to make each of the production professions a compelling choice, even for those who are only worried about maximizing their character power.
Recap
- Training in Engineering, to any level costs money
- Schematics cost money
- Following a schematic will never fail.
- Schematics come in grades. Grey = trivial, green = average, yellow = above average and orange the hardest.
- Following trivial schematics will not improve your skill level in Engineering.
- At Expert level you may choose one of two Disciplines {either Goblin or Gnome}.
- Most items can not be used by non-engineers, apart from Scopes and Explosives.
- There is a chance that items will fail and worse explode causing you damage when using them.
- Items created by Goblin or Gnome Engineers can be used by any Engineer as long as they are the correct level
- Once trained in an area of speciality (Gnome or Goblin) you can not change, unless you unlearn Engineering and begin from scratch, then purchase the book [Unknown Item: Soothsaying For Dummies].
- Membership to your specialist Engineering discipline lasts for 14 play days, not 14 real world days
- You can destroy your membership card at any time and purchase a new one (if you're trying to get a particular free gift such as [Lil' Smoky])
Further Engineering Reading & Resources
- Forum talk with other Engineers
- Engineer Trainers
- Engineer Suppliers
- Engineer Quests
- Engineer User Interface Mods
- Engineer Patch History
List of Engineering Craftables
