Tips · Professions

Professions with AH materials only: fastest 1–300 routes and cost

No time to gather? Buying materials on the auction house is the fastest way up. For each profession we computed the route to 300 with the fewest crafts at current AH prices and added up every gold piece. Vendor staples like thread, vials and dyes are counted at vendor price.

Cheapest primary

Alchemy

28 23 88

Most expensive

Tailoring

672 66 63

Fewest crafts

Alchemy

~375 crafts

Price date

2026-11-14

US realm

1→300 cost by profession

cheapest first

Profession	Total	Crafts	Priciest step
Cooking secondary	3 70 63	479	229→300 2 14 60	Route ›
Alchemy	28 23 88	375	276→300 6 76 16	Route ›
First Aid secondary	29 37 90	518	215→264 8 10 12	Route ›
Engineering	59 3 3	411	266→291 16 42 50	Route ›
Enchanting	70 49 59	378	286→300 27 45 36	Route ›
Leatherworking	279 42 87	392	290→299 38 53 20	Route ›
Blacksmithing	421 57 83	462	280→288 53 12 12	Route ›
Tailoring	672 66 63	456	290→297 375 12 64	Route ›

Total = materials + recipe costs (trainer, vendor or AH recipes). Rank training is not included.

Tips for buying your way up

Buy one rank at a time. Buying everything at once clears the cheap listings. Buy per rank so prices can recover in between.
Watch the listed quantity. Each shopping list shows how many are listed right now. Red means fewer than you need, so spread the buying over days or gather it yourself.
Vendor what you make. Most skill-up items vendor for part of their cost; greens often sell better on the AH.
Pair with a gathering skill. Mining for Blacksmithing and Engineering, Herbalism for Alchemy, Skinning for Leatherworking cut most of the cost. Mining · Herbalism · Skinning
Dashed steps need a recipe first. Where no buyable recipe exists, a drop or unconfirmed recipe fills the gap.
Enchanters need rods. Runed copper, silver, golden and truesilver rods are tools, not reagents, so they are not counted.

Cooking

3 70 63 · 479 crafts

Show the route

Skill	Craft	Crafts	Cost
1→66	Slitherskin Mackerel	74	14 6
66→108	Boiled Clams	48	19 68
108→152	Cooked Crab Claw	61	14 64
152→187	Goblin Deviled Clams	45	40 50
187→229	Rockscale Cod	135	6 75
229→300	Undermine Clam Chowder ×2	116	2 14 60

Full route with shopping list ›

Alchemy

28 23 88 · 375 crafts

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Skill	Craft	Crafts	Cost
1→14	Elixir of Minor Force	16	4 32
14→76	Elixir of Minor Defense	71	85 91
76→110	Rage Potion	42	1 11 72
110→130	Minor Magic Resistance Potion	20	92 20
130→161	Fire Oil ×2	36	72 36
161→176	Shadow Protection Potion	20	73 60
176→216	Great Rage Potion	49	1 68 56
216→236	Elixir of Detect Lesser Invisibility	29	2 36 64
236→250	Lesser Stoneshield Potion	21	2 98 20
250→259	Stonescale Oil ×2	20	44 80
259→276	Elixir of Greater Firepower	19	5 93 18
276→300	Elixir of Superior Defense	32	6 76 16

Full route with shopping list ›

First Aid

29 37 90 · 518 crafts

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Skill	Craft	Crafts	Cost
1→46	Linen Bandage	52	13
46→80	Heavy Linen Bandage	50	25
80→125	Anti-Venom ×3	72	71 28
125→151	Heavy Wool Bandage	40	95 20
151→180	Strong Anti-Venom ×3	62	1 14 70
180→215	Heavy Silk Bandage	52	2 5 92
215→264	Mageweave Bandage	129	8 10 12
264→300	Runecloth Bandage	61	2 56 20

Full route with shopping list ›

Engineering

59 3 3 · 411 crafts

Show the route

Skill	Craft	Crafts	Cost
1→32	Rough Blasting Powder	37	3 70
32→53	Rough Dynamite ×2	40	14
53→65	Rough Copper Bomb ×2	13	36 53
65→75	Crude Scope	10	25 20
75→92	Coarse Blasting Powder	21	12 60
92→102	Crude Scope	13	32 76
102→121	Silver Contact ×5	22	81 18
121→125	Small Seaforium Charge	4	21 44
125→135	Heavy Blasting Powder	14	46 62
135→144	Small Seaforium Charge	14	75 4
144→145	Shadow Goggles	1	9 64
145→150	Bronze Framework	6	32 64
150→160	Aquadynamic Fish Attractor ×3	14	59 50
160→170	Iron Strut	14	83 44
170→175	Gyrochronatom	6	33 90
175→187	Solid Blasting Powder	18	60 84
187→195	Gyrochronatom	17	96 5
195→200	Accurate Scope	5	1 3 35
200→216	Large Seaforium Charge	21	2 37 51
216→238	Hi-Impact Mithril Slugs ×200	41	5 15 78
238→245	Catseye Ultra Goggles	8	5 35 76
245→250	Mithril Gyro-Shot ×200	6	1 50 96
250→256	Dense Blasting Powder	9	95 22
256→266	Mithril Gyro-Shot ×200	17	4 27 72
266→291	Thorium Widget	30	16 42 50
291→300	Thorium Tube	10	10 11

Full route with shopping list ›

Enchanting

70 49 59 · 378 crafts

Show the route

Skill	Craft	Crafts	Cost
1→24	Enchant Bracer - Inferior Stamina	26	3 90
24→80	Enchant Chest - Inferior Stamina	58	78 88
80→89	Enchant Bracer - Minor Deflect	11	17 49
89→99	Enchant Chest - Minor Absorption	12	19 8
99→126	Enchant Bracer - Minor Spirit	36	57 24
126→153	Enchant Shield - Lesser Protection	30	1 30 80
153→173	Enchant Bracer - Lesser Stamina	26	1 7 90
173→202	Enchant Boots - Lesser Agility	39	1 61 85
202→223	Enchant Chest - Greater Intellect	27	2 43
223→247	Enchant Cloak - Greater Defense	34	3 92 36
247→255	Enchant Gloves - Agility	17	1 96 18
255→271	Lesser Mana Oil	21	7 43 19
271→286	Enchant Bracer - Greater Stamina	23	17 53 98
286→300	Enchant Shield - Greater Stamina	18	27 45 36

Full route with shopping list ›

Leatherworking

279 42 87 · 392 crafts

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Skill	Craft	Crafts	Cost
1→47	Light Armor Kit	54	21 6
47→54	Handstitched Leather Boots	11	9 68
54→60	Small Leather Ammo Pouch	7	10 99
60→86	Embossed Leather Gloves	33	45 21
86→94	Fine Leather Belt	10	25 40
94→116	Fine Leather Boots	36	1 5 48
116→120	Dark Leather Pants	5	77 10
120→130	Hillman's Belt	11	1 13 96
130→140	Hillman's Shoulders	13	1 13 36
140→150	Dark Leather Gloves	13	1 63 15
150→159	Heavy Armor Kit	13	1 56 65
159→160	Green Leather Armor	2	51 78
160→165	Green Leather Belt	6	1 47 24
165→171	Raptor Hide Belt	8	1 87 20
171→175	Barbaric Leggings	5	1 65 45
175→180	Barbaric Shoulders	6	1 81 2
180→189	Green Leather Bracers	13	4 71 12
189→190	Gem-studded Leather Belt	2	1 66 8
190→198	Guardian Gloves	11	2 67 63
198→200	Guardian Leather Bracers	3	1 17 72
200→205	Thick Armor Kit	6	2 93 10
205→214	Nightscape Headband	13	7 0 5
214→215	Nightscape Shoulders	2	2 45 68
215→220	Big Voodoo Robe	6	7 6 20
220→225	Big Voodoo Mask	6	6 30 96
225→230	Tough Scorpid Gloves	6	7 65 96
230→235	Nightscape Cloak	6	7 51 44
235→240	Nightscape Pants	7	9 99 46
240→245	Big Voodoo Pants	7	11 83 28
245→250	Tough Scorpid Leggings	6	13 66 92
250→255	Tough Scorpid Helm	6	17 41 80
255→260	Heavy Scorpid Bracers	6	11 57 76
260→265	Wicked Leather Gauntlets	6	10 19 52
265→270	Wicked Leather Bracers	6	10 19 52
270→275	Runic Leather Gauntlets	6	12 75 60
275→280	Chimeric Boots	6	11 52 96
280→288	Wicked Leather Headband	11	24 73 68
288→290	Heavy Scorpid Leggings	3	12 71 76
290→299	Chimeric Vest	13	38 53 20
299→300	Frostsaber Gloves	2	13 55 48

Full route with shopping list ›

Blacksmithing

421 57 83 · 462 crafts

1 materials short on the AH

Show the route

Skill	Craft	Crafts	Cost
1→37	Rough Sharpening Stone	46	4 60
37→83	Rough Grinding Stone	120	24
83→95	Runed Copper Belt	14	1 66 60
95→105	Rough Bronze Boots	11	1 14 18
105→133	Rough Bronze Leggings	32	3 20 64
133→148	Silvered Bronze Boots	19	3 6 9
148→151	Green Iron Boots	3	81 96
151→165	Green Iron Gauntlets	16	3 14 56
165→185	Green Iron Bracers	39	7 36 32
185→199	Golden Scale Bracers	20	13 34 60
199→200	Golden Scale Coif	2	2 21 60
200→210	Inlaid Mithril Cylinder	13	10 27 13
210→215	Heavy Mithril Pants	6	6 24
215→223	Mithril Scale Bracers	11	10 4 52
223→230	Blue Glittering Axe	10	21 50 40
230→235	Mithril Coif	6	7 78 8
235→245	Mithril Spurs	16	9 13 28
245→248	Heavy Mithril Helm	4	5 67 20
248→255	Runed Mithril Hammer	10	21 60 80
255→264	Thorium Bracers	13	28 21
264→270	Ebon Shiv	12	49 27 44
270→275	Radiant Breastplate	6	24 73 56
275→280	Ornate Thorium Handaxe	6	34 45 68
280→288	Thorium Boots	11	53 12 12
288→290	Radiant Gloves	3	11 85 90
290→296	Radiant Boots	8	26 23 20
296→300	Radiant Circlet	5	19 76 50

Full route with shopping list ›

Tailoring

672 66 63 · 456 crafts

2 materials short on the AH · 3 steps need a recipe found elsewhere

Show the route

Skill	Craft	Crafts	Cost
1→32	Bolt of Linen Cloth	32	16
32→40	Linen Cloak	9	5 40
40→45	Simple Linen Pants	6	3 60
45→51	Brown Linen Vest	7	4 20
51→74	Linen Belt	39	23 40
74→78	Reinforced Linen Cape	8	10 40
78→97	Simple Kilt	31	93
97→100	Woolen Cape	7	31 99
100→104	Gray Woolen Shirt	5	58 20
104→110	Heavy Woolen Cloak	7	1 19 35
110→128	White Woolen Dress	25	3 14 75
128→130	Stylish Blue Shirt	3	59 34
130→143	Gloves of Meditation	18	3 30 48
143→145	Azure Silk Pants	3	1 7 4
145→150	Azure Silk Gloves	6	1 87 8
150→165	Small Silk Pack	23	7 17 14
165→170	Enchanter's Cowl	6	2 48 76
170→175	Earthen Vest	6	3 38 76
175→183	Azure Silk Cloak	11	2 94 36
183→185	Crimson Silk Cloak	3	1 39 50
185→187	Crimson Silk Vest	3	1 4 4
187→190	Long Silken Cloak	4	1 58 12
190→195	Crimson Silk Shoulders	6	3 9
195→198	Crimson Silk Pantaloons	4	1 70 72
198→200	Crimson Silk Shoulders	5	2 57 50
200→205	Icy Cloak	6	9 2 34
205→210	Black Mageweave Vest	7	5 44 60
210→215	Black Mageweave Robe	7	7 99 40
215→225	Black Mageweave Gloves	30	30 84
225→230	Red Mageweave Gloves	7	9 46 40
230→235	Black Mageweave Shoulders	12	16 10 40
235→240	Red Mageweave Bag	12	19 99 20
240→245	Red Mageweave Headband	12	19 99 20
245→252	Red Winter Clothes Unknown source	8	11 8 56
252→265	Scarlet Augur's Cuffs Unknown source	14	23 52
265→270	Runecloth Cloak	12	19 68
270→290	Scarlet Augur's Cuffs	38	63 84
290→297	Argent Boots	11	375 12 64
297→300	Loom Unknown source	3	11 89 20

Full route with shopping list ›

Recipes and skill ranges: Blizzard Forever API and client. Trainer and vendor prices: CMaNGOS classic-db. Auction prices: BattlePost AH data, recomputed on each upload. Craft counts are averages.