Guides about Leatherworking and Skinning.
This guide is designed to help you quickly and cheaply level your leatherworking. There are points in the leatherworking profession that can be quite frustrating to those who don't know it in and out - this guide will help you prepare for these dry spells with the leather you need ahead of time. I do my best to avoid rare recipes (those found as drops or from out the way trainers) and recipes which require rare or expensive materials. We will occasionally use these recipes due to other constraints, but information on where to find the components will be included.
If you have acquired some extra materials and it would be cheaper for you to create items other than those listed, by all means do so. In addition, feel free to sub out the listed items for some you are making to wear, but remember to get extra leather if this makes you come up short. Any items that are especially important will be noted in the guide (such as those for specialization turn-ins).
For an excellent guide on leveling your skinning BC to Wrath, see the Skinning 300-450 guide.
Note: The numbers provided here are estimates only. You may need a little more leather than what is listed, or a little less. If you end up with extra leather, remember that in most cases you can change that leather into the next type (medium to heavy for example) to save you some cash or farming time later on.
Leatherworking provides some great advantages for leather and mail wearing classes. It is great for leveling up your character since you can very cheaply make item enhancements (armor kits), and can also craft upgrades in gear if you haven't found them as you level. There are some item enhancements which you can only place on your own gear. There is also something to be said for being able to make your own armor kits rather than having to find someone to do it for you.
Purchase Apprentice Leatherworking from a leatherworking trainer.
Shopping List:
| Level | Craft | Materials |
| 1-35 | Create 34 Light Armor Kit | 34 Light Leather |
| 35-45 | Create 10 Handstitched Leather Boots | 20 Light Leather 10 Coarse Thread |
| 45-55 | Create 10 Small Leather Amo Pouch | 30 Light Leather 40 Coarse Thread |
| 55-75 | Create 20 Embossed Leather Gloves | 60 Light Leather 40 Coarse Thread |
Purchase Journeyman Leatherworking from a leatherworking trainer (requires level 10).
Shopping List:
| Level | Craft | Materials |
| 75-90 | Create 15 Embossed Leather Gloves | 45 Light Leather 30 Coarse Thread |
| 90-95 | Create 5 Embossed Leather Cloak | 25 Light Leather 10 Coarse Thread |
| 95-115 | Create 20 Fine Leather Belt | 120 Light Leather 40 Coarse Thread |
| 115-120 | Create 5 Medium Armor Kit | 20 Medium Leather 5 Coarse Thread |
| 120-130 | Create 10 Dark Leather Boots | 40 Medium Leather 20 Fine Thread 10 Gray Dye |
| 130-150 | Create 20 Hillman's Shoulders | 80 Medium Leather 20 Fine Thread 20 Cured Medium Hide |
Note: If you can't find the Cured Medium Hide for the Hillman's Shoulders, you can make Dark Leather Cloaks and Hillman's Leather Gloves instead. However, you will need an additional 110 Medium Leather, so making the shoulders is the better way to go if possible.
Purchase Expert Leatherworking from a leatherworking trainer (requires level 20).
Head to your faction's base in the Arathi Highlands and purchase Pattern: Raptor Hide Belt (Alliance) or Pattern: Raptor Hide Harness (Horde).
Shopping List:
Farming the Materials: You can get Raptor Hide from raptors in Stranglethorn Vale, the Arathi Highlands, and Dustwallow Marsh.
| Level | Craft | Materials |
| 150-165 | Create 15 Heavy Armor Kit | 75 Heavy Leather 15 Fine Thread |
| 165-190 | Create 25 Raptor Hide Belt (Alliance) Create 25 Raptor Hide Harness (Horde) | 100 Raptor Hide (Alliance) 150 Raptor Hide (Horde) 50 Fine Thread |
| 190-200 | Create 10 Guardian Gloves | 40 Heavy Leather 10 Silken Thread 10 Cured Heavy Hide |
| 200-225 | Create 25 Thick Armor Kit | 125 Thick Leather 25 Silken Thread |
Note: If you are thinking of becoming a Tribal Leatherworker, make sure to save the Thick Armor Kits you created.
Also, if you don't want to get the raptor hide for the belt/harness, or you can't find the recipe, you can make Green Leather Armor and Dusky Leather Leggings for those levels. Just be sure to get extra leather and green and black dye.
Now is the best time to chose your specialization, since you can make the items you need to specialize as you level up your skill.
You won't be able to actually learn your speciallization until you make the required items in the next section (though Elemental leatherworkers can right away if they like, since they don't need to make anything).
This section is divided into subsections for each specialization. Items that will be used for your specialization are marked in red.
If you would prefer not to specialize at this time, follow the instructions for Elemental Leatherworking but do not buy the elemental items on the shopping list (labeled in red)
Purchase Expert Leatherworking from a leatherworking trainer (requires level 35).
Purchase Pattern: Wicked Leather Gauntlets from Werg Thickblade in Tirisfal Glades (Horde) or Leonard Porter in the Western Plaguelands (Alliance).
Shopping List:
Farming the Materials: The scorpids of Tanaris can be skinned for the scorpid scales. For higher level players, the Uldaman scorpids also drop scales, and you can enter, kill them, leave, reset, and repeat to quickly gather the needed amount. The two patterns drop from thieves and bandits in Tanaris.
| Level | Craft | Materials |
| 225-230 | Create 5 Nightscape Headband | 25 Thick Leather 10 Silken Thread |
| 230-235 | Create 5 Nightscape Shoulders | 40 Thick Leather 15 Silken Thread 30 Mageweave Cloth |
| 235-237 | Create 2 Tough Scorpid Breastplate | 24 Thick Leather 8 Silken Thread 24 Scorpid Scale |
| 237-239 | Create 2 Tough Scorpid Gloves | 12 Thick Leather 4 Silken Thread 16 Scorpid Scale |
| 239-255 | Create 16 Nightscape Pants | 224 Thick Leather 64 Silken Thread |
| 255-260 | Create 5 Nightscape Boots | 80 Thick Leather 10 Silken Thread |
| 260-280 | Create 20 Wicked Leather Gauntlets | 160 Rugged Leather 20 Rune Thread 20 Black Dye |
| 280-290 | Create 10 Wicked Leather Bracers | 80 Rugged Leather 10 Rune Thread 10 Black Dye |
| 290-300 | Create 10 Wicked Leather Headband | 120 Rugged Leather 10 Rune Thread 10 Black Dye |
Shopping List:
Farming the Materials: This WoWhead post has some excellent information for farming the elemental items.
| Level | Craft | Materials |
| 225-230 | Create 5 Nightscape Headband | 25 Thick Leather 10 Silken Thread |
| 230-235 | Create 5 Nightscape Shoulders | 40 Thick Leather 15 Silken Thread 30 Mageweave Cloth |
| 235-255 | Create 20 Nightscape Pants | 280 Thick Leather 80 Silken Thread |
| 255-260 | Create 5 Nightscape Boots | 80 Thick Leather 10 Silken Thread |
| 260-280 | Create 20 Wicked Leather Gauntlets | 160 Rugged Leather 20 Rune Thread 20 Black Dye |
| 280-290 | Create 10 Wicked Leather Bracers | 80 Rugged Leather 10 Rune Thread 10 Black Dye |
| 290-300 | Create 10 Wicked Leather Headband | 120 Rugged Leather 10 Rune Thread 10 Black Dye |
Shopping List:
Farming the Materials: The turtles of the east coast of both Tanaris and the Hinterlands drop turtle scales. Wildvine can be found on trolls in Stranglethorn Vale and in the Hinterlands.
| Level | Craft | Materials |
| 225-227 | Create 2 Turtle Scale Gloves | 12 Thick Leather 2 Silken Thread 16 Turtle Scale |
| 227-229 | Create 2 Nightscape Headband | 10 Thick Leather 4 Silken Thread |
| 229-230 | Create 2 Nightscape Tunics | 14 Thick Leather 4 Silken Thread |
| 230-232 | Create 2 Turtle Scale Bracers | 16 Thick Leather 2 Silken Thread 24 Turtle Scale |
| 232-234 | Create 2 Turtle Scale Breastplate | 12 Thick Leather 2 Silken Thread 24 Turtle Scale |
| 234-236 | Create 2 Turtle Scale Helm | 28 Thick Leather 2 Silken Thread 48 Turtle Scale |
You will need to travel to Feralas to continue your progress. Before you head out, make sure you have all your materials with you, since it will be easiest to turn them all in at once here.
You should have:
| Level | Craft | Materials |
| 236-237 | Create 1 Wild Leather Helmet | 10 Thick Leather 2 Wildvine 1 Cured Thick Hide |
| 237-238 | Create 1 Wild Leather Vest | 12 Thick Leather 2 Wildvine 1 Cured Thick Hide |
| 238-255 | Create 17 Nightscape Pants | 238 Thick Leather 68 Silken Thread |
| 255-260 | Create 5 Nightscape Boots | 80 Thick Leather 10 Silken Thread |
| 260-280 | Create 20 Wicked Leather Gauntlets | 160 Rugged Leather 20 Rune Thread 20 Black Dye |
| 280-290 | Create 10 Wicked Leather Bracers | 80 Rugged Leather 10 Rune Thread 10 Black Dye |
| 290-300 | Create 10 Wicked Leather Headband | 120 Rugged Leather 10 Rune Thread 10 Black Dye |
Turn in the rest of your quests to the Wild Leather NPC – he should finally give you a quest to see a leatherworking trainer in your capital city. Head back there to complete that quest, and you will then be ready to specialize.
Note: Any leatherworker can complete the wild leather quests if he or she wants those recipes, but they happen to be required for Tribal Leatherworking.
Also be sure you have completed all of your wild leather quests (See this article on WoWhead for a list of the quests).
Purchase Master Leatherworking from the Grand Master trainer in either Thrallmar or Honor Hold (requires level 50).
Shopping List:
| Level | Craft | Materials |
| 300-320 | Create 20-25 Knothide Armor Kit | 80-100 Knothide Leather |
| 320-325 | Create 5 Wild Draenish Gloves | 45 Knothide Leather 30 Rune Thread |
| 325-335 | Create 12 Thick Draenic Boots | 120 Knothide Leather 30 Rune Thread |
| 335-345 | Create 10 Thick Draenic Vest | 140 Knothide Leather 30 Rune Thread |
| 345-350 | Create 5 Scaled Draenic Boots | 60 Knothide Leather
15 Rune Thread 10 Fel Scales |
Purchase Grand Master Leatherworking from the trainer in one of your faction's main Northrend bases (requires level 60?).
Shopping List:
| Level | Craft | Materials |
| 350-375 | Create 25 Borean Armor Kit | 100 Borean Leather |
| 375-390 | Create 15 Arctic Gloves | 150 Borean Leather |
| 390-405 | Create 155 Heavy Borean Leather (make it until it turns gray, you'll need tons later) | 930 Borean Leather |
| 405-410 | Create 5 Jormungar Leg Armor | 25 Heavy Borean Leather 5 Jormungar Scales |
| 410-415 | Create 5 Fur Linings of your choice (Attack Power, Spell Power, Stamina) | 5 Arctic Fur |
| 415-420 | Create 5 Pack of Endless Pockets or other bag | 40 Heavy Borean Leather |
| 420-425 | Create 5 Eviscerator's Bindings | 40 Heavy Borean Leather 5 Eternal Air |
| 425-430 | Create 5 Eviscerator's Guantlets | 50 Heavy Borean Leather 5 Eternal Air |
Leveling from 430 to 450 is much more difficult and costly. At this point it is probably best to craft specific items to sell, for friends, or for yourself, instead of purely to level up. You can level this with just recipes learned from your trainer, but you may want to purchase the epic recipes which cost Arctic Furs, for the purposes of making gear for yourself or others.
In addition, all recipes past this level require rare materials such as frozen orbs.
If you still simply want to level as cheaply as possible without farming rare materials, here is a suggestion:
I hope you found this guide informative. In the future, more details on useful recipes may be added, or tips on making money with leatherworking.
I am also looking for feedback! Let me know if this guide worked well for you, or leave a comment with any suggestions for improvements or corrections.
Thank you for reading!
Levelling Skinning 350-450
Table of Contents
To determine the highest level creature you can skin we use the formula: (Skinning skill)/5. In case you don't like the area I've suggested you raise the skill you can use this formula to skin wherever you desire.

1. There are a lot of areas in Hellfire Peninsula that you can get to 310 skinning from. You should be killing Hellboars of all kind for an easy 10 skillups.
2. Now you may either, continue killing Hellboars untill 330 or move to the Ravagers near Falcon Watch or the ones near the Warp Fields.

1. This part of the skinning experience is very very easy. Nagrand has been called the Skinner's Paradise for the sole reason of the enormous amount of Beasts in the zone. The area I have highlighted includes Talbuks and Clefthoofs. They are found in such abundance in this area that you can probably get to 350 skinning in 1 or 2 crossings of the area.
NOTE= You have a choice now, you can continue skinning in Nagrand untill 375 OR move onto the Howling Fjord. This will depend on your level. If you are above level 70 I would highly recommend going right on ahead to the Howling Fjord.

1. Go to the area around The Ancient Lift and start killing any Shoveltusk you see. Be sure to skin all of them untill you reach Skinning Skill 405 as they turn green.
(Alternative: You can kill Mammoths in Northern Borean Tundra, or Beasts if you do not have an intention of going to the D.E.H.T.A. Camp)

1. Go to the area of land around Drakil'Jin Ruins and kill any Duskhowl Prowler you come upon, as well as any other Beast in the area. Make sure to skin them.

1. Go to this very large encompassed area of land. Inside this area there are a large variety of animals including: Rhinos, Crocolisks and Dreadsabers. To be blunt, kill them all. Make sure to skin every last one untill you reach 450 Skinning.
While skinning you may come across such items such as:
1. Arctic Fur
2. Jormungar Scale
3. Icy Dragonscale
4. Nerubian Chitin
5. Borean Leather Scraps which can be created into Borean Leather once you have 5.
All these items are used for a plethora of BoE Leatherworking items such as:
1. Jormungar Leg Armour which is the an improvement over the Nether Leg Armours.
2. Icescale Leg Armour which again is an improvement over the Nether Leg Armours.
3. Frosthide Leg Armour the epic version of Jormungar Leg Armour.
All of these items are also used for special Leatherworker only enchants like:
1. Fur Lining - Attack Power An extremely powerful enchant for the bracers, only for leather workers.
2. Nerubian Leg Reinforcements Is one of the many leatherworking only leg enchants, and the bonus about them is that they require barely any materials to create them.
I would highly recommend keeping most of these 'special' skins or perhaps selling them to a leatherworker, or even picking up the leatherworking proffession yourself.