Embark on your journey to master Leatherworking in Cataclysm Classic with this comprehensive guide. Whether you’re aiming to craft powerful gear or simply level up your profession, this walkthrough provides the quickest and most cost-effective path to reach skill level 525.
For adventurers still navigating the leveling process or starting a new character, consider using Zygor’s 1-85 Leveling Guide. This resource is designed to accelerate your journey to level 85, allowing you to dive into professions like Leatherworking sooner.
Materials Needed for Cataclysm Leatherworking
Below is an estimated list of materials you’ll need to level Leatherworking from 1 to 525. Keep in mind these are approximate and may vary slightly based on crafting choices and market availability.
Classic and The Burning Crusade (TBC) Materials
- Light Leather
- Coarse Thread
- Medium Leather
- Fine Thread
- Gray Dye
- Heavy Leather
- Silken Thread
- Moss Agate
- Thick Leather
- Rugged Leather
- Black Dye
- Rune Thread
Wrath of the Lich King (WotLK) Materials
- Knothide Leather
- Knothide Leather Scraps
- Heavy Knothide Leather
- Fel Scales
- Borean Leather
- Borean Leather Scraps
- Heavy Borean Leather
- Arctic Fur
Cataclysm Materials
- Savage Leather
- Heavy Savage Leather
- Eternium Thread
- Volatile Earth
- Volatile Air
- Volatile Water
- Volatile Fire
- Blackened Dragonscale
Leatherworking Trainers Location
To begin your Leatherworking journey, you’ll need to find a trainer. These NPCs can teach you the basics and advanced techniques of the profession. Click on the links below to find their exact locations.
Horde Trainers:
Alliance Trainers:
Cataclysm Classic Leatherworking Leveling Guide: Step-by-Step
Follow these steps to efficiently level your Leatherworking skill from 1 to 525 in Cataclysm Classic.
Leveling Leatherworking: 1 – 55
Note: Leatherworking vendors near trainers sell essential supplies like threads, dyes, and salt.
- 20-45 or 1-45: Craft 40x Light Armor Kit – Requires 40 Light Leather.
Journeyman Leatherworking (Requires Level 10)
Visit a Leatherworking trainer to become a Journeyman Leatherworker and continue your progression.
Leveling Leatherworking: 55 – 100
- Craft 50x Embossed Leather Gloves – Requires 150 Light Leather, 100 Coarse Thread.
Leveling Leatherworking: 100 – 120
- Craft 25x Fine Leather Belt – Requires 150 Light Leather, 50 Coarse Thread.
Tip: Check the Auction House for Medium Hide. If it’s cheaper than 4x Medium Leather, consider buying up to 25 to save on materials.
Convert any affordable Medium Hide into Cured Medium Hide.
Keep both Fine Leather Belt and Cured Medium Hide, as they can be used to create Dark Leather Belt later.
Leveling Leatherworking: 120 – 135
- Craft 20x Dark Leather Boots – Requires 80 Medium Leather, 40 Fine Thread, 20 Gray Dye.
Alternative Recipe
If you’ve crafted Cured Medium Hide, consider making Dark Leather Belt instead of boots. Continue crafting belts until skill level 150.
Expert Leatherworking (Requires Level 20)
Seek out a Leatherworking trainer to become an Expert and unlock higher skill levels.
Leveling Leatherworking: 135 – 155
- 150-155: Craft 7x Heavy Leather – Requires 35 Medium Leather.
Alternatively, consider recipes sold by these NPCs.
Leveling Leatherworking: 155 – 200
For this range, you have options depending on your Heavy Hide availability. If you lack Heavy Hides, stick to the “Leveling with Heavy Leather” path. If you acquire some, mix routes for optimal leveling. For instance, with 5 Heavy Hides, craft 5x Cured Heavy Hide, then switch back to the Heavy Leather route, potentially reducing Dusky Bracer crafting to level 195 before transitioning to Guardian Gloves.
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165-180: Craft 15x Heavy Armor Kit – Requires 75 Heavy Leather, 15 Fine Thread.
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190-200: Craft 10x Guardian Gloves – Requires 40 Heavy Leather, 10 Cured Heavy Hide, 10 Silken Thread.
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180-190: Craft 10x Barbaric Leggings – Requires 100x Heavy Leather, 20x Fine Thread, 10x Moss Agate. The Pattern: Barbaric Leggings is sold by these NPCs.
Note: If Moss Agate is significantly more expensive than 6x Heavy Leather, consider switching to the next recipe around skill level 185.
Artisan Leatherworking (Requires Level 35)
Visit your trainer again to become an Artisan Leatherworker and continue your skill advancement.
Leveling Leatherworking: 200 – 300
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205-235: Craft 40x Nightscape Headband – Requires 200 Thick Leather, 80 Silken Thread. While requiring more Silken Thread than Thick Armor Kits, these headbands vendor for a higher price, making them a potentially cheaper option.
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250-265: Craft 25x Rugged Armor Kit – Requires 125 Rugged Leather.
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290 – 300: Craft 10x Wicked Leather Headband – Requires 120 Rugged Leather, 10 Black Dye, 10 Rune Thread.
Master Leatherworking (300-350) – Requires Level 50
Seek out a Master Leatherworking trainer to progress into the next skill tier.
Leveling Leatherworking: 300 – 325
Before crafting armor kits, convert any Knothide Leather Scraps into Knothide Leather if you’ve been gathering leather.
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Craft 30x Knothide Armor Kit – Requires 120 Knothide Leather.
Note: This recipe may turn yellow before this range, so you might need to craft a few extra.
Alternative Recipe:
If you have an abundance of cheap Rugged Leather, you can craft Wicked Leather Belt up to skill level 325. This will require approximately 400x Rugged Leather to reach 325. You can continue to 330 as the recipe remains yellow, but crafting Heavy Knothide Leather is essential for later leveling, making the 325-335 segment essentially “free.”
Leveling Leatherworking: 325 – 335
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Craft 66x Heavy Knothide Leather – Requires 330 Knothide Leather.
You can pause Heavy Knothide Leather crafting at 335 and finish the rest later.
Leveling Leatherworking: 335 – 350
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Craft 22x Thick Draenic Vest – Requires 66 Heavy Knothide Leather, 66 Rune Thread.
Note: This recipe will be yellow for the last 10 skill points, so crafting a few extra might be necessary to reach 350. Rune Thread is available from Leatherworking supply vendors near trainers.
Alternative Recipe
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Craft 18x Scaled Draenic Boots – Requires 36 Heavy Knothide Leather, 36 Fel Scales, 54 Rune Thread.
Scaled Draenic Boots can be a viable alternative if Fel Scales are affordable. This recipe will also be yellow for the last 5 points, potentially requiring a few extra crafts to reach 350.
Grand Master Leatherworking (Requires Level 65)
Visit your trainer to become a Grand Master Leatherworker and continue your journey to the highest skill levels.
Leveling Leatherworking: 350 – 410
If you’re a Skinner, convert all Borean Leather Scraps into Borean Leather using the trainer-taught recipe for skill-ups. This offers essentially free skill points.
- 380-386: Craft 6x Arctic Boots – Requires 48 Borean Leather.
Leveling Leatherworking: 390 – 425
Check the Auction House for Arctic Fur prices. If 1x Arctic Fur is cheaper than 4x Heavy Borean Leather or 24x Borean Leather (Heavy Borean Leather can be made from Borean Leather), consider buying 20x Arctic Fur. If not, proceed to the “Leveling with Heavy Borean Leather” section.
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395-405: Craft 12x Arctic Wristguards – Requires 144x Borean Leather.
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405-410: Craft 12x Arctic Wristguards – Requires 144x Borean Leather. You might need to craft more than 10 due to the recipe turning yellow.
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420-425: Craft 5x Fur Lining – Attack Power – Requires 5x Arctic Fur.
Cataclysm Classic Leatherworking (425-525) – Requires Level 75
Visit your trainer to learn the final Cataclysm Classic Leatherworking skill tier and reach the maximum level.
Leveling Leatherworking: 425 – 510
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435-450: Craft 15x Savage Armor Kit – Requires 75 Savage Leather.
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460-470: Craft 10x Savage Cloak – Requires 70 Savage Leather, 10 Eternium Thread. Alternatively, craft any orange recipe requiring 7 Savage Leather.
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475-480: Craft 5x Darkbrand Shoulders – Requires 60 Savage Leather, 5 Eternium Thread. You could also craft Scorched Leg Armor up to level 485.
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485-490: Craft 152x Heavy Savage Leather – Requires 760 Savage Leather.
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496-502: Craft 2x Cloak of Beasts – Requires 16 Heavy Savage Leather, 4 Volatile Earth, 4 Volatile Air, 4 Volatile Water, 4 Volatile Fire.
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504-510: Craft 2x Cloak of Beasts or 2x Cloak of War. Cloak of Beasts requires 16 Heavy Savage Leather, 4 Volatile Earth, 4 Volatile Air, 4 Volatile Water, 4 Volatile Fire. Cloak of War requires 120 Blackened Dragonscale.
Darkmoon Faire Bonus
Check your in-game calendar for the Darkmoon Faire, active every two weeks. Complete profession quests during this event to earn +5 skill points per profession. Click here for more details.
Leveling Leatherworking: 510 – 525
Purchase vendor recipes in major cities near Leatherworking trainers (excluding Dalaran and Shattrath). Recipes change to yellow after 5 skill points, requiring a new recipe purchase every 5 points. Each recipe grants 2 skill points. Material costs are similar across recipes, allowing for recipe choice flexibility.
Recipes used for this guide:
You will need an additional 30 Heavy Savage Leather to buy the recipes below.
Congratulations on achieving Leatherworking skill level 525! If you have feedback or suggestions for improvement, including typos, errors, or incorrect material numbers, please send feedback.
