Engineering

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Engineering is a primary profession in which characters may craft a variety of items with useful (and sometimes unpredictable) effects. Consumable devices can provide supplemental damage from explosives, aggro diversion and situational advantages (Discombobulator Ray and Field Repair Bot 74A). Trinkets can provide transporter access, increased resistance and situational advantages (Gnomish Cloaking Device and Goblin Jumper Cables). Some Engineering items can be given to friends and provide hours of amusement! E.g., Tranquil Mechanical Yeti and fireworks.

All classes can benefit from Engineering items, however many require Engineering skill to equip or use. Most Engineering items worn in the head equipment slot are cloth armor favorable to Mages, Priests and Warlocks. Engineers are the only professionals able to craft guns, scopes and bullets; especially handy for Hunters. Engineers can also craft dynamite and grenades which provide a range attack; very beneficial in Paladin tactics.

There is little demand to buy or sell most items that require Engineering skill to equip or use because the consumers are engineers potentially able to craft the items for themselves. These types of items are rarely found as loot or sold by vendors. Some items crafted by specialist engineers also require specialization in the same Engineering discipline to acquire or use, however others can be traded. E.g., Gnomish Mind Control Cap and Goblin Rocket Boots.

Until higher level you cannot use many of the higher level recipe items of engineering. Therefore it may be a good idea to choose some different profession until then. Maybe a profession like mining or skinning which will provide money by selling in the Auction House. Many items have only a few charges which makes using them on a regular basis very expensive. Therefore you might want to choose a different profession until you have a whole lot of money on your hands.

Engineering Training
Apprentice Engineers begin with schematics for: Crafted Light Shot, Rough Blasting Powder and Rough Dynamite. Additional Engineering recipes can be taught by Engineering trainers, given as a reward for completing an Engineering quest, found as loot or purchased from vendors. The Engineering Proficiencies table summarizes what level and skill is required to advance to each Engineering proficiency.

Engineers use a variety of components and tools (Blacksmith Hammer, Arclight Spanner and Gyromatic Micro-Adjustor) to ply their trade. Final assembly and the manufacture of parts may also require the use of an anvil. Some recipes require ingredients that can only be found as loot (Flask of Oil and Fused Wiring), purchased from vendors or crafted or gathered by other professions.

Mining is often used to gather many of the Engineering ingredients (metals, stones and gems) needed to craft parts or as supplies making it a popular choice as an additional primary profession. Some parts and supplies can be found as loot while fishing from Floating Wreckage and inside various Venture Company Supplies crates. Specialist engineers can learn schematics to craft recipes for Blacksmiths (Plans: Inlaid Mithril Cylinder) and Alchemists (Recipe: Goblin Rocket Fuel).

Engineering Specialization
Engineers may choose to specialize in either Gnome Engineering or Goblin Engineering upon attaining level 30 and 200 skill. Specialization is optional, does not require Artisan Engineering proficiency and cannot be changed later without abandoning Engineering altogether, relearning it from the beginning and reading the book "Soothsaying for Dummies". Gnome Engineering and Goblin Engineering applicants must complete The Pledge of Secrecy and Show Your Work from either a  or  respectively. In order to receive these quests you must first get the respective quest Gnome Engineering or Goblin Engineering from either Lilliam Sparkspindle, the engineering trainer in Stormwind City for Alliance, or Tinkerwiz, the engineering trainer in the large observatory at the northeast edge of Ratchet for either Alliance or Horde.


 * update jan. 2007* As an Undead, I was required to talk to the Journeyman Engineering Trainer in the Rogue Quarter of the Undercity to proceed with a specialization. None of the Expert Trainers would offer the branches. I searched Gadgetzan, Booty Bay, and Ratchet, and couldn't find the 'next step' anywhere. Only one website out of many I checked finally had this info, so I7m posting it here as well.

The Goblin quest can be completed in Gadgetzan and the Gnome quest in Booty Bay. Newly indoctrinated specialist engineers will be rewarded with either a Gnome Engineer Membership Card from the Mechanical Engineering Guild, Associated (MEGA) or Goblin Engineer Membership Card from the Goblin Experimental Engineering Korportation (GEEK). A MEGA/GEEK membership card is required to learn discipline Engineering schematics and expires after 14 days of played time.

Upon completion of Membership Card Renewal (costs ), a new MEGA/GEEK membership card will arrive in the mail within 24 hours along with either Gnome Engineer's Renewal Gift (may contain schematics or Engineering ingredients) or Goblin Engineer's Renewal Gift (may contain schematics or bombs). Membership gifts are the only schematic source for Lil' Smoky and Pet Bombling. MEGA/GEEK membership cards may be destroyed prior to expiration to renew membership early and receive membership gifts more often.

Gnome Engineering
The table below summarizes the variety of items crafted by Gnome Engineers; cooldown, if tradeable and whether Engineering skill or specialization is required to use.

Goblin Engineering
The table below summarizes the variety of items crafted by Goblin Engineers; cooldown, if tradeable and whether Engineering skill or specialization is required to use.

Gnome Racial Bonus
Gnomes have a racial trait of +15 skill bonus to Engineering. Gnomes who train Engineering begin with 16 skill and may progress up to 315 skill. There are no schematics that require greater than 300 skill to learn. However, Gnome Engineers with sufficient skill are able to operate some engineering devices with greater effectiveness and at earlier levels.

Some mechanical guardian pets such as: the various Mechanical Dragonlings and the Gnomish Battle Chicken, base their effective level on engineering skill, using the formula: (Engineering skill level)/5. A level 35 Gnome engineer with 315 skill could summon a level 63 Mechanical Dragonling or Gnomish Battle Chicken (if specialized in Gnome Engineering).

Some engineering items such as: the Gnomish Mind Control Cap and Hi-Explosive Bomb require greater than 225 skill, the proficiency cap for Expert which cannot be raised to Artisan prior to level 35. However, a level 20 Gnome engineer with 240 skill could use such items. This could be useful for a twink in battlegrounds, as they would have access to a wide range of utility items unavailable to other races.