Smelt everything yourself with Mining to cut costs. Train weaponsmith/armorsmith later; not required for leveling.
Classic Route (1-300)
Skill
Craft
Notes
1-25
Rough Sharpening/Weight Stones
Rough Stone.
25-65
Coarse Sharpening/Weight Stones
Coarse Stone.
65-75
Copper Chain Belt/Bracers
Copper Bars.
75-90
Rough Bronze Leggings
Bronze Bars.
90-110
Patterned Bronze Bracers
Bronze Bars + Coarse Grinding Stone.
110-125
Green Iron Leggings/Helm
Iron Bars + Heavy Grinding Stone.
125-140
Golden Scale Bracers
Iron + Gold Bar.
140-150
Green Iron Bracers/Hauberk
Iron.
150-165
Solid Grinding Stone
Solid Stone.
165-185
Heavy Mithril Gauntlets/Boots
Mithril Bars + Mageweave (small).
185-200
Mithril Spurs
Mithril + Thick Leather (sells well).
200-210
Dense Sharpening Stone
Dense Stone.
210-235
Thorium Belt/Bracers
Thorium Bars.
235-250
Radiant Belt/Boots
Thorium + Heart of Fire (cheap).
250-265
Imperial Plate Bracers/Boots
Thorium Bars.
265-280
Thorium Helm/Leggings
Thorium Bars.
280-300
Imperial Plate Helm/Chest or Thorium Armor
Thorium; expect yellows.
TBC Shopping List (300-375)
Material
Qty
Notes
Fel Iron Bar
280
300-335 crafts.
Adamantite Bar
300
335-360 crafts.
Felsteel Bar
40
Smelt: 3 Adamantite + 2 Eternium.
Eternium Bar
40
For Felsteel; smelt from ore.
Primal Earth
40
Hardened/Felsteel pieces.
Primal Fire
20
Weapon crafts.
Primal Water/Air
10 each
Optional blue weapons.
Arcane Dust
40
For some sockets/enchants.
Spec into Weaponsmith/Armorsmith only if you want the items; not required to reach 375. Later swap to Master Hammersmith for Stormherald if desired.
TBC Route (300-375)
Skill
Craft
Notes
300-315
Fel Iron Plate Gloves/Boots
Fel Iron.
315-325
Fel Iron Breastplate/Helm
Fel Iron; vendor plans.
325-335
Fel Iron Chain Tunic/Belt
Fel Iron; push to 335.
335-350
Adamantite Breastplate/Helm
Adamantite heavy.
350-360
Adamantite Plate/Weighted Flask
Stay cheap with Plate Bracers/Helm.
360-365
Felsteel Gloves/Helm
Blue items; small RNG.
365-375
Adamantite Weapon Chain / Large Adamantite Shuriken
Use cheaper recipe available from vendor; or Ragesteel pieces if mats cheap.
WotLK Shopping List (375-450)
Material
Qty
Notes
Cobalt Bar
220
375-400 crafts.
Saronite Bar
520
400-440 crafts.
Titanium Bar
60
For Titansteel cooldown or epics.
Eternal Earth
60
Basic Saronite gear.
Eternal Shadow
40
Tempered/Savage Saronite.
Eternal Water/Fire/Air
20 each
For certain blue epics.
Frozen Orb
8
Leveling epics; replace if cheap.
Crystallized Fire/Earth
100
Optional if lacking Eternals.
Use Titansteel cooldown (20h) for Titansteel Bar—profit on epic crafts. Specializations removed; no weaponsmith/armorsmith gating.
WotLK Route (375-450)
Skill
Craft
Notes
375-380
Notched Cobalt War Axe / Horned Cobalt Helm
Cobalt.
380-400
Spiked Cobalt Bracers/Boots/Belt
Cobalt; pick the cheapest mat.
400-415
Saronite Defender / Saronite Gauntlets
Saronite + Eternal Earth.
415-425
Savage Saronite (Gloves/Legs/Shoulders)
Saronite + Eternal Shadow.
425-440
Horned Cobalt Helm? (Grey) switch to Spiked Titansteel Helm/Boots if mats cheap
Prefer continued Savage Saronite if AH prices good.
440-450
Any Titansteel piece (Helm/Boots/Guardian)
Use Frozen Orbs + Titansteel; or continue Savage Saronite with patience on yellows.
Cata Shopping List (450-525)
Material
Qty (approx.)
Notes
Obsidium Bar
120
450-475 Folded Obsidium.
Elementium Bar
160
The workhorse bar 475-515.
Pyrium Bar
30
Top-end crafts.
Volatile Earth / Fire
40 each
Armor and weapon crafts.
Ebonsteel Belt Buckle (525) is one of the best evergreen sellers in Cataclysm content — every new belt needs one. The Blacksmithing perk (extra gem sockets on your own bracers + gloves) is best-in-slot value.
Cata Route (450-525)
Skill
Craft
Notes
450-475
Folded Obsidium
2 Obsidium Bars per craft; keep them for Stormforged items.
475-490
Stormforged / Redsteel pieces
Trainer recipes using Folded Obsidium.
490-510
Elementium armor (Hardened Elementium set)
Elementium Bars + Volatiles.
510-525
Pyrium weapons / Ebonsteel Belt Buckle
Buckles sell; weapons disenchant well for Enchanting.
MoP Shopping List (525-600)
Material
Qty (approx.)
Notes
Ghost Iron Bar
300+
Nearly the entire climb runs on Ghost Iron.
Trillium Bar
20
Top-end crafts; smelt from Black+White Trillium.
Spirit of Harmony
10
Bind-on-pickup catalyst from Pandaria mobs.
Living Steel Belt Buckle is MoP's buckle equivalent and sells to every fresh 90 gearing for Siege of Orgrimmar. Masterwork weapons at the top end are solid disenchant fodder or catch-up gear.
MoP Route (525-600)
Skill
Craft
Notes
525-550
Ghost Iron armor pieces
Trainer recipes; pure Ghost Iron Bars.
550-575
Ghost-Forged set
Still Ghost Iron; craft pieces you can vendor or DE.
575-590
Contender's plate sets
Sells to PvP alts and transmog hunters.
590-600
Living Steel Belt Buckle / Masterwork weapons
Living Steel from Alchemist transmutes.
Gold & Tips
Pairing
Mining (smelt everything to save).
Cooking/First Aid for self-sustain while leveling.
Profit
Mithril Spurs, Weapon Chains, Rods.
Titansteel cooldown crafts (helms/boots/epics).
Savage Saronite PvP pieces sell early WotLK.
Cooldowns
Titansteel Bar (20h). Use smelt macro in a capital near mailbox.
Check daily AH for cheap ores; prospectors raise ore prices.
Use mining route in Sholazar/Icecrown for Saronite/Titanium.
Level Faster with RestedXP
Follow optimized smelt/craft breakpoints and farm routes to reach 450 without burning gold on overpriced bars.