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Guide to Engineering Specializations in Classic WoW

At Engineering skill 200 and character Level 30, you can specialize in Gnomish or Goblin Engineering. This guide lists the items each specialization can craft to help you choose between the two. Some items require a specific specialization to use, while others are crafted by one specialization but are usable by any engineer.

Table of Contents:

  1. Gnomish or Goblin Engineering?
  2. Full list of Gnomish and Goblin Engineering Recipes
  3. Gnomish Engineering Quest
  4. Goblin Engineering Quest
  5. Changing Engineering specialization

1. Gnomish or Goblin Engineering?

When deciding which specializations to choose, you should focus on items exclusive to that specialization. Many recipes crafted by one specialization can be used by both, meaning you can buy them from other Engineers.

There are three types of items that Gnomish and Goblin Engineers can craft:

  1. Specialization-Exclusive items that require a specific specialization to use. These items can only be used by engineers with a specific specialization.
  2. Bind on Pickup (BoP) items that a specific specialization can craft, but you can still use them after switching specialization. (switching costs a lot of gold)
  3. Bind on Equip (BoE) items that both specializations can use, but only one can craft. (You can buy them)

You should not base your decision on items you will only craft once and could have just bought at the Auction House from another Engineer.

Which Engineering specialization is better?

There is a method to get the benefits of both specializations. What I usually do is go Gnomish, craft every BoP recipe, drop Engineering, re-level it, and then go Goblin as my final specialization.

Most items crafted by Goblin are consumable, whereas Gnomish is toys and trinkets that can be used after you switch. If you do Goblin first, you'll not be able to craft some of the most powerful explosives in the game for yourself and need to buy them regularly if you want to use them. The only thing that you miss out this way is the Gadgetzan portal.

Switching Engineering specialization costs a lot of gold and effort because you have to drop Engineering, re-level it, and then choose the other specialization. (you can read more about this at the bottom of the guide)

If you only want to pick one specialization, I recommend reading through the full list of recipes below to help you decide which specialization is more useful to you.

2. Full list of Gnomish and Goblin Engineering Recipes

2.1. List of Specialization-Exclusive items

Specialization-exclusive items that require Goblin or Gnome Engineering to use. You can't use them anymore if you switch to the other specialization.

Gnomish
Ultrasafe Transporter - Gadgetzan Teleport to Gadgetzan in Tanaris
World Enlarger A fun item that makes you smaller. This effect is similar to the Noggenfogger elixir's shrink.

Goblin
Dimensional Ripper - Everlook Teleport to Everlook in Winterspring

2.2. List of BoP items

BoP items that both specializations could theoretically use, but they Bind on Pickup. That means you can still use them if you drop Engineering, re-level it, and then choose the other specialization.

WARNING: Switching your specialization costs a lot of gold because you have to re-level Engineering.

Gnomish
Lil' Smoky Non-combat pet.
Gnomish Battle Chicken A trinket that creates a Battle Chicken that will fight for you for 1.50 min or until it is destroyed. (20 Min CD)
Gnomish Death Ray A trinket that does high damage to both you and your target. 4-sec cast. (5 Min CD)
Gnomish Goggles Low-level Cloth helm

Goblin
Pet Bombling Non-combat pet.
Goblin Bomb Dispenser Creates a mobile bomb that charges the nearest enemy and explodes for 315 to 385 fire damage. (30 Min CD)
Goblin Dragon Gun Trinket that Deals 61 to 69 fire damage for 10 sec to all targets in a cone in front of the engineer using the weapon.(5 Min CD)
Goblin Mining Helmet Mail helm with +5 Mining
Goblin Construction Helmet Cloth Helm with +15 Fire Resist. With on use effect that absorbs 300 to 500 Fire damage. Lasts 1 min. (1 Hour CD)

2.3. Bind on Equip (BoE) items and Consumables

Both specializations can use these items, but only one can craft them. You can buy them at the Auction House from another Engineer.

Gnomish

Goblin
Gnomish Rocket Boots Goblin Rocket Boots
Gnomish Shrink Ray Goblin Mortar
Alarm-O-Bot The Big One (Consumable)
Gnomish Mind Control Cap Goblin Rocket Helmet
Gnomish Net-o-Matic Projector Goblin Sapper Charge (Consumable)
Gnomish Harm Prevention Belt Goblin Jumper Cables XL (Consumable)

3. Gnomish Engineering Quest

To Become a Gnomish Engineer, you have to complete the following quests:

  1. Pick up the Gnome Engineering quest from Springspindle Fizzlegear in Ironforge.
  2. Deliver the quest to Tinkmaster Overspark, then pick up The Pledge of Secrecy.
  3. Right click on the Overspark's Pledge of Secrecy in your inventory to complete the quest.
  4. Accept the Show Your Work quest.
  1. Go to Rachet and pick up Gnome Engineering from Tinkerwiz.
  2. Use the ship to go to Booty Bay, then find Oglethorpe Obnoticus. Pick up the next quest The Pledge of Secrecy.
  3. Right click on the Oglethorpe's Pledge of Secrecy in your inventory to complete the quest.
  4. Accept the Show Your Work quest.

 

To complete the quest, you will need the following items:

The Schematic: Accurate Scope recipe is sold by Mazk Snipeshot in Booty Bay. It's a limited-supply recipe, so you must wait if someone bought it before you. (or buy it at the Auction House)

Total Raw Materials needed:

4. Goblin Engineering Quest

To Become a Goblin Engineer, you have to complete the following quests:

  1. Pick up Goblin Engineering from Tinkerwiz in Ratchet.
  2. Go to Gadgetzan in Tanaris and pick up The Pledge of Secrecy from Nixx Sprocketspring.
  3. Right-click on the Nixx's Pledge of Secrecy in your inventory to complete the quest. Then pick up Show Your Work.

To complete the quest, you will need to craft the following items:

Total Raw Materials needed:

5. Changing Engineering Specialization

The only way to switch your specialization is to COMPLETELY unlearn Engineering and then level it back up again. Here is how to do it step by step:

5.1. Unlearn Engineering

Open your character info, click on the Skills tab at the bottom, and unlearn Engineering.

Doing this will cause you to lose all your recipes and skill points!!!

5.2. Level Engineering

You have to level Engineering back up to 200 again. You don't have to do any quests again after this.

Use my Classic Engineering Leveling Guide 1-300 to quickly get back to 200.

5.3. "Soothsaying for Dummies"

Now go to Steamwheedle Port in Tanaris and click on the "Soothsaying for Dummies" book inside a hut. The exact location is marked in the picture below. Once you've read it, you can take up the other specialization.