Blacksmiths take bars of metal from miners and form them into exquisitely forged arms and armor. There are many unusual weapons and other armaments that cannot be found on any of the vendors or monsters in the game, but can only be created by blacksmiths. Blacksmiths can produce weapons, mail armor for paladins or warriors, and trade items.
Blacksmiths can create special sharpening and weight stones that can be used to temporarily improve weapon damage. They can also create several items that are used as components for other profession recipes, such as enchanting. Blacksmiths can also create a few items that are needed for quests. They can put these items in the auction house to produce extra income.
If you plan on being a blacksmith, you should likely already be a miner. Miners gather ore and smelt ore into bars to produce the majority of blacksmithing items. Blacksmith recipes often include jewels, which are found in a variety of places. Typically, most blacksmiths buy or are given rare jewels from other players. Some blacksmithing recipes need leather, which you will need to buy from a skinner.
Blacksmithing is great for paladins or warriors, who can use the skill to create their own equipment. It is also good for producing money by marketing weapons and armor to the classes that can use them.
First you need to locate a blacksmithing trainer. Ask a guard for directions in a major city. Blacksmithing trainers are normally located near a forge or anvil. After you have learned basic blacksmithing, open up your abilities book (hit "p") and look for the "blacksmithing" icon that has been added to your abilities.
Now you need to go buy yourself a "blacksmithing hammer." These are usually sold by a "trade merchant" or other merchants near the blacksmithing trainer. You must have your blacksmithing hammer with you whenever you create an item. Some items don't require you to be near an anvil to create them.
There are hidden trainers throughout the world who can teach you new and special recipes. You can also buy new recipes from other players or find them as drops from monsters. There are special quests specifically for blacksmiths. Blacksmiths can open locks by creating and using skeleton keys. There are blacksmithing recipes available to seasoned blacksmiths via a series of turn-in quests. There are also armorsmithing recipes that are available to master armorsmiths. All three recipes are gained via quest.
Additional blacksmithing recipes can be found in encoded messages found on the members of the twilight's hammer in silithus. Blacksmiths can create resistance gear, especially useful in raids. Blacksmiths can create special rune attachments to shields or armor for bonuses. Blacksmiths can create rods used by enchanters. Blacksmiths can create sharpening stones and weightstones that can be applied to weapons for additional bonuses.
