Enchanting

Enchanting allows a player to increase the bonus that an item gives to the player wearing it, as well as make a few trinkets that will benefit the enchanter only. Enchanters can enchant bound items in the "will not be traded" slot in the trade window, as well as items in their possession. With the addition of the Inscription profession in Wrath of the Lich King, Enchanters can enchant scrolls (created by Inscriptionists) which can be sold on the Auction House, or mailed to a friend, guild member, or alt, rather than requiring the enchanter to be present when the item is enchanted.

Enchanting in Classic WoW

Enchanting is the most advanced tradeskill. This means it will take a lot of time\money and effort to level, considerably more than another tradeskill. Enchanting adds bonuses to armor and weapons; some examples of the higher lvl bonuses are:

+7 stamina for bracers
+3 all stats for chest pieces
+5 resist all for cloaks
+4 damage for 1 handed weapons

Raising enchanting involves applying enchantments to weapon\armor pieces, using the various dusts\essences\shards for ingredients. Often a player will level the skill using their own armor, repeatedly applying enchantments to their own pieces.

The expensive part about enchanting is acquiring the ingredients. There are 3 main ways to do so:

1. Disenchant every green\blue magic item you find
2. Have a second trade that makes magic items for you to disenchant - a good one is tailoring as it does not require an additional collection skill
3. Buying ingredients or items to disenchant from the auction house

As a warning it costs a lot of money to raise enchanting, and due to the fact that you have to participate in applying enchantments, its harder to sell them to try and recoup costs (i.e. you cant sell enchantments like leather patches in the AH, to sell enchantments you have to stand around and advertise which takes time away from playing).

The final trainer to reach artisan enchanting is more difficult to get to than other professions. You will need to travel to Uldaman to find the artisan trainer, an early 40's instance located in The Badlands. Best way to make a trainer run is to go in the back door, and the trainer is in the third scorpid room along the right path at the crossroads.

Enchanting Formulas in Classic WoW

Enchanting in The Burning Crusade

A player can become a Master Enchanter and begin enchanting items with enchantments from the Burning Crusades expansion at Level 50. Enchanting trainers are found at Honor Hold (Alliance) and Thrallmar (Horde) in Hellfire Peninsula, the Stormspire in Netherstorm, Scryer's and Aldor's Tiers in Shattrath City. Master Enchanters can learn enchantments up to 375 skill. Formulas in The Burning Crusade (currently only dropped patterns listed)

Enchanting in Wrath of the Lich King

A player can become a Grand Master Enchanter and begin enchanting items with enchantments from the Wrath of the Lich King expansion at Level 65, with an enchanting skill of 350. Enchanting trainers are found in the Borean Tundra at Valliance Keep (Alliance) and Warsong Hold (Horde), in Howling Fjord at Valgarde (Alliance) and Vengeance Landing (Horde), in Dalaran at the Magus Commerce Exchange, and in Icecrown at the Argent Tournament. Grand Master Enchanters can learn enchantments up to 450 skill.