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TBC Anniversary Alchemy Leveling Guide 1-375
Alchemy is one of the most practical professions to level on TBC Anniversary realms because it turns herbs into real power: healing, mana, buffs, and endgame consumables that players constantly buy. Unlike many professions, Alchemy crafts do not feel like “trash items” while you level. Most of what you make has value either through personal use or steady demand on the Auction House.
This TBC Anniversary Alchemy leveling guide covers the full launch period with Outland open. It follows an Ultra cheap AH route mindset: craft in stable brackets, avoid crafting deep into green recipes, and control spending by buying herbs in waves instead of panic-buying at peak hours.
How Alchemy Leveling Works in TBC Anniversary
Alchemy leveling is a simple loop. You choose one efficient recipe for a bracket, craft it in a batch, then move on at the next trainer breakpoint. The gold-saving trick is picking recipes with two advantages: common herbs, and outputs that players actually consume (healing potions, mana potions, useful elixirs).
One thing that confuses new alchemists is “yellow progress.” Yellow recipes do not give a skill point every craft, so totals can vary slightly. The cheapest way to handle this is discipline: stay on the same craft for a few extra tries instead of jumping into awkward alternatives that use rarer herbs.
Ultra Cheap AH Route Rules (What Makes This Guide Actually Cheap)
If you want Alchemy to stay low-cost, these habits matter more than any “perfect recipe list.” They control your real expenses on a live Anniversary economy.
- Buy herbs in waves instead of one giant purchase. Prices swing hard on progression servers.
- Prioritize crafts that are always consumed (healing and mana potions) or reliably used (key elixirs).
- Do not craft deep into green recipes. A few extra crafts is fine, but full green spam burns gold.
- Stock vials early so you do not stop mid-session.
- If you have Herbalism, farm your bottleneck herbs instead of overpaying.
With those rules, Alchemy 1-375 becomes predictable instead of chaotic.
Alchemy Trainer Breakpoints (Do Not Skip These)
Alchemy requires training upgrades at specific skill thresholds. Classic ranks are trained in major cities, while Master Alchemy is trained in Outland once you reach 300.
- Journeyman Alchemy: train at skill 50 (requires character level 10)
- Expert Alchemy: train at skill 125 (requires character level 20)
- Artisan Alchemy: train at skill 200 (requires character level 35)
- Master Alchemy (300+): train in Outland (requires character level 50+)
Before You Start: Recipe + Supplies Checklist (Prevents “Stuck” Moments)
Most leveling routes fail for one simple reason: the player runs out of vials or is missing a vendor recipe. To keep this guide truly Ultra cheap, do this quick checklist before you craft.
- Buy enough vials up front: Empty Vial, Leaded Vial, Crystal Vial, and Imbued Vial for Outland.
- Check vendor availability for “often purchased” recipes (some are limited stock and can be missing on busy realms).
- If a recipe is unavailable, check the Auction House instead of wasting herbs on a worse backup craft.
Tip: vials are usually sold by trade supply vendors (Alchemy Supplies) in major cities, and in Outland hubs. Buying them in bulk saves time and prevents half-finished leveling sessions.
Important Recipe Checklist (Limited Stock + Vendor Recipes)
Some “cheap routes” fail because the player does not have the recipe learned. A few key recipes are commonly bought from vendors (and may be limited stock), so check these early. If the vendor does not have it, the Auction House is usually cheaper than swapping to a worse leveling path.
| Recipe | Used in this guide | Where to get it | Buy notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recipe: Superior Mana Potion | 265-285 (Classic) | Alliance: Ulthir (Darnassus, limited stock) Horde: Algernon (Undercity, limited stock) | Often missing because players flip it on AH. Check again later if it is sold out. |
| Major Healing Potion | 285-300 (Classic) | Commonly trainer-learned in TBC-era rule sets | If you do not see it, double-check your skill and trainer rank. Some older sources mention a Winterspring vendor from pre-TBC. |
| Recipe: Super Mana Potion | 340-355 (Outland) | Alliance: Haalrun (Telredor, Zangarmarsh) Horde: Daga Ramba (Thunderlord Stronghold, Blade’s Edge Mountains) | Faction vendor recipe. If you cannot buy it, check the Auction House. |
| Recipe: Major Dreamless Sleep Potion | 355-375 (Outland) | Leeli Longhaggle (Allerian Stronghold, Terokkar Forest) Daga Ramba (Thunderlord Stronghold, Blade’s Edge Mountains) | Do not start 355+ without this recipe learned, unless you plan to use an alternative finish. |
Important note: NPC inventory and recipe sourcing can vary slightly depending on your realm setup. If a vendor is sold out, check the Auction House before changing the leveling route.
Alchemy 1-60 (Starter Herb Bracket)
This bracket is fast and clean. Minor Healing Potion is cheap, easy to craft, and it remains useful on fresh characters. Keep these potions for leveling, or sell them in smaller stacks if your realm has consistent demand.
| Skill range | Craft | Craft count | Materials needed | Why this step is used |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-60 | Minor Healing Potion | 65 | 65 Peacebloom, 65 Silverleaf, 65 Empty Vial | Fast starter craft, cheap herbs, useful potion output |
Alchemy 60-140 (Journeyman Bracket)
This section is built to keep herb costs stable while you move through early ranks. Lesser Healing Potion is a clean conversion recipe because it uses your Minor Healing Potions and adds only one extra herb. After that, Healing Potion pushes you to 140 without forcing rare mats.
| Skill range | Craft | Craft count | Materials needed | Notes for cost control |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60-110 | Lesser Healing Potion | 65 | 65 Minor Healing Potion, 65 Briarthorn | Efficient conversion step, minimal extra herbs |
| 110-140 | Healing Potion | 35 | 35 Briarthorn, 35 Bruiseweed, 35 Leaded Vial | Stable push, simple herb pair, clean checkpoint |
Alchemy 140-210 (Expert Bracket)
This bracket introduces your first “yellow near the end” experience. That is normal. The cheap approach is to craft a few extra of the same recipe if you get unlucky, rather than switching to a weaker option with worse herb efficiency.
| Skill range | Craft | Craft count | Materials needed | Why this step is used |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 140-155 | Lesser Mana Potion | 20 | 20 Mageroyal, 20 Stranglekelp, 20 Empty Vial | Cheap mana potion bridge, common early herbs |
| 155-185 | Greater Healing Potion | 35 | 35 Liferoot, 35 Kingsblood, 35 Leaded Vial | Reliable healing craft, stable skill gains |
| 185-210 | Elixir of Agility | 30 | 30 Stranglekelp, 30 Goldthorn, 30 Leaded Vial | Bracket carry with a widely used buff |
Alchemy 210-300 (Artisan Bracket)
This is where Alchemy starts producing items that feel relevant for dungeon play and early endgame. To keep the guide readable and avoid unnecessary short sections, the entire 210-300 plan is shown as one table. If you get unlucky on yellow points late in a range, craft a few extra of the same item instead of swapping recipes impulsively.
| Skill range | Craft | Craft count | Materials needed | Why this step is used |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 210-215 | Elixir of Greater Defense | 5 | 5 Wild Steelbloom, 5 Goldthorn, 5 Leaded Vial | Short bridge, cheap and controlled |
| 215-230 | Superior Healing Potion | 15 | 15 Sungrass, 15 Khadgar's Whisker, 15 Crystal Vial | Reliable potion output, steady skill gains |
| 230-265 | Elixir of Detect Undead | 45 | 45 Arthas' Tears, 45 Crystal Vial | Single herb recipe, stable leveling value |
| 265-285 | Superior Mana Potion | 30 | 60 Sungrass, 60 Blindweed, 30 Crystal Vial | Mana potion demand stays strong |
| 285-300 | Major Healing Potion | 20 | 40 Golden Sansam, 20 Mountain Silversage, 20 Crystal Vial | Clean finish to 300 with widely traded herbs |
Classic Price Spike Safety (Arthas’ Tears Problem)
On some Anniversary economies, Arthas’ Tears can be overpriced in prime-time. If Arthas’ Tears is massively inflated, do not panic-buy. Pause this bracket and continue later, or craft a few extra of a different stable potion you already have materials for. Buying during farm-heavy windows usually saves more gold than any route change.
Alchemy 300-375 (Outland Route for TBC Anniversary)
Once Outland is open, Master Alchemy unlocks the most important consumables. To keep this route truly cheap on a live economy, it is built around stable recipes that stay useful and short bridge steps that do not force rare herb waste.
The full 300-375 path is shown as one clean table so you can follow it like a checklist. The only flexible part is 300-315, where you pick the cheapest option on your realm today. The rest is a smooth raid-relevant push with crafts that generally sell well.
| Skill range | Craft | Craft count | Materials needed | Why this step is used |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300-315 | Choose one cheap starter option | 15 | Option A: Volatile Healing Potion (15 Felweed, 15 Golden Sansam, 15 Imbued Vial) Option B: Adept's Elixir (15 Felweed, 15 Dreamfoil, 15 Imbued Vial) Option C: Onslaught Elixir (15 Felweed, 15 Mountain Silversage, 15 Imbued Vial) | Flexible opener that adapts to your server economy |
| 315-330 | Elixir of Healing Power | 25 | 25 Golden Sansam, 25 Dreaming Glory, 25 Imbued Vial | Stable leveling craft with a useful output that often sells |
| 330-335 | Elixir of Draenic Wisdom | 5 | 5 Terocone, 5 Felweed, 5 Imbued Vial | Short bridge, controlled cost, avoids herb waste |
| 335-340 | Super Healing Potion | 5 | 10 Netherbloom, 5 Felweed, 5 Imbued Vial | Very short step, do not overcraft |
| 340-355 | Super Mana Potion | 15 | 30 Dreaming Glory, 15 Felweed, 15 Imbued Vial | Strong demand potion, smooth progression |
| 355-375 | Major Dreamless Sleep Potion | 40 | 40 Dreaming Glory, 40 Nightmare Vine, 40 Imbued Vial | Raid-relevant finish, expect slower yellow points near the end |
If you get unlucky near 372-375, craft a few extra Major Dreamless Sleep Potions instead of swapping early. Switching recipes too fast usually costs more than 3-6 extra crafts.
Outland Price Spike Safety (Nightmare Vine Problem)
Nightmare Vine is a common raid-night spike herb. If the price is too high, do not force the finish on peak hours. Buy Nightmare Vine earlier in the week, buy in waves, or farm it if you have Herbalism. This one habit saves more gold than almost any “alternative recipe” swap.
Alternative Finish Options (If Major Dreamless Sleep Potion Is Not Cheap)
If Nightmare Vine is extremely overpriced or the recipe is unavailable, you can finish 355-375 with other stable crafts. These alternatives are not always cheaper, but they can save you if the market is locked up.
- Craft a different raid-consumed potion or elixir you can sell quickly, then buy the missing herb later.
- Focus on short-batch crafts that do not require rare bottleneck herbs (avoid long green spamming).
- If you have access to Transmutes, sometimes cooldown profit can offset herb spikes while you wait.
Alchemy Specializations (Potion, Elixir, Transmute)
Alchemy specialization is optional for leveling, but extremely valuable for long-term gold. In TBC Anniversary, you typically pick a specialization once you are established in Outland and want consistent profit from free extra procs.
Important requirements: specializations require 325 Alchemy and character level 68. You unlock them through questlines that start in Hellfire Peninsula. This is not something you can do early at level 60, even if your skill is high.
- Potion Mastery: extra potion procs, best for high volume potion markets
- Elixir Mastery: extra elixir procs, strong for raid buffs and flask markets
- Transmutation Mastery: extra transmute procs, ideal for cooldown-driven profit
If you want steady weekly profit with minimal Auction House management, Transmutation Mastery is usually the easiest long-term path. If you want daily high volume sales, Potion or Elixir Mastery can win depending on your realm’s raid culture and pricing.
Total Materials Summary (Shopping List Mindset)
These totals are designed for the route above. Your exact final numbers can vary slightly due to yellow skill-ups. The safest Ultra cheap approach is to buy baseline amounts first and add more only if you truly need it.
Classic 1-300 Herb Totals (Clean Shopping Table)
| Material | Total amount | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Peacebloom | 65 | Minor Healing Potion |
| Silverleaf | 65 | Minor Healing Potion |
| Briarthorn | 100 | Lesser Healing Potion, Healing Potion |
| Bruiseweed | 35 | Healing Potion |
| Mageroyal | 20 | Lesser Mana Potion |
| Stranglekelp | 50 | Lesser Mana Potion, Elixir of Agility |
| Liferoot | 35 | Greater Healing Potion |
| Kingsblood | 35 | Greater Healing Potion |
| Goldthorn | 35 | Elixir of Agility, Elixir of Greater Defense |
| Wild Steelbloom | 5 | Elixir of Greater Defense |
| Sungrass | 75 | Superior Healing Potion, Superior Mana Potion |
| Khadgar's Whisker | 15 | Superior Healing Potion |
| Arthas' Tears | 45 | Elixir of Detect Undead |
| Blindweed | 60 | Superior Mana Potion |
| Golden Sansam | 75 | Major Healing Potion, Outland start option, Healing Power |
| Mountain Silversage | 20 | Major Healing Potion, Outland start option |
| Empty Vial | 85 | Early potions (1-60 and mana bridge) |
| Leaded Vial | 105 | Healing and Greater Healing brackets |
| Crystal Vial | 120 | Sungrass, Arthas' Tears, Major Healing brackets |
Outland 300-375 Materials (Everything in One Place)
| Material | Total amount | Used for | Buy notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imbued Vial | 105 | All Outland crafts | Buy in bulk before you start so you do not stop mid-route |
| Felweed | 35 | 300-315, Draenic Wisdom, Super Healing, Super Mana | Core Outland herb, often cheaper in farm-heavy windows |
| Golden Sansam | 40 | 300-315 option, Elixir of Healing Power | Buy 15 for the start option plus 25 for Healing Power |
| Dreamfoil | 15 | 300-315 option | Only needed if you choose the Dreamfoil opener |
| Mountain Silversage | 15 | 300-315 option | Only needed if you choose the Silversage opener |
| Dreaming Glory | 95 | Elixir of Healing Power, Super Mana, Dreamless Sleep | Buy baseline first, add more only if yellow points force extras |
| Terocone | 5 | Elixir of Draenic Wisdom | Short bridge herb, do not overbuy |
| Netherbloom | 10 | Super Healing Potion | Only used for 5 crafts, keep it tight |
| Nightmare Vine | 40 | Major Dreamless Sleep Potion | Often spikes on raid nights, buy earlier if possible |
Ultra Cheap AH Checklist (Fast, Repeatable, No Waste)
Buy Timing: Avoid Peak Herb Spikes
Herb pricing on progression economies spikes hard during raid nights and prime-time. The cheapest sessions often happen when you buy during farm-heavy windows and craft later. If a bottleneck herb is overpriced, pause your leveling and continue when the market relaxes. Alchemy is easy to level across multiple short sessions, and that flexibility is a real gold advantage.
Yellow Recipe Discipline: Do Not Panic Swap
If a step turns yellow and feels slow, do not instantly jump to a different craft. The cheapest fix is usually crafting 2-6 extra of the same recipe. Swapping often forces you into rarer herbs or awkward recipe chains that cost more than a few extra crafts would.
Sell Smart: Move What Players Actually Consume
- Healing potions and mana potions sell steadily on most realms.
- Elixir of Healing Power and Super Mana Potion often have consistent demand.
- Major Dreamless Sleep Potion is raid-relevant and frequently moves in smaller stacks.
- If sales are slow, list in stacks of 5-10 instead of 20 to match buyer behavior.
Conclusion
Alchemy 1-375 on TBC Anniversary realms is smooth when you treat it like a controlled herb pipeline instead of a random list of crafts. The Ultra cheap AH route works because it pushes you through stable brackets using widely traded herbs, avoids deep green recipe spam, and prioritizes outputs that players actually use.
In Classic brackets, you build momentum with early healing and mana potions, then transition into efficient elixirs and useful consumables as you approach 300. In Outland, you pick a flexible 300-315 start based on your server’s cheapest herb pair, then finish with Elixir of Healing Power, Super Mana Potion, and Major Dreamless Sleep Potion for raid-relevant value. If you buy herbs in waves, stick to stable recipes, and craft a few extras instead of panic-swapping, Alchemy stays predictable, efficient, and genuinely gold-friendly from 1 to 375.