Heirloom Enchanting

This screenshot is of the islands off the southern coast of Tanaris. It has nothing to do with today's post. I just wanted to show it off. Now, onto creating an heirloom enchanting empire.

What Are Heirloom Enchants?

Heirloom enchants are the best enchants that can be placed on a level 1 item, most people leveling alts with heirloom gear, which is soon to be everyone come Cataclysm, pick up these enchants to enhance their heirloom weapons and chest pieces. Depending upon the materials, the desireablity of the enchant, the rarity of the recipe, and the amount of competition you have on your server selling these enchants can be quite profitable and the prices will only rise during the weeks before and after the launch of the expansion.

Preparation

Currently heirloom enchants sell fairly well. I generally sell 3-6 a day on my medium population server. However, if you really want to capitalize on the huge wave of incoming alts you need to start working on a stockpile of the enchants you plan to sell. To do this the first thing that you need is a scribe. If you don’t have an inscriptionist then get your bank alt to at least level 5 and pick up inscription. At skill level 75 you can learn to make Weapon Vellum I. It is very important that you have your own supply of scrolls as Weapon Vellum I is often scarce to nonexistent on the AH, and when it is available it is often expensive. Depending on the price of low level herbs you may also want to farm your own herbs to make your scrolls. Armor Vellum I is less expensive on the AH, but you might as well make your own anyway.

Secondly you need to decide what recipes you will be picking up. Keep an eye on the AH for what each enchant is selling for and if you have any regular competitors. Some recipes are easy to pick up, while some of the best ones are very difficult, involving very low drop rates and in some cases, reputation grinds. Everyday check to see if anyone is selling any of the BOE recipes, you could get lucky and pick one up from someone who doesn’t realize how much it is worth. Other than that, pick your poison and get grinding.

Thirdly, if you plan to stockpile you are going to need a huge quantity of materials. For the sake of your sanity do not farm every single material you will need. Get to know the AH, buy cheaper and readily available materials and farm those that are expensive or have limited supplies.

The Best Enchants

The following are the most popular/ best in slot enchants for heirlooms. They sell for the most money, this also means the recipes are a pain to get, but having at least a few of them is essential to building an heirloom enchanting empire.

Enchant Weapon Crusader – Very popular enchant, although righteous orbs can be a bit expensive/illusive. This is a pain in the butt to get although with some patience or some luck very doable for anyone. Low drop rate off Scarlet Archmages and Scarlet Spellbinders in Eastern Plaguelands around 54, 23. 4 Large Brilliant Shards 2 Righteous Orbs

Enchant Weapon Fiery Weapon – Melee who don’t get crusader will probably be picking this up. 15-20% drop off Pyromancer Loregrain in Blackrock Depths, fairly easy to farm, but often readily available from the AH. 4 small radiant shards 1 essence of fire

Enchant Weapon Spellpower – very low drop rate off bosses in Molten Core. 4 large brilliant shards 6 greater eternal essence, 2 golden pearls

Enchant Weapon Healing Power – Drops off the same mobs as the Spellpower Enchant although this enchant has 1 less spellpower. However, due to the rarity of these recipes, consider yourself lucky no matter which one you get. Unless you are extremely lucky, or really love Molten Core your best bet is to find it on the AH. If you do manage to get either Spellpower or Healing Power however you will make yourself a boat load of money due to its extreme desirability and rarity. 4 large brilliant shard 4 Greater Eternal Essence 4 Essence of Water

Enchant Chest- Greater Stats – very low drop rate off many outland mobs as well as elite old world mobs, not really farmable, best to get from AH. 2 large brilliant shards 6 illusion dust

Enchant Chest Major Mana – trainable 8 illusion dust

Enchant Chest Major Health – limited stock from Qia in Everlook. 2 small brilliant shards

Slightly Less Popular Enchants

These enchants won’t sell in the same volume as the above ones but they will sell, especially if you advertise them (more on that later). The advantage of these is that you often have less competition.

Enchant Weapon Lifestealing – 10% drop off Spectral researchers in Scholomance 4 large brilliant shard 4 essence of undeath 4 living essence

Enchant Weapon Icy Chill – 4% drop off of Anguished Highborne in Winterspring 4 Small Brilliant Shards Essence of Water Essence of Air Icecap

Enchant Weapon Agility- Requires Timbermaw Hold Honored. 4 large Brilliant Shards 4 essence of air

Enchant 2H Weapon Agility – Requires friendly with Timebermaw Hold. 8 large brilliant shards 4 essence of air

Enchant Weapon Mighty Intellect – Requires revered with Thorium Brotherhood, rare but good, probably better with stat changes coming in Cataclysm. 6 large brilliant shards 5 greater eternal essence 20 illusion dust

Enchant Chest- Stats - trained, this is worse than Greater Stats but many people will take this enchant because it is cheaper and more readily available. 1 large radiant shard 3 dream dust 2 greater nether essence

Materials

As I stated above, pick and choose what to buy and what to farm in accordance with availability, price, and your own mental health.

Large Brilliant Shard- 56-65 blues

Small Brilliant Shard- 51-60 blues

Small Radiant Shard- 40-45 blues

Greater Eternal Essence - 56-65 green weapons

Greater Nether Essence – 46-50 greens

Illusion Dust – 56-65 green armor

Dream Dust – 46-55 green armor

Righteous Orb- Stratholme

Golden Pearl – these really suck to get and are usually exspensive on the AH although it’s a good idea to check for any deals frequently. Low drop rate from Big Mouth Clams which can be farmed from Naga in Feathermoon Stronghold or Dustwallow Marsh.

Essence of Undeath – Eastern Plaguelands or Stratholme

Living Essence – Dire Maul or Felwood

Essence of Fire – many places, Burning Steppes, Un’Goro Crater, and Blackrock Depths to name a few

Essence of Water – Eastern Plaguelands by the lakes, or fished from Patch of Elemental Water in Azshara

Essence of Air – Elementals in Silithus

Icecap- an herb found in Winterspring

Making The Sale

Reminding people that you can enchant your heirloom items can significantly increase your sales. 1-2 weeks before Cataclysm comes out, make a macro that tells people what heirloom enchants are and includes links to the ones that you have for sale on the Auction House. This can be especially helpful if you are selling some of the less popular ones since you can alert them that they are viable heirloom enchants and are now available on the Auction House, for a fee of course.