Inscription Leveling Guide!

[Blazara]

Firstly, this is a copy and paste.
I take no credit for this guide.
I am simply providing it to the MMOwned community, as others may not find it
(Its from a forum post on elsproffesions.com)

ORIENTATION

Inscription: Best Profession Ever?

Welcome to the Inscription profession! My name is Windshield, and I'll be your guide. Well, I suppose you could figure it out on your own, but you'd probably be wasting time, not to mention gold. I've already wasted that time and gold for you.

But don't let this talk of time and gold intimidate you. Inscription is actually a relatively inexpensive and painless profession, especially compared to old favorites like Enchanting or Blacksmithing. Sure, it does require a crapload of herbs, and there's a good bit of randomness, but it's nothing like the aforementioned goldsinks. If you buy your herbs early, you can keep your materials costs fairly low. You will be able to sell or use everything you produce. But above all, consider this. All professions, even Jewelcrafting, have periods of slow and highly expensive leveling. Inscription has none of these.


Inscription is also quite useful and enjoyable. Glyphs are going to be a huge part of the game. Leveling isn't bad, either. You never feel like you're making something that will be wasted. And for the RPers out there, having to stop every now and then to mill herbs and make ink for your next batch of glyphs really makes the whole leveling process feel tangible.


Mission Statement


The purpose of this guide is to get you (and me, honestly) through the levels with minimum cost and maximum predictability. While these things cannot always be achieved, we will do our best.


Using the Guide


If you use this guide to level Inscription, it's best that you follow it closely and don't go astray. If you prefer a glyph over one I've chosen, and you know that it has the same leveling properties, then go for it. Otherwise, I recommend sticking to the guide. Don't exceed the level ranges or start early on anything unless it's indicated in the text.


The Basic Process


This is pretty much how Inscription works:


1. Gather herbs from a particular herb category (listed below). Officially, any herb from a given category is as valuable as another, so it's best to choose the cheapest herbs. (There's some debate on this, by the way.) Note that your herbs only count if they're in groups of five. So for example, having 14 Peacebloom is the same as having 10 Peacebloom, since you can't use the left-over 4.


2. Mill 5 of any one herb from a given category. (RP angle: You're crushing the herbs, basically.) This yields 2-4 pigment. Yes, it's that random. Milling also has a chance to yield a secondary pigment.


3. Now you make ink from the pigment. Most inks require 2.


4. Finally, after all that hard work, you can make glyphs. Some glyphs require 1 ink, but others require 2. We're going to favor the cheaper glyphs when we have the choice. Leveling with glyphs gets much smoother around 100. At this point, you'll learn a new glyph basically every 5 levels. It will be orange for all 5 of those levels, which is good. The downside is that you pretty much have to speak to the trainer every 5 levels. But that's why you stand next to the NPC.


Parchments


All glyphs and scrolls require parchments. Instead of listing them under every glyph name (that would just be redundant), I tell you how many stacks to buy before each phase. These figures will give you a bit extra.


Quantities


Some item quantities are minimums. This is only the case if an item has turned yellow, but that does happen in some places, especially early in the leveling process. What does this mean? It means that you will often have to mill and make ink as you go to fill in the missing levels. This is no big deal, really. Just something to expect. This is also why the material quantities listed below are bare minimums.


Trainers


It's best to find an Inscription trainer close to a mailbox, for obvious reasons. I'm told that the Horde trainer in Silvermoon at the Court of Sun has a mailbox almost right next to him (thanks, Wharep). The trainers in Ironforge and Exodar are very close to mailboxes. Stormwind... not so much. Darnassus is okay, but you have to climb a freaking ramp every time you go back. When you get to 300, you'll need to get to a Master or Grand Master trainer. Pre-expansion, Alliance will find the NPC in Honor Hold near the Enchanting trainer. You need to go inside the tower that's sort of between the inn and the keep. This offers much less mailbox convenience, but you should be doing less traveling at this point. The Horde trainer is in Thrallmar, also in a tower next to an Enchanting trainer.

Materials

Each milling produces 2-4 pigment. Unfortunately, this wide range is reflected when we attempt to calculate how many herbs we actually need. It's best to assume an average yield of 2.7 (thanks to El's work) and stockpile extra.

PIGMENTS
REQUIRED

HERBS REQ
(RANGE)

HERBS REQ
(2.7 AVG)

ALABASTER

77

100–195
5–9.75 stacks

145
7.25 stacks

DUSKY

20

25–50
1.25–2.5 stacks

40
2 stacks

GOLDEN

120

150–300
7.5–15 stacks

225
11.25 stacks

EMERALD

140

175–350
8.75–17.5

260
13 stacks

VIOLET

110

140–275
7–13.75 stacks

205
10.25 stacks

SILVERY

70

90–175
45–8.75 stacks

130
6.5 stacks

NETHER

110

140–275
7–13.75 stacks

205
10.25 stacks

Herb Categories

You will find this information repeated in the leveling guide where it is useful.

ALABASTER
Peacebloom
Silverleaf
Earthroot

DUSKY
Mageroyal
Briarthorn
Swiftthistle
Bruiseweed
Stranglekelp

GOLDEN
Wild Steelbloom
Grave Moss
Kingsblood
Liferoot

EMERALD
Fadeleaf
Goldthorn
Khadgar's Whisker
Wintersbite
VIOLET
Firebloom
Purple Lotus
Arthas' Tears
Sungrass
Blindweed
Ghost Mushroom
Gromsblood

SILVERY
Golden Sansam
Dreamfoil
Mountain Silversage
Plaguebloom
Icecap

NETHER
all Outland herbs

LEVELING

1
Buy a Virtuoso Inking Set from the vendor.


1
Buy 4 stacks of Light Parchment.


1
MILL ALABASTER HERBS
Peacebloom
Silverleaf
Earthroot
until you get
Alabaster Pigment x 77


1-18
Ivory Ink x 17Alabaster Pigment x 17
Be sure you level all the way to 18. If you fall short after making 17 Alabaster Pigment, mill more Alabaster herbs.


18-35
Scroll of Stamina x 17Ivory Ink x 17
Feel free to sell your extra Ivory Ink.


35-60
Moonglow Ink x 30Alabaster Pigment x 60
Keep going until you reach 60. In fact, you can make as many extra Moonglow Ink as you like. Once Inscription goes live, you will need one Moonglow Ink every day for your Minor Inscription Research (to discover minor glyphs). For this stretch of leveling only, skip ahead as necessary. Past 90, it's generally a bad idea. Whatever you do, save 1 Moonglow Ink for level 87.


60-87
Armor Vellum x 27Moonglow Ink x 27
Since much of this is yellow, there's a chance you will need to mill more herbs to make a couple more Moonglow Ink (if you didn't make extra ink). If you do have extra Moonglow Ink, feel free to take this to 90 to avoid Hunter's Ink and the need for Verdant Pigment. I would not take this item past 90, though.


87-88
Minor Inscription Research x 1Moonglow Ink x 1
This is your daily.


88
MILL DUSKY HERBS
Mageroyal
Briarthorn
Swiftthistle
Bruiseweed
Stranglekelp
until you get at least
Dusky Pigment x 20
Verdant Pigment x 2
Subtract your current level from 90. That is how many Verdant Pigment you absolutely need.


88-90
Hunter's Ink x 2Verdant Pigment x 2
Stop at 90. Sell any extra Verdant Pigment.


90
Midnight Ink x 10Dusky Pigment x 20


90-100
Glyph of Maul x 10Midnight Ink x 10


100
Buy 6 stacks of Common Parchment.


100
MILL GOLDEN HERBS
Wild Steelbloom
Grave Moss
Kingsblood
Liferoot
until you get at least
Golden Pigment x 120
Burnt Pigment x 5


100-105
Lion's Ink x 60Golden Pigment x 120


105-110
Glyph of Fade x 5Lion's Ink x 5


110-115
Glyph of Rending x 5Lion's Ink x 5


115-125
Glyph of Healing Touch x 10Lion's Ink x 10


125-130
Dawnstar Ink x 5Burnt Pigment x 5
Use up your Burnt Pigment, but stop at 130. If you're not able to reach 130, start Glyph of Blink early and carry it to 135. (If you start Glyph of Blink early, you will need to make extra Lion's Ink.)


130-135
Glyph of Blink x 5Lion's Ink x 10


135-140
Glyph of Garrote x 5Lion's Ink x 10


140-150
Glyph of Sunder Armor x 10Lion's Ink x 20


150
MILL EMERALD HERBS
Fadeleaf
Goldthorn
Khadgar's Whisker
Wintersbite
until you get at least
Emerald Pigment x 140
Sell whatever Indigo Pigment you get.


150-155
Jadefire Ink x 70Emerald Pigment x 140


155-160
Glyph of Evocation x 5Jadefire Ink x 5


160-165
Glyph of Gouge x 5Jadefire Ink x 5


165-170
Glyph of Shadow Bolt x 5Jadefire Ink x 5


170-175
Glyph of Overpower x 5Jadefire Ink x 5


175-180
Glyph of Aimed Shot x 5Jadefire Ink x 10


180-185
Glyph of Cleansing x 5Jadefire Ink x 10


185-190
Glyph of Sap x 5Jadefire Ink x 10


190-200
Glyph of Revenge x 10Jadefire Ink x 20


200
Buy 7 stacks of Heavy Parchment.


200
MILL VIOLET HERBS
Firebloom
Purple Lotus
Arthas' Tears
Sungrass
Blindweed
Ghost Mushroom
Gromsblood
until you get at least
Violet Pigment x 110
Sell whatever Ruby Pigment you get.


200-205
Celestial Ink x 55Violet Pigment x 110


205-210
Glyph of Improved Scorch x 5Celestial Ink x 5


210-215
Glyph of Sinister Strike x 5Celestial Ink x 5


215-220
Glyph of Searing Pain x 5Celestial Ink x 5


220-225
Glyph of Barbaric Insults x 5Celestial Ink x 5


225-230
Glyph of Ice Block x 5Celestial Ink x 10


230-235
Glyph of Dispel Magic x 5Celestial Ink x 5


235-240
Glyph of Slice and Dice x 5Celestial Ink x 10


240-250
Glyph of Cleaving x 10Celestial Ink x 10


250
MILL SILVERY HERBS
Golden Sansam
Dreamfoil
Mountain Silversage
Plaguebloom
Icecap
until you get at least
Silvery Pigment x 70
Sapphire Pigment x 5


250-255
Shimmering Ink x 35Silvery Pigment x 70


255-260
Scroll of Spirit V x 5Shimmering Ink x 5


260-265
Glyph of Freezing Trap x 5Shimmering Ink x 5


265-270
Glyph of Bone Shield x 5Shimmering Ink x 5


270-275
Glyph of Frost Strike x 5Shimmering Ink x 5


275-280
Ink of the Sky x 5Sapphire Pigment x 5
Stop at 280. If you fall short of 280, mill more Silvery herbs for another Sapphire Pigment.


280-285
Glyph of Mana Gem x 5Shimmering Ink x 5


285-290
Glyph of Execution x 5Shimmering Ink x 5


290-300
Glyph of SprintShimmering Ink
Levels 290-295 are yellow, and levels 295-300 are green. That green stretch is the most painful stretch you'll ever see in Inscription. Which is to say that Inscription is not very painful. There is even a way around this. If you can buy Ethereal Ink at a reasonable price or get some from a Scribe friend, do this:


295-300
Scroll of Stamina VI x 5Ethereal Ink x 5
As noted above, only make these if you can buy Ethereal Ink at a reasonable price or get some from a Scribe friend. This recipe is learned only from Master (or higher) Inscription trainers. You'll have to find one at 300 anyway. (See the trainer information in the Orientation section.)


300
Buy 4 stacks of Resilient Parchment.


300
MILL NETHER HERBS
all Outland herbs
until you get at least
Nether Pigment x 110
Ebon Pigment x 5-12


300-305
Ethereal Ink x 55Nether Pigment x 110


305-315
Scroll of Strength VI x 10Ethereal Ink x 10


315-320
Scroll of Agility VI x 5Ethereal Ink x 5


320-325
Glyph of Sweeping Strikes x 5Ethereal Ink x 5


325-330
Darkflame InkEbon Pigment
Stop at 330. These are green points, but there are only 5 of them. You're doing this do avoid an expensive 5-point stretch. Since you made 110 Nether Pigment, you should have enough Ebon Pigment. In the unlikely event that you don't, just mill more Nether herbs to get them. If you're having horrible luck and really don't want to mill more Nether herbs, do this:


325-330
Glyph of Mage Armor x 5Ethereal Ink x 10
This is alternate. If you're at 330 (which you should be), skip to this:


330-335
Glyph of Windfury Weapon x 5Ethereal Ink x 10


335-340
Glyph of Arcane Power x 5Ethereal Ink x 10


340-345
Glyph of Death Strike x 5Ethereal Ink x 10


345-350
Glyph of Whirlwind x 5Ethereal Ink x 5


350
Congratulations! You've reached 350. While you can go further, there's not much practical value in it. Wrath professions begin at 350. You will have several new cheap orange recipes at this level.


350-365 (OPTIONAL)Glyph of Frost TrapEthereal Ink
The glyphs in this range are orange from 350-355, yellow from 355-360, and green from 360-365. The first 10 points are relatively painless, but the last 5 are not. I strongly recommend against 360-365. If you do decide to level beyond 350, feel free to choose among all the glyphs in this level range.

[Earelad]

I +rep cuz i liked it : > (x2)

[Tropem]

Repped you becuse i .. Umm, hated to see that you still was a leecher..

[Blazara]

<3 to you guys :]] <3

[Sweatysack]

Nice guide man, hate to see people be leechers.... +Rep

[Blazara]

Thank you all :]

[BaboonX]

I would never rep you for copy and pasting, why?
-You didn't put any effort in this what so ever.
-I can just google "inscription leveling guide" and this well come up.

Though, thanks for sharing it, Its a nice guide, just wish people wouldn't give rep because of it......