By Magni’s beard! Archeology has arrived in World of Warcraft: Classic with the release of Cataclysm. As the present world is falling apart, plenty of futures are at risk. So, why not piece together the past? You’ll learn about the history of Azeroth, earn some epic rewards, and have fun while doing it!
To get the most out of this secondary profession, you’ll need to max out your level,and I’m not talking about getting a level 80-character boost! This guide will help you hit level 525 in archeology so that you can unlock your well-deserved rewards, such as the Fossilized Raptor mount.
Table of Contents
Learning Archeology
Archeology is a secondary profession, meaning that you can learn it without sacrificing one of your two slots for primary professions. As such, there’s no reason to not learn it. Before we explore how to get started, it should be noted that Dwarves, the drunken defenders of the Alliance, have a racial ability designed to make archeology a lot easier.
To begin your archeology journey, you must first learn the profession. The only prerequisite is that your toon is level 20+. The following trainers can teach you this skill. If you don’t want to chase coordinates, you can ask a guard in a major city for the appropriate trainer.
Neutral Trainers
- Boduro the Seeker, Shattrath (62.5, 70.2)
- Dariness the Learned, Dalaran (48.5, 38.6)
Alliance Trainers
- Diya, The Exodar (34.6, 66.8)
- Doktor Professor Ironpants, Ironforge (75.6, 11.6)
- Faena Woolybush, Dustwallow Marsh (66.2, 45.2)
- Falda Fardelve, Borean Tundra (57.6, 71.6)
- Gerdra Fardelve, Hellfire Peninsula (53.6, 65.8)
- Hammon the Jaded, Darnassus (43.2, 83.6)
- Harrison Jones, Stormwind (85.6, 25.8)
- Hugen Goldwise, Howling Fjord (58.2, 62.4)
- Stephanie Krutsick, Darkshore (50.6, 20.6)
Horde Trainers
- Adam Hossack, Undercity (76.0, 36.4)
- Belloc Brightblade, Orgrimmar (49.0, 79.6)
- Elynara, Silvermoon City (81.6, 63.8)
- Ian Thomas Wall, Howling Fjord (79.4, 29.2)
- Lindarel, Borean Tundra (41.2, 53.8)
- Otoh Greyhide, Thunder Bluff (75.8, 28.0)
- Sirabel, Hellfire Peninsula (52.4, 36.0)
Getting Started: Finding Your First Dig site
Now that you’ve learned the profession, it is time to put it to use. Starting out in the Eastern Kingdoms or Kalimdor is always a safe bet, as you can start in these zones the moment you pick up the profession. Travel to your continent of choice and open up your map. Zoom out to the continent view. You should see a few small shovel icons in various zones. These are dig sites, areas where archeological discoveries can be made. They do not reset on logout, death, or server restart. You must deplete a dig site before a new one comes along.
So, how do you deplete a dig site? It’s actually pretty simple! First, you need to travel to a zone with an active dig site. Take advantage of shortcuts, as the travel times can be quite long. Once you are in your selected zone, a red area will appear on your map. This is where your adventure begins.
Surveying
It’s time to really get started! In your spellbook, you’ll find the survey ability. You’ll use this in a dig site to begin your hunt. A tripod will appear along with a light that will be red, yellow, or green. The color of the light indicates how close you are to your find. Following the direction in which the tripod is pointing, you’ll want to move a lot if it’s red, a bit if it’s yellow, and just a smidge if it’s green. After you move the appropriate distance, use survey again. Continue this process until an object appears. Click on the object to loot it for fragments and maybe even keystones! We’ll talk more about keystones and solving artifacts soon.
Levels 1-50
For the first 50 levels of archeology, you’ll want to survey dig sites and loot artifact fragments. Do not solve any artifacts just yet—save those for the next section. You stop getting skill points for looting fragments after you hit 50. By utilizing the ability to gain 1 skill point per looted fragment while you can, you’re able to make your journey a lot quicker and more efficient.
Levels 50-75
Once you hit 50, head to the nearest trainer for archeology. You’ll need to learn the next level of archeology, Journeyman, before continuing.
After you’ve unlocked Journeyman, you can begin assembling artifacts using fragments and keystones. To explain a bit further, fragments are the most basic resource. You can have up to 200 fragments of each type at any given time. The types are sorted by species/race. Keystones are rarer, but they are equivalent to 12 fragments. You can use at most 3 keystones per artifact.
For each artifact that you solve, you will receive at least 5 skill points. If the artifact is a rare one, you will get 15 skill points. You cannot specifically select which artifact to pursue. The type of artifact does not factor in when it comes to how much skill you gain. Only the rarity matters.
Levels 75-525
As you continue to progress, you’ll need to visit your trainer for each of the following sections of archeology skill.
- Basic (Covered)
- Journeyman (Covered)
- Expert
- Artisan
- Master
- Grand Master
- Illustrious Grand Master
The process for getting to max level is the same from level 50 onward.
Common Questions
A lot of players investing time into archeology aren’t just curious about the history of Azeroth! Here we’ll cover some of the most frequently asked questions.
Why should I level up my archeology skill?
This question depends on your goals. Archeology can award some fairly powerful gear that binds to your account, mounts that can ride you into battle with a fabulous sense of ancient style, and various other items that players may find useful. Keystones can be used to buff your party in certain dungeons if your skill level is high enough. Overall, archeology is a secondary profession that will adapt to your needs!
Can I still have fun with archeology if I do not play Alliance?
Of course! The racial passive for Dwarves is merely a bonus. As previously stated, archeology can prove valuable for any player with any playstyle!
How long will it take me to max out my skill? Many players report that they were able to complete their archeology journey within about a day’s worth of gameplay.
Closing Thoughts
Archeology is one of the few good things to come out of Deathwing’s reign of destruction. This secondary profession can provide you with many things, including perks in dungeons and epic mounts. There’s no reason to hesitate, so get started today!
