WoW Vanilla Gold Farming Guide

Horde & Alliance Total Realm Gold

Best Gold-Making Locations and Tips

Introduction

In WoW Vanilla, gold is much harder to come by compared to retail World of Warcraft. Earning the 100 gold needed for your first mount at level 40 is a milestone many players struggle to achieve. Quest rewards offer very little gold, and efficient gold farming is essential.

This guide highlights the most useful tips for earning and saving gold, along with reliable farming locations in WoW Vanilla.

General Gold-Making Tips

  1. Create a Bank Alt
    • Level up an alt to at least level 5 and pick up the Enchanting profession. Disenchant low-level green items (BoE) to sell enchanting materials on the Auction House (AH).
    • Use the alt for extra storage and to consolidate gold between your characters. Remember, the mailbox can also serve as temporary item storage.
  2. Loot Everything
    • Even grey items have vendor value, and white items (crafting mats) can sell on the AH. Store valuable items on your Bank Alt or sell them later when prices rise.
  3. Upgrade Your Bags Early
    • Bigger bags mean less time running to vendors and more time farming. Look for quest rewards or ask a Tailor to make bags for a reasonable fee. Key quests for bags:
      • Horde: Deviate Hides (The Barrens) – 10-slot bag.
      • Alliance: Buzzbox 525 (Darkshore) – 6-slot bag.
      • Cortello’s Riddle (Stranglethorn Vale) – 14-slot bag (available to both factions).
  4. Be Selective With Skills
    • Don’t buy every skill or rank. Stick to abilities you’ll use frequently while leveling (e.g., damage-dealing spells/abilities). Avoid utility spells you won’t need often.
  5. Find a Mage Friend
    • Mages can conjure free food and water for you, saving significant gold spent on vendor supplies.
  6. Avoid Auction House Gear Purchases
    • Resist the temptation to buy gear upgrades on the AH unless it’s a cheap weapon or wand that significantly speeds up leveling.
  7. Grind for Gold and XP
    • Grinding mobs at good locations provides steady income from vendor trash, crafting materials, and potential AH items. Farming becomes especially important in Vanilla’s early stages when the economy is underdeveloped.
  8. Choose the Right Professions
    • Skinning is the easiest and most profitable gathering profession while leveling, as you can skin beasts you kill for leather. Mining and Herbalism are also profitable but more time-intensive.

WoW Vanilla Gold Farming Spots

Wetlands

  • Whelgar’s Excavation Site
    • Farm Raptors (Mottled Scythemaws/Razormaws) for Medium Leather (requires Skinning) and vendor trash. Rarely, they drop valuable low-level BoE twink gear.
    • Recommended Level: 25+.

Stranglethorn Vale

  1. Kurzen’s Compound
  2. Cold Eye Basilisks
    • Skin Basilisks for Heavy and Thick Leather. They also drop Large Fangs and Wicked Claws used in crafting. Rare drop: Cold Basilisk Eye (BoE Trinket).
    • Recommended Level: 38+.

Swamp of Sorrows

  • Swamp Jaguars
    • Skin Jaguars for Heavy and Thick Leather. They also drop vendor trash like Large Fangs and Wicked Claws.
    • Recommended Level: 35+.

Felwood

  1. Felwood Bears (Acidmaw/Grizzlies)
    • Skin bears for Rugged Leather, Thick Leather, and Warbear Leather (valuable for crafting). They also drop vendor trash.
    • Recommended Level: 48+.
  2. Jadefire Satyrs
    • Farm Satyrs in the northwest for Felcloth, Runecloth, and vendor trash. Felcloth sells well on the AH for crafting Shadow Resistance gear.
    • Recommended Level: 52+.

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