World of Warcraft: Inscriptions

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With the Echoes of Doom content patch, a new profession has been added to World of Warcraft. Players can now choose to train a character in Inscription, a skill used to create Glyphs and other items. Glyphs are the big new thing in Azeroth. They can be added to a character to enhance a spell or ability to great advantage. Additionally, as the materials to make glyphs are relatively inexpensive (typically 5-10 herbs), it's not unthinkable that one would change glyphs, depending on the situation. One might equip one set of glyphs to raid and replace them with another set to PvP, much as one would use different potions for different occasions.

Glyphs are class specific and can be traded, mailed and sold on the Auction House. There is a new category on the Auction House, labelled Glyphs. If you click this link, you'll find a sub-menu of the various classes. Click on a class and you'll get a listing of the glyphs currently on sale that can be used by that class.

Scribes learn to inscribe glyphs from Trainers or through discoveries. Glyphs above level 350 and the certain inscription recipes can only be learned from the trainers in Northrend. Additionally, the ingredients for higher-level glyphs are only found in Northrend. As a result, glyphs above that level will be unavailable until Wrath of the Lich King is released and Northrend is added to the World of Warcraft geography. Certain glyphs are learned through the discovery. As a result, they will not be as universally available as the trainable glyphs. Their relative rarity will no doubt impact their price.

Glyphs fall into two categories: Major and Minor. As I'm sure you have surmised, major glyphs give a major boost to a spell or ability, while minor glyphs give a boost of lesser impact. Until a character reaches Level 15 they cannot use glyphs at all. Once a toon reaches level 15 they can add one major and one minor glyph. At level 30, one can have two major and one minor glyph. At level 50 you gain the ability to use an additional minor glyph. At level 70, one can add two major and three minor glyphs to a character. We will have to wait until our characters are level 80, after Wrath of the Lich King is released, to add a 3rd major glyph to our characters. The glyphs themselves have a level requirement, which will impact new characters that are levelling up. A character must be Level 70 to use the Glyph of Mass Dispel, for example.

Glyphs are created using herbs. A scribe will mill a stack of 5 herbs into a pigment. Pigments are used to make ink. Other supplies can be purchased from an inscription vendor.

On the bottom tab of your spell book you'll find a new tab labelled Glyphs. If you open this tab, you'll see three large circles separated by smaller circles. Your glyphs will be added into these circles. Once you obtain a glyph, head to a Lexicon of Power to add it to your character. The Lexicon of Power will be found near the Inscription Trainer in all the major cities of Azeroth: Darnassus, Exodar, Ironforge and Stormwind for Alliance; Orgrimmar, Silvermoon, Thunderbluff and Undercity for Horde. There is no Lexicon of Power in Shattrath. The Lexicons of Power in Outlands are located in Honor Hold for Alliance and Thrallmar for Horde.

To add the glyph, stand next to a Lexicon of Power, right click on the glyph in your inventory. Your glyph menu will open. Now left click on the circle where you wish to add the glyph, large circles for major glyphs and small circles for the minor ones. Glyphs are unique. You can only have one of each type equipped.

Scribes are not limited to making glyphs, however. They can make a number of additional items as well. These include certificates of ownership, off-hands, scrolls, vellum and tarot cards.

Certificates of ownerships are items created for hunters. They allow a hunter to change the name of his or her pet. There is a seven day cool-down on this item. This is not for use on the non-combat companions that can be owned by any player.

Scribes can now make scrolls. Where once players had to depend on drops or fishing up the item to obtain a scroll, now they can contact their favorite scribe. With Echoes of Doom, scrolls up to level 6 can be made for Agility, Intellect, Spirit, Stamina and Strength. When Wrath of the Lich King is released, Scribes will be able to make Scrolls up to level 8.

Good news for Enchanters: No longer do you need to hang in a major city and spam Trade to sell your enchants. Scribes can make vellum. Enchanters can buy vellum and place an enchant on it for later use. These enchanted vellums can be traded or sold to others, placed on the Auction house or mailed to another character.

Scribes can create Tarot cards, which start quests. While the tarot cards created can be traded to anyone, only Inscribers can use the decks, which start the quests. Higher-level scribes will be able to make standard Darkmoon cards, such as a Two of Portals. These cards can be traded and sold.

Scribes can also make a number of off-hand items for their own use. This will surely increase the value of single-handed weapons. Now a scribe can have a library of tomes from which to choose. This will give a player with the inscription profession the option of swapping out a book that gives Intellect, Spell Power and Critical Strike for one that adds +20 to your Fire Resistance when a certain fight demands it.

Another scribe-only benefit from Inscription is the ability to make and use Scrolls of Recall. These, in a sense, act as an additional hearthstone returning the user to the inn to which they are bound. One must use an appropriate level Scroll of Recall, however, or suffer unpredictable results. Level I SoR are accurate to level 40. Level II SoR are unpredictable past level 70. Level III SoR should be reliable to level 80.

Scribes can also make and use Master of Inscription items. These are similar to shoulder enchants, as they can be added to a scribe's shoulder armor to enhance that piece. These do not stack with shoulder enchants.

Be sure to explore the many aspects this new profession brings to World of Warcraft. An excellent site to visit for information on all things Inscription is El's Professions. Find the information on Inscription at: http://www.elsprofessions.com/inscription/.