A trainer is a special type of NPC that gives out class abilities and spells, profession skills and recipes, or weapon skills. Most of these improvements cost money (increasing with level) and only become available at certain levels. Guards in capitals can point players to the nearest trainer.
Players looking to increase their skill in a profession need to find a skilled trainer to help out.
Types of trainers
Class trainers
Interact with trainer
Trainer out of range
- Death knight trainer
- Druid trainer
- Hunter trainer (with pet trainers)
- Mage trainer (with portal trainers)
- Paladin trainer
- Priest trainer
- Rogue trainer
- Shaman trainer
- Warrior trainer
- Warlock trainer
Primary profession trainers
- Alchemy trainer
- Blacksmithing trainer
- Enchanting trainer
- Engineering trainer
- Herbalism trainer
- Inscription trainer
- Jewelcrafting trainer
- Leatherworking trainer
- Tailoring trainer
- Mining trainer
- Skinning trainer
Secondary profession trainers
Other trainers
Trainer titles
Grand Master
Grand Master is a title given to a trainer who can train a character to the Grand Master stage of a profession (requires ).
Grand Master Trainers can be found in various far-flung locations for each faction in Northrend, but most are found in the faction starting towns of (
Valgarde and Valiance Keep for the Alliance, 
Vengeance Landing and Warsong Hold) for the Horde, and Dalaran for both factions.
Master
Before Patch 2.3, Master was a title given to a trainer who could train a character to the Artisan stage of a profession. After Patch 2.3, most Master titles were removed from trainers, and all capital city trainers could train up to Artisan.
In the past, Master Trainers would be found in various far-flung locations for each faction. Some were even found inside dungeon instances!
Other titles
Previous to Patch 2.3, profession trainers used to also have various levels of trainer titles from Journeyman to Expert to Artisan, such that they could only train to below the level of their title. Now in Azeroth (except Northrend), there is a main trainer and an occasional apprentice trainer (mostly in Silvermoon City and Undercity for some reason).
Patch changes
- Patch 2.3.0 (2007-11-13): All primary profession trainers outside of capitals (Alchemy, Blacksmithing, Enchanting, Engineering, Leatherworking, and Tailoring) have been changed to train up to Artisan level (skill level 300) in their respective professions.
- Patch 2.3.0 (2007-11-13): The capital cities now possess Artisan level trainers for the primary professions they support, and are surrounded by their newly-dubbed Apprentices where applicable.
- Patch 3.0.2 (2008-10-14): Demons now learn skills as the character Levels. Existing Trainers/Grimoire sellers were either removed or turned into redundant NPCs.
See also
- Pre-release weapon trainers for info on historical separate weapon skill trainers.