Skinning Leather, Hides, & Scales

Luxrah

The Skinning profession enables players to harvest leather, hides, and scales from the corpses of defeated mobs for use in crafting. Different types and levels of mobs will yield different types of materials when skinned.

Skinnable Mobs

Corpses that can be skinned will have the “Skinnable” tag in their tooltip. You can skin mobs that have been killed by players as long as they have been fully looted. Corpses that still contain loot, or which were killed by a pet or NPC and not tagged by a player, are not skinnable. Beasts make up the largest bulk of skinnable mob types, but not all Beasts can be skinned. For example, birds typically will not be skinnable. Dragonkin can usually be skinned. Some Humanoids can be skinned, typically beast-like creatures such as worgen or yeti. Undead and Demon beasts can be skinned, including nerubians.

Skill Level Required by Mob Level

The skill level that is required to skin a mob varies by the mob’s level. The formula changes as you level, so we’ve laid out the exact skill requirements for each mob level below.

From level 21-73, the formula is very straightforward: multiply 5 by the mob’s level to get the required Skinning skill. So for a level 40 mob, 40 * 5 = 200 Skinning skill required to skin it. You can reverse this by dividing your current Skinning level by 5 to see what the highest level mobs are that you can skin, e.g. a Skinning skill of 300 / 5 = 60 as the maximum level mob you can skin.

Mob Level	Skill Required
92+	600
91	580
90	560
89	540
88	520
87	500
86	485
85	470
84	455
83	450
82	445
81	440
80	435
79	425
78	415
77	405
76	395
75	385
74	375
21-73	Mob level * 5
20	100
19	90
18	80
17	70
16	60
15	50
14	40
13	30
12	20
11	10
5-10	1
1-4	Not skinnable

Pandaria Leather, Hides, & Scales

Magnificent Hide and Hardened Magnificent Hide are not obtained from Skinning. They are both crafted with Leatherworking.

Material	Skinned From	Locations
Prismatic Scale	Beasts (basilisks, crocolisks, scalehides, & turtles)	Zones: Dread Wastes, Krasarang Wilds, Kun-Lai Summit, The Jade Forest, Timeless Isle, Townlong Steppes,Vale of Eternal Blossoms, Valley of the Four Winds Instances: A Little Patience, Fall of Shan Bu, Heart of Fear, Siege of Orgrimmar
Mist-Touched Leather	Mostly Beasts	Zones: Dread Wastes, Isle of Giants, Isle of Thunder, Krasarang Wilds, Kun-Lai Summit, The Jade Forest, Timeless Isle, Townlong Steppes, Vale of Eternal Blossoms, Valley of the Four Winds Instances: Fall of Shn Bu, Isle of Tunder, Greenstone Village, Heart of Fear, Lion’s Landing, Siege of Orgrimmar, Throne of Thunder
Sha-Touched Leather	Mostly Beasts	Zones: Isle of Giants, Isle of Thunder, Krasarang Wilds, Kun-Lai Summit, The Jade Forest, Timeless Isle, Townlong Steppes, Valley of the Four Winds Instances: Heart of Fear, Siege of Orgrimmar, Throne of Thunder

Cataclysm Leather, Hides, & Scales

Heavy Savage Leather is not obtained from Skinning. It is crafted with Leatherworking from 5x Savage Leather.

Material	Skinned From	Locations
Pristine Hide	Beasts & Dragonkin	Zones: Kelp’thar Forest, Mount Hyjal, Simmering Expanse, Tol Barad Peninsula Instances: Blackwing Descent, Grim Batol
Blackened Dragonscale	Dragonkin	Zones: Deepholm, Mount Hyjal, Twilight Highlands Instances: Blackwing Descent, End Time, Grim Batol, The Vortex Pinnacle
Deepsea Scale	Beasts (aquatic)	Zones: Abyssal Depths, Kelp’thar Forest, Shimmering Expanse, Twilight Highlands, Uldum Instances: Zul’Aman, Zul’Gurub
Savage Leather	Mostly Beasts	Zones: Abyssal Depths, Deepholm, Kelp’thar Forest, Molten Front, Mount Hyjal, Shimmering Expanse, Tol Barad, Tol Barad Peninsula, Twilight Highlands, Uldum Instances: Blackrock Caverns, Blackwing Descent, End Time, Firelands, Grim Batol, Lost City of the Tol’vir, The Stonecore, The Vortex Pinnacle, Zul’Aman, Zul’Gurub
Savage Leather Scraps	Mostly Beasts	Zones: Abyssal Depths, Deepholm, Kelp’thar Forest, Mount Hyjal, Shimmering Expanse, Uldum Instances: Blackrock Caverns, The Stonecore

Northrend Leather, Hides, & Scales

Heavy Borean Leather is not obtained from Skinning. It is crafted with Leatherworking from 6x Borean Leather.

Material	Skinned From	Locations
Arctic Fur	Beasts, Undead, & Dragonkin	Zones: Borean Tundra, Crystalsong Forest, Dragonblight, Grizzly Hills, Howling Fjord, Icecrown, Sholazar Basin, The Storm Peaks Instances: Ahn’kahet, The Old Kingdom, Azjol-Nerub, Drak’Tharon Keep, Gundrak, Icecrown Citadel, The Culling of Stratholme, The Nexus, The Obsidian Sanctum, The Oculus, The Violet Hold, Ulduar, Utgarde Keep, Utgarde Pinnacle, Zul’Drak
Icy Dragonscale	Dragonkin	Zones: Borean Tundra, Crystalsong Forest, Dragonblight, Howling Fjord, Icecrown, Sholazar Basin, The Storm Peaks Instances: Pit of Saron, The Culling of Stratholme, The Obsidian Sanctum, The Oculus, The Ruby Sanctum, The Violet Hold, Ulduar, Utgarde Keep
Jormungar Scale	Beasts (worms)	Zones: Borean Tundra, Dragonblight, The Storm Peaks Instances: Ulduar
Nerubian Chitin	Undead (nerubians)	Zones: Borean Tundra, Dragonblight, Icecrown Instances: Ahn’kahet: The Old Kingdom, Azjol-Nerub, Icecrown Citadel, The Culling of Stratholme, Zul’Drak
Borean Leather	Mostly Beasts	Zones: Borean Tundra, Crystalsong Forest, Dragonblight, Grizzly Hills, Howling Fjord, Icecrown, Sholazar Basin Instances: Ahn’kahet: The Old Kingdom, Azjol-Nerub, Drak’Tharon Keep, Gundrak, Icecrown Citadel, The Culling of Stratholme, The Nexus, The Obsidian Sanctum, The Oculus, The Ruby Sanctum, The Storm Peaks, The Violet Hold, Ulduar, Utgarde Keep, Zul’Drak
Borean Leather Scraps	Mostly Beasts	Zones: Borean Tundra, Dragonblight Grizzly Hills, Howling Fjord Instances: Zul’Drak

Outland Leather, Hides, & Scales

Heavy Knothide Leather is not obtained from Skinning. It is crafted with Leatherworking from 5x Knothide Leather.

Material	Skinned From	Locations
Fel Hide	Demons & Beasts (boars, core hounds, dogs, & warp stalkers)	Zones: Blade’s Edge Mountains, Hellfire Peninsula, Nagrand, Netherstorm, Shadwomoon Valley, Terokkar Forest Instances: Karazhan, Shadow Labyrinth, Sunwell Plateau, The Arcatraz, The Blood Furnace
Nether Dragonscales	Dragonkin (nether)	Zones: Blade’s Edge Mountains, Netherstorm, Shadowmoon Valley
Cobra Scales	Beasts (serpents)	Zones: Nagrand, Shadowmoon Valley
Fel Scales	Beasts (basilisks, boars, & ravagers)	Zones: Blade’s Edge Mountains, Hellfire Peninsula, Netherstorm, Terokkar Forest, Zangarmarsh
Wind Scales	Beasts (wind serpents & dragonhawks)	Zones: Blade’s Edge Mountains, Netherstorm, Shadowmoon Valley Instances: Zul’Aman
Crystal Infused Leather	Beasts (basilisks, boars, & ravagers)	Zones: Blade’s Edge Mountains, Hellfire Peninsula, Netherstorm, Shadowmoon Valley, Terokkar Forest, Zangarmarsh
Thick Clefthoof Leather	Beasts (clefthoofs)	Zones: Nagrand, Shadowmoon Valley
Knothide Leather	Mostly Beasts	Zones: Blade’s Edge Mountains, Hellfire Peninsula, Nagrand, Netherstorm, Shadowmoon Valley, Terokkar Forest, Zangarmarsh Instances: Black Temple, Hellfire Ramparts, Karazhan, Tempest Keep, The Arcatraz, The Black Morass, The Blood Furnace, The Shattered Halls, The Underbog, Zul’Aman
Knothide Leather Scraps	Mostly Beasts	Zones: Blade’s Edge Mountains, Hellfire Peninsula, Nagrand, Netherstorm, Shadowmoon Valley, Terokkar Forest, Zangarmarsh Instances: Karazhan, The Arcatraz, The Black Morass, The Blood Furnace, The Shattered Halls

Classic Leather, Hides, & Scales

There are a few leather, hide, and scale materials in the Classic range that are used in Leatherworking patterns, but can’t be obtained via Skinning:

Thin Kodo Leather is a drop from kodos in Mulgore and Northern Barrens.
Slimy Murloc Scale is a drop from murlocs in Ashenvale, Darkshore, Redridge Mountains, Silverpine Forest, Westfall, and Wetlands as well as the Blackfathom Deeps dungeon.
Raptor Hide is a drop from raptors in Arathi Highlands, Dustwallow Marsh, Northern Stranglethorn, and Wetlands.
Thick Murloc Scale is a drop from murlocs in Dustwallow Marsh, Hillsbrad Foothills, and Northern Stranglethorn.
Enchanted Leather is crafted with Enchanting from 1x Rugged Leather and 1x Lesser Eternal Essence.

Materials	Skinned From	Locations
Scale of Onyxia	Onyxia	Instances: Onyxia’s Lair
Primal Bat Leather	Bloodseeker Bat	Instances: Zul’Gurub
Primal Tiger Leather	Zulian Tigers & Cubs	Instances: Zul’Gurub
Core Leather	Beasts (core hounds)	Instances: Molten Core, Firelands
Black Dragonscale	Dragonkin (black)	Zones: Burning Steppes, Dustwallow Marsh Instances: Blackrock Spire, Blackwing Lair
Blue Dragonscale	Dragonkin (blue)	Zones: Azshara, Winterspring Instances: Blackrock Spire
Green Dragonscale	Dragonkin (green)	Zones: Ashenvale, Duskwood, Feralas, Swamp of Sorrows, The Hinterlands Instances: Blackrock Spire, The Temple of Atal’Hakkar
Red Dragonscale	Dragonkin (red)	Zones: Wetlands Instances: Blackrock Spire
Devilsaur Leather	Beasts (devilsaurs)	Zones: Un’Goro Crater
Warbear Leather	Beasts (bears)	Zones: Blasted Lands, Felwood, Western Plaguelands, Winterspring Instances: Dire Maul
Heavy Scorpid Scale	Beasts (scorpids)	Zones: Blasted Lands, Burning Steppes, Silithus Instances: Blackrock Spire
Rugged Hide	Mostly Beasts	Zones: Ashenvale, Azshara, Blasted Lands, Burning Steppes, Eastern Plaguelands, Felwood, Feralas, Silithus, Swamp of Sorrows, The Hinterlands, Un’Goro Crater, Western Plaguelands, Wetlands, Winterspring Instances: Alterac Valley, Blackrock Depths, Blackrock Spire, Blackwing Lair, Dire Maul, Ruins of Ahn’Qiraj, The Temple of Atal’Hakkar, Zul’Gurub
Rugged Leather	Mostly Beasts	Zones: Ashenvale, Azshara, Blasted Lands, Burning Steppes, Eastern Plaguelands, Felwood, Feralas, Silithus, Swamp of Sorrows, The Hinterlands, Un’Goro Crater, Western Plaguelands, Wetlands, Winterspring Instances: Alterac Valley, Blackrock Depths, Blackrock Spire, Blackwing Lair, Dire Maul, Ruins of Ahn’Qiraj, The Temple of Atal’Hakkar, Zul’Gurub
Worn Dragonscale	Dragonkin	Zones: Ashenvale, Azshara, Badlands, Burning Steppes, Dustwallow Marsh, Feralas, Swamp of Sorrows, Tanaris, The Hinterlands, Wetlands, Winterspring Instances: Blackrock Spire, Dire Maul, The Temple of Atal’Hakkar
Thick Hide	Mostly Beasts	Zones: Azshara, Badlands, Blasted Lands, Burning Steppes, Dustwallow Marsh, Eastern Plaguelands, Felwood, Feralas, Northern Stranglethorn, Silithus, Swamp of Sorrows, Tanaris, The Cape of Stranglethorn, The Hinterlands, Un’Goro Crater, Western Plaguelands, Winterspring Instances: Alterac Valley, Blackrock Depths, Blackrock Spire, Maraudon, The Temple of Atal’Hakkar, Zul’Farrak
Thick Leather	Mostly Beasts	Zones: Azshara, Badlands, Blasted Lands, Burning Steppes, Dustwallow Marsh, Eastern Plaguelands, Felwood, Feralas, Northern Stranglethorn, Searing Gorge, Silithus, Swamp of Sorrows, Tanaris, The Cape of Stranglethorn, The Hinterlands, Un’Goro Crater, Western Plaguelands Winterspring Instances: Alterac Valley, Blackrock Depths, Blackrock Spire, Maraudon, The Temple of Atal’Hakkar, Zul’Farrak
Scorpid Scale	Beasts (scorpids)	Zones: Blasted Lands, Burning Steppes, Tanaris, Thousand Needles Instances: Blackrock Depths, Uldaman
Heavy Hide	Mostly Beasts	Zones: Arathi Highlands, Ashenvale, Badlands, Desolace, Duskwood, Dustwallow Marsh, Feralas, Hillsbrad Foothills, Northern Stranglethorn, Southern Barrens, Stonetalon Mountains, Swamp of Sorrows, Tanaris, The Hinterlands, Thousand Needles, Western Plaguelands Instances: Blackfathom Deeps, Razorfen Downs, Razorfen Kraul, Uldaman, Zul’Farrak
Heavy Leather	Mostly Beasts	Zones: Arathi Highlands, Ashenvale, Badlands, Desolace, Dustwallow Marsh, Eastern Plaguelands, Feralas, Hillsbrad Foothills, Northern Stranglethorn, Southern Barrens, Swamp of Sorrows, Tanaris, The Hinterlands, Thousand Needles, Western Plaguelands Instances: Razorfen Downs, Razorfen Kraul, Uldaman, Zul’Farrak
Medium Hide	Mostly Beasts	Zones: Arathi Highlands, Ashenvale, Desolace, Duskwood, Dustwallow Marsh, Hillsbrad Foothills, Loch Modan, Northern Barrens, Northern Stranglethorn, Redridge Mountains, Southern Barrens, Stonetalon Mountains, Swamp of Sorrows, Thousand Needles, Wetlands Instances: Blackfathom Deeps, Razorfen Kraul, Shadowfang Keep, Wailing Caverns
Medium Leather	Mostly Beasts	Zones: Arathi Highlands, Ashenvale, Desolace, Duskwood, Dustwallow Marsh, Feralas, Hillsbrad Foothills, Northern Barrens, Northern Stranglethorn, Redridge Mountains, Southern Barrens, Stonetalon Mountains, Swamp of Sorrows, Thousand Needles, Wetlands Instances: Blackfathom Deeps, Razorfen Kraul, Shadowfang Keep, Wailing Caverns
Turtle Scale	Beasts (turtles)	Zones: Azshara, Dustwallow Marsh, Hillsbrad Foothills, Swamp of Sorrows, Tanaris, The Hinterlands, Thousand Needles Instances: Maraudon
Green Whelp Scale	Dragonkin (whelps)	Zones: Swamp of Sorrows, Feralas
Black Whelp Scale	Dragonkin (whelps)	Zones: Redridge Mountains, Wetlands
Perfect Deviate Scale	Beasts, Elementals	Instances: Wailing Caverns
Deviate Scale	Beasts, Elementals	Instances: Wailing Caverns
Light Hide	Mostly Beasts	Zones: Ashenvale, Azshara, Bloodmyst Isle, Darkshore, Dun Morogh, Duskwood, Ghostlands, Hillsbrad Foothills, Loch Modan, Mulgore, Northern Barrens, Redridge Mountains, Silverpine Forest, Stonetalon Mountains, Westfall, Wetlands Instances: Blackfathom Deeps, Razorfen Kraul, Shadowfang Keep, Wailing Caverns
Light Leather	Mostly Beasts	Zones: Ashenvale, Azshara, Bloodmyst Isle, Darkshore, Dun Morogh, Durotar, Duskwood, Elwynn Forest, Ghostlands, Hillsbrad Foothills, Loch Modan, Mulgore, Northern Barrens, Redridge Mountains, Silverpine Forest, Stonetalon Mountains, Teldrassil, Tirisfal Glades, Westfall, Wetlands Instances: Shadowfang Keep, Wailing Caverns
Ruined Leather Scraps	Mostly Beasts	Zones: Azshara, Azuremyst Isle, Bloodmyst Isle, Darkshore, Dun Morogh, Durotar, Elwynn Forest, Eversong Woods, Ghostlands, Gilneas, Loch Modan, Mulgore, Northern Barrens, Silverpine Forest, Teldrassil, The Lost Isles, Tirisfal Glades, Westfall

Author

Luxrah

I've been playing World of Warcraft on and off since vanilla, usually as a healer or caster and often as a guild leader. I play both retail and classic. I also love RPGs, sandboxes, and sims.