One new feature in the latest World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor expansion is the ‘Garrisons’ feature, there is a lot of buzz surrounding it, but everyone still seems to be confused over what the WoW garrisons actually are how exactly to use them.
In this WoW Garrison Guide, we are going to take a look at all of the garrison mechanics and how you can use them to advance your World of Warcraft gameplay.
First up we are going to take a look at what the best wow garrison buildings; Let’s settle the confusion once and for all.
What is a Garrison?
The first question you might be asking is – What is a Garrison is World of Warcraft? Well, A WoW Garrison is your own city in Lunarfall, Shadowmoon Valley (Alliance) or Frostwall, Frostfire Ridge (Horde) that you build and expand with your own preferences that suit you or your character’s gameplay experience.
From what I have learned playing the game since the new expansion release is to build your Garrison up to what suits you best or what will benefit you for the future of your Garrison and/or your gaming path via PvE or PvP. For sure, though, two primary gathering professions you do not have to have learned will level the other professions you already possess (I will cover this in the next section).
If you fear you can not find everything that you usually would within a city like the Auction House or the Bank, you can quickly get to Ashran via a short flight path or portal to get to there.
What are garrison plots in WoW?
Plots are basically the sections that you build on. Each level of Garrison (maximum level 3) gives you certain sized plots in which you decide to build on. The buildings which are suited for these plots will be explained in another section.
Level 1 Garrison
As soon as you have opened up your Garrison, once you got out of Tanaan Jungle via questing, your level 1 Garrison will open up as soon as you have completed a couple of quests in the faction that you have chosen; this is either in Frostfire Ridge or Shadowmoon Valley. At this level, you have your town hall (in this case a small building), one large plot and one small plot.
Level 2 Garrison
Once you have managed to get the blueprint for upgrading to level 2, you will get one large plot, one medium plot, two small plots, one fishing shack, one farm and one mine. Earlier on, I mentioned that there were 2 gathering professions in which you do not need to learn to farm them, this is the mine and the farm. The mine allows you to mine ores daily as a lot of the non-gathering professions such as jewel crafting and engineering require these.
The farm is your herb garden, whereby for the same reason as the mine, a lot of the professions will require the herbs to level up your professions like cooking, jewelcrafting, alchemy, etc. Therefore, the rumours which you may have heard that selling certain materials in Auction House will not earn you as much is true due to the availability of them, no more late-night mining sessions! however, crafting mats into something a lot more useful via other professions will still generate you a decent income.
The fishing shack is where you get your fishing daily from, these are also important as a lot of alchemy and cooking uses the fish flesh to craft certain things.
Level 3 Garrison
As soon as you get the blueprint and gather enough Garrison Resources, this final Garrison expansion gives you two large plots, two medium plots, 3 small plots, one farm, one mine, one fishing shack and one pet menagerie.
The pet menagerie is basically where you can sort out your collection of pets, pet quests and other things that come with the building when unlocked.
WoW Garrison Buildings Guide
There are so many different buildings to choose from that could suit your character’s needs; e.g. your collection of followers, professions levelling, PvP or raiding needs. The list below will briefly explain what they each do in a nutshell and what benefit you will gain from them when reached level 3.
If you have a certain profession learnt, the buildings that you have built linked to that will give you more recipes by making tokens to learn more recipes like back in Wrath of the Lich King.
There are a lot of people in trade chat asking Where to find a Wow Garrison buildings guide, which garrison building is better or what certain buildings do (I don’t recommend spamming trade). Please also note that all of the buildings being listed below (except the Barracks) including the mine and farm all carry out work orders; also the followers which have the trait for certain professions can be used at that particular building as it will give unique bonuses.
Large plots
Dwarven Bunker/War Mill
This building is best suited for raiding and for upgrading your followers’ armours. The work orders, in exchange for your Garrison resources, will grant you upgrade gear for your followers and at level 3, it will give you a free Seal of Tempered Fate (bonus roll of WoD raids) instead of paying for all of it (3 per weekly).
Barracks
This is based on your missions and your followers. When you reach you level 3, you get more experience in patrolling missions, a bodyguard to around with you in Draenor and an extra 5 followers to be used for your missions or working traits on other buildings.
Mage Tower
This building only benefits if you are genuinely lazy and can’t be bothered to use flight paths to get around Draenor. At level 3 it will open up 3 portals to anywhere in Draenor with the odd proc of Rune of Power which is more beneficial to mages.
Stables
For those who love to collect their mounts, this is the one for you. This building allows you to capture and train special mounts alongside of being able to do your gathering professions whilst mounted. The level 3 benefit will allow you to have an extra mount run speed of 20% in Draenor.
Gnomish Gearworks/Goblin Workshop
This fun and cool building give you a personal engineer. This engineer can make siege engines that will help you with lower quests or attack level 100 elites. Not only that, it can create cool gadgets, inventions and devices.
Medium Plots
Barn
This building is particularly useful for raiding and crafting professions. This is mainly because at level 3, you get to capture elite beasts to harvest Savage Blood which is needed for most epic craftings on Leatherworking, Tailoring, Jewelcrafting, etc. The capturing of the beasts are super beneficial to Leatherworking, Tailoring and Cooking as the captured beasts will drop recipes and materials needed for crafting and raiding.
Lunarfall Inn/Frostwall Tavern
There are a lot of perks for this building, especially for those who are into their PvE. Firstly, to those who likes to use their followers, they can be recruited weekly. Secondly, the dungeons quests from these can reward several things, such as gear, pets, toys and Apexis Crystals. On top of the collectors’ dreams, you can also get certain transmog gear too!
Lumber Mill
Particularly useful for gathering timber for your Garrisons Resources through work orders. It is one of the best ways to gather your resources if you are stuck on how else to upgrade your buildings or doing your work orders or even continuing your missions. By level 3, you can chop down large timber and there are several achievements linked to this building especially titles.
Gladiator’s Sanctum
Perfect for those who are into PvP. You could say it is one of the ultimate lazy ways of grinding honour points as the work orders require broken bones which can be dropped a lot at Ashran when fighting Hordes. Not only will the work orders give you honour points, it can give you some ilvl 600 or ilvl 620 PvP gear. Once reached to level 3, you can do the Nemesis questing (a specific race killing quests); you get reduced damage when you fall below 35% health and you have access to the Highmaul Coliseum.
Trading Post
The upside to having this building is that you can exchange your resources for crafting materials needed. This is rather beneficial for crafting professions and whilst raiding, there are more chances of these materials to drop. You will also get an Auction House with access to the Shattari Defense or Laughin Skull faction. Once reached to level 3, there’s an account-wide reputation in Draenor gain by 20%
Small Plots
Alchemy Lab
Best for Alchemists. When you don’t have this profession, you could craft some lesser potions.
Enchanter’s Study
Best for Enchanters. When you don’t have this profession or you enter a friend’s Garrison that has this building you can disenchant the unwanted gear into dusts or shards.
Engineering Works
Best for Engineers. When you don’t have this profession, you can still craft some gadgets and a ilvl 630 gun from the building. Similar to the large building, you can make some things that are cool. This that are crafted from this profession can sell at a high price in Auction House.
Gem Botique
Best for Jewelcraftors. If you don’t have this profession, some gems and accessories can be crafted from the building. Things that can eventually be crafted such as epic rings and epic gems can be sold at a high price in Auction House too.
Salvage Yard
You can gather Crate of Salvage mainly from your mission and sometimes raiding and open them up in this building. These will open up low level BoEs to sell or for transmog. This crates can also drop followers gear upgrade items and a chance of ilvl 665 gear for yourself.
Scribe’s Quarters
Best for Inscription. If you don’t have this profession you can craft some cards or weapons from this building. You could also make money from things crafted here.
Storehouse
This is basically a bank for your Garrison. You can access your bank, guild bank and the Etheral Trader for Void Storage and Transmorgrification. This also gives 5 extra work orders to all your buildings in that Garrison (this is particularly useful for any alts that you don’t play a lot).
Tailoring Emporium
Best for Tailoring. If you don’t have this profession, you can craft some ilvl 640 items and capes from the building. Money can be made in Auction House with some of the crafted things.
The Forge
Best for Blacksmiths. Not having the profession can still allow you to craft ilvl 640 plate and 630 weapon from the building. Also a good gold generator if some items are on Auction House.
Conclusion
In conclusion, every building is very beneficial to your Garrisons. The only advise I could give is to build whatever is going to benefit your professions and levelling experience the most, whether by profession-based, raiding based, PvP based, etc. If you are worried about how much resources you will need to gather to build a whole new one, there are lots of Garrison resource calculators on the net.
