Without further ado, here is the most efficient way to level Inscription but do note that you may have to train glyphs frequently. As you are leveling you can usually learn new glyphs every 5 skillups from the trainer. They will be orange when first learned so make sure you are only using orange glyphs to level unless otherwise specified. If your glyphs turn yellow, head back to the trainer.
Stage 1: Inscription 1 - 75. Alabaster Pigment Stage.
Herbs: Peacebloom, Silverleaf, Earthroot.
Materials used 6 - 7 stacks herbs, ~60 Alabaster Pigment (min), 15 Ivory Ink, 20 Moonglow Ink, 35 Light Parchment.
What to craft:
1 - 20 = Ivory Ink
20 - 35 = Scroll of Stamina
35 - 55 = Moonglow Ink
55 - 75 = Armor Vellum
Stage 2: Inscriptions 75 - 100. Dusky Pigment Stage.
Herbs: Mageroyal, Briarthorn, Swiftthistle, Bruiseweed, Stranglekelp.
Materials used 4 - 5 stacks herbs, 1 Alabaser Pigment, 40 Dusky Pigment, 1 Moonglow Ink, 20 Midnight Ink, 22 Light Parchment.
What to craft:
75 - 76 = Minor Inscription Research (20 hour cooldown, not counting Beta bugs)
76 - 80 = Midnight Ink (Make all 20 ink before you continue crafting)
80 - 100 = Any orange recipe class glyph.
Stage 3: Inscriptions 100 - 150. Golden Pigment Milling Stage.
Herbs: Wild Steelbloom, Grave Moss, Kingsblood, Liferoot.
Materials used 10 - 11 stacks herbs, ~100 - 110 Golden Pigment, ~50 - 55 Lion's Ink, ~10 Dawnstar Ink, ~40 - 45 Common Parchment
What to craft:
100 - 105 = Lion's Ink (Make 50 Ink to start)
105 - 125 = Various class glyphs using orange recipes only
125 - 135 = Dawnstar Ink (as many as you can with the pigment you've milled) and various orange class glyphs if you haven't hit 135 from the Ink alone.
135 - 145 = Any orange recipe class glyph.
145 - 150 = Strange Tarot (If you have enough Dawnstar Ink you can start making these sooner)
Stage 4: Inscriptions 150 - 200. Emerald Pigment Stage.
Herbs: Fadeleaf, Goldthorn, Khadgar's Whiskers, Wintersbite
Materials used 10 - 11 stacks herbs, ~80 - 90 Emerald Pigment, 20 Indigo Pigment, ~40 Jadefire Ink, 20 Royal Ink, 40 Common Parchment
What to craft:
150 - 155 = Jadefire Ink (Make 40 Ink to start)
155 - 175 = Any orange recipe class glyph.
175 - 180 = Royal Ink
180 - 190 = Any orange recipe class glyph.
190 - 200 = Arcane Tarot (provided you've made enough Royal Ink for 10, if not make some more class glyphs from 190-195 to compensate)
Stage 5: Inscriptions 200 - 250. Violet Pigment Stage.
Herbs: Firebloom, Purple Lotus, Arthas' Tears, Sungrass, Blindweed, Ghost Mushroom, Gromsblood
Materials used 8 - 10 stacks herbs, ~90-100 Violet Pigment, 15 Ruby Pigment, 45 - 50 Celestial Ink, 15 Fiery Ink, 40 Heavy Parchment
What to craft:
200 - 205 = Celestial Ink (Make 45 Ink to start)
205 - 225 = Any orange recipe class glyph.
225 - 230 = Fiery Ink (If you don't get to 230 from the pigment you have, make any orange recipe class glyph to finish)
230 - 235 = Any orange recipe class glyph.
235 - 250 = Weapon Vellum II (If you don't have enough Fiery Ink, make class glyphs to fill in between 235 - 240)
Stage 6: Inscriptions 250 - 290. Silvery Pigment Stage.
Herbs: Sansam, Dreamfoil, Mountain Silversage, Plaguebloom, Icecap
Broken down into 2 substages:
Sub-stage 6A: 250 - 275
Materials used 6 - 7 stacks herbs, 60 Silvery Pigment, 30 Ink, 35 Heavy Parchment, ~10 Sapphire Pigment
What to craft:
250 - 255 = Shimmering Ink (Make 45 Ink to start)
255 - 260 = Scroll of Spirit V
260 - 275 = Any orange recipe class glyph.
275 - 285 = Ink of the Sky. (Depending how much Sapphire pigment you have you may have to make more gyphs to finsh)
285 - 290 = Any orange recipe class glyph.
Substage 6B: 290 - 300 Silvery or Nether Pigment Stage
Herbs: Sansam, Dreamfoil, Mountain Silversage, Plaguebloom, Icecap
OR Any Outlands herbs.
Method 1 - If you have to make your own inks, you will have to use Shimmering Ink recipes until 300.
Materials used **very rough estimate 4 - 10 stacks Silvery Pigment herbs. 40 - 100 Silvery pigment, 20 - 50 Shimmering Ink, 20 - 50 Heavy Parchment
290 - 295 = Any yellow recipe class glyph.
295 - 300 = Any green recipe class glyph. (Can take anywhere from around 20ish - 50+ to get your 5 skill points)
OR!
Method 2 - Requires access to a crafter who can make Ethereal Ink . You must go to Outlands to learn these patterns and will not be able to make the Ink yourself until you hit 300.
Materials used 2 stacks of Nether Pigment Herbs, 20 Nether Pigment, 10 Ethereal Ink, 20 Heavy Parchment
290 - 295 = Scroll of Stamina VI
295 - 300 = Scroll of Spirit VI
Stage 7: Inscriptions 300 - 350. Nether Pigment Stage.
Herbs: Ragveil, Felweed, Dreaming Glory, Terocone, Nightmare Vine, Netherbloom, Mana Thistle, Ancient Lichen
Materials used 12 - 13 stacks of herbs, ~120 - 130 Nether Pigments, ~10 - 15 Ebon Pigments, ~60 - 70 Ethereal Ink, ~40 - 45 Resilient Parchments.
What to craft:
300 - 305 = Ethereal Ink
305 - 325 = Any orange recipe class glyph.
325 - 330 = Darkflame Ink and any orange recipe class glyph.
330 - 350 = Any orange recipe class glyph.
WotLK leveling past 350
Stage 8: Inscriptions 350 - 450.
Herbs: Any Northrend Herbs.
350 - 355 = Ink of the Sea
355 - 365 = Any orange recipe class glyph.
Inscription 350 - 400
350 - 360
10 x Ink of the Frozen Sea - 20 x Azure Pigment
355 - 375
20 x Glyph of Hurricane - 20 x Ink of the Sea, , 20 x Resilient Parchment
375 - 400
30 x Glyph of Innervate - 30 x Ink of the Sea, , 30 x Resilient Parchment
Labels: inscription, leveling guide, professions