WoW SoD: How to Complete Spell Research in WoW Classic Season of Discovery

In Season of Discovery, hitting level two as a Mage means it’s time to begin Rune Engraving. The task varies depending on race, but you’ll always get Ice Lance as your reward. In this guide, I’ll cover how to complete the Spell Research quest in WoW Classic SoD for the four Mage races. 

WoW Classic: Season of Discovery Spell Research Quest Guide

Finishing this quest in SoD is your ticket to getting Ice Lance, the first of 12 Runes that you can obtain in Phase 1. Like Penance for Priests or Shadowstrike for Rogues, this initial ability adds a good bit of damage to your early rotation.

How to Start Spell Research in WoW SoD

There are two easy-to-hit requirements when it comes to starting Spell Research in Season of Discovery:

• Create a Mage character.
• Reach Level 2.

Since Spell Research is essentially a tutorial to Rune Engraving, you won’t have a problem picking it up. In my experience, you’ll usually level up before you finish killing mobs for your first quest. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll immediately make a beeline to get your first Rune. 

So, once you’re level two, speak with your Mage Trainer in your starting zone. I’ll list their names and locations below, so you can find them easily. 

Alliance Mage Trainers:

• Human: Khelden Bremen.
  • Location: Northshire Abbey on the second floor of the library.
  • Coordinates: 49.6, 39.6
• Gnome: Marryk Nurribit.
  • Location: Inside Anvilmar in Dun Morogh.
  • Coordinates: 28.7, 66.4

Horde Mage Trainers:

• Undead: Isabella
  • Location: Inside the Deathknell Church in Tirisfal Glades
  • Coordinates: 30.9, 66.1
• Troll: Mai’ah
  • Location: The Valley of Trials in Durotar
  • Coordinates: 42.6, 69.0

How to Complete Spell Research in WoW SoD

Each race has a different task when it comes to completing this quest, but I noticed it’s usually one of two variations. You’ll either have to loot a chest to get the Spell Note or defeat enemies until it drops. Though I much prefer the quests without combat, the extra XP from killing foes is also welcomed, so I can’t say any are necessarily better than the other. All in all, they’re pretty easy to complete but occasionally difficult to find, or as we all know, RNG gets in the way.

So, here’s how I completed all four Spell Research quests in Season of Discovery:

How to Do Spell Research as a Human Mage

• Leave Northshire Abbey and travel to the Northshire Vineyard across the river. But before you do, make sure you grab the Brotherhood of Thieves quest as well, since you can collect Red Burlap Bandanas while you farm Defias Bandits for this Spell Note.
• Kill Defias Bandits around the coordinates 55.0, 47.1, which includes the Vineyard itself and a bit north of it among the trees. Vanilla RNG wasn’t kind to me on this one, so it took a bit before the Spell Note dropped.
• Once you loot it, decipher “Spell Notes: CALE ENCI” and then return to Khelden Bremen in Northshire Abbey.

How to Do Spell Research as a Gnome Mage

• Exiting Anvilmar, head to your right, traveling southwest from the building until you reach a Trogg camp.
• What makes this extremely easy is that the Troggs won’t attack. Simply walk up to the Rockjaw Footlocker located at the coordinates 26.7, 72.5 and open it. It’s nestled between two tents.
• Decipher “Spell Notes: CALE ENCI” and then return to Marryk Nurribit in Anvilmar.

How to Do Spell Research as an Undead Mage

• Head to the Scarlet Crusade Camp nearby, which is located south of Deathknell at 37.2, 68.1.
• Kill Scarlet Initiates until one drops the Spell Notes. I almost missed these while questing with a friend since I didn’t notice a couple of enemies they killed. So, if you’ve been killing Initiates for a while, double-check that you looted all nearby corpses just to be sure.
• Decipher “Spell Notes: CALE ENCI” and then return to Isabella in Deathknell.

How to Do Spell Research as a Troll Mage

• Head north from the Valley of Trials until you reach an area with several Vile Familiars. You’ll notice an opening to the Burning Blade Coven. Head inside the cave.
• Follow the pathway that leads to a large pond of water. On the way, I killed enemies for the Vile Familiars quest since the cave was less populated with other players. So feel free to multitask since you’re just looking for a chest here.
• Once you reach the pond at 43.0, 54.4 inside the Burning Blade Coven cave, dive underwater.
• Open the Waterlogged Stashbox to get the Stolen Spell Notes.
• Decipher “Spell Notes: CALE ENCI” and then return to Mai’ah in the Valley of Trials.

All Spell Research Quest Rewards

Once you turn in the quest to your Mage Trainer, you’ll receive:

• Ice Lance Rune
• Tattered Cloth Gloves
• 90 XP
• 50 Faction Reputation
• Three Comprehension Charms

What Does Ice Lance Do? Answered

In Season of Discovery, Ice Lance is an instant-cast ability that deals Frost damage to an enemy target. That damage is tripled against frozen targets, and it has a decent range of 30 yards.

You’ll apply Ice Lance to your Gloves slot. And like other Runes, once you unlock it, it’s yours. You can swap out equipment freely as you level. Just be sure to reapply the ability onto the equipment from your Character tab when you do.

That’s our complete guide to finishing the Spell Research quest and obtaining your first Mage Rune, Ice Lance, in WoW Classic: Season of Discovery. For more on this refreshed journey through vanilla content, check out our guides on where to find Margoz and what to do with Waylaid Supplies in our dedicated WoW: SoD guides hub.