Dustbringer — Transmog Set Guide

Dustbringer is a rare one-handed dagger added to World of Warcraft in the Wrath of the Lich King expansion. It is a short blade with no flashy effects or glow, finished in a dark crimson palette. It cannot be bought from a vendor, crafted, or looted from a boss: the only way to obtain the dagger is by fishing in the waters of Northrend.

The item's flavor text — "The blade of the Crimson Lord" — and the name itself reference Ashbringer, the legendary two-handed sword tied to Highlord Mograine of the Scarlet Crusade. Dustbringer is a tribute to the hunt for Ashbringer back in the classic days: at the time, a belief circulated among players that Ashbringer could be obtained through fishing, since its lore was connected to the name of the legendary angler Nat Pagle. The sword was never fished up, but the developers added this dagger in honor of those who chased every theory.

Dustbringer is obtained only through fishing — that is its sole source. No bosses, professions, vendors, or quests.

• The dagger can be fished from open water and from fish schools across all of Northrend. Every Wrath of the Lich King zone works — from the Borean Tundra and the Dragonblight to the Howling Fjord.
• Most reported catches come from schools of Musselback Sculpin School in the Borean Tundra, Dragonfin Angelfish School in the Dragonblight, and Fangtooth Herring School in the Howling Fjord, but the dagger can theoretically turn up on any cast in northern waters.
• The chance to fish up Dustbringer is extremely low — databases list it as a fraction of a percent, indistinguishable from zero. It is one of the rarest fishing items in the entire game.
• There is no guaranteed method to obtain it. The only path is to cast your line into Northrend's waters again and again until luck strikes.
• Fishing skill affects the number of successful casts per hour, not the chance of the rarest catch itself. So it makes sense to max out fishing: the more casts, the higher your cumulative chance of encountering the dagger.
• The dagger becomes soulbound only on equip, so a caught copy can be passed to another character on the account or auctioned off if it lands with someone who doesn't need it.

The best strategy is to combine the hunt for Dustbringer with other fishing goals: Northrend achievements, farming meat for cooking, or rare fish schools. That way the long hours by the water aren't wasted, even if the dagger doesn't bite.

Dustbringer has no known recolors — it is a unique model with no color variations. If you want a transmog similar in spirit or in how it's obtained, take a look at its kindred items.

Dark Herring is the closest analog: another dagger that can be reeled in across Northrend. Collecting both "fishing" blades is a logical goal for a transmog collector.

• Dustbringer's crimson palette fits Scarlet Crusade looks well — sets in red-and-gold tones reinforce the "blade of the Crimson Lord" theme.
• The dagger harmonizes with fiery and demonic sets: the Fireblast effect thematically supports looks built around flame.
• It is a great offhand blade for a rogue or demon hunter who needs a compact dark-red dagger without bulky visual effects.
• Dustbringer contrasts with cold blue-and-white sets — a debatable but expressive accent for anyone who wants one bright detail in their look.
• For a fishing collector, the dagger is valuable as part of the "angler's" arsenal alongside the Dark Herring and the Darkwater Rod — weapons obtained exclusively from the water.