Professions

The Economics of WoW

WoW has a huge economic element in the game. Professions can help you make money in WoW. Depending on how you you want to play your character will determine what 2 professions to choose. If you, in real life, like cloths, then maybe you should pick up tailoring. If you like the weapons in WoW, then be a blacksmith. You will find it very easy to suit your playing style. REMEMBER! You can choose up to 2 professions. You can also pick up all the available secondary professions.

Some players do not even pick up a profession till they are a much higher level so they can afford it. Most of the time, you can be any profession without having to dish out your own money. Sometimes you may need to pay a little for basic supplies.

You do not have to commit to a profession. If you choose the wrong profession or a profession you thought you needed, trust me, you can change it at anytime. If you want to go back to that profession later on in the game, the skill points will not come with you. You will need to start the profession all over again.

Herbalisn · Mining · Skinning · Alchemy · Blacksmithing · Engineering · Leatherworking · Tailoring · Jewelcrafting · Enchanting · Cooking · First Aid · Fishing ·

Gathering Professions

Herbalism

Herbalism is the first of 3 gathering professions. Herbalism involves picking flowers and herbs to gather up materials to sell or use. Some enemies can also be picked like Bog Lords.

Herbalism is a good complement for the profession of alchemy. The herbs you gather can be used to make potions and such. A good herbalist also knows how to play the auction house. The auction house is like "Ebay". You can bid on, buy and sell items. Herbalism can make alot of money off people looking for rare herbs for high level potions. Its not that they can't get the herbs, some of them are just hard to get.

Mining

Mining is the second gathering profession. Mining involves mining veins to gather materials to sell or use. Some enemies can be mined also like rock elementals.

Mining is a good complement for blacksmithing. Mining is exactly the same as herbalism, you just use a pick axe. Sometimes, if you are lucky, you can get gems for jewelcrafters.

Skinning

Skinning is the final of the three gathering professions. Skinning envolves skinning the enemies you defeat. You can not skin humanoids but you can skin most beast that you slay. All beast you skin give you some form of leather.

Skinning complements leatherworking. Leatherworkers will use the leather from skinning to make the things they do.

Production Professions

Alchemy

Alchemy is the first of seven production professions. Alchemy involves making/brewing up potions to buff fellow allies. Potions include healing and mana potions, buff potions for strength and others and also potions for bonuses in critical strike and such.

If you do not pick up herbalism for your other profession them be prepared to dish out alot of cash. Herbs can get expensive for potions in the higher levels of alchemy.

Alchemist have the choice, when they are skilled enough, to be a Master of Elixirs, Master of Potions or Master of Transmutation.

Blacksmithing

Blacksmithing is the profession you want to choose if you want to make weapons and armor. Weaponsmiths can make a huge array of weapons. Armorsmiths can only make mail and plate armor.

When you get to a high enough skill level you can choose wether to expertise in weapons or armor. It depends on what you want to do. After you become skilled as a expert weaponsmith, you can specialize in swords, axes or hammers.

If you are a blacksmith it is essential to be a miner. Supplies for mining are extreemly expensive.

Engineering

Engineering is not a used too much in any server. It is a hard to raise the skill. Engineers are known to make great guns, bullets, arrows and scopes.

As an engineer you want to pick up a gathering profession. Most people say mining is your best bet because it makes money fast. The materials used to make items in the engineering field cant be gathered. They are either bought or found.

When engineers are skilled enough, they can choose wether to specialize in Gnomeish or Goblin engineering items.

Leatherworking

Leatherworking involves making leather armor and bags.

Leatherworkers can specialize in dragonscale, tribal or elemental armors.

Leatherworking uses leather to make their stuff. They recieve the leather from skinners. I would strongly suggest picking up skinning for the complement for leatherworking. Leatherworking supplies are cheaper then blacksmithing supplies so if you pick up another gathering profession, to sell those items, it shouldnt be too much of a problem. To skip the middle man, just pick up skinning for the other profession.

Tailoring

Tailoring is the profession that makes cloth armor and bags. They also make bolts of cloths.

Tailoring is very good for making money off mages and warlocks. Tailors can make very good armor for mages and warlocks. So, if you are a mage or warlock, be a tailor.

As a tailor, you can pick up any other gathering profession. If you choose another production profession, it could be hard to make the money to buy the mats for tailoring. Tailoring materials can be found from killing enemy units.

Tailors can specialize in primal mooncloth, shadowcloth or spellcloth.

Jewelcrafting

Jewelcrafting came along with The Burning Crusade expansion. Jewelcrafters craft rings, necklaces, trinkets, headpieces and gems. They can prospect gems mined by miners and basically turn them into gems for socketing items.

Jewelcrafters usualy find work from people looking for stuff. Most jewelcrafters are miners. It requires ores to make their stuff. On the occasion, they will get gems from the veins to prospect and cut.

Service Profession

Enchanting

Enchanters are very usuful in WoW. They can do enchants for fishermen and they can do enchants for Warriors. There is always enough work for an enchanter to do.

Enchanters use dusts, essences and shards to enchant the things that they target. All enchanters need a rod to perform the enchant. Enchanters can also make wands and oils for temporary buffs.

Disenchant is used to gather your materials for enchanting. One you disenchant and item, you get materials and it destroys the item.

Enchanting is also known as the service profession.

Secondary Professions

Cooking

Cooking is not used too much in WoW. Just pick up the skill and see what you think. You have nothing to lose.

Cooking envolves cooking meats and making breads for other players. A cook in WoW can make a good living. Because there are not many other high level cooks in WoW, a high level cook that makes food that buffs will make alot of money.

First Aid

First aid is essential to any WoW player. This allows players that can not heal in battle to heal after the battle. They can also make stuff that rids them of poison.

First aid uses bandages to heal the player. Bandages can only be used when not in combat. Bandages are made from raw cloth materials like linen and silk.

Fishing

Fishing is like cooking, not necessary. it is a cool skill to have. There is not much to fishing... Its just that... fishing...

Fishing and cooking go well together. The raw fish you cook will provide you with food so you dont have to buy any.