The red-headed step-children of crafting
by Amanda Rivera 
May 20th 2007 at 4:21PM
Today I made my first two pieces of Shadowcloth. It's quite an accomplishment for my level 62 warlock, with the somewhat dangerous trek out to the Altar of Shadows. As I was feeling the roaring winds of the air elementals snap at my behind as I rode, I began to wonder if I shouldn't have chosen one of the other two paths instead.
It's a lot of work to jog on out to the Altar, and you take your life into your hands every time you do. Somehow the three disciplines seem somewhat uneven. Had I chosen Mooncloth tailoring, my travel time would include a small jaunt out to the Cenarian Refuge and a dip in the Moonwell.
I found the same imbalance when I chose my specialization in Alchemy. While my transuting friends got a simple collection quest, I got three trips to the Black Morass to collect essences off Rift Lords. These are the only two professions I have leveled enough to specialize in, unless you count Goblin Engineering, which really isn't in the same ball park at all. I am considering switching with patch 2.1 comes down the pike. I'm not so sure the Frostweave is worth the journey.
Why is it that the three specializations are so very different? Wouldn't it require the same amount of effort to make Shadowcloth as to make Primal Mooncloth? I understand the basis in lore, I am just curious why such a large variation in effort is required. Are you finding a discrepancy between your crafting specialization and the other paths you could have followed?
Filed under: Alchemy, Tailoring, Analysis / Opinion
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Sylythn May 20th 2007 5:17PM
Frozen Shadoweave is sooo worth it for a Warlock - stick with it. The trek to the altar is a cinch once you have your flying mount. I didn't even start my shadowcloth journey until 70.
Zorashi May 20th 2007 4:47PM
depends...you have to keep in primal mooncloth is for healing...my personal opinion is that the bigger the reward the more the work.
Think about it how many peeps are going to bug you for primal mooncloth compared to shadowcloth...
there are more cloth dps classes then cloth healer it's all about supply and demand
Natali May 20th 2007 5:06PM
Your use of imagery and titling are really goddamned offensive. You need to fix that, stat.
G May 20th 2007 5:08PM
@Natali - Pot, kettle, red. Kthnxbye.
McBraggart May 20th 2007 8:22PM
When I read the headline, I thought the article was going to be about engineering, the TRUE red headed step child of crafting. With Engineering, it doesn't matter how you specialize, since both branches are gimped.
Anything else may have some inconvenience but is a real profession.
honkhonk May 20th 2007 5:35PM
if you think frozen shadoweave isn't worth it you are either destro specced or better of by deleting that char.
Evil Sheep May 20th 2007 5:39PM
"Your use of imagery and titling are really goddamned offensive. You need to fix that, stat."
Your use of the Lord's name in vain is really offensive. The author's use of a common phrase and imagery to go along with it is not. If you find it so, you are overly sensitive.
Back on topic. I have yet to specialize in any form of crafting, but am looking forward to it.
ajpally May 20th 2007 5:39PM
@ #2 - you need to chill out
@ #3 - hilarious
cheesebanana May 20th 2007 6:54PM
Well you could be a bit more PC with the title but i'm not gonna cry about it.
In fact i always thought the expression was a bit abstract and not really that relevant.
The image is pretty cheeky though.
MacAllah May 20th 2007 6:50PM
I finished my FS set a few weeks back. It is bar-none amazing. I am a SP in a guild filled with Balance Druids and Arcane/Fire Mages. I am able to DOT and Mind Flay my way to the top of all of the DPS charts.
Last night while my best friend got a 6k fireball crit, I was steadily pushing out 500 DMG a tick SW:Ps. In the end we killed 2 bosses (Attumen and Maiden) and I had 25% of the overall dmg (#1).
I do agree that the specializations are not even at all. Consider what you get as well:
Primal Mooncloth - HP and MP /5sec buff for an hour.
Shadowcloth - +stam Buff for an hour.
Spellcloth - 2-3 Motes of Fire and 2-3 Motes of Mana.
The Spellcloth crafters get 1/5th to 1/3rd of their mats for the next piece already... That's at least 10g worth... (2.7g per fire and 2g per mana).
It is even more offensive when you consider dying removes the one hour buffs...
freehugz May 21st 2007 12:13PM
for tailoring its all the same time in flight once you get your flying mount
MageonFire May 20th 2007 7:11PM
#6 Next article will be called, playing on another common phrase, "Which Class is As Lazy as a Nigger?"
ocswing May 20th 2007 7:14PM
Well, you could always go for Spellcloth tailoring where you have to fight an elite elemental everytime you craft it. And you don't even get a buff like you do with Mooncloth or Shadowcloth. If you're a shadow warlock than the FSW set is definitely worth it. And relatively speaking Shadowcloth isn't that bad to make requiring the least expensive Primal in it's material cost, and shadowcloth sells for more than the mats involved.
Dipstick May 20th 2007 7:22PM
One night when I couldn't sleep I randomly decided to respec affliction, and that the Frozen Shadoweave set would be my project to play catch-up with the rest of my guild (since I had rerolled from a Karazhan-epixxed paladin).
Best decision I made - even if I did spend thousands of gold on powerlevelling tailoring (0-375) and getting the set within 3 days. Now working on mats for spellstrike hood since I don't want to wait for T4 head to drop and that its arguably better for an affliction warlock if packed with +spell damage gems.
badge May 20th 2007 7:31PM
Did...number 10 really compare Red Headed Stepchild to Nigger.........
Fail, 0/10
ErsatzPotato May 20th 2007 7:43PM
Um...are you kidding? The specialization is to make level 70 epic gear. If you choose to start making the cloth at 62, expect it to be rather difficult. Good luck with the spellcloth elemental which can shoot 3000+ on cloth. Flying to the altar is trivial. If shadow cloth was made in Silithus *that* would be worth complaining about.
Right on about choosing the alchemy specialization. That is a big difference.
Fai May 20th 2007 7:51PM
"While my transmuting friends got a simple collection quest, I got three trips to the Black Morass to collect essences off Rift Lords."
The simple collection quest for transmutation mastery happens to be "bring me 4 PRIMAL MIGHT".
Simple, yes. Cheap? Hell no.
Personally if i'd get a choice between doing bm a couple of times (elixir) or botanica once (potions) or plunking down about 400g worth of mats, I know I would NOT be picking the "bring primal mights" quest.
Ambril May 20th 2007 8:36PM
Shadowcloth is used by 3 different classes ~ Warlocks, Shadow Priest and Frost Mages. The other two specializations are really only used by one class a piece.
Icarvs May 20th 2007 9:15PM
I also thought the article would be about engineering, and I was colored surprised to learn otherwise.
Regarding the comments on the title, one would think someone who takes offense the term "wife aggro" would generally be a little more conscious of what images/words will portray to everyone else.
And no, my hair is not red.
Rich May 20th 2007 9:26PM
Engineering is the red headed step child of crafting.
Shadowweave specialization is not even in the same universe.
And no the Frostweave is not worth it...
But the Frozen Shadowweave set is worth it if your a affliction or aff/demo lock, a SP or a Frost Mage.