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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsThe 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 2 of 2)
Finnicks Daerkhiv May 20th 2007 9:54PM
I quote #15 for Truth.
The Trasmutation Master quest is NOT a "simple collection quest". It requires 40 motes of each element (which you can either buy for a ridiculous amount of gold, or spend several HOURS farming). Two or three BM runs, while you'd probably have to space them out, should take you a grand total of 4 hours, tops.
So far, I've spent closer to 5 hours farming Motes for the Primals I need to transmute 4 Primal Mights. And, I HAVE to spread it out over at least 4 days (or shell out extra gold to get another alchemist to help transmute) because the cooldown on Primal Might is 24 hours.
COMPLICATED collection quest.
Tim Kettering May 20th 2007 10:03PM
Dont really have anything to contribute, except that the tainted moonwell just outside of shattrath city works fine for processing mooncloth. no need to trek out to cenarion hold.
Angry Joe May 20th 2007 11:17PM
"While my >transuting< friends..."
And I "here" from some people that I'm 2x retarded.
Greetings from Brazil.
Ryan D. May 20th 2007 11:26PM
Ok, guys.. #2? That appears to be spam. What you see there is a not uncommon use of a generic phrase in response to potentially any article/post. If you look closer, the URL linked to the "poster's" website goes to a domain squatter page.
Relax. The ginger menace remains at bay.
Now, that said, Frostweave certainly isn't worth the journey... Frozen Shadoweave, however, is fine and dandy for a frost mage such as myself. Really, the trip to the altar isn't all that bad - even at 65, when I started. If you're that dead-set on doing this at 62, the difficulty is kinda your own doing..
You must also consider that the mats used on the recipes for 355-375 tailoring are significantly less a pain when compared to leatherworking, and provide far better a return than, say, engineering...
Stochastic May 21st 2007 12:47AM
"Are you finding a discrepancy between your crafting specialization and the other paths you could have followed?"
Yes. I found tailoring to be so useful, as a mage, that it was worth dropping any other profession and spending all my gold to get a crafted set. Honestly tailors who feel that they are "red-headed step-children" either lack perspective or an appreciation for optimizing itemization.
In addition, as a 350 tailor, you should know that you can make other pieces of cloth--and should, to maximize your return on investment and/or trade with other tailors.
Amanda Rivera May 21st 2007 1:30AM
Friends, romans, countrymen,
I use the phrase "red-headed step-child" colloquially. I might add, I happen to be a red-headed step-child, so I identify with the term personally.
Lisi May 22nd 2007 5:56PM
Have you ever tried Dragonscale leatherworking? 60 black dragonscales for one piece of armor... That's at least 60 black dragons to kill if they all drop scales, which of course they don't.
Hell of a lot of farming for one piece if you ask me.
Scribble May 21st 2007 2:46AM
My Warlock is both a Shadoweave Tailor and an Elixirs Master, which is very handy. Tailoring is practically essential for casters, so much so in fact that I've powerlevelled my 63 Paladin to 375 Herbalism just so I can keep making Potions but not lose my wonderful Frozen Shadoweave set.
If you don't think the best +Shadow / +Frost damage gear in the game is worth playing tag with the mobs on the way to the Altar of shadows then you're either a Fire/Arcane Mage or a Destruction Warlock ;-) Sure it's not as easy as a Moonwell, but the healers get to watch green bars all day so their crafting should at least not involve risk to life and limb :-D
blizzerpwnd May 21st 2007 5:33AM
Okay, this is stupid. You're essentially posting to complain about something you shouldn't be complaining about. Shadowmoon Valley is a 67-68+ zone. Of course a trek through there at 62 is going to be difficult. And have you even researched what you can make with Shadowcloth? The Frozen Shadoweave set is arguably better than tier 4. How is that not worth it?
If you're really thinking of switching to primal mooncloth, then enjoy your healer gear. And next time, if you're gonna complain in public, complain about something worthwhile,
plzkthx
Mycroft May 21st 2007 8:57AM
@ #19. "Engineering is the red headed step child of crafting.
Shadowweave specialization is not even in the same universe."
So true, so true.
Ambril May 21st 2007 11:22AM
MacAllah said:
"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)."
Erm, yeah, not sure where you got the impression that happens, but it's not true. You don't get motes. You don't get a buff. You get attacked by a nasty creature and that's it. Go make a piece of spellcloth once.
Quoi May 21st 2007 11:25AM
People complaining about getting primal mights are just sad. I farmed 5 primal mights worth of mats in about 2 hours the other day.
Quoi May 21st 2007 11:25AM
Ambril:
Have you killed the elite? You get motes of fire and mana back.
Theserene May 21st 2007 1:44PM
I have not specialised my alchemy yet, simply because I have not decided what benefit the returns would be for the outlay involved.
All 3 paths look expensive, either for materials or time spent, and I've not actually seen any recipies I like enough to put in that kind of effort.
Bryce Fischer May 21st 2007 2:46PM
#29 Yes you do. You get a couple of each motes back.
Circle24 May 22nd 2007 6:49AM
I was surprised when i saw this post as you usually post with a greater understanding of the subject at hand... anyway:
how to make:
Primal Mooncloth: 1 Primal Life, 1 Primal Water, 1 imbuned NW bolt
can be done at any moonwell, gives a 12/per 5 health and mana buff for 1 hour, usually sells for the lowest of all the cloth's
Spellcloth: 1 Primal Fire, 1 Primal Mana, 1 imbuned NW bolt
can be done anywhere in Netherstorm, upon completion you get attacked by a lv 70 elemental, no immunities can chain-cast arcane bolts for 850ish and has a 4 second shadow bolt that hits for 3500+, ive found it easy to difficult to kill depending on my counterspell timing, drops 1-3 motes of fire and 1-3 motes of mana when killed, usually sells for the highest out of the cloth's (with the highest mat cost)
Shadowcloth: 1 Primal Fire, 1 Primal Shadow, 1 imbuned NW bolt
can only be made at the Altar of Shadows in Shadowmoon Valley (south and a little bit west of the Scryer base, visible on the map), at the intended level for the zone 68+ it shouldnt be too difficult to reach, gives a +50 stam buff for an hour, usually sells for less than Spellcloth but more than Primal Mooncloth