Breakfast Topic: When do you start working up a profession?
by Amanda Dean 
Mar 3rd 2008 at 8:00AM
I'm not entirely sold on leveling trade skills in World of Warcraft. By leveling up professions you can create armor, weapons, and goods that theoretically benefit your character. With a little luck, you can even make some money from your trade. It usually takes a major investment maximize your professions and get the goods that you want. In most cases I prefer to wait until I've reached the level cap to start professions.
There are two exceptions to this. Whenever I roll a character on a server that's new to me, I invest in skinning and mining and sell the materials for gold for my mount and equipment. I used to level fishing too. Until Blizzard added the aggressive mobs on the
The other exception was my Hunter. I leveled Engineering along with my character in order to make bullets. This was beneficial for gameplay, and I didn't feel like I was wasting gold for skill points. Aside from these two exceptions, I usually just wait until I'm level 70 and buy or farm materials for my chosen profession. I've even been known to switch professions when necessary.
I do also tend to level up First Aid, even on my healers. It's very helpful when out of mana. At this point I just skip Fishing and Cooking altogether.
| Level 5 | |
|---|---|
| Level 20 | |
| Level 40 | |
| Level 60 | |
| Level 70 | |
| Never, trade skills are for chumps |
What's your take on leveling professions?
Filed under: Herbalism, Classes, Jewelcrafting, Breakfast Topics, Economy, Enchanting, Leatherworking, Engineering, Cooking, Blacksmithing, Alchemy, Skinning, Mining, Fishing, Making money
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Jarogue Mar 3rd 2008 8:11AM
As a newbie, I didn't suss professions until I was at least level 15. I then quickly got myself a skinning knife and went on a rampage. Killing and skinning low level mobs over and over again just to level the profession up was the worst bit of grinding i've encountered thus far :(
Jamie Mar 3rd 2008 8:11AM
Why wouldn't you take up tradeskills from the begining? Surely you're just cutting off a useful area of income and items?
BitterCupOJoe Mar 3rd 2008 10:28AM
Unless you go with two gathering skills and no craft skills, you're usually spending money instead of making it, or at best breaking even. The only sometimes-exception to this is alchemy, since potions can go for a good amount of money on the market, however, it's usually still a break-even proposition, since even a low-level herb like briarthorn can go for 4-5 gold a stack, while the potions that are created with it go for less than that.
Given that most low-level items created through tradeskills are not bind on pickup, it's usually best to take two gathering skills and simply buy what you need from the AH or, if your gathering skills are complementary to your needs, eg skinning for a leather-wearing class, find someone that needs a skill-up and have them craft what you need with your mats.
To illustrate, I play on Detheroc. When I started my warlock there, I took herbalism and skinning. By level 60, I had enough for the epic riding skill + mount for my wife's character, a tailor/enchanter, and enough for the mats for my epic mount quest. At 64, I've almost about got the cost of one flying skill + mount covered, and should have the rest covered within 3 levels. At current rates, I expect to have maybe an extra thousand gold or so ready for spending on an epic flier by 70.
On the other hand, I have a level 61 skinner/leatherworker on Sentinels. While he was able to get his regular mount without much fuss, I'm basically going to have to go grind and grind in Winterspring for his epic mount, then grind some more at 70 for his flying mount. While he has had some nice gear on the way up, it's gear that I could have bought off of the AH, with the exception of one piece of dragonscale armor. If I had gone skinng/herbalism or skinning/mining with him, cash would have been no problem at all.
jaxson_bateman Mar 3rd 2008 8:12AM
I wait til level 70 for any manufacturing professions. I figure that's when I'll get the most benefit from them, that's when they'll be easiest to level, and that's the only time I might actually *need* them.
This is the same across any toon. I level them all with skinning and mining like mentioned above, then swap to the toon's 'real' professions at 70.
However, if I were to make a twink, I'd obviously get as far into engineering as I could. =)
Callandra Mar 3rd 2008 8:12AM
I'm in the same boat with mining/skinning as it creates a ridiculous amount of cash (new server and I didn't have to wait a second for my 40 or 60 mount!).
The second character on the server gets the same treatment, but I also treat myself to frequent, cheap, AH upgrades to speed the leveling a bit.
My intent is to level appropriate professions (based on class) at end-game for upgrades, but never for profit. So tailoring for some, blacksmithing (maybe) for others.
Erika Mar 3rd 2008 8:13AM
Well when I started i didn't know that engineering was such a money sink. So about 20 something i switch to lw and went back to Engie about level 61.
Amux Mar 3rd 2008 8:14AM
The best way to start a profesion is with a new char/alt.
Because you get very quick the stuff you need to when you are leveling.
Blacksmithing is one of the professions that i would start when you are 60+ because you need a fast mount and you need tons of thorium to get it up.
Blacksmithing is not fun to skill with. ;/ thats another thing.
My chars are allready finished.
Vestras Mar 3rd 2008 8:17AM
I level Trade Skills as soon as I can get them. I always have max Cooking and first Aid for my level, and then whatever my gathering type is. Now the crafting skills are another matter.
Yesterday, I was working on my LW Shaman, and I wasted a bunch of leather to make Guadrian Gloves (http://www.wowhead.com/?item=5966), a level 33 WHITE item. WHITE!!! I hope to god that when WotLK comes along Blizz streamlines all the old craftable items since so many of them are worthless (IE all that Agility Spirit gear) or have mat requirements that by the time you could farm enough, you have long since outleveled the usefulness of the gear.
Lanth Mar 3rd 2008 8:17AM
On my alts, I always pick up skinning and herbalism. Sell the leather, send the herbs to and alt for later (40-50ish), at which point I'll drop skinning and pick up alchemy, using those herbs to level it up.
The only problem is, none of these alts have gotten past 15. Though now I do have lots of peacebloom and silverlead :)
Kadathwack Mar 3rd 2008 8:27AM
I've had mining ever since I came across the first trainer for it back in the starting area. It's been a great money maker.
My other slot I've tried a lot of things with. I've been a leatherworker, skinner, herbalist, a jewelcrafter, and now an Engineer (for the second time). I think the Flying Machine has convinced me to stay one this time though.
What I wouldn't give for a third profession slot though...
GopherFender Mar 3rd 2008 8:36AM
on my first char (pally) i lvled mining and BS. I wish someone would have told me that BS is pointless for prot pallys :/ Got it to 370 before i finally decided to drop it and pick up herbalism instead.
I normally lvl my profs as i lvl, i usually reach the prof lvl cap way before im high enough lvl to learn the next bracket.
I'm currently lvling enigneering on my 23 rogue, and loving it :D Goggles that are so imba for the lvl, bombs that do 250 AoE dmg and stun :D Just got the Goblin jumper cables as well, used twice, worked twice :D And lets never forget the amazing Kamikaze Sheep :P
Krick Mar 3rd 2008 10:53AM
Blacksmithing isn't totally useless for protection paladins.
There are two recipes for Bind on Pickup boots that are among the best available until end game raiding.
Boots of the Protector
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=30033
Red Havoc Boots
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=30031
Note, they are bind on pickup so only blacksmiths can make them for themselves and the patterns are NOT bind on pickup, so you can purchase the patterns on the auction house. Also note that the boots don't require blacksmithing to equip. So if you're a real masochist, you can grind blacksmithing all the way up, buy both patterns, make both pairs of boots, then drop blacksmithing.
...
Krick
http://www.tankadin.com
Rydolomo Mar 3rd 2008 9:02AM
My lowbies do mining unless they're on the same server as my mains.
All my chars level mining then change to something else at 60 or so. Never tried skinning.
Netherscourge Mar 3rd 2008 9:02AM
Definitely take up mining and skinning all the way to 70. Skinning and mining will also help you level up faster - since several quests require skins and ore and some mobs will drop quest items you need when you skin them - same with the ore quests - some ore you mine will have quest items. (Netherwing Dailies, for example, have a Daily Ore Turn-in, which you can get from mining the deposits around Netherwing Ledge in SMV)
These days, I wouldn't touch any armor-producing professions, because anything you can craft will always be inferior to what you can get from PvP, Dungeons and even Reputation Rewards. Use the money you make from Mining and Skinning to BUY whatever cool craftables you want off the Auction House (noting that a couple you can't use without being a crafter yourself).
I'd go with Enchanting, Engineering or Jewelcrafting, if you choose to drop skinning. Keep mining, because it's used in Engineering and Jewelcrafting. Enchanting works with anything (it's also off-shoot gathering profession, from the shards you get from DE'ing items). Engineering has lots of cool stuff and gadgets (Jumper Cables, Scopes, Gyrocopters) and Jewelcrafting is awesome for filling out sockets in armor, which seems to be a staple now for high-end items.
Blacksmithing, Tailoring and Leatherworking are largely useless, IMO. Blizzard destroyed a lot of the "old-world" stuff with the Expansion and the armor-producing professions have really never recovered.
If you need bags, Armor Patches or Riding Crops - just buy them off the AH or buy the mats and ask someone to craft them for you.
So long story short - take Mining and Skinning to 70. Then, drop Skinning for Enchanting, Engineering or Jewelcrafting and reap all the benefits :)
This is just my opinion - ignore me if you wish. :)
Ahoni Mar 3rd 2008 9:49AM
"Blacksmithing, Tailoring and Leatherworking are largely useless, IMO."
LOL. Are you playing the same game I am? My warlock is raiding SSC/TK and is still wearing 2 tailored pieces he made at 70 (Spellstrike Hood and Frozen Shadoweave Robe) and has ADDED two more since we hit T5 content (Belt of Blasting, Boots of Blasting). I can't comment on BS or LW, but in tailoring, some of the best gear you can get is made by tailors. Not just for gearing up for Kara, not just for starting raids, not just for leveling, some of the best gear you can get.
Fantasies Mar 3rd 2008 9:09AM
I rerolled a Rogue on a buddies server. Soon as I could I bought Skinning/LW. I kept both leveled as I leveled. I mean why not Skin everything you kill on your way to 70. Its like handed to you. Not to mention on that server leveling up LW i was able to sell most of the stuff I was able to make specially between the lvl 35-45 stuff for ton's of money. I power leveled that rogue and at 60 I was sitting on almost 2k. That is all Pre-BC content. I bought my epic mount, and started the grind from 60-70 continueing to level up Cooking/LW/FA/Skinning. Now my rogue is sitting at roughly 3100g at 68. I havent touched Blades Edge/Netherstorm/Shadowmoon and plan to hit 70 in Nagrand that way I can finish off the 2900g i need for my regular flyer and epic. Roughly give or take that much. Just some words of Insight... Level your stuff while your doing it...why go back and waste time to do it later?
enkafiles Mar 3rd 2008 8:45AM
I tend to go one for fun, one for profit - each alt has a gathering profession and a complementary manufacturing profession. It isn't as profitable as sell-everything-you-harvest,
but I get a thrill from seeing "Made by ME" in the tooltip.
My first alt got started to make a bronze tube for my main when they were not to be had for love or money on my server ("Look to the Stars" in Duskwood). After that, I was hooked.
One of each class, one of each profession on two different servers (Horde and Ally)...
Grendalsh Mar 3rd 2008 8:46AM
I've worked most all the professions. Ideally, if you choose the crafting skill that suits your class (i.e. smithing for warr/Pally, LW for Druid/hunter, etc) you will have access to a constant stream of upgrade gear, regardless of drops, and the collection skill will give you some decent coin for your spare mats. In reality, crafting, and the entire player economy, is one of WoW's greatest Achille's heels. Most of the craftable items are there just to level you to the next 'decent' item's crafting level, and almost anything you can craft will be worthless to anyone but you for the one time you make it as an upgrade. Because WoW is so gear dependent, crafting will always be on the backside of the gear stat inflation curve. After playing games that aren't level/gear dependant, with actual player economies where crafting MATTERS, it's kind of annoying.
But, it's one more "oooh, gotta spend another hour or two in game to make THAT", so still best done while leveling. Otherwise it's just a major annoyance to get it up to 300 all at once later on so it'll be usefull.
Khanmora Mar 3rd 2008 8:59AM
If I'm rerolling for some reason I'll start with mining/herbing or mining/skinning. However on my estabilished servers, I have one of each of the production trades (although engi is only on my twink) and a couple of characters that are just gatherers.
I use my higher level gatherer to get mats for my lower level professions and then use my enchanter to DE all the items that I make to level the professions. If I'm in between levels that I'm able to train (i.e. about lvls 25-35 and 40-50) then I'll take all the gathering mats and sell them. That is how I have financed 2 epic mounts now.
Ladli Mar 3rd 2008 9:10AM
I'm actually trying to figure this out for my priest right now. I've taken up herbalism and skinning. Herbalism 'cause I had thoughts of making her an alchemist later - but how much later, I'm not sure. It's nice to be making gold along the way, but I'm trying to decide if I'll benefit from making the gold and buying the potions as I level up, or if I would save gold in the long run by making my own potions and selling what herbs I don't use. I don't know if I want to start it at 60 or 70. No idea.
With other characters I leveled a crafting and a gathering 'cause I didn't really understand trying to make lots of gold when I first started.