Making professions easier, on Death Knights and everyone else
by Mike Schramm 
May 28th 2008 at 1:00PM
Just in case you were hoping that due to Inscription or any other of the huge profession changes coming in Wrath of the Lich King, you'd get another expansion slot, Bornakk confirms that you will not -- despite all the changes to professions, the way that characters choose them will not change.But Kevin G (who kindly sent us this tip -- thanks!) brings up another interesting profession topic -- just how are Death Knights going to deal with leveling up their professions? Surely, since Blizzard doesn't want them running around level 1 areas like noobs, they wouldn't actually have to level up from the beginning, would they? As hilarious as the thought of a black armorclad bringer of devastation chasing wolves around Elwynn for their leather is, it's probably a good bet that Blizzard will avoid that scenario.
But how? We have no idea yet. We do know that Blizzard wants to make things easier for people leveling professions all the way up (especially from the higher levels), so maybe there'll be a plan in place that Death Knights can get in on (maybe a quest to do, or a simple charge of a few hundred gold, since that's probably what it would cost to just buy the lower level stuff off the AH). Either way, hopefully we'll see a solution that's both easy on Death Knights and fair to characters who've leveled it up the hard way.
Filed under: Herbalism, Leatherworking, Items, Odds and ends, Blizzard, Classes, Death Knight, Inscription
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
roxxyy May 28th 2008 1:07PM
I'm probably gonna kill Hogger with my DK. So it's impossible to Blizzard avoid this scenario.
PimpyMicPimp May 29th 2008 3:16AM
Muahaha, he won't know what hit him.
Deacon May 28th 2008 1:09PM
I really disagree with this. It is times like this when you can finally make reasonable money off your lower level profession mats. Let them level up from the beginning by either grinding or buying the mats. Money is easy in BC and should be even easier in WotLK.
I also think you should have at least the option to level your Death Knight up from lvl 1 instead of from lvl 55. It is fun to relive the content from another classes perspective.
Nick S May 28th 2008 2:45PM
strange dust, the lowest-level enchanting mat, is worth about 50% of what arcane dust is worth on my server. my level 20 enchanter is making a killing.
(greedy hand-rubbing)
Iskur May 28th 2008 1:15PM
Players have to have an established 55 to start a deathknight so you should have the money needed to skill it up.
Lori May 28th 2008 1:16PM
Maybe Death Knights could go in increments of 5 skill points instead of 1 until 300 for the gathering professions. Probably the same for crafting professions.
Animal May 28th 2008 1:19PM
Interesting ideea, but wouldn't that create an influx of DK's powerleveling enchanting ?
Michael May 28th 2008 1:23PM
Anyone with a high level character essentially buys the profession points on alts by visiting the AH. Since Blizzard is always looking for money sinks anyway they should just let us buy 300 skill for 1000g and level from there.
Wibblymat May 29th 2008 8:29AM
The problem with the money sink idea is that it removes most of the potential income for genuine, first-time, low level characters. How does anyone expect to buy their level 40 mount on their first ever 40 character if no one will buy your medium leather/earthroot/strange dust/iron ore/whatever? Being able to just buy your way to 300 will mean people not getting their 40 mounts till 60, or thereabouts - gold from quests, mobs and vendored items is pretty well balanced against the cost of class skills.
thebitterfig May 28th 2008 2:06PM
do you mean to tell me that current lvl 70's who switch professions don't go back to low-level areas in order to level fishing or herbalism or whatnot?
of course they do. it is part of the game, and death knights will probably have to do so as well.
fair is fair.
Jake May 28th 2008 4:22PM
^ Exactly
Balius May 28th 2008 1:24PM
I would happily play my DK from level 1 instead of starting at 55. You really get to know your character as you level, and it really doesn't take that long...
The idea that DK are somehow better than other classes worries me. Is it less ridiculous for a paladin, one of the ultimate champions of light, to start from scratch than a Death Knight, the champion of darkness? Medivh was a mage, Thrall's a shaman, Cenarius is a Druid...are those classes not also capable of producing heroes?
I can understand that Blizzard wants players to get their DeathKnights into Northrend for DK specific content, but they have 70 levels of gameplay I'd rather not skip. Am I the only one who learns how to group with a character before Outland? I use that earlier time to become familiar with the classes I play, so that I'm not the rogue who can't feint, or the Hunter who still needs to learn how to trap inside Heroic Steamvaults.
JPN May 28th 2008 1:33PM
You're mis-equating "hero" with "better".
Hero classes aren't the same as the other classes...they're just different, not better.
Broximar May 28th 2008 1:46PM
It's my understanding that the Death Knights have been fighting for the Lich King and have broken away from his grasp. Having them start at 55 makes sense. They lose 25 levels, losing the powers the lich king supplied to them, and need to gain it back in order to properly challenge his reign.
I don't see how starting at Level 1 works if the Death Knight was already fighting in Northrend.
Balius May 28th 2008 1:58PM
So what you're telling me is that, although you're willing to say 25 levels is perfectly acceptable, losing all the levels is somehow ridiculous? The story demands exactly 25 levels, no more, no less, and the story couldn't have been written in any other way? A level 55 isn't in Northrend any more than a level 1.
j.s.taylor May 28th 2008 4:06PM
AI am putting out a theory. Going to level one is just as acceptable. But, I don't see how a full plate toon from Northrend, who breaks the curse of the Lich King, becomes level one toon, loosing all the gear and training they had going in to battle in Northrend in the first place.
Krick May 28th 2008 6:25PM
So the Lich King strips them of their power, wipes their memory, and transforms them into a level 1 peon. They have to fight their way back up to 80, regaining their memory and power along the way until they can eventually strike back at him.
...
Krick
http://www.tankadin.com/
Suzaku May 29th 2008 12:04AM
Paladins start out as fresh recruits.
The idea of being a Death Knight implies that your character is already an accomplished warrior and a high-ranking member of the Lich King's forces. Everything "heroic" about Blizzard's "hero class" revolves around them already being a hero when you start them, not being a dinky noob that can't even kill coyotes in Westfall.
Moreover, Death Knights are specifically being designed with a 55-80 leveling progression in mind. Their skills, their talents, etc., are all designed around the premise that you'll already be level 55 when you start them. All of their ability ranks will start at level 55.
Saelorn May 28th 2008 1:31PM
I've said it before, and I'll say it again:
Until we have official confirmation, don't just assume Death Knights will have access to trade professions. The whole issue would just create more problems than it solves.
Keysdawg May 28th 2008 1:36PM
You are completely fooling yourself if you think that Blizzard would not allow Deathknights to have access to tradeskills. Every class has access to every tradeskill, why would DK's be different?
Answer? They wouldn't!