Passive buffs for gatherers
by Eliah Hecht 
Jul 18th 2008 at 3:30PM
We've seen some interesting things come out of the Wrath beta already for some of the crafting professions, including Jewelcrafting, Alchemy, Enchanting, and the new Inscription. But what about us humble gatherers? Skinners, Herbalists, and Miners need love too. Well, it looks like Blizz is ready to give us some of that love, at least for Skinners and Miners. Check out the following spells:
- Toughness (categorized under Mining)
- Master of Anatomy (categorized under Skinning)
Note that those buffs are passive. 35 stam all the time for all grand master miners, and 25 crit rating for grand master skinners. Each of those abilities have six ranks, which I take to correspond to the six ranks of profession skill: apprentice, journeyman, expert, artisan, master, and the new grand master.
This is awesome stuff, if you ask me. My analysis is that these benefits are meant to stand in for the epic BoP items that the production professions get access to. Why there is no benefit for herbalism is something of a mystery; it might not be implemented yet, or it might be absent on purpose. Natalie pointed out that it might be because several herbs already give buffs when you pick them, so that's another possibility.
I think these benefits are low enough that people with maxed-out professions aren't going to be dropping them just to get the extra 35 stam, but high enough to provide a meaningful, stabbity perk for those who've just about had it with skinning their ten-thousandth beast (who am I kidding, skinning is fun). Good change, and I do hope we see something for herbalism.
Filed under: Herbalism, Mining, Skinning, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Baluki Jul 18th 2008 3:40PM
That's pretty cool. I wonder if those other abilities that are listed on the WotLKwiki.info site are real, fake, or real but not coming after all. I thought Miner's Revenge could be fun, and Scalp (a bleed effect) looked like it could be overpowered for Warriors.
Silverlynx35 Jul 18th 2008 3:43PM
I don't care for the idea. Seems like they will just pigeon hole classes into professions. Every rogue will be a skinner now, every warrior a miner. Granted some profs are naturally better for some classes but encouraging classes to be one prof or the other homogenizes the game. IMO.
vanye111 Jul 18th 2008 3:49PM
Yes, because everyone of the same class wearing all the same equipment because there is no variety at the top end doesn't....
Bysshe Jul 18th 2008 3:55PM
Agreed. I don't think that necessarily EVERYONE will go for the profession that provides the best buff for their class, but I think a lot of people will, and eventually playing a rogue herbalist (assuming herbalism doesn't do anything great for rogues) will be like playing a female dwarf.
Doc X Jul 18th 2008 3:50PM
Every class can benefit from increased Mining. I also seem to remember something about critical strike rating applying to both spell and physical hits, so the Skinning ability would be useful for any class that tries to damage stuff. . . like every class when it solos.
elprogramer Jul 18th 2008 4:20PM
What? Most classes already are, because the items they produce are most useful for certain classes (Priests wearing plate armor?).
jbodar Jul 18th 2008 4:47PM
My Rogue is skinner/miner. Even more OP!
mizatt Jul 18th 2008 6:21PM
That's not going to happen... if everyone went mining, the market would be flooded with ore, the price would drop and mining would no longer be an economically feasible profession.
Tauren get a 5% stam racial, but not every horde warrior rolls Tauren
Hansel Jul 18th 2008 3:42PM
Whatever it is (herbalism buff) it has to be something all classes can use, because if it's like Intellect or something, my rogue is going to be pissed.
Milktub Jul 18th 2008 4:47PM
If I were to put my money on an Herbalism passive, it would be something about increased health regeneration.
Lenina Jul 18th 2008 3:43PM
I'd like to see the herbalism buff as an increase to attack power and spell power
Patrick Jul 18th 2008 3:48PM
Oh, great.
Random PUG
Guy: Hey Tank, what are your Professions?
Tank: Herb and Inscription
Guy: WTF?! Tank needs mining L2P noob!
But, I like it :)
Krianna Jul 19th 2008 12:40PM
Heh, that's called "natural selection"-- if the PUG demands that, they'll probably either ninja or wipe 500 times.
Thander Jul 18th 2008 3:53PM
Herbalism has some drops in BC like those seeds that give 2k hp for a short time. Maybe there will be more of those in Wrath. They could also just continue with the temporary buffs from gathering herbs but extend their duration for an hour. It would be more tedious from the other classes but they would have access to more buffs depending on which herbs they pick.
Clasifyd Jul 18th 2008 3:54PM
I wonder if these buffs would stack. If you went with one of the money making combos, this could be very beneficial.
zappo Jul 18th 2008 4:17PM
I'm not sure why the wouldn't. I mean you can already to the self only enchants, and make the self only jewels. This won't shoehorn anyone more than they already are (priest + tailoring comes to mind). The buff is nice, but not totally outstanding.
As an assassination rogue who will be even more crit based than I already am come the release of the expansion, I'm quite happy I didn't drop skinning. And skinning has always been intended to couple with leather working, so this is essentially a buff oriented towards classes that can wear leather - druids and rogues.
I'm going to guess if herbalism gets anything, it'll probably be something sort of lame like +10 all resistances.
Braundo Jul 18th 2008 3:55PM
And now I am more glad than ever than my tank character has Mining.
jake Jul 18th 2008 4:43PM
Ditto.
After spending 100s of gold for that last +3 stam when min/maxing, +35 stam for something I have already is orgasmic.
Zep Jul 18th 2008 4:00PM
It still hardly replaces epic BOP crafted items enough to be useful. Tanks will not get mining just for a small stamina increase (we'll all have 2000 stamina in wrath anyway). It's just a nice bonus, like ring enchants.
Markymark Jul 18th 2008 5:31PM
Lol Engineer's should get a caster buff naturally and stam from being a Miner is ideal. I doubt it pigeon holding anyone into a class because these buffs are minor.