Breakfast Topic: Direction for professions
by Amanda Miller 
Aug 13th 2008 at 8:00AM
Over the last few days, we've been given some exciting new details for craftsmen everywhere. Haven't been keeping up? Here's a quick summary of some of the more interesting developments:- The alchemical discovery system might become a feature of all professions, although it would likely be restricted to "fun" recipes.
- Daily quests awarding tokens to craftsmen to use at a special vendor selling recipes might be implemented. In this way, there would be a bit more individuality between players.
- The best items you can craft for any given slot will be available around 350 instead of 375, as in The Burning Crusade.
- Tailors are getting their own flying mount, the Magnificent Flying Carpet.
- Fishing will become more interactive. Blacksmiths will be socketing.
- Enchanters will be able to sell their enchants on the Auction House.
- Engineers are getting a form of enchants, rather than having to cart around so many items.
Edit: The best items you can craft for any given slot in The Burning Crusade came at the skill cap (375) and Blizzard now feels this was too late. In Wrath, you will acquire them earlier.
Filed under: Fishing, Alchemy, Blacksmithing, Engineering, Enchanting, Breakfast Topics, Enchants, Wrath of the Lich King, Rumors
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Tobias Aug 13th 2008 8:07AM
As it stands im thinking on changing my primary professions for 2 reasons. Currently my main is an engi + enchanting char, and with the new direction engineering is going (adding on use effects that count as enchants) I expect they are going to conflict.
I also like the look of inscription since it is what I really wanted from enchanting in the first place, quirky changes to the way you play your character rather than boring stat increases.
So come lich king im gonna drop enchanting for inscription methinks.
Rihlsul Aug 13th 2008 8:08AM
Minor thing:
The best items you can craft for any given slot will be available around 350 instead of 375, as in The Burning Crusade.
You might want to edit that to clarify that you're talking about the EQUIVALENT of 350, which is likely 425.
bob Aug 13th 2008 8:30AM
I thought the new skill cap was going to be 450? What comes after the 'best items' if you have another 25 skill points to earn.
Also, any news at all on Leather Working, aside from the drum nerf?
Rihlsul Aug 13th 2008 8:53AM
Yeap. 450 is the cap currently. What the discussion was about that Amanda is refencing including talking about how too much of the best things in TBC were at 375, so they don't want to repeat that in Wrath. So, expect a lot more in the 400-425 area. NOT 350.
Jim Aug 13th 2008 12:02PM
@Bob-He said in the podcast that cap level recipes will be for making money, and 350 equivalent will be best in slot.
MisterGrok Aug 13th 2008 8:09AM
"The best items you can craft for any given slot will be available around 350 instead of 375, as in The Burning Crusade. "
I'm sure you mean the 350 to be 450?
dariok Aug 13th 2008 8:29AM
The future looks bright for my tank that is classic mining/blacksmithing. I am unsure what will my wife do with her mage that is alchemy/tailoring :(
Culhag Aug 13th 2008 8:30AM
I've been a blacksmith forever and it's hardly ever been usefull.
I'm glad they're finally adding crafts for plate wearers of all kinds, and a nice tradable craft that will always remain relevant.
So I'm sticking to it.
eidokar Aug 13th 2008 8:43AM
Being a skinner/leatherworker i must say ive seen nothing to be impressed by (yet). The only news ive heard is that they (blizz) is nerfing the use of drums.. grrr... Ah, yes there is the passive stats on skinner, which is cool and all, but heard no news about coming goodness for the leatherworking profession.
h8rain Aug 13th 2008 9:18AM
Yea I am with you on that. Engineers have always had cool/fun stuff, Tailors are getting the flying carpet (and can make bags), Blacksmithing is getting the gem socket addition thing, JCs can cut gems (which are universally needed, so very useful), Alchemy can transmute and discover stuff (again pretty useful/profitable), Enchanting is getting a huge "buff" to be able to sell on AH, but so far no love for leatherworkers. Other than armor kits and drums, leatherworkers are basically useless. Armor kits are nice but wooooo I can add +10 stam to armor, but it is overridden by an enchant, so a lot of times the enchants are better.
Drums while a cool idea, but two minutes CD and the recent nerf makes them even less pointless. I can't use them in Arenas, so that is one less place where they could be useful. I have some epic patterns but they are not *that* great. IMO LW (like BS currently) is not really worth leveling. Just buy your armor kits, and do without drums.
Even the gathering professions are getting a "buff", so please Blizzard give us LW'ers a good reason to keep LW versus dumping it and leveling a more useful or fun profession.
Matt Aug 13th 2008 8:44AM
The change to Enchanting is huge. Anyone with a high level Enchanter or enough gold to buy enchants off the AH is going to be able to twink a character for the battlegrounds, or just enchant an alt's gear with the best enchants for their current level. Enchanters who don't like spamming trade may actually make some money, too.
Fletch Aug 13th 2008 9:01AM
Allowing enchants to be passed on to alts is a welcome change, though hopefully it won't be made into a completely useless feature by restricting it to low level enchants only. The additions to engineering sound good, but it still seems that it will be a fairly insular profession with limited opportunity for trading items to non-engineers. I'm not sure I am so keen on the idea of discovering new recipes through making items. This works in alchemy because potions/elixirs are genuinely useful items and have relatively low material cost. For the other professions I'm not sure this idea will be particularly good as I don't want to spend thousands of gold mass producing items that have limited sale potential just on the off-chance I might learn something that probably won't be much use anyway.
zappo Aug 13th 2008 9:14AM
Glad to hear fishing will be more interactive. The thing that annoys me about fishing is that it's boring and doesn't require any skill or brainpower, yet still requires you either watch or listen to the game. My point being it should either be involved enough for it to actually be a game, or simple enough for me to watch TV while my character fishes.
Havitech Aug 13th 2008 9:15AM
I hope the so-called "Enchanting sponges" made by inscribers won't make sending enchants to alts an unnecessary headache.
splice42 Aug 13th 2008 9:24AM
I find it funny that there is a push for the discovery mechanic to be implemented in other profession for "fun" items.
Where exactly is the fun in alchemy? My chosen profession is the most boring there is. No toys, no gimmicks, even our own special brew (mad alchemist's potion) doesn't do anything special, just combines health and mana with another random potion effect.
Alchemy is just pretty boring and I haven't seen any effort to change that... Pity.
Culhag Aug 13th 2008 9:47AM
Maybe boring... but not as much as some other professions.
And alchemy's crafts (potions, elixirs, flasks) always stay useful, unlike "equipment" crafts made by tailoring, leatherworking and blacksmithing.
don Aug 13th 2008 10:14AM
Alchemists have Alchemist Stones, of which the healing one is the best trinket in the game. Also, our profession remains relevant until end-game, whereas anyone with Tailoring or Blacksmithing is basically sitting on a useless profession once they outgear the available recipes. Leatherworking is kept relevant only due Drums, which are being nerfed.
I'm happy to be an Alchemist, although I'll be dropping Herbalism on my main for Inscription.
Sinthar Aug 13th 2008 9:40AM
OK what the f**k does 'more interactive' MEAN ffs??? A vague statement that they want to make it more interactive, and then its repeated today - come on, if your gonna mention it- at least give SOME idea of what you mean. Is it gonna be like a mini game, or are they introducing trawling nets that take two or more people to bring in a whole shoal at once? Or need to be used on boats - so you can fish when moving from dock to dock, or what????
Fletch Aug 13th 2008 10:44AM
I think the 'interactive' word was something some guy from Blizzard used in an interview. I doubt anyone on this forum knows what he meant by it, and I can almost guarantee that the guy from Blizz doesn't really know what he meant by it either.
Kieran Aug 13th 2008 9:42AM
Fishing is already simple enough to watch TV while you do it - just turn the sound up.