Patch 5.4 patch notes
Virtual Realms feature revealed
The Proving Grounds are coming
The latest patch 5.4 newsBreakfast Topic: Are you leveling your Professions?
by Daniel Whitcomb 
Nov 20th 2008 at 8:00AM
I admit, I'm not, which is new. When BC came along, while I leveled to 70, I always stopped to mine the Fel Iron nodes. Even on my initial tramp from 1-60 on my characters, I usually stop every few levels to make sure their chosen tradeskill is up to date. But this time, on my Death Knight, I'm not stopping for a thing. It's a weird feeling. I'm conscientious about making sure my characters are well-rounded, making sure they have the skills to pay the bills, so to speak, first aid and cooking in addition to a set of well maintained trade skills, but on my Death Knight, I just can't bring myself to let up on the questing and grinding for professions, even if it means leaving piles of dead, unskinned Bog Lords in my wake.
Admittedly, this may have something to do with the fact that his trade skills start at level 1 while he's level 55. In the end, I'd rather level in Hellfire Peninsula instead of picking daisies in Elwynn. Can you blame me? Still, I promise at level 80 that I will make time to level up his Inscription.
While I have asked about this before, I thought I'd see if the responses were any different now that Wrath is underway. Are you taking breaks on the road to 80 to level your tradeskills? Why or why not?
Filed under: Herbalism, Fishing, Mining, Skinning, Alchemy, Blacksmithing, Cooking, Engineering, Leatherworking, Tailoring, Enchanting, First Aid, Items, Analysis / Opinion, Breakfast Topics, Jewelcrafting, Leveling, Wrath of the Lich King, Inscription
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 6)
Sass Nov 20th 2008 9:42AM
My fishing and cooking are at 450, my toon is lvl 71.
negativegirl0 Nov 20th 2008 9:30PM
I'm tailor/enchanter and I find its MUCH easier to level as you go. Fortunately most of the stuff I get is from questing and running instances. I leave the special enchants (anything that requires more than the regular dust, essence and shard) for later.
Drow Nov 20th 2008 11:50AM
I tried...I was herb/skin, and changed out skinning to inscription. I got it to 200 then herbs were to pricey and I wanted to keep 1500g in the bank for Northrend. Of course First Aid, Cooking, and Herb are almost maxed out, but those are easy to do along the way.
Substandard Nov 20th 2008 9:31AM
I managed to hit 300 on herbalism last night on my DK, and my inscription is about 230.
I've been playing him as an alt from my paladin main, and made the conscious choice that I wouldn't go into outland until I could get the herbs there.
It seems foolish that I have to go pick daisys for 8 hours prior to hitting up any actual quests, but It's better than having to go back to all the areas and do it at level 80.
Dixi Nov 20th 2008 9:30AM
Yeah, im a DK. Once I left the starting area I decided to get to know my Tauren heritage by picking flowers. I also picked up a pickaxe.
Its been a painful few grind sessions but im finally closing in on 300/300 herb + mining. Cant wait to get back to playing, im hoping the hellfire wont be so busy now, and due to the stupidly inflated prices at the moment im well on my way to epic flyers.
I forced myself to do it early because I hate relying on my other chars for gold, and figured I may as well level them up as im questing in Outlands.
Druidor Nov 20th 2008 9:33AM
Well I only have level 30 characters & the one thing that has wound me up is the level 35 restriction on most of the professions that have stopped me still at 225 since level 20.
Fishing - 220
First Aid - 225
Engineering - 225
Mining - 288
Do away with the restrictions
dfsnow Nov 20th 2008 9:39AM
Just leveling the gathering professions and selling what I gather, although herbalism is proving to be difficult with all the competition for nodes.
Once things calm down, I'll go back and level the crafting ones.
Ryan Nov 20th 2008 9:36AM
I've been mining as i find things in northrend, it's currently at about 445. It's hard not to, there are some places just full of nodes (Zul'Drak, I'm looking at you). With all the ore i've been mining, I usually level my Blacksmithing right at the end of my playtime when I head to a town to rest up. I'm level 76 now, so it hasn't really slowed me down all that much either!
Hat Nov 20th 2008 9:38AM
I'll concur with other commenters that levelling skinning is a no brainer. I've managed to get to 450 whilst still level 71 and in the Howling Fjord. Very very easy.
L/W is a little harder - all the skins above have only brought me to 395, though I'm not following an optimal route on which pattern I produce for skill point generation / minimum leather, just making what seems interesting and useful.
Professions are all good baby...just gotta remember to pick 'em up and level them as you feel like it.
Redski Nov 20th 2008 9:39AM
I powered through mining and engineering the first day (with most of the ore, cloth and junk I had saved up) for the sake of getting a Flying Machine and other convenience gadgets.
Of course, Furious Gizmatic Goggles didn't hurt, either.
Redski Nov 20th 2008 9:41AM
Bah, for my Death Knight, I mean.
Saitomage Nov 20th 2008 9:52AM
my main is an engineer / tailor engineering is at 401 and my tailoring is at like 390. mainly because the mats to power lvl them are outragously expensive. My DK who i don't play much maybe 2 or so hours a day with a friend has his mining up to 300 and his herb up to 220 after 2 days of just mining
Brad Nov 20th 2008 9:50AM
LOL I spent 9 hours last Thursday lvling Herbalism and Alchemy. I'm right where I should be now and don't have to go back through outland again after I lvl my DK. That is a good feeling, I love it when I am picking herbs and you can just watch the DK around me wonder how I could do that.........
Terashi Nov 20th 2008 9:54AM
First thing I did after finishing the Death Knight quest-line was taking a few hours spread over two days to level Alchemy and Herbalism.
Right now my Death Knight is level 65 and still in Zangarmarsh with 408 Herbalism and 335 Alchemy just by picking herbs I see and making potions I need after I got both to ~280 back in Azeroth. I actually took a zappelin to Northrend just to get Grand Master Herbalist.
I haven't been able to sell any low level potions, actually haven't tried with everyone leveling characters from 58 and up. On the plus side potions for around those levels seem to sell like hot cakes.
MindMage Nov 20th 2008 9:54AM
My main paladin is working day and night, leveling both mining and engineering with that sweet sweet ride in mind. Does slow down the leveling a bit, because once a yellow dot is on your minimap, that's where you're heading, not the next quest objective, and now and then you've got to go on mining/scavenging trips to storm peaks/geyser fields.
The alt shaman won't be questing in northrend before she's up to speed with mining skill. I'll log in for a instance run with my guildies that my main isn't interested in, not to let rested exp cap out, but no walking around without being able to get that node.
As for the obligatory death knight, well, he's resting now. DK questline was fun and all, but the dude is waiting for my pally and shaman to reach 80. Then I'll think about professions.
Beli Nov 20th 2008 9:58AM
My mage is tapping every node she can find to level mining, but hasn't cut even 1 gem since the expansion began. Everything just gets prospected and put in the JC bag in the bank - plenty of time to level it once she hits 80. Plus most of the population will be starting to get gear with sockets again (i think i've seen 1 piece so far with sockets), so the need for those gems will be pretty high.
Sparkus Nov 20th 2008 10:01AM
I actually spent 2 hours fishing with my level 72 in Astranaar last night, raising my skill from 173 to 205. I was thinking, "I've got to be the only Wrath player fishing on this server."
Ranguskhan Nov 20th 2008 10:07AM
I am. My DK has 350+ inscription and 340+ herbalism. I have 4 lvl 70s and all of them have tradeskills maxxed to BC.
The only reason I've leveld my DKs tradeskills is to get the armor/weapon vellum for my main, who is an enchanter. I've decided that I'm not going to waste enchanting mats reinchanting some garbage bracers just to level up. With the vellum I can send enchants to my throng of alts or sell on the AH.
Ace Nov 20th 2008 10:12AM
Leveling my DK is soooo much fun, I haven't stopped for anything...not even to fish, which for me is unusual. My hunter stops at every school she sees. I will be getting fishing at some point, since he (the DK) got that nice fishing pole quest reward in Lower City last night. I guess I will eventually level something else on him as well, but I'd like to get him to 70 and caught up with my hunter first. Only 3 levels to go!
Paperkut Nov 20th 2008 10:32AM
I leveled skinning in a day - without trying. I was on one of those overpopulated servers so I would just skin non-stop everyone's kills. I made over 1000 gold during the first three days crafting nerubian leg armor, borean armor thingies, and selling the arctic fur.
Now that prices have leveled out and I am on a transfer server I expect to not constantly stop and skin, and save my leather for when I get around to leveling leatherworking.
I figure they should keep skinning as is, and while it is quick - it pays less than say herbs and mining in the long run.
My other toons will wait until my main is level 80 and raiding before they get any attention - so I will level professions and them at the same time.