Do we know where professions are heading yet?

[amorpheus]

A month ago I re-activated my account after a long period of inactivity and started fresh on a new server where I have some friends. I quickly picked Mining and Herbalism to collect stuff while leveling while I make up my mind about the actual professions I'd like to level up later.

I've narrowed my selection down a bit, Engineering is fun and incredibly useful, but the second one is still up in the air. I don't like Alchemy because you need to flask to get a passive bonus from it, and most of the others have limited diversity, for example with the ring or shoulder enchants that just offer one choice per role. Jewelcrafting or Blacksmithing seem to have the most flexible bonus and are optimal for any class/spec no matter how the stat weights will end up.

But with a new patch and expansion due in a few months, most of this could be shaken up entirely. Is it known yet if that's the case? I've read "no active combat bonuses from professions" or some such a while ago, what's up with that?

[Khorm]

But with a new patch and expansion due in a few months, most of this could be shaken up entirely. Is it known yet if that's the case? I've read "no active combat bonuses from professions" or some such a while ago, what's up with that?

no active combat bonuses from professions

[Blupparen]

A month ago I re-activated my account after a long period of inactivity and started fresh on a new server where I have some friends. I quickly picked Mining and Herbalism to collect stuff while leveling while I make up my mind about the actual professions I'd like to level up later.

I've narrowed my selection down a bit, Engineering is fun and incredibly useful, but the second one is still up in the air. I don't like Alchemy because you need to flask to get a passive bonus from it, and most of the others have limited diversity, for example with the ring or shoulder enchants that just offer one choice per role. Jewelcrafting or Blacksmithing seem to have the most flexible bonus and are optimal for any class/spec no matter how the stat weights will end up.

But with a new patch and expansion due in a few months, most of this could be shaken up entirely. Is it known yet if that's the case? I've read "no active combat bonuses from professions" or some such a while ago, what's up with that?

It means that professions won't give a bonus to combat, like jewelcrafting have epic gems, engineering have glove enchant, blacksmithing have extra sockets and so on. They don't want professions to be part of min-maxing and to make it not mandatory to have max in two crafting professions to be in a serious raiding guild. That's about all we know at this point, atleast this is all I have read.

[Deleted]

There will still be profession associated bonuses to combat but only those that are available to all, like leg enchants for instance. Afaik the professions that make those do still get their budget version for themselves since that's an economic bonus and not a combat bonus.

Beyond that there will be profession boons from the garrison and it looks like that place also gives you access to a limited subset of stuff from other professions, if you build the associated buildings.

Beyond that all we know is that herbalism and mining will usable on all nodes everywhere regardless of skill. Skill will determine what you get out of it though.

EDIT: Oh, and non-combat engineering stuff, like the glider or the speed boost, will stay and become BoE so you can sell them.

[Jeurda]

The combat bonuses part is they're removing effects like Lifebloom or the mining passive toughness buff. this is to make certain professions less mandatory for those minor combat buffs, so you can pick what you want without being forced into min/maxing. They're also allowing limited access to other professions that you don't have with specific buildings you can have in your garrison, professions are probably getting they're biggest shake up yet in WoD and I feel it's still a little early to judge.

[amorpheus]

Thanks. So what I've been thinking about is becoming irrelevant anyway? At least that makes the choice obvious.

Are other professions getting any utility stuff? It all looks very bleak compared to Engineering, the only other profession I'm slightly interested in is JC for the convenience of cutting my own gems.

EDIT: Oh, and non-combat engineering stuff, like the glider or the speed boost, will stay and become BoE so you can sell them.

That actually seems to cover most of what I'd like from Engineering... Jeeves seems to still be BoP, but that's not as critical as the other stuff.

[femur68]

It would be nice for them to make professions a little more in depth in wod. It would be great for another alternative form of character progression. I'm kinda tired of them recycling the same crafting material format each expansion for every profession.

[papajohn4]

the way I see it, profession will still be valuable because they will offer crafted gear/consumables. So for example, if you are leveling a warrior it would be good to get Blacksmithing because you will be able to craft gear for yourself. I guess the WoD will continue that model of crafting, with daily cooldowns and then after 2-3 weeks you craft a very good item, that either you use it or sell it.

Alchemy will still have cooldowns to make profit (like living steel) but I think that Garrisons will lessen the efficient for a bit, since every BS players will have an alchemy lab in the garrison to make the cooldowns (assuming that it will continue to be depended in Alchemy).

Anyway, I would advice you to wait...Blizzard said that they will have a blog post about professions, so wait until then and then decide what to do. keep mining - herbalism to make profit until then.