Falchan
14-06-2006, 12:13 AM
Tradeskilling for Dummies:
This overview will cover the basics of what you should do with your precious tradeskill slots, particularly the Gathering/Production tradeskill slots, which you only have a precious 2. Keep in mind that these are only my opinions. I happen to think they are fact, but other (less educated people) sometimes disagree. I’m not posting anything particularly novel or groundbreaking here, but I am answering some questions that come up time and time again.
First off, you need to decide what you want for your character. What is your goal? Are you looking to make potions to keep you in the battle longer? Armor to cover your hinder? Weapons to slay your foes? Explosives to set yourself aflame? Adding glowing effects to my equipment? Making boatloads of cash? All of these can be done with some special attention to your choice of tradeskill.
Secondly, realize that you can untrain a tradeskill anytime. With my Hunter, I have personally traveled the path thus; 300 Skinning (dropped) 265 Leatherworking (dropped), 300 Mining (dropped), 300 Herbalism (dropped), 300 Engineering (kept), 300 Herbalism (tentatively keeping).
Goal #1: Gotta make me some cash.
Do this with the gathering skills: Herbalism, Mining, Skinning and “dis”Enchanting.
Generally speaking, most people recommend to take 2 gathering skills at first, as the materials gained can be sold on the Auction House (AH) for decent cash, as many veteran players take up two crafting professions, or need excessive materials to powerlevel a trade. This is a great way to bankroll an alt, supply alts with mats, or to turn up cash. If you are new to WoW, taking two gathering skills is highly recommended.
Of the 4 mentioned above, Mats gained through Herbalism and Mining generally sell the best. It could easily be argued that disenchanting (DE) makes more cash, but to make use of disenchanting requires an item (green or better) to DE, an item that could either be AHd or vendored for a decent amount anyway.
Herbalism and Mining both rely heavily on the use of a map radar. Only one radar can be active at a given time. This is why most people (myself included) recommend that the novice WoWer take up either Mining or Herbalism, plus Skinning or Enchanting. Not to say you cannot take Herbalism and Mining, I’ve done that myself, but it is a bit of a pain to switch map modes constantly when farming.
DO NOT EXPECT TO MAKE ANY CASH WITH NON-GATHERING SKILLS!
For most production trades, the material components for the item when sold individually exceed the value of the finished product. There are exceptions, but very few of them. Pick a production profession because you plan to use the items you make, not because you want to peddle them, or you’ll be disappointed.
Goal #2: Anybody feel a draft?
Make yourself some armor. For this, you’ll take Tailoring (cloth), Leatherworking (Leather/Mail), or Blacksmithing/Armorsmithing (Mail/Plate). These are pretty self explanatory. Other advantages to these skills include Purify Mooncloth (Tailoring), Armor Kits (Leatherworking), and various weapons that can also be made with the general Blacksmithing skills.
Goal #3: I hit you, you fall down, I get XP and/or loot.
Everybody needs weapons. Most can be made with Blacksmithing, though Enchanting makes wands, and with recent patch changes, the wands are pretty buff. As with the Armor crafting, mats are expensive. Plan to use your trade.
Goal #4: Medic!
Priest in a bottle. Juice to make your…muscles…bigger. Now you see me, now you don’t. These are all tricks that an Alchemist can perform, with the right skill, recipes, and materials. Alchemy is probably the most useful of the production professions in the game, and is my personal 2nd favorite next to Engineering.
Goal #5: Lonely? Arcanite Dragonling will listen to your woes (for 1 minute…back in an hour).
Gadgets, gizmos, guns and ammo…engineering has it all. With engineering, many class skills can be simulated. Downside to Engineering is you have to have engineering skill to use most of the crafted items, so it’s not very useful for alts or for the AH.
Goal #6: How exactly does one get a metal blade to burn?
Enchanting is probably the most expensive of the skills to get to 300, but is one of the most profitable once you get there, if you have the right spells. Every hunter wants more agility, rogues as well. Mages can’t get enough int…Priests for their spirit. Enchanting is a gathering and production class rolled up into one. I personally would recommend Enchanting, but not before level 60…it’s just too dang expensive and difficult to level.
Those are my thoughts on the generalities of tradeskilling. Do with it as you will.
This overview will cover the basics of what you should do with your precious tradeskill slots, particularly the Gathering/Production tradeskill slots, which you only have a precious 2. Keep in mind that these are only my opinions. I happen to think they are fact, but other (less educated people) sometimes disagree. I’m not posting anything particularly novel or groundbreaking here, but I am answering some questions that come up time and time again.
First off, you need to decide what you want for your character. What is your goal? Are you looking to make potions to keep you in the battle longer? Armor to cover your hinder? Weapons to slay your foes? Explosives to set yourself aflame? Adding glowing effects to my equipment? Making boatloads of cash? All of these can be done with some special attention to your choice of tradeskill.
Secondly, realize that you can untrain a tradeskill anytime. With my Hunter, I have personally traveled the path thus; 300 Skinning (dropped) 265 Leatherworking (dropped), 300 Mining (dropped), 300 Herbalism (dropped), 300 Engineering (kept), 300 Herbalism (tentatively keeping).
Goal #1: Gotta make me some cash.
Do this with the gathering skills: Herbalism, Mining, Skinning and “dis”Enchanting.
Generally speaking, most people recommend to take 2 gathering skills at first, as the materials gained can be sold on the Auction House (AH) for decent cash, as many veteran players take up two crafting professions, or need excessive materials to powerlevel a trade. This is a great way to bankroll an alt, supply alts with mats, or to turn up cash. If you are new to WoW, taking two gathering skills is highly recommended.
Of the 4 mentioned above, Mats gained through Herbalism and Mining generally sell the best. It could easily be argued that disenchanting (DE) makes more cash, but to make use of disenchanting requires an item (green or better) to DE, an item that could either be AHd or vendored for a decent amount anyway.
Herbalism and Mining both rely heavily on the use of a map radar. Only one radar can be active at a given time. This is why most people (myself included) recommend that the novice WoWer take up either Mining or Herbalism, plus Skinning or Enchanting. Not to say you cannot take Herbalism and Mining, I’ve done that myself, but it is a bit of a pain to switch map modes constantly when farming.
DO NOT EXPECT TO MAKE ANY CASH WITH NON-GATHERING SKILLS!
For most production trades, the material components for the item when sold individually exceed the value of the finished product. There are exceptions, but very few of them. Pick a production profession because you plan to use the items you make, not because you want to peddle them, or you’ll be disappointed.
Goal #2: Anybody feel a draft?
Make yourself some armor. For this, you’ll take Tailoring (cloth), Leatherworking (Leather/Mail), or Blacksmithing/Armorsmithing (Mail/Plate). These are pretty self explanatory. Other advantages to these skills include Purify Mooncloth (Tailoring), Armor Kits (Leatherworking), and various weapons that can also be made with the general Blacksmithing skills.
Goal #3: I hit you, you fall down, I get XP and/or loot.
Everybody needs weapons. Most can be made with Blacksmithing, though Enchanting makes wands, and with recent patch changes, the wands are pretty buff. As with the Armor crafting, mats are expensive. Plan to use your trade.
Goal #4: Medic!
Priest in a bottle. Juice to make your…muscles…bigger. Now you see me, now you don’t. These are all tricks that an Alchemist can perform, with the right skill, recipes, and materials. Alchemy is probably the most useful of the production professions in the game, and is my personal 2nd favorite next to Engineering.
Goal #5: Lonely? Arcanite Dragonling will listen to your woes (for 1 minute…back in an hour).
Gadgets, gizmos, guns and ammo…engineering has it all. With engineering, many class skills can be simulated. Downside to Engineering is you have to have engineering skill to use most of the crafted items, so it’s not very useful for alts or for the AH.
Goal #6: How exactly does one get a metal blade to burn?
Enchanting is probably the most expensive of the skills to get to 300, but is one of the most profitable once you get there, if you have the right spells. Every hunter wants more agility, rogues as well. Mages can’t get enough int…Priests for their spirit. Enchanting is a gathering and production class rolled up into one. I personally would recommend Enchanting, but not before level 60…it’s just too dang expensive and difficult to level.
Those are my thoughts on the generalities of tradeskilling. Do with it as you will.