Professions can make or break your Hardcore run, but not all are equal in value. Let’s go over each Classic WoW profession, ranking them from worst to best, so you can decide which one fits you the most.

9. Blacksmithing (+Mining)

Blacksmithing only really fits Warriors and Paladins, yet it’s far from the best profession for these classes. It’s extremely slow to level, and you’ll almost always find better gear simply from leveling.

What Makes Blacksmithing Useful:

• Can make Sharpening Stones to increase raw damage output

Pick Blacksmithing if:

• You’re doing the Self-Made Challenge, or you’re roleplaying
• You want to stack up on Sharpening Stones early on and swap it for a better profession
• You’re trolling

8. Leatherworking (+Skinning)

Leatherworking itself follows in the same vein as Blacksmithing, being too difficult and time-consuming to level. Yet it does provide some extra armor boosts to make you a bit tankier. Still, it’s one of the weakest profession options for Hardcore Classic.

What Makes Leatherworking & Skinning Useful:

• Armor Kits for extra armor
• Skinning is great early on, as beasts are plenty, and you can vendor the skins for a surprising amount of money

Pick Leatherworking and/or Skinning if:

• You want to make some extra cash at the start through Skinning and buy your full set of 8 slot bags
• You’re running the Self-Made Challenge

7. Enchanting

Enchanting runs great with Tailoring. Unfortunately, it also relies on Tailoring. However, it provides some raw stats, which is useful for any class, but its winning quality is the ability to make wands. Good wand progression is crucial for casters in the first 20-25 levels, and especially so for Priests. 

What Makes Enchanting Useful:

• Gives raw stats
• Supports good wand progression

Pick Enchanting if:

• You want to stay on top of your wand progression safely
• You're also taking Tailoring

6. Tailoring

Among the armor-crafting professions, Tailoring is the easiest to level due to how much cloth you’ll find while leveling. It’s useful for any caster class and even provides some valuable utility. However, it heavily falls off after the first 20 levels.

What Makes Tailoring Useful:

• The ability to craft bags
• Relatively strong early gear for casters

Pick Tailoring if:

• You want to save money from bags
• You want an early power spike
• You’re doing the Self-Made Challenge

5. Fishing

Fishing is a bit of a time-sink, sure. But it does support many professions, primarily Cooking - the value of which we’ll cover next. Catching fish is also a relaxing escape from the Hardcore madness and a great way to catch your breath.

What Makes Fishing Useful:

• Supports Cooking, Alchemy, and even Engineering
• It’s a breather from the Hardcore grind

Pick Fishing if:

• You’re also leveling Cooking - it’ll make it much easier for you
• You want a boost in Fire Spell Damage, as you can catch fish that help make the Elixir of Firepower
• You want to look cool with Savory Deviate Delight!

4. Cooking

Now, let’s get into the professions that are not considered a joke in the Hardcore leveling community. Cooking can be great for reducing consumable expenses while also giving you raw stats in the form of food buffs. Runs fantastically well with Fishing.

What Makes Cooking Useful:

• Saves you money
• Provides food buffs
• Not too difficult to level, especially when paired with Fishing
• Most foods provide a Stamina buff
• Most foods give a Spirit buff, which is a great stat for HC, especially when it comes to Priests

Pick Cooking if:

• You want some raw stat buffs
• You’re not a mage and spend way too much on food and drink

3. First Aid

If you’re in a hurry and don’t want to level professions, you still need First Aid. It’s a free heal, usually equivalent to more than 50% of your total health. It’s extremely easy to level up, even if you (for some reason) have decided to train in Tailoring. You have no excuse - First Aid is essential for all classes.

What Makes First Aid Useful:

• Will save your life
• Easy to level
• Can vendor bandages for a profit

Pick First Aid if:

• You’re serious about the Hardcore Challenge
• You need some extra healing (you do)
• You want a little extra cash

2. Engineering (+ Mining)

Engineering is considered one of the only twoviable major professions for Hardcore and with good reason. It provides tons of utility in the form of CC and even some great gear (mostly helmets). It’s considered essential for Warriors, as it compliments their lack of CC and mobility, but it’s not as good on Druids, as most Engineering items can’t be used while Shapeshifted.

What Makes Engineering Useful:

• Amazing CC
• Not too difficult to level, for the most part
• Can give you a power spike early with helmets
• Target Dummies allow you to lose aggro and save your life

Pick Engineering if:

• You’re a Warrior
• You’re playing with PvP on
• You need more escapes

1. Alchemy (+ Herbalism)

I’ll be straight - pick this 90% of the time. Alchemy is the king of Hardcore leveling professions because it not only provides raw stats that far exceed those of other professions, but it’s also easy to level and gives you utility that will save your life and make leveling faster.

What Makes Alchemy Useful:

• Raw stats
• Healing
• Utility (increase movement speed, water-breathing, poison cures, etc.)

Pick Alchemy if:

• You’re new to HC and want to play it safe
• You want to spend as little time as possible in a profession for the maximum amount of impact

You may also be interested in:

• [Top 10] WoW Classic Hardcore Best Quest Reward Items

• [Top 15] WoW Classic Hardcore Best Addons

• WoW Classic Hardcore Best Classes - What Should You Play?