What are professions?

Here in Azeroth, whether you're on the dragon isles or in the maelstrom, professions are key to your characters' journey. They give you the edge in battle and make you a pretty penny at the same time. Here we explore just how good these are and which ones are the best for you whilst slaying your way to ultimate glory!

Are some professions better than others?

To put it simply... Yes, some are significantly better than others, yet it all depends on what you want. Do you want to make bank and be filthy rich? Do you want to make a mount that few will have? Or do you simply want to do a profession you enjoy? here we are going to dive into the nitty gritty and rank them based on effectiveness and playability

Please note- in this guide, we rank them on a system of “okay” to “best”. There are no bad professions, sometimes it is simply down to personal choice.

8. Inscription (OK)

Inscription needs a rework in future patches to compete with other professions on this list.

Inscription can be useful, no doubt about that. Just simply put there is a lack of variety when it comes to the profession, the main pull for players in this skill is the creation of Missives- powerful items which can enhance and change the secondary stats of crafted gear, but you need the crafted gear in the first place. It’s a very niche profession but when utilized correctly, can be a very powerful one.

Best classes for this profession- any class is viable but there are class-specific rewards- (mage+shaman)

What makes this profession useful?

• Missives-everybody wants them!
• Less competition for crafting orders
• Increased reputation grinds through the knowledge system

Usefulness score – 70/100

7. Enchanting (OK)

Enchants, whilst useful and great money, are a one-time use and that is hindering enchanters in this expansion

Now I may get some hate for this, but enchanting is unfortunately not up with the curve as other professions, the limited work-order engagement and one use capacity is its downfall. don’t get me wrong, everybody needs enchantments, but your best friend will be the auction house and trade chat, rendering the Dragonflight bonuses which other professions have rather useless, sorry mages but hey! At least now you can add them to a vellum and make them tradeable, fear not, there is potential! Land a recipe from one of the raid bosses and you have a niche enchantment available that people will pay good money for whilst the rest catch up to you.

What makes enchanting useful?

• Enchanting vellums on the auction house means you’re making bank!
• Niche recipes enable you to drive your own prices
• Enchant your own gear for raids etc. at minimal cost

Best classes for enchanting 

• Pretty much everybody! Who doesn’t like low-cost enchants that give you the edge in battle?

Usefulness score 75/100

6.Leatherworking (Useful)

Will pretty much be a second home to all leather-workers this expansion

Leatherworking is useful in many ways, the provision of drums will always be a welcome sight for your raid team, there are enough classes that wear leather to make it viable, and you can use some of your precious knowledge points to unlock a ridiculously good bow. It’s a hunter's paradise! Also with the introduction of the Dracthyr class, it's another class that is solely reliant on leather and thus, another class to help fill your coin pouch.

What makes leatherworking useful?

• Super powerful endgame hunter bow that is upgradeable!
• DRUMS...drums in the deep!
• Variety when it comes to making a profit, enough classes that are leather dependent to make it a viable income source

Best classes for leatherworking

• Goes without saying – hunter! Get that bow!
• Druids and Dracthyr are also effective for the profession as they are leather-wearing only, thus enabling you to craft your own endgame armor.

Usefulness score – 80/100

5. Tailoring (Useful)

Cloth wearers are going to have plenty to do with this profession!

Now this profession you could have in the same place as leatherworking or higher so, it's all down to preference, but I think this edges out leatherworking as a top 5 spot due to its potential, we’re talking BAGS! Another viable source of income unique to this profession, and let’s be real. Everybody wants the biggest bags, this enables you to mark up your prices if you land that juicy recipe, make enough or have a strong supply of cloth and you’ll be rolling in gold! Not to mention the class-specific craftables, easy access to endgame with some overpowered craftable armor.

What makes tailoring useful?

• BAGS, BAGS, BAGS
• Class-specific endgame armor
• Craft for your clothie alts, all armor is viable for the cloth classes.

Best classes for this profession?

• Mages, warlocks, priests- cloth is the only armor available to them
• Anyone with access to huge amounts of cloth
• It Is viable for enchanters too as recycled cloth can be disenchanted into materials

Usefulness score 85/100

4. Blacksmithing (Very useful)

Blacksmithing is the way to go for plate-wearers this expansion

Now we’re getting to the juicy bits! Blacksmithing is a time-honored profession that has always been in the top 5 in my opinion, the recipes can be a nightmare to farm but once you land them, your gold worries are over forever, let's not forget too that plate armor specifically just looks so aesthetically good, the amount of transmogs you can make to look absolutely badass is practically limitless. With the new addition of specializing in not just armor and weapons, but hammers and crafting items too, make this a very strong utility profession to make some serious gold and get your tank character into the endgame!

What makes blacksmithing useful?

• Tanks are always looking for crafted items, sitting on a gold mine
• Ability to repair items for much cheaper and increase durability of crafting items
• You can upgrade cheaper resources into much stronger and more expensive ones = profit!

Best classes for blacksmithing?

• Practically any plate wearer, can basically kit your entire character out with both Armour and weapons
• The mining skill is of course a perfect partner, and you can sell the materials for mega profit, so anybody with mining
• Not a class but the races, light forged Draenei gain a +5 to blacksmithing skill and can summon a forge anywhere, dark iron dwarves have a +5 skill increase and a 10% faster blacksmithing time.

Usefulness score 90/100

3. Engineering (very useful)

Engineers are finally seeing the fruits of their labours in Dragonflight

The goggle boys have finally got some love in this expansion! It goes without saying that engineering has always been a niche with some game-saving items and abilities primarily for specific encounters, but no more! Everybody needs engineers, they make some of the best profession gear for basically all classes as well as their biggest contribution which is the items that enable people to capture the ever-valuable, elemental soul! And let's not forget the always fashionable goggles!

Why is engineering useful?

• Utility in terms of items that can help the team/raid group (s.a.v.i.o.r battle res)
• Best profession items can be crafted – we're talking big bank!
• Craft super powerful headpieces whilst maintaining ultimate style!
• Some profession-specific mounts are available!

What classes are best for engineering?

• As it is a niche profession and not tied to any particular armor type, any class is viable, best paired with mining for materials 

Usefulness score 90/100

2. Jewelcrafting (very useful)

Jewelcrafting is and always has been a very lucrative business but with a steep initial investment.

Since its introduction in the Burning Crusade expansion...jewelcrafting has always been a very lucrative profession, I think it was a little misunderstood in the earlier days yet when given a chance to prove its worth, it shone beyond measure! If you turn up to a raid in the present day with un-gemmed gear, it is more than likely an instant-kick, these items when used in unison with your gear and other effects are simply too powerful to dismiss. Let’s not forget that currently, the best slot neckpiece for ALL classes is a high-end jewelcrafting item, yet once that recipe is secured your bank will always be overflowing and your crafting orders will always be full. Also, for the avid toy and collection logger, jewelcrafting is a must

What makes jewelcrafting useful?

• The endgame players are counting on you to make them shiny stones!
• A disgustingly high amount of profit
• Ability to make the best in slot necklace and in some cases rings also
• TOYS!

What classes are best for jewelcrafting?

• Any that want to make some huge amounts of gold!
• As jewelry is not a class specific profession, any class is viable, best paired with mining

Usefulness score 95/100

Alchemy (best)

The consistency of potential sales and supply/demand at an all-time high makes alchemy the way to go!

Was it ever going to be another profession? I don’t think so! The sheer repetitive need for flasks and potions makes alchemy just so good. It provides a constant cash flow, not to mention transmutations, you can convert resources which is always helpful, make trinkets that increase the length of your flasks (always great in a raid) and the ever-valuable cauldrons! Your raid team will love you and you’ll always be top of the starting lineup as your value in simply having alchemy outweighs everything else. I think what makes alchemy the number one is the ability to sell and sell again, you make someone a plate-body...they’re not going to be buying another one, put all your flasks up on the auction house however, and come the next day/week, the demand is still there!

What makes alchemy useful?

Raiders need flasks and cauldrons! It’s a complete goldmine!

• The trinkets can increase the longevity of your own flasks, always valuable in raids and dungeons
• Transmutes make it so you can craft for longer or switch up to make more profit depending on the market, also players will pay major gold for the work doing.
• Sandstone drake – alchemy only mount, tradeable! $$

What classes are best for alchemy?

• Once again, as they do not have class specific items that can be made, rather they are useful for any player, class is not a factor in this one. You simply cannot look past the potential profit and quality of life your character will have from this profession if you’re a full-time raider. This is the way to go!

Usefulness score – 100/100 it is simply the best!

Overall alchemy takes the top spot, its utility and wide range of consumables which can be sold for significant sums as well as improving your toons’ quality of life are the main selling points, but don’t despair, none of these professions are bad. It is sometimes down to personal choice, what do you want to do with your character? Do you want to be filthy-rich, do you want to help your guildmates whilst raiding? Or do you want some profession-only transmogs, did I mention mounts are available in some professions too? With the right planning and a little bit of luck... any of these professions can send you to new heights! Best of luck, adventurer! 

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