Lethal Shots

Professions in WoW lack something. Not something really specific, but just….. something. I think the best way to describe it is usefulness. Now I know there are exceptions. Enchanting is arguably the most useful profession in the game (and Inscription is looking to come in a close second), Jewelcrafting is great for getting gems cut, Tailoring has bags to make and sell, and Alchemy is handy for Potions, Elixirs, and Flasks. But other than Enchanting, there are alternative sources. Potions can be bought or come from random drops, gems can be bought from rep vendors, and the largest bag available comes from a vendor.

And think about other profession. The biggest draw to Blacksmithing, Leatherworking, and Tailoring is the high level crafted gear. Don’t get me wrong, it is nice gear, but it is either BoP or requires the wearer to have the profession to equip it. And once you gear up to a certain point, there is no reason to keep the profession any longer. And don’t get me started on Engineering. Having maxed Santyn’s Engineering, I can speak from experience on this one. (I chose to max it because I wanted a Turbo-Charged Flying Machine, knowing that it was a bad decision gold wise.)

And in the case of potential profit, there is next to none. Gems, bags, armor kits, and scopes provide some return, but more often than not you can make better profit by selling the raw materials than the crafted item, leaving little incentive to actually craft any items. Even when leveling quest rewards are often better than anything you can craft for yourself.

Now I’m not asking for a whole revamp of the profession system, but with Wrath right around the corner Blizzard has the perfect chance to help fix some of the problems. I would love to see more versatility with crafted items, actual items that people want yet don’t have to make for themselves. I want to see a vibrant player driven economy based around crafted items, and not just at end game but throughout the whole leveling process. I know it can be done, it is just a question of whether Blizzard wants to do it.

What I envision though is not crafters chasing one recipe after another, but people working with crafters closely to create the items needed. Less simply replacing items and more upgrading items. If there is a great level 70 set, I don’t want to simply replace it. Instead, as I level I gather mats, maybe some specific ones through quests, and then seek out a crafter to upgrade the item. And not just once, but continually throughout the leveling process, 1 piece at a time. Ideally, a set gained at level 20 could be upgraded every few levels and carry clear to end game.

But I’m not saying this has to be the only option. There should still be quest rewards and random drops. I just think that my idea would add a whole new level of depth to the game, and make crafting professions more worthwhile.

I have avoided a lot of Wrath news, so I really have no idea what Blizzard is doing with professions in the expansion. I just hope that they have the same idea as me.