New Group and WotLK Professions Question

[Basilikos]

I'm having a hard time finding information about professions and what they offer in WotLK. I've just started a new group that was RAFed to 60. I've already leveled inscription just a little on a character in this group. The priest currently has Herbalism and Alchmey at 300. The shaman has skinning and leatherworking already, but they're not very high and I'm wondering if I should bother. Also, I've got a tailor that is just over 300, but in another group.

Would tailoring help my healer? What's in engineering other than the motorcycles? Also, do the more useful, high-end recipies for various professions drop out of 80 instances and heroics? Basically, I'm trying to decide what professions offer a substantial bonus to my PvE group so that I can keep them up. Obviously, I'm keeping Alchemy simply for the ability to cut out the middle man and make my own potions. What of armor, weapons, and the rest of it?

[Sam DeathWalker]

Im a PHAT level 22 or so but professions have been very nice for me (between 150-200 on most all the main ones).

If yur always short of gold and you are willing to loot eveything then go for it.

Or if you a borded and seem to be out of things to do then go for it.

If you have tons of gold and dont want to waste time looting then unless you find a particular item you really really want then maybe time can be invested better elsewhere. But obviously there must be some solid reward to professions or absolutly no one would do them.

I have 6 million plat in EQ most from professions.

[Kyudo]

Searching is good for your health (the 1st google search on "Wrath Profession Bonuses")

http://elitistjerks.com/f15/t29288-wotlk_profession_thread/p35/#post904932

Q u o t e:
Stat Comparisons (between professions):

Tanking:
- Mining = 500 HP
- Alchemy = 320 HP (Flask of Stoneblood)
- Enchanting = 48 STA
- Jewelcrafting = 33 STA
--- Jewelcrafting = 48 STA (counts avoiding using a red gem instead of a blue for meta requirements)
- Blacksmithing = 60 STA or 40 Def or 40 Dodge
- Leatherworking = 74 STA
- Inscription = 32 Dodge Rating

Physical DPS:
- Herbalism = 66.7AP (average, requires consumables)
- Skinning = 25 Crit rating
- Alchemy = 64 AP (Flask of Endless Rage)
- Enchanting = 64 AP
- Jewelcrafting = 42 AP or 21 AGI or 21 STR or 21 Crit Rating or 21 Haste Rating or 21 Hit Rating or 177 ArPen
--- Jewelcrafting = 62 AP or 31 AGI or 31 STR etc. (counts avoiding using a blue gem instead of a red for meta requirements)
- Blacksmithing = 80 AP or 40 AGI or 40 STR or 40 Crit Rating or 40 Haste Rating or 40 Hit Rating or 280 ArPen
- Leatherworking = 76 AP
- Inscription = 64 AP

Caster DPS / Healing:
- Herbalism = 33.3SP (average, requires consumables)
- Skinning = 25 Crit rating
- Alchemy = 37 SP (Flask of the Frost Wyrm) OR 13 MP5 (Flask of Pure Mojo)
- Enchanting = 38 SP
- Jewelcrafting = 27 SP or 21 Crit Rating or 21 Haste Rating or 21 Hit Rating or 9 MP5
--- Jewelcrafting = 49 SP (counts avoiding using 2 blue gems instead of 2 red gems for meta requirements)
- Blacksmithing = 46 SP or 21 Crit Rating or 21 Haste Rating or 21 Hit Rating or 16 MP5
- Leatherworking = 37 SP
- Inscription = 36 SP

---

Notes & Comments:
- Blacksmithing, Tailoring & Leatherworking all have advantages from the BOP armor/weapons they can make that are NOT summarized here as the infomation available is far from complete
- Blacksmithing's extra sockets are considered with Epic gems for comparison purposes.
- Blacksmithing & Jewelcrafting both allow for much easier socket bonuses
--- Blacksmithing allows gem color freedom on gloves & bracers
--- Jewelcrafting allows gem color freedom in up to 3 sockets
- Jewelcrafting allows you to gain stats that the other professions don't give at all (ArPen, +hit, expertise, +def etc.)
- Jewelcrafting only gems will be way easier to obtain than the epic gems they are compared to since they are crafted from blues (depending on recipe source)
- Jewelcrafting makes meta gem requirements (especially 2 blues req.) much easier if not trivial and confers a bonus that way (avoiding having to use suboptimal gems etc.)
- Tailoring is now also a semi-gathering profession due to cloth gathering bonus

[Schwarz]

Leatherworking and Shaman ('http://www.dual-boxing.com/forums/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=17123')

there are other discussions in this forum also. Basically BOE epics is good for you. You don't need to have blacksmithing to get the nice caster weapon or leather working armor.

Ellay has said that he thinks to min max spell damage you are best off going enchanting/leatherworking.

I think jewelcrafting is the way to go.