MMQB: Grinding Professions

I’m contemplating dropping Engineering and picking up Blacksmithing. And by contemplating I mean if I had all the mats to power grind it I’d probably do it. I actually started farming them over the weekend, and while it’s insanely dull, it’s not taking nearly as long as I’d thought.

I’m using wow-professions.com to steer me through the process. In a few short hours I’ve managed to farm all of the mats except for a few hundred Thorium, Cobalt and Saronite. The Thorium will probably take me the longest to get. Still I should have everything I need to make the switch in only a few days time. Not bad at all. And if I had opted to purchase some of the mats the gathering time could be reduced further. So why bother with this?

Reasons to make the switch include,

• Gem socket for gloves.
• Gem socket for bracers.
• Allows for a little more flexibility in terms of itemization.
• BS pairs nicely with Jewelcrafting.

Reasons to to not make the switch include,

• I like having an AH in Dalaran.
• I like making my own ammo.
• I like my rofl copter.
• I like playing around with the engineering gadgets. The other night I flew atop Icecrown Citadel and used my Nitro boots to rocket me off the platform in the direction of Dalaran. Unfortunately I was headed for impact with the citadel so I was forced to use my parachute much earlier than I wanted. I fell to my death right by the Dalaran portal in Crystal Song forest. Good times 🙂
• Cataclysm – We don’t know how the professions will change, but there’s always a chance that Engineering could be given some love and I’ll wish I hadn’t dropped it.

While my reasons to stay outnumber my reasons to switch, they represent things I can certainly live without. We’ll see how this shakes out. Worse case, if I decide not to do it, I’ll have some nice mats to sell on the AH 😉

Good Hunting!