Starting fresh in World of Warcraft: Midnight can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to choosing professions. With so many options available, it’s easy for new players to pick crafting professions that seem exciting but end up draining gold instead of earning it.
Unfortunately, one of the harsh realities of crafting at the beginning of a new World of Warcraft expansion, is you will probably be behind no matter what you choose. There are goblins (players that like to focus specifically on money-making) who have been making money with crafting since day 1. These players have already been playing on Midnight Beta, know the exact path for knowledge points that will maximize their profits, and probably have far more gold to invest in their professions.
If you’re a returning player, you might also feel overwhelmed with the new crafting system revamp. There are new stats to consider, crafting accessory gear, and the crafting order system to catch up on.
The right profession choices can fund your mounts, consumables, and gear upgrades without forcing you to grind endlessly or rely on other players. So, what’s a new player to do?
The Way of Dual Gathering
If you’re not familiar with the concept: you do not have to have a gathering AND a crafting profession in World of Warcraft. Not only is this very straightforward, but it generates a ton of income. Choosing the path of the dual gatherer is also the least stressful option for new players that just want to enjoy the story at their own pace, taking small breaks here and there to pick some herbs or skin a few hides.
As a dual gatherer, you don’t have to worry about sinking gold into leveling your professions, since you’ll gain skill points naturally and quickly. At the start of an expansion, you can immediately start putting those skill points to good use since there is gold literally sprouting up all around you.
Those who specialize in dual gathering are the very foundation and backbone of a new expansion economy. You gather materials and supply the other crafters and grinders with all the materials they need so they can get back to doing what they do best.
Which Professions?
Which professions you choose for dual gathering in Midnight are entirely up to you. The three gathering professions available to choose from are Mining, Herbalism, and Skinning.
Herbalism
Herbalism fuels two very popular professions at the moment: Alchemy and Inscription. However, it also plays a hand in cooking as well. Many of the new Midnight cooking professions use herbs that you’ll either have to gather yourself or purchase off the Auction House. All of these crafters will be in dire need of herbs to both level and make money themselves.
Mining
Mining is similar to previous expansions, but with a little bit of a boost due to the overwhelming amount of Paladins in Midnight. After a while, those blacksmiths will get tuckered out and will crack, dragging themselves over to the Auction House to buy what they need instead of going out to mine it themselves. We’ve all done the walk of shame. When you’re in the middle of leveling a profession and just need a few more items, paying for convenience is all the rage.
Skinning and…Fishing?
Skinning was a death sentence in the War Within. As a Leatherworker/Skinner, I have tried to make skinning work every expansion and always walk away feeling like I left millions of gold on the table because I chose the wrong profession. However, Midnight has given a tiny bit of attention to the Skinning profession by creating some synergy with the secondary profession Fishing.
Fishing + Skinning might not sound like a perfect combination, but hear me out. Skinners create “lures” using the fish that are obtained from, you guessed it, fishing. Then hunt down larger beasts once a day for a chance to skin higher quality hides. This revolves around the Talented Tracker tree for Skinning. On top of these rare skins, you can also sell all your extra fish for gold, thought I’d suggest holding them for your lures. Fishing is extremely valuable right now, and are selling like hotcakes for other skinners and cooks. If you decide to look into Skinning, I’d highly suggest going this route for moneymaking.
Game Plan and Strategy
The strategy of dual gathering is simple: gather as much as you can, as often as you can, and just sell it all. It’s as simple as that! Since you’re not as concerned about putting out high quality goods, even the most basic green profession gear will probably hold you for a while.
In the end, starting fresh in World of Warcraft: Midnight doesn’t have to mean falling behind. While crafting can be lucrative later on, dual gathering offers new and returning players a low-risk, steady path to building real gold from day one. You avoid the stress, skip the heavy investment, and still play a crucial role in the server economy while enjoying the story at your own pace. Sometimes the smartest move in a new expansion isn’t chasing the hype, but planting your feet, gathering what’s right in front of you, and letting the gold come to you.
