Professions for Tanks

Choosing a profession is often a really tough decision.  There are many factors to take into account.

What is your level?

A character that’s levelling will be travelling through most of the game’s world which will allow him to level a gathering profession easily, while questing.  Herbalism, Skinning and Mining are very good professions to gradually level with your character.  Enchanting is also fairly easy especially if you happen to use LFD a fair amount.  The ability to disenchant your quest rewards is probably also the best way to keep your bags clean.

Are you end game raiding?  Are you into making money?  Are you into roleplaying and is your profession part of your character’s story?

For example, I remember a tank who absolutely loved tailoring.  A rare choice to be sure, but he liked it.  Would I advise this for someone interested in endgame raiding?  Probably not.

There are many blogs out there who can teach you how to make money using your professions.  My focus will be on the end game raiding in Cataclysm.

Alchemy

• Mixology: Double duration on Flasks and Elixirs and enhanced effects

Blacksmithing

• 2 extra sockets which can be for gems of any colour with Socket Bracer and Socket Gloves.

Enchanting

• Enchant rings with two different options:
  • Enchant Ring – Greater Stamina: Stamina +60 (Total of +120 stamina)
  • Enchant Ring – Strength: Strength +40 (Total of +80 Strength)

Engineering

• Rhidach at Righteous Defense has a great Engineering Guide for Tanks.  Since I would not do it justice, I’ll simply link it.
• The jist of it is Engineering seems like it’s going to be even more fun than in Wrath.  The main tanking items that have no risk of blowing up in your face are the rocket boots which now become a nitro belt, a new pair of great looking tanking goggles and an enchantment for gloves that gives you 1200 armour for 12 seconds every minute.

Herbalism

• Lifeblood gives you a self heal (One minor wound) and 240 haste for 20 seconds every 2 minutes.

Inscription

• Inscription of the Earth Prince: Stamina +195 dodge +25
• The normal reputation shoulder enchant is Greater Inscription of Unbreakable Quartz.  It’s a net gain of 120 stamina and one less reputation grind.

Jewelcrafting

• As before, you gain the ability to have 3 special gems.
• As a tank, your choices are:
  • Solid Chimera’s Eye: +101 Stamina (Normal gem is +60 Stamina, a net gain of +41 Stamina Or a total of 123 Stamina for 3 gems)
  • Bold Chimera’s Eye: +67 Strength (Normal gem is +40 Strength, a net gain of +27 Strength)
  • Precise Chimera’s Eye: +67 Expertise (Normal gem is +40 Expertise, a net gain of +27 Expertise)
  • Subtle Chimera’s Eye: +67 Dodge (Normal gem is +40 Dodge, a net gain of +27 Dodge)
• You can use any combination you desire with a maximum of three gems at a time.

Leatherworking

• Bracers: Draconic Embossment – Stamina +195 Stamina
• The normal Stamina enchantment for bracers will remain our current +40 Stamina so this is a whopping net gain of +155 stamina.

Mining

• Mining is simple. Toughness: + 120 Stamina.  ’Nuff said.

Skinning

• Skinning offers Master of Anatomy, a Critical Rating +80.  Not really a tanking profession.

Tailoring

• Embroidery on your cloak will give you Swordguard Embroidery a proc for +1000 AP.  Again, this is not the best for most tanks.

Summary

As you can see above, there is no one right answer (Although there are some that do seem wrong).  Vosskah is a Blacksmith and a Jewelcrafter at the moment and seeing the above table, he will keep those two professions going into Cataclysm.  The reason why I prefer those two professions above the others are that they give the player a wide variety of options to play with.  If you want to have the highest stamina, Leatherworking is the best.  If you hate grinding a reputation, then Inscription is very good.  If this is your only character at maximum level, then Mining is a great choice.  But Jewelcrafting and Blacksmithing allow you to have extra hit, stamina, some strength, etc.  It all depends on what you need at the moment.

I will give an honourable mention to Engineering simply for the fun factor.  It is a very strong tanking profession, but it’s also a great way to have fun while tanking.  I always say that “Tanking is Serious Business” but there is a part of me that envies two of the tanks in our team when they fire up those rocket boots and leave me in their dust.  I do have my trusty combo charge/intercept/intervene though.

About these ads