Wrath of the Lich King has 11 primary professions (you can learn two) plus 3 secondary professions everyone can take. The primaries are Alchemy, Blacksmithing, Enchanting, Engineering, Inscription, Jewelcrafting, Leatherworking, Tailoring, Herbalism, Mining, and Skinning. The secondaries are Cooking, First Aid, and Fishing. Every profession caps at 450 skill, the new Grand Master rank added in WotLK.
Quick facts
- Primary slots: 2 per character. Secondaries (Cooking, First Aid, Fishing): all 3, no slot cost.
- Skill cap: 450. Grand Master training unlocks at 425 skill.
- New in WotLK: Inscription — makes glyphs, shoulder enchants, and Darkmoon cards.
- Gathering: Herbalism, Mining, Skinning — you harvest nodes and sell mats.
- Crafting: Alchemy, Blacksmithing, Enchanting, Engineering, Inscription, Jewelcrafting, Leatherworking, Tailoring.
- Rank ladder: Apprentice (75), Journeyman (150), Expert (225), Artisan (300), Master (375), Grand Master (450).
| Profession | Self-only bonus at 450 |
| Blacksmithing | Two extra socket slots (bracers + gloves) |
| Jewelcrafting | Up to 3 powerful Dragon's Eye gems |
| Inscription | Best-in-slot shoulder enchant |
| Tailoring | Cloak embroidery (Lightweave, Darkglow, Swordguard) |
| Leatherworking | Stronger Fur Lining bracer enchant |
| Enchanting | Enchant your rings |
| Engineering | Glove/belt/boot tinkers (Nitro Boosts, Hyperspeed) |
| Herb / Mine / Skin | Lifeblood haste / Stamina / Crit rating |
What are the best professions in WotLK?
For raiding, most players run two crafting professions so both give a self-only stat bonus. The strongest combo is Jewelcrafting + Blacksmithing, since JC's three Dragon's Eye gems plus Blacksmithing's two extra sockets give the most raw stats. Alchemy (Mixology), Inscription, Tailoring, and Enchanting are all close behind and fine for any class.
What are the best professions for making gold?
Gathering pairs like Herbalism + Mining are the safest gold makers — you sell raw mats with almost no investment. On the crafting side, Inscription is the money printer of the expansion: glyph demand is constant, and Darkmoon Trinket cards sell for a lot. Herbalism also feeds both Alchemy and Inscription, so it stays in demand.
How many professions can you have in WotLK?
You can have two primary professions and all three secondary professions at once. If you want to switch a primary, dropping it wipes that skill entirely — you'd have to level the new one from 1, so choose deliberately. Secondaries never conflict, so learn Cooking, First Aid, and Fishing on every character.
Is Inscription worth leveling in WotLK?
Yes — it's one of the best value professions in the expansion. Inscription supplies the shoulder enchants and glyphs the whole server needs, and its self-only shoulder inscription beats the reputation alternative. It pairs naturally with Herbalism for a cheap mat supply.
Leveling two professions to 450 and farming the mats takes real hours. If you'd rather skip the grind, PewPewShop offers coaching and rent-a-pro progression help from vetted human players who can walk you through the fastest routes, gold strategy, and profession pairings for your class and spec.