In The Burning Crusade you choose 2 primary professions and can learn all 3 secondary professions, with the max skill cap raised to 375. The 10 primaries are the three gathering skills — Mining, Herbalism and Skinning — and seven crafting skills — Alchemy, Blacksmithing, Enchanting, Engineering, Jewelcrafting (brand new in TBC), Leatherworking and Tailoring. Cooking, First Aid and Fishing are the secondaries anyone can train.
TBC professions at a glance
| Type | Professions | Slots |
| Gathering (primary) | Mining, Herbalism, Skinning | 2 primaries total |
| Crafting (primary) | Alchemy, Blacksmithing, Enchanting, Engineering, Jewelcrafting, Leatherworking, Tailoring | 2 primaries total |
| Secondary | Cooking, First Aid, Fishing | All 3 free |
- Skill cap: raised from 300 to 375 (the "Master" tier).
- New profession: Jewelcrafting, which cuts gems for the new socketed gear.
- Trainers: Master trainers for most professions sit in Outland hubs like Honor Hold, Thrallmar and Shattrath.
- Gold-making: gathering pairs (Mining + Herbalism or Skinning) fund your leveling; crafting pays off at endgame.
What are the best professions in TBC?
For raw gold, a double-gathering setup like Mining and Herbalism sells raw materials all expansion. For a main you plan to raid on, tie your professions to your gear: Tailoring or Leatherworking for the crafted armor sets, Blacksmithing for weapons and plate, and Jewelcrafting for prismatic and unique gems.
Enchanting stands out because it lets you disenchant gear into materials and provides permanent enchants — strong for anyone, and a steady seller. Engineering is more niche but offers goggles, explosives and fun gadgets that PvPers love.
Is Jewelcrafting worth it in TBC?
Yes — Jewelcrafting is one of the standout picks of the expansion. TBC introduced gem sockets on gear, so cut gems are in constant demand across the whole player base. If you take Mining as your gathering half, you can prospect ore into raw gems and cut them, giving you a self-sufficient, high-margin combo.
Do professions carry over from Classic to TBC?
Your existing skill levels carry over — you don't relearn anything. Once you reach Outland and hit 300, you visit a Master trainer to push past the old cap toward 375. New recipes and reagents unlock as you climb, so most of your fresh progress comes from Outland materials rather than old-world farming.
Which professions make the most gold?
Gathering wins on consistency: ore, herbs and leather are always in demand while others level. For higher ceilings, Jewelcrafting, Alchemy (especially transmutes and flasks) and Enchanting turn raw mats into big margins once you have the sought-after recipes.
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