Herb or mining?

Taking skinning for early gold. What’s better gold supply? Herb or mining?

I would think mining since it works with 2 different professions compared with herbalism’s 1, so it will be in higher demand on the AH

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I always liked herbalism. I’ll be doing that and alchemy. Mining should be more lucrative though.

But the one prof flower picking works with is in constant need of supplies.

Blacksmithing and Engineering will need less overall mats for the players.

An Alchemist will always be pumping out potions.

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go mining if u plan on switching to eng later

True

10char

Mining. Hands down.

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Mining probably, it works for multiple professions that can create gear as you level up. I don’t think many people will be buying potions during the grind, but some may buy materials to help level up their crafting skill gains.

Unless you plan to farm some specific low level herbs to sell, that could be profitable (Swiftthistle comes to mind).

Some people may take engineering and not mining (so they have some other profession) - and you can sell them materials.

Edit: I was assuming just leveling these professions for early gold and switching later - I think Herb will make decent money at max level if you keep it since high level potions are in constant demand.

It really depends on the character you’re planning on running and which zones you plan on hanging out in. Not all zones are good for decent herb/ore gathering. Mining’s a bit more consistent profit because bs/eng need boatloads of mats. Herb is a grab bag as for utility, some herbs being far more useful than others and there being more spread in variety/distribution. Plus, mining has the ability to drop rarer mats that will net more if you get them. Also, remember that you’ll be competing with others to farm the nodes (and you can fail to tap a node if your skill is low enough).

One thing that a lot of people are going to need to learn is that potions stack. Classic pre-dates potion limitations. You can drop a flask, and as many other pots as you wish at the same time. My main was alchy rogue in classic and he was constantly hopped up on everything I could make at all times. Even pre-20, his buff bar was amazing.

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Yeah, but the feasibility of selling your farmed materials to a leveling alchemist will probably be lower than selling mining materials to smiths and engineers. While the buffs are great while leveling - the cost of delaying your first mount, or leveling up your skills to purchase potion mats is a tough decision.

At max level though, Herb would be fantastic for selling materials to people/alchemists because raids will be utilizing components weekly.

Skinning has I think 4 professions it covers …leatherworking…tailoring…Engineer…blacksmith…my first toon I did mining and skinning made tons of money…till I switch too mining and engi…then made money from engi for ammo.

Add in fact in the beginning folks are going to be killing and looting all animal mobs for different things for quests…you just follow behind them if they don’t skin and you skin it …free leather.

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Actually, the desirable high level mats for alchemy aren’t herbs, but the supplementary mats. The most desirable non-flask, Greater Fire Prot Potions used Elemental Fires and that’s what drew the money. Most of the herbs themselves weren’t particularly hard to get. Max level herbologists just ran around hoping they’d stumble into Black Lotus (which was stupid rare) whereas miners could pretty much just tap mithril or Thorium nodes and rake in the cash.

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Skip skinning and do herb and mining, the gatherer addon will let you keep track of all nodes, and its the prof combo that prints money.

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Ooh, I’d forgotten about Gatherer. That was a great addon, highly recommended for dedicated gatherers.

There are two benefits to skinning:

  1. You can follow non-skinners for free mats
  2. The things you kill to skin give mats for cooking

This makes it a primo skill for a hunter, despite being constantly clamoring for bag space.

Early on I think is mining because BS gear is good to lvl up.

Potions sell from day 1. It’s an irresponsible noob who goes out without a stack of healing pots - and mana pots if he uses them. Even lowb potions sell as a person can lvl faster by pulling extra mobs and less graveyard as well. Ore does often sell better though, barring the essential herbs like goldthorn and purple lotus.

I’m going in Herb and Mining. Got a macro to switch between the 2