Cataclysm Profession Changes Preview

Chatting with a guildie the other day, he pointed me to a great resource site. Wow-Professions.com, it is a simple guide to level your current professions from 0 to max skill. The simplicity of the site is that it provides materials lists to get you max'd out and when you need to train up.

One side point of this list, is that it reminded me of a Cataclysm change to professions. I remembered that I wanted to post about these changes, back in May. As an elixir spec'd alchemist, herbalist, with max level first aide and fishing, I found a few changes interesting.

Alchemy

• [Blizzard doesn't like] specializations, so they have been removed for all three [blacksmithing, tailoring and leatherworking] of these professions
• Guess they like how the specialization is working for Alchemy? Hmm, maybe they don't really want you to proc more boots when you make them?
• sliding xp scale on crafted items - the more difficult the items to craft (tailoring sited), the more xp you'll get. 
• hoping this applies to all higher-level, like 'orange' skill items, in Cataclysm.
• new mad/crazy alchemist pot, but it will work like BOA gear, providing increased base benefit as you level. 
• simpler requirements, no need 4 different types of flasks

Herbalism

• No more frost lotus! Instead use the more easily (we hope) volatile life (guessing like eternal life, which Elk has 20+ of and can't use). "Elkagorasa has learned a new transmute!!"
  
  
  
  [Transmute: Eternal Life to Volatile Life]
• new cataclysm herbs, that may have 'wilt' factors. If one blossom is taken, the other flower begins to wilt immediately and dies soon after. Guessing that as you level herbalism, you'll be able to pick that second flower.

Cooking

• some fun new recipes
• Cooking dailies, more like current wrath (all close to quest giver).

First aide

• Bandages will have HOT (healing over 8 seconds!) aspect. Damage will break HOT.
• " Dense Embersilk Bandage" Heals for 34,800 over 8 seconds.
• Guess I won't be using these in battle any longer. I sometimes will use bandages on a battle-res'd healer or dps. Doesn't cost any mana and we can continue on fighting.
• Three new bandages! That's right: THREE! 
• >And only 5 levels?? Wonder if there will be some specialization in those bandages. This bandage removes poison and this one removes DOTS.
• At my current HP, I don't think I'd ever use a Dense Embersilk Bandage. Elk has only saw 34k hp when fully raid buffed in PVP gear. On the other hand, our tank had much more than 34k, so I see the purpose.

Fishing

• Um, new fish, new fishing dailies.

Like everything in Cataclysm, they're still working out all the kinks. I don't think I'll be changing any of my primary professions. They haven't changed anything that looks like it will negatively impact my gold making, in fact Alchemy has a purpose now. Even if it will have break-neck competition to get it created because EVERYONE will need it.