Pandaria Classic - Best Professions to Make Gold

All World of Warcraft players looking to optimize their economy for the launch of Pandaria Classic! In this blog, I’ll share with you a tier list of the best professions to make gold in MoP Classic, making the most of everything we’ve learned so far from the beta.

Over the years, professions have been a fundamental pillar for generating gold in WoW, and Pandaria is no exception. But with so many changes, reintroductions, and adjustments unique to a Classic version, it’s essential to update our strategies.

Get ready to discover which professions are truly worth it, which can generate passive income, and which ones might not be worth prioritizing if your main goal is to stack up gold.

Tier C

Fishing & Archaeology

Let's start with the secondary professions. Fishing, while not game-changing, has its moments to shine. For example, during the Darkmoon Faire, you can fish in the pools and obtain useful cloth and materials. Additionally, there are some interesting farming routes in Pandaria that offer valuable components.

Is it worth it? Yes, but moderately. I place it in Tier C, although some might consider it Tier B if they enjoy passive farming or are looking for pets and unique components.

Archaeology, on the other hand, remains more of a meme than a solid gold-making source. It gives access to pets and little else. In this guide, we’ll leave it as more of an anecdote, although some collectors might find some value in it.

Engineering

Engineering, despite its gadgets and technical appeal, doesn’t contribute much in terms of gold-making. It has some useful items, but most of them can only be used by the engineer themselves.

Even worse, the Sky Golem won’t be available for several months. So while this profession can be fun, it’s not profitable for now.

Tier B

Cooking

Cooking is basic. It does provide consumables, yes, but nothing game-changing. It can have its place if you want to cover all the bases, but don’t consider it a primary source of income.

Blacksmithing

Many people think Blacksmithing will be a gold mine because of the Sky Golem, but it won’t even be available in the beta for several months. Its strength lies in crafting armor and weapons, but nothing truly exceptional for now.

I place it in Tier B: useful, but not essential for making massive amounts of gold.

Tier A

Herbalism & Mining

These two professions always go hand in hand. If you’re in gathering mode, there’s no point in having one without the other. The routes in Pandaria are designed so that you collect herbs and ores at the same time.

Between the two, Mining stands out slightly more due to its key role in producing Trillium, which is needed for Living Steel. Smelting Trillium will literally become a gold mine.

And yes, while you can obtain materials from the farm, that requires time and reputation with the Tillers, which you won’t have on day one. So, if you want to start strong, this combination is essential.

Inscription

The jewel of Inscription lies in the Darkmoon cards. These are not only useful and valuable, but there are many different types, which increases your chances of making sales.

You can use Spirit of Harmony to craft even more cards per day, which creates perfect synergy with professions like Skinning or Tailoring.

Tailoring

Tailoring is one of the most complete professions. It allows you to craft bags, armor, and use cloth farmed from humanoids (which also drop Spirit of Harmony) for high-level crafting.

It also comes with the passive advantage of increasing the amount of cloth you gather if you have the profession. This was true at least up to Legion, and it appears to still apply in Pandaria Classic.

Jewelcrafting

Gems and mounts are the main strengths of Jewelcrafting. It doesn’t offer as much variety as some other professions, but its market is always active.

It’s ideal for selling gameplay consumables items that directly enhance player performance.

Alchemy

Alchemy is one of those professions that always has a place in the economic meta. Its ability to craft consumables remains relevant, but its true strength lies in Living Steel.

Everyone will want to craft these steels daily, but not everyone will have the patience or resources to farm the white and black Trillium bars, which are obtained through Mining. That’s why the smartest players will be those who sell the bars, not necessarily the ones crafting the steel.

Tier S

Leatherworking & Skinning

Now we’re talking real gold. Leatherworking allows you to craft armor kits, gear pieces, and other leather or mail items. Meanwhile, Skinning is perfect for obtaining Motes of Harmony, which are essential for high-end crafting.

On top of that, we’ve already found farming spots in the beta where you can grind efficiently. Together, these professions form a true gold-making machine. That’s why both go straight into Tier S.