Picking the right professions in The Burning Crusade shapes your character's power curve more than most players realize, especially in the early phases when crafted gear dominates the best-in-slot lists. This guide covers every class and specialization with detailed profession recommendations, phase-by-phase context, and the reasoning behind each pick so you can plan ahead with confidence.
You can only have two primary professions at any time. Dropping one to learn another wipes all your progress, and you'll have to start from scratch if you ever switch back. That makes your initial choice matter, so read through your class section before committing.
How Professions Work in TBC
If you're already familiar with the profession system, feel free to skip to your class section. For everyone else, here's a quick rundown.
Primary Professions
Each character can learn up to two primary professions, split into two categories:
Crafting Professions: Alchemy, Blacksmithing, Enchanting, Engineering, Jewelcrafting, Leatherworking, and Tailoring.
Gathering Professions: Herbalism, Mining, and Skinning.
The new skill cap in TBC is Master, letting you level up to 375. Trainers in the old world teach ranks 1 through 300, but you'll need to visit a trainer in Outland to unlock Master level.
Secondary Professions
You can learn all three secondary professions on a single character with no restrictions: Cooking, Fishing, and First Aid. These are leveled through purchased books and quests rather than standard trainers.
What Changed in TBC
- Vendor recipes are no longer limited stock but are now Bind on Pickup, so you have to buy them yourself instead of grabbing them off the Auction House or mailing them from an alt.
- Enchanting now has level requirements for disenchanting items, new reagent conversion recipes, and exclusive ring enchants that only the Enchanter can apply to their own rings.
- Jewelcrafting is a brand new profession. Jewelcrafters make rings, necklaces, trinkets, and gems that slot into gear sockets (a new system in TBC where many equipment pieces have gem slots). They can also extract gems from ore using Prospecting.
- Tailoring adds three specializations at level 70 with 350 skill: Mooncloth, Shadowcloth, and Spellcloth. Specialists produce double cloth on their specialty (useful since these cloths all have a nearly 4-day crafting cooldown) and gain access to unique recipes, some of which are best in slot for casters in the early phases.
- Leatherworking specializations (Elemental, Dragonscale, Tribal) unlock at level 40 with 225 skill.
- Blacksmithing specializations (Armorsmith or Weaponsmith) unlock at level 40 with 200 skill. Weaponsmiths can further specialize as Axesmith, Hammersmith, or Swordsmith at level 50 with 250 skill.
- Engineering specializations (Goblin or Gnomish) unlock at level 30 with 200 skill. Goblin Engineers get the Goblin Rocket Launcher (deals damage with a 3-second stun, but knocks you down too). Gnomish Engineers get the Gnomish Poultryizer (turns the target, or possibly yourself, into a chicken). Both specs come with teleports, a pet schematic, and various utility gadgets.
- Alchemy introduces Mastery quests for Potions, Elixirs, and Transmutation at level 68, letting you proc extra items when crafting. There's also a Discovery system where creating certain items gives a small chance to learn new recipes. On top of that, Alchemists can now craft Cauldrons that provide the entire raid with protection potions.
Racial Profession Bonuses
| Race | Bonus | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Blood Elf | Arcane Affinity | +10 Enchanting |
| Tauren | Cultivation | +15 Herbalism |
| Gnome | Engineering Specialization | +15 Engineering |
| Draenei | Gemcutting | +5 Jewelcrafting |
Key Profession Benefits
A handful of profession perks show up across nearly every class recommendation. Here's what they are and why they matter, so you have context before reading your class section.
Enchanting Ring Enchants
Enchanters can apply exclusive enchants to their own rings that no one else can use. These provide permanent stat boosts across both ring slots for the entire expansion. The main options are:
On top of that, Enchanters can Disenchant unwanted gear into Enchanting materials, which is useful for self-sufficiency and a decent income source.
Leatherworking Drums
Leatherworking gives you access to Drums, which provide party-wide buffs. Drums of Battle are the standout, granting haste to your entire group. The Tinnitus debuff means only one drummer per party is needed, so not everyone has to be a Leatherworker, but every group benefits from having one.
Phase 4 introduces Greater Drums of Battle as an upgrade. These are especially good for Feral Druids since they can be used in shapeshift forms without a cast time. In their final form, drums are considered the single highest raid DPS consumable in the game.
Engineering Explosives
Engineers get access to Super Sapper Charge, Goblin Sapper Charge, and Adamantite Grenade. These deal AoE damage and see heavy use in both raids and dungeons, whether for boosting damage output or generating burst threat on tanks.
Engineering Goggles
Starting in Phase 2, Engineers can craft powerful headpieces tailored to their class role. These goggles often compete with or beat raid drops from the same phase, and many of them get upgrades in Phase 5. Specific goggles are mentioned in each class section where they're relevant.
Tailoring Sets
Tailoring specializations produce some of the strongest early-game gear in TBC:
- Wrath of Spellfire (Spellcloth spec): High spell power. Best in slot for fire/frost casters early on. Requires Tailoring to equip.
- Shadow's Embrace (Shadoweave spec): Shadow damage focused. Best in slot for shadow casters in Phase 1. Requires Tailoring to equip.
- Primal Mooncloth set (Mooncloth spec): Healing focused. Powerful for healers. Requires Tailoring to equip.
- Spellstrike Infusion set: Usable by non-Tailors, but having Tailoring grants the set bonus.
- Whitemend Wisdom set: Usable by non-Tailors.
The materials are expensive, but these sets are strong enough that Tailoring is essentially mandatory for most caster classes in the early going.
Druid
Restoration Druid
Tailoring is the go-to for Resto Druids heading into TBC. Two sets stand out: Whitemend Wisdom and Primal Mooncloth. Both are loaded with Healing Power and come with solid set bonuses. The catch is that while Whitemend pieces can be bought and worn by anyone, the Primal Mooncloth set requires Tailoring to equip. Given how strong Primal Mooncloth is, that alone justifies picking up the profession.
Leatherworking works as a solid alternative. The Windhawk Armor set requires Leatherworking to equip and provides a respectable healing gear option. Phase 5 adds Leather Chestguard of the Sun as another valuable Leatherworking-exclusive piece.
Enchanting pairs well with either crafting profession. Enchant Ring - Healing Power on both rings adds a substantial 40 Healing Power total, and that boost lasts the full expansion. You also get to Disenchant unwanted items for materials.
Alchemy doesn't do much for Resto Druids early on. In Phase 5, though, the Redeemer's Alchemist Stone becomes one of the best trinkets available, making Alchemy a strong late-game option if you're planning that far ahead.
Feral Druid (Tank)
Before getting into specifics, it's worth stressing that no profession benefit for Feral Druids is so overpowered that you can't compete without it. Every option listed here works fine even at a high level of play, so don't agonize over picking the absolute best choice.
Engineering gives you AoE damage consumables like Super Sapper Charge and Gnomish Flame Turret, both of which add real damage in AoE encounters. Phase 2 brings Deathblow X11 Goggles, a strong helmet option for Feral Tanks.
Enchanting provides Enchant Ring - Striking and Enchant Ring - Stats. Both ring enchants give a reasonable boost, effectively pushing a ring up by about one phase's worth of power (think of a Phase 1 ring performing closer to Phase 2 quality). Disenchanting gear for materials is a nice bonus on top.
Leatherworking gives access to exclusive armor pieces, mainly useful in earlier phases. New recipes get added throughout the expansion to keep it relevant. The real draw is Phase 4, when Greater Drums of Battle become available. Feral Druids can use these while shapeshifted without a cast time, making them ideal candidates for the drummer spot in each party.
Jewelcrafting is underwhelming early. The unique gems aren't great for Feral DPS, and the on-use trinkets don't compete with Phase 1 alternatives. In Sunwell, though, Jewelcrafters can craft Hard Khorium Choker, a bind-on-pickup necklace that's best in slot by a wide margin.
Feral Druid (DPS)
Feral DPS recommendations mostly mirror Feral Tank, with one important difference around Engineering goggles.
Engineering provides the same AoE consumable benefits (Super Sapper Charge, Gnomish Flame Turret). The catch for DPS is that Feral DPS relies heavily on Wolfshead Helm for energy regeneration, so you won't want to swap it out for the Deathblow X11 Goggles. You're taking Engineering purely for the consumables here.
Enchanting works the same way as the Tank section: Enchant Ring - Striking and Enchant Ring - Stats for a steady stat boost across both rings.
Leatherworking and Jewelcrafting follow the same logic as Feral Tank. Leatherworking brings exclusive armor early plus Greater Drums of Battle in Phase 4, while Jewelcrafting is weak early but pays off big in Sunwell with the Hard Khorium Choker.
Balance Druid
Tailoring is the clear top pick. The Wrath of Spellfire and Spellstrike Infusion sets are both packed with spell power and offer strong set bonuses. Spellstrike can be bought and used by non-Tailors, but Spellfire requires Tailoring to equip. Both sets need expensive materials. Tailoring becomes less impactful in later phases, but new Tailor-specific pieces show up throughout the expansion.
Enchanting provides Enchant Ring - Spellpower on both rings for 24 total spell power, a meaningful boost for any caster. Disenchanting rounds out the value.
Leatherworking is a viable alternative, offering early gear like the Windhawk Armor set (requires Leatherworking) plus access to Drums of Battle for group buffing.
Hunter
Hunter - All Specializations
Recommended: Leatherworking + Engineering (alternatives: Blacksmithing, Enchanting)
Leatherworking is the best early pickup for Hunters. You can craft and use the Primal Intent set, which is BiS early in TBC. If your group needs a drummer, you're already set. Later phases add new recipes to keep Leatherworking gear relevant, though other professions may start pulling ahead.
Engineering brings several unique perks for Hunters. The Gnomish Battle Chicken grants Battle Squawk, providing 5% melee haste, which benefits both your pet and melee weaving (a technique where you weave melee attacks between ranged shots for extra DPS). Super Sapper Charge and Goblin Sapper Charge help cover one of Hunter's biggest weaknesses: AoE damage. Engineering is also the go-to for PvP.
Blacksmithing is a niche pick, but it gets a mention because of Mooncleaver. Since melee weaving is more impactful and easier to pull off in TBC, having a strong melee weapon through Blacksmithing can give you a noticeable DPS bump if executed correctly.
Enchanting becomes solid from Phase 3 onward, when you can enchant both rings with Enchant Ring - Stats.
Mage
Mage - All Specializations
Recommended: Engineering + Tailoring (Phase 1), then Engineering + Enchanting (Phase 2+)
Mage professions shift between phases, so planning ahead pays off.
Engineering is a must-have. Super Sapper Charge, Goblin Sapper Charge, and Adamantite Grenade contribute a significant chunk of your overall raid DPS. Phase 2 unlocks Destruction Holo-gogs, which can be upgraded to Annihilator Holo-Gogs in Phase 5.
Tailoring is the ideal second slot for Phase 1. The Wrath of Spellfire set is both pre-raid BiS and full Phase 1 BiS. After Phase 1, Tailoring's value drops off, though new recipes still appear throughout the expansion.
Enchanting takes over as the best second profession from Phase 2 onward. Enchant Ring - Spellpower adds +24 total Spell Damage across both rings. For serious min-maxers, the optimal path is to level Tailoring for Phase 1 gear, then drop it for Enchanting once you've outgrown the crafted sets.
Paladin
Protection Paladin
Engineering is the top pick for Prot Paladins. Super Sapper Charge and Goblin Sapper Charge generate massive burst threat when you pull packs of mobs, letting your caster DPS start AoE immediately. You also get strong gear: the Goblin Rocket Launcher trinket and Tankatronic Goggles (available from Phase 2).
Enchanting adds Enchant Ring - Spellpower to both rings, boosting your spell damage, which directly translates to more threat. Paladin Tanks are in high demand for dungeons, so you can take advantage of that by keeping and disenchanting leftover loot for extra income.
Jewelcrafting offers several useful trinkets and gems for threat and survivability. Figurine - Living Ruby Serpent and Figurine - Dawnstone Crab are notable trinket options, while gems like Falling Star and Don Julio's Heart give you extra room to fine-tune your stats.
Retribution Paladin
Blacksmithing is the number one profession for Ret Paladins. You want it for Lionheart Champion and later Lionheart Executioner, both of which carry you well into Tier 6 content. The profession exists almost entirely for the weapon, so once you replace it in Tier 6, you could drop Blacksmithing, though a few craftable items in T6 and Sunwell might make it worth keeping.
Engineering pairs naturally here, bringing the usual explosive benefits for burst threat and AoE (Super Sapper Charge, Goblin Sapper Charge).
Jewelcrafting has a few decent bind-on-pickup items in T6 and Sunwell. Before that, its main use is making gold.
Leatherworking was once the go-to for drums and remains an option if your melee group doesn't have a drummer. Outside of that, it offers some pre-bis gear and bind-on-pickup items through T5, T6, and Sunwell, but none of them are impactful enough to make skipping Leatherworking a real loss.
Holy Paladin
Enchanting is the strongest first pick. Enchant Ring - Spellpower on both rings gives you a consistent throughput boost. Paladin healers running dungeons (where Paladin tanks are always in demand) can also Disenchant leftover loot for extra income.
The second slot has several viable options depending on your priorities:
Engineering lets healers contribute raid DPS through explosives and comes with strong goggles: Justicebringer 2000 Specs in Phase 2 and Justicebringer 3000 Specs in Phase 5.
Alchemy gains value late with the Redeemer's Alchemist Stone trinket, though it doesn't arrive until the Sunwell patch near the end of TBC.
Tailoring opens up powerful but expensive healing sets: Whitemend Wisdom and Primal Mooncloth.
Leatherworking similarly offers strong gear like the Windhawk Armor set, plus access to Drums of Restoration for group healing utility.
Priest
Discipline and Holy Priest
Tailoring gives you access to some of the strongest healing armor in the game, pieces that last well into later raid tiers. With Mooncloth specialization, you can craft and equip the Primal Mooncloth Belt, Primal Mooncloth Shoulders, and Primal Mooncloth Robe. Since Tailoring doesn't need materials from a gathering profession, pairing it with Enchanting lets you Disenchant any excess crafted items instead.
Enchanting provides Enchant Ring - Spellpower and Enchant Ring - Healing Power, depending on your needs. Disenchanting unwanted gear is a reliable source of materials throughout the expansion.
Engineering is a viable alternative if you want to contribute more to raid DPS as a healer. Phase 2 brings the Powerheal 4000 Lens, which upgrades to the Powerheal 9000 Lens in Phase 5. If your guild does speedruns, Rocket Boots Xtreme Lite is a must-have.
Shadow Priest
Tailoring gives Shadow Priests the biggest output gain of any profession. Pick Shadoweave Tailoring as your specialization to unlock the Shadow's Embrace set. It's BiS in Phase 1 and stays among the strongest options in Phase 2. Later phases see Tailoring drop off, but new recipes keep it somewhat relevant.
Enchanting is straightforward: +12 spell power per ring, 24 total from Enchant Ring - Spellpower. The reputation requirement is trivial and the material cost is forgiving. Disenchanting unwanted gear adds extra value.
Engineering brings Super Sapper Charge for AoE DPS, plus Destruction Holo-gogs in Phase 2 (very powerful), which can be upgraded to Annihilator Holo-Gogs in Phase 5.
Rogue
Rogue - All Specializations
Recommended: Leatherworking + Enchanting (alternatives: Engineering, Blacksmithing, Jewelcrafting)
Leatherworking gives you access to Drums of Battle, a party-wide haste buff. Only one drummer per group is needed (Tinnitus debuff), but being the drummer adds real value to your raid spot.
Enchanting lets you enchant your rings with Enchant Ring - Stats (generally preferred by Sword Rogues, available from Phase 3) or Enchant Ring - Striking (generally preferred by Dagger Rogues). Either way, it's a solid, consistent benefit for the whole expansion.
Engineering offers Deathblow X11 Goggles starting in Phase 2, roughly on par with Deathmantle Helm from the same phase. PvP players will especially like the stealth detection bonus on the goggles. There's a significant downside, though: Engineering explosives share a cooldown with Leatherworking Drums, so don't take both Engineering and Leatherworking. Pick one or the other based on your priorities.
Blacksmithing lets you craft Dragonmaw, a strong Phase 1 mainhand weapon. It's a mace, but it competes with the best swords available in Phase 1. You can upgrade it to Dragonstrike in Phase 3, though by then plenty of other strong weapon options exist.
Jewelcrafting offers some Epic gems with slightly better stats than what non-Jewelcrafters can use. PvP Rogues will appreciate the Figurine - Nightseye Panther trinket, which raises your stealth level and makes you harder to detect. In Phase 5, Jewelcrafters gain access to Hard Khorium Choker, a very strong necklace.
Shaman
Enhancement Shaman
Leatherworking is non-negotiable here. You're already bringing substantial raid utility, so picking up drums is a natural fit. You'll be the most likely candidate to provide Greater Drums of Battle for your group's haste buff. Leatherworking also provides some of your pre-raid and phase BiS gear.
Enchanting is the recommended pairing. Enchant Ring - Stats on both rings gives a consistent stat boost, and Disenchanting unwanted gear fills in the rest of the value.
Engineering gives you explosives for extra DPS and a solid headpiece in Phase 2. Since explosives share the same cooldown as Drums, it's less appealing than Enchanting when you're already committed to Leatherworking. Still viable if someone else in your group handles the drumming.
Jewelcrafting provides stronger gems only Jewelcrafters can use, plus the ability to craft Hard Khorium Choker in the final phase. It's only really worth picking up closer to the end of the expansion when those benefits become relevant.
Restoration Shaman
Leatherworking provides various mail and leather armor pieces that work well for Shamans, particularly in the early phases. You also get Drums of Battle and, later, Greater Drums of Battle for even more group buff utility.
Enchanting lets you enchant both rings with Enchant Ring - Healing Power for +40 Healing Power across the entire expansion. Disenchanting adds material value on top.
Tailoring is a viable swap for Leatherworking, letting you craft and wear Tailor-specific gear like the Primal Mooncloth set. The gear is strongest in the early phases, with some solid pieces showing up later as well. The trade-off is that Tailoring doesn't give you access to Drums like Leatherworking does.
Elemental Shaman
Leatherworking provides various mail and leather armor pieces useful in the early phases. Drums of Battle and Greater Drums of Battle in later phases add significant group utility.
Enchanting gives you Enchant Ring - Spellpower for +24 Spell Damage across the full expansion. Disenchanting adds material value as usual.
Tailoring lets you craft and wear Tailor-specific gear and benefit from set bonuses on sets like Spellstrike Infusion. The gear is strong early on, with some useful pieces later. Like with Restoration, Tailoring doesn't come with the Drums benefit that Leatherworking provides.
Warlock
Warlock - All Specializations
Recommended: Tailoring + Engineering or Tailoring + Enchanting
Tailoring is locked in as your first profession. The second slot depends on your priorities.
Tailoring provides a massive portion of your pre-bis and BiS gear. Nearly every caster wants the Spellstrike Infusion set, and Warlocks in early phases will also want pieces of Shadow's Embrace or Wrath of Spellfire depending on spec. These items either require the right Tailoring specialization to equip or Tailoring in general to get the set bonus. Later phases see Tailoring drop off some, but new recipes keep showing up throughout the expansion.
Enchanting is one of the strongest second picks. Enchant Ring - Spellpower on both rings provides +24 total Spell Damage, a clean and reliable boost.
Engineering is the other strong contender for the second slot. Super Sapper Charge is a powerful AoE consumable that sees regular PvE use. Phase 2 unlocks Destruction Holo-gogs (very strong), and Phase 5 upgrades them to Annihilator Holo-Gogs. If you value the goggles and AoE damage over ring enchants, Engineering is the way to go.
Jewelcrafting is a supplementary option. You can craft your own Epic gems before they're widely available, and Don Julio's Heart is the go-to caster gem until hit gems come out. These gems are unique-equip, though, meaning you can only use one of each, which limits the overall payoff.
Warrior
Arms and Fury Warrior (DPS)
Blacksmithing gives DPS Warriors powerful weapons for both Arms and Fury: Dragonmaw and Lionheart Champion. Both are strong enough to carry you through multiple phases.
Engineering brings Super Sapper Charge and Goblin Sapper Charge for burst AoE damage when engaging large packs.
Enchanting provides Enchant Ring - Stats on both rings for +8 to all stats total. Nothing flashy, just consistent value.
Protection Warrior (Tank)
Prot Warriors have three strong profession options, and the right pick depends on your goals and playstyle.
Engineering is packed with useful gadgets for tanks. Explosives like Super Sapper Charge deal AoE damage and generate threat, carrying on a tradition from Classic. Tanks also get access to Gnomish Poultryizer or Goblin Rocket Launcher trinkets (depending on your spec), which each provide 45 stamina and can be stacked for a massive HP boost the moment you hit 70.
Enchanting comes in as the second-best option after Engineering, providing Enchant Ring - Stats for +8 to all stats across both rings. The stat boost is fairly minor, and you could swap Enchanting for another profession without losing much if you have different priorities.
Blacksmithing is a solid pick if you want the flexibility to swap to Arms or Fury down the road. It gives you the same powerful weapons (Dragonmaw, Lionheart Champion) that make it strong for DPS specs. If you're fully committed to tanking with no plans to go DPS, Engineering + Enchanting is the tighter pairing.
Quick Reference Summary
For players who just want the short version:
| Class | Specialization | Recommended Professions |
|---|---|---|
| Druid | Balance | Tailoring + Enchanting |
| Druid | Feral (Tank and DPS) | Engineering + Enchanting |
| Druid | Restoration | Tailoring + Enchanting |
| Hunter | All Specializations | Leatherworking + Engineering |
| Mage | All Specializations | Engineering + Tailoring (P1), then Engineering + Enchanting (P2+) |
| Paladin | Holy | Enchanting + Engineering |
| Paladin | Protection | Engineering + Enchanting |
| Paladin | Retribution | Blacksmithing + Engineering |
| Priest | Discipline and Holy | Tailoring + Enchanting |
| Priest | Shadow | Tailoring + Enchanting |
| Rogue | All Specializations | Leatherworking + Enchanting |
| Shaman | Enhancement | Leatherworking + Enchanting |
| Shaman | Elemental | Leatherworking + Enchanting |
| Shaman | Restoration | Leatherworking + Enchanting |
| Warlock | All Specializations | Tailoring + Engineering or Tailoring + Enchanting |
| Warrior | Arms and Fury | Blacksmithing + Engineering |
| Warrior | Protection | Engineering + Enchanting |