Leatherworking....Is it worth the cost?

mavric240 · May 19, 2008, 08:57 AM

I am leveling a Shaman (level 44 Enhancement) and I started my professions with mining and jewel crafting. Right now I am 242/300 JC and 173/225 MN. I am having trouble deciding if switching to leather working is worth the expense that I have already incurred with JC and the cost of leveling up LW from scratch. My Shammy is having a hard time finding gear that is not way overpriced or spec'd right so would I really be helping myself by switching. Anyone have any suggestions? I am not really looking to make money from either profession but what would serve my shammy better? I am leaning to leather working but I have heard it will cost around 500g to get to 300 powering it up and upwards of 4000g to get to 375. Are there any Leather workers here with some advice on those figures?

snackereen · May 19, 2008, 09:07 AM

I leveled LW with my rouge (while playing) and after maxing it decided it was not worth it (except for the drums).
So I decided to JC and MN with my shaman and bought all the gear I needed (from AH or from LW-guildies) after selling the gems and ores at the AH. I can't tell you anything about prices for leveling, but it seemed much "faster" for me to grind ore and jewels and selling them in contrast to kill mobs, harvest some leather and build me stuff.

To keep it short: I would not level leatherworking again. I prefer herb/mining/etc, sell them and buy "crafted" stuff instead.

RomaGoth · May 19, 2008, 09:31 AM

Here is what I did:

I was at 375 mining/skinning with my hunter shortly before hitting level 55 last summer. After hitting 70, I decided I wanted the best gear I could get for him (I don't raid and rarely did PvP at the time), so I dumped mining and picked up leatherworking.

My goal was to create the Netherscale Armor - WoWWiki - Your guide to the World of Warcraft set for my hunter. I powerleveled LW from 1-370 (never did the last 5 points) and spent well over 3000 gold doing it. Part of the reason it was so expensive was because I did not farm very much of the mats, and primal mights are around 100 gold each on my server. I never reached the skill level to even make the set I wanted because I discovered that it is not worth it. I picked up mining again and am in the process of leveling it up to support my other toons and their professions.

I picked up LW with my rogue though, and he will make his own armor as he levels (level 44 right now).

Bottom line: make sure you will use the items or I wouldn't bother with it. My rogue will definitely use this profession, whereas my hunter really didn't. It is a personal preference as to what gear you want and how you get it. If you have a 70 alt that can farm the mats for you, by all means make the switch. If you do PvP or will be raiding, then LW is probably not going to help you much. Just be aware that unless you farm your own mats, it will cost you some gold to level it up. It is possible to make money with it, but that won't come until the higher levels (clefthide armor, cobrahide armor, etc. sells pretty well on AH).

Just my 2 cents....

Bloodlotus · May 19, 2008, 09:45 AM

i got 368 lw atm, i cost me about 1k from buying all the mats from the ah, there is no way you should be spending much for the 1.5k, if you do then you are leveling using allot of things you dont need, check out this guide http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/th...pageNo=1&sid=1 its the one i used. but to be honest dude, just keep jc.

mavric240 · May 19, 2008, 11:15 AM

Sounds like I should keep jewel crafting from what you guys are saying. I am just having trouble seeing how JC will help my shammy but I can see how much of pain that LW sounds like it will be but might be useful. Right now on my server mail gear at my level is going for more then plate. 30-40G for level 32-46 mail gear with weak stats is just crazy and the "of the falcon" or "of the eagle" stuff is in the high 40-50g range. Forget about any blues under 100g. In a few days I'll have my cable internet back so I can start to run instances again so I guess gear won't be too much of a problem. On a side note when do you start to turn a profit with JC?

Cynic · May 19, 2008, 11:32 AM

Honestly.. 1-60, gear is more overrated than you would believe. I've taken a hunter, a rogue and a feral druid to 70, and I had my nightscape gear right up until 60 >.<

The only thing that matters is keeping your main hand weapon current, especially as a hybrid class who can heal themselves as well as bandage. Spend your time getting to outland and the mad quest rewards there, instead of worrying about gear now that you will likely vendor in a few weeks.

In short: Stay mining/jc.

May 19, 2008, 08:57 AM	#1 (permalink)
mavric240 Member Character Info sassyevil 70 Undead Warlock Trollbane US PvE Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Spec: 0/44/17	Leatherworking....Is it worth the cost? I am leveling a Shaman (level 44 Enhancement) and I started my professions with mining and jewel crafting. Right now I am 242/300 JC and 173/225 MN. I am having trouble deciding if switching to leather working is worth the expense that I have already incurred with JC and the cost of leveling up LW from scratch. My Shammy is having a hard time finding gear that is not way overpriced or spec'd right so would I really be helping myself by switching. Anyone have any suggestions? I am not really looking to make money from either profession but what would serve my shammy better? I am leaning to leather working but I have heard it will cost around 500g to get to 300 powering it up and upwards of 4000g to get to 375. Are there any Leather workers here with some advice on those figures?

May 19, 2008, 09:07 AM	#2 (permalink)
snackereen pesky beast Character Info Snacker 70 Gnome Warlock Zirkel des Cenarius Euro RP Guild: Heavens Fall Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Spec: 27/34/0	Re: Leatherworking....Is it worth the cost? I leveled LW with my rouge (while playing) and after maxing it decided it was not worth it (except for the drums). So I decided to JC and MN with my shaman and bought all the gear I needed (from AH or from LW-guildies) after selling the gems and ores at the AH. I can't tell you anything about prices for leveling, but it seemed much "faster" for me to grind ore and jewels and selling them in contrast to kill mobs, harvest some leather and build me stuff. To keep it short: I would not level leatherworking again. I prefer herb/mining/etc, sell them and buy "crafted" stuff instead.

May 19, 2008, 09:31 AM	#3 (permalink)
RomaGoth Lock of All Trades Character Info RomaGoth 70 Human Warlock Durotan US PvE Guild: Ultima Forsan Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Spec: 0/8/53	Re: Leatherworking....Is it worth the cost? Here is what I did: I was at 375 mining/skinning with my hunter shortly before hitting level 55 last summer. After hitting 70, I decided I wanted the best gear I could get for him (I don't raid and rarely did PvP at the time), so I dumped mining and picked up leatherworking. My goal was to create the Netherscale Armor - WoWWiki - Your guide to the World of Warcraft set for my hunter. I powerleveled LW from 1-370 (never did the last 5 points) and spent well over 3000 gold doing it. Part of the reason it was so expensive was because I did not farm very much of the mats, and primal mights are around 100 gold each on my server. I never reached the skill level to even make the set I wanted because I discovered that it is not worth it. I picked up mining again and am in the process of leveling it up to support my other toons and their professions. I picked up LW with my rogue though, and he will make his own armor as he levels (level 44 right now). Bottom line: make sure you will use the items or I wouldn't bother with it. My rogue will definitely use this profession, whereas my hunter really didn't. It is a personal preference as to what gear you want and how you get it. If you have a 70 alt that can farm the mats for you, by all means make the switch. If you do PvP or will be raiding, then LW is probably not going to help you much. Just be aware that unless you farm your own mats, it will cost you some gold to level it up. It is possible to make money with it, but that won't come until the higher levels (clefthide armor, cobrahide armor, etc. sells pretty well on AH). Just my 2 cents....

May 19, 2008, 09:45 AM	#4 (permalink)
Bloodlotus Registered Character Info Bloodlotus 70 Human Warlock Azuremyst US PvE Guild: ONE PIECE Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Spec: 56/0/5	Re: Leatherworking....Is it worth the cost? i got 368 lw atm, i cost me about 1k from buying all the mats from the ah, there is no way you should be spending much for the 1.5k, if you do then you are leveling using allot of things you dont need, check out this guide http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/th...pageNo=1&sid=1 its the one i used. but to be honest dude, just keep jc.

May 19, 2008, 11:15 AM	#5 (permalink)
mavric240 Member Character Info sassyevil 70 Undead Warlock Trollbane US PvE Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Spec: 0/44/17	Re: Leatherworking....Is it worth the cost? Sounds like I should keep jewel crafting from what you guys are saying. I am just having trouble seeing how JC will help my shammy but I can see how much of pain that LW sounds like it will be but might be useful. Right now on my server mail gear at my level is going for more then plate. 30-40G for level 32-46 mail gear with weak stats is just crazy and the "of the falcon" or "of the eagle" stuff is in the high 40-50g range. Forget about any blues under 100g. In a few days I'll have my cable internet back so I can start to run instances again so I guess gear won't be too much of a problem. On a side note when do you start to turn a profit with JC?

May 19, 2008, 11:32 AM	#6 (permalink)
Cynic Member Character Info Cynicism 70 Blood Elf Warlock Kel'Thuzad US PvP Guild: Mooninites Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Spec: 27/34/0	Re: Leatherworking....Is it worth the cost? Honestly.. 1-60, gear is more overrated than you would believe. I've taken a hunter, a rogue and a feral druid to 70, and I had my nightscape gear right up until 60 >.< The only thing that matters is keeping your main hand weapon current, especially as a hybrid class who can heal themselves as well as bandage. Spend your time getting to outland and the mad quest rewards there, instead of worrying about gear now that you will likely vendor in a few weeks. In short: Stay mining/jc.