All Profession Bonuses/Perks - Cataclysm - Cataclysm Classic

Author: Mila Grish
Date: April 27, 2024
Updated: May 1, 2024
Expansion: Cataclysm

In Cataclysm every profession gains access to a unique perk. For crafting professions these typically amount to roughly an extra 80 in a stat. Some professions, such as Alchemy come with small additional bonuses, but these will rarely make or break your choice of profession. Some professions do offer more flexibility, for example, Engineering offers Secondary Stat choices, and Tailoring offers strong but short-lasting stat boosts.

Gathering professions also have their own unique perks, but these are not as powerful. They are a lot easier to achieve, making it a good choice for anyone unwilling to spend a lot of time or money on their professions. Secondary professions offer no unique combat bonuses or perks.

Alchemy Bonuses

Profession Type: Crafting
Profession Guide: Alchemy 1-525

Alchemy offers different stat boosts and enhanced effects/durations for flasks and elixirs.

Lifebound Alchemist Stone – +380 Stamina
Quicksilver Alchemist Stone – +301 Agility
Vibrant Alchemist Stone – +301 Intellect
Volatile Alchemist Stone – +301 Strength
Mixology – Improved effect and duration for flasks and elixirs
Flask of Enhancement – + 80 Strength, Agility, or Intellect (whichever is your highest)

Blacksmithing Bonuses

Profession Type: Crafting
Profession Guide: Blacksmithing 1-525

Blacksmithing offers extra gem sockets for Braces and Gloves, which helps with stat customization. This allows you to equip one additional Gem in each slot. This means that in the early stages of the expansion, you get +80 in your chosen stat, but once Epic Gems are introduced that goes up to +100, making it one of the strongest perks available.

Socket Bracer – +40 Strength, Agility, Intellect, or +60 Stamina
Socket Gloves – +40 Strength, Agility, Intellect, or +60 Stamina

Enchanting Bonuses

Profession Type: Crafting
Profession Guide: Enchanting 1-525

Enchanting comes with exclusive enchants for boosting various stats on Rings. You can only enchant your own Rings, but you can enchant both of them, doubling the stat bonus.

Enchant Ring – Agility – +40 Agility, up to +80 with two
Enchant Ring – Intellect – +40 Intellect, up to +80 with two
Enchant Ring – Greater Stamina – +60 Stamina, up to +120 with two
Enchant Ring – Strength – +40 Strength, up to +80 with two

Engineering Bonuses

Profession Type: Crafting
Profession Guide: Engineering 1-525

Engineering comes with exclusive helms and gem sockets (Cogwheels), as well as unique gadgets, which we will list below.

Engineering Helms

This profession offers several Epic Engineering Helms:

Engineering Cogwheel Gems

These helms can only be socketed with Engineering-exclusive gems, called Cogwheels:

Quick Cogwheel – +208 Haste
Rigid Cogwheel – +208 Hit Rating
Smooth Cogwheel – +208 Critical Strike Rating
Fractured Cogwheel – +208 Mastery
Precise Cogwheel – +208 Expertise
Subtle Cogwheel – +208 Dodge
Sparkling Cogwheel – +208 Spirit
Flashing Cogwheel – +208 Parry
Mystic Cogwheel – +208 Resilience

These allow for even further stat customization for your build.

Engineering Gadgets

In addition to the helms, Engineering offers a few useful Gadgets. The most important of these is Synapse Springs, offering 480 in their highest primary stat for 10 seconds once a minute. If you use this on cooldown every time its available, this averages out to 80 in that stat.

An important bonus mention is Loot-A-Rang, which loots a nearby corpse and can be very nice for leveling a ranged character.

Inscription Bonuses

Profession Type: Crafting
Profession Guide: Inscription 1-525

Inscription offers some exclusive shoulder inscriptions for superior stat boosts.

Felfire Inscription – +130 Intellect, +25 Haste (+80 Intellect over the normal Enchants)
Inscription of the Earth Prince – +195 Stamina, +25 Dodge Rating (+120 Stamina over the normal Enchants)
Lionsmane Inscription – +130 Strength, +25 Critical Strike Rating (+80 Strength over the normal Enchants)
Swiftsteel Inscription – +130 Agility, +25 Mastery (+80 Agility over the normal Enchants)

Jewelcrafting Bonuses

Profession Type: Crafting
Profession Guide: Jewelcrafting 1-525

Jewelcrafting comes with an exclusive gem, Chimera’s Eye. It gives +27 stats over normal gems, or +41 Stamina. Note that you can only use 3 of these on your gear, which means a total of +81 to stats or +123 to Stamina.

It is important to note that once Epic Gems such as Delicate Queen’s Garnet are added, Jewelcrafting falls significantly behind, going from +81 to your chosen stat to +51 when compared to full Epic Gems.

Bold – +67 Strength
Brilliant – +67 Intellect
Delicate – +67 Agility
Precise – +67 Expertise Rating
Flashing – +67 Parry Rating
Solid – +101 Stamina
Stormy – +84 Spell Penetration
Rigid – +67 Hit Rating
Sparkling – +67 Spirit
Fractured – +67 Mastery Rating
Mystic – +67 Resilience Rating
Quick – +67 Haste Rating
Subtle – +67 Dodge Rating
Smooth – +67 Critical Strike Rating

Leatherworking Bonuses

Profession Type: Crafting
Profession Guide: Leatherworking 1-525

Leatherworking comes with Draconic Embossments — exclusive bracer enchants with various stat enhancements.

Draconic Embossment – Agility – +130 Agility
Draconic Embossment – Intellect – +130 Intellect
Draconic Embossment – Stamina – +192 Stamina
Draconic Embossment – Strength – +130 Strength

Tailoring Bonuses

Profession Type: Crafting
Profession Guide: Tailoring 1-525

Darkglow Embroidery – +580 Spirit for 15 seconds
Lightweave Embroidery – +580 Intellect for 15 seconds
Swordguard Embroidery – +1000 Attack Power for 15 seconds

Herbalism Bonuses

Profession Type: Gathering
Profession Guide: Herbalism 1-525

The bonus from Herbalism is Lifeblood, which offers a temporary Haste boost: +480 Haste for 20 seconds, with a 2-minute cooldown.

Mining Bonuses

Profession Type: Gathering
Profession Guide: Mining 1-525

The bonus from Mining is Toughness, which gives +120 extra Stamina, for increased health.

Skinning Bonuses

Profession Type: Gathering
Profession Guide: Skinning 1-525

The bonus from Skinning is Master of Anatomy, which offers +80 Critical Strike Rating.

Secondary Professions

Secondary professions generally do not offer specific bonuses. One exception to this is Archaeology, which offers some very rare items if you are willing to spend the time getting them.

Archaeology

This profession offers a chance to obtain some epic items, some of which are comparable or even better than the first-tier raid gear. However, note that it takes a lot of time to level this profession (epic items start at skill level 450) and it’s quite possible to solve nearly everything and still not get the weapon or armor item you would find useful.

Cooking

Cooking enables the creation of food that grants various stat bonuses and buffs when consumed.

Fishing

Fishing provides a source of fish, which is a primary ingredient for many cooking recipes, and occasionally yields valuable items.

About the Author

Mila Grish

Dedicated contributor at Lexicon Gaming and a part-time collector of books she will never have time to actually read. Jumps on the newest releases just as quickly as on the uncovered dusty collections from the basement. For her, shiny graphics can never be an excuse to not have a polished player experience or an immersive story.