The best mining specializations in World of Warcraft: Dragonflight

World of Warcraft: Dragonflight has offered a long overdue overhaul to the various crafting professions within the long-standing MMO. They have been received with some trepidation, with vague and obscure paths in progression possibly resulting in your entire profession being a money sink, instead of a money maker. The mining profession involves pulling ores and gems from nodes in the world and has a branching profession tree that will require players to make the right choice. Here are the best mining specializations to take for World of Warcraft: Dragonflight.

The best mining specializations, in order

Professions no longer revolve around hitting the maximum level as quickly as possible. Players will continue to unlock new specializations over time within their professions, and since Knowledge Points cannot be refunded, picking the right spec at each stage is vital. While these two specializations are ideal, don’t be deterred from digging into them to support your professions as needed — what’s most important is that you grab the two main specializations once they’re available.

Related: Best PvP classes for World of Warcraft: Dragonflight

1. Mining Process

The first step for anyone in the mining profession should be, unerringly, Mining Process. Maxing out this specialization allows players to harvest nodes while mounted, drastically increasing the speed at which they can bounce from node to node while harvesting in the world. Whether you’re attempting to mine for Auction House profits, jewelcrafting, or blacksmithing, Mining Process is the single greatest buff. Opt for the sub-spec Surveying for a massive boost to perception while waiting for level 50, or into Industrialization if you’re mining to support a Jewelcrafter.

2. Mastering the Elements

Mastering the Elements gives miners the chance to harvest Rousing Elements, which sell very well in the Auction House. This can turn the mining profession into a money-making opportunity, while still nabbing the resources necessary to supplement your primary profession. Mastering the Elements offers large bonuses to all governing attributes, but three sub-specs are worth eyeing: Overload Elemental Deposits is an easy first choice for the additional +5 Knowledge points it can grant. Molten allows miners to harvest molten deposits while taking 50% less damage — ideal for miners without natural magic immunity. The Primal sub-spec gives the opportunity to harvest Rousing Air or Frost, which can help supplement income further as these essences cannot be found without this specific sub-spec.

3. Metallurgy

Metallurgy can be hit or miss, but it’s ultimately dependent on your server economy. Metallurgy lets you upgrade, or refine, ores into better quality ores. This seems ideal, but unless you desperately need high-quality materials, the cost of upgrading is prohibitive. It takes five lower-quality ore to refine it into the next tier, and the Auction House tends to not reward that.

For it to be feasible, the difference between each tier would ideally be five times the price of the lesser — many find it a better use of your early Knowledge Points to dodge this specialization entirely due to this facet. If you find yourself needing this tree, dump it into the necessary sub-spec depending on which ore type you need at the highest quality: Khaz’gorite, Draconium, or Severite. Be wary that the market is a fickle beast, however — the profits of today may disappear tomorrow.