Which profession should I choose for HC?

[Boogie]

Miyamoto back again with an answer to the most common question I see on DIscord or in game.

The answer is there is no best profession, it all depends on class, play style, and personal choice. Most importantly, choose something you'll enjoy. Even not having professions is a choice - you'll level a lot faster that way, even without the extra stats or utility.

Of secondary professions, first aid is mandatory, fishing is extremely useful especially if you take a profession that needs leather (tailoring, blacksmithing, engineering), cooking, survival and gardening are less attractive but still nice to have.

For primary professions:

Alchemy
In ascending order of importance:
Health and mana pots. Health pots are essential, but very easy to come by, so not a big reason to go alchemy.
Elixirs: definitely nice to stack up on buffs from elixirs, in many cases can make up for bad luck in the gear drop department.
Utility: water breathing potions, swiftness potions, free action potions, limited invulnerability, resistance potions, poison removal, all utility that many classes don't have and can absolutely save your life.

Engineering
Generally underestimated by many in the HC community, this profession gives a lot of utility, especially at higher levels. AOE damage and stun from bombs and grenades, all the gnomish gadgets (e.g. net, mind control cap), goblin rocket helmet, speed boots, compact harvester kit which is pretty overpowered as a companion, a Winterspring or Tanaris teleport, reflectors. Target dummies will save your life and is available very early on. Plus this is basically the meta profession for everybody at 60 thanks to sapper charges.

Leatherworking
If you wear leather this is a great profession, there are many good items that you will probably use while levelling up. If you like crafting stuff to wear, and having gear with good stats, consider this.

Blacksmithing
Much the same story as leatherworking, although BS is a massive pain to level as you get higher and you might want to dump it in your late 40s or early 50s for something else. If you wear mail and plate, great. If you are melee, this gives you access to a steady progression of decent weapons. Plus you get sharpening / weight stones which give a non trivial boost to your weapon damage.

Tailoring
Again, a nice source of gear while levelling. Cool +spell damage sets for most flavours of caster. Plus you get bags. And for casters, you're very likely going to want this at 60 to craft the Bloodvine set (at least it was good in Classic, there may be something better custom on Turtle).

Everything else
Take the gathering prof that matches your crafting prof and you're good.

Enchanting
Extremely costly and pretty useless in end game unless you have the real sought after recipes. There's an edge case for druid tanking trinket but otherwise I would steer clear of enchanting.