[Lore]

Bornakk confirmed today that, as many have speculated, level 80 Epic gems will be added to the game as part of Patch 3.2. These will be obtainable through a handful of methods, including alchemy transmutations, Emblems of Heroism, honor points, and by prospecting Titanium Ore.

At the same time, most professions will see an increased benefit from the profession-specific patterns and abilities:

• Stat benefits from ring enchants, Dragons Eye gems, Master's Inscriptions, Fur Linings, Toughness, and Master of Anatomy are being increased
• The effects of Tailoring embroideries, Engineering glove enchants, and Alchemy's Mixology are being increased
• The healing effect of Lifeblood is being increased, it is being removed from the global cooldown, and will have some form of scaling with maximum health

In addition to Mixology being increased, Alchemists will be able to create a new, non-consumed flask that will be usable in arenas and increase either Spellpower, Attack Power, or Strength. Endless Healing and Mana Potions will no longer be usable in arenas, but the health or mana returned will be increased, and the cooldown reduced. Blacksmithing receives no changes, as it gains an indirect increase through the addition of Epic gems.

The original announcement can be found here.

[Lyco]

I might have missed it, but I found the sentance concerning blacksmithing confusing ( Perhaps because it's not my native language ).

Anyhow: Will we remain at 2 sockets, or are we getting ANOTHER 2?

[Edgar]

Blacksmithing gets no changes.

[delta38]

After all those months keeping my classic Mining / Blacksmithing professions, waiting for epic gems to appear, now this

To be serious:
Thats a good change, since professions shouldn't be, what makes a player / class excel in his/her role. At least Toughness gets buffed, too.

[Edgar]

Blacksmithing gets buffed just as much, you can place 2 epic gems more than anyone else.

[urquart]

Source: Lore ... and by prospecting Titanium Ore (which will presumably be harvestable by Miners).

Isn't it already?

[Lore]

Why yes. Yes it is.

I'm not sure how I managed that one.

[fuddjupp]

I wish they would leave the Dragon Eyes prismatic but leave their stats as they are right now to nerf them. Compared to the buffs of other professions JC should come in line with them an wouldn't be that overpowered.

[Cedix]

Source: Lore ...by prospecting Titanium Ore (which will presumably be harvestable by Miners)....

I don't get this, Titanium ore are already in game. JC will be able to prospected them i guess (by stack of 5 also)? OR you mean it will prospected by some other mean ?

Just to make sure, Am going to starts stocking them up before the price skyrocket (glad i keep most JC token in stock, got a good 80 in stock)

[Jericho]

The biggest news here is actually the Alchemy changes. Mixology has NEVER been adequate compared to the other major profession bonuses. If Blizzard bufffs Mixology to a decent degree and the Flask of the North gives health (something they conspicuously left out), then Alchemists may be finally be equal.

The buffs to the other base profession bonuses are actually a real surprise. Personally, i did not believe we would see a base boost to profession bonuses. I thought we'd see some additions instead of adjustments.

Overall to answer the question on Blacksmithing, its quite simple. The Blacksmithing bonuses are fluid and based completely in Jewelcrafting. By adding the +30 stamina and +20 stat gems, the Blacksmithing bonuses have gone from 48 to 60 stamina and 32stat to 40 stat. Look for the other profession bonuses to be adjusted to similar numbers. ie, Ring enchants will equal +30 stamina instead of 24, Master of Anatomy will become 40 crit rating.

[Hit Me]

So the epic gems will have several methods to obtain them, but what about the patterns? I'm hoping all of them won't just be drops. It would be nice to see a few available at vendors with the more valuable being drops or something like that.

[Darksend]

Source: Jericho The biggest news here is actually the Alchemy changes. Mixology has NEVER been adequate compared to the other major profession bonuses. If Blizzard bufffs Mixology to a decent degree and the Flask of the North gives health (something they conspicuously left out), then Alchemists may be finally be equal. The buffs to the other base profession bonuses are actually a real surprise. Personally, i did not believe we would see a base boost to profession bonuses. I thought we'd see some additions instead of adjustments. Overall to answer the question on Blacksmithing, its quite simple. The Blacksmithing bonuses are fluid and based completely in Jewelcrafting. By adding the +30 stamina and +20 stat gems, the Blacksmithing bonuses have gone from 48 to 60 stamina and 32stat to 40 stat. Look for the other profession bonuses to be adjusted to similar numbers. ie, Ring enchants will equal +30 stamina instead of 24, Master of Anatomy will become 40 crit rating.

at least for a tank, alchemy currently provides the best benefit of any profession. unless I am wrong about how mixology workds

[Durandro]

So is Engineering being ignored again?

Great.

[Kavtor]

Source: Darksend at least for a tank, alchemy currently provides the best benefit of any profession. unless I am wrong about how mixology workds

Right now mixology doesn't scale with the tank flask as you'd expect it would. Last I checked I was getting 350 HP from it. Better than nothing (herbalism) but not up to snuff.

[Biggensak]

Source: Durandro So is Engineering being ignored again? Great.

• Alchemy:
  • Benefits from Mixology for Northrend flasks/elixirs increased.
  • A new flask usable only by alchemists, Flask of the North, which increases your Spell Power, AP, or Strength for 1 hour, and can be used in arenas.
  • Endless Healing Potion and Endless Mana Potion no longer usable in arenas. Amount of health and mana has been increased, and the cooldown reduced. They are still usable everywhere else.
• Enchanting: Ring enchants buffed.
• Engineering: Hyperspeed Accelerators, Hand-Mounted Pyro Rocket, and Reticulated Armor Webbing buffed.
• Herbalism: Maximum rank of Lifeblood increased in healing, and Lifeblood now scales slightly from maximum health and is no longer affected by the GCD.
• Inscription: Shoulder enchants buffed.
• Jewelcrafting: Dragon's Eye gems buffed.
• Leatherworking: Fur Linings buffed.
• Mining: Maximum rank of Toughness buffed.
• Skinning: Maximum rank of Master of Anatomy buffed.
• Tailoring: Embroideries improved.

Epic gems and profession changes in Patch 3.2

[Esch]

I think JC caught another round of subtle nerfing in this, further bringing it into line. Even if you buff Dragon's Eyes, that's not going to offset the improvements nearly every other profession is picking up.

I'm lukewarm on Heroism badges to get epic gems. Does give access to all, but I was hoping those gems would be a bit of a reward for folks working into content. The alternate methods (honor, titanium) would still put a fair number on the market. I do know I'm stockpiling JC tokens and titanium now instead of trying to finish out all the patterns in Dalaran.

Frankly, I'm hoping that the final numbers makes it just as valid to do double crafting professions as a more 'typical' gather/crafting combination.

[Crono]

Yeah, definitely time to start stockpiling the JC tokens now, and apparently my badges instead of buying PvP gear I'll rarely use. Wish I hadn't just used 45 Valor badges last night on a PvP helm for my priest now.

Also time to start farming Titanium it looks like, this should be fun. Icecrown is gonna be hell for the next few weeks.

[Lore]

Source: Esch I think JC caught another round of subtle nerfing in this, further bringing it into line. Even if you buff Dragon's Eyes, that's not going to offset the improvements nearly every other profession is picking up.

Given that absolutely no numbers have been released, I'm curious as to how you came to this conclusion.

[veneretio]

It's nice to see that they'll be purchasable by Emblems of Heroism. It'll give myself and many others that have avoided 5 mans a reason to actually do them again. I feel like a compelling reason to do 5 mans is something that's been missing direly this expansion so this is very welcomed news. (I also really like that it means it won't be insanely expensive to utilize Blacksmithing's prismatic sockets along with all the others I'll have to replace)

[Esch]

My view is Blizzard has been trying to bring JC back into line with other professions, as it has been 'the best' profession until changes in 3.2 were started being announced.

Also, from the original post:

Source: Bornakk the Blue Coinciding with the implementation of epic gems and the gain that Blacksmiths will receive through their perk from these new gems, we have gone through all of the perks in every profession and increased their values to match up accordingly.

Ignoring Blacksmithing, the increases are intended to match up. As such, I expect JC to receive a smaller increase compared to other professions, with the net result being a subtle nerf through buffing everything else 'more'. Ultimately, Blizzard is trying to pull all the professions into relatively the same range so no matter what you choose, it's going to 'work out' at endgame raiding, instead of folks going BS/JC in WotLK, or the Leatherworking mayhem of BC (where everyone got LW to use the drums, pre-'exhaustion' style nerf in ... patch 2.4?).