World of Warcraft’s next expansion, Dragonflight, will feature a revamped profession and crafting system that focuses on “player identity,” according to Blizzard.
This updated system will provide more choices for players in the form of something called Crafting Orders. An Auction-house-like interface will allow players to request other players to craft something even if they don’t have the skill or the right profession to do it themselves. They’ll be able to browse through all of the recipes, pick the one they want to be crafted, and offer some or all of the reagents required.
A player that doesn’t have access to Blacksmithing, for example, could request another player to craft them the sword of their dreams. This also applies to items that would regularly be Soulbound, meaning players will be able to essentially use any crafted item that’s available in the game. In the past, the only way to get access to crafted Soulbound items was to have the professional yourself. This new feature will expand the number of items to everyone.
Aside from Crafting Orders, Blizzard has introduced “quality” to both crafted items and gathered reagents. If players craft something that’s higher quality, it will be better. Gear created via crafting, for example, will have a higher item level if it has better quality, while higher quality potions will have more powerful effects.
Blizzard is also bringing back crafting specializations in Dragonflight. There have been some forms of crafting specializations in the past, like Goblin and Gnome Engineering, for instance. But nothing like this.
Players will be able to earn “specialization points” in numerous ways. They’ll be able to find an old book on a bookshelf somewhere or meet a hermit in a cave that will teach them more about their profession. In the end, players will be able to opt into a crafting specialization. A Blacksmith, for example, could focus on crafting armor and become an Armorsmith. This, according to Blizzard, “opens opportunities for players with the same guild to specialize in varying aspects of a profession” and adds “value.”
To tie everything together and feed into the roleplaying game experience, crafting tables for all professions will also be available within the new city hub of Valdrakken in the Dragon Isles.
This article will be updated when Blizzard reveals more information about crafting and professions.
