Find out how to make the most profit before and after patch 4.2 hits. Pockets running low? Don't let them fall short with our ultimate gold making guide.

Turning a profit can be a difficult thing in the perpetual volatile market that World of Warcraft hosts. Yet, we’re on the edge of the veritable precipice of gold as a new patch makes its way to the servers here within the next month or so and opportunity shines like no other to take those waning professions that you’ve been ignoring and turn them into a mint. Not only that, with a new raid instance coming we’re going to see a huge spike in glyphs, gems, and consumables so stockpiling now will pay off big later on.

Firelands is a goldmine waiting to happen.

The Basics of Manipulating the Patch Economy

Let’s run down the stuff you should already be familiar with. If you’re not, then we’re on good ground here. If you are, a quick refresher is always a healthy thing to do. So, with a new patch, players are going to need:

• Gems
• Glyphs
• Enchants
• Consumables (Food, Flasks, etc.)
• New Crafted Gear

Understanding this we can understand where the big money is. If you can produce gems, glyphs, enchants, or consumables then stocking up to sell them right after the patch launches and the first two weeks thereafter would literally print you gold. Let’s take all of it a step further though and print even more gold – all of these items require base components and less witty craftsman are going to wait until the patch to craft their wares.

That is where you can strike. If you have a gathering profession there is no time better to farm then now when the majority of the playerbase is in stasis waiting on the next patch to come. Farming everything but base gems (save those and cut them to what the market desires) like herbs and metals is the perfect way to cash in big on the latest patch.

Of course, turning those into items or stockpiling them to see what is in huge demand when the patch goes live is a good idea too.

New Ilvl 378 Gear and Recipes

Chaos Orbs are going to be big in demand with 4.2 so there is no point in using your stockpile now – though if Blizzard makes them unbound in a future patch it may make farming them now a bit silly. Why you ask? A huge list of new craftable items is making its way in with 4.2 (many of them on various trainers) and almost every profession will have tons of new things to craft – that players will want. An example is a new rifle with Engineering that any non-raid Hunter is going to crave or ilvl 365 weapons through blacksmithing.

So what should you stockpile? Well, the usual suspects – volatile whatever, Elementium and Truegold for Blacksmithing, Inks for inscription, Dreamcloth for Tailoring, and the like.

The new raid recipes shouldn’t be much of a concern unless you’re confident you’ll be able to obtain them. The recipes will probably be boss drops as usual and require Living Embers, which will work like Primordial Saronite (yay or boo depending on how you feel on that subject). So you shouldn’t fret too much about that unless you already have a game plan.

There isn’t much you can craft right now outside of consumables, but stockpiling supplies is a great idea. Especially if you actually raid, because the prices right now will be far superior than in a little while from now and we all know our guild vaults are brimming with cash right now. So making an early withdrawal to get ahead of the curb is a lot smarter than waiting for the inevitable price spike.

A Quick Note on Volatile Fire

Just a quick note on Volatile Fire, stock up now. It’s going to go insane after the patch being that everything from the Firelands will require it in large quantities. Sure, it might not spike on your server, but odds are crafters are going to buy in storm once they start getting the recipes. The same applies to the other Volatiles (including Water, which is needed for about half of the new recipes), but Volatile Fire might want to be at the top of your list.

What are you stockpiling for the upcoming patch? Share with us your list in the comments section below.