Crafting and gathering are the two basic sorts of primary occupations. Dual crafting professions are currently the finest combination of professions for end-game benefits. This usually entails reaching the late game and then switching to dual crafting professions, with an alt or two to provide materials for these skills. But what are the finest bonuses? That's what we're looking at right now.
Crafting Professions
Alchemy
Alchemists gain a bonus called Mixology that grants them extra bonuses when using any flask that they can create. This bonus works out to either +37 Spell Power, +64 Attack Power, +13 Mana per 5, or 320 Health based on the flask. This is a nice bonus if you raid since you will be using flasks all the time. Better yet as an Alchemist your flasks will last twice as long. Also as an alchemist you can make a significant amount of gold by creating flasks.
Best Classes: Any
Worst Classes: None
To really make the most out of Alchemy you really need to be an herbalist as well, which limits its appeal. Other combinations work out to be better overall bonuses and if you raid may be better options. This is a great option though for an alt.
Blacksmithing
Blacksmiths get the ability to add two extra gem sockets to their equipment, one to their gloves and one to their bracers. This means that they can further customize their gear as required. This works out to a bonus of +46 Spell Power, +40 Strength, or +60 Stamina due to the extra slots. You could put any number of other bonuses into the slots instead.
Best Classes: Plate wearing classes
Worst Classes: Cloth and Leather wearing classes
Blacksmithing offers a lot of customization since you can pick the bonuses that you want. It also allows you to craft items that can be of use if you are a plate wearer. Because of the bonuses that the extra two slots grant you this is a good profession for any class, but the items you create will not be of any use to you.
Enchanting
Being an enchanter allows you to enchant your rings, which no other type of character can do. These enchants can grant
+40 Attack Power, +30 Stamina, or +23 Spell Power. This is to each ring and is a fairly significant bonus overall.
Best Classes: Any
Worst Classes: None
Engineering
Engineers can create several items that attach to their own equipment and grant bonuses. The biggest bonuses are the ones to gloves that can grant a ranged attack every 45 seconds or a huge boost to haste every minute.
Best Classes: None
Worst Classes: All
Engineering is a cool profession, but it doesnt provide any huge bonus unless you use the cooldowns every single chance you can. This makes it one of the worst for overall effect. However it does provide some very cool perks, and the ability to create a motorcycle mount. Therefore many players pick it up just for the cool factor.
Inscription
Being an inscriptionest allows you to inscribe your shoulders with a better enchant than those available from the Sons of Hodir at exalted reputation. This works out to +37 spell power, 64 attack power, or 32 dodge over what you would get compared to the epic Sons of Hodir shoulder enchant.
A nice bonus is the ability to create Northrend cards that sell for a decent amount on the auction house.
Best Classes: Any
Worst Classes: None
As with alchemy this really requires herbalism to be able to generate any kind of income, which reduces the profession bonuses you can receive.
Jewelcrafting
Jewelcrafters get gems that only they can use that are significantly better than non-jewelcrafter gems. They can use three of these gems and using all three works out to a significant advantage over normal gems. It works out to be +42 Strength, +48 Spell Power, or +63 Stamina, with many other options available.
Best Classes: Any
Worst Classes: None
The bonuses that being a jewelcraft provide are some of the best and most customizable that there are. In addition you can always pick up uncut gems on the auction house, cut them and resell them for profit.
Leatherworking
Leatherworkers get to fur line their own bracers. This is a leatherworker only item that grants more stats than the equivalent enchant that you could put on your wrist item. This works out to +40 Spell Power, +82 Attack Power, or +62 Stamina over what a normal enchant would grant.
Best Classes: Druids, Hunters, and Rogues
Worst Classes: None
Can be used by any class since the bonus is pretty big, however the best use is with a leather wearing class since they can also make use of the items a leatherworker creates. Leatherworkers can also create cheaper versions of their leg armour kits for themselves which is a nice perk when replacing gear.
Tailoring
Tailors get an interesting option in the form of embroidery. Embroidery puts a proc effect on your cloak that grants big spell power, attack power, or mana regen.
These bonuses work out to be pretty big, but are proc based with internal cooldowns so are on and off throughout a fight.
Best Classes: Priest, Mage, Warlock
Worst Classes: Plate Wearers and Melee due to other bonuses from professions being better.
In addition to the embroidery tailors get to make their own spell thread for far cheaper than for others. They also can create their own flying mount in the form of a flying carpet.
Gathering Professions
Herbalism
Herbalism does not grant a stat bonus, instead it grants a healing ability called Lifebloom. This allows players to be a bit more self sufficient if they are not a healer, or give healers another small healing ability that doesnt cost any mana.
Best Classes: None
Worst Classes: None
While the heal ability is ok, it is not huge. Many other professions grant much better bonuses. However if you are an Inscriptionest or Alchemest then you probably need to be an herbalist as well, or have an alt that is.
Mining
Since you spend so much time mining you earn extra stamina. This ramps up as you level and maxes out at +60 Stamina at level 80.
Best Classes: Tanks
Worst Classes: Any other than tank
Skinning
As a skinner you earn extra critical strike chance culminating at +40 crit at level 80. This is a good bonus for any DPS class.
Best Classes: DPS
Worst Classes: Healers and Tanks
Overall Rewards
As you can see by the numbers the current best profession combination is to be a Blacksmith and Jewelcrafter. This allows the best versatility and bonuses since you can tailor the perks to what you need. However, since they both require supplies it means having a second character that can provide you with the materials to level them. If you are willing to do this you will have the best end game bonuses. If not you can always take comfort in the fact that the bonus is not so huge that you must have it.
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