What are you doing in preparation for Cataclysm?

This question is prevalent in the blog-sphere of pre-cata, every blog has tips and tricks and lists for what they are stockpiling, based on all the speculation of what items will be of high value with Cata’s Release.

Often the list is the same across the board:

>  Netherweave Bags

>  Netherweave

>  Raw Materials (gems, herbs, ore)

>  Items being removed (Pets, Tome of PolyTurtle,)

> The list goes on…

If you read any of the gold making sites, then you know most of this list already and I don’t want to repeat it. I am hesitant to stockpile or invest too much gold in these items and here is why.

 Over the past week I have gone to many of the most popular gold making blogs and reviewed their tips and stockpiling lists, noticing the trends between them all. If I went to this list, how many other people on my server are also going to do the same thing? Will the market be flooded with these same materials?

The thing every reader has to take into account when reviewing a gold blog, and what even the writers advocate, is that not all the tips are going to be shared. Each blogger is going to keep a few items or plans secret, that way they can avoid competition.

So, what am I stockpiling? The same things really but not in large quantities. I have been unable as of yet to purchase a guild bank or create my own guild (haven’t really tried), so with my limited space I tend to not horde things. What I am doing is getting my characters ready for the release and ready for the initial boom of Cataclysm Materials Prices. Just like the previous expansions before it, I expect the new ore, gems, herbs and cloth to explode when cataclysm hits as everyone rushes to get their mat profession and replace their now outdated gear with crafted items.

I decided to level my paladin (currently 40) to 80 and as she has both mining and herbalism. With her increased mount speed, I plan to spend the first few days of cata farming and supplying those people attempting Realm First with materials.

This helps me twofold:

1.    I get to take advantage of the initial crazy that is the material selling at the beginning of an expansion

2.    When I am done farming and decided to level my Main, most of the player base will be a few levels ahead of me and in different zones, so the questing area should be less crowded.

In addition to leveling my paladin I plan on power-leveling both Inscription and Blacksmithing, the two profitable professions I am missing in my retinue. I am sending my materials gathered while my paladin is leveling to the two toons who will be leveling new professions (Priest is getting blacksmithing – to replace mining; my Rogue is getting Inscription, to replace herbalism).

That way, once the initial crazy of materials is over and as the expansion progresses, I can utilize all the tradeskills to make profits. Just like WOTLK, I suspect that having multiple professions working together will net larger returns than having a single professional focus.

That is my current plan. I am missing out on some profits as old world materials are selling really well on my server as people stockpile, but it’s more important for me to set up my characters for the long term gains. Although to be honest, I am still doing my daily AH scan and looking for deals and potential items to stockpile – but only if the price is right.