So I just spent probably 10g on leveling and crafting a weapon much worse then a 10g SM superior item available via the AH.
Majority of the materials farmed myself, cost include NPC mats and lowest available prices in AH.
My question is with the drop rates changed does crafting even have a purpose now? Later levels?
Alchemy seems good. Everything else seems worthless.
I levelled all the crafts to 100-150 ish, except for leather, which is currently broken atm, and I havent really found any USE out of it, yet, but I'm not even half way done a craft, so it could change. The most useful thing I've crafted was a robe through tailoring that I could use a template to remodel my equipment with, although it was just the template of the one of the few basic ones you get off Island of Dawn.
My friend took Weaponcrafting to 120 ish and crafted a Greatsword for my Slayer that I'll be rolling when we get more character slots next week, it's a Lv.30 Rare, and it seemed to have better stats then the Superior from SM. Although the Superior from SM probabbly wins when it's +6'd, next week the cap'll be 38, so there'll be less SM run, and I think the Greatsword my friend crafted for me will be more of use.
I think it is viable, I would just level your professions and sell the materials and wait for crafting to be worthwhile in launch or altered.
I started on weaponsmithing, realized making a white item used up about 4.5 gold worth of titan runes, I stopped weaponsmithing. Couldn't imagine anything more idiotic and useless. I was hoping to supplement enchanting with the skill but um, I'd rather buy whites for 5-15 silver and greens for 20-40 silver in the broker I think, yea pretty sure.
Gear crafting is pointless until you hit 60. The xp system was adapted for western market, but the crafting system has had no revamps other than a quest chain to help you get to 410 skill (used to stop at 250/300 from using readily available recipes on the vendors).
On that not, the same place you get the Guild quests also has the quest chains for eaech crafting skill. You need to complete an introductory skill available when you virst go to Velika from one of the vendors in the first room you come to.
Alchemy seems to be the only one worthwhile. The others are good if you plan on rolling other characters and you want to have gear ready for them.