When there’s a new patch, you can find new farming opportunities but there are some risks involved with it. You’ll be making the decision on what to farm on your own. I might post a couple of tips after the Ulduar Patch but not on the day of release itself. For now you can read the PTR patch notes to find out what’s in store. For the Ulduar Patch, skinners should stack up on Icy Dragonscales. This is where you can get the most gold from.

Mistakes cannot be avoided. You might see an item get a stat boost and think that it could be your gold source but you missed out on a new item that’s coming with the patch that could make the improved item obsolete. When that happens, you’ll be stuck with storage full of useless items.

But if you carefully read the patch notes, you’ll be able to come up with the best strategy for gold making. You can decide on where to farm and which mobs to grind on. That way you’ll be able to stock up on the item and make the most gold once the patch arrives. A classic example is when a particular recipe will be given a boost on its stat bonus but the drop rate of one of its mat would be nerfed down. A wise man would farm for the particular item before the patch arrives and sell his stock after the implementation of the patch.

Once the patch goes live, the price of the item will rise up. This is due to the rise of the demand of the said item and the lowering of the drop rate will make it rare. When that situation comes, you should control the Auction House by buying items placed cheaper than the market value and placing limited stocks out there. That’s how a good marketer would work the AH.

At present, Leatherworkers need Icy Dragonscales to craft eight items such as Icescale Leg Armor, Icy Scale Belt, Icy Scale Boots, and Icy Scale Chestguard. There seem to be an abundant supply of these items in the Auction House that they become cheaper each day. Most raiders have these items already in their inventory.

You can build up your supply of Icy Dragonscales by playing the Auction House. Buy out those selling lower than the current value. If you’re a skinner and you don’t have any gold to spare, then farm for this item. You can head to the Azure Front in Crystalsong Forest where you can find a good number of dragonkins. This area is located just south of Dalaran. If you can get a group going, Violet Hold is a good place to skin for Icy Dragonscales.

Once Patch 3.1 will be implemented, expect the price of Icy Dragonscales to rise 200 to 300 percent. This is because there are new Leatherworking recipes that would require this item. And because Dual Spec is being implemented as well, expect the demand for Icescale Leg Armor to pick up as well.

Expect the price of Icy Dragonscales to go up in day one of the patch. Then once people catch up with what’s happening, the market will be flooded with under cutters. The price might go down back to 1gold each. When the price goes lower than present value, buy them out. This will regulate the price.

The market would be flooded for a week and it will increase all throughout the week after the patch. Be sure not to flood the market and post just two to three stacks a day. That way you’ll see where the market is going and see your profit going in. Greed is not an option during these times.

The downside to this is that the demand for Icy Dragonscales will not be consistent. Your target market would be the casual players in your realm because raiders would be able to get items by running raids with their guild.

It’s just like the Burning Crusade. With the arrival of WotLK, gold farming would go up a notch. Here are some of the reasons why I think WotLK can make a difference in our quest for WoW gold.

Gear will be much better

Gone are the days when you need a serious raiding guild in order to equip yourself with the best gear needed for farming. It started with the badge gears and the so-called welfare PvP epic gear. With those gears your farming capacity will greatly increase. When WotLK arrives, expect more gear to be available from the vendors. You don’t even have to go raiding for your gear anymore. Although you might not fill all your slots with good gear, it would still be better than nothing. Killing mobs will definitely be easier than before.

New passive buffs

WotLK will be introducing passive buffs from gathering professions. It is said that maximum Mining would increase your health by 500; maximum Skinning raises crit chance by 25; and maximum Herbalism would heal self for 2000 over 15 seconds. These passive skills can greatly help when grinding.

More methods of making gold

Making gold used to be just grinding mobs or farming mats. Or you can use your gathering professions such as mining, skinning and herbalism. WotLK will be introducing a new profession that is a sure fire gold making machine. A player can make glyphs through the Inscribing profession. Unlike enchants, glyphs can be sold in the auction house.

World of Warcraft will get bigger

There will be new zones to be added to the World of Warcraft. Already confirmed are Northend, Borean Tundra, and the Howling Fjord. Then there’s Lake Wintergrasp, a PvP area. Once WotLK is release, prepare for the return of old payers who went into hiatus. More people would mean more customers and more business potentials. Just keep your eyes open for anything that could be profitable for you.

These are just some ways as to why it will be easier to make gold when the expansion Wrath of the Lich King is released. Don’t be left behind when that time comes. More WotLK tips once it is implemented already.

It is sad how even friends and family of Blizzard staff would leak the WotLK patch notes and many other things. Hell I’ve even seen the patch to play WotLK somewhere (only single player though)!

Can’t wait for WotLK to come out to the stores…

Note: Read this at your own will, this is obviously a spoiler for what is going to be implemented…

Welcome to the World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Friends and
Family Alpha. The list below contains information on the current
available content available for testing and general information.
This information is subject to change.

General
- The continent of Northrend is now available! To travel there, visit
one of four transportation masters in either Orgrimmar, Undercity,
Theramore,or Menethil Harbor.
- Transportation between Howling Fjord and Borean Tundra can be found
at the Tuskarr villages in those zones.
- NPC Transportation Locations
Horde:
Undercity to Vengeance Landing (Howling Fjord)
Orgrimmar to Warsong Hold (Borean Tundra)
Alliance:
Menethil Harbor to Valgarde (Holwing Fjord)
Theramore Valiance Keep (Borean Tundra)

World Environment Zones
- The following zones are available for testing: Howling Fjord, Borean
Tundra, Dragonblight, and Grizzly Hills

Dungeons
- The following dungeons are available for testing:
Howling Fjord: Utgarde Keep (70-72)
Howling Fjord: Utgarde Pinnacle (80)
Borean Tundra: The Nexus (70-72)
Grizzly Hills: Drak’Tharon Keep (74-76)

Classes
- All Classes are available for play. Spells and talents will be
available for testing past 70 for the following classes: Druid, Mage,
Priest, Shaman, Warlock, Warrior
- The Death Knight Hero class is now available for play.
Creating a new Death Knight will start you at level 55 in Eastern
Plaguelands.
No starting quests are implemented though Death Knight abilities will
be available for testing.
Several Death Knight talents, although they will appear on the talent
pane, are not yet implemented.

Professions
- The following tradeskills are available to train up to 450: First
Aid, Herbalism, Mining, and Skinning.