Choosing Professions in Rift

This will be a general outline for new players to help choose which professions are best for them.

You will not be able to get any professions until you leave the starting area.  Once you leave the starting area the first village you come across you will be able to pick up gathering professions.  The first big village, roughly 5 levels later, you will be able to pick up crafting professions.

Try to plan your professions out ahead of time.  Certain things go together better and this guide will help you connect the dots and see which ones work well together.  You will only be allowed to train for three professions.

I would suggest people taking all three gathering professions on their first character but it is not required.

Gathering Professions:
Mining:
- Allows you to collect ore and make bars.
- You will learn Track Ore when you learn this, activate it as soon as you learn it.  It lasts when you die, so once you cast it there is no need to ever cast it again.
- You need to be at a Forge to make bars.
Buchery:
- Allows you to skin animals and make leather.
- You need to be at a Loom to make leather.
Foraging:
- Allows you to collect herbs and wood.
- You will learn to track herbs and wood, same as with ore.  Activate it as soon as you get it, lasts when death occurs.
- You need to be at a Workbench to make lumber.

Note:  All gathering professions have things you can do to level up faster.  Making lumber, making metal bars, making usable leather.  Whenever you get a chance to do that, do it.  Free skill ups is a good thing and you are going to need to do it sooner or later anyway so might as well do it when it offers skill ups.

Crafting Professions:
Runecrafting:
- Creates Runes that can be used to increase the stats of weapons and armor.
- You need to be at a Workbench to make Runes.
- You learn the skill to Runebreak.  This can break down most weapons and armor into materials needed for making Runes.
- Runecrafting does not need a gathering profession to support it.
Outfitting:
- Creates Cloth and Leather armor.
- You need to be at a Loom to make Cloth or Leather armor.
- You learn the skill to Salvage Armor.  This can break down armor only into some of raw materials that where used to make that item and scraps from those items which can be used for making item enhancements.
- Outfitting is best when matched with Butchery.
Artificing:
- Creates Necklaces, Rings, Totems, Wands and Staves.
- You need to be at a Workbench to make your items.
- Aritificing is best when matched with Foraging and Mining.
Apothecary:
- Creates consumables like potions, vials, philters, etc.
- You need to be at a Laboratory to make your consumables.
- Apothecary is best when matched with Foraging and Butchery.
Armorsmithing:
- Creates Chain and Plate armor.
- You need to be at a Forge to make Plate or Chain.
- You learn the skill to Salvage Armor.  This can break down armor only into some of raw materials that where used to make that item and scraps from those items which can be used for making item enhancements.
- Armorsmithing is best when matched with Mining and Butchery.
Weaponsmithing:
- Creates melee weapons, bows and guns.
- You need to be at a workbench to make Bows and a Forge to make everything else.
- Best when matched with Mining and Butchery.

Best Combos by Class For Gear:

Warrior:
Armorsmithing, Mining, Butchery. - To make your armor and support your crafting of your armor.
Weaponsmithing, Mining, Butchery. - To make your armor and support your crafting of weapons.
Armorsmithing, Weaponsmithing, Mining. - You will need to buy your Butchery needs.

Rogue:
Outfitting, Butchery, Runecrafting or Mining, or Foraging. - To make your armor and support your crafting of your armor. 3rd profession is a choice as Outfitting does not require 2nd gathering profession.
Weaponsmithing, Mining, Butchery. - To make your armor and support your crafting of weapons.
Outfitting, Weaponsmithing, Butchery. - You will need to buy your Mining needs.

Mage:
Outfitting, Butchery, Runecrafting or Mining, or Foraging. - To make your armor and support your crafting of your armor. 3rd profession is a choice as Outfitting does not require 2nd gathering profession
Artificing, Foraging, Mining. -  To make your armor and support your crafting of weapons.
Outfitting, Artificing, one gathering. - Your choice here, you will need to buy things from the other 2 you do not choose.

Cleric:
Armorsmithing, Mining, Butchery. - To make your armor and support your crafting of your armor.
Artificing, Foraging, Mining. -  To make your armor and support your crafting of weapons.
Armorsmithing, Artificing, Mining. - You will need to buy your Butchery and Foraging needs however.

All professions can be learned by all classes but some are better suited for certain ones.  Both Runecrafting and  Apothecary can be used by all classes equally.

Crafting professions offer dailies that are a good way to get Artisan Marks which in turn can be used to buy patterns that you might want to make.  It is always a good idea to do them, even the lower level ones, just to get the marks.

Good luck choosing your professions.