The Three Gathering Professions
VvW features three gathering professions, each with its own tool, resource chain, and crafting synergy. Every player can learn and level all three professions simultaneously — there is no limit on how many professions you can have. Each profession has 10 levels, with each level unlocking a new tier of gatherable resources.
| Profession | Tool | Resources | Crafting Synergy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mining | Pickaxe | Ores, gems, crystals | Weapons, heavy armor, jewelry, enchantments |
| Herbalism | Herbalist's Sickle | Plants, herbs, flowers | Potions, elixirs, antidotes, enchantments |
| Skinning | Skinning Knife | Hides, pelts, scales | Leather armor, cloaks, shields, bowstrings |
All three professions share the same daily gathering limit: 5 gathers per day, costing 1 AP each. This means you can do a maximum of 5 total gathers per day split across any combination of professions (e.g., 3 Mining + 2 Herbalism, or 5 Skinning, etc.). The daily limit resets at midnight server time.
Mining: Complete Resource Table (Levels 1-10)
Mining extracts ores, gems, and crystals from rocky terrain. It is the most versatile gathering profession, providing materials used in weapons, heavy armor, jewelry, and enchantments.
| Resource | Level | Sell Price | Yield | Rich Node % | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper Ore | 1 | 5g | 1-3 | 5% | Western, Central Aeternum |
| Iron Ore | 2 | 10g | 1-3 | 5% | Central, Northern Aeternum, Swamp of Decay |
| Silver Ore | 3 | 18g | 1-2 | 6% | Shadow Mountains, Northern Peaks |
| Gold Nugget | 4 | 30g | 1-2 | 4% | Shadow Mountains, Crimson Empire |
| Dark Iron Ore | 5 | 45g | 1-2 | 4% | Demon Wastes, Frozen North |
| Mithril Shard | 6 | 65g | 1-2 | 3% | Forbidden Desert, Abyssal Depths |
| Shadow Crystal | 7 | 90g | 1 | 3% | Blood Moon Realm, Cursed Sea |
| Blood Ruby | 8 | 120g | 1 | 2% | Volcano Depths, Astral Plane |
| Void Stone | 9 | 160g | 1 | 2% | Void Rift, Astral Plane |
| Aetherium Ore | 10 | 220g | 1 | 1% | Void Rift, The Beyond |
Herbalism: Complete Resource Table (Levels 1-10)
Herbalism gathers medicinal plants, cursed flora, and magical herbs from the wild. These materials are essential for potions, elixirs, and consumable crafting.
| Resource | Level | Sell Price | Yield | Rich Node % | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Healing Herb | 1 | 4g | 1-4 | 6% | Western, Central Aeternum |
| Wolf's Bane | 2 | 9g | 1-3 | 5% | Western Aeternum, Pack Lands |
| Blood Herb | 3 | 16g | 1-3 | 5% | Crimson Empire, Central Aeternum |
| Moon Blossom | 4 | 25g | 1-2 | 4% | Northern Peaks, Shadow Mountains |
| Swamp Lotus | 5 | 40g | 1-2 | 4% | Swamp of Decay, Southern Aeternum |
| Frost Bloom | 6 | 60g | 1-2 | 3% | Frozen North, Northern Peaks |
| Shadow Root | 7 | 85g | 1 | 3% | Abyssal Depths, The Rift |
| Demon Thistle | 8 | 110g | 1 | 2% | Demon Wastes, Volcano Depths |
| Void Orchid | 9 | 150g | 1 | 2% | Void Rift, Blood Moon Realm |
| Aether Bloom | 10 | 200g | 1 | 1% | Astral Plane, The Beyond |
Skinning: Complete Resource Table (Levels 1-10)
Skinning harvests hides, pelts, and exotic materials from defeated creatures. These materials are used for leather armor, cloaks, shields, and bowstrings.
| Resource | Level | Sell Price | Yield | Rich Node % | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolf Pelt | 1 | 5g | 1-3 | 6% | Western Aeternum, Pack Lands |
| Tough Hide | 2 | 10g | 1-3 | 5% | Central Aeternum, Swamp of Decay |
| Spider Silk | 3 | 18g | 1-2 | 5% | Swamp of Decay, Southern Aeternum |
| Dragon Scale | 4 | 30g | 1-2 | 4% | Shadow Mountains, Northern Peaks |
| Demon Hide | 5 | 45g | 1-2 | 4% | Demon Wastes, The Rift |
| Frost Wyrm Scale | 6 | 65g | 1-2 | 3% | Frozen North, Forbidden Desert |
| Shadow Essence | 7 | 90g | 1 | 3% | Abyssal Depths, Blood Moon Realm |
| Abyssal Leather | 8 | 120g | 1 | 2% | Cursed Sea, Volcano Depths |
| Void Skin | 9 | 160g | 1 | 2% | Void Rift, Astral Plane |
| Titan Bone | 10 | 220g | 1 | 1% | Void Rift, The Beyond |
Leveling Each Profession (1-10)
All three professions share the same XP-per-level curve. Gathering any resource at or above your current level gives profession XP. Here is the XP required for each level:
| Level | XP Required | Cumulative XP | Approx. Gathers Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 → 2 | 100 | 100 | ~10 |
| 2 → 3 | 200 | 300 | ~20 |
| 3 → 4 | 350 | 650 | ~35 |
| 4 → 5 | 550 | 1,200 | ~55 |
| 5 → 6 | 800 | 2,000 | ~80 |
| 6 → 7 | 1,100 | 3,100 | ~110 |
| 7 → 8 | 1,500 | 4,600 | ~150 |
| 8 → 9 | 2,000 | 6,600 | ~200 |
| 9 → 10 | 2,600 | 9,200 | ~260 |
With 5 daily gathers, reaching level 10 in a single profession takes approximately 52 days if you dedicate all gathers to one profession. Realistically, most players level all three simultaneously, which extends the timeline to roughly 150+ days for all three at level 10. Prioritize the profession whose resources you need most for your current crafting goals.
Best Gathering Locations by Tier
Each world zone has specific gathering spots. Here are the best locations for each resource tier:
- Levels 1-2 (Copper, Healing Herb, Wolf Pelt): Western Aeternum and Central Aeternum. These starter zones have the densest concentration of low-tier nodes.
- Levels 3-4 (Silver, Blood Herb, Dragon Scale): Shadow Mountains and Crimson Empire. Travel here as soon as your profession level allows.
- Levels 5-6 (Dark Iron, Swamp Lotus, Frost Wyrm Scale): Demon Wastes, Frozen North, and Forbidden Desert. These zones require level 40+ to access safely.
- Levels 7-8 (Shadow Crystal, Demon Thistle, Abyssal Leather): Abyssal Depths, Blood Moon Realm, and Volcano Depths. High-level zones with dangerous monsters.
- Levels 9-10 (Void Stone, Aether Bloom, Titan Bone): Void Rift, Astral Plane, and The Beyond. Endgame zones only accessible at level 60+.
Rare Resources & Drop Rates
Every gathering node has a chance to be a Rich Node, which yields double the normal amount. Rich node chances decrease with higher-tier resources. Level 1 resources have a 5-6% rich node chance, while level 10 resources have only a 1% chance. The Alchemical Homunculus companion adds +1 material per gather at level 15 and +2 materials per gather as a base bonus, making it invaluable for serious gatherers.
Rich nodes are the primary source of surplus materials for Auction House sales. At a 5% rich node rate on Copper Ore, you will hit roughly 1 rich node per 20 gathers. At level 10 with Aetherium Ore (1% rate), rich nodes are extremely rare — every one is worth celebrating and selling.
Gathering Cooldowns & Optimization
The 5-gather daily limit is the primary bottleneck for gathering progression. Here is how to optimize your daily gathers:
- Always gather the highest-tier resource your level allows. Higher-tier resources give more profession XP and sell for significantly more gold.
- Never skip a day. Gathering limits do not roll over. A missed day is 5 lost gathers forever.
- Use the Alchemical Homunculus companion. Its +2 materials per gather base bonus and +1 from Material Sense (Lv. 15) effectively multiply your daily yield by 50-200%.
- Gather during seasonal events. Seasonal bonuses (+10% gold) apply to gathered resource sell prices, and Blood Moon events double drop rates.
- Split gathers based on market demand. Check Auction House prices daily. If Iron Ore is spiking in price, dedicate all 5 gathers to Mining even if your Herbalism needs leveling.
Crafting Synergies
Each gathering profession feeds directly into the crafting system. Understanding these synergies helps you prioritize which profession to level first:
- Mining + Forge (Werewolf): Mining provides ores for all physical weapons and heavy armor. Werewolves who prioritize the Forge should level Mining first.
- Herbalism + Alchemy Station (Vampire): Herbs are the primary material for potions and blood elixirs. Vampires using the Alchemy Station should prioritize Herbalism.
- Skinning + Both Stations: Skins and hides are used in leather armor, cloaks, and bowstrings by both races. Skinning is the most universally useful profession.
- Silver Ore (Mining Lv. 3) + Anti-Werewolf crafting: Silver Ore is specifically noted as the material for anti-werewolf weapons and jewelry — a niche but valuable market in PvP seasons.
- Wolf's Bane (Herbalism Lv. 2) + Anti-Werewolf potions: Similarly, Wolf's Bane is used for anti-werewolf poisons and elixirs, creating a thematic PvP crafting chain.
Gold from Gathering: Estimated Daily Income
Here is the estimated daily gold income from gathering at various profession levels, assuming you sell all resources on the Auction House:
| Profession Level | Best Resource | Sell Price | Daily Income (5 gathers) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Iron Ore / Tough Hide | 5-10g each | 25-150g |
| 3-4 | Gold Nugget / Dragon Scale | 25-30g each | 125-300g |
| 5-6 | Mithril Shard / Frost Wyrm Scale | 45-65g each | 225-650g |
| 7-8 | Blood Ruby / Abyssal Leather | 90-120g each | 450-1,200g |
| 9-10 | Aetherium Ore / Titan Bone | 160-220g each | 800-1,100g |
At profession level 10, gathering alone generates 800-1,100 gold per day for just 5 AP and 2 minutes of time. Over a month, that is 24,000-33,000 gold from gathering alone — enough to fund your entire gold farming and upgrade needs.
Gathering also earns +2 Battle Pass XP per action. While small individually, 5 daily gathers contribute 10 BP XP per day, or 900 BP XP over a 90-day season — enough for roughly 1.2 extra Battle Pass levels for free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I learn all three gathering professions?
Yes. Every player can learn and level Mining, Herbalism, and Skinning simultaneously. There is no restriction on the number of professions.
Do gathering tools break or need replacement?
No. The Pickaxe, Herbalist's Sickle, and Skinning Knife are permanent tools that never break or degrade. You receive them automatically when you learn each profession.
What is the best gathering profession for beginners?
Mining is the most immediately profitable because ores are used in both weapon and armor crafting. Skinning is the most universally useful. Herbalism is best for players who plan to craft their own consumables.
Do companion bonuses affect gathering?
Yes. The Alchemical Homunculus provides +2 materials per gather. The Night Raven provides +35% item find. The Infernal Imp provides +25% gold from gathering. Choose your companion based on whether you want more materials, better drops, or more gold.
Can I gather in seasonal zones?
Seasonal zones have their own resource nodes that drop seasonal materials. These are separate from the standard gathering system and do not count toward your daily gathering limit. However, seasonal gathering provides seasonal currency, not profession XP.