World-of-warcraft – Best stats and professions for Paladins

If we look at low level Rogue abilities such as: Sinister Strike, Backstab, Ambush, etc. We see a consistent trend of a percentage of Weapon Damage. Damage for these abilities is calculated:

base weapon damage + constant * (attack power)/14

In the case of daggers this constant is 1.7 and other one handed weapons 2.4. This is known as AP normalization. Additionally, only the main hand weapon is used in these calculations. As a result it is ideal to use a slower main hand weapon until you have sufficient attack power to influence your choice.

In the case of Rogues it is common to use Daggers as certain abilities (such as Backstab) require them. At latter levels you will gain other abilities which influence this selection (Combat Swords, Mutilate, Hemorrhage, etc), but at lower levels, slow Main Hand daggers is a preferred choice. A longer discussion of Main Hand weapon choices can be found here.

As a subtlety Rogue your "bread and butter" ability is Hemorrhage which does 110% MH damage (159.5% if its a Dagger as Daggers tend to be faster). I would suggest Initiative + Improve Ambush, making your combat look as follows:

1. Ambush (or cheap shot)
2. Gouge (later you'll use Kidney shot later in the order).
3. Backstab (or Hemorrhage)
4. Finishing Move
5. Hemo -> Repeat till Gouge/Cheapshot come back up or you have the Combo Points to Finishing move

Garrote can be a good opener if the target stays alive for the full duration. As most mobs won't while leveling, Ambush is usually the better choice.

As a Subtly Rogue you also trade on Dodge, Ap, Crit and Armor pen (the last of which you won't get in bulk till much later). Keep in mind that Agility gives you 3/4, but is not as cost effective as straight AP due to Deadliness.

Source

Update for Patch 4.0.6!

Leatherworking is now exactly as good as blacksmithing / enchanting / alchemy / inscription. Pick Jewelcrafting if you need that 1 extra stat, but the rest are totally a wash.

Original Answer

Jewelcrafting can give up to +81 to a primary Stat, whereas enchanting / blacksmithing / inscription etc. only give +80. (Exceedingly minor difference.)

Also worth looking into is Leatherworking, which offers unique arms-slot enchants that are unique in that they provide a primary stat bonus (such as strength) otherwise unobtainable as an enchantment in that slot.

In general, the gathering professions provide less useful benefits than the secondary professions, a possible exception being Mining, which provides health. (Strength is a better damage increaser than both crit rating from skinning or an activated haste+heal from herbalism).

So the bleeding edge optimization would indicate Leatherworking and Jewelcrafting as the best, in terms of pure +stats. Mining / Jewelcrafting is easier to level, and the bonus health from Mining is not wasted during the period before (if) you switch it for leatherworking.

Beginning with Wrath, and developed to completion in Cataclysm, class is largely meaningless when looking at profession bonuses. The core primary stats of Intellect / Spirit / Strength / Agility are usually all available within a single profession (if they're present at all), making class choice largely irrelevant.*

Even Tailoring isn't useless for melee characters, as it provides a +AP cloak enchant (though its proc-based benefit compared to simply passive +strength is debatable)