MapleStory/Professions

There are two categories of professions: harvesting and crafting.
There are two harvesting professions: Herbalism and Mining.
There are three crafting professions: Alchemy, Smithing, and Accessory Crafting.
Learning Herbalism is a requirement before you can learn Alchemy.
Learning Mining is a requirement before you can learn Smithing or Accessory Crafting.
After learning a profession, you can unlearn it through that profession's master. Your level of mastery in that profession will return to zero if you choose to unlearn it.
Herbalism allows you to gather seeds and flowers which are located in Saffron’s Secret Herb Patch in Ardentmill and some hunting maps. It also allows you to use those to create items needed for Alchemy.
Mining allows you to gather ores which are located in Cole’s Secret Mine in Ardentmill and some hunting maps. It also allows you to refine ores to create items needed for Smithing and Accessory Crafting.
Alchemy allows you to create buff potions and transformation potions using herb oil.
Smithing allows you to create weapons and armor using refined ore. You can eventually learn how to make an Android companion.
Accessory Crafting allows you to create equipment items such as rings, pendants, and shoulder accessories using refined ore.
Using your profession earns you experience in that profession in order to raise its mastery level. Higher levels of mastery enable you to harvest or craft better items.
Some items for further crafting can't be made. Some can be bought from Nack, Ramsey, or Angelica in Ardentmill, others are dropped by monsters.
The Production Skill menu is set to the [B] key by default.

You will gain Fatigue Points while performing profession skills. If your Fatigue Point meter fills up, you won't be able to use profession skills again for a little while. You can reduce your Fatigue points by using certain potions sold by Nack in Ardentmill or by using a Fatigue Reset Coupon from the Cash Shop. Your Fatigue Points will also reduced by five each hour, and they will be completely reset to 0 each day at 12 AM Pacific.

Grant is the village elder, who allows you to learn professions.
Saffron teaches Herbalism.
Cole teachee Mining.
Ally teaches Alchemy.
Gere teaches Smithing.
Intaglio teaches Accessory Crafting.

Each profession has a few associated profession-exclusive quests. The second quest for each gathering profession allows you to get an 8-slot bag for that profession. For example, herbalists can get an 8-slot bag that will hold herbs and seeds, but not ores. Note: if you happen to want to switch professions after getting the 8-slot bag for that profession, when you switch to the other profession you will not be able to get a bag. Technically, the quests are the same for both professions, so they only let you do one or the other.

Ardentmill

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Traits

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Traits go hand in hand with professions, since three of them are directly linked with progression made in crafting skills.

Diligence increases as you craft (create something through Accessory Crafting, Alchemy, or Smithing) or as you smelt ores/ turn seeds into oils. Leveling up Diligence increases your chances of having bonuses when using scrolls.
Insight increases as you mine. Leveling up Insight increases your Accuracy and Avoidability.
Empathy increases as you dig up herbs. Leveling up Empathy increases your max MP and gives bonus XP (a small %) from quests.

Herbalism

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Herbalism lets a character gather herbs. After getting this skill, you will receive a shovel that is required to collect herbs. Herbalism can only be paired with Alchemy.

Nodes

Herbalism nodes look like small stems growing out of the ground. When nearby, their names appear underneath. The available nodes in GMS are:

Silver Herb (??)
Magenta Herb (??)

Mining

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Mining lets a character gather ores and gems. After getting this skill, you will receive a pickaxe that is required to mine. Mining can only be paired with Accessory Crafting or Smithing.

Nodes

Mining nodes look like crystals jutting out from the ground. When nearby, their names appear underneath. The available nodes in GMS are:

Silver (Silver/Steel)
Magenta (Orihalcon)
Brown (Bronze/Adamantium)
Emerald (Mithril/Emerald Ore)
Gold (Gold/Topaz Ore)
Red
Purple
Black
Heart (randomly spits out several different ores, Item pot items, and ore fragments)