Less consumables used for raiding?

I just read some more news on the upcoming profession changes, announced by Nethaera on the offical WoW forums.

Alchemy

- Elixirs now stack in two categories, Battle (Offensive) and Guardian (Defensive) Elixirs. You can only have one of each type of Elixir up at a time. As a result Elixirs now stack with class abilities such as "Arcane Intellect."
- Four new defensive elixirs have been added. Two are on trainers, one is in Halaa and one is in Cenarion Expedition.
- "Flask of Petrification" can no longer be turned off during its duration, but it now will clear all threat from all monsters for the duration of the effect. Though monsters may reaquire you after the effect ends.
- The cost to purchase Imbued Vials has been reduced.

Makes me quite happy that I just finished leveling my alchemist warrior to 70, because I used to have 5 elixir buffs on me all the time while soloing, and soon you won't be able to have more than 2. It also tells me that I definitely won't be shooting for elixir mastery, now that you need less of them.

But of course for raiders this change will make raiding a lot cheaper, as nobody can demand from you to drink more than 2 elixirs per wipe. Depending on how they are divided, it is even possible that some classes can only drink 1 elixir that gives them meaningful raiding stats, unless they find a way to make useful "Guardian" elixirs for dps classes. We'll have to wait and see how the new recipes turn out.

While making the imbued vials cheaper is nice, the main effect of the changes will be that alchemists will be even less in demand, as people will drink less potions. Probably there will soon be a consensus about what the "best" elixirs are for any given class, and then nothing else will sell any more. I think I'll better specialize in potion mastery and hope that they don't do major changes to the way how healing and mana potions work.

Other professions also had changes, but not so major ones. Jewelcrafting gets a color sorted interface for gems, fishing becomes faster, and seaforium charges will be able to blast open locked chests. All very nice, but not as groundbreaking as completely changing the way how elixirs work.