Specialization

Classes
Class races	DK	Demon Hunter	Druid	Ev	Hunter	Mage	Monk	Paladin	Priest	Rogue	Shaman	Warlock	Warrior
Quests	Death Knight	Demon Hunter	Druid	Evoker	Hunter	Mage	Monk	Paladin	Priest	Rogue	Shaman	Warlock	Warrior
Abilities	Death Knight	Demon Hunter	Druid	Evoker	Hunter	Mage	Monk	Paladin	Priest	Rogue	Shaman	Warlock	Warrior
Trainers	Death Knight	Demon Hunter	Druid	-	Hunter	Mage	Monk	Paladin	Priest	Rogue	Shaman	Warlock	Warrior
Armor sets	Death Knight	Demon Hunter	Druid	Evoker	Hunter	Mage	Monk	Paladin	Priest	Rogue	Shaman	Warlock	Warrior
Useful macros	Death Knight	Demon Hunter	Druid	-	Hunter	Mage	Monk	Paladin	Priest	Rogue	Shaman	Warlock	Warrior
Class Halls	Death Knight	Demon Hunter	Druid	-	Hunter	Mage	Monk	Paladin	Priest	Rogue	Shaman	Warlock	Warrior

"Build" redirects here. For World of Warcraft client builds, see Public client builds. For RTS game client builds, see Warcraft client builds.

Specialization, commonly known as spec, defines a player's abilities, strengths and role in the game depending on their class.

At level 10 each character is able to choose a specialization. Selecting a specialization will determine:

• Role - Tank, Healer, Ranged DPS or Melee DPS
• Additional active and passive abilities, including their Mastery ability
• Additional secondary resources
• Strengths, weaknesses, and playstyle

Description

Choosing a specialization is the next most important choice a player will make after choosing their character's class. It can dramatically alter the character's playstyle, determine their role in combat, and grant them numerous powerful new abilities. Most classes have 3 possible specializations, the exceptions being Druids who have 4, and Demon hunters who have 2, with each representing a different direction in the character's training and a different approach to playing the class.

Each specialization is designed to perform a specific combat role - tank, healer, and DPS - and the active and passive abilities granted to characters of that specialization are designed to form a playstyle appropriate to that role. For instance, Protection paladins have numerous abilities to improve their defenses and draw the aggro of several mobs at once, making them perfect for tanking, while Holy paladins have a range of powerful healing and protective abilities, making them adept at healing and aiding their allies. While many abilities are shared by all members of a given class, the additional abilities provided by a character's specialization make them capable of performing their determined role sufficiently.

While many specializations are capable of assisting in roles other than that designated for them (such as providing additional healing, damage or off-tanking), a player's role is largely determined by their choice of specialization. For example, a Holy priest has a number of damage-dealing abilities and can deal a fair amount of damage if necessary, but cannot compete with the damage output of a Shadow priest, while a Shadow priest is capable of providing emergency healing to teammates if need be, but cannot compete with the healing capabilities of a Holy priest.

Some classes - sometimes called 'pure' classes - have the same combat role for all their specializations, while others - known as 'hybrid' classes - can perform a number of combat roles depending on their specialization. However, even for pure classes, each specialization has its own character and playstyle, different strengths and weaknesses, and offers a significantly different experience of the class. For example, all warlocks deal ranged DPS, regardless of their spec. However, Affliction warlocks excel at damage over time effects, cursing their enemies and slowly draining their health, while Destruction warlocks focus on demolishing opponents with fast, powerful direct damage spells.

Each specialization has its own strengths and will excel in different situations, providing certain utility using their unique abilities.

By determining combat role, choice of specialization can also determine secondary factors such as which stats, gear and bonuses are favored. For example, healers may seek items that grant haste, while tanks may choose to wield shields, and may seek stats like dodge and stamina. This often leads players to accumulate separate sets of gear for each specialization they play. Similarly, for hybrid classes, choice of specialization may determine which attribute is increased by that character's Armor Skills bonus. The armor specialization bonus is a 5% increase of your primary attribute while wearing your correct armor class (plate armor, mail armor, leather armor or cloth armor) in all slots. Tanking specs will gain stamina; plate-wearing melee DPS specs will gain strength; leather and mail wearing DPS specs will gain agility; and healers and caster DPS specs will gain intellect.

Choosing a specialization

The Specialization tab

Specializations become available at level 10. When a character reaches this level, they are able to select a specialization, and will be prompted to do so. Specialization can be chosen through the Specialization & Talents window. This can be accessed by clicking on the appropriate icon on the interface bar at the bottom of the screen, or by pressing N. From this window, select the Specializations tab will list the specializations available to your class, and display some information about each.

The Specialization tab features a pane for each possible specialization. Each spec's role and primary stat are provided along with some flavor text; beneath this a few key abilities are listed, intended to give the player some insight into the specialization's character.

Choosing a specialization is simple; just select your desired specialization and click 'Learn'. Choosing a specialization will cause the character to immediately learn all abilities available to that specialization at your current level, including passive abilities and any additional secondary resources.

Unlearning a specialization will cause you to unlearn all specialization-specific abilities and bonuses. Changing your specialization is known as re-specializing, or 're-speccing', and can be done as frequently as desired.

Class specializations

Death knight

Specialization	Role	Description	Sample Abilities
Blood	Tank	A dark guardian who manipulates and corrupts life energy to sustain <him/her>self in the face of an enemy onslaught.	[Death Strike], [Dancing Rune Weapon]
Frost	Melee Damage	An icy harbinger of doom, channeling runic power and delivering vicious weapon strikes.	[Obliterate], [Pillar of Frost]
Unholy	Melee Damage	A master of death and decay, spreading infection and controlling undead minions to do <his/her> bidding.	[Raise Dead], [Army of the Dead], [Apocalypse],

Demon hunter

Specialization	Role	Description	Sample Abilities
Havoc	Melee Damage	A brooding master of warglaives and the destructive power of fel magic.	[Chaos Strike], [Eye Beam]
Vengeance	Tank	Embraces the demon within to incinerate enemies and protect their allies.	[Soul Cleave], [Fel Devastation]

Druid

Specialization	Role	Description	Sample Abilities
Balance	Magic Damage	Can take on the form of a powerful Moonkin, balancing the power of Arcane and Nature magic to destroy enemies at a distance.	[Moonkin Form], [Starsurge]
Feral	Melee Damage	Takes on the form of a great cat to deal damage with bleeds and bites.	[Cat Form], [Berserk]
Guardian	Tank	Takes on the form of a mighty bear to absorb damage and protect allies.	[Bear Form], [Survival Instincts]
Restoration	Healer	Uses heal-over-time Nature spells to keep allies alive.	[Swiftmend], [Tranquility]

Evoker

Specialization	Role	Description	Sample Abilities
Augmentation	Magic Damage	Imbues allies with the might of the Black dragons, and bends time & fate in their favor with Bronze magic.	[Ebon Might], [Breath of Eons]
Devastation	Magic Damage	Releases innate power as chaotic Red flames or focused Blue magic to bathe the battlefield in destruction.	[Disintegrate], [Deep Breath]
Preservation	Healer	Calls upon the Emerald Dream to rejuvenate life, and the Bronze sands of time to prevent harm.	[Echo], [Dream Breath]

Hunter

Specialization	Role	Description	Sample Abilities
Beast Mastery	Ranged Damage	A master of the wild who can tame a wide variety of beasts to assist <him/her> in combat.	[Kill Command], [Bestial Wrath]
Marksmanship	Ranged Damage	A master archer or sharpshooter who excels in bringing down enemies from afar.	[Aimed Shot], [Rapid Fire]
Survival	Melee Damage	A rugged tracker who favors using animal venom, explosives and traps as deadly weapons.	[Raptor Strike], [Coordinated Assault]

Mage

Specialization	Role	Description	Sample Abilities
Arcane	Magic Damage	Manipulates the arcane, destroying enemies with overwhelming power.	[Arcane Missiles], [Arcane Surge]
Fire	Magic Damage	Ignites enemies with balls of fire and combustive flames.	[Fireball], [Combustion]
Frost	Magic Damage	Freezes enemies in their tracks and shatters them with Frost magic.	[Frostbolt], [Frozen Orb]

Monk

Specialization	Role	Description	Sample Abilities
Brewmaster	Tank	A sturdy brawler who uses liquid fortification and unpredictable movement to avoid damage and protect allies.	[Keg Smash], [Gift of the Ox]
Mistweaver	Healer	A healer who mixes traditional herbal medicine with Pandaren martial arts.	[Soothing Mist], [Invoke Yu'lon, the Jade Serpent]
Windwalker	Melee Damage	A martial artist without peer who pummels foes with hands and fists.	[Fists of Fury], [Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger]

Paladin

Specialization	Role	Description	Sample Abilities
Holy	Healer	Invokes the power of the Light to protect and to heal.	[Holy Shock], [Beacon of Light]
Protection	Tank	Uses Holy magic to shield <himself/herself> and defend allies from attackers.	[Avenger's Shield], [Ardent Defender]
Retribution	Melee Damage	A righteous crusader who judges and punishes opponents with weapons and Holy magic.	[Templar's Verdict], [Wake of Ashes]

Priest

Specialization	Role	Description	Sample Abilities
Discipline	Healer	Uses magic to shield allies from taking damage as well as heal their wounds.	[Power Word: Shield], [Atonement]
Holy	Healer	A versatile healer who can reverse damage on individuals or groups and even heal from beyond the grave.	[Prayer of Mending], [Spirit of Redemption]
Shadow	Magic Damage	Uses sinister Shadow magic, especially damage-over-time spells, to eradicate enemies.	[Shadowform], [Void Eruption]

Rogue

Specialization	Role	Description	Sample Abilities
Assassination	Melee Damage	A deadly master of poisons who dispatches victims with vicious dagger strikes.	[Envenom], [Deathmark]
Outlaw	Melee Damage	A swashbuckler who uses agility and guile to stand toe-to-toe with enemies.	[Dispatch], [Blade Flurry]
Subtlety	Melee Damage	A dark stalker who leaps from the shadows to ambush <his/her> unsuspecting prey.	[Shadowstrike], [Shadow Dance]

Shaman

Specialization	Role	Description	Sample Abilities
Elemental	Magic Damage	A spellcaster who harnesses the destructive forces of nature and the elements.	[Chain Lightning], [Fire Elemental]
Enhancement	Melee Damage	A totemic warrior who strikes foes with weapons imbued with elemental power.	[Stormstrike], [Feral Spirit]
Restoration	Healer	A healer who calls upon ancestral spirits and the cleansing power of water to mend allies' wounds.	[Chain Heal], [Spirit Link Totem]

Warlock

Specialization	Role	Description	Sample Abilities
Affliction	Magic Damage	A master of Shadow magic who specializes in drains and damage-over-time spells.	[Malefic Rapture], [Summon Darkglare]
Demonology	Magic Damage	A master of demonic magic who transforms into a demon and compels demonic powers to aid him.	[Hand of Gul'dan], [Summon Demonic Tyrant]
Destruction	Magic Damage	A master of chaos who calls down fire to burn and demolish enemies.	[Chaos Bolt], [Summon Infernal]

Warrior

Specialization	Role	Description	Sample Abilities
Arms	Melee Damage	A battle-hardened master of two-handed weapons, using mobility and overpowering attacks to strike <his/her> opponents down.	[Mortal Strike], [Bladestorm]
Fury	Melee Damage	A furious berserker wielding a weapon in each hand, unleashing a flurry of attacks to carve <his/her> opponents to pieces.	[Bloodthirst], [Recklessness]
Protection	Tank	A stalwart protector who uses a shield to safeguard <himself/herself> and <his/her> allies.	[Shield Slam], [Shield Wall]

Trivia

• Formerly, when a character's specialization has been chosen, it could not be changed without visiting a class trainer. Trainers would reset the character's specialization for a small fee. Specialization switching on the fly was not available until Legion.
  • In Wrath of the Lich King Dual Talent Specialization was introduced, allowing level 30 characters to switch back and forth between two 'specializations', each with its own specialization, talents, glyphs, and action bars. Note that, despite the name, these 'specializations' were not actual specializations; rather they were two alternate customizations of a character. Each of these 'specs' could be altered and re-specced separately, and could even be the same specialization if desired. This feature was useful for allowing players to alternate between two sets of customizations without re-speccing, saving gold and time spent. For example, a warrior could choose to play dungeons as Protection (Tank), but prefer to quest as Arms (DPS); or a player may have a PvE build and a PvP build, even if both share the same specialization.
• In Legion all classes started with a default specialization which is selected automatically at the beginning of the game (for example, a Paladin's default specialization is Retribution). This was reverted in Shadowlands, where characters once again start with no specialization.