Specialization

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 (hybrid classes only)
* Additional active and passive abilities, including Mastery
* Additional secondary resource mechanics (certain classes only)
* Armor specialization - increasing a specific primary attribute (hybrid classes only)
* Strengths, weaknesses and playstyle
==Description==
Choosing a specialization is the 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, ranged DPS or melee 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 spec make them capable of performing their determined role to a high standard.
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 spec has its own strengths and will excel in different situations. For example, some specs are considered to be more desirable for PvE, while others may be considered better for PvP. Additionally, as each class shifts and evolves over the course of patch changes, so each spec changes in its relation to the class. There are often "flavor of the month" specs, that may perform far more impressively than other specs, while certain specs may be considered to be fairly weak. However, bear in mind that such details change rapidly and frequently, and the enjoyment gained from playing a given spec is usually far more important than its perceived effectiveness during the current patch.
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 spirit, 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 spec they play. Similarly, for hybrid classes, choice of spec may determine which attribute is increased by that character's armor specialization bonus. The armor specialization bonus is a 5% increase of your primary attribute while wearing your correct armor class (plate, mail, leather or cloth) 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==
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 the N key (if you haven't unbound it or bound the key to a different action). From this window, selecting the Specializations tab will list the specializations available to your class, and display some information about each.
The Specialization tab features a panel 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 you to immediately learn all abilities available to that spec at your current level, including passive abilities and any additional secondary resources.
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. Unlearning a specialization will cause you to unlearn all specialization-specific abilities and bonuses. Changing your specialization is known as re-specialization, or 're-speccing'. As of patch 7.0.3, you may now change between any of your specializations anywhere provided that you are not in combat. 
Upon reaching level 30, characters could train in Dual Talent Specialization, allowing them 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' are not actual specializations: rather they are two alternate customizations of your character. Each of these 'specs' can be altered and re-specced separately, and may choose the same specialization if desired. This feature can be useful for allowing players to alternate between two sets of customizations without re-speccing, saving gold and time spent. For example, a warrior may 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.
As of Patch 7.0.3, all classes now have 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 Patch 9.0.1, where characters once again start with no specialization.
With the removal of Core Abilities tab of the Spellbook & Abilities menu in Patch 7.0.3, the core abilities are now displayed in the Specialization menu.
==Class specializations==
Below is a complete list of the specializations available to each class. For a full list of active and passive abilities granted by each specialization, click on the name of the spec, eg. Discipline.
=== 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 (death knight ability), Army of the Dead, Apocalypse (death knight ability),
=== 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
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 (mage ability)
=== 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 (rogue ability), 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 (shaman ability)
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
Category:Classes
Category:Game terms