Powers and Specializations

Powers and Specialization
A power is an ability that can be used by the character. These abilities use character-specific resources and/or have a cooldown time before they can be used again. Some of these powers are unique to specific races and classes and can only be chosen if the character meets the requirements. These requirements can be a specific race, class, knowledge of another power, or skills with a specific rank.

A specialization is earned by leveling up your character or at character creation. Each class earns specific specializations at each level as detailed in their class features table. You can find more detailed information on each classes in their specific section on the wiki. A specialization can be considered "investment points" in which you can use them to learn new powers that you meet the requirements to use or level up your existing powers by increasing their rank.

There are 3 types of Specializations: Combat, Tech, and Biotic.

Unique Specializations
At levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20, each character earns a trait called a Unique Specialization. These function in a similar manner to their usual specialization but have different requirements. These unique specialization are intended to really make each character unique and gives the player the choice to develop them however they want.
 * 1) Can be used to gain a rank in any type of specialization, even if the class does not normally gain the ability to do so. (Example, Adept gaining Combat Specializations) You do NOT need to meet race or class requirements to gain specializations in this way; however you do need to meet all other requirements. You do not earn Tech or Biotic points by using a unique specialization.
 * 2) Using a Unique Specialization to gain a rank in a power outside of your class's scope marks that power as "Unique". For all purposes of leveling up that power, it is now considered a class specialization. You can use specializations normally earned by your class to level it up as you would other powers.
 * 3) You can use this Unique Specialization to learn a feat instead of a power as long as the character meets the requirements for the feat.
 * 4) You can use this Unique Specialization to learn a Power Mod instead. Doing so gives up the unique specialization.

Ammo Specialization
Classes which are proficient in specific ammo types can spend their proficiency points earned each level to develop their proficient ammo rather than their intended powers. All specialization types can be used on ammo, as long as the class is proficient in an ammo type. There are 7 different Ammo Specializations.

Power Mods
Power mods provide additional customization to a character's powers. They can alter a specific power's effects or statistics, or even provide entirely new ranks. Their purpose is to make a character even more unique and capable of handling a larger amount of possible situations.

Power mods are not powers by themselves. When a character uses a power to which he has a power mod, he can choose to do the power's normal effects or use the effects provided by the power mod.

All power mods have specific requirements that must be met and usually require the character spend a feat or a unique specialization to learn. Those that do not are learned automatically as long as the requirements are met. You are able to retrain a power mod but only to another power mod. Characters with power mods who no longer meet the requirements to use them are not able to use the mod until they meet the requirements again.