Traits and the Build panel
Choose three specializations and select traits within each to shape your playstyle. Manage them in the Build tab of the Hero panel (H).
🌿 How specializations work
Each profession has five core specializations, with up to three equipped at once. Slots unlock at levels 21, 45, and 71. Trained minor traits apply automatically; you choose the major traits.
⬡ Minor traits
There are three, one per tier. Once trained, a minor trait applies automatically while its specialization is equipped. Check its tooltip for any conditions that trigger its effect.
⬛ Major traits
At each tier (Adept, Master, and Grandmaster) choose one of three traits. These choices can substantially change how you play.
🔢 Build notation
Players describe builds using a specialization and trait numbers.
Example: Radiance 1-2-3
= Radiance with Adept choice 1, Master choice 2, and Grandmaster choice 3.
With three fully trained specializations and three major traits selected in each, you have nine minor plus nine major traits: 18 active traits.
⭐ Elite specializations
With the corresponding expansion and a level 80 character that meets the training requirements, you can use an elite specialization. You may equip only one, in the bottom, third specialization slot.
🗡️ Weapon access
Elite specializations from HoT, PoF, and EoD grant access to a new weapon for that specialization. VoE elite specializations do not add new weapons. Unlocking SotO’s Weaponmaster Training lets you use existing elite weapons without equipping their specialization.
⚙️ Changes to profession mechanics
Profession mechanics, such as F-key abilities, change or gain new functions. You also train new healing, utility, and elite skills, giving the same profession a different way to fight.
🎫 Unlock requirements
You need level 80, the corresponding expansion, and all core skills and specializations trained. Fully training one elite specialization costs 250 hero points; you can learn it progressively as you earn points.
You must unlock all core skills and specializations first. Start by getting comfortable with your core profession.
🗂️ The Hero panel: H
Press H to open the Hero panel. It contains equipment, builds, trait training, and other character customization.
Equipment
Manage armor, weapons, and trinkets. Equip runes, sigils, and infusions here too.
Build
Select specializations, traits, and skills. Land and underwater healing, utility, and elite skills have separate selections, but share the same specializations and traits within one build template.
Training
Spend hero points to unlock skills and traits you have not learned.
💎 Hero points
A currency used to unlock skills and traits. Each character has its own hero points.
📈 Leveling from 1 to 80
Level rewards give 398 hero points: 98 for core skills and 300 for core specializations, exactly enough to train everything in the core profession.
🗺️ Hero challenges
Hero challenges grant additional points per character. Core-region challenges give 1 HP; challenges in HoT, PoF, EoD, and VoE regions give 10 HP.
💡 Training costs
One complete core specialization: 60 HP (300 for all five)
One complete elite specialization: 250 HP
Training stays with that character. Changing your equipped skills or traits out of combat does not cost more hero points.
📋 Build templates and sharing
Build templates are per-character slots containing your current traits and skills. You start with three and switch between them out of combat. Editing skills or traits also updates the current slot, so copy a build’s code or save it in Build Storage if you want to preserve the original setup.
⚔️ Build templates
Store specializations, traits, skills, ranger pets, and revenant legends. Each character starts with three slots and can have up to nine. Additional slots use expansion items offered through the Gem Store or Wizard’s Vault.
🎽 Equipment templates
Store equipment configurations. Each character starts with two slots and can have up to nine through Gem Store expansions. These are separate from build templates, so check that your skills, traits, and gear all match when changing roles.
Builds can be shared as chat codes. If you find a build on a community website, copy its code into game chat to inspect and apply it.
📤 Sending a build code
Shift-click a build template tab to insert its link into the chat box. You can also copy a build code and paste it into chat.
📥 Receiving a build code
Click a build link in chat to inspect it and choose whether to apply it.
Community websites such as Snow Crows (snowcrows.com) and MetaBattle (metabattle.com) provide builds by role with copyable codes. A tested build is a useful starting point for a beginner.
Importing a build from a website
- Open the build you want on Snow Crows or MetaBattle.
- Copy its Chat Link: a code such as
[&DQE...]. - Paste it into game chat (Ctrl+V) and press Enter.
- Click the resulting build link to inspect it, then choose Apply to change your build. Skills and traits you have not learned still need to be unlocked. Weapons and armor are not included in the code and must be obtained separately.
A build template copies specializations, traits, skills, and related choices such as pets and legends. Prepare weapons, armor, and trinkets separately using the build page’s Equipment section.