At level 10, you choose one of three specializations. Each is its own 40-node tree with 40 points to spend (one per level from 11 to 50), and each grants a free, role-defining active ability the moment you pick it.

Reminder: these three trees are fully designed and leadership-approved, but have no combat effect in the current build. Choosing one today locks in your choice and grants the free active, but that active and every node in the tree are currently no-ops. See PvM-Only Restrictions for the full picture.

Guardian — hold attention, absorb, protect

The tank-identity specialization. Its free active is Taunt, which forces a monster’s attention onto you — UO has no formal threat-table system, so this is the one deliberate, built-for-purpose tool for holding aggro on demand rather than relying on default targeting behavior. The rest of the tree builds on self-mitigation, team protection, and (for pet-focused builds) directing a pet to tank instead of you.

Lifebinder — keep them alive, in any UO way

The support/healing specialization, deliberately built to recognize more than one way of keeping a group alive. Its free active is Lifebind Surge, an instant heal usable on a party member, yourself, or a pet. The tree itself covers traditional spell/bandage healing, protective shields and damage-prevention effects, and even unconventional support styles (a necromancer or bard contributing to group survival in their own way), plus dedicated nodes for keeping pets and summons alive.

Reaver — melee, archery, spells, procs, execution, position

The damage specialization, built wide rather than narrow — it has dedicated branches for melee, archery, and spellcasting (Magery and Necromancy) rather than assuming one weapon type. Its free active is Reaving Sweep, a multi-target strike. A smaller branch focuses on stealth-based openers and positioning for burst damage against a target that isn’t paying attention to you.

Changing your mind later

Specialization choice isn’t permanent — see Respec for the gold cost and exactly what carries over when you switch.