Specialize skill explanation (shm related)

[Zardian]

Back in the day I was always a warrior or pally, never knew of this skill. What path(s) should I train if not all. I read on a skill description you can only choose one or more? Please some advice for a 19 shm about to ding, looking forward to leveling post 20 as a pure caster.

Thanks.

[Darkatar]

Alteration. Take alteration as your main path (by raising Spec. Alter past 50)

Alteration is your
Cannibalize
Heals
Cures
Slows
Debuffs
most Stat buffs
Root
Regens
Haste

By far the best choice as a sham

Specialization gives you an additional mana savings in that school of spell, by reducing mana burnt in a fizzle, if I remember right.

[Orruar]

As has been said, you want to spec in alteration.

The first spec to reach a skill of 51 will be your main spec and will go to 240 eventually. The rest will be capped at 50. Higher spec is supposed to make you fizzle less (?), but its main benefit is a straight up mana reduction on spells. For every 20 skill points, you're supposed to get 1% mana reduction of spells cast. It may be a little less than that here though, iirc

[nevilshute]

If I like soloing a lot, is there any merit to taking conjuration over alteration to get your mana bonusses on your DoTs instead of heals, buffs and the rest? Or will it also be better as a player predominantly interested in soloing to go for alteration?

[evilkorn]

Maybe an Iksar might want to because they need to use more mana to do damage due to no JBB. But in the end everyone is probably better off going alteration for staying alive.