Mastery

For other uses, see Mastery (disambiguation).

Mastery is a passive mechanic specific to each specialization from level 10 that can be increased with stats. Mastery effects are found in the character sheet, in addition to the Spellbook under each specialization tab. Each Mastery offers specific benefits which can vary but generally fall into one of three categories: increasing the effectiveness of specific abilities or types of damage dealt; becoming more effective when certain conditions are met; or providing bonus effects including DoTs, HoTs, free attacks, or free spellcasts. All mastery benefits are measured in percentages, whether in terms of a numerical improvement, the size of an effectiveness boost or bonus effect, or a proc chance.

Mastery also refers to the associated secondary stat rating, which increases the strength of the effect. Like other ratings, this can be increased by gear with mastery on it. Each mastery has a base percentage value; the mastery stat increases this percentage by a varying amount depending on spec and level. Therefore even characters with no mastery stat rating will benefit from their Mastery.

Mastery stat rating is unique as its percentage depends both on the player's level and the specific mastery associated with their spec, with each mastery having a different amount of rating required to increase its effects. For example, a warlock that changes from affliction to demonology will see a decrease in both their base mastery percentage and mastery gained from rating, as it takes more mastery rating to increase [Mastery: Master Demonologist] than it does for [Mastery: Potent Afflictions]. This can be shown by viewing the effects for inactive specializations in the spellbook. Numerous enhancements such as enchantments and gems increase mastery rating. In terms of stat weighting, the importance of mastery depends on the effect it grants the player, as well as the effectiveness of mastery rating on the spec's mastery percentage.

Masteries

Below is a list of all Masteries, and the classes and specs to which they belong. Listed under 'Base effect' are the base percentage benefits granted to players regardless of their mastery stat. 'Rating per 1%' is the mastery rating required at level 60 to gain an additional 1% effect for that mastery's X value only (the displayed mastery percentage value in the paper doll frame). At lower levels, smaller amounts of mastery rating are required to gain the same benefit. Both base effects and ratios are often very specific and are sometimes difficult to determine precisely.

Class	Specialization	Mastery	Effect	Base effect (%)	Rating per 1%
Death Knight	Blood	[Mastery: Blood Shield]	X% of [Death Strike] healing is also applied as a shield, and increases Attack Power.	16/8	17.5
	Frost	[Mastery: Frozen Heart]	Increases frost damage by X%.	16	17.5
	Unholy	[Mastery: Dreadblade]	Increases shadow damage and minion damage by X%.	18	15.5
Demon Hunter	Havoc	[Mastery: Demonic Presence]	Increases Chaos damage by X% and movement speed by Y%.	14/5	19.44
	Vengeance	[Mastery: Fel Blood]	Increases the armor bonus granted by [Demon Spikes] by an additional X% of Agility. Also increases attack power by Y%.	24/8	14
Druid	Balance	[Mastery: Astral Invocation]	Your Nature spells deal X% additional damage to targets affected by [Sunfire]. Your Arcane spells deal X% additional damage to targets affected by [Moonfire].	7	?
	Feral	[Mastery: Razor Claws]	Increases bleed damage and finishing moves damage by X%.	16	17.5
	Guardian	[Mastery: Nature's Guardian]	Increases maximum health and healing received by X%, and increases Attack Power by Y%.	4/8	70
	Restoration	[Mastery: Harmony]	Increases healing by X% for each Restoration heal over time effects on the target.	4	70
Evoker	Devastation	[Mastery: Giantkiller]	Increases the damage of your spells by up to X%, based on the current health of your target. Higher health targets take more damage.	20	14
	Preservation	[Mastery: Life-Binder]	Healing done to allies is increased by X% while their health percentage is lower than your own.	14	19.4
Hunter	Beast Mastery	[Mastery: Master of Beasts]	Increases pet damage by X%.	15	18.42
	Marksmanship	[Mastery: Sniper Training]	Range of all ranged abilities is increased by X% and damage of all abilities increased by Y%.	5/11	56
	Survival	[Mastery: Spirit Bond]	Damage done by Focus spending abilities increased by X% for both the Hunter and pet. While a pet is active, both Hunter and pet regenerate Y% of max health per 5 seconds.	13/1	21.12
Mage	Arcane	[Mastery: Savant]	Increases mana regen and max mana by X%. Arcane Charge increase damage of [Arcane Blast] by Y% and [Arcane Barrage] by Z%. Increases other Arcane damage by N%.	9.6/4.8/2.4/8	29.16
	Fire	[Mastery: Ignite]	Certain direct-damage spells apply Ignite, a spreadable DoT that deals X% of the damage dealt by these spells over 9 seconds.	6	46.66
	Frost	[Mastery: Icicles]	Casting [Frostbolt] or [Flurry] create Icicles that can be unleashed with [Ice Lance], causing damage equal to X% of spell power. Increases [Frozen Orb] damage by Y%.	8/15	35
Monk	Brewmaster	[Mastery: Elusive Brawler]	Each time you're hit or use [Blackout Kick], increases your dodge chance by X% until your next successful dodge. Also increases attack power by X%.	8	35
	Mistweaver	[Mastery: Gust of Mists]	Healing spells also cause a gust of healing mists, instantly healing the primary target for X% of spell power.	24	8.33
	Windwalker	[Mastery: Combo Strikes]	Abilities deal X% more damage when they are not a repeat of the previous ability.	10	28
Paladin	Holy	[Mastery: Lightbringer]	Proximity to target causes spells to heal for up to X% more.	12	23.33
	Protection	[Mastery: Divine Bulwark]	Increases block chance by X%. Reduces damage taken while inside [Consecration] by Y%. Also increases attack power by Z%.	8/3/8	35
	Retribution	[Mastery: Hand of Light]	Increases Holy damage done by X%.	13	21.88
Priest	Discipline	[Mastery: Grace]	Increases the healing and absorbs done on targets affected by [Atonement] by X%.	10.8	25.93
	Holy	[Mastery: Echo of Light]	Direct heals also apply a HoT that heals for X% of the original spells.	10	28
	Shadow	[Mastery: Shadow Weaving]	Increases damage dealt by X% for each of the priest's three DoTs on the target. All targets receive the maximum effect during [Voidform].	4	70
Rogue	Assassination	[Mastery: Potent Assassin]	Increases poison and bleed damage by X%.	14	20.59
	Outlaw	[Mastery: Main Gauche]	30% chance on main-hand attacks to cause an extra attack that deals damage with an off-hand weapon equal to X% of attack power.	18	24.14
	Subtlety	[Mastery: Executioner]	Increases finishing move damage by X%.	19.6	14.28
Shaman	Elemental	[Mastery: Elemental Overload]	Specific spells cast have a X% chance to trigger a second cast on the same target for 85% of normal damage and reduced Maelstrom generation.	15	18.66
	Enhancement	[Mastery: Enhanced Elements]	Increases your chance to trigger [Stormbringer] and Windfury by Y%, and increases all Fire, Frost, and Nature damage you deal by X%.	0.64/16	17.5
	Restoration	[Mastery: Deep Healing]	Increases healing from your spells by up to X%, based on the current health of your target. Lower health targets are healed for more.	24	11.66
Warlock	Affliction	[Mastery: Potent Afflictions]	Increases the damage of certain DoT spells and [Seed of Corruption] by X%.	20	14
	Demonology	[Mastery: Master Demonologist]	Increases the damage done by demons by X%.	12	24.14
	Destruction	[Mastery: Chaotic Energies]	Spell damage increased by X%, plus an additional random amount up to X%. Damage taken reduced by Y%, plus an additional random amount up to Y%.	8/1.7	17.5
Warrior	Arms	[Mastery: Deep Wounds]	Certain attacks apply [Deep Wounds], dealing bleed damage over 12 seconds and increasing damage taken by X%.	9	31.82
	Fury	[Mastery: Unshackled Fury]	Increases damage done while under the effects of [Enrage] by X%.	11	24
	Protection	[Mastery: Critical Block]	Increased chance to block by X% and chance to critically block by Y%, and increases Attack Power by Z%.	4/12/8	70

Removed masteries

The subject of this section has been removed from World of Warcraft.

The following is a list of masteries that were removed from game. This list does not include the masteries that were previously removed and then re-added (such as [Mastery: Total Eclipse]), as these are still the current masteries in game. This list also does not include masteries that were redesigned but not renamed (such as [Mastery: Harmony]).

Class	Specialization	Mastery	Effect	Patch removed
Death Knight	Unholy	[Blightcaller]	Increases the damage done by your diseases by 40%. Each point of Mastery increases disease damage by an additional 5%.	Patch 4.0.6
Druid	Balance	[Mastery: Starlight]	Increases [Starfall] and [Starsurge] damage, and the effect of Lunar, Solar, and Stellar Empowerments by an additional 14%.	Patch 9.0.1
	Balance	[Mastery: Total Eclipse]	Solar Eclipse increases nature spell damage by X%, Lunar Eclipse increases arcane spell damage by X%.	Patch 10.0.0 *
	Feral (Bear Form)	[Savage Defender]	Increases the damage absorbed by your [Savage Defense] ability by 32%. Each point of Mastery increases the absorb by an additional 4%.	Patch 5.0.4
	Guardian	[Nature's Guardian]	Increases your armor by 12%.	Patch 6.0.2
	Guardian	[Mastery: Primal Tenacity]	When you are hit by a physical attack, you gain a physical absorb shield equal to 12% of that hit's damage. Attacks which this effect fully or partially absorbs cannot trigger Primal Tenacity. Also increases your attack power by 8%.	Patch 7.0.3
	Restoration	[Symbiosis]	Increases the potency of your healing spells by 11.6% on targets already affected by one of your heal over time spells. Each point of Mastery increases heal potency by an additional 1.45%.	Patch 4.2.0
Hunter	Marksmanship	[Wild Quiver]	Grants a 16% chance for your ranged attacks to also instantly fire an additional ranged shot that deals 80% weapon damage.	Patch 6.0.2
	Survival	[Mastery: Essence of the Viper]	Increases all magical damage you deal by 10%.	Patch 7.0.3
	Survival	[Mastery: Hunting Companion]	Your pet's attacks have a 4.0% chance to grant you an additional charge of [Mongoose Bite].	Patch 8.0.1
Mage	Arcane	[Mastery: Mana Adept]	Increases all spell damage done by up to 15%, based on the amount of mana the Mage has unspent.	Patch 7.0.3
	Fire	[Flashburn]	Increases the damage done by all your periodic fire damage effects by 22.4%. Each point of Mastery increases periodic damage done by an additional 2.8%.	Patch 5.0.4
	Frost	[Frostburn]	All your spells deal 16% increased damage against Frozen targets. Increases damage done by your Water Elemental by 16%.	Patch 5.4.0
Monk	Mistweaver	[Mastery: Gift of the Serpent]	You have a 10% chance when you heal to summon a [Healing Sphere] nearby an injured ally for 30 sec. Allies who walk through the sphere will be healed for (75% of spell power). If the Healing Sphere expires before being used, a nearby ally within 12 yards of the sphere will be healed.	Patch 7.0.3
	Windwalker	[Combo Breaker]	Grants a 11% chance for [Jab] to cause your next [Tiger Palm] to cost no Chi, or your next [Blackout Kick] to cost no Chi.	Patch 5.2.0
	Windwalker	[Mastery: Bottled Fury]	When you generate [Tigereye Brew] charges, you have a 20% chance to generate an additional charge.	Patch 7.0.3
Paladin	Holy	[Mastery: Illuminated Healing]	Your healing spells and their multistrikes also place an absorb shield on your target for 10% of the amount healed lasting 15 sec. Does not trigger from healing caused by Beacon of Light.	Patch 7.0.3
	Retribution	[Mastery: Divine Judgment]	Increases [Judgment] damage by 24%, and causes Judgment to increase damage taken from your Holy Power spenders by 12%.	Patch 8.0.1
Priest	Discipline	[Mastery: Shield Discipline]	Increases the potency of all your damage absorption spells by 13%, and all of your healing by 6%.	Patch 7.0.3
	Discipline	[Mastery: Absolution]	Increases the healing transferred through Atonement by 11.1%.	Patch 8.0.1
	Shadow	[Shadow Orb Power]	Increases the damage done by your [Shadow Orbs] by 11.6%. Each point of Mastery increases damage by an additional 1.45%.	Patch 5.0.4
	Shadow	[Shadowy Recall]	Gives your periodic shadow damage spells a 14.4% chance to deal damage twice, each time they deal damage.	Patch 6.0.2
	Shadow	[Mastery: Mental Anguish]	Increases the damage of [Mind Blast], [Mind Spike], and [Mind Flay] by 20%.	Patch 7.0.3
	Shadow	[Mastery: Madness]	Increases the damage of your [Shadow Word: Pain], [Vampiric Touch], [Mind Blast], [Mind Flay], [Mind Sear], [Void Eruption], and [Void Bolt] by 9.6%.	Patch 9.0.1
Shaman	Elemental	[Mastery: Molten Earth]	Your damaging spells incite the earth around you to come to your aid for 6 sec, repeatedly dealing (41.6% of spell power) Fire damage to your most recently attacked target. Also increases the damage of your Earthquake by 16%.	Patch 7.0.3
Warlock	Destruction	Fiery Apocalypse	Increases all fire damage you deal by 10.8%. Each point of Mastery increases fire damage by an additional 1.35%.	Patch 5.0.4
	Destruction	[Mastery: Emberstorm]	Increases the damage of [Immolate], [Incinerate], and [Conflagrate] by 8.00%. Increases the effectiveness of Burning Ember consuming spells by 24.00%.	Patch 7.0.3
Warrior	Arms	[Strikes of Opportunity]	Grants a 17.6% chance for your melee attacks to instantly trigger an additional melee attack for 100% normal damage. Each point of Mastery increases this chance by 2.2%.	Patch 6.0.2
	Arms	[Mastery: Weapons Master]	Increases the damage of your Mortal Strike, Colossus Smash, and Execute abilities by 41.6%.	Patch 7.0.3
	Arms	[Mastery: Colossal Might]	Increases the damage of your Colossus Smash by 16%, and causes it to increase damage you deal to the target by an additional 16%.	Patch 8.0.1

Trivia

• Some of the original masteries in game were created from reworked talents in prior expansions, such as Combat's [Hack and Slash] becoming [Mastery: Main Gauche] and Elemental's [Lightning Overload] becoming [Mastery: Elemental Overload].
• Only a few of the original masteries added in Cataclysm have survived numerous expansions and remained as the spec's mastery at present (though some have been redesigned). The masteries added in Patch 4.0.1 that are still in use today are:
  • Death Knight's [Mastery: Blood Shield] and [Mastery: Frozen Heart].
  • Druid's [Mastery: Razor Claws]
  • Hunter's [Mastery: Master of Beasts]
  • Paladin's [Mastery: Divine Bulwark]
  • Priest's [Mastery: Echo of Light]
  • Rogue's [Mastery: Potent Assassin], [Mastery: Main Gauche], and [Mastery: Executioner]
  • Shaman's [Mastery: Enhanced Elements] and [Mastery: Deep Healing]
  • Warlock's [Mastery: Potent Afflictions] and [Mastery: Master Demonologist]
  • Warrior's [Mastery: Unshackled Fury] and [Mastery: Critical Block]
• The first mastery to be removed was the Unholy Death Knight's [Blightcaller], replaced by [Mastery: Dreadblade] in Patch 4.0.6.
  • This mastery also has the shortest lifespan in game, lasting just under four months before being removed.
• Mage is the only original class that has had all three of their spec's original masteries removed.
• Rogue is the only original class that has not had any of their spec's masteries removed, even after having one of their original specializations removed, as Outlaw retained Combat's mastery.
• Shadow priests currently hold the record for the spec that has had the largest amount of different masteries, having had a total of 5 different masteries since mastery was introduced.
  • The only shadow priest masteries to survive after the expansions they were added in are [Mastery: Madness] (added in Legion, removed in Shadowlands) and [Mastery: Shadow Weaving] (added in Shadowlands, still active as of Dragonflight).
• [Mastery: Total Eclipse], [Mastery: Hand of Light], and [Mastery: Elemental Overload] are the only three masteries that have been re-added to the game after previously being removed. These were also the three original masteries for their respective specializations (though [Mastery: Hand of Light] was redesigned when it was re-added).
  • [Mastery: Total Eclipse] was eventually removed again.

Patch changes

• Patch 9.0.1 (2020-10-13): Masteries are now learned at level 10. (At current, masteries are present in the spellbook.)
  
• Patch 7.0.3 (2016-07-19): Masteries are now learned at level 78 instead of 80.
  
• Patch 6.0.2 (2014-10-14): Masteries are no longer found in the Spellbook.
  
• Patch 5.0.4 (2012-08-28): Mastery is no longer found as mastery rating or measured in points. Gear and items that previously granted 'mastery rating' now simply grant 'mastery', and mastery is now converted directly into a percentage bonus without being measured in points. Accordingly, there is no longer a standard rate of conversion for mastery. All mastery abilities now have "Mastery:" prefixed to their name ("Potent Afflictions" is now "Mastery: Potent Afflictions").
  
• Patch 4.0.1 (2010-10-12): Added.
  

External links

World of Warcraft Community Site Cataclysm Class & Mastery Systems Update ^{[dead link]}

ElitistJerks.com Combat Ratings at level 85 (Cataclysm) ^{[dead link - archived copy]}