Specializations

Specializations are a game mechanic introduced into the multiplayer of the Battlefield Series that provide benefits to the player, and allow greater customization and tailor-made combat roles. Specializations have their own unlock progression which is done by either the player's overall performance, performance specific to a kit, or performance specific to a vehicle type.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2
There are three tiers of specializations available to players: Primary, Secondary, and Vehicle.

All specializations, excluding weapon altering specializations such as a sight or 12-Gauge slugs, are coupled with the player. This means that if the player acquires a stolen kit in the field, the specializations the player spawned with will still be active.

Vehicle specializations will not be combined if there are multiple people in the same vehicle with different specializations. All active specializations will only apply if the driver/pilot has it equipped. All passive specializations will only affect the player with it equipped. Active specializations are activated with the alternate fire button. If two or more players have the same passive specialization, they will not stack and increase the vehicle's armor, damage, etc. even further.

Specializations also appear in Battlefield: Bad Company 2: Vietnam, though they lack any "high-tech" specializations to fit with the time era, these being the Sniper Spotting Scope, the 4X Rifle Scope and the Red Dot Sight.

Battlefield 3
Specializations are revamped in Battlefield 3. Players can choose from a single Personal Specialization and a variety of Vehicle Specializations.

Weapon accessories are now organized separately by weapon and use their own progression. This leaves behind seven or eight personal specializations.

Squad-level versions of personal specializations available after earning individual versions, applying the benefits to the entire squad. On the HUD squad display, an icon shows which squad specialization a player has chosen, if they are using one. It is possible for each player to choose a different squad specialization for a total of four different effects. Otherwise, specializations do not stack.

Vehicle specializations are increased, and provide either a secondary weapon, use of a gadget, alternate ammunition, a different view type, or a passive benefit.

Battlefield 4
Collectively known as Field Upgrades in Battlefield 4, there are over 25 different specializations that can be used when choosing from the 11 available Upgrade Paths. Each path holds up to four different specializations that are obtained by progress chained by squad-based team work.

Three of these specializations are initially locked. As the squad completes objectives, the remaining specializations are unlocked and stack. If everyone in the squad is eliminated simultaneously, however, then the squad loses one specialization each time that happens. This system replaces the collaborative system in Battlefield 3 and the potential waste if squadmates selected the same specialization.

Vehicle specializations appear to follow the same system as in Battlefield 3.