Specialization Groups

[Alien_Gamer]

I'm close to having all my crafters to lv 55, so I figure it's a good time to start thinking about specializations. I know you can have only 3 at a time but I have a couple questions about which ones to pick.

Which specializations pair with each other best or are more interdependent on each other? Such as ARM/LTW/WVR or GSM/BSM/LTW?

For someone that is primarily a solo player, are there any sets that tend to work better than others? Not necessarily the ones that are most interdependent, but generally most useful regardless of interdependencies.

Is it even worth going for specializations as a solo player? For me, crafting is something I do on the side to help friends, but isn't really a focus of mine. Some of the skills seem useful, but I'm hard pressed to say they look essential to me.

Any other general advice about what to pick?

[Lastelli]

You cannot be sure in advance as every new recipe they add may or may not need some materials from a different specialist.
Typically, LTW and WVR rely a lot on each other. Sometimes they also need some gemstones from GSM. Masterbook III recipes are such that CRP and GSM are pretty much self sufficient, while the other crafters (bar CUL and ALC that are always self sufficient if you exclude Grimoires and Codeces) have to rely on different crafters, but I don't think this is a precedent. It may very well be that for the next recipes GSM and CRP will have to ask other crafters for help.
My suggestion would be, pick WVR-LTW or CRP-LTW (for some reasons there's a lot of wood involved in leatherworking) or again ARM-BSM and then add a third specialist of your choice when the next recipes come out.

[LystAP]

My suggestion would be, pick WVR-LTW or CRP-LTW (for some reasons there's a lot of wood involved in leatherworking) or again ARM-BSM and then add a third specialist of your choice when the next recipes come out.

I tried ARM-BSM, but ultimately gave up ARM since both BSM and ARM have a lot of overlap with the other, such as with High Mythrite Ingots. LTW can be integrated with WVR, but also works with GSM, since the former often also requires gems. Of note, if you intend on making money, WVR-LTW specialists are relatively common, and you'll most likely have increase competition (and lower revenue streams) if you should choose that road [depending on server].

ARM-BSM is also relatively common, BSM considering the tools and ARM because of how it integrates fashion/product-wise with WVR-LTW. CRP, GSM and especially CUL specialists are rarer, and could charge relatively higher prices for their products.

[panderin]

If you are intending to stay casual about it and are not looking to be serious and sink time and money into it, I suggest cul and alch, because both can make you money at any given time and help you specificially. You can eventually make all the stuff you might want but at higher lvls as things come off specialists and you are a casual you can just make whatever you want later because crafting isn't your main deal anyway. Just my 2 cents! If I were a casual crafter I would do what I suggested, just makes a lot more sense! Everything will change again with 3.3 but let me tell you Cul and Alch tend to stay the course. Hope this helps!