Combat Specialist

This is a good card for Aggression builds that boost your basic ATK and want you to attack often. If you're just trying to build tempo by drawing during your attacks, you can pair this with Blood Rage. You could also double-dip if you can ready your hero (maybe with your hero ability, Battle Fury or Spoiling for a Fight if you're minion slaying, Limitless Stamina if you have a 14+ HP hero, or even Tenacity if you have the to spend), then play Spider-Man to ready Combat Specialist.

Adding a link to Specialized Training because I keep needing to search it when I look up the specialist cards.

I'm including the other available specializations below in case you want to hop directly to the other cards:

BardicMonk · 3
Defense Specialist

This is a good card for protection if you plan to not take damage for other card effects to proc. If you're planning to use Protection to just reduce incoming damage (e.g. Bishop WANTS to take damage) and someone else needs this card, I'd recommend Front Line Specialist instead.

Adding a link to Specialized Training because I keep needing to search it when I look up the specialist cards.

I'm including the other available specializations below in case you want to hop directly to the other cards:

BardicMonk · 3
Namora

Namora has two rare traits that benefit a Strength in Diversity deck, but barring any Atlantis synergies in the future, she's quite average. It's not hard to get an extra use or two out of her, but you can't really get that value until several turns after spending 4 resources on her, making her a low tempo play. Strength in Diversity decks are probably where she'll get the most play, and given that that deck wants it allies to stick around for a while, she makes a good fit.

Stretch22 · 2169
Agree with most, Namora is good, when you play her early and now the game last long — nosiak · 213
Justice Served

I think with the inclusion of heroic conditioning this card's value went up - you get more value out of it as you have more basic thwart to use. toss in symbiote suit and you get 5 thwart for 1 in a specific deck. I started including 2 copies in decks that thwart with hero more than events (captain america, storm, phoenix)

also it can be used as an emergency ready in situation where you need to heal your hero and game exhausted you (pesky villain) as you can thwart with events and then just go to alter ego and recover.

Viravandrel · 15
Hope Summers

"Gains each TRAIT on your identity"

From my understanding, she acquires and retains traits until she leaves play.

Theoretically, she is the only character who can simultaneously possess all traits in the game if you play Rogue

Mzero · 3