U.S.A. · Tier X Destroyer
Gearing
Hybrid stealth destroyer (screening, torpedoes and smoke utility)
Destroyer Commander Skills — verified — 24 skills
Recommended role
Hybrid stealth destroyer (screening, torpedoes and smoke utility)
Gearing · Tier 10 Destroyer · Balanced playstyle
- 1
Preventive Maintenance
1 ptEssential5 out of 5The safest first point on any destroyer: fewer knocked-out rudders, engines and torpedo tubes.
In game: -30% chance of the main armament, engine and steering gears becoming incapacitated; +15% hit points of secondary and AA mounts. · Unlocked from 1 total points.
- 2
Last Stand
2 ptsEssential5 out of 5Gearing gets modules broken in every gunfight; staying mobile is what lets you escape a losing trade.
In game: The ship remains able to move and manoeuvre — slowly — while the engine or steering gears are incapacitated. · Unlocked from 3 total points.
- 3
Survivability Expert
3 ptsEssential5 out of 5Gearing trades guns often, so a flat hit point increase directly wins more destroyer duels.
In game: +350 hit points per ship tier (destroyer value). · Unlocked from 6 total points.
- 4
Concealment Expert
4 ptsEssential5 out of 5Gearing's low detectability is its defining strength — this makes it the best in class and lets you disengage at will.
In game: -10% detectability range of your ship. · Unlocked from 10 total points.
- 5
Adrenaline Rush
3 ptsEssential5 out of 5Faster guns and torpedoes as you take damage; it works for both halves of Gearing's hybrid kit.
In game: For each 1% of lost hit points: -0.2% reload time of all armaments and +0.2% continuous AA damage. · Unlocked from 13 total points.
- 6
Superintendent
3 ptsEssential5 out of 5An extra charge of Gearing's enhanced Smoke Generator, and of Defensive AA Fire or Engine Boost. Smoke charges are the ship's utility.
In game: +1 charge to all ship consumables. · Unlocked from 16 total points.
- 7
Fill the Tubes
3 ptsEssential5 out of 5-10% torpedo reload — Gearing's torpedoes are genuinely strong, not just self-defence. (Current PC data: reload only, no tube-traverse bonus.)
In game: -10% torpedo tube reload time. · Unlocked from 19 total points.
- 8
Demolition Expert
2 ptsRecommended4 out of 5The final 2 points: more fires from a high rate-of-fire gun platform firing HE out of smoke.
In game: +1% chance of setting a fire with main and secondary battery HE shells; +15% explosion radius of all munitions except depth charges when attacking submarines. · Unlocked from 21 total points.
Class-based recommendation
Slot 1
Main Armaments Modification 1
Protects guns and torpedo tubes during close engagements.
Slot 2
Engine Room Protection
Helps preserve movement when the engine or steering is hit.
Slot 3
Aiming Systems Modification 1
Improves gun accuracy without committing to a narrow playstyle.
Slot 4
Steering Gears Modification 1
Improves rudder response when dodging while spotted.
Slot 5
Concealment System Modification 1
Supports safer spotting, disengagement, and cap play.
Slot 6
Main Battery Modification 3
Supports a general gun-focused destroyer build.
Alternative: Torpedo Tubes Modification 2Choose this for a torpedo-focused playstyle.
Build complete — every recommended skill is already unlocked at 21 points.
- This is a no-reset path: every skill taken at an earlier milestone is still in the final 21-point build, so you never pay to redistribute points.
- Between 6 and 10 points you bank rather than spend, because Concealment Expert costs 4 and is the skill that defines Gearing.
- Gearing is a hybrid, so the build takes both a torpedo skill (Fill the Tubes) and a gun skill (Demolition Expert) instead of specialising.
- Superintendent is included because Gearing's enhanced Smoke Generator is a team consumable, not just a personal escape tool.
- Long-range gunnery is difficult on this ship, so accuracy-dependent picks such as Fearless Brawler are left out of the default path.
- Cap and screen early using your class-leading concealment, then fall back before enemy radar arrives.
- Fight other destroyers only when you spot them first — that first-strike advantage is your main gun advantage.
- Use smoke for the team as often as for yourself: smoking an allied cruiser can decide a flank.
- Send torpedoes at choke points and at battleships pushing a cap; your fish reload fast enough to keep pressure up.
- Do not sit still in smoke against a radar cruiser; leave before the charge lands on you.
Ship class / skill tree
Destroyer Commander Skills
Verified — 24 skills, 6 per row
Commander skill points
1 – 21
Progression milestones at 1/3/6/10/13/16/19/21
Final 21-point build
Preventive Maintenance 1 · Last Stand 2 · Survivability Expert 3 · Concealment Expert 4 · Adrenaline Rush 3 · Superintendent 3 · Fill the Tubes 3 · Demolition Expert 2
Unverified — Total 21 — curated prototype, not an official recommendation
Only values confirmed from the supplied sources are listed. Unverified numbers such as reload, detection, hit points, radar range/duration and torpedo range are deliberately omitted.
Skill data: Skill names, point costs and effects taken from the current World of Warships Wiki destroyer skill list (Aug/Sep 2026).
Build: Ship characteristics: current World of Warships Wiki Gearing page (low detectability, enhanced Smoke Generator, high rate of fire, Defensive AA Fire option, challenging long-range gunnery). Skill mechanics: the verified Destroyer commander skill catalog in this app. Progression: curated beginner-safe no-reset recommendation — not an official Wargaming build.
Inertia Fuse for HE Shells
3 ptsAvoid / Inefficient1 out of 5Halves your fire chance, which is a large part of Gearing's gun damage against bigger ships.
Gun Feeder
1 ptOptional2 out of 5You mostly fire HE; the shell-switch bonus rarely decides a fight.
Incoming Fire Alert
1 ptOptional2 out of 5Some warning value, but weaker than Priority Target for the same kind of point.
Extra-Heavy Ammunition
2 ptsOptional2 out of 5An AP damage bonus (plus depth charges) on a ship that mainly fires HE.
Full skill table for Gearing
Destroyer Commander Skills — 24 skills, 6 per row
Laid out like the in-game tree for this class. Each row is one point cost.
- Grease the GearsSituational3 out of 5
- LiquidatorRecommended4 out of 5
- Consumable SpecialistRecommended4 out of 5
- Gun FeederOptional2 out of 5
- Incoming Fire AlertOptional2 out of 5
- Preventive MaintenanceEssential5 out of 5
- Demolition ExpertRecommended4 out of 5
- Swift FishSituational3 out of 5
- Consumables EnhancementsSituational3 out of 5
- Extra-Heavy AmmunitionOptional2 out of 5
- Priority TargetSituational3 out of 5
- Last StandEssential5 out of 5
- Main Battery and AA SpecialistRecommended4 out of 5
- Fill the TubesEssential5 out of 5
- Adrenaline RushEssential5 out of 5
- Inertia Fuse for HE ShellsAvoid / Inefficient1 out of 5
- SuperintendentEssential5 out of 5
- Survivability ExpertEssential5 out of 5
- Main Battery and AA ExpertSituational3 out of 5
- Swift in SilenceSituational3 out of 5
- Radio LocationSituational3 out of 5
- Fearless BrawlerSituational3 out of 5
- Concealment ExpertEssential5 out of 5
- DazzleSituational3 out of 5
Showing 24 of 24 destroyer commander skills , rated for Gearing.
Preventive Maintenance
1 ptEssential5 out of 5-30% chance of the main armament, engine and steering gears becoming incapacitated; +15% hit points of secondary and AA mounts.
The safest first point on any destroyer: fewer knocked-out rudders, engines and torpedo tubes.
Last Stand
2 ptsEssential5 out of 5The ship remains able to move and manoeuvre — slowly — while the engine or steering gears are incapacitated.
Gearing gets modules broken in every gunfight; staying mobile is what lets you escape a losing trade.
Fill the Tubes
3 ptsEssential5 out of 5-10% torpedo tube reload time.
-10% torpedo reload — Gearing's torpedoes are genuinely strong, not just self-defence. (Current PC data: reload only, no tube-traverse bonus.)
Adrenaline Rush
3 ptsEssential5 out of 5For each 1% of lost hit points: -0.2% reload time of all armaments and +0.2% continuous AA damage.
Faster guns and torpedoes as you take damage; it works for both halves of Gearing's hybrid kit.
Superintendent
3 ptsEssential5 out of 5+1 charge to all ship consumables.
An extra charge of Gearing's enhanced Smoke Generator, and of Defensive AA Fire or Engine Boost. Smoke charges are the ship's utility.
Survivability Expert
3 ptsEssential5 out of 5+350 hit points per ship tier (destroyer value).
Gearing trades guns often, so a flat hit point increase directly wins more destroyer duels.
Concealment Expert
4 ptsEssential5 out of 5-10% detectability range of your ship.
Gearing's low detectability is its defining strength — this makes it the best in class and lets you disengage at will.
Liquidator
1 ptRecommended4 out of 5+30% chance of causing flooding with your torpedoes.
+30% chance your torpedoes cause flooding — a good 1-point swap if you use Gearing's torpedoes heavily instead of chasing fires.
Consumable Specialist
1 ptRecommended4 out of 5-7.5% cooldown time of all consumables, except Damage Control Party and Repair Party.
Faster smoke cooldown; competes with Superintendent for the same job.
Demolition Expert
2 ptsRecommended4 out of 5+1% chance of setting a fire with main and secondary battery HE shells; +15% explosion radius of all munitions except depth charges when attacking submarines.
The final 2 points: more fires from a high rate-of-fire gun platform firing HE out of smoke.
Main Battery and AA Specialist
3 ptsRecommended4 out of 5-5% main battery reload time; +10% continuous AA damage.
Reload plus AA on a ship with Defensive AA Fire available — a solid alternative to Fill the Tubes for a gun-first Gearing.
Grease the Gears
1 ptSituational3 out of 5+15% main battery turret traverse speed.
Turret traverse matters on a ship that kites while firing.
Swift Fish
2 ptsSituational3 out of 5+5% torpedo speed.
+5% torpedo speed makes your long-range fish harder to dodge; a fair 2-point alternative to Demolition Expert.
Consumables Enhancements
2 ptsSituational3 out of 5+10% action time of Hydroacoustic Search, Surveillance Radar, Smoke Generator and Engine Boost.
Longer smoke action time — reasonable if you fight from smoke most of the game.
Priority Target
2 ptsSituational3 out of 5The detection indicator shows the number of enemies currently aiming their main battery at your ship.
Good information when you are contesting a cap in the open.
Main Battery and AA Expert
4 ptsSituational3 out of 5+20% main battery firing range; +15% damage from AA shell explosions (flak). This skill does not change reload time.
+20% main battery range and +15% flak damage. Useful for shooting from smoke, but four points here means giving up Concealment Expert.
Swift in Silence
4 ptsSituational3 out of 5While your ship remains undetected: +8% ship speed and +5% main battery reload time (slower guns). The effect ends as soon as you are detected.
+8% speed while undetected helps you rotate caps, but it adds +5% main battery reload time and competes with Concealment Expert.
Radio Location
4 ptsSituational3 out of 5Shows the direction to the nearest enemy ship. That enemy is alerted that a bearing has been taken.
Very useful for finding the enemy destroyer first, but it fights Concealment Expert for the same slot.
Fearless Brawler
4 ptsSituational3 out of 5While your ship is detected: -10% main battery reload time. Also +1 shell explosion (flak burst) in AA salvos. Current PC data lists no dispersion penalty.
-10% main battery reload while you are detected. Genuinely strong when you fight from open water, but Gearing prefers to shoot from smoke where it is not detected.
Dazzle
4 ptsSituational3 out of 5For 15 seconds after your ship is detected: +20% dispersion of enemy shells fired at your ship and +8% ship speed.
For 15 seconds after being spotted, enemy shells scatter more and you gain speed — helpful the moment your smoke is called out.
Gun Feeder
1 ptOptional2 out of 5-40% main battery shell-type switching time.
You mostly fire HE; the shell-switch bonus rarely decides a fight.
Incoming Fire Alert
1 ptOptional2 out of 5Warns you about a main battery salvo fired at your ship from more than 4.5 km away.
Some warning value, but weaker than Priority Target for the same kind of point.
Extra-Heavy Ammunition
2 ptsOptional2 out of 5+7.5% main battery AP shell damage; +10% depth charge damage. No calibre restriction is listed in current PC data.
An AP damage bonus (plus depth charges) on a ship that mainly fires HE.
Inertia Fuse for HE Shells
3 ptsAvoid / Inefficient1 out of 5+25% armor penetration of HE shells; base chance of setting a fire with HE shells is halved. (Numbers confirmed from one current PC source only.)
Halves your fire chance, which is a large part of Gearing's gun damage against bigger ships.