The skills in Days Gone are divided into three categories: melee combat, ranged combat, and survival. This guide section provides information and tips on how to use these skills, as well as a complete list of them.
The “Best Starting Skills” section recommends the skills that are best to unlock at the beginning of the game. These skills should be unlocked during the first few hours of play.
- General information and tips
- Melee skill list
- Ranged skill list
- Survival skill list
General information and tips
New skills can be acquired by using skill points in Days Gone. The player earns a skill point each time they reach a new experience level. There are a total of 45 skills to be unlocked in the game, and all of them can be unlocked in a single playthrough by reaching a new experience level 45 times.
The player can track their skill point progress in two ways. The first method involves checking the skill window, which shows the progress towards the next experience level and unspent skill points. The second method is to check the mission summary window, which displays the number of XP points earned for a given mission.
Each time a new skill point is earned, the game informs the player. The point can be spent immediately by pressing the touchpad, or it can be saved until after the current combat sequence. However, saving skill points for later use is not recommended in Days Gone, as it is best to spend them as soon as they are earned.
The skills in Days Gone are divided into three groups: melee, ranged, and survival. Each group consists of 15 skills divided into 5 levels. The player starts from the first level and needs to have two skills from the previous level in order to unlock the next level. The game displays the number of skill points needed to progress within a given development tree.
It is not recommended to focus on a single skill group, as each development tree includes several important skills. The most important skills to unlock are those between levels 1 and 3, as suggested in the “Best Starting Skills” section. Only after these skills are unlocked should the player work towards unlocking level 4 or 5 skills.
Unlocked skills can be either active or passive. Passive skills provide stat bonuses, such as improved aim or increased stamina. Active skills add new moves or actions to those already unlocked. Each time a new skill is purchased, the game displays a short description of how it works. This tutorial window can be revisited later in the game if needed.
Melee Skills
The Melee skill list consists of different abilities which can be unlocked at different levels. These skills are important for surviving the game and should be chosen carefully depending on the player’s strategy.
Escape Artist [level 1] – This skill allows the player to kill a weak opponent by escaping from their grasp. It involves a mini-game that must be completed successfully. It is recommended to use this skill when facing a weaker opponent or creature.
Field Repairs [level 1] – This skill allows the player to fix their melee weapons using scrap. It is an important skill to have, especially when using high-tier melee weapons that deal increased damage compared to standard weapons.
Juice Up [level 1] – This skill increases the initial bonus and extends the effect of Health Cocktail. It is useful for players who base their strategy on cocktails to replenish Deacon’s health bar and strengthen him.
Hard Hitter [level 2] – This skill increases the damage inflicted by crafted and found melee weapons. It is recommended to purchase this skill as it will increase the efficiency of the weapons and allow the player to deal with opponents with fewer hits.
Busted Lip [level 2] – This skill regenerates stamina with each melee kill. It is useful for players who prefer an aggressive approach and like to deal with enemies in close combat.
Talk Shit, Get Hit [level 2] – This passive skill allows the player to perform longer hit combos with melee weapons. It is helpful when facing stronger enemies or groups of opponents.
Lightning Reflexes [level 3] – This skill allows the player to do quick rolls after falling. It becomes useful during the later stages of the game when fighting wolves, bears, and elite monsters.
Bull Rush [level 3] – This skill allows the player to stun regular human and swarmer enemies by rushing into them. It is useful for players who prefer a more aggressive play style.
The Reckoning [level 3] – This skill provides a chance to perform a critical elimination of human, swarmer, and newt enemies with melee weapons. It involves a mini-game that must be completed successfully.
Just Roll With It [level 4] – This passive skill uses much less stamina when performing rolls. It is useful when fighting single strong or groups of weaker enemies.
Rock On [level 4] – This skill allows you to stun weaker enemies by hitting them with stones. However, it requires precision and is not very useful if your target is moving. Distracting enemies with stones is sufficient to attack them from behind.
Home Run [level 4] – This skill significantly increases the damage dealt with melee weapons. It complements the Hard Hitter [level 2] skill and allows you to use the same melee weapon for a longer time.
Retribution [level 5] – This skill increases the chances of a critical hit or elimination by 25%. Critical hits are very helpful in eliminating enemies quickly and dealing significant damage.
Switch It Up [level 5] – This skill allows you to deal twice the damage with hit combos using a boot knife. However, it requires you to use the weakest melee weapon, which may not be the most efficient choice.
Executioner [level 5] – This skill allows you to attack heavy freakers stealthily and kill heavy freakers and large animals after freeing from their grasp. It proves useful when confronting stronger monsters and animals in the latter phases of the campaign.
Skill list – Ranged
Focused Shot [level 1] – This skill allows you to use focus when aiming a ranged weapon, which is crucial for precise aiming and faster elimination of opponents.
Flight and Fight [level 1] – This skill ensures more accurate moves and aiming when attacking enemies and moving simultaneously.
Vicious Cycle [level 1] – This skill allows you to perform a ranged attack right after a melee attack to deal significant damage to the enemy.
Suppressing Fire [level 2] – This skill increases the chance of suppressing weaker enemies when using ranged weapons during focus.
Crowd Control [level 2] – This skill decreases the latency of focus regeneration, which is useful in battles where the entire focus bar can be depleted.
Skill List – Combat
Hyperfocus [level 2] – Enhances the initial bonus and extends the effects of the focus cocktail. This skill is useful if you rely on cocktails to replenish Deacon’s bars quickly. If not, it can be left for later.
On the Move [level 3] – Allows reloading ranged weapons while sprinting. It is a helpful skill, especially during combat against hordes and strong monsters where Deacon needs to move constantly.
Iron Grip [level 3] – Reduces recoil for ranged weapons. This skill is useful for all firearm types, especially for weapons with high recoil. It is recommended to purchase in later stages of the game.
Nocked Up [level 3] – Increases damage dealt with crossbow bolts. This skill is crucial for killing regular enemies with single shots without headshots. It also proves useful against stronger enemies, dealing more damage than usual.
Under Pressure [level 4] – Reduces focus consumption when reloading ranged weapons. This skill might be useful for weapons requiring frequent reloading, but there are more important skills to purchase.
Quick Reload [level 4] – Shortens the reload time for ranged weapons. This skill is helpful for weapons with long reload times such as crossbows and shotguns.
Deadshot [level 4] – Increases precision for ranged weapons. This skill is useful for efficient attacks and reducing ammo waste.
Up to the Ante [level 5] – Increases ammo capacity for all ranged weapons. This is an important skill when using guns with low fire rate, and until then, pouches for carrying ammunition must be installed on the motorcycle.
Two Birds, One Bullet [level 5] – Increases the penetration ratio for ranged weapons. This is a powerful skill for confronting hordes and killing freakers with less ammo.
Head Rush [level 5] – Restores health when killing an enemy with a headshot. This skill increases survival chances when using carbines and shotguns for headshots.
Skill List – Survival
Eye for Detail [level 1] – Extends the duration of icons displayed in Survival Vision. This skill is helpful for finding interactive loot in buildings and other locations with potential loot.
Hawkeyed [level 1] – Displays plants on the minimap. This skill makes finding plants easier, resulting in faster replenishing of crafting materials and delivering them to cooks in camps.
Level up your skills in Days Gone to become a more effective survivor in the post-apocalyptic world. The Thorn in Your Side skill allows you to retrieve bolts from your crossbow, but only if you use it frequently in direct combat. Eagle-Eyed increases the range of Survival Vision, making it easier to find supplies and crafting materials. Thief in the Night decreases noise from movement, reducing the risk of detection by freakers. Green Thumb doubles the number of plants you can collect, providing more crafting materials and items to sell. The Butcher increases the amount of meat you can retrieve from animals, which is more valuable than plants. Catch Your Breath decreases the latency in stamina regeneration, making it easier to escape danger. Ear to the Ground marks enemies in Survival Vision, but it is not essential. Monkey Wrench doubles the scrap efficiency when fixing your motorcycle, but only if you use it frequently. Second Wind adds an additional adrenaline shot when your health drops to a certain level, reducing the risk of death. Carry That Weight adds room in your inventory for crafting materials, traps, and throwables, making it easier to engage in larger battles. The Alchemist increases the effects of health cocktails, but it is only necessary if you drink them frequently. Choose your skills wisely to become a stronger survivor in Days Gone.
The Shape Up ability, which is at level 5, has a significant impact on Deacon’s stamina regeneration. This can prove to be extremely useful in situations where Deacon has to put in a lot of manual effort, such as when facing freaker hordes or in combat.
At level 5, the Six Feet Over ability allows for the regeneration of a portion of stamina when Deacon receives damage. This bonus can come in handy when confronting hordes, as there is a high chance of receiving direct damage when fighting multiple monsters in a chaotic manner.
FAQ
1. What are the best skills to focus on in Days Gone?
There are several skills that are particularly useful in Days Gone. One of the most important is the Focus Shot skill, which allows you to slow down time and more easily aim at enemies. Other great skills to focus on include the Survival Vision skill, which highlights important items and enemies in the environment, and the Escape Artist skill, which helps you get out of tight situations by increasing your mobility. Additionally, the Health and Stamina skills are always important to upgrade, as they allow you to stay alive and perform more actions for longer periods of time.
2. How do I earn skill points in Days Gone?
There are several ways to earn skill points in Days Gone. The most common is to simply gain experience by completing missions, killing enemies, and exploring the world. As you earn experience, you will level up and receive skill points that can be spent on various skills. You can also earn skill points by completing certain challenges and finding hidden Nero Injectors, which are scattered throughout the game world.
3. Can I respec my skills in Days Gone?
Unfortunately, there is no way to respec your skills in Days Gone. Once you have spent a skill point on a particular skill, it is permanent. This means that you should carefully consider which skills you want to invest in and make sure that they align with your playstyle and overall strategy.
4. Are there any skills that are not worth investing in?
While all skills in Days Gone have their uses, some are definitely more valuable than others. For example, the Focus Shot skill is almost universally considered to be one of the best skills in the game, while the Eagle Eye skill (which increases the range of your Survival Vision) is somewhat less useful. Additionally, some players may find that certain skills simply do not fit with their playstyle or preferred weapons, and may choose to skip them altogether.
5. How do I unlock higher-tier skills in Days Gone?
To unlock higher-tier skills in Days Gone, you will need to first purchase and upgrade lower-tier skills. Once you have invested enough skill points in a particular skill tree, you will unlock access to higher-tier skills that offer even more powerful abilities. It is important to note that you can only purchase skills in a linear fashion – that is, you cannot skip over lower-tier skills to unlock higher-tier ones.
James, a young and enthusiastic gamer. With a passion for gaming, he personally plays and experiences the games he writes about, providing authentic and insightful content to fellow gamers.