Skills
Every time that you level up, you will be granted 10 skill points that can be used to improve your characters skills. In total, there are 7 major Core Skills available, all of which offer upwards of three different Specialized skills each.
When spending your points, it is important to note that the Specialized Skills will all level at the same time should they be under level 50. Once they reach level 50, these points can then be spent directly on any Specialized Skill over 50.
Players can also unlock unique special bonuses after every 20 points that are spent on that particular skill. These special bonuses can include everything from improved Critical Damage while using a Handgun or simply reducing the cost of tinkering.
Check out the complete list of every skill in The Outer Worlds below:
Melee
The Melee skills improve the Critical Hit Chance with handheld weapons.
1-Handed Melee
The 1-Handed Melee skill increases Critical Hit chance with 1-Handed Melee weapons.
Base Skill Unlocks:
- 20 Novice: Unlock Power and Sweep Attacks
- 40 Competent: Unlock TTD Location Hit Effects
- 60 Adept: 1-Handed Melee Weapon Reach +30%
- 80 Expert: 1-Handed Melee Weapon TTD Drain -50%
- 100 Master: Power and Sweep Attack Chance to Stun +25%
2-Handed Melee
The 2-Handed Melee skill increases Critical Hit chance with 2-Handed Melee weapons.
Base Skill Unlocks:
- 20 Novice: Unlock Power and Sweep Attacks
- 40 Competent: Unlock TTD Location Hit Effects
- 60 Adept: 2-Handed Melee Weapon attacks are Unblockable
- 80 Expert: 2-Handed Melee Weapon TTD Drain -50%
- 100 Master: Power and Sweep Attack Chance to Knockdown +25%
Ranged
The Ranged skills improve your Weapon Sway, and Critical Hit Chance with ranged weapons.
Handguns
The Handguns skill decreases Weapon Sway while firing one handed firearms, and also increases Critical Hit chance with those weapons.
Base Skill Unlocks:
- 20 Novice: Unlock TTD Location Hit Effects
- 40 Competent: Handgun Critical Damage +50%
- 60 Adept: Minimum Armor Penetration Damage +10%
- 80 Expert: Debuffed Enemy Critical Chance +20%
- 100 Master: Handgun Critical Hits ignored 100% Armor
Long Guns
The Long Guns skill decreases Weapon Sway while firing rifles and other long guns, and also increases Critical Hit Chance with those weapons.
Base Skill Unlocks:
- 20 Novice: Unlock TTD Location Hit Effects
- 40 Competent: Long Guns Critical Damage +50%
- 60 Adept: Long Guns Headshot / Weakspot Damage +20%
- 80 Expert: Deadly Focus: No Weapon Sway for 5s after each kill
- 100 Master: Long Gun Critical Hits ignore 100% Armor.
Heavy Weapons
The Heavy Weapons skill decreases Weapon Sway while firing heavy firearms, and also increases Critical Hit Chance with those weapons.
Base Skill Unlocks:
- 20 Novice: Unlock TTD Location Hit Effects
- 40 Competent: Heavy Weapons Critical Damage +50%
- 60 Adept: Heavy Weapons Reload Speed +30%
- 80 Expert: Heavy Weapon Frenzy: Critical Hits increase Rate of Fire +30% for 3s
- 100 Master: Heavy Weapon Critical Hits ignore 100% Armor.
Defense
The Defense skill helps improve your ability to avoid damage.
Dodge
The Dodge skill increases the distance traveled when Dodging and reduces the duration of harmful status effects.
Base Skill Unlocks:
- 20 Novice: Unlock the ability to Leap (Dodge forward)
- 40 Competent: Dodge Recovery Speed +100%
- 60 Adept: Dodge Protection: +30% Armor Rating for 5s after every Dodge
- 80 Expert: Dodge Force:After Dodging, your next Melee Attack gains Damage +50%
- 100 Master: Dodge Penetration: After Dodging, your next Weapon Spot hit within 5s has a 50% chance to Ignore Armor.
Block
The Block skill provides bonus Armor Rating while holding a melee weapon and can allow a Perfect Block (unlocked at 20).
Base Skill Unlocks:
- 20 Novice: Perfect Block: Block just before you get hit to Stagger your attack.
- 40 Competent: Weapon Durability Loss from Blocking -25%
- 60 Adept: Walk Speed while Blocking +100%
- 80 Expert: No Weapon Durability Loss on a Perfect Block
- 100 Master: Perfect Blocks weaken opponents, increasing the damage they take by +100% for 5s.
Dialog
The Dialog skill helps improve your ability to talk with NPCs, both in and out of combat.
Persuade
The Persuade skill is used in conversations and also has a chance to inflict Cower (crippling fear) when you first damage a Human target.
Base Skill Unlocks:
- 20 Novice: Cower: Humans have a 20% chance to cower in fear for 10s after the first time you hit them.
- 40 Competent: Cower Duration +7s
- 60 Adept: Cowered Target’s Armor -50%
- 80 Expert: Human Cower Chance +10%
- 100 Master: When a Human cowers, you gain +25% Armor for 10s.
Lie
The Lie skill is used in conversations and has a chance to inflict Scramble (slowly attack allies) on an Automechical when attacking you.
Base Skill Unlocks:
- 20 Novice: Scramble: 15% chance Automechanicals will slowly attack other enemies instead of you for 17s.
- 40 Competent: Scramble Duration +7s
- 60 Adept: Scrambled Automechanicals attack at their normal speed.
- 80 Expert: Automechanical Scramble Chance +10%
- 100 Master: Scrambled Automechanical Weakspot Damage +30%
Intimidate
The Intimidate skill is used in conversations and has a chance to inflict Terrify (flee a short time) on nearby Creatures when you kill one.
Base Skill Unlocks:
- 20 Novice: Terrify: 20% chance Creatures will become Terrified and flee for 10s after you kill one.
- 40 Competent: Terrify’s Area of Effect +100%
- 60 Adept: Terrified Creature Movement Speed -30%
- 80 Expert: Creature Terrify Chance +10%
- 100 Master: Terrifying a Creature gives 10s Crit Chance +5% and Critical Damage +25%
Stealth
The Stealth skill helps improve your ability to get through and around security.
Sneak
The Sneak skill reduces your detection range while crouched, increases NPC awareness decay. and allows Pickpocket and Sneak Attacks).
Base Skill Unlocks:
- 20 Novice: Sneak Attack: Attack unaware enemies while crouched to deal bonus damage.
- 40 Competent: Pickpocket: Steal from Humans while sneaking.
- 60 Adept: Cowered Target’s Armor -50%
- 80 Expert: Human Cower Chance +10%
- 100 Master: When a Human cowers, you gain +25% Armor for 10s.
Hack
The Hack skill reduces your reduces the hacking time number of bypass Shunts needed for hacking, and can always allow you to Hack an Automechanical.
Base Skill Unlocks:
- 20 Novice: Unlock the ability to see goods to Vending Machines.
- 40 Competent: Unlock access to Restricted Items in Vending Machines.
- 60 Adept: Hack Automechanicals: Turn them off for 10s.
- 80 Expert: Automechanical Detection Range -30%
- 100 Master: Hack Authmedical Distance +2.5m (5m)
Lockpick
The Lockpick skill reduces your reduces the unlock time and number of Magpicks needed for picking locks.
Base Skill Unlocks:
- 20 Novice: Doors and Containers requiring 1 Mag-Pick to unlock are free to open.
- 40 Competent: Find +25% more Bits in containers.
- 60 Adept: Lockpick Preview: See what is locked inside containers.
- 80 Expert: Lockpicking speed is increased to be nearly instant.
- 100 Master: Find Pristine Items Chance +100%
Tech
The Tech skill improves your knowledge of bodies, tools, and the universe.
Medical
The Medical skill helps increase the Heal Amount that is provided from items in the Inhaler and increases the duration of effects, and opens extra slots.
Base Skill Unlocks:
- 20 Novice: Unlock the 2nd Drug Mixing Slot for the Inhaler.
- 40 Competent: Unlock the 3rd Drug Mixing Slot for the Inhaler.
- 60 Adept: Lockpick Preview: Hostile Effect Duration on Targets +50%
- 80 Expert: Unlock the 4th Drug Mixing Slot for the Inhaler.
- 100 Master: Damage Bonus vs Humans +20%
Science
The Science skill helps to increase damage dealt by Plasma and Shock damage weapons. Science is also helps improve the special effects for science weapons. It is important to note that the higher the Science skill, the more options you will have to Tinker with any weapon or armor in the Workbench, which in turn increases their power.
Base Skill Unlocks:
- 20 Novice: Tinker: Improve your weapons and armor in the Workbench.
- 40 Competent: Tinkering Costs -50%
- 60 Adept: Corrosion Damage +25% and N-ray Damage +25%
- 80 Expert: Tinkering cost for Science Weapons is capped.
- 100 Master: Further Reduce Tinkering Cost to -90%
Engineering
The Engineering skill helps to reduce the Armor Parts and Weapon Parts that are needed to repair your equipment.
- 20 Novice: Field Repair: Repair Weapons and Armor in the Inventory.
- 40 Competent: Break Down weapons and armor for a 20% Chance to extract a Basic Mod.
- 60 Adept: 20% Chance items you Repair will become Pristine, increasing Value and Durability.
- 80 Expert: Break Down weapons and armor for a 10% Chance to extract a Rare Mod.
- 100 Master: Damage vs Automechanicals +20%.
Leadership
The Leadership skill helps improve companion health and their abilities in combat.
Inspiration
The Inspiration skill helps to increase the damage that is inflicted by your companions.
Base Skill Unlocks:
- 20 Novice: Companion Abilities: You can order Companions to do special attacks.
- 40 Competent: Companions gain +20% Armor Rating.
- 60 Adept: Companion Skill Bonus to Player Skills +100%
- 80 Expert: Inspired Precision: When Companions kill an enemy, the party gains Critical Hit Chance +20% for 5s.
- 100 Master: When Companions kill an enemy, All Companion Ability Cooldowns -20%
Determination
The Determination skill helps increase the maximum health of your companions.
Base Skill Unlocks:
- 20 Novice: The Inhaler heals you and your companions, but they get 30% of the healing effect.
- 40 Competent: Companion Critical Damage +20%
- 60 Adept: Companions get an additional 25% of the Inhaler’s healing effect.
- 80 Expert: Resolve: If a Companion is downed, party gains +50% Armor Rating and Damage +50% for 10s.
- 100 Master: When Companions kill an enemy, they gain 50% Health.
