What skills can make or break your early gameplay in Days Gone?

One of the most enjoyably frustrating parts of any great video game is its skill trees. Their customizable nature, being able to decide what abilities to get and when, gives players a feeling of connection with their character as they grow alongside them through adversity and adventure. However, with so many options to unlock, and so few points to spend at any one time, deciding what to get first can be quite the challenge.

Days Gone features three skill trees split into equally important sections; Melee, Ranged, and Survival. Each provides players with useful power-ups to Deacon as he struggles to survive in a post-apocalyptic world filled with bloodthirsty Freakers and humans alike.

But what skills are a priority to get first? What would help you survive and succeed the most when you’re just starting out and all you have is a boot knife and a 9mm?

After 730 days gone, it’s finally time to see what Deacon needs to learn to make life just a little easier out there in the world.

1. Focused Shot (Ranged Tier I)

Using the Focus Shot skill will keep you alive for longer against hordes.

Why is Focused Shot the number one skill you need first in Days Gone?

• It slows down the world around you while shooting ranged weapons.
• It drastically increases your chances of making headshots and getting more EXP.
• It’s a necessary parent skill for key skills later on.
• It refills on its own.
• You can augment it at Nero Checkpoints for longer use.

Skill Description:

• The ability to activate Focus while aiming a ranged weapon.

2. Field Repairs (Melee Tier I)

Keeping your melee weapons in peak condition might save your life in the wilderness.

Why would Field Repairs be important enough to be the second skill you should unlock?

• Being able to repair melee weapons before they break will save you time and stress. 
• Finding ammo outside of camp merchants is tricky in Days Gone. Using repairable melee weapons instead would be smart until larger magazines are unlocked.
• Early on, ranged weapons will be crap. Melee weapons offer a more reliable source of higher damage.
• Pieces of scrap will be relatively easy to find, so using them to repair melee weapons won’t hurt your ability to survive overall.

Skill Description:

• The ability to repair melee weapons with scrap.

3. Ear to the Ground (Survival Tier III)

Knowing is half the battle and this skill epitomizes that perfectly.

Why is a Tier III Survival Skill important enough to unlock so soon, even if it means grinding?

• You’ll be able to see humans and Freakers alike through walls.
• It’s highly recommended if you are planning a stealth run.
• Paired with the ‘Eagle-Eyed’ skill, you’ll be able to see almost every enemy near you.
• Check the size of hordes before you challenge them. Or, just see them ahead of time and avoid them.

Skill Description:

• Outlines enemies in Survival Vision.

4. Fight and Flight (Ranged Tier I)

Keeping your aim steady is important in a world where ammo is scarce.

• What makes a Tier I Ranged Skill so important?
• So-called ‘running and gunning’ is incredibly inaccurate without this skill.
• Moving makes it harder for enemies to catch or shoot you.
• Standing still will get you killed. No exceptions.
• Running from a horde is a little easier if you can thin the numbers while fleeing.

Skill Description:

• Move and aim a ranged weapon with more precision.

5. On the Move (Ranged Tier III)

Holding still will make you vulnerable so stay in motion to keep yourself alive.

Why is this Tier III Ranged Skill crucially important for early gameplay?

• When fighting hordes, ready or not, the ability to run while reloading will be the difference between life and death.
• The same goes for any time you’re surrounded and need to move with an empty clip but still have extra ammunition in your magazine.
• While locked Deacon will either literally stop moving to reload, leaving you vulnerable, or refuse to reload while in motion, leaving you with no ranged attacks. 

Skill Description:

• The ability to reload while sprinting.

6. Escape Artist (Melee Tier I)

Why let go when you can return the favor with interest?

Why should you drop a skill point on this Tier I skill?

• No matter how hard you try, eventually, someone or something is going to grab onto you.
• Instead of just breaking a grapple, you’ll insta-kill your attacker.
•  Surprisingly, no additional attackers strike while you deal with a grappling foe, meaning you could take a group out one at a time if you wanted.

Skill Description:

• Kill smaller enemies after successfully escaping from a grapple.

7. Hard Hitter (Melee Tier II)

Who doesn't want to pack more omph in their punch?

What does this Tier II Melee Skill offer you?

•  You’ll get a boost in strength when wielding any melee weapon. 
• This skill lessens the number of strikes you’ll need to finish off enemies, allowing you to keep melee weapons longer.
• Pairs nicely with the ‘Home Run’ skill later on to maximize your melee effectiveness.

Skill Description:

• Increases the damage of both crafted and found melee weapons.

8. Crowd Control (Ranged Tier II)

Take a deep breath and concentrate.

How does this Tier II Ranged Skill prove its worth?

• It allows you to be able to reuse Focus faster.
• It’s a lifesaver when dealing with large groups of enemies, like Ambush Camps or hordes, which could be spread out or far away.
• It gives you more chances to make headshots with ranged weapons in Focus, gaining you more EXP.

Skill Description:

• Reduces the cooldown of Focus.

9. Thief in the Night (Survival Tier II)

You're going to steal more than just their possessions.

Why does this Tier II Survival Skill stand out as an early pick?

• It makes stealth kills much easier to pull off.
• Stealth kills give you more EXP than regular kills, getting you to the next level faster.
• Being able to maneuver around wandering hordes at night will really save your bacon early on.

Skill Description:

• Generate less noise when moving or dropping.

10. Catch Your Breath (Survival Tier III)

Good cardio is key when outrunning a hungry horde.

How does this Tier III Survival Skill benefit you?

• Your stamina will replenish faster.
• Your ability to run from overwhelming odds, like rabid hordes, increases in duration.
• This skill can be augmented by a craft item to be even more effective.

Skill Description:

• Reduces cooldown on Stamina recovery.

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