Character Skills in The Outer Worlds

Melee Skills

Melee skills improve Critical Hit Chance with handheld weapons.

1-Handed Melee

Melee Weapon Skill based on Strength and Dexterity

The 1-Handed Melee skill increases Critical Hit chance with 1-Handed Melee weapons.

• 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 TTD Drain -50%
• 100 Master: Power and Sweep Attack Chance to Stun +25%

2-Handed Melee

Melee Weapon Skill Strength and Temperament

The 2-Handed Melee skill increases Critical Hit chance with 2-Handed Melee weapons.

• 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 Skills

Ranged skills improve your Weapon Sway, and Critical Hit Chance with ranged weapons.

Handguns

Ranged Weapon Skill based on Dexterity and Perceptiony

The Handguns skill decreases Weapon Sway while firing one handed firearms, and also increases Critical Hit chance with those weapons.

• 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 ignore 100% Armor

Long Guns

Ranged Weapon Skill based on Intelligence and Perception

The Long Guns skill decreases Weapon Sway while firing rifles and other long guns, and also increases Critical Hit chance with those weapons.

• 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 armor

Heavy Weapons

Ranged Weapon Skill based on Strength and Perception

The Heavy Weapons skill decreases Weapon Sway while firing heavy firearms, and also increases Critical Hit chance with those weapons.

• 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 Skills

Defense skills improve your ability to avoid damage.

Dodge

Defense Skill based on Dexterity and Perception

The Dodge skill increases the distance traveled when Dodging and reduces the duration of harmful status effects.

• 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: Weakspot Hits have a 50% chance to Ignore Armor for 5s after every Dodge.

Block

Defense Skill based on Strength and Dexterity

The Block skill provides bonus Armor Rating while holding a melee weapon and can allow a Perfect Block (unlocked at 20).

• 20 Novice: Perfect Block: Block just before you get hit to Stagger your attacker
• 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 Skills

Dialog skills improve your ability to talk with NPCs, both in and out of combat.

Persuade

Dialog Skill based on Intelligence and Charm

The Persuade skill is used in conversations and also has a chance to inflict Cower (crippling fear) when you first damage a Human target.

• 20 Novice: Cower: Humans have a 20% chance to cower in fear for 3s 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

Dialog Skill based on Charm and Temperament

The Lie skill is used in conversations and has a chance to inflict Scramble (slowly attack allies) on an Automechanical when attacking you.

• 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

Dialog Skill based on Strength and Charm

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.

• 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 Crit Chance +5% and Critical Damage +25%

Stealth Skills

Stealth skills improve your ability to get through and around security.

Sneak

Stealth Skill based on Dexterity and Temperament

The Sneak skill reduces your detection range while crouched, increases NPC awareness decay, and allows Pickpocket and Sneak Attacks.

• 20 Novice: Sneak Attack: Attack unaware enemies while crouched to deal bonus damage
• 40 Competent: Pickpocket: Steal from humans while sneaking
• 60 Adept: Crouch Move Speed +25%
• 80 Expert: Sneak Attack Weakspot Damage +20%
• 100 Master: Sneak Attacks ignore +50% of the target's Armor

Hack

Stealth Skill based on Intelligence and Charm

The Hack skill reduces the hacking time and number of Bypass Shunts needed for hacking, and can allow you to Hack an Automechanical.

• 20 Novice: Unlock the ability to sell 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 Automechanical Distance +2.5m (5m)

Lockpick

Stealth Skill based on Dexterity and Perception

The Lockpick skill reduces the unlock time and number of Magpicks needed for picking locks.

• 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 inside locked containers
• 80 Expert: Lockpicking speed is increased to be nearly instant
• 100 Master: Find Pristine Item Chance +100%

Tech Skills

Tech skills improve your knowledge of bodies, tools, and the universe.

Medical

Tech Skill based on Intelligence and Temperament

The Medical skill increases the Heal Amount provided from items in the Inhaler, increases the duration of effects, and opens extra slots.

• 20 Novice: Unlock the 2nd Drug Mixing Slot for the Inhaler
• 40 Competent: Unlock the 3rd Drug Mixing Slot for the Inhaler
• 60 Adept: 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

Tech Skill based on Intelligence and Charm

The Science skill increases damage of Plasma and Shock damage weapons. Science also improves the special effects for Science Weapons. Higher Science skill unlocks the ability to Tinker any weapon or armor in the Workbench, increasing their power.

• 20 Novice: Tinker: Improve your weapons and armor in the Workbench
• 40 Competent: Tinkering Cost -50%
• 60 Adept: Corrosion Damage +25% N-ray Damage +25%
• 80 Expert: Further Reduce Tinkering Cost to -90%
• 100 Master: Science Weapons are weightless to you Science Weapon Magazine Size +100%

Engineering

Tech Skill based on Perception and Temperament

The Engineering skill reduces the resources needed to repair your weapons and armor, as well as reducing the cost to mod weapons and armor.

• 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 Skills

Leadership skills improve companion health and their abilities in combat.

Inspiration

Leadership Skill based on Strength and Charm

The Inspiration skill increases the damage inflicted by Companions.

• 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

Leadership Skill based on Intelligence and Temperament

The Determination skill increases the maximum health of the Stranger and their companions.

• 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 on 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