Skill tree is the most important aspect in the game, it provides variety of different icons which can be difficult for a new player to figure out. The following guide will have enlisted and described all the icons with brief explanation, for more specific and full explanations check other guides. Currently there are 4 tiers of skill trees. To unlock the next tree you will have to complete Lunch the rocket missions.
To access skill trees choose the tab and then choose the desired skill tree
Tier 1 tree has a total of 74 nodes to use skill points on. Each node costs 1 skill point. To unlock the whole tree you will need 73 skill points. To move onto tier 2, at least 30 nodes must be purchased.
Tier 2 tree has a total of 100 nodes to use skill points on. Each node costs 2 skill point. To unlock the whole tree you will need 198 skill points. To move onto tier 3, at least 65 nodes must be purchased.
Tier 3 tree has a total of 100 nodes to use skill points on. Each node costs 3 skill point. To unlock the whole tree you will need 297 skill points. To move onto tier 4, at least 60 nodes must be purchased.
Tier 4 tree has a total of 101 nodes to use skill points on. Each node costs 4 skill point. To unlock the whole tree you will need 404 skill points. There is not tier 5 introduced yet.
To progress towards another tier you need to finish the zone mission - Launch the rocket - the node assigment doesn't require skill points.
To unlock all nodes in trees you will need total of 972 skill points.
Obtaining points
At the moment you can get skill points by the following methods
Storm Shield Defences - requires you to go through the quest line to unlock defences.
Collection Book - doesn't requires you to progress through the questline.
Commander Levels - points are gained while playing ( advancing in levels )
Storm Shield Defence
Each storm shield defence will award you in a specific amount of skill points. One thing to mention. This defences has to be your own defences, you can not join someonces defence and get the points. The rewards will be different for each zone you are in and can be displayed as following
Stonewood : Defences 1-9 will award you with 1 skill point. The last defence will reward you with 2 skill points.
Plankerton : Defences 1-9 will award you with 1 skill point. The last defence will reward you with 2 skill points.
Canny Valley : Defences 1-9 will award you with 2 skill point. The last defence will reward you with 4 skill points.
Twine Peaks : Defences 1-9 will award you with 3 skill point. The last defence will reward you with 4 skill points.
So you potentially would be able to get 75 skill points from SSD's. The optimal value though would be lower since not many players will make it to the end of Twine Peaks defences.
Collection Book
Book Level
Points
8
1
18
2
33
2
46
2
56
2
66
3
69
3
77
3
84
3
98
3
105
4
121
4
129
4
133
4
Total
40
By expanding your Collection book you would be able to get 40 skill points. You increase the collection book level by adding items into it, make sure you place there the items that you have a duplicate of - or you are not planning in using them.
Commander Level
You gain commander levels by playing missions. The reward of skill points doesn't have influence on the zone your playing in but its about the commander level. This is a bit tricky because you can not look up your commander level in the game currently. You can do it by using Storm Shield One just type there your name and you will see the level your are currently.
Untill Commander Level 54 you will recieve 2 skill points each time you level.
Untill Commander Level 134 you will recieve 3 skill points each time you level.
Untill Commander Level 266 you will recieve 4 skill points each time you level.
The maximum commander level you can get is 310
When you are at the maximum level you will get 310
between 1 and 53 commander level you can gain total of 52 skill points
between 53 and 133 commander level you can gain total of 160 skill points
between 133 and 265 commander level you can gain total of 396 skill points
between 265 and 310 commander level you can gain total of 180 skill points
General introduction
Any skill tree consists of
Utility nodes
Harvesting - Increasing the damage from the harvesting tool
Stats - Increasing the stats of Offence, Fortitude, Tech, Resistance
Gadgets - Unlocks or upgrades skills that can be used in game
Building - Upgrades the building structures / improves properties like repairing speed, building speed health
Research - Unlocks a research tree / increases the points generated per hour
Evolution nodes
Hero evolution - Unlocks the ability to upgrade certain hero classes
Weapon & Traps evolution - Unlocks the ability to upgrade certain weapons to a higher tier
Survivor evolution - Unlocks the ability to upgrade survivors, lead survivors to a higher tier
Defender evolution - Unlocks the ability to upgrade defenders to a higher tier
Survivor nodes
Lead survivors - Unlocks a lead survivor slot in the squad
Survivors - Unlocks a survivor slot in the squad
Utility nodes - Harvesting
Harvesting nodes upgrades your damage with your pickaxe. There are 3 nodes in the first tree. First node right at the beginning increases your damage to weak points. The node in
Scavenging
provides you with extra damage and adds a knockback attack. The last node near the
Core
end upgrades your pickaxe to be more efficient and also changes the tier of the tool - furthermore the skin. The higher level of the harvesting tool you have the faster will you destroy objects in the game.
Utility nodes - Storage expanding
Storage can be split into two sections
Storms shield storage vault - Increases the number of storage slots in the stormshield by 5.
The storm shield storage can be accessed over the tab and then click Storage
Backpack size. Increases the number of items that you can carry in the backpack by 5.
The backpack can be accessed in two ways. First traditionally in-game, and over the tab and then click
This nodes should be always picked when available, it will allow you to store more items which in the long term will be very beneficial. Once you hit certain zones you will struggle with inventory slots.
Utility nodes - Stats
Fortitude
Increases health and health regeneration by 1% per point. The fortitude nodes are represented by the following icons
Fortitude node. Increases your fortitude by a certain amount.
Party fortitude node. Increases fortitude of all party members including yourself by a certain amount.
Offence
Increases ranged and melee weapon damage by 1% per point. The offence nodes are represented by the following icons
Offence node. Increases your offence by a certain amount.
Party offence node. Increases offence of all party members including yourself by a certain amount.
Resistance
Increases shield and shield regeneration by 1% per point. The resistance nodes are represented by the following icons
Resistance node. Increases your resistance by a certain amount.
Party resistance node. Increases resistance of all party members including yourself by a certain amount.
Tech
Increases trap damage, ability damage, gadget damage and healing done by 1% per point. The tech nodes are represented by the following icons
Tech node. Increases your tech by a certain amount.
Party tech node. Increases tech of all party members, including yourself by a certain amount.
Utility nodes - Gadgets
Gadgets to focus on
Air StrikeCooldown : 240 seconds
Drops 9 bombs in designed area.
Heal
Cooldown : 180 seconds
Restores 39,505 health to you and your friendly players in a 3 tile range instantly - also purages negative effects.
Supply Drop
Cooldown : 330 seconds
Drops a supply crate that contains
85 Wood
85 Stone
85 Metal
Slow field
Cooldown : ? seconds
Slows down enemies in range by 40%.
Utility nodes - Building
Building nodes can be divided into.
Building health. Increases the health of structures.
Build and repair speed. Increases the rate at which buildings can be repaired or built.
Building upgrade level. Increases the maximum level of structures that can be built.
Note
The highest building health multiplier in party determines the health of all player-built structures.
Utility nodes - Research
Research unlocks or increases the research points generated per hour.
Skill tree
Storage increase
Generation increase
Tier 1
+1,600
+65
Tier 2
N/A
+54
Tier 3
N/A
+54
Tier 4
N/A
N/A
Evolution - Hero
Hero evolution is divided into 4 sections that corresponds to the hero classes. At end of each section there is an icon that enables the upgrade.
Enables to upgrade Soldiers to a higher tier.
Enables to upgrade Constructors to a higher tier.
Enables to upgrade Outlanders to a higher tier.
Enables to upgrade Ninjas to a higher tier.
Evolution - Weapons & Traps
At the first tree you don't find weapon or traps evolution nodes. The evolution to Tier 2 begins in the Tier 2 Skill Tree. Icons in the second tree will be represented by icons
which will allow you to evolve any type of weapon to Tier 2
which will allow you to evolve any melee weapon to Tier 2
which will allow you to evolve any trap to Tier 2
The second tree consists of the icons above and there are introduced new icons that allow to upgrade from Tier 2 -> Tier 3 and so on.
The nodes are more specific in what evolution they give to you and are divided into weapon types from now on. Usually they correspond to class sections.
In the section you can evolve.
Assault Rifles Evolution, enables to upgrade AR by one tier.
Explosive Weapon evolution, enables to upgrade Explosive weapons by one tier.
In the section you can evolve.
Clubs & Hardware evolution, enables to upgrade clubs & hardware weapons by one tier.
Trap evolution, enables to upgrade traps by one tier.
In the section you can evolve.
Sword & Spear evolution, enables to upgrade sword & spear by one tier.
Axe & Scythe evolution, enables to upgrade axes & scythes by one tier.
In the section you can evolve.
Pistols evolution, enables to upgrade pistols by one tier.
Shotguns evolution, enables to upgrade shotguns by one tier.
Sniper Rifles evolution, enables to upgrade sniper rifles by one tier.
Evolution - Survivors
Each tree contains one node for : Survivor Evolution and one for Lead Survivor Evolution. This nodes should be picked right after unlocking all the survivor slots in a tree. Evolution enables you to upgrade the tier of a survivor/lead survivor by one tier.
Evolution - Defenders
As mentioned earlier, Defender slots or evolutions shouldn't be picked up unless they are required. Defenders in the current state of game don't give too much benefits, and there are more important nodes to pick up.
Survivor nodes - Lead Survivors
Survivor nodes unlock survivor squad slots in the tab. In other guides there will be explanation what should be placed in these slots to get the maximum possible progression.
Currently survivor squads leaders consists of
2
offence
leaders. Offence squad leaders slots can be unlocked in Tier 1 and Tier 2 skill tree.
2
resistance
leaders. Resistance squad leaders slots can be unlocked in Tier 1 and Tier 2 skill tree.
2
tech
leaders. Tech squad leader slots can be unlocked in Tier 1 and Tier 2 skill tree.
2
fortitude
leaders. Fortitude squad leader slots can be unlocked in Tier 1 and Tier 2 skill tree.
Survivor nodes - Survivors
There can be unlocked total of 40 survivor slots from the skill trees and 16 from the research trees. They are represented by this icon . The icon will vary because of the survivor slot assignment. The bottom right icon represents the corresponding squad, and the upper the bonus it provides, the center part stays the same. Our example icon would unlock a survivor slot in the Scouting Party. Survivors will be covered in this guide. Here is the list of available squads.
What to pick basics
Pick up any research node.
While being in any tier of tree you should focus on
Survivor's
and
Lead survivor's
nodes and pick them whenever you can. You should note that
Defender's
share a similar square icon, but picking those nodes is inefficient and in most cases not usable, therefor you should avoid them unless the node is required to take. Unlocking Survivors and lead survivors nodes allows you to assign survivors into Survivor Squads - which is basically how you increase the power level. You can read more about the Survivor Squads here (tbd).
While being in first tree pick the builder nodes to upgrade building structures.
After picking up any survivor nodes you should focus on Hero Evolution.
Now you can concentrate on weapon evolution.
Proceed with the core section
Ignore
Defender's
nodes unless they are required.
To get most of your tree you need 972 skill points to max out everything but you can obtain 903 skill points, so look to unlock all the essential nodes follow the steps above and ignore also gadgets that are not listed in "Gadgets to focus on" and you should be able to get all the goodies.
Summing up
This is only an overview of how the tree's work. More specific explanations and exact patches to choose will be available below
