Skills | How to create and develop a character Underrail Guide

Last update: 11 May 2016

Skill points determine how well your character can use particular skills, like for example pickpocketing, hacking electronic devices or using weapons. At the beginning, you receive 120 points and 40 more with every new level. You can distribute skill points as you please, but some of the skills have synergy with others, which means that when you invest points in one skill, another is also increased. When you start the game, you can invest a maximum of 15 points in one skill. With every new level, you can put 5 more points. The types of skills are listed below.

Offense

Offense skills increase your attack value with different types of weapons. There are following Offense skills in the game:

Guns

Increases the hero's effectiveness when using pistols or rifles (both firearms and electric weapons). The more points you have invested in this skill, the better the weapons that you can use.

Throwing

This skill is essential if you use throwables (throwing knives, as well as grenades).

Crossbows

Increases the character's ability to use crossbows and different types of bolts (for example paralysing bolts).

Melee

This skill is responsible for your hero's ability to melee fight. It influences both using melee weapons (knives, sledgehammers, etc.) and fist fighting. It also reduces the enemy's chance to dodge an attack.

Defense

Defense skills are ones that help your hero survive during a battle. In this group, you will find the following skills.

Dodge

Increases the chance of dodging attacks when melee fighting. This skill only applies to melee weapons.

Evasion

Increases the chance of dodging ranged attacks, like for example bolts or bullets. Moreover, this skills reduces the damage that your hero receives from AoE (Area of Effect) attacks (for example grenades or special PSI attacks).

Subterfuge

A type of skills that will suit spies and thieves In this group, you will find useful tricks that can provide you extra benefits. Using these skills, you can break into locked rooms, steal data from the computers or pick the pockets of unaware NPCs, as long as your conscience allows you to.

Stealth

This skill allows your hero to hide in the darkness, if you stay out of your enemies' or NPCs' sight long enough. Investing in this skill increases the chance of remaining unnoticed when performing various actions.

When you are hidden in the shadow and you want to perform an action, like for example walk past an enemy or try to steal something, you have to mind the risk connected to it. The level of risk is determined by the eye icon that you can see over the heads of enemies and NPCs. We distinguish the following levels of danger:

Green - the enemy or NPC is totally unaware of your presence and you can perform your job freely.

Yellow - the enemy or NPC doesn't see you and is not aware of what's going on, but is watchful and starts suspecting something. You can continue with your actions, but there is a risk of being detected.

Orange - the enemy or NPC is aware that there is someone hiding in the shadow. He probably also knows where you are.

Red - the enemy or NPC is completely aware of your presence and he can see you even though you may be using stealth mode.

White - you can't hide from enemies or NPCs marked with this color.

Enemies or NPCs can react differently if they suspect something. Some of them may attack you, but some may run away.

Hacking

This skill allows you to take control over electronic devices, which can enable you to open electronic locks, disable cameras, neutralize turrets, etc.

Lockpicking

Allows you to use a lockpick which gives you the possibility of breaking into locked rooms or opening chests. It is good to save the game before using a lockpick, because if you fail the operation, you lose the tool.

Pickpocketing

This skill allows you to steal from enemies or NPCs. However, this action is quite risky and just like in the case of hiding in the shadow, you have to bare in mind that you may fail. If you try to pickpocket, a window showing your victim's inventory will open. Mouse over a specific item to see a bar showing the level of risk. If the bar is red (like in the screen above), the action would surely be noticed and you would start a fight if you'd try to steal the item. You can increase the chance of succeeding by developing this skill, but remember also that it is easier to steal from someone who is of lower level than you.

Traps

Allows you to set up traps, as well as to disable the ones that you find. The higher the level of this skill, the more difficult it is for your enemies to disable your traps.

Technology

Technology is responsible mostly for creating new items in the crafting mode. Depending on what we want to craft, we distinguish the following categories:

Mechanics

The level of this skill determines the knowledge that your character has when it comes to making mechanical devices like pistols, armors or traps.

Electronics

This skill is responsible for your hero's knowledge about crafting electronical devices, like for example energy pistols.

Chemistry

More points in this skill will allow your hero to make better explosives.

Biology

Knowledge about this field of science will allow your character to make consumables that regenerate health or psi.

Tailoring

Knowledge about tailoring allows you to create light armors or robes.

Psi

Psi skills is what you might call magic in the world of UnderRail. In order for your hero to use spells, you will need psi power, which regenerates after the fight.

Thought Control

Crowd control skills, which allow you to control the enemy's actions.

Psychokinesis

Skills that deal electric damage or allow you to manipulate the electromagnetic field.

Metathermics

Skills that allow your character to deal fire or cold damage.

Social

Skills from this category influence the dialogues that you will have in the game. A high amount of points in this category will provide you additional dialogue options and therefore some extra benefits.

Persuasion

Persuasion is used for solving difficult situations through dialogue.

Intimidation

A less friendly way of solving a conflict, where threats are quite common.

Mercantile

Allows to negotiate better prices, as well as to obtain more valuable rewards for certain quests.