title: "Skills and Character Builds" description: "Learn the skill trees, upgrades, training, combos, and permanent progression branches." category: "Gameplay" slug: "skills" order: 9 visibility: "public"
Skills and Character Builds
Skills are a way to specialize your character beyond the stats on equipment. Open /skill tree to browse the available branches, requirements, and upgrade costs.
Skill branches
| Branch | Focus |
|---|---|
| Vanguard | Offensive upgrades. |
| Bulwark | Defensive upgrades. |
| Wayfinder | Utility and supporting progression. |
| Legacy | Upgrades using Prestige Essence. |
| Aether | Long-term upgrades using Aether Cores. |
| Minigames | Gathering mastery progress and benefits. |
Skill availability and effects are displayed in the game. Some systems unlock later and cannot be bought immediately.
Upgrade skills
Use /skill upgrade to improve a selected skill. The supported quantity choices are 1, 5, or 10 levels, with the complete cost checked against your available resources and any level cap.
For supported ordinary skills, /skill train allows focused training using Gold. It can have session limits and cooldowns. Ordinary combat abilities can also contribute to relevant skill progression.
Combos
Certain configured skill sequences trigger additional effects. Run /skill combos to see the available combinations. Do not assume that pressing the same ability repeatedly will create a combo; use the patterns listed in the game.
Plan a build
Start with skills that solve your immediate problem: surviving encounters, dealing enough damage, or improving the particular activity you play. Save specialized investments until you understand their costs and how they interact with gear, Prestige, and Ascension.
Related: Combat · Prestige and Ascension