The Outer Worlds Skills Guide

Check out this in-depth analysis of all the skills available for you to upgrade and use in The Outer Worlds to improve your character

By Hamza Khalid

Obsidian Entertainment’s The Outer Worlds is finally out and like in typical Obsidian fashion, the RPG is filled to the brim with possibilities and has an immense depth to the gameplay mechanics. There are several ways in The Outer Worlds that you can use to boost your character’s stats. If you’re not sure which skills to pursue, we’ve prepared this handy The Outer Worlds guide that details every skill, its benefits and the perks you gain after unlocking new tiers of skills.

The Outer Worlds Skills Guide

Skills don’t just alter your abilities; they also create wider options such as options of dialogue or combat techniques. You can invest a maximum of 100 points to skills in a core skill area. Each skill area is boosted up to 50 points, after which you can points to individual skills directly. You can pick a perk for every 20 points you’ve invested into a skill.

Melee

Boosts Critical Hit chance with handheld weapons.

1-Handed Melee

  • 20: Unlock Power and Sweep Attacks
  • 40: Unlock TTD Location Hit Effects
  • 60: 1-Handed Melee Weapon Reach +30%
  • 80: 1-Handed Melee TTD Drain -50%
  • 100: Power and Sweep Attack Chance to Stun +25%

2-Handed Melee

  • 20: Unlock Power and Sweep Attacks
  • 40: Unlock TTD Location Hit Effects
  • 60: 2-Handed Melee Weapon attacks are Unblockable
  • 80: 2-Handed Melee Weapon TTD Drain -50%
  • 100: Power and Sweep Attack Chance to Knockdown +25%

Ranged

Boosts Critical Hit chance with Ranged Weapons and adds to Weapon Sway. Each point has this effect on the following categories:

Handguns

  • 20: Unlock TTD Location Hit Effects
  • 40: Handgun critical damage +50%
  • 60: Minimum armor penetration damage +10%
  • 80: Debuffed enemy critical chance +20%
  • 100: Handgun critical hits ignore 100% armor

Long Guns

  • 20: Unlock TTD Location Hit Effects
  • 40: Long Guns Critical Damage +50%
  • 60: Long Guns Headshot / Weakspot Damage +20%
  • 80: Deadly Focus: No Weapon Sway for 5s after each kill
  • 100: Long Gun Critical Hits ignore 100% Armor

Heavy Weapons

  • 20: Unlock TTD Location Hit Effects
  • 40: Heavy Weapons Critical Damage +50%
  • 60: Heavy Weapons Reload Speed +30%
  • 80: Heavy Weapon Frenzy: Critical Hits increase Rate of Fire +30% for 3s
  • 100: Heavy Weapon Critical Hits ignore 100% Armor

Defense

Boosts Dodge and Block skills.

Dodge
Boosts how much distance you cover when dodging and also makes harmful status effects last for shorter durations.

  • 20: Unlock the Leap ability
  • 40: Dodge Recovery Speed +100%
  • 60: Dodge Protection: +30% Armor Rating for 5 seconds after dodging
  • 80: Dodge Force: Melee Attack gains 50%+ Damage after dodging
  • 100: Dodge Penetration: 50% chance of Weakspot Hits ignoring Armor for 5 seconds after dodging

Block
Boosts armor rating when holding melee weapons

  • 20: Perfect Block: Block just before you get hit to Stagger your attacker
  • 40: Weapon Durability Loss from Blocking -25%
  • 60: Walk Speed while Blocking +100%
  • 80: No Weapon Durability Loss on a Perfect Block
  • 100: Perfect Blocks weaken opponents so that they take 100% more damage for 5 seconds

Dialogue

Adds more conversation options when interacting with NPCs.

Persuade

  • 20: Cower: 20% chance of enemies cowering in fear for 3 seconds after you land the first hit
  • 40: Cower Duration +7 seconds
  • 60: Cowered Target’s Armor -50%
  • 80: Human Cower Chance + 10%
  • 100: When a Human cowers, you get a +25% Armor boost for 10 seconds

Lie

  • 20: Scramble: 15% chance of Automechanicals targeting your enemies 17 seconds
  • 40: Scramble Duration +7 seconds
  • 60: Scrambled Automechanicals will attack at normal speed
  • 80: Automechanical Scramble Chance +10%
  • 100: Scrambled Automechanical Weakspot Damage +30%

Intimidate

  • 20: Terrify: 20% chance Creatures will become Terrified and flee for 10 seconds after you kill one.
  • 40: Terrify’s area of effect +100%
  • 60: Terrified creature movement speed -30%
  • 80: Creature terrify chance +10%
  • 100: Terrifying a Creature gives 10s Crit Chance +5% and Critical Damage +25%

Stealth

Helps you sneak past security.

Sneak
This skill reduces the range at which enemies can spot you when you’re crouching. It also increases the rate at which foes will lose awareness of you.

  • 20: Sneak Attack: You can deal bonus damage to enemies who haven’t spotted you yet.
  • 40: Pickpocket: Steal stuff off people
  • 60: Crouch Move Speed +25%
  • 80: Sneak Attack Weakspot Damage +20%
  • 100: Sneak Attacks ignore +50% of the target’s Armor

Hack
Reduces the time taken and Bypass Shunts you encounter when hacking.

  • 20: You can sell goods to Vending Machines
  • 40: Gain access to Restricted Items in Vending Machines
  • 60: Hack Automechanicals to deactivate them for 10 second
  • 80: Automechanical Detection Range -30%
  • 100: Hack Automechanical Distance +2.5m for 5 mins.

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

  • 20: Doors and Containers requiring 1 Mag-Pick to unlock are free to open
  • 40: Find +25% more Bits in containers
  • 60: Lockpick Preview: See what is inside locked containers
  • 80: Lockpicking speed is increased to be nearly instant
  • 100: Find Pristine Item Chance +100%

Tech

Boost your knowledge of medicine and technology.

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

  • 20: Unlock the 2nd Drug Mixing Slot for the Inhaler
  • 40: Unlock the 3rd Drug Mixing Slot for the Inhaler
  • 60: Hostile Effect Duration on Targets +50%
  • 80: Unlock the 4th Drug Mixing Slot for the Inhaler
  • 100: Damage Bonus vs Humans +20%

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

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

Engineering
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: Field Repair: Repair weapons and armor in the inventory.
  • 40: Break down weapons and armor for a 20% chance to extract a basic mod.
  • 60: 20% chance items you repair will become Pristine, increasing value and durability.
  • 80: Break down weapons and armor for a 10% chance to extract a rare mod.
  • 100: Damage vs Automechanicals +20%.

Leadership

These skills allow you to boost companion morale, the damage they deal and their health.

Inspiration
Increases damage dealt by Companions.

  • 20: Companion Abilities: Companions do special attacks.
  • 40: +20% Companions armor rating.
  • 60: Companion skill bonus to player skills +100%.
  • 80: Inspired Precision: +20% Critical Hit Chance when companions kill an enemy.
  • 100: -20% Cooldowns to all abilities when Companions kill an enemy.

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

  • 20: The Inhaler heals you for 30% of the healing effect to your companions.
  • 40: Companion Critical Damage +20%
  • 60: Companions get on additional 25% of the Inhaler’s healing effect
  • 80: Resolve: If a Companion is downed, party gains +50% Armor Rating and Damage +50% for 10s
  • 100: 50% Health to Companions when they kill an enemy.

Those are all the skills you can use to boost your attributes in The Outer Worlds.  Make sure that when you choose which ones to boost, you’re thinking about what sort of character you want to be.  

About the Author
Hamza Khalid