Gaming has come a long way, and one of the coolest parts of many modern games is how skill trees let you shape and tweak your character just the way you like. Whether it’s through making your character stronger, giving them new powers and abilities, or just letting you customize your playstyle, a good skill tree can totally change how you experience a game.
Some games have really nailed this feature, making it a key part of why they’re so fun and addictive to level up and get skill points that can be invested in these trees. Here’s a look at five of the best skill trees in gaming that really stand out for either their design, their depth, or how they impact the game.
5. Skyrim
Skyrim is often remembered not just for its engaging and immersive world but for how it made character development feel both satisfying and visually appealing. The game’s skill tree system stands out thanks to its design which is visually striking, with constellations representing different skill paths, which made leveling up feel very visually appealing too.
Each skill tree is filled with perks that influence how you play the game via different builds, and include substantial upgrades that are worth it. Whether you want to be a stealth archer, a mage, or a warrior, there are plenty of meaningful upgrades. At the time the game came out, many games had often simple and straightforward skill trees. Skyrim’s system felt far more richer and artistic, and still holds up well.
4. Shadow of Mordor
Shadow of Mordor’s skill tree is a game-changer, quite literally. What makes it stand out is how the skills you unlock don’t just add to your character’s abilities but also fundamentally change how you approach the game. The skills are substantial, and it’s often hard to pick just one at a time, making you feel desperate to rack up skill points quickly.
These skills add many layers to the gameplay, giving you more ways to either be stealthy or strong via the two main skills trees named Ranger and Wraith respectively. You can noticeably feel your character, Talon, get stronger and better by the end of the game thanks to all of these useful skills.
3. Borderlands 2
In Borderlands 2, skill trees are divided into three main sub-trees, focusing on certain builds. They each offer a variety of ways to customize your gameplay for the six Vault Hunters in the game. This variety in both the characters and the skills is a big reason that the game has lasted so long.
Whether you’re building a tanky character who can soak up damage like Salvador, a powerful sniper who can take out enemies from afar with Zer0, or a support character who can heal and buff teammates like Maya, Borderlands 2 is great with several playstyles. The various skills in these trees aren’t just small buffs as they can drastically change how you play the game.
2. Dishonored
Dishonored’s skill tree is a masterclass in how to use abilities to shape not just your character, but the world around you. The game gives you supernatural powers, and each one changes how you interact with the world, move around, or take out enemies drastically.
Whether it’s the ability to teleport short distances, possess animals and humans, or even stop time, these skills open up new ways to approach missions that almost completely change the game. You can also combine these powers in unexpected ways to outsmart enemies or bypass obstacles. This freedom makes each mission feel different with multiple ways of getting through.
1. Disco Elysium
Disco Elysium takes a completely different approach to skill trees. This system isn’t about gaining physical abilities or combat prowess like with other games and skill trees, but more so about shaping your character’s personality and mind via dialogue options.
The skills in the game affect how your character thinks, interacts with others, passes dialogue checks, etc. Increasing certain skills to a certain level unlocks new dialogue options, which reveal a lot more about the game’s world and lore. Plus, the art and design of these skills are absolutely visually striking, adding to the game’s unique and stellar art direction.
Which of these games has your favorite skill tree? Let us know in the comments!
