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Skills

Every class has 30 skills in three trees (see your class in Skills by class). In a run you don't buy them with points: you find them.

Skill catalogue

Open Journal → Skill catalogue from the home screen to study all 330 class skills, including locked classes. Choose a class, a branch and a skill. Prerequisite and incoming synergy links open their source skill; triggered internal skills are named without a playable-class link.

The catalogue shows descriptions, reward level requirements, weapon/form requirements, base cooldowns, life costs, summons, effects and synergies. Allocate 1–20 preview points and add 0–20 equipment levels to compare base values with the next allocated point. This equipment preview range is a control limit, not an item rule. Equipment levels may take an effective skill above 20, but only allocated points count for synergies. Cross-class skills receive no normal +skill bonuses. Gear-granted skills (oskills) are a separate source and can work without allocated points. The preview assumes a matching-class hero and excludes incoming synergies, character stats, enemies and room effects. It cannot change a hero or spend points.

Your first skill

Every hero starts with the basic attack and two skills of their class, already on the bar: a main attack and an answer to a group (a blow that reaches neighbors, a nova or an area), given by the starting kit even if its tree would ask a higher level. Use the first on a lone or tough target, the second when several foes stand together. See Classes for each class's starting skills.

Finding skills

Every boss (the one at the end of each floor, and the named ones) offers three skills to choose one from, apart from its item; so do some events. Ordinary fights offer items only, so every skill you learn is a choice. Every level also brings a skill point for a skill you already know.

  • Most offered skills are from your class and follow its tree: only skills your level allows, and only once you know their prerequisites.
  • About one in ten belongs to another class: any of theirs your level allows. A Knight can throw fire bolts. It works at its own level: your +skills to your class or trees don't raise it, but +all skills from gear does nothing for it either, and synergies only count skills of its own class.
  • Taking a skill you already know gives it one more level, up to 20.

The grimoire and the bar

Every skill you learn stays in your grimoire with its levels, for the rest of the run. The bar has 6 slots (plus the optional basic attack): it only says which skills you take into battle. Outside battle, open the hero’s Skills section, tap a bar slot and then choose a skill from the grimoire. The bar stays visible while you browse. Tapping a grimoire skill without a slot selected opens its description and level preview; its detail panel also lets you spend an available skill point. A new skill never costs you the levels of another: put it on the bar, or keep it for later.

Passives don't need a slot: they work from the grimoire.

Skill points

Each level gives 1 skill point. Points only raise skills already in your grimoire (new ones come from the dungeon), up to 20 hard points per skill. +skills from gear add to skills with at least one point, and synergies count hard points, as always.

Equipment can improve the skill you cast, but equipment levels in its synergy sources do not increase the synergy bonus. The build-change notice follows the same invested-point rule as combat.

Successful hits and temporary protection

Frenzy, Feral Rage and Maul gain their stacking bonuses from successful hits. A blocked or avoided attack does not add a stack or apply the attack's declared target statuses. Temporary barriers disappear when their owning buff expires or is replaced, even if absorption remains. Casting a newer barrier makes its own buff control that pool; an older buff expiring cannot remove it.

Periodic effects aimed at random enemies, including Song of Storms, can target the hostile side in turn-based combat. They still need a living enemy to strike.

For reproducible checks, the development simulator has a skills audit covering every skill definition at levels 1–20. Its report lists each description and the exact behavioral contracts exercised; it does not certify every possible build or automatically interpret natural-language promises. See the simulator documentation for commands and coverage limits.

Attribute points

Each level also gives 5 freely assignable attribute points. Save them or assign them in Hero → Stats, check the preview, then confirm. Strength improves physical weapon attacks; Dexterity improves speed and dodging; Vitality adds life; Energy improves spells, including physical spells. Gear can require Strength and Dexterity as well as level. Read Attributes and requirements for the exact rules.

Long skill descriptions and level details use vertical scrolling with an overflow hint. The reward/inspection title and Learn or Raise action stay fixed. The passive lower-edge hint disappears at the bottom and reserves no space; inspecting a different skill starts at the top.

Wendigo Shape lists its permanent form bonuses separately from Per hit while transformed bonuses. Each successful hit adds one hunger stack, up to ten. Those stacks expire after the listed duration without another successful hit; their bonuses affect your character. Long-press a combat skill to inspect it, scroll within the panel, and tap outside to close.

The basic attack can be turned off and back on in Hero → Skills. It does not occupy one of the six skill slots. Tap any skill slot to choose a learned active skill; clearing a slot preserves the skill and its levels.

Skills granted by equipped items appear alongside learned skills and can be assigned to the bar. Removing their source disables them; the slot remembers your choice and becomes usable again when the source is re-equipped. These grants do not create invested skill points. Charged skills list their item, level and remaining uses separately and remain accessible through Item skills during battle.