Skill

Skills are abilities that are used to make characters stronger. Each of the four classes has one active ability and three skill trees, each of which have seven skills in them. All known skills in the trees are passive, meaning that their effects are automatic.

When the player levels up, they are awarded with a single skill point. The first skill point is gained at level 5, and is used to acquire the active skill for the character's class. Each skill, aside from the active skill, can be upgrade 4 times (reaching a maximum level of 5). Assuming there are no other sources of skill points, the player will have accumulated 46 skill points by the time they reach the current maximum level, 50.

Skill Tree Structure
As stated previously, each class has a single active skill and three skill trees, each of which contain seven skills. These seven skills are further divided into four tiers. The first three tiers have two skills each. The last tier only contains a single skill, presumably the most powerful one. To advance to a lower tier, the player must first invest five skill points into the tier that is currently the lowest one (excluding the first tier, which is unlocked after putting a single skill point into the active skill). These skills can be invested in any combination of the skills of the current tier. While maxing a single skill is possible, it is not required to advance. For example, advancement is possible if a player invests two skill points into Skill A and three points into Skill B.

Players are not required to dedicate themselves to a single skill tree. Players can spend points however they want. If the player make a mistake, the player can spend money at a registration (New-U) station to respec, or redistribute his skill points as he fit. This costs money, and the cost is positively correlated with the number of skill points the player is respeccing. It is not confirmed if the player can respec only the skill points he wants to move, or if he must reallocate every skill points. (Xbox 360 version all points are reset to be reallocated.) Because there are forty five skill points, it is possible for a player to gain access to every skill except one fourth-tier skill by investing their five points in a 1-4 or 2-3 distribution among each of the first three tiers in all three trees, and then taking two skill points from one third-tier tree skills and giving one each to the fourth-tier skills in the other two trees. Because no single skill is given many points, especially the later skills, this build may be weaker than the other builds. It is also possible for a player to max out every skill in a single tree, with ten points left over to allocate freely.

It is also possible to find class mods that give additional points in one or multiple skills, however one must have access to that skill before the addition can be applied.

Active Abilities

 * See article: Active Abilities, for info.

Each character has a single Active ability. This is the first skill that is learned, and it is learned at level 5.

Brick
Brick's active ability is Berserk. While in this state, Brick's vision becomes clouded with blood, he starts laughing manically, and he puts his guns away in favor of using his fists to pummel enemies. His melee damage is increased, he takes less damage from enemy attacks, and he regenerates health in battle.

Lilith
Lilith's active ability is Phasewalk. When Lilith uses Phasewalk, she turns invisible and can move quickly. Randy Pitchford has frequently compared it to the Lord of the Rings, saying that it is similar to when Frodo puts on the ring. However, unlike when Frodo takes off the ring, when Lilith comes out of Phasewalk, there is a small shockwave that damages enemies in the area of effect.

Mordecai
Mordecai's active ability allows him to send an alien pet, a falcon-like bird named Bloodwing, out into the fray to deal massive damage to enemies.

Roland
Roland's active ability is Scorpio Turret. This is a turret that attacks enemies while providing cover for the team with an attached shield.

Of the four, Roland's active ability provides the most offense. His Scorpio Turret can kill or slow down many enemies in one use, while Bloodwing only attacks one, and then not always reliably. Lillith's Phasewalk is more of a defensive tool when playing alone. For the first 20 or 25 levels, its main value is in getting away from enemies rather than killing them with it.

Skill Trees
Each class has three skill trees. A known skills in these trees are passive skills that either activate under special conditions (e.g., when Mordecai scores a kill), or is a permanent, passive buff (e.g., +12% maximum health for Brick's "Hardened" Skill).

Brick
Bricks skill trees are Brawler, Tank, and Blaster.
 * Brawler focuses mainly on increasing Brick's ability with his fists.
 * Tank focuses mainly on damage mitigation and recovery.
 * Blaster focuses mainly on Brick's proficiency with explosive weapons, such as rocket launchers.

Lilith
Lilith's skill trees are Assassin, Elementalist, and Controller.


 * Assassin focuses mainly on doing damage, especially with Phasewalk and melee attacks
 * Elementalist focuses on Lilith's interactions with tech effects.
 * Controller focuses on mitigating damage and dazing enemies.

Mordecai
Mordecai's Skill trees are Rogue, Gunslinger, and Sniper.


 * Rogue focuses mainly on improving Bloodwing and the loot gained from enemies (e.g., ammo, pistols and small loot).
 * Gunslinger focuses mainly on improving Mordecai's ability with pistols.
 * Sniper focuses mainly on improving Mordecai's ability with Sniper Rifles.

Roland
Roland's skill trees are Infantry, Support, and Medic.


 * Infantry focuses on improving Roland's ability with weapons and his turret.
 * Support focuses mainly on providing support bonus for the party (e.g., regenerating ammo).
 * Medic focuses mainly on keeping the party alive, from reducing damage to healing friendlies.