Mandatory skill unlocks?

[capiVara]

I am basically still at the start and the skill tree only offers me Overhead Slash, a heavy attack that consumes force on use. Since I want to build for force powers and thus have no desire to spend force points on melee attacks, I wouldn't intend to use this skill in the first place. Do I just need to get further into the game to get access to more skills, or are the skill trees essentially linear in that one skill is required to be allowed to unlock the next?

[DiabloMuerto]

Yes, more skills open up as you unlock "base" abilities via story. That said while I'm not at the end yet I do believe you will have enough points to get everything, so it's less about a choice and more about priority for your play style. I personally went with the defensive stuff first, if nothing else I would definitely suggest taking the life extensions. The way the force regen works I think you will find it hard to focus on force powers, it's a little better later game but early game I'm not sure that works too well. Also you don't unlock the force powers in the tree, you get their augments/upgrades from the tree but the base powers are unlocked at specific story points so you won't have push/pull for example until you reach that point, which might effect any force based play style you're planning. You get push fairly early, pull is a good bit in or at least it seemed so to me.

[capiVara]

Thanks, I will keep that advice in mind. :)

[Lerriand]

Skill tree is linear and it expandes as you progress through the main story. With every major story
unlock you will get a bunch of new perks in all 3 tree which can be unlocked. But ye as I said the tree is linear so you can't just pick the last power in a tree for your first ability.

And don't worry about which path you prefer. I maxed out the force path first but the game has a very good skill tree. Everything is useful. And It's most likely that you will get every point for the endgame, especially if you want to collect every item for that sweet 100% gameplay

Edit: force power regen is not a problem for the endgame thanks to a specific perk. And you can collect things which expandes your resources until you get that perk.