What are the first few skills you guys would suggest I work towards?

[Salem Graves]

I've decided to start over now that I have a better understanding of the game and I wasn't super happy with the faction I decided to join. Also I think my character build was rubbish and I think I'll do better this time. I know animal trophies is a given, what else?

[Singrave]

next time just complete all the quests for all faction and make a control save, so you don't need to start from a scratch.

Lockpicking 1
Barter 1
Stamin 1
HP 1

dunno, you don't need much skills prior joining a faction.
After joining a faction just get skills for weapons you use and faction "magic" skills.
Don't know how to get wrong in this game :-/

[v0]

dunno you can do all quests and explore everything and get lvl 34 before you even join anyone :P early game i found lockpicking and hunting quite useful and stamina +1 and bit later ability to advance some weapons to +1. some convo checks require couple points in certain skill areas so that may be another thing to watch out for.

[magna]

Chemistry -> health potions, elex potions for attributes and skills, mana
Group -> companions get significantly better
Lockpicking
Stamina
Hitpoints
Armor

[Dorok]

I don't think there's a Barter skill, it's more Haggle and from what I read it's reduction on buy, not worth it.

Good Eater increase hugely food healing, it is definitly a must.
Animal Trophies 1 and when possible 2.
Lock Picking 1
Hack 1

For helping in combats:
- Stamina 1 should help and looks like a good first skills.
- Armor 1, it should give 5 per level, it should help too.
- Attack Strength 1 doesn't increase damages but makes your hit bash monsters more/better, it's definitely helping.

If you want support more dialog check, I suggest consider do it after.

And to support all crafting you can delay even more.

It's quite playable to change those suggested priority, but this should probably smooth a bit first steps.

[Spocks Toupee]

Originally posted by VirazolKaine:

I've decided to start over now that I have a better understanding of the game and I wasn't super happy with the faction I decided to join. Also I think my character build was rubbish and I think I'll do better this time. I know animal trophies is a given, what else?

Trophy as high as you can get it, because at level 3, with just a short hunting session you can end up with Hundreds or Teeth, Claws, Feathers, Ivory etc, and easily rack up 5 - 8K elexit per hunting session

Chemistry for making Elex potions

Don't waste points in Lockpicking, there's nothing worth a damn in anything you can lockpick, besides you can get a lockpicking amulet for free

Also, get the skill that gives you more experience for Killing Monsters, you can easily level up just by hunting

Hitpoints is a waste of a skill because you don't get extra HP per level with it.

[Dorok]

Lockpick is level 1/2/3 the amulet is to get to 2, and later to 3. If you explore somehow you'll quickly find level 2 at least.

The problem of trophies 3 is it is too much demanding on attributes reuquirements, it could be good but no way it's for first sets of skills, except perhaps if you decided already your build and the attribute requirements of Trophies 3 match.
Elex potions are increasing cold it's not a neutral choice.

I agree for HP perk, not worth it.

[Kaerius]

Originally posted by Dorok:

Lockpick is level 1/2/3 the amulet is to get to 2, and later to 3. If you explore somehow you'll quickly find level 2 at least.

The problem of trophies 3 is it is too much demanding on attributes reuquirements, it could be good but no way it's for first sets of skills, except perhaps if you decided already your build and the attribute requirements of Trophies 3 match.
Elex potions are increasing cold it's not a neutral choice.

I agree for HP perk, not worth it.

Grab chemistry and steal and sell stuff until you can afford enough natural elex to potion your way to Trophies 3.

Even if you drink hundreds of elex potions you can still get the good/emotional ending if you make it a point to pick emotional dialogues.

[Salem Graves]

Is it just the elex potions (the ones for ap and skill points) that increase cold? Or do all potions? Is it reasonable to think about playing though the game without crafting elex potions?

[Fenix-Venix]

Your perks and stats depend only on way you want to play.

I decide to see what every check can give me, so I did only quests wuthour them first, only charisma checks were hard to accomplish.

First perks I got were Stamina - looks like a good thing if you ever want to go melee, and perk that adds HP -in my opinion it's late-game perk, when you have good armor.

So, I don't like to miss closed chests, so first thing I did after is perk for lockpicking, with amulet it's already 2/3, later on rised it again, so now I can open all chests.
Also, got obvious Chemistry.
Later Goldsmith for Reaver amulet with it's +1 to stealing - because using meta for acquiring amulet for me ruining experience, and first lvl of Stealing/Theft.
Also Gemstone Socket to utilize those gemstones I already have wound.

After that I got Heavy Punch - to get maximum firepower for 1 skill point.

All these crafting perks naturally lead me to a Balanced and Mutant Killer for melee, which honesly wasn't noticeble boost at all till I could equip weapon better than Broad Sword - which is now Mace (super op weapon).
After that I took Personality Skill, that adds +10 to Charisma.
Later - Hack.

Last thing I took was Animal Trophies lvl 1 - I delayed it because I think that another perks are better early for my purpose, and I heard that this completely eliminates money problem, which is BAD in my opinion.
Next perk I going to take is probably Melee Weapon lvl 1 - another +10% of damage added.
After that probbaly Animal trophies lvl 2.

[Karina]

1) Chemistry
2) Animal trophies 1
3) Lockpicking 1
4) Attribute
5) Attribute points 1
6) Group 1
7) Haggler 1
8) Animal trophies 2
9) Lockpicking 2
10) Animal trophies 3
11) Good eater

Forgot about combat skills- you will mostly do errands and social quests unitl you joined a faction. Get that 50 INT ASAP for extra attribute points- buy every Elex you come across and make potion out of it. You do not lose anything by doing so- you will NEED 55 int to get animal trophies 3- it is lifeblood of your economy. Almost all your money will come from selling bodyparts of dead animals +you will be able to collect Elex from some mutants and robots. After you done this steps you can consider what combat style you want- melee, ranged, caster (clerics only).

[Fenix-Venix]

Originally posted by Esteban Failsmore:

Get that 50 INT ASAP for extra attribute points.

Extremally bad advice.
Earliest you can take it - 7 lvl, at 27 lvl you'll get 20 statpoints. which is a 10 Elex potions, lol.
Not worth it.

[Karina]

Originally posted by Fenix-Venix:

Earliest you can take it - 7 lvl, at 27 lvl you'll get 20 statpoints. which is a 10 Elex potions, lol.
Not worth it.

Originally posted by Esteban Failsmore:

You do not lose anything by doing so- you will NEED 55 int to get animal trophies 3- it is lifeblood of your economy.

[Veritas]

There's three methods of leveling. There's long term power building by dumping to get 50 int and the attribute skill, and buying the skill chemistry to craft elex potions to chug for attribute points to spend in other areas. The early game will be slow and you'll need lots and lots of Elex, but since you can pick up taskmaster and bookworm the bonus experience will make long term leveling faster, and the extra points will add up.

Then there's power leveling, where you focus on getting your strenght and dexterity very high early to use weapons like the horned sword sooner rather than later. Once you can use a broadsword 1 (36 str 36 dex) or the energy regent 1 you find in the basement of the building that berzerker is hiding with his mutant brother (43/43) you'll be able to do most of the dangerous early quests in goliet to get the high xp rewards they offer to level up very quickly, relatively speaking. It goes without saying you should focus on combat related skills. With those stats you'll also be able to upgrade the cultivator bow and have a strong ranged option.

Then you've got balanced leveling, which is exactly what it sounds like.. leveling 3-4 skills at a time, with a 5th omitted for a while if you know it isn't relevant to your build until the late game. This is slow, though, and it;ll take longer before you're combat ready with anything other than regular raptors, spire hounds, critters, biters, and low tier reavers.

[Kozzy]

I got Lockpicking to 2, pickpocket 1 and better stamina to start. Only change I would make is to is get pickpocket later on, maybe chemistry or armor earlier instead.

[Shrapnel]

probably haggle, good eater, and melee or range dmg...

Originally posted by Dorok:

I don't think there's a Barter skill, it's more Haggle and from what I read it's reduction on buy, not worth it.

Good Eater increase hugely food healing, it is definitly a must.
Animal Trophies 1 and when possible 2.
Lock Picking 1
Hack 1

For helping in combats:
- Stamina 1 should help and looks like a good first skills.
- Armor 1, it should give 5 per level, it should help too.
- Attack Strength 1 doesn't increase damages but makes your hit bash monsters more/better, it's definitely helping.

this is a good example of grouping skills that complement different types of playstyles
The 1st set have the skills I'd go for 1st and are more of a 'slow burn' kind of game because there wont be alot of combat in the initial levels. I might make slight detours to allow for wearing hunter armor and equipping horned sword but majority of points are going to int and dex for AT

2nd grouping is better for newcomers to PB games imo, makes you a little more prepared for an action oriented game