--- key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-skill-tree type: mechanic id: game-mechanics--gm-skill-tree lang: en title: Skill tree summary: >- Progression points unlock linked nodes. A chosen path defines a specialization: some upgrades are immediate, while others require earlier investments. updatedAt: '2026-10-21' status: active url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-skill-tree/' jsonUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-skill-tree.json markdownUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-skill-tree.md aliases: - Skill trees tags: - Game design techniques - Progression - Character sourceIds: - source-722c8a012b5e794d - source-0fb531488d34e1c6 - source-e6334788435add3d - source-5d6fd7309d3a0ef6 - source-e90fabef292a4b97 - source-099b58071670c2bb - source-9f2a915a1ac28603 sources: - id: source-722c8a012b5e794d title: 'Game Mechanics: Skill tree' url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/skill-tree' verifiedAt: null - id: source-0fb531488d34e1c6 title: Far Cry 3 (2012) url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/skill-tree/game/far-cry-3' verifiedAt: null - id: source-e6334788435add3d title: Far Cry 4 (2014) url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/skill-tree/game/far-cry-4' verifiedAt: null - id: source-5d6fd7309d3a0ef6 title: 'Tom Clancy''s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint (2019)' url: >- https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/skill-tree/game/tom-clancys-ghost-recon-breakpoint verifiedAt: null - id: source-e90fabef292a4b97 title: Assassin's Creed Valhalla (2020) url: >- https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/skill-tree/game/assassins-creed-valhalla verifiedAt: null - id: source-099b58071670c2bb title: Dying Light 2 Stay Human (2022) url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/skill-tree/game/dying-light-2' verifiedAt: null - id: source-9f2a915a1ac28603 title: Last Epoch url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/899770/' verifiedAt: null relations: [] placements: - catalogId: game-mechanics id: gm-skill-tree title: Game design techniques url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/game-mechanics/#gm-skill-tree' categoryIds: - gm-category-progression - gm-category-character supersededBy: [] attributes: preview: updatedAt: '2026-10-21' title: Skill trees description: >- Progression points unlock linked nodes. A chosen path defines a specialization: some upgrades are immediate, while others require earlier investments. image: src: images/mechanics/last-epoch-skill-tree.webp width: 1440 height: 810 game: Last Epoch sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/899770/' originalUrl: >- https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/899770/ss_e51b2a99932a05cc5e97da15080b358835c66343.1920x1080.jpg?t=1792426633 credit: Eleventh Hour Games rights: © Eleventh Hour Games. All rights reserved. caption: Ballista upgrade branches alt: >- Last Epoch: a Ballista tree with allocated and empty nodes, connecting paths and three unspent points. markers: - x: 50 'y': 22 label: Points still available to allocate - x: 57 'y': 67 label: An allocated path connects several upgrades tips: - Show a node’s requirements before a point is spent. - Distinguish changes in play style from numerical improvements. examples: - title: Last Epoch url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/899770/' endsAt: null provenance: >- Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification. license: CC-BY-4.0 codeLicense: MIT attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors catalogKey: catalog/game-mechanics --- # Skill tree id: game-mechanics--gm-skill-tree type: mechanic key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-skill-tree lang: en status: active url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-skill-tree/ Progression points unlock linked nodes. A chosen path defines a specialization: some upgrades are immediate, while others require earlier investments. ## At a glance ![Last Epoch: a Ballista tree with allocated and empty nodes, connecting paths and three unspent points.](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/last-epoch-skill-tree.webp) [Last Epoch](https://store.steampowered.com/app/899770/) · © Eleventh Hour Games. All rights reserved. 1. Points still available to allocate 2. An allocated path connects several upgrades - Show a node’s requirements before a point is spent. - Distinguish changes in play style from numerical improvements. - [Last Epoch](https://store.steampowered.com/app/899770/) ## How it works Linked progression nodes govern the unlocking of abilities. ## Variants ### How the technique works - Linked progression nodes govern the unlocking of abilities. ## Context and limits All 199 Game Mechanics entries at the check date: player actions, systems, presentation techniques and contested patterns. Entries are grouped by their first source-card category; all categories appear in their descriptions. Definitions use original wording. References link to game-specific galleries; images and videos remain at the source. ## Connected materials ## Sources and provenance Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification. - [Game Mechanics: Skill tree](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/skill-tree) (id: source-722c8a012b5e794d) - [Far Cry 3 (2012)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/skill-tree/game/far-cry-3) (id: source-0fb531488d34e1c6) - [Far Cry 4 (2014)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/skill-tree/game/far-cry-4) (id: source-e6334788435add3d) - [Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint (2019)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/skill-tree/game/tom-clancys-ghost-recon-breakpoint) (id: source-5d6fd7309d3a0ef6) - [Assassin's Creed Valhalla (2020)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/skill-tree/game/assassins-creed-valhalla) (id: source-e90fabef292a4b97) - [Dying Light 2 Stay Human (2022)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/skill-tree/game/dying-light-2) (id: source-099b58071670c2bb) - [Last Epoch](https://store.steampowered.com/app/899770/) (id: source-9f2a915a1ac28603) CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors