The "Skill" Window
This window let you allocate Improvement Points (IPs) to your characters skills.
Your skills define what you can do, and how good you are at it.
This interface can be accessed by clicking on the "Skills" button in the left-hand menu. (Shortcut 'u').
Available Improvement Points
This is the number of IP's available for distribution. You gain new IP's as you level up. You will not be able to gain enough IP's to fill all your stats.
Suggested IP Distribution
This will automatically suggest skill distribution fitting your character selection. This option is available to you until you reach level 20. After level 20 you should have a better understanding of what skills you should focus on to fit with your playstyle. If you do not agree with the suggested distribution you can alter the skills before you accept the changes.
Your skills
The left-hand side of the skill window contains a skill category list. Selecting any of these categories will open up a sub menu with the skills associated with this category. Selecting any of these skills will highlight the skill and display a description of the skill in the info view.
You can adjust your skills by clicking the up or down button associated with the selected skill. Holding the Ctrl button while clicking the arrows will maximize or minimize the skill.
No changes are complete until you click the "Save Changes" button at the bottom of the Skill Window
Abilities are skills that are dependant on your breed. There are six base abilities - Strength, Agility, Stamina, Intelligence, Sense and Psychic. Base abilities have their starting values and IP cost determined by your breed. Increasing your abilities will also give a small boost to all the other skills that depend on this ability.
Each skill (and ability) is listed with its name, current ranks, and a color. The color of the bar reflects the cost of the skill for your profession - green is cheap through to dark blue that is expensive. But note that you don't need every green skill, and you often have to increase at least some of the dark blue ones.
The cost of increasing a skill depends on your profession. Some skills fall more naturally to an Agent than an Engineer, and vice versa. Also, for each rank you buy in a skill, the next rank will be more expensive. The limit for base abilities increases every level, while the limit for other skills increases each time you gain a new title.
The info view
Base Skill: This is your skill without any modifications.
Current Improvement: How many points you have raised your skill.
The following info can be turned on by enabling 'Detailed View' in the upper left corner 'i' menu.
Buffed Skill: This is your skill with all enhancements and buffs currently on your character.
Maximum Skill allowed: This is the max you can raise your skill to at your current level.
Cost to improve: How much IP it will cost you to raise your skill 1 point.
Current Improvement: How many points you have raised your skill.
Total cost: How many IP's you have assigned to this skill.
Reset skills
As you reach new "title levels" you are awarded "Reset points". These points can be used to remove all IPs from a skill and allocate them again. Abilities and the skill Map Navigation can't be reset. The "Reset points" are limited and you will not gain additional points if you spend them all. The purpose of these RPs are to allow players to reskill their character if major changes are made to the game rendering some of your skill choices invalid. They should not be used lightly. This option can be activated by enabling 'Reset Skill' in the upper left corner 'i' menu.