In Rise of the Tomb Raider, the gameplay experience is significantly enhanced through the use of three distinct skill trees: Survivor, Hunter, and Brawler. Each of these trees offers specialized abilities that align with different engagement styles, allowing players like Lara Croft to tailor their approach to various gameplay situations.

Skill Trees Overview

1. Survivor Skills:
– This tree emphasizes Lara’s endurance, resourcefulness, and crafting capabilities. Skills within this tree are designed to enhance survival tactics, making it easier to gather resources and endure the harsh environments she faces.
– Example Skills:
– Avid Learner (Tier I): Grants bonus XP from points of interest, which is beneficial for early game progression.
– Other skills in this tier focus on crafting speed and efficiency.

2. Hunter Skills:
– Focusing on archery and stealth, the Hunter tree provides abilities that enhance Lara’s effectiveness with ranged weaponry and her ability to navigate and interact quietly with her surroundings.
– Example Skills:
– Arrow Retrieval (Tier I): Allows you to retrieve arrows from defeated enemies, preserving ammunition.
– Breath Control: Increases steady aim time, enabling more precise shots.
– Scavenger: Improves ammo retrieval from enemies, reinforcing resource management.

3. Brawler Skills:
– This tree is dedicated to close-quarters combat. Skills here enhance melee attacks and provide opportunities for defensive moves, making Lara a formidable opponent even in hand-to-hand situations.
– Example Skills:
– Counter moves provide opportunities to engage enemies effectively during melee combat.
– Skills focus on increasing damage output and resilience during direct confrontations.

Unlocking Skills

To unlock these abilities, players must engage with the game actively and accumulate experience points (XP). The process is structured as follows:

1. Earn XP: Participate in various in-game activities, such as completing missions, defeating enemies, collecting items, and performing stealth kills.
2. Level Up: Accumulate enough XP to reach new levels and gain Skill Points.
3. Spend Skill Points: Use the Skill Points to unlock the various skills in your chosen tree(s).
4. Progress through Tiers: Skills within each tree must generally be unlocked in sequential order, starting from Tier I and moving up to Tier III.

Strategic Specialization

Players can choose to specialize in one particular skill tree for a focused approach or spread their Skill Points across multiple trees for a more diversified skill set. This choice will greatly affect your gameplay style. For instance, someone who favors stealth might prioritize the Hunter skills, whereas a player who enjoys aggressive combat might lean towards Brawler skills.

Conclusion

In Rise of the Tomb Raider, mastering the skill trees—Survivor, Hunter, and Brawler—enables players to adapt Lara’s abilities to fit their unique playstyle. By understanding the strengths and progression within these trees, players can enhance their gaming experience and navigate challenges in richer and more strategic ways. The choice of skills not only brings depth to gameplay but also encourages experimentation and exploration throughout Lara’s adventures.