- Trees
- Swordmastery, Vampirism, Witchcraft.
- The cost
- Learning and upgrading perks spends in-game time, not just points.
- Missable
- Master of Arms, Arch Warlock, Creature of the Night and Mastery — all four marked MISSABLE.
- Why
- The stated reason for Mastery: ability levelling requires sufficient skill points.
- Level target
- Level 20 to roam the whole map; Glass Ceiling (silver) wants 50.
- Traversal first
- Mercurial Fervour (Witchcraft) and Shapeshift (Vampirism) — early traversal is slow without them.
The trap in the tree
What to take in the first few days
Mobility before damage
Mercurial Fervour (Witchcraft) and Shapeshift (Vampirism) are top priorities from the starter kit, because initial traversal is slow without them. They also feed Shadow Roamer, the bronze for 1000 metres travelled with Vampiric abilities.
Days 3–5: damage and health pool
Its early-game guidance is Stinging Blade and Fate's Favour for Swordmastery damage, Witchcraft Mastery specifically for Burning Blood, and Nourishing Blood plus Razorsharp Claws in Vampirism for damage and survivability together.
If you are building Swordmaster
The Swordmaster build takes Vampirism perks and Unholy Vitality early, as foundational support for both daytime and nighttime combat while the sword build comes online.
If you are building Witchcraft
Early points go into perks from Witchcraft and Swordmastery together to maximise skill value, then shift gradually toward Witchcraft ability uptime and damage.
If you are building Vampirism
Fundamentals early, claw damage in the mid game, abilities to round it off late.
Abilities that come from choices, not points
- Scarlet Shield — draining Ambrus at night after the duel rather than killing him. Killing forfeits it.
- Shadowstorm — the same decision with Bakir.
- Blood Surge, and a Legendary Amulet — kept by fighting Xanthe; allying with her clears her servants out of the castle and skips the trap room, but forfeits both (Game8). ⚠️ Vandal found no way to drink from her at Howling Keep, and takes Blood Surge from a Vial of Xanthe's Blood in the Svartrau Cathedral treasury instead.
- Mandrake Ward — eating the mandrake during The Night of Horrors. It prevents lethal damage once per night, and refusing also locks Lacra's romance out permanently.
- Font of Life perk — using the Font yourself during Stronger Than Achilles. Giving it to Anca unlocks romance dialogue instead; destroying it grants a Legendary armour piece.
- ⚠️ Two of the choices above also decide a legendary item — the Ancient Greaves (the Font of Life) and Xanthe's amulet — but neither is the only way to fill its slot: the legendary list has three legendary trousers and five amulets, and Gear of the Gods only asks for one in each slot at once.