Dead Rising 4 puts a lot of emphasis on player progression, as you’ll level up regularly and earn skill points that you can put towards the game’s extensive skill tree. Utilizing this skill tree is vital to your survival throughout the game, as it will get you stat boosts, improved weapon efficiency, more room to hold items and a lot more. This guide will break down each of the game’s major categories, while telling you about the best skills to focus on.
Brawling
The first of the skill tree’s categories is the brawling category, which is all about getting better at taking out enemies up close and personal. The first skill to unlock will be the Melee Critical Hits skill, which will then allow you to start working towards the rest of the tree:
Close Quarters: Improved Critical Hits, Increased Weapon Durability, Greater Improved Critical Hits, Grapple Counterattack, Double Strike
Blunt Weapons: Improved Critical Hits, Improved Jump Attack, Increased Weapon Durability, Greater Improved Critical Hits, Melee Fury, Skill Move Efficiency
Bladed Weapons: Improved Critical Hits, Power Kick, Increased Weapon Durability, Greater Improved Critical Hits, Final Blow
Elemental: Elemental Critical Hits (Ice), Elemental Critical Hits (Acid), Elemental Critical Hits (Fire), Elemental Critical Hits (Electricity), Exo Suit Weapon Durability, Exo Suit Combat Efficiency
Vehicles: Minor Vehicle Durability, Reinforced Chassis, Vehicular Combat Efficiency, Major Vehicle Durability, Deadlier Vehicles
Best skills to get: Depending on the type of weapon you like to use, you’ll want to focus on that particular section of this skill tree. Blunt and Bladed are definitely the most useful when it comes to clearing out crowds and other enemy types, so those paths are good ones to start with. However, make sure that you also spend whatever you can in vehicles, because that one will be a great way to earn PP.
Fortitude
The second of the skill tree’s categories is the fortitude category, which just might be the most important one in the game. This one is all about increasing your health, stamina and defense. The first skill to unlock will be the Healing skill, which will then allow you to start working towards the rest of the tree:
Health: Increase Health (50 Points), Increase Health (50 Points), Increase Health (75 Points), Increase Health (75 Points), Increase Health (125 Points), Increase Health (125 Points)
Stamina: Increase Total Stamina I, Increase Total Stamina II, Athlete, Increase Total Stamina III, Increase Total Stamina IV, Marathoner
Defense: Damage Resistance (Melee), Damage Resistance (Ranged), Damage Resistance (Elemental), Evasion
Maneuvers: Improved Dodge, Improved Reflexes
Healing: Metabolic Boost I, Fast Healing, Greater Healing I, Metabolic Boost II, Greater Healing II, Over-Heal, Greater Healing III, Combat Healing, Inspiring Presence
Best skills to get: There’s a lot of great stuff to get in this category, but put your priority on the Health and Healing branches first. Having more health and the ability to recover it faster will ensure that you’ll be able to last a lot longer in combat, which is the biggest part of the game. Stamina is also great for being able to sprint longer, though the two skills in the maneuver branch aren’t all that important.
Shooting
The third of the skill tree’s categories is the shooting category, which is essential for those who prefer to utilize guns over melee weapons. This one will improve your efficiency with each type of gun within the game, as well as increasing your weapon capacity. The first skill to unlock will be the Ranged Critical Hits skill, which will then allow you to start working towards the rest of the tree:
Pistols: Improved Critical Hits, Focused Aiming, Increased Ammo Capacity I, Pistol Adept, Increased Ammo Capacity II, Greater Improved Critical Hits
Shotguns: Improved Critical Hits, Increased Ammo Capacity I, Shotgun Adept, Increased Ammo Capacity II, Greater Improved Critical Hits
Rifles: Improved Critical Hits, Focused Aiming, Increased Ammo Capacity I, Rifle Adept, Increased Ammo Capacity II, Greater Improved Critical hits
Miscellaneous: Stingy Shooter, Increased Capacity (Thrown) I, Increased Capacity (Thrown) II, Precision Targeting, Elemental Critical Hits (Explosive)
Best skills to get: Again, the type of weapon that you like to use will decide which branch to focus on here. Out of the 3 weapon branches here, Rifles are probably the most useful seeing as they are the best way to clear out zombie hordes quickly and aren’t too shabby against humans, either. The miscellaneous category is great if you like throwing items, though it isn’t essential.
Survival
The fourth of the skill tree’s categories is the survival category, which will make you a more efficient adventurer. This one will allow you to hold more items, earn more PP, find more money and more. The first skill to unlock will be the Improved Crafting skill, which will then allow you to start working towards the rest of the tree:
Combat: Combat Pupil, Improved Combat Flow, Hit Counter Resistance, Near-Death Focus, Combat Scholar, Combat Repairman, Instant Self-Defense
Scrap: Scrap Scrounger, Keen Senses, Lucky Find, Improved Scavenging, Smart Shopper
Inventory Slots: Food Inventory Slot +1, Melee Inventory Slot +1, Thrown Inventory Slot +1, Ranged Inventory Slot +1, Food Inventory Slot +1, Melee Inventory Slot +1, Melee Inventory Slot +1, Food Inventory Slot +1, Melee, Ranged, and Thrown Inventory Slots, Food Inventory Slot +2
Crafting: Efficient Crafting, Fast Crafting
Stealth: Speed Takedown, Enemy Sense, Stealthy
Best skills to get: This branch of the skill tree is very helpful all around, but you’ll definitely want to put more focus on inventory slots first. You start off with very shallow pockets early on in the game, so the quicker that you can expand your inventory the better. A close second would definitely be the combat branch, as this will get you more PP that will then allow you to unlock more skills faster.
Multiplayer
The last of the skill tree’s categories is the multiplayer category, which can only be accessed when playing the game’s multiplayer (surprise). This one offers a variety of buffs relative to the slightly different situations found in multiplayer, such as lengthening the bleeding out timer or reviving an ally faster. Unlike the other skill trees, in order to unlock the skills you will need to find their accompanying skill manuals that will be hidden within any of the mode’s 4 missions.
Skills: Food Bank, Thick Skin, Stock Up, Out with a Bang, Surgeon, Jackpot, Frostbite, Quick Study, Investment, Grave Robber, Potluck, Gold Exo Suit Access Keycard, Solid Gold
Best skills to get: It’s harder to give advice for this one seeing as you won’t unlock the skills in a steady order, but the Surgeon and Thick Skin skills will come in very handy for keeping you and your teammates alive during the more difficult missions.
