Skills

Skills are a type of game mechanic in Dead State.

Skills can be thought of as the character's knowledge base - emotional, physical, and learned knowledge. Every action in the game requires Skill checks to determine how successful the player is at achieving certain actions. There are eight Skill categories.

Skill points are used to increase skills, with more points needed for higher levels of the skill. Each skill begins at 0 and can be improved up to a level of 10. One skill point is needed for the first level of each skill. One of two Skill Perks can be selected at levels 3, 6, and 10 for each skill. Skill Perks can be active skills (such as the Kick ability gained at Melee level 3) or passive skills (such as the Survey ability gained at Survival level 3).

Stat points are granted each time a skill point milestone is reached. Defeating enemies does not yield experience.

Skill List

Melee

How well the character deals with close enemies (physical force)

• less AP required for melee strikes
• more damage caused in melee strikes
• greater ability to Bash objects

Ranged

How well the character deals with distant enemies

• increased accuracy (damage/critical hit chance)
• increased range
• faster reload time (less AP needed)

Leadership

how well the character is able to get others to follow their example

• dialogue skill (ranges from reasoned to intimidating), can be used to increase the survivor's mood if you tell them to get back to work.
• increases effectiveness of allies in combat

Negotiation

how well the character convinces others to share their point of view

• dialogue skill (ranges from understanding to conniving). Can be used to increase the survivor's mood if granting a survivor their request to take the day off.
• reduces Morale decay

Medical

How well the character deals with healing the human body

• less AP required for using healing items
• more health gained from healing items
• can heal wounds on self and allies

Science

how well the character can reuse elements to create new items

• crafting new items (better armor, new ammo, new thrown weapons [explosives])
• crafting medical supplies
• upgrades to Shelter
• coats Melee weapons with a contact corrosive, inflicting the Poisoned status

Survival

How well the character survives in an outdoor environment

• fast travel on the Area Map
• Harvesting on the Area Map
• actively avoid random encounters

Mechanical

How well the character works with items with moving (machine) parts

• Lockpicking ability
• upgrade to Shelter
• upgrades to weapons

Skill Perks

Skill Perks are gained at level 3, 6, and 10 of a skill. As an ally's skills increase, they gain perks as well. The player can influence what perks are received.

Skill	Level 3		Level 6		Level 10
Melee		Backstab: +15% Critical Chance for attacks to an enemy's back		Barrage: Save up to 4 AP for the next turn.		Warrior: critical chance for all melee weapons doubled
		Brawler: +5 to Armor Class		Quick Reflexes: -1 AP to Melee attacks
Ranged		Vital Shot: +5% Critical Chance against humans.		Quick Draw: -1 AP for Ranged attacks		Sharpshooter: Increase effective distance of all ranged weapons by 50%
		Head Shot: +10% Critical Chance against undead.		Quick Reload: -2 AP for reloading a weapon.
Leadership		Aim for the Head: Team +25% to hit chance for 3 rounds, 5 round cooldown.		Get Up: Targeted KO'ed Ally is immediately revived with 10 health, 5 round cooldown.		Double Time: +4AP for every ally for 1 round
		Don't Panic: No team member can panic for 3 rounds, 5 round cooldown.		Finish Them: Team has +50% Critical Chance for remainder of turn.
Negotiation		Likeable: +5 Morale each day		Popular: +10 Morale each day.		Unity: -20% time for every project
		Team Effort: -25% repair time for crisis damaged upgrades.		Rationing: -25% food consumption per day.
Medical		Paramedic: +5 hp healed by medical items.		Combat Medic: -50% to AP cost of healing in combat.		Expert Physician: +10HP to all allies
		Herbalist: +2 bandages per day added to shelter inventory.		Chief of Operations: +50% to healing rate of shelter doctor/nurse.
Science		Immunity: +50% to chemical resistance.		Chemist: -50% to Lab project times.		Bomberman: +50% damage with thrown weapons
		Inventor: +1 gallon of fuel added to shelter inventory each day.		Pharmacist: 2x anti-biotic production.
Survival		Survey: +50% to world map detection range.		Trailblazer: +25% to world map speed when on foot.		Animal Magnetism: Dog will show up and help in combat.
		Forager: +25% to items in forage random encounters.		Expert Gardner: +50% to Garden food production.
Mechanical		Architect: -10% to upgrade construction time.		Solar Power: -50% generator fuel use.		Impenetrable: Fence +500HP
		Efficiency: -10% to upgrade requirements use.		Grease Monkey: -50% to vehicle fuel use.