Build stamina and health first, then check manuals, Corruption, points and time before buying vampire skills.
Not sure where your first points should go? Look at Endless Effort and Vigour in Swordmastery: one raises stamina, the other maximum health. Swordmastery works during both day and night, so these are useful starting options while you learn combat. This is a sturdy starting route, not the only build; read the current rank's cost before committing.
Three things to do first
- Find and activate a usable shrine, then open the skill trees there. Check your available points and inspect Endless Effort in Swordmastery. If its requirements are met, consider buying the first rank.
- If you keep dying in fights, inspect Vigour's health bonus. Point and time costs can differ by rank: read the screen rather than assuming every upgrade is free.
- When you want a night ability, inspect the Vampirism tree and the specific requirements for a skill you intend to use. Buy for an immediate need instead of spreading points just to fill every tree.
Why is a skill locked?
| Tree | When it works | Common prerequisite |
|---|---|---|
| Swordmastery | Day and night | Some nodes require a matching manual to be found and read before learning them at a shrine. |
| Witchcraft | Human form by day | Some nodes need a manual; check the individual description. |
| Vampirism | Night | A node may require Corruption or specific blood; inspect its requirements. |
Finding a manual or meeting a Corruption requirement generally makes a node available to learn; it does not spend the point for you. At a shrine, select the node, check the point and possible time cost, and hold confirm. Translated skill names can differ between versions and languages.
Learned it but cannot equip it?
Active abilities also need a matching ability slot. Check your day or night loadout and available slots. If they are full, choose which moves to carry; unlocking an ability does not automatically equip it. To add Swordmastery slots, inspect Master Fencer after Sustained Focus; for vampire slots inspect Vrakhiri Might. The in-game screen is authoritative for the current requirements and costs.
Sources: early skill choices and costs, ability slots and prerequisites.
Sources
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