Please consider fixing/upgrading/reworking Wilson's skill tree.

[Anis5240]

I know this ain't much, but surely it had been very noticeable (for NEARLY TWO YEARS NOW) that Wilson continued to be left behind compared to other characters who had more fleshed out content. So here's my skill tree concept for him; feel free to take them as inspiration or something.

 

Much thanks in advance if you do consider doing such change.

[MarcoReverie]

In a respectful alternative, but in agreement with my friend, I share my ideas.

Wilson's skill tree could be improved through his interaction with minerals (especially gemstones) due to his knowledge of alchemy. But also in the fields of chemistry, medicine and science that are related to alchemy.
These ideas come from a shared perspective with several of Wilson’s players.

TORCH TREE
The torch is a symbol of Wilson, so I believe this tree can be improved first and foremost by adapting it, so a torch can be useful in all phases of the game, and not just in early game.
With that in mind, torch toss should be the first tier in this tree, as this skill allows the use of other tools or ítems (such as a lantern on the ground). Attacking by throwing it and setting MOBs on fire (like burn the witch haha) could also be a nice option.
In the next tiers, the use of the torch needs to be improved until it becomes a light source that can easily replace other light sources such as the Miners hat, the Lantern, Campfire and even the Endothermic fire. Accordingly, a torch should be refuelable and have thermal properties. So my suggestions are:

1. Torch Toss (on the ground or for the attack).
2. Torch Longevity through manual refuel (by twigs or grass). Will lost at 0%.
3. Torch Range. Increases the light (5 units) and provides heat (level 1 heat source 70°), enables food to be cooked.
4. Endothermic Torch. Recipe: Grass x2, twigs x2, Nitre x2. Can throw, refuel, and cools (level 1 cools source -10°). An added perk could be that you can turn evergreens into petrified trees by placing them in cold fire.
5. Final Locked Tier. Prometheus Torch. An infinite and rechargeable torch (Olimpic). Can use nitrate for cold fire or nightmare fuel for black fire. Additional Perks: Increases movement speed by 25% while equipped. Recipe: Walrus Tusk, Gold, Red Gem. Can be used as a weapon like a normal torch.

BEARD TREE
Now for the beard tree, IMO, it can be a passive perk based on a tree with no prerequisites, only 4-5 individual skills at current second or third tier.
On the other hand, the beard can be converted into an active perk, instead of passive, with the use of hair tonics to control growth or isolation rate, maybe to go from Tier II to III.
Also, you can craft a Luxury Hairbrush (Recipe: Blue Gem, Walrus Tusk, Bone Shard x8) to control overheating, instead of losing the beard in summer, by resetting the isolation rate.

• Slot 1. Beard storage. Able for items and food. The stored items that are not food will reduce the movement speed.
• Slot 2: Beard insulation at its current Tier II or III.
• Slot 3: Beard growth at its current Tier II or III.

Additional beard perks:

• Option A. Beard Armor. Protects 5%, 10%, 15% per stage (passive perk) or by using a hair tonic (active perk). Should lose beard hair when it absorbs all damage. Recipe for hair tonic: seeds x4, marble bean x1, rock x1.
• Option B. Beard Electrostatic. When the beard is dry (mainly in summer and winter), items lying on the ground are automatically attracted into the beard storage (attract range 1,3,5 units per stage). Since the beard hair has an electrostatic charge, you can use it to refuel Miners hat and Lantern by 39%.

ALCHEMY TREE
Wilson must learn further transmutation recipes at the Alchemy Tree, like:

• +Icky: glow berry-lesser glow berry, bunny puffs-pig skin, spider gland-mosquito sack. Consider to transform Bone shards to Fossils.
• Transmutation should include Grass-Petals transform.
• The branches of Transmutation could be divided just into 2 Tiers and save 3 skill points.
• Able to transforming Boards-Cut Reeds (simile to Cut Stone-Marble) could be added to the last level of Transmute Ore-Plants (Nature).

SCIENCE TREE (NEW)
With the remaining 8 skill points, Wilson can have a new tree based on Science with 2 branches.

• Initial slot. Blueprint. Wilson can craft blueprints of known recipes using a cartographer’s desk. Each time he creates a blueprint for the first time, his sanity is restored (15). Recipe: Papyrus, Feather pencil.

Chemistry branch

1. Superbatery. Items that require an electrical doodad are reduced by half. Reduce half the discharge rate for Morning Star.
2. Nitroglycerin. A highly explosive substance (340 damage) into a flask that can be throw. It can explodes into backpack while running. Recipe: Red Gem x1, Nitre x3, Flint x3.
3. Sun Flask. A chemiluminescent reaction in a flask. Can refuel Miners hat or Lantern before activating. When equipped, it activates and provides a powerful light (5 units) and heat (220°) for 2 minutes. After use, the remainder can be used to instantly dry meat or add water/ice to create a throwable acid bomb that deals acid damage (similar to fire damage). Can be thrown into ponds to create nitre formation. Recipe: Bone Shard x2, Blue Gem x1, Flint x3.

Medicinal branch

1. Anatomy. Healing items that cost health cost half. A Telltail heart that Wilson gives to a ghost does not cause a health penalty. Can craft Meat effigy without prestihatitator.
2. Plague Doctor Hat. A nice mask-hat. While worn, the crafting of healing items is duplicated. Provides protection from miasma and resistance to wetness (20%). Recipe: Gold x2, Pigskin x2, Purple Gem x1. Hat only lasts for 2 minutes (6 game hours) and degrades while worn (Lost Sanity -2/minute).
3. Dissection. Use a razor on monster meat to extract the nightmare fuel and gain meat (Morsel). When used on normal flesh, you will get a bone shard and rot. If you use it on skeleton or bone, you will receive double bone shards and into the caves get 1 fossil piece.

Locked Tier (prerequisite: 3 slots in the science tree). Adrenaline Injection. Craft an injection that increases damage, defense and speed while reducing sanity and hunger by 2 minutes. Stop frezzing / overheating. Recipe: Stinger x2, Bone Shard x4, Spider Gland x1.

 

I hope this too can bring some good ideas. 

[Anis5240]

To be honest, it really was saddening that current Wilson's skill tree only has alchemy/transmutation going on for him. If you fully choose torch and beard tree, his character tab in the crafting menu would be zero items. Nothing, zip, zilch, nada. Not to mention said perks only benefit him. If that is Klei's 'answer' for making him more useful multiplayer-wise then it sure ain't it.

3 hours ago, MarcoReverie said:

I hope this too can bring some good ideas.

Truly. Late-game wise, I just use the meat-morsel transmute and few occasions of twig-log transmute. You'd want a character that remains useful in every part of the game, not a sad pathetic guy with a fiery stick that gets abandoned as soon as he made the iridescent gem.

Why even making him turn into a swap character? I thought skill trees are meant for players to have different skills while using the same character? Different benefits and downsides, not just more and more buffs???

It really said a lot that Klei wasn't satisfied with the characters' prior reworks.

[MarcoReverie]

On 1/10/2025 at 9:09 PM, Anis5240 said:

To be honest, it really was saddening that current Wilson's skill tree only has alchemy/transmutation going on for him. If you fully choose torch and beard tree, his character tab in the crafting menu would be zero items. Nothing, zip, zilch, nada. Not to mention said perks only benefit him. If that is Klei's 'answer' for making him more useful multiplayer-wise then it sure ain't it.

Indeed, I going for all Alchemy tree and some of Beard. Actually, for me is a kinda annoying the full beard growth but just for summer and overheating.

[Anis5240]

43 minutes ago, MarcoReverie said:

Indeed, I going for all Alchemy tree and some of Beard. Actually, for me is a kinda annoying the full beard growth but just for summer and overheating.

This is my usual Wilson set-up:

As for getting overheating in summer, I usually just stay down in caves during that season lol.

That said, the usual routine I established was this:

- Make alchemy engine by end of day 1 (if the world gen is not messed up of course lol)

- If world is twiggy tree, transmute logs to twigs.

- If running low on rocks but have tons of flints, transmute flints to rocks.

- Have razor ready and visit local beefalo herd for beef wool.

- Transmute some of the wools into beard hair for a meat effigy (circa day 8-12) and make winter hat for those few days of winter where you ain't guaranteed to get a Tam o Shanter.

- Kill any small mobs for meat/morsel then just go off transmute one end to another when it's nearly rotten, rinse and repeat.

- Beard storage is very cool to have.

- After a while, go off having a Varg trapped for grinding gem farm or killing Dragonfly for extra funny iridescent gem.

And that's really just about it. Hound tooth-bone shard is just there unless you got enough shroom skins for glowcaps. And of course the least said about the rot-manure transmute the better.

It really was a shame to see there ARE some genuinely good stuff in his skill tree, but the sheer amount of fillers (who even NEEDS THREE TIERS OF TORCH RADIUS OR DURABILITY FOR GOD'S SAKE) just crippled him to the point of being such a laughing stock within the community.

[MarcoReverie]

You will like this @mkemal23

[MarcoReverie]

I have been scratching in almost all posts related to Wilson skill tree rework, updates, etc., trying to find the players most concerned to review or improve this skill tree.  

In this new post, we are trying to convince Klei to rework 2.0 Wilson ST and also share some ideas (if it is helpful).

Of course there are more Wilson main players out there, but at least we can all show Klei that there is a real interest in Wilson. I invite you to share and show your interest, ideas, successes and failures in the proposals, but let in show Klei that Wilson have fans (barrio) that believe he must not be cursed as the "basic-beginners-neutral-starter-default character". 

@Gashzer, @Cheggf, @Ryusuta, @Saladmanders, @chirsg, @Beetrice @ShadowDuelist @Swiyss, @Dr.Webber @HowlVoid, @Evelo, @RozeMeteor

Together can be more.

I hope you don't feel invaded by my tag.

[Gashzer]

1 hour ago, MarcoReverie said:

I have been scratching in almost all posts related to Wilson skill tree rework, updates, etc., trying to find the players most concerned to review or improve this skill tree.  

In this new post, we are trying to convince Klei to rework 2.0 Wilson ST and also share some ideas (if it is helpful).

Of course there are more Wilson main players out there, but at least we can all show Klei that there is a real interest in Wilson. I invite you to share and show your interest, ideas, successes and failures in the proposals, but let in show Klei that Wilson have fans (barrio) that believe he must not be cursed as the "basic-beginners-neutral-starter-default character". 

@Gashzer, @Cheggf, @Ryusuta, @Saladmanders, @chirsg, @Beetrice @ShadowDuelist @Swiyss, @Dr.Webber @HowlVoid, @Evelo, @RozeMeteor

Together can be more.

I hope you don't feel invaded by my tag.

Im the wrong person to tag...

Im a big fan of the torch tree/torch throw skills. Only useful alchemy skills for me are the gem ones for iridescent gem.

My Wilson load out is gem branch of alchemy, full torch tree and the 3 beard insulation skills with shadow affinity.

Fully upgraded torch with torch throw is just so good. It's an upgraded lantern/cheap star caller because you can throw it where u exactly want it and twigs/grass don't spoil like light bulbs do and are everywhere. You can spam craft a few to create a cave battle arena and since they are so cheap to craft you can just abandon them unlike a lantern.

I honestly prefer torch throw/skills to willow's fireball/brighter lighter skills. Torch throw feels much much smoother to use compared. Since Wilson can transmute twigs to logs, you can make a campfire anywhere to cook like Willow.

Rot to manure transmute needs the reverse manure to rot.

[Evelo]

Considering my preferences for skill trees and the lack of popularity of my preferences compared to the general publics, I should avoid giving recommendations.

I just want Wilson to get a proper Re-fresh because he still never got one technically speaking.

[Swiyss]

You're lucky I played 50 something days on Wilson only recently, and I gotta say I'm a fan of the torch skill too and I think it is sufficient. I don't upgrade the torch throw tho.

I like to lvl up insulation from beard, light radius and duration, rock and flint transmutation and meat and small meat too. Then I just do Lunar wilson for easier kills on nightmare fuel with a hambat early game since I'm mostly insane at the caves and when fighting something.

But no really, I believe Wilson is -unfortunately for you guys- kinda fine. He mostly needs maybe 1 or 2 new skills and to short the lvls from the beard and torch side IMO.

[Anis5240]

3 hours ago, MarcoReverie said:

I have been scratching in almost all posts related to Wilson skill tree rework, updates, etc., trying to find the players most concerned to review or improve this skill tree.

I suppose the regret I had was not coming to this forum when his skill tree was in beta...  just look at the difference between Wendy players and Wilson players. The former had been very vocal on voicing their thoughts about what would suit Wendy.

Meanwhile, Wilson players 'work' on the basis "It's good enough." And back then, it really was 'good enough', because everyone thought it would be the end of character updates. The original DS Wilson was still in the game, but now you can customize him via skill points. That was different compared to other characters. Everyone else had their kits changed in DST via their reworks.

The first thing I ever said in this forum was whether Wilson could have a beard shield, and while not many engaged with the post, they still made fun of it, saying 'it's not befitting his playstyle'. What sort of playstyle did he even have? He only had his beard that acts both as an upside and a downside.

People had thought after Wilson's 'update', it meant Klei could finally focus on the lore contents and such.

Well look how badly that backfired onto us.

People on Klei's Discord server practically agreed on how horrible the whole torch tree was, and suggested that it should at least extend to other light sources. And of course I agreed with them. It's not like he's JUST depicted with a torch - he used other items too - just that the torch is the most 'common' thing.

Again, the real problem was how much Klei extended those filler perks. No one ever wants a 3-tier branch that just focused on ONE SINGLE PERK. And yet Klei did it anyway, even present in others' skill trees to such extremes (especially Wolfgang).

I may hate on the torch toss, but I still could acknowledge some who do like it, so I retained such thing in my skill tree concept. Such small perk shouldn't even take that much points to get to in the first place.

3 hours ago, MarcoReverie said:

Wilson have fans that believe he must not be cursed as the "basic-beginners-neutral-starter-default character". 

 

1 hour ago, Evelo said:

I just want Wilson to get a proper Re-fresh because he still never got one technically speaking.

Preach.

[Anis5240]

4 minutes ago, Swiyss said:

He mostly needs maybe 1 or 2 new skills and to short the lvls from the beard and torch side IMO.

And by that, you already agreed with us that he deserves better.

[MarcoReverie]

2 hours ago, Gashzer said:

Im the wrong person to tag...

Im a big fan of the torch tree/torch throw skills. Only useful alchemy skills for me are the gem ones for iridescent gem.

My Wilson load out is gem branch of alchemy, full torch tree and the 3 beard insulation skills with shadow affinity.

Fully upgraded torch with torch throw is just so good. It's an upgraded lantern/cheap star caller because you can throw it where u exactly want it and twigs/grass don't spoil like light bulbs do and are everywhere. You can spam craft a few to create a cave battle arena and since they are so cheap to craft you can just abandon them unlike a lantern.

I honestly prefer torch throw/skills to willow's fireball/brighter lighter skills. Torch throw feels much much smoother to use compared. Since Wilson can transmute twigs to logs, you can make a campfire anywhere to cook like Willow.

Rot to manure transmute needs the reverse manure to rot.

I actually also go for all Torch longevity and Torch Toss. I really enjoy it but maybe because I used it a lot, I feel it could be better. The others points go for Alchemy: Gems I-III, and Icky I-II, Beard insolation I-III and storage. Just when I play with my girlfriend, I choose all alchemy tree and nothing from torch tree. 

So, I am really adapt to his tree. I like the character and his background. But, his skills where not totally explodes based on Wilson's history and future. 

I also feel that Wilson skill tree release has not the same impact and review for Klei as it has Wendy. I don't know if she has more fans, mains... or just was different moments in the DST history.

IMO, Wilson skill tree is really overdue not just comparing with other characters, but with game evolution. 

 

[HowlVoid]

Funny enough i suggested Wilson get an alchemy like ability converting one item into another. Not sure if a developer saw it all those years ago but I do like that part of that tree. My only issue is how limited it is and how expensive some things are. I wish they did more with it.

[Cheggf]

On 1/13/2025 at 2:11 PM, MarcoReverie said:

I have been scratching in almost all posts related to Wilson skill tree rework, updates, etc., trying to find the players most concerned to review or improve this skill tree.  

In this new post, we are trying to convince Klei to rework 2.0 Wilson ST and also share some ideas (if it is helpful).

Of course there are more Wilson main players out there, but at least we can all show Klei that there is a real interest in Wilson. I invite you to share and show your interest, ideas, successes and failures in the proposals, but let in show Klei that Wilson have fans (barrio) that believe he must not be cursed as the "basic-beginners-neutral-starter-default character". 

@Gashzer, @Cheggf, @Ryusuta, @Saladmanders, @chirsg, @Beetrice @ShadowDuelist @Swiyss, @Dr.Webber @HowlVoid, @Evelo, @RozeMeteor

Together can be more.

I hope you don't feel invaded by my tag.

Now more than ever it is important that Wilson must be the basic beginner neutral starter default character. If they're going to eternally keep buffing every character over & over & over again who will I have left if not Wilson? Wilson's skill tree rework should be removing his skill tree so all he has is the base beard he's had since Strange New Powers.

[Anis5240]

1 hour ago, Cheggf said:

base beard

He still has that, god. If you just don't bother choosing any of his skill tree perks then THAT'S your default DS Wilson.

[Beetrice]

IMO they need to give more utility for beard hair and meat effigies. Beard Hair is only for carpet (generates naturally) and meat effigies, which are terrible, costing more than life giving amulets but also being entirely worse. I think torch perks should also apply to lanterns so that they're not super useless after you get one.

[Anis5240]

30 minutes ago, Beetrice said:

meat effigies, which are terrible, costing more than life giving amulets but also being entirely worse.

What.

Dude, having a revival method anywhere you can set up is pretty great. I've seen many people set up at least one meat effigy in their base as insurance whenever they die out elsewhere and be within the safety of their base ASAP. Not everyone has a spot for LGA in their inventory.

33 minutes ago, Beetrice said:

Beard Hair is only for carpet (generates naturally)

Since when you can have beard hair rug as 'set piece', huh. This ain't like those places where clockworks gonna be where you can confirm they'll have the carpet flooring.

[Anis5240]

I've been thinking of adding a beard whip, which is made by at least 4 beard hair + tail o' three cats. Considering how both kelp stalk and tail o' three cats only do 27.2 damage, it's rather a shame how whip weapons couldn't be fully utilized because of the lowered damage, especially when compared to the other unused weapons which are darts. Especially the blow darts, while having more range and doing more damage than a whip per attack, is 'balanced' by how expensive each dart needs as materials.

So for this new beard whip, it'll do 51 damage, and has 100 uses too. I'm also thinking it would be great if you can change some mobs' states - such as making them panic at a higher chance, or changing how they look (for example you can change regular bunnies into beardlings or regular pigs to werepigs) - at a cost of some of the beard whip's durability. Maybe 20%.

[Anis5240]

Changed a bit of the design and some stuff.

If there were to be a beard whip, which branch would be suitable? Beard or Inventor? 

[Anis5240]

3 minutes ago, Britain Khan said:

There is a lack of a reset

more like there's a lack of variety, hur dur

have fun seeing the #7389290202th torch toss. or spam right-clicking transmute items 24/7.

The beard storage has its good perks (letting Wilson to stash meat items in it and not being hounded by otters/bunnymen/bunny king) so it's ok for the cost it had in the current skill tree.

[Anis5240]

Just now, Britain Khan said:

it should be like a bear bag

yeah, could be rather nice to have. if Klei doesn't want to make it like that (since insulated pack and icebox both do 25% spoilage), then 37.5% spoilage rate is probably a bit ok.

[Anis5240]

1 minute ago, Britain Khan said:

Torchthrowing is a work of genius，can be perfectly replaced by a hand lantern.

If you're being sarcastic, then yeah I agree. I still don't know why Klei did such thing to separate the light radius and durability AT THREE POINTS EACH only for it to end with such a lousy touch. That thrown torch should at least can be as 'portable campfire' or set mobs/items on fire.

And again as I said, if you choose both full perks of torch and beard, you'd have nothing in the character tab. Then what's the point of setting up such tab in the first place? Only for other characters? Oh please.

[MarcoReverie]

Some refined ideas regarding Wilson Skill Tree

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Anis5240]

I feel so sad right now, man. Walter and Wendy of all people gets healing perks as part of their skill tree stuff...