Wilson's skill tree rework concept

[GoblinTherapy]

Just wanted to share some ideas I had for a rework to Wilson's skill tree. I'm sure a lot of people can agree that Wilson's existing skill tree is quite underwhelming and boring in its current state and so I wanted to expand on it without compromising the 'Jack-of-all-trades' and beginner friendly role that Wilson has in the game, while leaning into his scientist/inventor flavour and self-sufficient means. I tried to design skills that would help a lot in the early game as well to help new players learn the basics of the game a little easier. I also made sure to introduce no complex new mechanics, as Wilson should stay basic and simple in his abilities. The skills are categorized as follows: 

 

Torches

Torch Range I: 

- Increases the light range of equipped light sources to 3 units.

Torch Range II: 

(Prerequisites: Torch Range I)

- Increases the light range of equipped light sources to 4 units.

Torch Range III:

(Prerequisites: Torch Range II)

- Increases the light range of equipped light sources to 5 units.

Torch Toss: 

(Prerequisites: Torch Range III)

- Allows Wilson to throw a torch on the ground, where it will continue to burn and provide light. (Identical to existing skill) 

Boldly Go Forth: 

(Prerequisites: Torch Range III)

- While Wilson has a torch or lantern equipped, he moves 20% faster. 

 

I like Wilson's existing torch skills but obviously it is very annoying that they don't apply to other light sources like lanterns or miner hats, so now the extended light range applies to these too. I also moved the torch durability skills to apply to other items as well, which you can see further down in the post. 

 

Alchemy

Transmutation I: 

- Grants the effects of existing skills Transmutation, Transmute Ore I, Transmute Gems I, and Transmute Icky I for a single skill point. 

Transmutation II: 

(Prerequisites: Transmutation I)

- Grants the effects of existing skills Transmute Ore II, Transmute Gems II, and Transmute Icky II for a single skill point. 

Transmutation III: 

(Prerequisites: Transmutation II)

- Grants the effects of existing skills Transmute Ore III, Transmute Gems III, and Transmute Icky III for a single skill point. 

 

The biggest problem I have with Wilson's skill tree is that the Alchemy skills eat up so many of your skill points, if you want to unlock all of the transmutations it requires a whopping 10 skill points leaving you with very few if you want to invest into any other skills Wilson has to offer. Therefore I decided to merge the existing skills into just 3 skill points, letting Wilson players save a lot of skill points to invest into his other skills. 

 

Innovator

Eureka: 

- When Wilson prototypes an item, he receives twice the sanity bonus and a second copy of that item. 

 

Sharp Mind I: 

- When Wilson uses weapons that he crafted himself, he deals 4 additional damage. 

Sharp Mind II: 

(Prerequisites: Sharp Mind I)

- When Wilson uses weapons that he crafted himself, he deals 8 additional damage. 

Sharp Mind III: 

(Prerequisites: Sharp Mind II)

- When Wilson uses weapons that he crafted himself, he deals 12 additional damage. 

 

Made to Last I: 

- Items used by Wilson that he crafted himself lose durability a little slower (results in 12.5% higher total durability.) 

Made to Last II: 

( Prerequisites: Made to Last I)

- Items used by Wilson that he crafted himself lose durability even slower (results in 25% higher total durability.) 

Made to Last III: 

(Prerequisites: Made to Last II)

- Items used by Wilson that he crafted himself lose durability much slower (results in 50% higher total durability.) 

 

Savvy Collector I: 

- When Wilson gathers twigs or grass tufts he has a 50% chance to gain an extra resource. 

Savvy Collector II: 

(Prerequisites: Savvy Collector I)

- When Wilson cuts down a tree or mines a boulder he has a 50% chance to gain an extra resource (can be any of the resources in the object's pool, eg a tree can drop an extra log or pinecone, and a gold vein can drop an extra rock, flint or gold nugget.)

 

This is the meat of the new skills I had ideas for, the Torch Longevity skills that increase torch durability are now called Made to Last and apply to other items that Wilson makes, but only while he himself is using them (to prevent character swapping abuse of this skill.) If this is too strong then certain items or categories could be made exceptions to this. 

The other skills are quite strong early game but fall off later on, helping new players have an easier time surviving early on without giving veteran players too much to abuse. 

 

Beard

(No changes to existing skills.)

 

The beard skills are my favourite part of Wilson's existing skill tree, I think they're all perfect as they are and suit Wilson well. 

 

Affinity

(No changes to existing skills.)

 

Shadow Courtier and Lunar Innovator are pretty boring skills to be honest but I think they suit Wilson just fine, although maybe the numbers could be tweaked a little higher? 10% is quite a weak bonus, maybe more like 15% would be nice. 

[Anis5240]

9 hours ago, GoblinTherapy said:

the numbers could be tweaked a little higher

dude even Wigfrid (le funny supposed warrior character) only got +5% damage bonus against the opposing affinity.

also like no offense man, but I very much dislike any skills that need perquisites and cringe 3-tier stat-boost levels. Like, at the very least just 2 tiers. And some stuff could be combined, like just combine both Sharp Mind and Made to Last stuff together. Because, surprise, surprise; you can use the torch to attack too (it deals 17 damage).

But of course that's just my 2 cents so whatever.

[MarcoReverie]

On 2/12/2025 at 12:57 AM, GoblinTherapy said:

Just wanted to share some ideas I had for a rework to Wilson's skill tree. I'm sure a lot of people can agree that Wilson's existing skill tree is quite underwhelming and boring in its current state and so I wanted to expand on it without compromising the 'Jack-of-all-trades' and beginner friendly role that Wilson has in the game, while leaning into his scientist/inventor flavour and self-sufficient means. I tried to design skills that would help a lot in the early game as well to help new players learn the basics of the game a little easier. I also made sure to introduce no complex new mechanics, as Wilson should stay basic and simple in his abilities. The skills are categorized as follows:

I love when I see people posting their ideas on Wilson Skill Tree. Lets make this bigger and trying to construct a solid idea on the skill tree. I believe there are really good ideas for improved Wilson. Regarding your ideas, I'm agree to extend Torch Tree to Light, but torch range are too simple. I like how you save skill points in Alchemy, this tree could be simplify, but I like the current names. Innovator could be better, see the next ideas (based also in some ideas of @Anis5240). Finally, don't just close to enhance numbers on the skills, go further, to new mechanism, new items, maybe some good ideas will like to Klei.

Well, I not sure what version is, but I'm trying to enhance every time I can. Hope you like.

LIGHT TREE 

1. Torch Range. Torch provides maximum range of Light (5 units), as fuel is depleted the light radius gradually becomes smaller in four discrete steps. 
2. Torch Toss. Torch can be throw on the ground (can use for cook food) or onto Mob for attack (Deals 17 damage a set Mob on fire).
3. Light Longevity. Increases durability by a total of 50% for all portable light items (Lantern, Miner Hat, Torch, Morning Star).

LOCKED SKILLS (PREREQUISITES: UNLOCK AT LEAST 3 TORCH SKILLS) 

• Shock spear (New item). A melee weapon with electrical damage and provides a light radius (2 unit). Deals 34 or 63 damage and it has 150 uses. Recipe: Spear x1, Electrical Doodad x2, Frazzled Wires x1. INSTEAD OF TURN MORNING STAR REFUELABLE (INFINITE).
  • OR (VOTE)
• Ultimate Torch. (New item). A refuelable torch (portable fire pit). Add Nitre to create an Endothermic Fire that cools gradually by fuel from -40° to -10°. Setting a tree on cold fire will create an ice (instead of charcoal). Additional perk: Increases movement speed by 25% while equipped (olympic torch). Recipe: Scales x1, Gold Nugget x4, Red Gem x1.

 

BEARD TREE 

1. Beard Insulation. Can use Beefalo wool to coat the beard (max. 3) for improved insulation. 1 wool increase 20% more insulation; 2 for 40% and; 3 for 70%. Shaving will only return Beard Hair. Losing all beard will lost the effect. 
2. Beard Storage. Allows food and non-stackable items to be stored in the beard 1/2/3 slots per stage. 
3. Beard Growth. Accelerates beard growth to 2/5/10 days.

LOCKED SKILLS (PREREQUISITES: UNLOCK AT LEAST 3 BEARD SKILLS)

• Beard Armor. Beard provides damage protection of 2%, 5%, 10% per stage. Can use a Steel Wool to coat the beard (max 3) to add 10% extra protection. Shaving only return Beard Hair. Losing all beard will lost the effect.
  • OR (VOTE)
• Frizzy Beard (New item). Beard Hair now has a static charge able to fuel Miner Hat or Lantern for 45 sec (9.5%). Craft a Luxury Comb that reset to 0 beard insulation for 6 min (20 uses). Recipe: Walrus Tusk x1, Blue Gem x1, Flint x1. 

 

ALCHEMY TREE 

NATURE BRANCH 

1. Transmute Nature I. Transform Log<->Twigs. Rocks<->Flint, Nitre<->Gold Nugget. 
2. Transmute Nature II. Cut Stone<->Marble, Marble<->Cut Stone. Marble to Moon Rock.
3. Transmute Nature III. Thulecite fragments x6 to Thulecite.

GEMS BRANCH

1. Transmute Gems I. Transform Red Gems<->Blue Gems and to Purple Gems. 
2. Transmute Gems II. Transform Orange Gems, Yellow Gems, Green Gems (make equivalent in value / exchange rate between all of three).
3. Transmute Gems III. Transform Iridescent Gem and reverse transformation. 3 Iridescent Gem to 1 Pearl.

ICKY BRANCH 

1. Transmute Icky I. Transform Meat-Morsel. Beard Hair-Beefalo Wool,
2. Transmute Icky II. Transform Rot to Manure. Hound’s Teeth-Bone Shards.
3. Transmute Icky III. New transform: Bone Shards x8 to Fossil Fragment x1 (one-sided).

 

SCIENCE TREE (NEW)

• Blueprint (New item). Can craft a Blueprint tube able to stack 20 Blueprints, Recipe Cards, Sketches or Adverts. Recipe: Rope x2, Cut Reeds x4, Tentacle Spots x1. Can use the Cartographer’s desk to draw Blueprints from known recipies. Every first time crafting blueprint restores sanity (5). Recipe for Blueprint: Papyrus x1, Feather Pencil x1.

CHEMISTRY BRANCH 

1. Super batery. Items that requires Electrical Doodad reduce to half. Can craft Frazzled Wires. Recipe: Gold Nugget x2, Beard Hair x2, Mosquito Sack x2.
2. Red Sun (New item). A chemiluminescence experiment into a flask (based on phosphorus sun experiment). When equipped, reacts and provides a powerful light and a small amount of warmth for 2 min. After use, the residual (into the flask) can use to instantly drying a meat. Otherwise, can add Ice/water to create a throwable acid bomb causing acid damage or throw into ponds to create Nitre formation. Recipe: Blue Gem x1, Flint x4 (to create a flask), Bone shards x4 (a phosphorus source).
3. Nitroglycerin (New item). Craft a throwable highly explosive substance into a flask (340 damage). Can explodes into the Backpack (or Beard) while moving. Recipe: Red Gem x1, Nitre x3, Flint x4 (create a flask).

MEDICAL BRANCH

1. Anatomy. Healing items that cost health will cost half. Telltale heart giving it to a Ghost by Wilson will not cause health penalty. Can craft Meat Effigy with out a prestihatitator. 
2. Plague doctor hat. (New item). While worn, crafting healing items will be duplicate. Immune to acid rain. Only lasts for 4 minutes and degrading while equipped (Sanity -10/minute). Recipe: Batilisk Wing x2, Straw Hat x1, Purple Gem x1.
3. Adrenaline shot. (New item). Craft an injection that increase damage (20%), speed movement (20%) and speed actions (50%) while reduce sanity (10/min) and hunger (20/min) by 4 minutes. Stop frezzing / overheating and provides glow. Recipe: Stinger x1, Glow Berry x1, Bone Shards x4 (based on osteocalcin).

 

SHADOW COURTIER

1. Current Shadow Transmutation.
2. Alchemical Golem: Recipe: Boards x4, Beard Hair x4, Dreadstone x10. Creates an unanimated Golem with two empty slots (Head and Chest). Requires a Heart Motor for been animated and one Artificial Brain to follow orders (Attack, Follow, Protect, Turn off/on). Stats: 3600 health, 90 planar damage, attack period 2, attack range 3, movement speed 2. Can be repair (healing) with Pure Horror (10% per one). When "dies" drop 2 Boards. Downsides: Only one Golem can be reanimated at a time. Drains sanity -25/min.

ADDITIONAL CRAFTABLE ITEMS.

• Artificial Brain: Recipe: Silk x6, Frazzled Wires x6, Slurtle Slime x2. Alchemical Golem can follow orders. Without a Brain just walks and attacks every mob or players.
• Heart Motor: Recipe: Electrical Doodat x1, Gears x1, Telltale Heart x1. Lasts 9 min.

LUNAR INNOVATOR

1. Current Lunar Transmutation.
2. Moonbeam Blaster: Recipe: Morning Star x1, Piggyback x1, Scrap x8. Craft a pack for a Portable Lunar Collider able to fire a moonbeam through a Blaster. The main slot into the pack is for place the Lunar Collider (required for fire) and 7 extra slots for place Moon Shards, one for a shoot). Does 250 planar damage per shoot, range 10. Can be reloaded with Moon Shards. Downsides: Uses body and hand slots and reduce speed movement 10%. It can be dismantle into a Blaster and a Portable Lunar Collider to store in the inventory.

ADDITIONAL CRAFTABLE ITEMS.

• Lunar Collider: Recipe: Electrical Doodat x1, Pure Brillance x4, Frazzled Wires x4). Cools down in 9 min.

[Anis5240]

7 minutes ago, MarcoReverie said:

Transmute Gems III. Transform Iridescent Gem.

Me personally, if you gonna have just one thing in the craft then it ain't exactly worth it. Could make that you can transmute iridescent gem back to the original state too (like a recipe with multiple gems), since many late-game worlds have tons of those lying around without any real uses (using it to fuel generator for le funny catapults is well, another character's crafts and even Lunar Grimoire only need one iridescent gem since le funny bookcase can restore its durability after use).

That said, I wish we have more crafts that use iridescent gems. Maybe we can do extra funny 3 iridescent gems -> Pearl's Pearl (since the Pearl = 3 iridescent gems effects onto Crab King) but I imagine it ain't gonna be useful unless it's for getting a 'rare' item as collection eksdee

But yeah, I think it could be somewhat great to use the gem for maybe your Lunar Collider or something.

[Anis5240]

On 2/12/2025 at 2:57 PM, GoblinTherapy said:

tried to design skills that would help a lot in the early game as well to help new players learn the basics of the game a little easier. I also made sure to introduce no complex new mechanics, as Wilson should stay basic and simple in his abilities.

no offense but this just gonna hurt long-time Wilson players more. Yes, those people exist and I'm one of them. I literally never ever changed character everytime I made a new world.

People want to play characters that are and remain good in all parts of the game.

Torch tree right now truly sucks ass, and this was the so-called 'beginner' perk. Beard tree is ok at best but still just have the same design as torch tree and the only saving grace for it was beard storage which is good and remain useful be it early-game, mid-game and late-game.

Alchemy/transmutation tree is just there. Majority of them need lots of time/materials to be worthwhile or just plain old having cringe exchange rates. Like, who the hell having such a hard time to get poop to warrant exchanging those 6 rots? No one. Plenty of people basing at least a screen away from beefalo and get free poop that way. Same with finding a koalefant and put it in a pen.

[MarcoReverie]

8 hours ago, Anis5240 said:

Me personally, if you gonna have just one thing in the craft then it ain't exactly worth it. Could make that you can transmute iridescent gem back to the original state too (like a recipe with multiple gems), since many late-game worlds have tons of those lying around without any real uses (using it to fuel generator for le funny catapults is well, another character's crafts and even Lunar Grimoire only need one iridescent gem since le funny bookcase can restore its durability after use).

That said, I wish we have more crafts that use iridescent gems. Maybe we can do extra funny 3 iridescent gems -> Pearl's Pearl (since the Pearl = 3 iridescent gems effects onto Crab King) but I imagine it ain't gonna be useful unless it's for getting a 'rare' item as collection eksdee

But yeah, I think it could be somewhat great to use the gem for maybe your Lunar Collider or something.

I was thinking those level III on the branches of Alchemy tree should be to transform those resources needed in late game. 

I let the iridiscent gem alone (because people just use wilson to get it easily) to better think what more can be transform in this level related to late game. Of course, sould be reversible, get all gems (or at least O, Y, G) from a irisdicent. Also 3 Iridiscent to a Pearl sounds good. Or, just maybe, add the obsidian to the ecuation.

But, maybe is to much, I"ll rather chose only 2 levels on each branch.

[Anis5240]

19 minutes ago, MarcoReverie said:

I'll rather chose only 2 levels on each branch.

mmm hmm.

I think it's kinda fine to make connected skills, but I hate when said skills are locked via something stupid like "learn 3 skills to learn this". it's just why?????? why limiting player's creativity that way?

Also I'm learning how to mod right now lmaooooooo (just some transmute items for now)

24 minutes ago, MarcoReverie said:

because people just use wilson to get it easily

yeah which is kinda sad man  but of course it depends, since giving options to get the gem is kinda ok. if anything, fighting a 27k HP boss to get it seems rather worthwhile for me.

[MarcoReverie]

On 2/18/2025 at 9:02 AM, Anis5240 said:

I think it's kinda fine to make connected skills, but I hate when said skills are locked via something stupid like "learn 3 skills to learn this". it's just why?????? why limiting player's creativity that way?

Yes, I'm totally agree. Actually, I see two types of skill trees in games: one with branches and skill linked in level between them; and a second with the skill separate, individual. I prefer the second one. But all skill trees in dst goes in the first way. 

In fact, I trying to design Wilson skill removing that upgrading obsession of I, II, III.... So, on this way, every skill should feels really special. I trying lol.

[Anis5240]

1 hour ago, MarcoReverie said:

a second with the skill separate, individual. I prefer the second one. But all skill trees in dst goes in the first way. 

In fact, I trying to design Wilson skill removing that upgrading obsession of I, II, III.... So, on this way, every skill should feels really special. I trying lol.

yeah, it do be like that. I think it's rather saddening that most people don't want to stray far from the skills that suit them best, such as the majority of Wilson players would rather have full transmutation skills (even if at the cost for also taking the cringe rot-manure transmute ) + beard insulation/growth (many prefer the former though) + whatever affinity (again, most people prefer the lunar affinity onto Wilson since le funny CC grinding time and getting pure brilliance before rifts).

And it's also at least been established by the few skill trees by now (Woodie, Winona) that shadow affinity is best for early-game while lunar affinity is for late-game. That just feels very wrong.