Everyone misses the point of Wilson when suggesting Skilltree stuff

[Jakepeng99]

6 minutes ago, Anis5240 said:

as I said earlier, the battle canister, the ammo pouch; you just craft that once then dip to use other skills.

No you cant. You cant open then without the skill, which was already mentioned earlier.

[readkey]

12 hours ago, Jakepeng99 said:

Hes the guy the player can choose if they want a default experience without upsides and downsides that majorly change the gameplay.

Every other character currently changes the gameplay a lot, and will do so much more when all their skilltrees release. 

To be fair, Wilson already got a lot of convenient perks for surviving. 
 

1. His cold insulation means he can wander off pretty much anywhere in Winter, even in ruins where there is nothing to burn. His time restriction of clearing ruins is much less stricter than other characters. 
 

2. His favourite food is Bacon and Eggs, which is one of the easiest recipe to make, and its spoilage time is 20 days, one of the longest among all receipe for hunger. His skill tree further synergies with this that transmutation skill makes this even easier to make. Storing a stack of it in his beard allows him to long travel for a very long time with ease. He doesn’t even need to get bundling warp at all. 
 

3. He can also carry a stack of pierogi in his beard, which also has 20days spoilage. He becomes very safe from death once you start cooking. Once you start farming or get bananas, you can even store potato puree/stinger/banana shake and stay out of insanity for 7.5 days.  
 

4. As someone who carries basic resources all the time for emergencies, his transmutation allows me to free up some inventories slots. 

I am sure people can think of more. Some of the things I mentioned are not in his skill trees but in his basic skill and even the basic game mechanics. Yes, Wilson’s skill tree is not fancy. Yes, Wilson doesn’t have a lot of crazy stuff to offer. But everything of Wilson combined makes him very easy to manage all the survival aspects of the game. He is literally the easy mode of Don’t Starve. 
 

So is his skill tree perfect? No, because nothing is truly perfect and there is always room for improvement. But his skill tree already captures his core identity while being useful enough for who he needs to be. 

Edited March 10, 2025 by readkey

[Bumber64]

17 minutes ago, readkey said:

To be fair, Wilson already got a lot of convenient perks for surviving.

I can't believe you didn't mention torch branch!

5. Torch toss lets him take a torch... and toss it on the ground!

6. Torch skills let him buff the torch (even when it's on the ground). These are literally a must-have if you're taking torch toss!

Edited March 10, 2025 by Bumber64

[Anis5240]

3 minutes ago, Bumber64 said:

5. Torch toss lets him take a torch... and toss it on the ground!

so op!!!!!! with just 7 points, you can achieve a discount lantern???!!!! what a steal! /EXTREME SARCASM

[readkey]

4 minutes ago, Bumber64 said:

I can't believe you didn't mention torch branch!

5. Torch toss lets him take a torch... and toss it on the ground!

Actually the torch toss did save my life when I forgot my starcaller staff while I was fighting Klaus. 

[LukarioBeta]

I agree with the point of Wilson being simple. He is suppose to be "jack of all trades, master of non". Character. 

On the the other hand, most skilltrees have parts that are useless/hard to use/negligible. How many of you seen Wigfrid use the Beefalo skills? Or how many times did you see Wolfgang training whistle be actually used? The best skill tree they released so far (in my opinion) is Walter's skilltree. All of his perks are usefull in one way or another, while not being too OP to use. For example, you would use the shadow affinitie with Woby, and portable campfire and drying rack and you are the fastes and safest explorer of caves, even in winter.

So yes, Wilson shouldn't have any unique or complicated mechanics, and should get skilltree adjustments. 

[readkey]

48 minutes ago, LukarioBeta said:

I agree with the point of Wilson being simple. He is suppose to be "jack of all trades, master of non". Character. 

On the the other hand, most skilltrees have parts that are useless/hard to use/negligible. How many of you seen Wigfrid use the Beefalo skills? Or how many times did you see Wolfgang training whistle be actually used? The best skill tree they released so far (in my opinion) is Walter's skilltree. All of his perks are usefull in one way or another, while not being too OP to use. For example, you would use the shadow affinitie with Woby, and portable campfire and drying rack and you are the fastes and safest explorer of caves, even in winter.

So yes, Wilson shouldn't have any unique or complicated mechanics, and should get skilltree adjustments. 

While there is room for adjustment, at the current state I would rather Klei completes the whole skill tree updates first, then focus on completing the post-rift saga as a whole. After that they can improve the skill trees. The current skill trees are not perfect but is more than enough to be functional. It is more important to complete the new harsh environment as a whole, like Reign of Giants once did. 

[MarcoReverie]

On 3/9/2025 at 6:38 AM, CrimsonStrider said:

It's very clear that Warly loves cooking.

It's very clear that Willow loves fire.

It's very clear that Webber loves spiders. 

Ita very clear that Winona likes making things. 

Regarding Wilson It's very clear that he loves science, with science being left intent ambiguous and almost analogous to magic. But the rest is unclear. Maybe we should give him gravity skills because he's made gravity based quotes. I know, let's give him a nuclear physics tabs because he knows what an atom is, and now he can create nukes.

A chemistry tree would make more sense on him than anyone else. Sure. Is it his passion? I never felt that way. I'll take your word for the video as I can't watch it, but the quotes just feel like general science jokes rather than a hint at something deeper.

More importantly, giving him those skills only encroaches on what Warly does. I'd rather them make Warly the cool character that makes "potions" and give him a good tree in that sense. 

Alchemist is consider a protoscience. Its the begining of chemistry, medicine and the science method.

Not just gravity and phisics are exclusively related to science. 

 

Edited March 10, 2025 by MarcoReverie

[Anis5240]

17 minutes ago, MarcoReverie said:

Alchemist is consider a protoscience. Its the begining of chemistry, medicine and the science method.

Not just gravity and phisics are exclusively related to science. 

If anything, Wilson's quote about nitre ("I'm not a geologist.") yet he had nitre-gold transmute said a lot. He invented the gardeneer hat, that falls under botany, which is also part of science.

If Klei really wanna make Wilson as this 'science man' then they could definitely branch his tree out to contain other types of science.

[MarcoReverie]

23 minutes ago, Anis5240 said:

If anything, Wilson's quote about nitre ("I'm not a geologist.") yet he had nitre-gold transmute said a lot. He invented the gardeneer hat, that falls under botany, which is also part of science.

Well, from my POV, maybe he's not a geologist but used the nitre as a semiconductor to illuminate on the Morning Star (a LED).  

Transmuting gold was the main purpose for almost all alchemist. One even try to transmute human pee to gold (because both looks yellow).

Using gem have also an alchemist origin, since multiple gems (in real life) used into experiments believing they have magical power, like bauxite use to extract mercury and use it as a font of eternal life (saddely found it that wasnt true)

I mean, Wilson for me can be based in all that period of science when was a mix of science and misterious, magic, ocultism.

Actually, a lot of alchemist used their knowledge during the bubonic plage, of course without success, but they knowledge on the diseases and autopsy help to future medicine.

Edited March 10, 2025 by MarcoReverie

[MarcoReverie]

1 hour ago, MarcoReverie said:

Well, from my POV, maybe he's not a geologist but used the nitre as a semiconductor to illuminate on the Morning Star (a LED).  

And, I must said, inventing LED was a great science effort and a Nobel Price.

BTW, Nobel was the scientist who invented the TNT based on nitrogliceryn. Just for the science record hehe

Edited March 10, 2025 by MarcoReverie

[Walrusst]

21 hours ago, Anis5240 said:

oh so others having switch skills are fine to have yet for Wilson it's bad? go away

I kinda like half of what people call switch skills just because most of what is a "Switch skill" is more like a teamplay/basing skill.

Usually what these need is enough depth where they have a capstone that makes you the definitive user.
Key point: Winowna with a pig backpack moving royal numbers of catapults then setting them to barrage. Sure she can just give us spotlights and we can call it done, but the catapults are pretty wild when she supervises them.
Say wormwood could learn to gobbler whisper for his berry skills (Bird friend!,) tame more types of battleplants, and somehow make eyeplants a better fighting utility. Nobody would complain.
Woodies canes and helmets nobodies bothered by because they are second fiddle to his main kit and everyone loves those cheap things.
Wilsons switch skills could improve from the same idea, something that can still be helpful to others, while helping him personally far, FAR more.

Edited March 10, 2025 by Walrusst

[Guille6785]

On 3/9/2025 at 7:06 AM, Szczuku said:

Yeah, that'd be such a cheap, uncreative and overall a low hanging fruit-way of developping his character. Imagine if Wilson was just some guy who likes setting things on fire and people suggested that his skilltree should turn him into a fire-magic user

I've no idea who your 4023496th snarky post is supposed to be aimed at this time but I'm also not a fan of the fact that Willow's skill tree thought it was good idea to have her biden blasting things like she's a pyrokinetic rather than limiting itself to expanding on the stuff she already had

[YouKnowWho142]

Super late to this but DST, especially with everyone getting skill trees, can be extremely overwhelming. Most other characters that were once considered simple are now significantly more complex. I've watched new players who pick Wendy first and really struggle to learn combat as a result, or Webber and struggle a ton with sanity and pigs, or Woodie and just be really confused by the wereforms and don't understand how to handle treeguards very well. I don't think there's anything wrong with Wilson staying grounded and baseline, I still think his skill tree needs changes but I felt felt like it had to be anything too drastic

[Walrusst]

2 hours ago, YouKnowWho142 said:

Super late to this but DST, especially with everyone getting skill trees, can be extremely overwhelming. Most other characters that were once considered simple are now significantly more complex. I've watched new players who pick Wendy first and really struggle to learn combat as a result, or Webber and struggle a ton with sanity and pigs, or Woodie and just be really confused by the wereforms and don't understand how to handle treeguards very well. I don't think there's anything wrong with Wilson staying grounded and baseline, I still think his skill tree needs changes but I felt felt like it had to be anything too drastic

I've always thought, something optional, not too saucy, and just nice to have.
Gives you something that is sort of yours of but you aren't forced to abuse it either.

I think you shouldn't take away from him requiring little extra micro, and that his ability to work with others should be enhanced rather than reduced to make him less swappy.
With the caveat being, that like walters flutter strips, and winowas catapults, his teamplay focused skills have that slight edge twoards helping him be greedy too so its great teamplay without people bemoaning it being swap.

[hyoton123]

On 3/8/2025 at 9:52 AM, Walrusst said:

is a reason why the majority of players are split between wigfrid and wendy (An AOE minion character, and a tank who can do all resource management just fighting) AFAIK. 

Yeah, the only reason i’m still here is that I picked up wig and found out that combat was actually perfectly fine when you make armor and weapons, and you can out produce all your challenges, and then the rest of the game came together. But up til then, it was an awful, dull experience.

On 3/9/2025 at 12:13 AM, Jakepeng99 said:

Also this is funny referance, he should be able to transmute eggs into rotten eggs. (4 eggs and 1 rot for 4 rotten eggs)

Yes! 

[Mike23Ua]

I have to confess that I did not bother to read the topic, I only came here to respond that DST is a Direct Follow Up to Dont Starve, and that some of the characters in DSTs compendium descriptions even explain they’re new found abilities they now have in “Together”  because it’s a Sequel. Such as for example: Woody learning how to control his Werecurse and unlock new mutations thanks to Wickerbottom helping him to understand and control them. Remember that prior to “Together” these two characters were running around in their own alternate versions of the constant never once running across one another.

And when it comes to Wilson… this dude survived everything Maxwell could throw at him across a randomly generated realm of 5 worlds (and probably a million dead Wilson’s later ) 

to eventually make it to Maxwell, and take his place as captive upon the Nightmare Throne. 

This dude should know how to craft the freaking enlightened torch we see Charlie using to suck creatures into the torch in the animated short “Eye of the Storm” or whatever it was….

But instead, no… he only learned to craft slightly better torches that are inferior in every single way imaginable to Willows Lighter.

Willows Lighter which.. lasts a long time, can be refueled, cooks food, oh and sucks up fires that accidentally start to spread.

Meanwhile 9 skill points later: Wilson has a slightly better torch he can now toss.

Maybe this makes sense to you guys but as for myself, I feel Klei did their mascot wrong on this one.

[Walrusst]

So lets see what people who want power willson and people who want simple wilson haven't really conflicted on, the compromise zone.
 

• Feather dying. (Using nitre, charcoal, morsels, ice to change feather colors) -> Icky 2?
• Spoilage acceleration fast spoil berries with grass, nitre on fish, fast spoil eggs with flint (Grinding them up) -> Icky 3? 
  • Logic: Helps him craft booster shots, makes him less powercrept to death because of it. Egg rotting is both strong and requested. Fast fish rotting gives him a distinct method of making growth forumla nutrients.

Brainstorming the rest.

• Maybe a second plant transmute skill with a grass/reeds loop?
• 3-6 monster meat->bone?
• Ore 3 having a celestial altar prototype for moon shards from moon rock (Vice versa), and being able to prototype collected dust cheaply and naturally from the psuedoscience station naturally as well? (Largely to make the ore line less about being a swap character, cause having a speed bonus for crafting the celestial portal be a capstone is the most swap character thing.)

Dubious but hypothetical ideas.

• Salt in gems line? (Dubious.)
• Shell crafts/shell transmutes? (Also unsure/dubious.)
  
  Reeds, feathers, and bones would enable him to really have a strong mastery on one patch of the game that was sort of a really interesting key update. HEAR ME OUT.
  
  The birds and the bees and the hounds that want to kill you.
  The update where we sort of started to figure out what don't starves combat is supposed to be.

Easy access to the birdhounds items would probably be a bit stronger unironically compared to the more elaborate post I put up elsewhere.
But, those birdhound items are strong and wilson becoming a the master of them would make him a king. 

 

1 hour ago, Mike23Ua said:

I have to confess that I did not bother to read the topic, I only came here to respond that DST is a Direct Follow Up to Dont Starve, and that some of the characters in DSTs compendium descriptions even explain they’re new found abilities they now have in “Together”  because it’s a Sequel. Such as for example: Woody learning how to control his Werecurse and unlock new mutations thanks to Wickerbottom helping him to understand and control them. Remember that prior to “Together” these two characters were running around in their own alternate versions of the constant never once running across one another.

And when it comes to Wilson… this dude survived everything Maxwell could throw at him across a randomly generated realm of 5 worlds (and probably a million dead Wilson’s later ) 

to eventually make it to Maxwell, and take his place as captive upon the Nightmare Throne. 

This dude should know how to craft the freaking enlightened torch we see Charlie using to suck creatures into the torch in the animated short “Eye of the Storm” or whatever it was…

This was sort of what inspired my other thread, but I'm trying to brainstorm a compromise here.

Since there is a strong lobby against him having things that are unique, so the current compromise of helping him master something that's strong and greedy is an alternative I'm happy to push for even if its less special.
Like, my big focused suggestions actually probably weaker than the compromise, but I'm willing to try to work one out.

Edited March 11, 2025 by Walrusst

[Anis5240]

1 hour ago, Walrusst said:

Maybe a second plant transmute skill with a grass/reeds loop?

how about no

I've already said this thing in another thread: if this gonna be added, no Wilson players (be it both new and old) ever wanna venture to the swamp again.

[Aester]

I don't really like the term "standard character", but i agree that you shouldn't give him any strong gimmicks.

IMO he should push you to interact with the resources and opportunities that the game gives you, and not give stats and buffs just because.

I like the idea with transmutation. In my opinion the tree with the beard and torch should be if not removed, then at least cut down to 1-2 skills in the tree, the rest should go to transmutations and other skills that push you to interact with the world around you more actively. He should feel like an inventor and an experienced, curious character who always tries to come up with solutions on the fly. 

...or really just buff the rates for transmutation and make the crafting speed for them higher idk. But even with the tree buffs with the torch and beard it won't stop looking less stupid and lazy.

Edited March 11, 2025 by Aester

[Guihhza]

48 minutes ago, Anis5240 said:

how about no

I've already said this thing in another thread: if this gonna be added, no Wilson players (be it both new and old) ever wanna venture to the swamp again.

Monkey Tails are already a source of reeds outside of the swamp.

Venturing into some biomes becoming unecessary is a much wider problem caused by the current resource distribution. Wilson wouldn't make this any more of an issue than it already is.

 

[Anis5240]

9 minutes ago, Guihhza said:

Monkey Tails are already a source of reeds outside of the swamp.

and this requires to sail le funny seven seas and pirate monkeys which most people won't do until at least 2-3rd year

11 minutes ago, Guihhza said:

make this any more of an issue than it already is.

man I wonder just whose fault it is to make other biomes become more useless as time goes

[Creatorofswamps]

 

Edited March 11, 2025 by Creatorofswamps

[Well-met]

endo torch would really be cool, I can vouch for that

[Creatorofswamps]

Here are some ideas for Wilson's skill tree that won't stray too far from the original skill tree, but that will really strengthen it without overdoing it (So far without the alchemy branch):

 

1-3. Combining the six basic skill points  of the torch into three

 

4. A torch stuck in the ground will now also allow you to cook on it (paying a few% for cooking)

 

5. You can refuel the torch using any combustible materials.

 

6. Allows you to craft an Endothermic torch. Recipe for creation: one Nitre , one herb and two sticks. Cools the character, does not set fire to objects (when stuck in the ground, it also cools the characters in the area of action)

Add an additional side selection to the "Beard" branch (as it was for Walter and Willow), which opens after the "food in the beard" skill.

 

Shadow Beard:

 

You don't lose your beard when you die. And also, nothing will separate you from your food, even death (after death, the food that was in your beard does not fall out of you, but upon resurrection it will remain in your beard)

 

Lunar beard:

 

The food in the beard will spoil more slowly. The beard was soaked with the goosebumps-piercing moon chill (the beard slows spoilage as well as the refrigerator)

 

 

*I really think that these are the very ideas that do not stray far from the original skill tree, but at the same time significantly improve it*

 

 

Edited March 11, 2025 by Creatorofswamps