skill tree idea Wilson's skill tree design. I tried to make this design more or less balanced and useful for the new players Wilson is designed for. I probably didn't succeed. I should also note that almost the entire skill tree is more of a collection of my ideas than a

[Krom]

Please note:

• I have previously made a post with recommendations to make Wilson better, but it was rather empty and contained more advice than clearly formulated suggestions. Now I am ready to propose a version of reworking Wilson's skill tree, with which he will become useful throughout the game and he won't be picked and swapped just for alchemy.

• I am not a native speaker and I use artificial intelligence to translate the text, so please be understanding of incorrect phrases or names of items from DST whose original names I will forget to look up.

• All numbers and names are approximate, unbalanced, and many require adjustments.

 

[The Gentleman Scientist]

-I completely replaced the torch branch with this one, as I think the torch suits Willow better as a pyromaniac.

 

• Sturdy Tools

Any tools crafted by Wilson have 50% more durability.

-A useful skill for the whole team and Wilson himself.

 

• Efficient Gatherer

Tools used by Wilson lose durability 25% slower.

-A skill needed for Wilson's utility.

-To unlock "Efficient Gatherer" you need to study "Sturdy Tools".

 

• Scientist's Memory l

Now Wilson can remember any recipes, even those that couldn't be remembered before (e.g., Ancient Pseudoscience Station recipes).

 

•Scientist's Memory ll

Now, while standing next to the corresponding Prototyper, Wilson can restore 15 sanity with a small chance when crafting an item.

-I think he remembers making this item for the first time and it feels nice to him.

-To unlock you need to study "Scientist's Memory l"

 

Master of Prototypers

While standing next to the corresponding Prototyper, there is a 5-10% chance to get a second copy of the item you were crafting (does not work with items whose recipe is only obtained from blueprints).

-Hope this doesn't break the balance

-To unlock you need to study several skills in this branch. (Perk)

 

[Meat Effigy]

• Mass Production l

To craft a Meat Effigy, you now only need 2 boards and 20 health, beard hair required remains the same as before.

 

• Mass Production ll

Crafting now only requires 1 board. A Meat Effigy created by Wilson only costs health upon creation.

You can make a Meat Effigy without a Prestihatitator.

-This will allow other players to use Meat Effigy safely.

 

• Resurrection of the Mighty.

Resurrection from Wilson's Meat Effigy grants more stats than before.

 

• Reserve for the Future.

Wilson can sacrifice part of his stats to the Meat Effigy, so that it grants them upon revival.

-If stats exceed the maximum, they are granted but slowly decrease back to normal.

 

• (Name not invented)

Any player, upon resurrection through a Meat Effigy that Wilson created, gets 2-3 items from their inventory (backpacks and their contents always remain at the death location). Wilson gets more items back than others, and also gets his beard and its contents back if he has the corresponding skill.

-To unlock you need to study several skills in this branch. (Perk).

 

[Alchemy]

-I have partially reworked this branch, now there is no single mandatory skill at the beginning, But there is a perk at the end. Each skill has about 4-5 recipes.

 

• Plant Transmutation l, ll and lll

1.Convert logs into twigs and vice versa (ratios 1>2 ; 3>1);

Convert reeds into grass and vice versa (ratios 1>1 ; 2>1)

2.Convert kelp into Driftwood Piece and vice versa (ratio 5>1 ; 1>3);

Convert petals into ferns and vice versa (3>2 ; 3>2)

3.Convert carrots into mandrakes and vice versa (40>1 ; 1>30);

Convert light bulbs into glow berries that drop from worms (3>1 ; 1>2)

Convert butterflies (alive or not? I don't know, so I'll give approximate ratios for both options) into butter (15>1(dead) or 10>1(alive))

-The second level of the skill looks weak and strange, it will need to be changed.

-A butterfly is also a plant. I'm writing this just so people don't ask: "Why is an animal in the plant branch when there is a separate branch for animals?".

 

• Stone Transmutation l, ll and lll.

1.Flint into rocks and vice versa (3>1 ; 2>1);

Gold into nitre and vice versa (3>1 ; 2>1)

2.Marble into cut stone and vice versa (1>1 ; 2>1);

Blue gem into red gem and vice versa (2>1 ; 2>1)

Craft purple gems from the start of the game.

3.Transmute purple gem into orange gem (3>1)

Transmute orange gem into yellow gem (3>1)

Transmute yellow gem into green gem (3>1)

Convert ash into charcoal and vice versa (5>1 ; 1>2)

 

• Icky Transmutation l, ll and lll

1.Transmute Morsels into meat and vice versa (3>1 ; 1>2)

Transmute Hound's Teeth into Bone Shards and vice versa (2>1 ; 2>1)

2.Transmute Spider Gland into Mosquito Sack and vice versa (1>2; 3>1)

Transmute Glommer's Goop into honey and vice versa (1>3 ; 5>1)

3.Transmute rot into rotten egg and vice versa (3>1;1>2)

Transmute Beefalo Wool into beard hair and vice versa (2>1;2>1)

Transmute Deer Antler into Volt Goat Horn (5(or 3)>1)

 

• Philosopher's Stone (alchemy, how could it be without it?)

Reverse conversions disappear, meaning you can convert, say, nitre into gold and back, getting the original amount of nitre.

(POSSIBLY) Obtaining reverse recipes for items from the "materials" tab. (Rope into grass, cut stone into rocks, and so on).

-Perk

 

[Beard]

-While I was coming up with skills for this branch, I grew a beard myself, but I didn't come up with anything concrete. So here there will be more ideas for new skills and improvements to old ones.

•For the old skills:

I suggest reducing their number from 3 levels per branch to 2 and increasing their usefulness to compensate.

•Beard Insulation

This skill already existed, you know it. I suggest adding "breathability" to it. This would work in summer, the beard would insulate less from heat and could be worn relatively comfortably. This should not affect other seasons.

•Beard Intimidation

Enemies consider Wilson with a beard too cool and do not attack him immediately. The longer the beard, the longer enemies hesitate to attack.

 

•Beard Aesthetics

Since stage 3 is called "magnificent," why doesn't it restore sanity, like any beautiful item in the game? Let it do that!

 

•(Current perk)

It's good, but I'd like to be able to put a wider range of objects in it, at least non-stackable items.

 

[Alignment]

-Here I had a blast. I thought: "Why do the shadow and lunar skills only give Wilson new alchemy? Why is the same beard ignored?" Now for each new perk, alignment will give a separate improvement.

 

•Shadow Alignment

 

[The Gentleman Scientist]

Now all crafts related to shadows have a 50% chance to not consume resources if standing near the corresponding crafting station.

 

[Meat Effigy]

After resurrection via Meat Effigy, a one-time portal is created at the death location.

-The idea is to resurrect, prepare at base, and return to the dangerous place in full combat readiness.

 

[Alchemy]

Old recipes, but now with Dark Tatters.

 

[Beard]

Now the beard has access to the shadow dimension, adding one slot per stage (6 slots across 3 beard stages). The new slots are shadow slots; food rots faster in them. When the beard is shaved or the character dies, items in the shadow slots are not lost, similar to Shadow Chester. Possibly these slots should be part of a shadow pocket dimension and any item can be placed in them.

 

•Lunar Alignment

 

[The Gentleman Scientist]

Now all crafts related to the moon have a 50% chance to not consume resources if standing near the corresponding crafting station.

 

[Meat Effigy]

Now Wilson can bind himself to several Meat Effigies and choose which one to resurrect in. Maximum 3.

 

[Alchemy]

Old recipes, but now with Iridescent Gems.

 

[Beard]

Now food in the beard rots much slower.

Edited March 2 by Krom

[MarcoReverie]

Nice ideas!

But, Torch could be also scientific, not only pyromaniac. Fire colors can be use on the Torch to add some perks. Take a look on my ideas about Torch.

My rework ideas are based on scientific features, like flame color, oil production and electrical.

TORCH BRANCH

Torch Range

1. Torch Range I. Torch ´s flame turns green color, providing 35% water resistance and not affected by rain.

2. Torch Range II. Light range increase to 5 units of distance.

3. Torch Range III. Torch provides sanity +2/min. Can use Nitre (refuel 90s) on a setted Torch to turn it into an Endothermic Torch (blue flame and cools at -10°) or can use a Nightmare Fuel (refuel 180s) to turn it into a Night Torch (black flames and sanity -3/min).

 Torch Longevity

1. Torch Longevity I. Wilson can refuel his Torch with oil by refining seed cones like Pine Cone, Twiggy Tree Cone or Palmcone Sprout (fuel value x2 = 30 sec).

2. Torch Longevity II. Increases torch durability at 180 sec.

3. Torch Longevity III. Torch provides 10% speed. Wilson can refine Charcoal, Guano and Driftwood Piece to use it as high efficiency oil Torch (fuel value x2 = 90 sec).

 LOCKED SKILLS (PREREQUISITES 3 TORCH SKILLS)

• Torch Toss. Current perk. 

BEARD TREE

Beard Insulation

1. Beard Insulation I. Can coat the Beard with Beefalo Wool to adds 20% insulation with 3 days durability per coat.
2. Beard Insulation II. Can coat the Beard with Beeswax to add 10% water resistance to Beard with 2 days durability per coat.
3. Beard Insulation III. Can coat the Beard with Steel Wool to add 5% defense (0.95x damage taken) with 1 day durability per coat.

Wilson's Beard allows only 3 coats. A Razor can be used to remove (loses) any coat.

 Beard Growth

1. Beard Growth I. Beard growths in 3/7/15 days. Wilson will drop 1 Beard Hair per day at Magnificent stage.
2. Beard Growth II. Beard growths in 3/6/12 days. Can craft a Rope using Beard Hair (x3).
3. Beard Growth III. Beard growths in 2/5/10 days. Can craft a Static Whip. Damage: 25.5-42.5 (17 base); 75 uses; Range 2. Recipe: Beard Hair x9, Electrical Doodad x2, Moleworm x1.

 LOCKED SKILLS (PREREQUISITES 3 BEARD SKILLS)

• Beard Storage. Current perk.  

ALCHEMY TREE

• Transmutation. Transmutation recipes:
  • Twigs > Logs (transformation ratio 3:1, reverse ratio 1:2).

Ore transmute

• Ore Transmute I. Transmutation recipes (transformation ratio 3:1, reverse ratio 2:1):
  • Rock to Flint.
  • Nitre to Gold Nugget.
• Ore Transmute II. Transmutation recipes:
  • Cut Stone to Marble to Moon Rock (ratio 2:1, reverse ratio 1:1).
• Ore Transmute III. Transmutation recipes:
  • 2 Moon Rock to 1 Moon Shard.
  • 2 Marble Bean to 1 Salt Crystals.
  • 2 Gears to 1 Scrap. 2 Scrap to 1 Gears.

Gem transmute

• Gem Transmute I. Transmutation recipes:
  • 2 Blue Gem to 1 Red Gem.
  • 2 Red Gem to 1 Blue Gem.
  • 1 Red Gem + 1 Blue Gem to 1 Purple Gem.
• Gem Transmute II. Transmutation recipes:
  • 3 Purple Gem to 1 Orange Gem.
  • 2 Orange Gem to 1 Yellow Gem.
• Gem Transmute III. Transmutation recipes:
  • 2 Yellow Gem to 1 Green Gem.
  • 6 gem each color to 1 Irisdescent Gem.

Icky transmute

• Icky transmute I. Transmutation recipes:

  • Morsel - Meat (current recipe).

  • Hound’s Tooth - Bone Shard (current recipe).

  • 6 Rot to 1 Manure (current recipe).

• Icky transmute II. Transmutation recipes:

  • Beefalo Wool - Beard Hair (current recipe).

  • 2 Walrus Tusk to 1 Volt Goat Horn | 2 Volt Goat Horn to 1 Walrus Tusk (NEW RECIPE).

  • 5 Honey to 1 Honeycomb (NEW RECIPE).

• Icky transmute III. Transmutation recipes:

  • 3 Monster Meat to 1 Batilisk Wing | 2 Batilisk Wing to 1 Monster Meat (NEW RECIPE).

  • 2 Bunny Puf to 1 Pig Skin | 2 Pig Skin to 1 Bunny Puf (NEW RECIPE).

  • 3 Guano to 1 Slurtle Slime (NEW RECIPE).

 LOCKED SKILLS (PREREQUISITES 3 ALCHEMY SKILLS) Human transmutation. 

A Tell Tale Heart given by Wilson will not reduce max health by 25% but will not receive 80 sanity. Can craft a Portable Meat Effigy which works like a Red Amulet but will perish in 10 days. Recipe: Cooked Meat x4, Health x40, Rope x1.

SHADOW AFFINITY (SEQUENCED TREE)

• Shadow Courtier. Current Shadow perks. 

LUNAR AFFINITY (SEQUENCED TREE)

• Lunar Innovator. Current Lunar perks.

Edited March 26 by MarcoReverie

[MarcoReverie]

On 3/2/2026 at 12:44 PM, Krom said:

Please note:

• I have previously made a post with recommendations to make Wilson better, but it was rather empty and contained more advice than clearly formulated suggestions. Now I am ready to propose a version of reworking Wilson's skill tree, with which he will become useful throughout the game and he won't be picked and swapped just for alchemy.

• I am not a native speaker and I use artificial intelligence to translate the text, so please be understanding of incorrect phrases or names of items from DST whose original names I will forget to look up.

• All numbers and names are approximate, unbalanced, and many require adjustments.

 

[The Gentleman Scientist]

-I completely replaced the torch branch with this one, as I think the torch suits Willow better as a pyromaniac.

 

• Sturdy Tools

Any tools crafted by Wilson have 50% more durability.

-A useful skill for the whole team and Wilson himself.

 

• Efficient Gatherer

Tools used by Wilson lose durability 25% slower.

-A skill needed for Wilson's utility.

-To unlock "Efficient Gatherer" you need to study "Sturdy Tools".

 

• Scientist's Memory l

Now Wilson can remember any recipes, even those that couldn't be remembered before (e.g., Ancient Pseudoscience Station recipes).

 

•Scientist's Memory ll

Now, while standing next to the corresponding Prototyper, Wilson can restore 15 sanity with a small chance when crafting an item.

-I think he remembers making this item for the first time and it feels nice to him.

-To unlock you need to study "Scientist's Memory l"

 

Master of Prototypers

While standing next to the corresponding Prototyper, there is a 5-10% chance to get a second copy of the item you were crafting (does not work with items whose recipe is only obtained from blueprints).

-Hope this doesn't break the balance

-To unlock you need to study several skills in this branch. (Perk)

 

[Meat Effigy]

• Mass Production l

To craft a Meat Effigy, you now only need 2 boards and 20 health, beard hair required remains the same as before.

 

• Mass Production ll

Crafting now only requires 1 board. A Meat Effigy created by Wilson only costs health upon creation.

You can make a Meat Effigy without a Prestihatitator.

-This will allow other players to use Meat Effigy safely.

 

• Resurrection of the Mighty.

Resurrection from Wilson's Meat Effigy grants more stats than before.

 

• Reserve for the Future.

Wilson can sacrifice part of his stats to the Meat Effigy, so that it grants them upon revival.

-If stats exceed the maximum, they are granted but slowly decrease back to normal.

 

• (Name not invented)

Any player, upon resurrection through a Meat Effigy that Wilson created, gets 2-3 items from their inventory (backpacks and their contents always remain at the death location). Wilson gets more items back than others, and also gets his beard and its contents back if he has the corresponding skill.

-To unlock you need to study several skills in this branch. (Perk).

 

[Alchemy]

-I have partially reworked this branch, now there is no single mandatory skill at the beginning, But there is a perk at the end. Each skill has about 4-5 recipes.

 

• Plant Transmutation l, ll and lll

1.Convert logs into twigs and vice versa (ratios 1>2 ; 3>1);

Convert reeds into grass and vice versa (ratios 1>1 ; 2>1)

2.Convert kelp into Driftwood Piece and vice versa (ratio 5>1 ; 1>3);

Convert petals into ferns and vice versa (3>2 ; 3>2)

3.Convert carrots into mandrakes and vice versa (40>1 ; 1>30);

Convert light bulbs into glow berries that drop from worms (3>1 ; 1>2)

Convert butterflies (alive or not? I don't know, so I'll give approximate ratios for both options) into butter (15>1(dead) or 10>1(alive))

-The second level of the skill looks weak and strange, it will need to be changed.

-A butterfly is also a plant. I'm writing this just so people don't ask: "Why is an animal in the plant branch when there is a separate branch for animals?".

 

• Stone Transmutation l, ll and lll.

1.Flint into rocks and vice versa (3>1 ; 2>1);

Gold into nitre and vice versa (3>1 ; 2>1)

2.Marble into cut stone and vice versa (1>1 ; 2>1);

Blue gem into red gem and vice versa (2>1 ; 2>1)

Craft purple gems from the start of the game.

3.Transmute purple gem into orange gem (3>1)

Transmute orange gem into yellow gem (3>1)

Transmute yellow gem into green gem (3>1)

Convert ash into charcoal and vice versa (5>1 ; 1>2)

 

• Icky Transmutation l, ll and lll

1.Transmute Morsels into meat and vice versa (3>1 ; 1>2)

Transmute Hound's Teeth into Bone Shards and vice versa (2>1 ; 2>1)

2.Transmute Spider Gland into Mosquito Sack and vice versa (1>2; 3>1)

Transmute Glommer's Goop into honey and vice versa (1>3 ; 5>1)

3.Transmute rot into rotten egg and vice versa (3>1;1>2)

Transmute Beefalo Wool into beard hair and vice versa (2>1;2>1)

Transmute Deer Antler into Volt Goat Horn (5(or 3)>1)

 

• Philosopher's Stone (alchemy, how could it be without it?)

Reverse conversions disappear, meaning you can convert, say, nitre into gold and back, getting the original amount of nitre.

(POSSIBLY) Obtaining reverse recipes for items from the "materials" tab. (Rope into grass, cut stone into rocks, and so on).

-Perk

 

[Beard]

-While I was coming up with skills for this branch, I grew a beard myself, but I didn't come up with anything concrete. So here there will be more ideas for new skills and improvements to old ones.

•For the old skills:

I suggest reducing their number from 3 levels per branch to 2 and increasing their usefulness to compensate.

•Beard Insulation

This skill already existed, you know it. I suggest adding "breathability" to it. This would work in summer, the beard would insulate less from heat and could be worn relatively comfortably. This should not affect other seasons.

•Beard Intimidation

Enemies consider Wilson with a beard too cool and do not attack him immediately. The longer the beard, the longer enemies hesitate to attack.

 

•Beard Aesthetics

Since stage 3 is called "magnificent," why doesn't it restore sanity, like any beautiful item in the game? Let it do that!

 

•(Current perk)

It's good, but I'd like to be able to put a wider range of objects in it, at least non-stackable items.

 

[Alignment]

-Here I had a blast. I thought: "Why do the shadow and lunar skills only give Wilson new alchemy? Why is the same beard ignored?" Now for each new perk, alignment will give a separate improvement.

 

•Shadow Alignment

 

[The Gentleman Scientist]

Now all crafts related to shadows have a 50% chance to not consume resources if standing near the corresponding crafting station.

 

[Meat Effigy]

After resurrection via Meat Effigy, a one-time portal is created at the death location.

-The idea is to resurrect, prepare at base, and return to the dangerous place in full combat readiness.

 

[Alchemy]

Old recipes, but now with Dark Tatters.

 

[Beard]

Now the beard has access to the shadow dimension, adding one slot per stage (6 slots across 3 beard stages). The new slots are shadow slots; food rots faster in them. When the beard is shaved or the character dies, items in the shadow slots are not lost, similar to Shadow Chester. Possibly these slots should be part of a shadow pocket dimension and any item can be placed in them.

 

•Lunar Alignment

 

[The Gentleman Scientist]

Now all crafts related to the moon have a 50% chance to not consume resources if standing near the corresponding crafting station.

 

[Meat Effigy]

Now Wilson can bind himself to several Meat Effigies and choose which one to resurrect in. Maximum 3.

 

[Alchemy]

Old recipes, but now with Iridescent Gems.

 

[Beard]

Now food in the beard rots much slower.

I like your scientific skills.

There are a lot of post with really good ideas regarding scientific AND alchemy perks.

Take a look on that.

So, what do you thing about Wilson can craft Blueprint? Todo OP? Or normal?

[Krom]

On 09.03.2026 at 06:39, MarcoReverie said:

Посмотрите на это.

Итак, что вы думаете о способности Уилсона создавать чертежи? Это слишком имбово? Или обычно?

It depends on the blueprint. If he doesn't know the recipe but creates the blueprint, that's odd. If he's thus letting others know a recipe that only he knows, the idea is wonderful, but of little use.