Skills

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Abilities & Skills

Abilities

Main Article: Abilities

Abilities are the backbone of the skills system; a character's Skills are capped if the corresponding Abilities are too low. Conversely, if the abilities are raised sufficiently, then the other skills can be raised to the cap for that Title Level. If in doubt, maximize greener (cheaper) abilities and skills first, dark blue skills last or not at all. The exact cost for each skill can be found at the Skill Costs Chart, either below or at its own page.

• Strength: Involved in all melee weapon skills; therefore all Melee category skills excepting Sneak Attack, Fast Attack.
  

• Agility: Eye-hand and body coordination; involved in many melee and ranged weapon skills.

• Stamina: Toughness, hardiness, endurance; involved in skills with a physical component.

• Intelligence: Primarily involved in Nano and Aiding category of skills, and in all Trade and Repair skills.

• Sense: Perception, alertness, a keen eye; involved in many ranged weapon skills, all Navigation skills, all Spying skills.

• Psychic: Typically minor involvement in multiple skill lines.

Ability Maximum By Breed

See Main Article: Ability Maximums for Title Caps

Below are the numbers for Abilities increased to their maximum at character level 200 / character level 220 for each Breed.

Breed	Strength	Agility	Stamina	Intelligence	Sense	Psychic	Total
Atrox	512 / 912	480 / 780	512 / 912	400 / 600	400 / 600	400 / 600	2704 / 4400
Nanomage	464 / 664	464 / 664	448 / 748	512 / 912	480 / 780	512 / 912	2880 / 4680
Opifex	464 / 764	544 / 944	480 / 680	464 / 764	512 / 912	448 / 748	2912 / 4812
Solitus	472 / 772	480 / 780	480 / 780	480 / 780	480 / 780	480 / 780	2772 / 4572

Breed Ability Maxes
Equipped items and Nanos, with both direct enhancement and synergy and greater values overall, can have a far greater total effect on the value of any skill than choice of breed. However, because of the Synergy discussed elsewhere on this page, it can be demonstrated that choice of breed irrevocably affects the absolute maximum of any and all skills. This is less relevant to hybrid professions, notably Metaphysicist, that commonly use both, skills primarily related to physical abilities, and skills primarily related to mental abilities. It is more relevant to Soldiers and the like, that mainly use physical skills, and Nanotechnicians, that almost exclusively use mental skills.

Ability Point Costs by Breed

The ability maximums per breed are inversely proportional to the IP cost for abilities. For example, Atrox, with the highest Stamina maximum, spends fewer Improvement Points (IP) to increase Stamina points than all other breeds, Opifex spends fewer IP on Agility, etc.

Skills

• Body: Martial Arts, Brawling, Dimach, Riposte, Adventuring, Swimmming, Body Development, Nano Pool.

• Melee: One Handed Blunt, One Handed Edged, Piercing, Two Handed Blunt, Two Handed Edged, Melee Energy, Parry, Sneak Attack, Multi Melee, Fast Attack.

• Misc Weapons: Throwing, Grenade, Heavy Weapons.

• Ranged: Bow, Pistol, Assault Rifle, SMG Shotgun, Rifle, Ranged Energy, Fling Shot, Aimed Shot, Burst, Full Auto, Bow Special, Multi Ranged.

• Speed: Melee Init Ranged Init, Physical Init, Nano Init, Dodge Ranged, Evade Close, Duck Explosions, Nano Resist, Run Speed.

• Trade and Repair: Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Field Quantum Physics, Weapon Smithing, Pharmaceuticals, Nano Programming, Computer Literacy, Psychology, Chemistry, Tutoring.

• Nano and Aiding: Matter Metamorphosis, Biological Metamorphosis, Psychological Modification, Matter Creation, Time and Space, Sensory Improvement, First Aid, Treatment.

• Spying: Concealment, Breaking and Entry, Disarm Traps, Perception.

• Navigation: Vehicle Air, Vehicle Ground, Vehicle Water, Map Navigation.

Skills Costs

See Main Article: Skills Costs and Dependencies Chart
Skill costs are defined by profession and vice versa. This is particularly evident in costs for weapon skills and Special Attacks. This is a caveat to players who want to get creative with novel combinations and would like to play a Nano Technician with an Assault Rifle; Funcom wanted to keep such characters to a minimum, and made sure of it, and you will have to pay a high price in skill points to play one.

On the other hand, it is well worth looking at the Skill Costs Chart, either below or at its own page, for non-combat skills. The color code used in game is quite misleading when it comes to costs; most are quite affordable. There are also some surprises, e.g., how cheaply Traders can buy skill points in Pharma Tech, and Fixers, Concealment.

Skill Dependency

See Main Article: Skills Costs and Dependencies Chart
Every skill is related to one, at 100%, or usually more than one ability, at a total of 100%, synergy. Every four ability points raise related skills one point, multiplied by the synergy percentages shown. All skills start at a base of 5, to which the synergies are immediately added; because the totals are calculated on the fly, starting characters will always have at least 6 points in all skills.

Likewise, adding ability points with equipped items or enhancement Nanos immediately affects skills. For example, casting Composite Attribute Boost (SL), which add 12 points to all Abilities, or Agility Boost plus Sense Boost, which add 12 points to each Ability, will add three points of Pistol Skill.

This has major implications for the use of equipment for characters as they progress. For one, equipment with requirements that a character has never spent skill points in, can be equipped, especially when bonuses from Nano Programs and Implants are added. This combination of bonuses is the primary factor enabling the use of Buff Weapons, and the associated increase in abilities, Buff Armor, although a given profession will always be better at equipping some buff weapons than others, and a given race, buff armor. Equipping the lowest QLs with the maximum benefit, known as the items' Breakpoints, facilitates this process.

Every skill has these dependencies, shown as percentages, e.g., Pistol, "Dependencies: 60% Agility, 40% Sense". Four points to both skills is needed to raise Pistol one point. Raising Agility four points will raise Pistol a hidden .6 skill points that is not displayed. However, this may result in a whole number increase, because such fractions are added 'on-the-fly'. Because such fractions are added continuously, existing fractions may combine with bonuses from Nano Programs and other buffs, rounding up to a whole number.

Scrollable Guide to Ability-Skill Synergy Percentages

Full page version at Skill Dependency Chart

In-game percentages for Ability percentages on Trap Disarmament add up to 110%. This is because of a typo for agility influence on this skill, which reads "30%", but should read "20%". Nano Resist's synergy percentages previously totaled similarly to a value other than 100%, but were patched.

Skills & Categories	Strength %	Agility %	Stamina %	Intelligence %	Sense %	Psychic %
Body & Defense
Body Dev.			100
Nano Pool			10	10	10	70
Evade-ClsC		50		20	30
Dodge-Rng		50		20	30
Duck-Exp		50		20	30
Nano Resist				20		80
Deflect (Parry)	50	20			30
Melee Weapons	Strength	Agility	Stamina	Intelligence	Sense	Psychic
1h Blunt	50	10	40
1h Edged	30	40	30
Piercing	20	50	30
2h Blunt	50		50
2h Edged	60		40
Melee Ener.			50	50
Martial Arts	20	50				30
Mult. Melee	30	60	10
Melee Init.		10		10	60	20
Physic. Init.		10		10	60	20
Melee Specials	Strength	Agility	Stamina	Intelligence	Sense	Psychic
Sneak Atck					80	20
Brawling	60		40
Fast Attack		60			40
Dimach					80	20
Riposte		50			50
Ranged Weapons	Strength	Agility	Stamina	Intelligence	Sense	Psychic
Pistol		60			40
Bow	20	40			40
MG / SMG	30	30	30		10
Assault Rif	10	30	40		20
Shotgun	40	60
Rifle		60			40
Ranged Ener				20	40	40
Grenade		40		20	40
Heavy Weapons	40	60
Multi Ranged		60		40
Ranged. Init.		10		10	60	20
Ranged Specials	Strength	Agility	Stamina	Intelligence	Sense	Psychic
Fling Shot		100
Aimed Shot					100
Burst	30	50	20
Full Auto	60		40
Bow Spc Att	10	50			40
Sharp Obj	20	60			20
Nanos & Casting	Strength	Agility	Stamina	Intelligence	Sense	Psychic
Matt. Metam				80		20
Bio Metamor				80		20
Psycho Modi				80	20
Sensory Impr	20			80
Time&Space		20		80
Matter Crea			20	80
NanoC. Init.		40			60
Exploring	Strength	Agility	Stamina	Intelligence	Sense	Psychic
Vehicle Air		20		20	60
Vehicle Ground		20		20	60
Vehicle Water		20		20	60
Run Speed	20	40	40
Adventuring	20	50	30
Combat & Healing	Strength	Agility	Stamina	Intelligence	Sense	Psychic
Perception				30	70
Concealment		30			70
Psychology				50	50
Trap Disarm.		20		20	60
First Aid		30		30	40
Treatment		30		50	20
Trade & Repair	Strength	Agility	Stamina	Intelligence	Sense	Psychic
Mech. Engi		50		50
Elec. Engi		30	20	50
Quantum FT				50		50
Chemistry			50	50
Weapon Smt	50			50
Nano Progra				100
Tutoring				70	20	10
Break & Entry		40			30	30
Comp. Liter				100
Pharma Tech		20		80
Disabled / Legacy	Strength	Agility	Stamina	Intelligence	Sense	Psychic
Swimming	20	20	60
Map Navigation				40	50	10
Skills & Categories	Strength	Agility	Stamina	Intelligence	Sense	Psychic

AO Stratics Skill Guide

Scrollable Chart of Skills Cost Increase Increments by Profession

Color coded version at Skills Costs and Dependencies Chart

Skills with higher values cost more Improvement Points (IP) than those with lower values.
Skills cost an increment more IP each level, the amounts of the increments are shown below.
For example, an Adventurer has spent 1000.8 IP on skills. This will have deducted 1001 IP points from the total remaining, but the remaining .2 IP still remains to be counted. The adventurer improves Riposte skill by four skill points, from, say, 17 to 21. If the cost of raising from 17 to 18 is 23 IP, leaving .4 IP, then it will cost 26 IP to raise from 18 to 19, leaving .6 IP, and 29 to raise from 19 to 20, leaving .8 IP. Since the adventurer now has .8 IP to be spent that is not visible on the Skill Improvement screen, raising the skill from 20 to 21 will appear to cost only 2 additional IP, or 31 IP.

Adv = Adventurer, Age = Agent, Bur = Bureaucrat, Doc = Doctor, Enf = Enforcer, Eng = Engineer, Fix = Fixer, Kee = Keeper, M.A = Martial Artist, Met = Metaphysicist, Nan = Nanomage, Sha = Shade, Sol = Soldier, Tra = Trader.

__________________	_____	_____	_____	_____	_____	_____	_____	_____	_____	_____	_____	_____	_____	_____
Skills and Categories	Adv	Age	Bur	Doc	Enf	Eng	Fix	Kee	M.A	Met	Nan	Sha	Sol	Tra
Category: Body
Martial Arts	2.8	1.6	2.8	2.0	1.6	2.8	2.8	3.0	1	2.8	2.8	1.6	2.0	2.0
Brawling	2.4	2.8	3.2	2.8	1	2.4	1.8	2.0	1.2	2.8	2.8	4	2.0	2.0
Dimach	4	1.6	3.0	4	4	4	4	1.3	1.2	2.5	2.5	1	4	4
Riposte	3.2	3.0	3.2	3.2	1.2	3.2	2.4	1	1	3.2	2.4	1.4	2.4	3.2
Adventuring	1	3.0	2.0	2.0	1.5	2.0	2.0	1.8	1.6	2.0	2.0	1.6	1.5	1.4
Swimming	1	1.6	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	1.8	1.4	2.0	2.0	1.4	1.5	1.5
Body Development	1.2	2.4	2.4	2.0	1	2.4	1.8	1.2	1.5	2.4	2.4	2.6	1.1	2.0
Nano Pool.	1.6	1.2	1.4	1	2.0	1.8	1.6	2.2	1.6	1	1	2.5	2.0	1.2
Melee	Adv	Age	Bur	Doc	Enf	Eng	Fix	Kee	M.A	Met	Nan	Sha	Sol	Tra
1 Hand Blunt	1.5	1.6	3.2	2.4	1	2.4	2.5	3.2	2.5	2.6	4	4	2.5	1.8
1 Hand Edged	1	2.0	4	2.4	1	3.2	2.0	3.2	2.0	4	4	4	2.0	3.2
Piercing Weap	1.5	2.5	4	2.4	1	3.2	2.5	3.2	2.0	3.2	4	1	2.5	2.5
2 Hand Blunt	1.5	2.5	4	3.2	1.4	3.2	3.2	3.2	2.0	4	3.2	4	2.5	2.5
2 Hand Edged	1.5	2.5	4	3.2	1	3.2	2.5	1	2.0	2.5	2.5	4	2.5	2.5
Melee Energy	1.5	3.2	4	3.2	1.8	4	3.2	3.2	3.0	4	3.2	4	2.2	2.5
Parry	1.5	1.6	3.2	2.4	1.4	4	2.4	1	1.5	4	3.2	1.4	2.5	2.5
Sneak Attack	1.5	1	2.4	3.2	2.0	4	3.9	4	3.0	4	3.2	1	3.0	4
Multiple Melee	1.4	2.5	4	3.2	1	4	2.5	3.2	2.5	4	4	1	2.0	3.2
Fast Attack	2.0	2.5	4	2.4	1.5	4	2.5	1	2.0	4	3.2	1.4	2.4	3.0
Misc Weapons	Adv	Age	Bur	Doc	Enf	Eng	Fix	Kee	M.A	Met	Nan	Sha	Sol	Tra
Knife/Sharp Throw	1.6	1.2	3.2	3.2	1.6	3.2	2.5	4	1	3.2	2.4	1.6	1.6	2.4
Grenade/L Throw	1.6	1.6	4	3.2	2.5	2.0	2.2	4	2.4	4	2.4	4	1.6	2.4
Op Heavy Weapons	3.0	3.0	4	4	2.5	2.0	2.5	4	4	4	4	4	1	4
Ranged Weapons	Adv	Age	Bur	Doc	Enf	Eng	Fix	Kee	M.A	Met	Nan	Sha	Sol	Tra
Bow	1.8	2.0	4	4	4	4	2.4	4	1	2.5	4	4	2.4	4
Pistol	1	1.8	1.6	1.6	3.0	1.5	1.6	4	3.5	2.4	1.6	4	1	2.0
Assault Rifle	1.6	3.0	4	4	3.5	3.0	2.8	4	4	4	4.5	4	1	4
Machine Gun / SMG	2.5	2.5	3.2	3.2	2.5	3.2	1	4	3.0	3.2	3.2	4	1.5	2.4
Shotgun	2.4	3.2	3.2	2.4	2.5	3.2	1.8	4	4	4	3	4	1.5	1.5
Rifle	1.7	1.3	4	4	4	4	2	4	4	4	4	4	2	2.8
Ranged Energy	2.4	2.5	4	4	4	3	2.5	4	4	4	4	4	1	3
Fling Shot	1	3.2	4	2.4	3.5	3.2	1.6	4	3.2	4	4	4	1	2.5
Aimed Shot	2.2	1.1	4	3.2	3.5	4	2.5	4	3.0	4	3.2	4	1.8	2.5
Burst	1.8	3.2	4	3.0	3.0	3.0	1.5	4	4	4	4	4	1.5	3.5
Full Auto	2.4	4	4	4	3.0	3.0	2.2	4	4	4	?5?	4	1.5	3.5
Bow Special Attack	1.6	2.0	4	4	2.0	3.5	2.0	4	1	2.5	4	4	2.0	4
Multi Ranged	1.5	1.8	4	4	4	4	2.0	4	4	2.5	4	4	2.0	2.5
Speed	Adv	Age	Bur	Doc	Enf	Eng	Fix	Kee	M.A	Met	Nan	Sha	Sol	Tra
Melee Init.	1.8	1.6	4	3.2	1	3.2	2.5	1	2.0	3.0	3.5	1	2.4	3.2
Range Init.	2.0	1.6	3.2	3.2	3.0	3.2	1.6	3.8	2.4	4	3.0	4	1	2.5
Physic. Init.	1.6	1.6	2.0	2.0	1.6	3.0	2.4	3.8	1	3.2	3.2	3.4	2.4	3.2
Nano Init.	2.0	1.6	1	1	2.4	1.6	2.4	3.2	2.5	1	1	2.8	4	1.5
Dodge-Rng	1.6	2.1	2.4	2.4	2.0	2.5	1	1.6	1	1.6	2.4	2.4	1.5	1.9
Evade-ClsC	1.8	2.4	2.4	3.2	1.5	4	1.6	1.4	1	1.6	3.2	1	2.0	1.9
Duck-Exp	1.6	1.6	2.4	2.4	2.0	2.2	1	1.6	1	2.4	2.4	1.2	1.8	1.9
Nano Resist	2.4	1.6	1.6	1.2	2.2	1.5	1.6	1.8	1.6	1.6	1	1.5	2.2	1.6
Run Speed	1	1.6	2.4	2.4	2.4	2.0	1	2.0	1	2.4	2.4	1	2.0	1.9
Trade and Repair	Adv	Age	Bur	Doc	Enf	Eng	Fix	Kee	M.A	Met	Nan	Sha	Sol	Tra
Mechanical Eng.	1.2	1.5	1.8	2.0	2.0	1	1.5	3.2	2.4	2.0	2.0	3.2	2.0	1.2
Electrical Engi.	1.6	2.0	2.4	1.6	1.8	1	1.5	3.2	3.2	2.0	1.6	3.2	2.4	1
Quantum FT	1.6	2.0	2.4	1.6	3.2	1	1.5	3.2	3.2	2.4	1.6	1.4	2.4	1.2
Weapon Smithing	1.6	4	2.5	1.5	1.5	1	1.3	2	2.4	2.5	3.2	3.2	1.5	1
Pharma Tech	2.4	1.6	2.4	1	1.6	1.5	1.5	3.2	2.4	2.0	2.4	1.8	2.0	1
Nano Program	4	2.4	1.6	1.6	2.4	1.2	2.0	3.2	2.4	1	1	4	2.0	1.4
Comp. Liter	1.6	1.6	1	1	1.6	1.3	1	2.4	2.0	1	1	2.4	2.0	1.5
Psychology	1.6	1	1	2.3	1	2.4	1.5	1	1.6	1.6	2.4	2.4	1.5	1
Chemistry	1.6	1.5	2.4	2.0	1	1.2	2.0	3.2	2.4	2.0	2.0	3.2	2.4	1.3
Tutoring	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Nano & Aiding	Adv	Age	Bur	Doc	Enf	Eng	Fix	Kee	M.A	Met	Nan	Sha	Sol	Tra
Matter Metamorph	1.8	1.2	1.6	1	2.5	1	2.4	3.2	2.0	1	1	3.2	2.0	1.6
Bio Metamorph	1.6	1.5	1	1	2.5	2.4	3.2	1.8	1.6	1	1	1.9	2.4	1.8
Psy Modification	1.8	1.6	1	1.6	2.5	2.4	2.4	1.6	2.0	1.6	1	1.4	2.0	1.5
Matter Creation	1.8	1.4	1.6	1.6	2.5	1	2.5	1	2.4	1	1	3.2	2.5	1.5
Time & Space	1.8	2.4	1.6	1.6	2.5	1	3.2	1.4	1.6	1	1	1.9	3.2	1.5
Sensory Improvement	1.6	1.6	1	1.6	2.5	2.4	2.4	2.4	1.6	1.6	1	1.6	2.4	1.8
First Aid	1.2	2.0	2.0	1	1.6	2.0	1.2	1.2	1.6	2.0	2.0	2.5	2.0	1.6
Treatment	1	2.0	2.0	1	2.0	1.6	1.2	1.8	2.0	2.0	2.0	1.5	2.0	1.6
Spying	Adv	Age	Bur	Doc	Enf	Eng	Fix	Kee	M.A	Met	Nan	Sha	Sol	Tra
Concealment	1.7	1	2.4	2.4	2.0	3.2	1.5	3.2	1.5	2.5	2.5	1	2.0	1.8
Break & Entry	2.0	1.5	2.0	2.0	2.0	1.6	1	2.4	2.0	2.4	2.5	1.6	2.0	1.8
Trap Disarmament	1.6	2.0	2.4	2.4	2.4	1.6	1	2.4	2.5	2.4	2.4	1.8	2.4	2.4
Perception	1.6	1	1.6	2.4	2.4	2.4	1	1.2	1.6	2.4	2.4	2.4	2.4	1.4
Navigation	Adv	Age	Bur	Doc	Enf	Eng	Fix	Kee	M.A	Met	Nan	Sha	Sol	Tra
Vehicle Air	1	2.4	2.0	2.4	1.6	1.6	1	2.4	3.0	2.5	2.4	3.2	1.6	1.4
Vehicle Ground	1	2.4	2.4	1.6	1	1.6	1	2.4	2.5	2.5	2.4	3.2	1	1.4
Vehicle Water	1	2.4	2.4	2.4	1.6	1.6	1	2.4	2.5	2.5	2.4	3.2	1.6	1.4
Map Navigation	1	1.6	2.0	1.6	1.6	1.6	2.0	1.2	2.0	2.0	1.6	2.4	1.6	1.3
Skills and Categories	Adv	Age	Bur	Doc	Enf	Eng	Fix	Kee	M.A	Met	Nan	Sha	Sol	Tra

AOFroobs Skills Chart

See Also

• Abilities
• Ability Maximums
• Breeds
• Player Level
• Skills Costs and Dependencies Chart
• Skill Maximums
• Skill System
• Title Level