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[SantaC]

It feels like many RPGs just phone it in these day. There is nothing exciting about walking on a straight line collecting stats and skills. It needs to have some kind of depth to it.

The expert Sphere Grid in Final Fantasy X (int) is still one of the best skill trees despite it being over 20 years old. Here you have to find gate keys to unlock different routes etc.

It is funny how poorly the skill trees were in FF13 and FF15 for comparison. The crystarium is good example how it shit it was. Progress is locked behind main story.


Whats your favorite and least favorite skill tree?

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

Then go look at something like Path of Exile skill tree

 

[SantaC]

Then go look at something like Path of Exile skill tree

Havent played it

 

[adamsapple]

At a point I like it when the game handles it for me lol. Huge skill trees can lead to choice-paralysis.

Dragon's Dogma 2 is great for this, it automatically increases your stats on level-ups depending on which vocation style you're using. Naturally if you're using a Fighter or Warrior style, you get more points in Str and Def compared to Magic on leveling up.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

Probably one of the laziest ways to customize a character in game design.

Sphere Grid is good because its natural stat progression but anything to do with "Perks" hell naw.

 

[Kenpachii]

Not a fan of it, because u only play the last 10% of the game with how your character was supposed to be.

 

[gaming_again]

I hate them all at this point.

 

[Kilau]

Havent played it

Lucky you.

 

[Zimmy68]

Assassin Creed Valhalla skill tree was one of the major reasons I quit the game. Earning a skill point meant nothing and I would run around with 5+ unspent.

 

[LordCBH]

Then go look at something like Path of Exile skill tree

I’m allergic to spreadsheets

 

[LordCBH]

I die a little bit inside every time a dev makes a skill tree and thinks “basic attack does 1.2% more damage” is an appropriate node on it.

 

[Edgelord79]

I actually like complex skill trees if they make sense. Maybe I’m one of the few, but Path of Exile’s skill tree excites me because there are so many options and routes to take. Last Epoch has a decent one as well. I didn’t like Grim Dawns because it was vey simplistic (game is awesome though).

 

[AJUMP23]

I just want to get enough points to fill in the whole tree.

 

[Laptop1991]

I really like skill trees, yeah some are better than others but as long as the skills in a game improve when you select them i'm good, they keep you playing and aiming to improve your character and make the game better for me.

 

[Fbh]

While no example is coming to mind right now, I like skill trees that focus on branching paths and meaningful upgrades.
I never liked skill trees with hundreds of "nodes" where a majority of them are small incremental upgrades like 1.5% more attack or 5 extra HP. I'd rather have fewer things to unlock but make them more meaningful.
Also I've never liked skill trees which are designed for you to unlock everything, I like skills trees with branching paths where you actually have to make decisions and focus on a build

 

[TintoConCasera]

I liked the ones featured in the SMT: Digital Devil Saga games.

First one was quite simple, a few lines of nodes each one unlocking skills of a different element. I think it was cool that every character had the same skill tree, which basically meant that you could do whatever the fuck you wanted with your party. Highly customizable but also kinda risky, since you unlock nodes with money and you could be in dire straits of you wasted it on nodes you don't really need.

Then for the sequel they complicated it a bit more.

Instead of straight lines you get this panel made of hexagons, each hexagon unlocking different skills. The cool thing here is that the panel is shared between all the party members, and in order to unlock certain hexagons you would need to first unlock all the surrounding ones, adding a layer of strategy to it.

 

[Rockondevil]

PoE and Valhalla were the last two I remember disliking.

I like a basic skill tree for sure, but too much turns me off.

 

[Myths]

There are more RPGs than just FF, you can’t just comment on several using the Sphere Grid structure then say “games” as to mean all games.

Initial post should’ve provided more examples than just that series to backup that claim of “phone it in.”

 

[Little Mac]

I'm a fan of any gameplay mechanic that allows you to think, plan out, and customize your character or gameplay experience. Gamers like to "break" games. The best developers acknowledge and embrace that truth. So yeah, I love me some Skill Trees. In fact it's my psn gamertag if there are any Hell Divers running 6ish (Skill_Trees). Down with the Toasters!!!!

 

[IAmRei]

Final fantasy 12 also have lisence board or something like sphere as well. My favorite is simplier actually. Like ff tactics or 5 or bravely default 2. 7 and 9 also likeable.

 

[Chuck Berry]

I can’t get enough of em

 

[cash_longfellow]

Then go look at something like Path of Exile skill tree

I legitimately had a panic attack the first time I opened that skill tree

 

[Imru’ al-Qays]

I hate skill trees because you never know what abilities are worth getting, and if some abilities are clearly the ones you should get then why have a skill tree at all?

 

[nikos]

I have never liked them.

I've avoided progressing in countless games because of some kind of skill tree or upgrade system. I find myself looking up best builds instead of just enjoying a game. It's even worse when you can't respec.

 

[kikkis]

Hate them. It feels like designers trying to justify their jobs. Just give me the relevant core mechanics slowly or immediately. Dont burden my cognition with skill trees.

 

[GermanZepp]

Lucky you.