Skill Tree Official Release Review and Guide - MechWarrior Online

A traveler's guide to the new MWO Skill Tree. How to navigate the interface, what skills to get for what mechs, how to invest skill points wisely. I also give some opinions on current balance issues.

[@EdwardDudley]

Your advice to pick one mech that we do not really care/play that much before using the skill tree was spot on! Thank you for the skill video, much appreciated!

[@microcosmos9143]

Ok man, I was totally lost, but you've found me for myself. Thank you for the video.

[@ISheolraver]

Another informative, great vid. Thanks Blackhawk.

[@CJPowell1337]

As always, great advice and information. You deserve more recognition my friend.

[@BlackhawkSC]

ty

[@tiberiuskirk2593]

Been playing since Beta. Skill Tree is far superior to the old system. Take two different kinds of energy vomit. Pulse brawling vs med/lpl peeking. I can now invest in survival and agility for my brawler or invest in range and beam duration for my peeker. Far better than being stuck with sub-optimal quirks picked by the PGI quirk dartboard and be stuck with one type of build for one mech. Another example is Clan omnimechs with flexible omnipods like the Twolf. I can either do SRM brawler or Laser Vomit or even ballistics and spec accordingly.

[@ronsmith1364]

It would be nice if PGI could demo a mech with 'maxed' skill trees eg survivability vs a mobility build in the same chassis. We could see the effect of skill point choice and spec accordingly per inclination. I do not miss the module shuffle for each match and hope my choices for nodes equate to performance I want in game. Also losing the 3 mech /mastery is an improvement in mech selection and player role choice. thanx for posting info

[@WookieeRage]

Thank you for the video! I know a lot of people are hating the new Skill Tree patch, but as a new player to MWO I have the advantage of not being used to the now old method. But from my perspective so far, I can afford some things much quicker than the old grind. In my first week of play I just kept looking at the 15k GXP I was trying to build up so I could afford Radar Deprivation. Now I can afford it easily and decide if I need it 100% or less, and acquiring skills like Advanced Zoom is much easier. So far, as a new player, it has made my experience better and more customizable. Even if I didn't like it, it's here, so embracing it can only make my game play more enjoyable.

[@citronvand]

Same here. Don't forget that you're no longer forced into buying 2 other variants for the mech you want to master, 2 variants that would have probably cost you over 20-30m, not including the modules. The new system is so much better for new players.

[@mwidenst]

So far I am enjoying the new skill tree system. I have built 4 mechs so far, from all classes. They are all very different in their own way. I tried a Kitfox with 3 AMS for shits and giggles. My jaw dropped a bit :-) Iy chewed missiles. I tried an Archer Tempest with ECM, did well but I had to skip the heat cooldown skills. I just see so many different and interesting builds from this.

[@dominikabra]

I agree, the problem is the c-bill sinkhole they devised with this new Skill Tree. How can they say it promotes experimenting when respecing a mech is expensive as ****? I said it so many times already, make us pay ONCE to unlock the nodes, then let us reassign them for FREE.

[@Ghorda9]

You can just use GXP to get SP

[@eishiba3916]

Angrius Windstorm why do you have to pay to convert mech exp to points to get the skills?

[@Ghorda9]

because you can just use GXP now and it is the only thing you can spend GXP on.

[@mushisan1]

good tips lad!

[@helifalic]

Don't underestimate the sensor tree (even skills like sensor range and targeting data). Also you should invest more into mobility and ditch that potato survival tree unless your 'mech is already quirked for armor / structure. Dual airstrike is mandatory on all 'mechs.

[@araynortassadore3056]

I absolutely hate it.....there wasn't a damn thing wrong with modules....

[@Ghorda9]

except they where over costed and most where pointless.

[@commodorerook3797]

No offense, but the video is as boring as it is in the game. A true time sink feature.

[@BlackhawkSC]

This is an informational video. There are other videos I make that's for pure entertainment. You should be able to tell what video type it is from the title.

[@commodorerook3797]

It was not a slight against you, just the subject matter is bland. Just not excited about this new skill system. I wish they would have added a Select All (Well 91) button to save me from clicking 91 tiles per mech.

[@drinkdrinkdrunk]

The amount of butt hurt from some players is amazing. People have been asking for a revamped skill tree for ever now they have it they cry because they used a model that forces you to get some skills which are less useful than others. Modules are gone wow, now you have the ability to create a mech that better suits your play style and many will have have the gsp to completely spec new mechs for months. Getting rid of the need to buy three variants of the same mech to master it saves so much grind time, those credits can now go into skills or different mechs. I just purchased 5 mechs in the sale previously I would have needed 15.....how long would a casual player have to play to afford that?

[@OnlySubhumansWorkAtYouTube]

Guide! Step 1: Ask PGI why this awful idea and why they don't want my money? Step 2: Get ban on the forum because PGI is a special little snowflake! Step 3: Uninstall and do something else!

[@OnlySubhumansWorkAtYouTube]

The day before the patch: 1832 players at the peak. (on Steam) Two days later: 1359 players at the peak... Maybe you should open your eyes before you find yourself alone... But again who want to play with a fanboy... BTW Do you really think Mechwarrior 5 is going to get good sale result after this mess... Think again fanboy!

[@OnlySubhumansWorkAtYouTube]

Oh look... www.reddit.com/r/OutreachHPG/comments/6by0tv/skill_tree_survey_results/ docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc2L2KbA3q8yNsIQrC20xCekihczD7iBHfgjAbQ7JvXjTz87g/viewanalytics Just open your eyes kiddo!

[@Indak08]

Come what may, I'll be playing until the servers shut down. I could care less what other people think about it.

[@OnlySubhumansWorkAtYouTube]

Not a lot of friend in your life right? Sad and pathetic fanboy....

[@Indak08]

Yeah, I can see why PGI blocked you...just like I'm about to do.

[@dimitris355]

PGI converted all my modules into GSP which i dont need cause all my mechs are fully exped. All those cbills that i grinded for hours are gone... WHAT A RIP OFF!!! Thanks PGI for this nice trick, you f...ed me right in the ass.

[@drinkdrinkdrunk]

Dimitris Laoudis When you want to respec a mechs skills or you buy a new mech and can straight away dump 91 points into it at no cbill cost you will get your hard earned cbills back. There will be some players who never need to grinds skills on a mech again because they owned so many modules.

[@dimitris355]

I have 150 mechs, and some people have much more, which are way too many to spec and play again from the start... the issue anyway is not practical, but ethical. I have grinded like a madman for all these c-bills, and all i have to show is what? GSP? daf4ck??? seriously? You want a cherry on top? It feels like PGI left us do the beta testing for this system... I can list a ton of issues that should have been ironed out before launching this. Final question: Lets assume you are a new player. Are you gonna feel comfortable with all this? How much would you have to grind just to level up your first mech? Let alone buying a second, or a third... I want more people to join the game not discourage them. Just for the fun of it take a friend and try to explain to him how it all works

[@overview007]

Respectfully - I have over two hundred mechs, I know your pain. But the thing is I don't run all two hundred regularly - just a handful, literally. I respec-ed just one or two to test out the system, and plan to respec as I go along, otherwise it is too cumbersome.

[@dimitris355]

i am thinking the same to be honest, although i enjoy having the variety. That is why i invested the cbills in the first place - to get myself the opportunity to try different play styles. BUT pgi messed that as well. Mech that got unplayable, received quirks in order to become playable... I will hold my respecing for pgi to stop messing (if ever) with the mech balancing

[@cdrderfyt]

Thank you in general for helping the old gamer out, for getting into more modern computer gaming. Your videos and those of some others are a great help to bringing us Up to speed for this style gaming.

[@snackscoughman]

I just am neutral, I just want them to move the game to unreal 4, soon (as in a year after mechwarrior 5, 2019!!)

[@XDevilsChariotX]

91 points aint enough if you ask me and I think that's why I hate this new system.

[@knine116]

thats kinda the whole point, they dont want everyone to have everything anymore

[@Excalibaard]

91 skill points is too many instead. They should do away with 'illusion of choice' tiny increments, and just give us real choices.

[@knine116]

i like how it lets us get something, like partial speed tweak, or take nodes hear and there and move bits around

[@coolnamesTV]

Appreciate the video :D

[@CommandLineVulpine]

This skill tree I think is good but there's like, 20 different kinds of XP now, they need to simplify it.

[@HEROF0RHIRE]

Older Mechwarrior titles you just config the weapons loadout. Things like a weapon's range & damage, mech speed, and max armor amount was set in stone. That way is better AND makes more sense. This skill tree nonsense is just lame grindy work. If I want a grindy game I'd be playing No Man's Sky

[@daveinjapan]

Good vid, thanks. On MWO: it doesn't need modules, quirks, or skill tree. It is the first MW title to do that and...it's the worst of the series imho. Sad cause I *want* to like it, but... I don't. I'd rather have ActiVision doing the MechWarrior series again.

[@Loganhundred]

It's crap. They force us to get a bit of everything, so we cant specialize our mechs. Does a direwolf care about shock absorbance and improved gyros ?!

[@xattr8403]

Well interesting video, in my opinion it is better to spend points in armour, agility, sensors, operations and just at the end spend some leftover points in weapons... especially on clan the weapons have an extended base range already so you dont need to skill into range, and the heat is higher on clans so you dont neccessary need cooldown skills. and if you dont put skills into torso speed or anchor turn etc. the mechs feel like whales, they are unplayable, every move is so slow, especially torso twisting wich is important.

[@turk88]

Took one look at this and was like hmm i need a easy guide on the net. And then realized i done this with PoE etc and was like meh, i dont need this and quit . Have not logged in since this came in.

[@DeathmentalPvP]

you should have first answered how to get the SP to do this crap

[@cdrderfyt]

Thank you for this video. I haven't verified this video for January 2022 build of MWO, this is extremally helpful for understanding the skill trees.

[@BlackhawkSC]

ty

[@Ephigy17]

Thanks for the video Blackhawk! I have been leaning towards Mobilty + Ops (speedtweak and heat management) > Survival + Sensors (armour and radar dep) > then the rest (not many) in Firepower to get a coloured node, usually +ammo. Edit: Although I've only looked at my GRFs so far.

[@BlackhawkSC]

Thanks Ephigy. Have you been playing much lately?

[@Ephigy17]

Yeah, came back about a week ago. Just playing casually really. Good timing I guess, you know how much I hated the redundant skills! Would be cool to drop with groups again sometime soon.

[@Heckibrd]

I've only played a little since this patch, but it seems like the survival tree will help lights the most. If an Atlas gets 20 extra armor on it's legs, so what. Now when a wolfhound does so it can take serious hits and run away at high speeds.

[@BlackhawkSC]

Yea it's very much a tossup between structure/armor and sensors. I chose sensors for lights though, but I might switch later.

[@Heckibrd]

BlackhawkSC I spec'd just enough into sensors to grab most radar dep and 1 seismic, but I'm gonna need to experiment more with other lights.

[@NoNo-xy3mi]

i feel like 1 seismic is pretty useless, 100m is just not enough to do much with it

[@Heckibrd]

No No it's good for checking corners, or hiding behind a building and seeing which side an enemy is coming around.

[@Ghorda9]

and art striking people above you.

[@johnmoore8599]

Thanks for the tutorial. It is solely needed. I probably wasted skill points and such speccing three mechs last night learning the skill tree. ECM is also confusing, since it was announced that they were nerfing it to an extent and you'd have to add skills to make it what it was. Obviously, they changed their minds and I probably wasted skills last night adding ECM bonuses to my HBR-B. People were skipping the armor tree last night. They considered it a skill point sink giving little benefit. It was difficult to determine what benefits the skill tree gives you last night since everyone was on and testing, and I felt like I was in Tier 5 again. I noticed that the LBK performs better now, but it is such a marginal and niche mech, I doubt the improvements will help it survive or do well. I saw people testing their gauss and dakka KDK-3 builds. Pretty vicious.

[@BlackhawkSC]

Thanks John :)

[@DeanoRune]

I too wasted skill points on a config and placed way too much into it (thanks the video explained a lot but a bit too late.) Is there a way to take the points over 91 out so you can use on other mechs?

[@BlackhawkSC]

You would just have to play more. If you put a lot of SPs into firepower, and if you made the right decisions for that tree, then you don't need to respec all 91 SPs.

[@johnmoore8599]

True, but nowhere does PGI give a manual or FAQ for that. They expect the community to explain it to new players. Free documentation. Grrr.

[@BlackhawkSC]

Defo. For me I had to ask one of my unitmates about how to work the skill tree before actually getting it. Then it became obvious this needed a tutorial.

[@VilleRunner]

PGI just trying to commit suicide with this new skill tree crap. Do away with the skill tree altogether. Skill doesn't affect physics. an IS Large Laser has a effective maximum range and no amount of skill is going to change that. Same goes for armor other weapons and equipment in the mech. This has been one of my top three gripes about this game since I started playing it. When you buy a mech and equipment you should expect to get full functionality from the start. The skill is inherent in your game play since this is a real time first person shooter.

[@rts100x5]

fucking ridiculous - one more reason not to play

[@PCPAyLOAD]

I have to completely agree sadly.. Its way over-engineered and in doing so has handcuffed people into unlocking shit they dont want or need to get to a desired fully custom build.. so stupid Devs. Wipe this shit and start over please.

[@mackaydickerson7618]

Skill system isn't that difficult...it is after all a game.

[@naitrael1733]

Yeah, with that attitude, you would have to write your comment on a steam-based computer. Also...have you ever played a RPG? Or is it just too darn complex?

[@overview007]

I get it - I felt that way too. But don't forget you no longer have to grind 3 variants to Master, which opens up a lot more mechs to try.

[@Ghorda9]

nore do you have to spend millions of cbills on mods