Skill trees create opportunities for personalized growth, allowing players to shape their characters to perfectly match their preferred playstyle.
Used primarily in RPG and action games, they add an exciting layer of customization to already thrilling adventures – with unique builds achieved with complex ability paths, skill tree games utilize RPG mechanics for an engaging and immersive experience crafted to fit your taste.
Here is our list of games with deep skill trees, allowing players to craft personalized builds and approach challenges in their own way. Let’s explore them together!
| Game | Release | Genre | Developer | Video | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim | 2016-10-27 | Role-playing (RPG) & Adventure | Bethesda Game Studios | |
 | Path Of Exile 2 | Early Access | Hack and slash/Beat 'em up & Adventure | Grinding Gear Games | |
 | Cyberpunk 2077 | 2020-12-10 | Shooter & Adventure | CD PROJEKT RED | |
 | Borderlands 3 | 2020-04 | Role-playing (RPG) & Shooter | Gearbox Software | |
 | Elden Ring | 2022-02-22 | Adventure & Role-playing (RPG) | FromSoftware | |
 | Divinity Original Sin 2 | 2017-09-14 | Strategy & Role-playing (RPG) | Larian Studios | |
 | Diablo IV | 2023-06-06 | Role-playing (RPG) & Hack and slash/Beat 'em up | Blizzard Entertainment |
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) is a great example of such a title – the game features an intuitive and highly flexible skill system, which is based on use-driven progression.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Release Date: October 27, 2016
Genres: Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Players can develop various perks across 18 skill categories (from powerful magic skills, through one- and two-handed weapon mastery, all the way to lockpicking) grouped into 3 class archetypes (The Mage, The Warrior, and The Thief). This system allows them to easily match their character’s abilities with custom playstyles.
Path of Exile & Path of Exile 2
Not many productions are as famous for their skill trees as Path of Exile (2013). The game’s impressive passive skill tree offers 1325 nodes, including attributes, defenses, damage increase, et cetera. Each character starts at a different location on the tree, reflecting core attributes and playstyle specific to their class.
Path of Exile 2
Release Date: Early Access
Genres: Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure
By completing quests and leveling up, players can gain skill points, which are later used to unlock new skills. The game rewards long-term planning as skillful usage of the branching abilities may result in achieving unique and powerful builds.
Cyberpunk 2077
In Cyberpunk 2077 (2020), skill upgrades are divided into five sub-categories, each providing benefits to their associated attribute.
Cyberpunk 2077
Release Date: December 10, 2020
Genres: Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
For example, the Netrunner category is associated with the Intelligence attribute, in which experience is gained by performing actions such as crafting quickhacks or hacking enemies, devices, and vehicles. By improving the rank of a particular attribute, players unlock various effects and upgrades, mixing which results in creating diverse character builds.
Borderlands series
The Borderlands series (2009 – now) supports a variety of playstyles within character classes – each class has unique skill trees, which include passive bonuses, skill upgrades, and a variety of effects influencing the character’s fight style.
Borderlands 3
Release Date: April 01, 2020
Genres: Shooter, Role-playing (RPG)
Players can make their support skills, critical hits, elemental damage, and other attributes a priority when developing their characters, utilizing adaptive playstyles systems to perfectly fit their favourite role.
Elden Ring
While Elden Ring (2022) does not feature a traditional skill tree, it supports traditional RPG levelling systems with an already known from the Dark Souls series mechanic of skills being attached to weapons.
Elden Ring
Release Date: February 22, 2022
Genres: Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Its system of weapon affinities and spell archetypes allows players to create distinct classes and personalized growth paths. Additionally, player builds can change and evolve mid-game due to the respec mechanic, resetting the character’s stats.
Divinity: Original Sin 2
In its original skill system, based on multiple schools (such as Necromancer, Pyrokinetic, Summoning, or Hydrosophist), Divinity: Original Sin 2 (2017) allows players to create unique builds with combinations of spells and abilities.
Divinity: Original Sin 2
Release Date: September 14, 2017
Genres: RPG, Strategy, TBS, Adventure
While the system is not based on classes themselves, powerful synergies and hybrids are possible to achieve due to elemental interactions and various requirements needed to unlock a particular skill.
Diablo series
The skill systems featured in the Diablo series (1996 – now) have evolved over time, with Diablo II (2000) offering fixed skill trees and Diablo III (2012) introducing more flexible and modern skill runes and loadouts.
Diablo IV
Release Date: June 06, 2023
Genres: RPG, Hack and slash/Beat 'em up
The latest instalment of the franchise, Diablo IV (2023), brings back the skill tree feature with more complex ability paths and upgrade options, thanks to which players can strategically develop their characters within their classes. With additional loot synergies, modifiers, and further character customization, no two protagonists are the same!
We hope that our list of seven amazing titles offering complex skill trees will satisfy your hunger for creating fully customizable and powerful builds. Have fun experimenting with unique skill systems, designed with personalized experience in mind!