SStar Wars Jedi: Survivor has improved upon the original game in almost every way, and that includes expanding main character Cal Kestis’ wide selection of skills and abilities. Whether it’s new stances to engage with or entirely new skill sets to acquire, you’ll find plenty to unravel throughout the game’s lengthy adventure. If you’re just getting started, though, you may find that your limited skill points leave you wondering which skills are worth your investment. Don’t fret, though, as we’ve got the best skills for you to buy first in this guide.
Before we get started, however, be aware that the decisions you make in your skill tree can be reversed by spending 1 skill point, giving you the option to try new builds as you play. Luckily, that shouldn’t generally be necessary – especially if you’re thorough with your exploration – as Jedi Survivor has no level cap. Because of this, you can continue to grind out infinite skill points whenever you wish. In other words, you can max out the entire skill tree by the end of the game. With that out of the way, here are the best skills to buy first.
Survival Skills
Survival Skills is located in the Resilience skill tree. This skill provides Cal with an upgrade to his overall health pool, granting him a bit of extra survivability. If you’re playing on Jedi Knight difficulty or above, this is even more vital to your build, as enemies hit pretty hard. You’ll also find health upgrades throughout your journey, but the boost you get from Survival Skills is nevertheless a meaningful one.
As soon as you can, you should also use some points to grab the Improved and Expert Survival Skills follow-ups above the initial skill to improve your health even further.
Improved Stim Formula
Improved Stim Formula is also located in the Resilience skill tree. This skill allows Cal to recover additional health from stim packs that BD-1 tosses him during battle. This is an important skill to have early on, as your stim packs will be very limited during the opening hours of the game, so you’ll want to be sure each one is healing you as much as it possibly can.
When you have the extra skill points, make sure you also grab the Perfected follow-up skill right above the Improved Stim Formula, as this will further increase how much health BD-1’s Stims provide.
Attunement
Attunement is located in the Jedi Concentration skill tree. This skill grants Cal extra Force, allowing you to use your Force powers with more frequency, which is especially helpful early on if you tend to Force Pull or Force Push enemies with any regularity. Even though the increase to your Force isn’t necessarily significant, it’ll be enough to give you the extra edge you need.
When you get a chance, make sure you also grab the Lucid and Enlightened follow-ups above this skill t improve your Force even further.
Greater Hold
Greater Hold is in the Jedi Concentration skill tree. This skill will increase the amount of time your Slow effect remains on enemies. The Slow ability is a huge help against bosses or large groups of foes, giving you ample time to maneuver around the battlefield or get in some hits without having to worry so much about retaliation, so don’t pass up this opportunity to improve it.
Eventually, be sure you also grab the Extended Hold skill just beside Greater Hold, as this will make it so that your Slow effect no longer breaks after your first hit on an enemy.
Wrenching Pull
Wrenching Pull is in the Telekinesis skill tree. This skill will allow you to grab a group of enemies and pull them to you while also briefly staggering them. Considering how often the game attempts to overwhelm you with an onslaught of foes, this is an immensely powerful tool to have at your disposal, giving you the option to pull multiple baddies together and slice through them in one fell swoop.
Once you can afford to do so, don’t pass up the Radial Push skill just next to Wrenching Pull, as this will let you push enemies away and stagger them for a brief period so that you can reposition or heal.
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Billy Givens is a freelance writer with over a decade of experience writing gaming, film, and tech content. His work can be found on IGN, GameSpot, Tom’s Guide, and more.
PlayStation VR2’s launch lineup features more than just Horizon Call of the Mountain
At CES 2023, Sony confirmed that there would be over 30 launch titles for PlayStation VR2. Today, we learned specifics on what exactly 37 of those PlayStation VR2 launch window games are on PlayStation Blog.
This announcement also contains 13 new titles that we didn’t know were coming to PlayStation VR before. Particular new highlights include Before Your Eyes, an emotionally moving game where blinking is the main form of interaction, Tetris Effect: Connected, a multiplayer-enhanced version of one the original PlayStation VR’s best games, and What the Bat?, a comedy game where the player’s arms are bats. Of course, the crown jewel of PlayStation VR2’s launch is still Horizon Call of the Mountain, a VR spin-off of one of PlayStation’s most successful recent franchises.
Check out the full list of confirmed launch titles:
Why Cameron Monaghan wanted a ‘darker’ Cal Kestis in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
When we first met Cal Kestis in 2019’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, he was just a young Padawan. A redheaded kid draped in an unflattering poncho, Cal would grow into a full-blown Jedi by the end of the game. It was a classic Star Wars arc in video game form, but one that left players wanting more. It’s great that we got to see that growth, but who could resist the idea of a sequel where his newly awakened powers would be fully unleashed?
Cameron Monaghan, who reprises his role as Cal in next year’s Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, had that same itch. The Gotham and Shameless star was already thinking about where Cal could go next before Fallen Order was even out. Monaghan’s ambitions weren’t focused so much on what kinds of cool lightsaber tricks Cal could pick up between games, but rather how to bring more complexity to one of Star Wars’ newest Jedis.
“In the first game, he had a naivete and a wide-eyed nature that I love about Cal,” Monaghan tells Digital Trends. “But I think tha,t situationally, if you’re in such a desperate place for so many years and fighting and being a soldier and a tool for resistance, at some point, it’s going to start to change the way you see the world around you.”
I sat down with Cameron Monaghan ahead of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s grand reveal at this year’s Game Awards. The actor explained how Cal has changed in the five-year time skip between games and shared fresh details on the sequel’s new companion character, Bode Akuna. Monaghan explained the balancing act that comes with trying to stay focused on a character’s personal journey when working within a much larger, expanded universe — and he offered some praise for Andor too.
Back before a sequel was greenlit, when you were waiting to see if Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order would get one, what did you want to do with Cal Kestis if you got a second run with him?
When we were making the first game, we had inklings that we would maybe want to do more with it if it was successful. I’ll never forget when we had the wrap party for the first game and Stig Asmussen, the head of Respawn, was like, “What do you want to do?” I had this crazy moment where I was like, “Wow, I really wish I was more prepared for this!’”
But I was able to give a broad strokes answer: I wanted to see Cal a number of years on from the first game and see him mature and have a different outlook. A more complex, darker, more challenged character. In the first game, he had a naivete and a wide-eyed nature that I love about Cal. But I think that, situationally, if you’re in such a desperate place for so many years and fighting and being a soldier and a tool for resistance, at some point, it’s going to start to change the way you see the world around you. I wanted to explore what that looked like for Cal.
He’s been through some stuff, and I think over the last two years, we’ve all been through some stuff, man!
First Star Wars Jedi: Survivor trailer features dual-lightsaber combat, open-world teases
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is launching on March 17, 2023, for Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, and PC. The action-adventure game received an impressive trailer during The Game Awards that showed off several new features and teased some potential open-world aspects.
Survivor takes place five years after 2019’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, continuing the adventures of Cal Kestis and his droid pal BD-1. Cal is no longer a young Padawan and is now a full-blown Jedi. The much larger scope of the game seems to reflect that change.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – Official Reveal Trailer
Combat is notably evolved in the trailer, as Cal can now freely use a dual-lightsaber stance in battle. Later, we see him enter “cross guard” stance as he takes down droids with heavy, two-handed slashes. EA tells Digital Trends that the goal of the sequel is to give players more agency when it comes to their playstyle.
Traversal plays a large role in the clip too. In addition to swinging around via grappling points, Cal is seen mounted on animals. He’s shown riding the back of a four-legged creature and using a winged one like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s glider. The clip seems to imply that the game’s planets might be more open-ended than Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order’s, as one shot shows Cal peering out over a gigantic vista. EA notes that the sequel is still largely a Metroidvania-inspired title where Cal gets new abilities over time.
Cal has a new human companion this time named Bode Akuna. In one clip, we see Bode flipping over Cal’s back to attack an enemy with a combo move.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was built with current-generation consoles in mind, with ray tracing being a major focus. It appears to be a graphically impressive showcase that features more dynamic lighting and flashy lightsaber effects. The adventure won’t launch on PS4 or Xbox One, but it’ll be available for PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on March 17, 2023.
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Billy Givens