Question regarding improving skills in Survival mode

[Deseoso]

I am hoping if someone can confirm that my understanding of how skill improvements work or clarify if I am incorrect in my thinking. If we take the mending skill for example, am I correct in assuming that each level requires more of the skill to be used than the previous level, i.e. you can repair clothing 30 times to get to level 2 but need to repair clothing 90 times to get from level 4 to level 5. (I doubt the numbers I have used are accurate, they are just an example)

 

If I am correct in my thinking then would I also be right in assuming that any skill books found would be better to save until your skill is at a higher level as the higher levels are the hardest to achieve and thus it would be better to use the skill books then to help you increase the higher levels faster?

[hozz1235]

Correct on #1:  https://thelongdark.fandom.com/wiki/Mending

Since skill books give a static number of points, it doesn't really matter at what skill level you use them.  Keep in mind, some skill books only work until you reach a certain level (3 for example).

https://thelongdark.fandom.com/wiki/Research_book

[Serenity]

It's better to use your skill books earlier for gameplay reasons. At lower levels you will more likely screw up fires, mending or fishing. And your weapons do less damage.

[Deseoso]

Thanks for the info. That is exactly what I was looking for.

[hozz1235]

On 12/15/2022 at 8:21 AM, Serenity said:

It's better to use your skill books earlier for gameplay reasons. At lower levels you will more likely screw up fires, mending or fishing. And your weapons do less damage.

With one exception:  Advanced Guns Guns Guns!  Save this for after you've reached level 3.  I had 5 of them saved up and pretty much took me fully to level 5.

Edited December 21, 2022 by hozz1235

[Mistral]

The only books I ever use are archery and cooking. Maybe fire starting and carcass harvest if there's nothing else to do. The rest are useless. However, even with those archery and cooking books, I don't wanna use them right away (unless there's time killing and excess calories to be spend during blizzards) because you kinda want to get more important stuff done in those first two weeks or so. Okay the books are heavy and you don't wanna carry them around for too long, but still.

[Serenity]

I read books when there is nothing else to do. During blizzards. Or early in the morning when it's bitterly cold outside. Plenty of downtime to get a few hours in here and there.

[hozz1235]

1 hour ago, Mistral said:

The rest are useless.

How so?  For example, I'd rather use books for the Rifle skill vs. raising the skill using valuable ammo/gunpowder.
Same goes for Archery.  On each run, I can pretty much get level 5 by reading books and making arrows.
Mending - the higher your skill, less time to mend, more % mended, etc.

Edited December 22, 2022 by hozz1235

[Mistral]

1 hour ago, hozz1235 said:

How so?  For example, I'd rather use books for the Rifle skill vs. raising the skill using valuable ammo/gunpowder.
Same goes for Archery.  On each run, I can pretty much get level 5 by reading books and making arrows.
Mending - the higher your skill, less time to mend, more % mended, etc.

I don't really play the game on modes that have guns so that's 3 books gone already

Mending, the system is sort of broken since you can repair most clothes with moderate success even on Level 1, the incentive to advance is therefore very low. If you could only craft animal clothing if you had Mending 3 or 4 or whatever it'd be different. Or if the chance of repair success was 10% on level 1...

Fishing, very rarely do it anyway

Fire starting and carcass harvesting are essential skills of course but you do perform so many of those tasks during early game anyway, advancing the skills all the time, so that's not necessary for me, unless there is excess time. For archery and cooking though you of course want level 5 ASAP.

They are also the only two skills where Level 5 changes the game entirely, for the other modes Level 5 isn't as effective. For fire starting level 3 is more important...

Edited December 22, 2022 by Mistral

[hozz1235]

1 hour ago, Mistral said:

They are also the only two skills where Level 5 changes the game entirely, for the other modes Level 5 isn't as effective. For fire starting level 3 is more important...

I agree.  I still disagree that all other books are useless.