Days Gone Skills List

In Days Gone, Deacon St. John earns experience points (XP) from various activities. As he levels up, you’ll unlock skill points that can be spent on new abilities across three categories:

• Melee Combat – Improves close-range fighting.
• Ranged Combat – Enhances gunplay and crossbow usage.
• Survival – Boosts Deacon’s exploration, stamina, and crafting abilities.

This guide breaks down all 45 skills in Days Gone, helping you decide which upgrades to prioritize.

How to Access Skills in Days Gone

To access and upgrade your skills:

1. Press the Touchpad on your PlayStation controller.
2. Navigate to the Skills tab by swiping down.
3. Choose a category: Melee Combat, Ranged Combat, or Survival.
4. Select an unlocked perk and spend a skill point to upgrade it.

Melee Combat Skills

Melee skills improve Deacon’s hand-to-hand combat and make melee weapons more effective.

Skill	Effect
Escape Artist	Kill smaller enemies after escaping a grapple.
Field Repairs	Repair melee weapons using scrap.
Juice Up	Stamina Cocktails recover more stamina and last longer.
Hard Hitter	Increase melee weapon damage.
Busted Lip	Regenerate stamina for every melee kill.
Talk Shit, Get Hit	Perform longer melee combos.
Lightning Reflexes	Roll faster after being knocked down.
Bull Rush	Sprinting melee attacks stun normal enemies.
The Reckoning	Chance of critical takedowns (not with the Boot Knife).
Just Roll With It	Rolling costs less stamina.
Rock On	Rocks can stun weaker enemies.
Home Run	Significantly boosts melee weapon damage.
Retribution	Increases critical hit/takedown chance by 25%.
Switch It Up	Boot Knife combos deal double damage.
Executioner	Stealth attack heavy Freakers and large animals.

Ranged Combat Skills

These skills improve gunplay, crossbow efficiency, and focus mode.

Skill	Effect
Focused Shot	Activate Focus Mode while aiming.
Fight and Flight	Aim more precisely while moving.
Vicious Cycle	Follow a melee attack with a powerful ranged shot.
Suppressing Fire	Focus Mode increases stopping power.
Crowd Control	Reduces Focus cooldown.
Hyperfocus	Focus Cocktails last longer.
On The Move	Reload while sprinting.
Iron Grip	Reduces weapon recoil.
Nocked Up	Increases crossbow bolt damage.
Under Pressure	Reloading doesn’t consume Focus.
Quick Reload	Faster reload times.
Deadshot	Increases ranged weapon accuracy.
Up The Ante	Increases ammo capacity.
Two Birds, One Bullet	Bullets pierce multiple enemies.
Head Rush	Headshot kills restore health.

Survival Skills

Survival skills improve stealth, stamina, crafting, and resource collection.

Skill	Effect
Eye for Detail	Icons stay visible longer in Survival Vision.
Hawkeyed	Plants appear on the mini-map.
Thorn in Your Side	Crossbow bolts have a chance to be recovered.
Eagle-Eyed	Increases Survival Vision range.
Thief in the Night	Move more quietly.
Green Thumb	Gather double the plants.
The Butcher	Get more meat from animals.
Catch Your Breath	Faster stamina recovery.
Ear to the Ground	Enemies are outlined in Survival Vision.
Monkey Wrench	Scrap repairs the bike more effectively.
Second Wind	Gain a burst of adrenaline when health is low.
Carry That Weight	Increase inventory space.
The Alchemist	Health Cocktails last longer.
Shape Up	Stamina regenerates faster.
Six Feet Over	Taking damage restores some stamina.

Best Skills to Unlock First

If you’re unsure where to start, here are some of the best early-game skills:

• Melee: Field Repairs (repair melee weapons with scrap), Busted Lip (regen stamina from melee kills).
• Ranged: Focused Shot (slow down time while aiming), Quick Reload (reload faster).
• Survival: Carry That Weight (hold more items), Monkey Wrench (better bike repairs).

That covers all 45 skills in Days Gone! Whether you focus on melee combat, ranged attacks, or survival perks, upgrading Deacon’s abilities will make your journey through the post-apocalyptic world much easier.

Need more Days Gone tips? Learn how to access DLC items, check the full trophies list, and learn how to save with our helpful guides!

That’s the full Days Gone skills list! What skills do you think are the most useful? Drop your thoughts in the comments!