Permafrost Skills: All 16 Skills and How They Level
Updated:
Quick answer: Permafrost has 16 skills and no skill points — skills level purely by use. Most cap at level 50, with per-level bonuses like +2% axe damage to trees or −1% stamina cost per level. Blueprint points (the separate unlock currency) come from leveling the crafting and building skills.
Every skill
From the game files (build 0.44.2):
| Skill | Effect per level | At cap | Cap | XP per action | Boosted by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axes | +2% damage (trees) | +100% | 50 | 5 | Engineer |
| Pickaxes | +2% damage (ores) | +100% | 50 | 5 | — |
| Bows | −1% durability usage | −50% | 50 | 5 | Marksman, Tracker |
| Building | −1% building time | −50% | 50 | 5 | — |
| Cooking | −1% cooking time | −50% | 50 | 12 | — |
| Crafting | −1% crafting time | −50% | 50 | — | — |
| Firearms | −1% durability usage | −50% | 50 | 1 | Marksman |
| Jumping | −1% stamina usage | −50% | 50 | 3 | — |
| Knives | −0.5% durability usage | −25% | 50 | 5 | Tracker |
| Lockpicking | −1% lockpicking time | −50% | 50 | — | Scavenger |
| Renovating | −1% renovating time | −50% | 50 | 8 | — |
| Running | −1% stamina usage | −50% | 50 | 1 | Engineer, Scavenger |
| Skinning | −1% skinning time | −50% | 50 | — | Tracker |
| Sneaking | −1% noise when sneaking | −50% | 50 | 0.4 | Scavenger |
| Toughness | damage reduction | — | 25 | 5 | Engineer |
| Accuracy | (listed, no numeric effect exported) | — | 50 | 5 | Marksman |
One "action" is one hit, swing, craft, step or second of use, depending on the skill. The game data doesn't export XP-per-level curves, so total actions to cap are unknown.
Specializations and backgrounds
At character creation, a specialization gives +1 to three skills (Engineer: running/axes/toughness; Tracker: skinning/bows/knives; Scavenger: lockpicking/sneaking/running; Marksman: accuracy/firearms/bows) — a head start, not a lock. Backgrounds (Survivor/Smuggler/Hunter) only change starting items.
Blueprint points ≠ skill points
Don't confuse the two systems:
- Skills level by use and give passive bonuses (table above).
- Blueprint points are a separate currency awarded when the crafting and building skills level up — those points unlock recipes in the blueprint tree. Early quests expect you to spend 2 points each on tribal clothes and the scrap tool set.
FAQ
Can I respec? There's nothing to respec — skills are use-based and nothing is spendable except blueprint points, which are permanent.
Fastest crafting XP? Batch-craft arrows; each finished item counts.
Related: Beginner guide · Workbench & blueprint points · Weapons
Related guides
- Permafrost Beginner Guide: Survive Your First DaysA practical opening route: pick a background, craft stone tools, master campfire discipline, rescue your dog, build a first cabin, and learn how blueprint points and saving actually work.
- Permafrost Workbench: How to Build and Use ItBuild a workbench for 10 wood under a roof. It crafts flint tools, wire, bandages and heaters — but items land on the bench and chests don't count.
- Permafrost Enemies: Wildlife, Bandits and the Moon CultWhat fights back in the frozen world: skittish vs aggressive wildlife, armed bandits, Moon Cult cultists — and why the cold still kills more players than all of them.
- Permafrost Weapons: Full List with Damage and DPSThe complete weapon table from the game files: 25 firearms and 3 bows ranked by DPS, plus how to get your first gun and how ammo works.