In this Shadow of the Tomb Raider Skills Guide, we will cover every skill that you can unlock when you play as Lara Croft and combat with different styles in the game. Lara can learn from a total of 67 new skills in Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
In the game, you can gain Experience Points by most actions like hunting, defeating enemies, gathering resources and collecting items and artifacts. Level up provides you with skills points that you can use to unlock new skills that can be purchased at the Base Camps.
The skills are distinctly separated by three branches with their own specialties; Seeker (Eagle), Warrior (Jaguar) and Scavenger (Serpent). Each tree also gives Lara the ability to utilize specific plant, namely Perception, Endurance and Focus. Enabling these will give Lara an upper hand over Trinity’s forces.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider – Skills Guide
When you begin a new game you are required to select one of three paths to further specialize in, unlocking access to three unique skills as well as weapon and outfits. Follow our guide below where we will cover details of every skill under Seeker, Warrior and Scavenger and what resources you may need to unlock them.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider – Seeker Skills
Seeker Skills focus on improving your environmental awareness and resource gathering. Resources can be collected to give you boosts during combats in these skill types, along with a lot of equipment upgrades that it will allow you to do.
Hoatzin’s Step
This skill reduces the noise that you make from jumps landings and falls. It is available by default and costs 1 skill point.
Illipa’s Sight
This skill allows you to locate the heart of a large animal while using Survival Instincts where heart shots will inflict greater damage. The skill is available by default and costs 1 skill point.
Eagles’s Sight
This skill allows you to reveal Artifacts, Monoliths, Treasure chests, Archivist Maps and Explorer Backpacks while using Survival Instincts. It is available by default and costs 1 skill point.
Owl’s Meal
This skill will gain you the ability to harvest dart poison and venom from spiders and beetles. However, harvesting requires Makeshift Knife. It is available by default and costs 1 skill point.
Owl’s Wisdom
This skill allows you to reveal challenge objects while using Survival Instincts. It requires buying an adjacent skill and costs 2 skill points to unlock.
Crow’s Cunning
This skill allows you to reveal traps while using Survival Instincts. It requires you to buy and adjacent skill and costs 2 skill points to unlock.
Eagle’s Wing
This skill increases your chances of recovering arrows when looting enemies and animals that are killed with a bow. It requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 2 skill points to unlock.
Eagle’s Grasp
This skill increases the chances of finding rare animals. It requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 2 skill points to unlock.
Owl’s Vision
This skill allows Survival Instincts to last for a longer period after you start to move, and highlight enemies, resources, and objects in “One with the Jungle” difficulty. It requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 2 skill points to unlock.
Eye of the Eagle
With this skill, Perception plants allow the sensing of animals and natural resources throughout the environment. The skill unlocks when you cross the bridge in Peruvian Jungle with Jonah in the story.
Eye of the Eagle 2
This skill boosts the potency of Perception plants, adding the ability to sense human enemies. This skill can be unlocked by purchasing Eye of the Eagle and requires 3 skill points.
Eye of the Eagle 3
This skill allows the effects of Perception Plants to last longer. This skill can be unlocked by purchasing Eye of the Eagle 2 and requires 3 skill points.
Viper’s Nest
This skill increases the amount of man-made crafting resources gathered from each source. It requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 2 skill points to unlock.
Crow’s Hoard
This skill allows you to purchase large capacity ammunition and resource satchels that you can acquire from Merchants. It requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 3 skill points to unlock.
Crow’s Charm
This skill allows you to negotiate better prices from Merchants and give you a 10% discount on all goods sold by Merchants. It requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 3 skill points to unlock.
Eagle’s Talon
This skill allows you to use a rope arrow from a branch to kill and string up an enemy. The skill can be unlocked after solving the calendar puzzle in the Temple of Life, and it requires no skill points.
Eagle’s Talon 2
This skill allows you to use a rope arrow from a branch to kill an enemy and hide the corpse in the canopy. This skill can be unlocked by purchasing Eagle Talon and costs 3 skill points.
Hoatzin’s Hunger
This skill increases the amount of natural crafting resources gathered from each source. Natural crafting sources include plants, gold veins and jade veins. The skill can be unlocked when you complete the Challenge Tomb: Temple of the Sun.
Eagle’s Perch
This skill increases you speed when climbing and can be unlocked after completing Challenge Tomb: Underworld Gate.
Sip’s Quiver
This skill allows you to lose up to three arrows without pulling from the quiver and can be unlocked after completing Challenge Tomb: Path of Battle.
Eagle Path Skills
Eagle Sight
This skill allows increased zoom factor for all weapons. The skill requires New Game+ and costs 4 skill points.
Eagle Perception
This skill increases range of Survival Instincts and Perception. It requires New Game + and costs 4 skill points.
Owl’s Feast
This skill allows you to harvest more resources from spiders and beetles. This skill requires New Game+ and costs 4 skill points.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider – Warrior Skills
Warrior skills tree focuses on enhanced survivability and combat prowess. From special combat styles to stealth, these skills will aid you in fighting enemies and progressing in the game story.
Puma’s Rest
This skill increases precision by holding charged shots for a longer time. It is available by default and costs 1 skill point.
Raposa’s Threat
This skill gives you visual assistance when aiming at an enemy’s head. It is available by default and costs 1 skill point.
Howler’s Speed
This skill allows you to never slip when grabbing ledges and gives you more reaction time for traps and grappling enemies. It is available by default and costs 1 skill point.
Raposa’s Drop
This skill reduces damage when falling from heights. It is available by default and costs 1 skill point.
Puma’s Feint
This skill allows you to incapacitate unarmored enemies with a counter-attack after dodging. It is available by default and costs 2 skill points.
Puma’s Charge
This skill allows you to reach full draw weight more quickly and reducing time between charged shots. It requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 2 skill points to unlock.
Jaguar’s Fury
This skill allows you to resist damage from enemies for a short period after performing a stealth kill. It requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 2 skill points to unlock.
Puma’s Brace
This skill allows you to resist damage from enemies for a short period after healing wounds in combat. It is available by default and costs 2 skill points to unlock.
Raposa’s Wit
This skill unlocks next weapon Upgrade level. It requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 2 skill points to unlock.
Howler’s Troop
This skill allows you to loosen arrows simultaneously at two locked targets. It requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 3 skill points to unlock.
Howler’s Troop 2
This skill allows you to shoot arrows simultaneously at three locked targets. This skill can be unlocked by purchasing Howler’s Trap and costs 3 skill points.
Heart of the Jaguar
This skill allows Endurance plants to reduce damage from enemy melee and ranged attacks. The skill can be unlocked by purchasing Eye of the Eagle and costs 2 skill points.
Heart of the Jaguar 2
This skill boosts the potency of Endurance plants, reduces damage from fire and explosions and increases breath capacity when underwater. This skill can be unlocked by purchasing Heart of the Jaguar and costs 3 skill points.
Heart of the Jaguar 3
This skill increases the effects of Endurance plants for a longer period. This skill can be unlocked by purchasing Heart of the Jaguar 2 and costs 3 skill points.
Jaguar’s Fear
This skill enables you to craft fear arrows that send enemies into panic and causing them to fire wildly. To unlock this skill, you need to reach Porvenir Oil Fields.
Jaguar’s Dread
This skill makes the fear arrow effect to last longer. It can be unlocked by purchasing Jaguar’s Fear and costs 3 skill points.
Sip’s Strike
This skill increases charged shot damage against armored enemies. To unlock this skill, you need to complete Challenge Tomb: Thirsty Gods.
Jaguar’s Paw
This skill increases your chance to knock enemies down with melee attacks. To unlock this skill, you need to complete Challenge Tomb: Ancient Aqueduct.
Kinich Ahau’s Boon
This skill restores health instantly when near death in a battle and also refreshes between encounters. To unlock this skill, you need to complete Challenge Tomb: Tree of Life.
Jaguar Path Skills
Jaguar’s Intimidation
This skill reduces the accuracy of enemy slightly for a short period of time after witnessing a takedown. It requires New Game+ and costs 4 skill points
Jaguar’s Rage
This skill allows gaining damage resistance for a short time, after any kill. it requires New Game+ and costs 4 skill points.
Jaguar’s Strength
This skill will make the enemies take longer to recover when knocked back or knocked down. It requires New Game + and costs 4 skill points.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider – Scavenger Skills
Scavenger Skills mainly focus on stealth. There is a emphasis on being stealthy in this game, which gives Lara significant advantage versus a guns blazing approach.
Serpent’s Strike
This skill allows you to perform a stealth kill without alerting nearby enemies. It is available by default and costs 1 skill point.
Boa’s Coil
This skill automatically loots enemies killed by a stealth takedown. It is available by default and costs 1 skill point.
Caiman’s Speed
This skill increases your speed when swimming. It is available by default and costs 1 skill point.
Serpent’s Skin
This skill allows you to apply mud as camouflage which helps to remain concealed in mud patches and vegetation walls, thus reducing chances of detection by enemies when crossing open spaces.
To unlock this skill, you need to initiate the combat encounter leading to Kuwaq Yaku in the Peruvian Jungle.
Serpent’s Glint
This skill adds a flare round attachment to all pistols. Flare rounds ignite unarmored enemies and blind surrounding enemies for a few seconds. It requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 2 skill points to unlock.
Serpent’s Fury
This skill allows you to kill a second enemy during a stealth takedown to perform a chained takedown. It requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 2 skill points to unlock.
Viper’s Snare
This skill allows you to craft lure traps on enemy corpses, which in turn can allow you to kill nearby enemies with a shrapnel explosion when triggered. It requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 2 skill points to unlock.
Viper’s Lure
This skill allows you to craft lure arrows. You can attract and kill enemies with a poison cloud when triggered and it also obscures lines of sight. It requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 2 skill points to unlock.
Anole’s Needle
This skill allows Vestige outfits to require fewer resources to restore glory. To unlock this skill, it requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 2 skill points to unlock.
Boa’s Blow
This skill allows you to craft concussive shells that temporarily stun enemies. It requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 3 skill points to unlock.
Serpent’s Fangs
This skill allows Flare rounds and concussive shells to stun enemies for a longer period. It requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 3 skill points to unlock.
Scales of the Serpent
This allows you to use Focus plants to improve reaction responses and slow down time when aiming. It requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 2 skill points to unlock.
Scales of the Serpent 2
This skill boosts the potency of Focus plants for increased focus time when aiming. It can be unlocked by purchasing Scales of the Serpent and costs 3 skill points.
Scales of the Serpent 3
This skill allows Focus plants to effect longer. It can be unlocked by purchasing Scales of the Serpent 2 and costs 3 skill points.
Viper’s Venom
This skill allows you to craft poison grenades to kill nearby enemies and obscuring lines of sight. It requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 3 skill points to unlock.
Caiman’s Breath
This skill increases the breath capacity when swimming underwater. It requires you to buy an adjacent skill and costs 2 skill points to unlock.
Caiman’s Breath 2
This skill increases the breath capacity when swimming underwater. To unlock this skill, you need to complete Challenge Tomb: San Cordoba.
Hurucan’s Mantle
This skill reduces damage from fire and explosions. To unlock this skill, you need to complete Challenge Tomb: Howling Caves.
Caiman’s Heart
This skill regenerates your health more quickly. To unlock this skill, you need to complete Challenge Tomb: Judge’s Gaze
Serpent Path Skills
Serpent’s Rage
This skill allows you to perform a chained takedown when two enemies are stunned. It requires New Game + and costs 4 skill points.
Viper’s Cunning
This allows you to upgrade Lure traps to incendiary bombs and attract multiple enemies. It requires New Game + and costs 4 skill points.
Serpent’s Evasion
This skill makes the enemies less accurate at determining your location after you return to concealment. It requires New Game + and costs 4 skill points
Recommended Skills
In order to fit different combat styles, we have paired a few skills that you must unlock to give you an advantage over combat situations. We have made three styles of approach that Lara can take: Stealth Mastery, Bullet Resistance and Craft Mastery.
Stealth Mastery
Sometimes the best way to battle is by approaching with stealth. If you want to play the game silently without alerting enemies and enjoy such stealthy techniques, pair the skills below to equip the best Stealth skills:
- Scavenger: Serpent’s Strike
- Scavenger: Boa’s Coil
- Scavenger: Serpent’s Fury
- Scavenger: Viper’s Snare / Viper’s Lure
- Scavenger: Viper’s Venom
- Seeker: Hoatzin’s Step
- Seeker: Owl’s Meal
- Seeker: Eye of the Eagle II
- Seeker: Eagle’s Talon II
- Warrior: Raposa’s Threat
- Warrior: Howler’s Troop I & II
- Warrior: Jaguar’s Fear
- Scavenger: Serpent’s Skin
- Scavenger: Scales of the Serpent
- NEW GAME+ PATH: SERPENT
Bullet Resistance
If you are finding it tough with the enemies with weapons, and damage is seriously affecting your gameplay, then equip these skills for the best way to dodge bullets from enemies:
- Warrior: Heart of the Jaguar I, II, & III
- Warrior: Puma’s Feint
- Warrior: Kinich Ahau’s Boon
- Warrior: Jaguar’s Fury / Puma’s Brace
- Scavenger: Hurucan’s Mantle
- Scavenger: Caiman’s Heart
- Scavenger: Serpent’s Glint / Boa’s Blow / Viper’s Venom
- NEW GAME+ PATH: JAGUAR
Craft Mastery
Whether you go full stealth or guns blazing, you will need a lot of crafting materials. The skills we mention below give you the most resources and XP which you can use for crafting:
- Seeker: Eagle’s Sight
- Seeker: Illipa’s Sight / Eagle’s Grasp
- Seeker: Viper’s Nest / Hoatzin’s Hunger
- Seeker: Crow’s Charm
- Seeker: Crow’s Hoard
- Seeker: Owl’s Meal
- Scavenger: Anole’s Needle
- Seeker: Eye of the Eagle
- NEW GAME+ PATH: EAGLE
For more Shadow of the Tomb Raider Guides, check out our Shadow of the Tomb Raider Gear Guide and Weapons Guide.
This concludes our Shadow of the Tomb Raider Skills Guide. Feel free to comment below.
