Skill Cards Explained in Dead Island 2

Skill Cards in dead island 2 grant new abilities, modify existing ones, provide buffs for specific actions (like well-timed dodges or maiming enemies), and alter basic gameplay elements. They are the core of your character's RPG elements and build.

You primarily earn Skill Cards by completing story quests and leveling up, as these activities grant significant XP.

Story-based Skill Cards often modify new gameplay elements introduced in quests, such as [Fury Mode], [Numen Skills], and [Autophage Skills].

Additional Skill Cards can be obtained by completing Side Quests (often thematically linked to the quest), defeating specific zombie types (especially apex variants, granting cards related to their abilities), or sometimes found lying around during exploration.

Essentially, most actions in the game can yield Skill Cards, but story quests and level progression are the most common sources.

Each character has two Innate Skills that are always equipped on the right side of the screen and are unique to that character. For example, Jacob's Innate Skills are Feral (a stackable minor DAMAGE boost when attacking in quick succession) and Critical Gains (Jacob’s CRITICAL HITS when stamina is low get a moderate CRITICAL DAMAGE boost and regain STAMINA).

Paired Skill Cards are shared between exactly two characters. For instance, Dani and Jacob both have access to Hack and Dash (MAIM a zombie for a boost to your ATTACK SPEED) and Group Therapy (Slay zombies in quick succession to regain STAMINA). These function like other Skill Cards but have a limited pool of eligible characters.

There are approximately sixty Skill Cards in dead island 2, but you can only equip fifteen at any given time.

Skill Cards are categorized into four types of Skill Slots, and only specific cards can be equipped in their corresponding slots. For example, only “Survivor” Skill Cards fit in “Survivor” Skill Slots.

There are at most four Survivor Skill Slots, and seventeen Survivor Skill Cards compete for these slots.

The five “Abilities” Skill Slots are distinct subcategories. From left to right, these are Defense Skills, Jump Kick Skills, Special Attack Skills, Fury Skills, and Fury Special Skills. Each subcategory has only two to four Skill Cards available, simplifying choices for these slots.

Defense Skills include Block and Dodge. You receive one automatically early in the game (depending on your character) and unlock the other at Lv.9.

Jump Kick Skills include the Drop Kick (great Force) and Jump Kick (heavy Damage). Both consume stamina and are unlocked through story progression.

Special Attack Skills are activated by pressing the + / + buttons simultaneously and include War Cry, Ground Pound, and Dash Strike.

Fury Skills offer alternative ways to generate Fury. Blood Rush, for example, grants Fury by Counter attacking enemies.