Character Creation and Initial Skills

Intravenous 2: Mercenarism guide to character creation and skill points. Allocate initial abilities to shape your mercenary's stealth or combat style.

While Intravenous 2: Mercenarism doesn't offer a deep character creator in the traditional sense, your initial choices regarding skill point allocation are crucial and will significantly shape your early gameplay experience. These decisions lay the foundation for your mercenary's capabilities, influencing whether you excel in stealthy infiltration, direct combat, or a balanced approach. The game wisely introduces these mechanics through a dedicated tutorial mission, allowing you to experiment and understand the immediate impact of your skill investments.

The "First Contract" Tutorial Mission

Upon starting a new game, you'll embark on the tutorial mission titled "First Contract". This mission serves as your introduction to the core gameplay mechanics of Intravenous 2, including movement, combat, stealth, and most importantly, the skill system. You'll be guided through a series of objectives designed to showcase these elements.

Skill Point Allocation in "First Contract"

During "First Contract," you will be granted a small pool of initial skill points. The tutorial will prompt you to allocate these points, demonstrating how they unlock new abilities or enhance existing ones. This is your first opportunity to define your mercenary's specialization:

• Stealth Focus: Investing in skills like "Silent Takedown," "Improved Lockpicking," or "Reduced Noise Footsteps" will prepare you for a ghost-like approach, allowing you to bypass enemies, disarm traps, and access secure areas undetected.
• Combat Focus: Conversely, allocating points to "Increased Firearm Accuracy," "Faster Reload Speed," or "Enhanced Melee Damage" will equip you for direct confrontation. This path is suited for players who prefer to engage enemies head-on.
• Balanced Approach: A mix of both stealth and combat skills can provide versatility, allowing you to adapt to different situations as they arise.

Key Takeaway: The "First Contract" tutorial is designed to be a learning experience. Pay close attention to the descriptions of each skill and how they are demonstrated. Don't hesitate to experiment with different allocations during this mission. If you find yourself struggling or feel your initial build isn't aligning with your preferred playstyle, restarting the game after understanding the skill system is a viable option. Early decisions have a noticeable impact on your progression.

Understanding Your Initial Skill Tree

The skill tree in Intravenous 2 is broadly divided into several categories, with your starting points allowing you to dip your toes into these. While the full tree expands significantly as you progress, your initial choices often revolve around:

Core Attributes

• Agility: Affects movement speed, dodge effectiveness, and stealth capabilities.
• Strength: Influences melee damage, carrying capacity, and the effectiveness of certain heavy weapons.
• Perception: Enhances aiming stability, enemy detection range, and the effectiveness of reconnaissance tools.
• Tech: Governs hacking abilities, gadget effectiveness, and the efficiency of specialized equipment.

Early Skill Examples (Illustrative - exact names may vary slightly)

• Silent Movement: Reduces the sound generated by your footsteps, making it harder for enemies to detect you. (Stealth)
• Quick Reload: Decreases the time it takes to reload your firearms. (Combat)
• Basic Lockpicking: Allows you to bypass simple electronic locks on doors and containers. (Utility/Stealth)
• Improved Aim: Slightly reduces weapon sway, leading to more accurate shots. (Combat)
• Gadget Efficiency: Increases the duration or effectiveness of deployable gadgets like drones or EMP charges. (Tech/Utility)

Strategies for Initial Skill Point Allocation

Your approach to the "First Contract" and subsequent early missions will be heavily influenced by your initial skill choices. Here are some strategic considerations:

Stealth-Oriented Start

• Goal: Complete objectives with minimal enemy engagement.
• Recommended Skills: Prioritize "Silent Movement," "Basic Lockpicking," and any skills that enhance stealth takedowns.
• Gameplay: Utilize cover extensively, observe enemy patrol patterns, and use silenced weapons or melee for silent eliminations. Avoid direct firefights whenever possible.
• "First Contract" Application: Focus on navigating the environment unseen, using lockpicking to bypass obstacles, and practicing silent takedowns on isolated guards.

Combat-Oriented Start

• Goal: Overpower enemies through direct engagement.
• Recommended Skills: Invest in "Quick Reload," "Improved Aim," and any skills that boost weapon damage or survivability (e.g., increased armor).
• Gameplay: Be prepared to engage multiple enemies. Utilize cover strategically but don't shy away from aggressive pushes. Effective use of grenades and other offensive gadgets is key.
• "First Contract" Application: Engage the tutorial's combat encounters directly, practicing your aiming and reload mechanics. Learn enemy weak points and how to manage crowds.

Balanced Start

• Goal: Maintain flexibility to adapt to changing situations.
• Recommended Skills: A 50/50 split between core stealth and combat skills. For example, one point in "Silent Movement" and one in "Quick Reload."
• Gameplay: This approach allows you to attempt stealth but provides a fallback if detected. You can initiate with stealth and transition to combat if necessary.
• "First Contract" Application: Experiment with both approaches within the tutorial. Try a stealthy approach for one objective and a more direct one for another to see how your skills perform.

Important Note: While "First Contract" is your first taste, the skill system is designed to allow for respecs or further specialization later in the game. However, making informed initial choices will make your early hours more enjoyable and less frustrating.