The best Star Wars Jedi Survivor skills to unlock first

Star Wars Jedi Survivor skills
(Image credit: EA)

Choosing the best Star Wars Jedi Survivor skills to unlock first should be based on your approach to the game, considering your playstyle and preferred combat stances. Although there are some standard skills that will benefit all players, the way you progress in a metroidvania-style means that you'll face a variety of obstacles along the way, that require different approaches to overcome so you'll need to mix things up.

To help you to make these tricky decisions, I've recommended what I consider to be the best options here having completing the game already. There are certain skills in Jedi Survivor that definitely make a big difference wherever you end up going, by boosting combat, Force abilities, and your health – those are things you'll want to get first, however you approach this adventure.

Unlike the Star Wars Jedi Survivor abilities, Force powers and gear options which are unlocked as you progress, skills let you choose what to get and give some freedom to build and tune your character. Once you've unlocked some base options you're free to pick what you need when you have enough XP, without waiting for the Star Wars Jedi Survivor story. Here are the Jedi Survivor skills I recommend focusing on first. 

Best Star Wars Jedi Survivor Lightsaber skills

The best Jedi Survivor Lightsaber skills depends on the Star Wars Jedi Survivor lightsaber stances you use. However, there are what I'd recommend to enhance a given stance's strengths. 

  • Single Blade Stance
    • Twofold Reflection - Split a deflected blaster bolt into two.
  • Double-Bladed Stance
    • Gathering Tempest - Hold attack for a rapid set of blows. The Endless Hurricane skill extends this. 
    • Vortex Dive - Jump forwards for a spinning attack. 
    • Multifold Reflections - Hold block to deflect multiple blaster bolts.
  • Dual Wield Stance
    • Uncoiled Strikes - Attack after a pause to unleash a fast round of blows. 
    • Twin Vipers - Throw both lightsabers for extra damage.
    • Dancing Blades - Throw both lightsabers and bounce them between targets.
  • Blaster Stance
    • Blaster Cooldown - Increase ammo gained from lightsaber attacks.
    • Improved Clip - Improved clip size.
    • Quick Draw - Use the Force to target multiple enemies with the blaster.
  • Crossguard Stance
    • Greater Cleaving Swing - Reduces the charge time of your heavy attack.
    • Reaching Cleave - Increasing the range of the heavy attack. 
    • Charged Reflection - Turns reflected bolts into higher damage charged shots. 

Best Star Wars Jedi Survivor Force skills

Confusion is by far the best Star Wars Jedi Survivor Force skill. When fully maxed out you can make two enemies fight for you, extend the time it lasts and increase the damage they inflict. At full power you can clear entire areas with a couple of mind controlled Stormtroopers doing all the work for you. 

After that, Jedi Concentration is the next most useful, letting you increase the amount of Force you can use and increase the rate you earn it. And, finally, Telekinesis is fun but largely just variations on pulling and pushing enemies about.   

Best Star Wars Jedi Survivor Survival skills

Jedi Survivor Survival skills deal with health, as well as things like the healing speed and amounts gained from Star Wars Jedi Survivor stim canisters. If you have a lot of stims then upping the speed they can be used will be helpful. If not, then increasing max health will be better. Both are useful in the long term, however. 

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Leon Hurley
Managing editor for guides

I'm GamesRadar's Managing Editor for guides, which means I run GamesRadar's guides and tips content. I also write reviews, previews and features, largely about horror, action adventure, FPS and open world games. I previously worked on Kotaku, and the Official PlayStation Magazine and website. 

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