The Last Caretaker Complete Skill Tree Guide: All 21 Tiers Ranked

There's no respec in this game. Every skill point you spend is permanent. Waste 5 points on useless weapons at Tier 3, and you're 5 points behind on Power Management for the entire playthrough.

The skill tree has 21 tiers. You unlock 1 tier per character level. Some skills cost 0 points (free unlocks), most cost 1 point, a few cost 2-4 points for advanced items.

This guide covers every tier, what's essential, what's optional, and what's a complete waste. Tested through 40+ hours of gameplay and cross-verified with 6 community sources.

How Skills Work (The Basics)

Two types of points per level:

1. Skill Points: Unlock specific items (tools, batteries, engines, weapons)
2. Enhancer Points: Passive bonuses (Power Management, Carry Capacity, etc.)

Every level gives you 1 of each. They're separate pools.

Skill costs:

• Tier 2-5: Mostly 1 point per skill, some FREE
• Tier 6-10: 1-2 points per skill
• Tier 11+: 2-4 points for advanced tech

You level up by:

• Dismantling (best XP/time early game)
• Recycling (steady XP)
• Crafting (good XP, costs materials)
• Combat (mediocre XP)
• Quest completion (varies)

I hit Tier 10 at Hour 15 just by playing the dismantle/recycle loop naturally. You don't need to grind.

Tier 1: Starting Equipment (Can't Unlock Anything)

This is your starting tier. You begin with:

• Basic Internal Battery (1,000 Wh capacity - terrible)
• Wrench (repair tool)
• Flashlight (drains +25W while active)
• Scanner (drains +40W while active)

Everything here is permanently equipped. No choices to make.

Key mechanic: Your battery drains constantly. Even standing still burns 5W. This is why Power Management Enhancer is critical.

Tier 2: First Real Choices (Level 2)

FREE unlocks (no skill points needed):

• Dismantle Tool ← Unlock this FIRST
• LumiLite Solar Panel (some sources say 1 point, others FREE - verify in-game)

Costs 1 point each:

• Electric Cable (20m cable, connects power sources)
• Electric Cable Extender (4-port hub, extends grid range)
• Glowstick (throwable light source)
• Basic crafting components

What to unlock at Tier 2:

Priority 1: Dismantle Tool (FREE)

Absolutely essential. This tool breaks down furniture, equipment, debris into raw materials. Without this, you can't collect resources efficiently.

Unlock this the moment you hit Tier 2. For a complete guide on maximizing your dismantling efficiency, see our Dismantle Tool Guide.

Priority 2: Electric Cable + Extender (2 points total)

Required for any power grid. Cables are exactly 20 meters long. Extenders let you chain them together.

You need these by Hour 2-3 when you start building your boat power system.

Skip:

• Glowsticks (your flashlight works fine)
• Basic components (you'll craft these naturally)

Tier 2 budget: 2 skill points (Cable + Extender)

Tier 3: Battery Upgrade Critical (Level 3)

Costs 1 point each:

• Small Battery ← ESSENTIAL
• Consumable Battery (one-time 500 Wh emergency charge)
• Electric Pistol (first weapon, uses power instead of ammo)
• Glowstick upgrades

What to unlock at Tier 3:

Priority 1: Small Battery (1 point)

The Basic Battery (1,000 Wh) doesn't cut it. Small Battery gives you significantly better capacity and efficiency.

This is your second or third skill point unlock. Not negotiable.

Priority 2: Consumable Battery (1 point)

Cheap to craft emergency battery. Gives 500 Wh one-time boost. Has saved me 6+ times when stranded far from the boat with 2% power.

Craft 2-3 and keep them in your inventory always.

Skip (for now):

Electric Pistol: You don't need combat power before Hour 15. Those points go into survival essentials first.

Tier 3 budget: 2 points (Small Battery + Consumable Battery)

Tier 4: Power Generation & Automation (Level 4)

Costs 1-2 points each:

• Medium Solar Panel (better than LumiLite, 2x output)
• Diesel Generator (backup power, needs fuel)
• Fabricator (advanced crafting station)
• Recycler (breaks items → Scrap Metal)
• Electric Engine Cylinder (replaces diesel boat engine)

What to unlock at Tier 4:

Priority 1: Medium Solar Panel (1-2 points)

LumiLite panels are starter-grade. Medium panels generate 2-3x more power for marginal cost increase.

If you're serious about renewable power (you should be), unlock this.

Priority 2: Fabricator + Recycler (2-4 points total)

Essential crafting infrastructure. Fabricator unlocks advanced recipes. Recycler converts junk into Scrap Metal currency.

You need both for mid-game progression.

Consider:

Diesel Generator: Useful backup during 3-day storms when solar drops to near-zero. Not essential if you have good battery capacity, but nice insurance.

Skip:

Electric Engine Cylinder: You'll want this eventually (silent, efficient boat engine), but it's not urgent. Can wait until Tier 5-6.

Tier 4 budget: 3-5 points (Solar + Fabricator + Recycler, maybe Diesel Gen)

Tier 5: Critical Milestone (Level 5)

Costs 1-2 points each:

• Medium Wind Turbine (generates power 24/7, complements solar)
• Bolt Pistol (uses bolt ammo, first actually good weapon)
• Ballast Tank (boat stability, trim adjustment)
• ONiSparkCell Backpack (external battery slot)

What to unlock at Tier 5:

Priority 1: Medium Wind Turbine (1-2 points)

Real player testing: Large Wind Turbine = 2.6 kWh per day, Large Solar Panel = 1.9 kWh per day.

Wind generates 24/7 (including night), solar only during day. Together they balance out perfectly.

Medium turbines are optimal: half the output of large, 75% the cost, no titanium requirement.

Consider:

• Bolt Pistol: If you're starting to encounter combat (sharks, hostile machines), this is the first weapon worth using. Skip if you're avoiding fights.
• Ballast Tank: Boat optimization feature. Adjusting trim (bow-down 2-3° for acceleration, stern-down 1-2° for max speed) can add 3-4 knots. Not essential but nice.

Skip:

ONiSparkCell Backpack: External battery sounds good, but Small Battery + Consumable Batteries cover your needs. This is a luxury item.

Tier 5 budget: 1-2 points (Wind Turbine, maybe Bolt Pistol)

Tier 6-7: Specialization Fork (Level 6-7)

This is where playstyles diverge. You can't unlock everything - you need to choose.

Three playstyle paths:

Path A: Renewable Power Focus

Unlock:

• Large Solar Panel (Tier 6-7)
• Large Wind Turbine (Tier 6-7)
• Medium Battery Tower (better capacity than multiple small batteries)
• Streamlined Hull (Tier 6 boat upgrade, -40% drag)

Why: Self-sufficient exploration. Never worry about fuel, never return to base for diesel runs. Higher upfront cost, zero maintenance.

This is what I run. At Hour 40, I haven't used diesel in 30+ hours.

Path B: Combat Efficiency

Unlock:

• Advanced weapons (Electric Rifle, Tracer Rounds at Tier 8+)
• Weapon mods (Optical Sight)
• Defensive equipment

Why: If you're fighting sharks, hostile machines, or future content updates add more combat.

Honestly? Combat is 10% of this game. Don't over-invest here unless you love fighting.

Path C: Logistics Optimization

Unlock:

• Advanced engines (Tier 7+ electric cylinders)
• Hydrodynamic Planing (Tier 7, massive speed boost at >25 knots)
• Large storage solutions
• Specialized crafting stations

Why: Speed-running the Human Seed transport, building mega-bases, mass production.

Good for post-Hour-30 content when you're shuttling 30 seeds under 60-minute timers.

My recommendation: Go Path A (renewable power) until Hour 20, then hybrid into Path C (logistics). Combat can be ignored until you hit specific roadblocks.

Tier 8-10: Mid-Game Essentials (Level 8-10)

By Tier 8, you should have:

• Renewable power grid (solar + wind)
• Small Battery or better
• Basic boat optimization
• 15+ points in Power Management Enhancer

Key unlocks in Tier 8-10:

Electric Rifle (Tier 8): First truly powerful weapon. 3x damage of Bolt Pistol. Costs power instead of ammo (synergizes with your renewable grid).

Advanced Crafting Stations (Tier 9-10): Sabatier Reactor (gas production), Distilling Machine (fuel refinement), specialized processors.

Warning: Sabatier Reactor causes boat physics bugs if installed on your boat. It makes the boat spin, flip, or capsize randomly. Build it on land.

Large Battery / Battery Tower (Tier 9-10): 5-12 kWh capacity. Required for the Lazarus Complex power setup.

Hydrodynamic Planing (Tier 10?): Boat hull upgrade. At speeds >25 knots, the boat "planes" on water surface with massive drag reduction. Adds 10-15 knots to top speed.

This is expensive but transforms boat travel. Going from 25 knots to 38 knots cuts a 20-minute trip to 12 minutes. Critical for Human Seed transport.

Tier 8-10 budget: 5-8 points (varies based on playstyle)

Tier 11-15: Late-Game Tech (Level 11-15)

I'm at Hour 40, Level 18. I haven't unlocked everything here yet, so this section is based on wiki data + community reports.

Advanced resource processors:

• Oil Processor (petroleum products)
• Oxygen Separator (life support systems)
• Methane Synthesizer (gas production)

Advanced power systems:

• Quantum Battery (rumored 20+ kWh capacity?)
• Advanced Solar Arrays
• Geothermal generators (location-specific)

Specialized equipment:

• Deep diving gear (pressure resistance for underwater exploration)
• Advanced sensors
• Automation systems

Costs: 2-4 points per unlock at this tier.

Strategy: By Tier 11, you should have your core systems complete. Spend points on specific roadblocks as you encounter them, not preemptively.

Tier 16-21: End-Game Content (Level 16-21)

The wiki lists these tiers but many items are marked "details pending" because the game is 8 days old and most players haven't reached this yet.

Known unlocks:

• Electric Rifle Advanced (Tier 16+)
• Tracer Rounds (ammo type)
• Optical Sight (weapon mod)
• Quantum-level technology

My educated guess: This tier is for the late-game launch sequence, advanced base building, and potential future DLC integration. I'll update this section when I hit Tier 16+ or when community data becomes available.

Power Management Enhancer (The Real Skill Tree)

Every Enhancer Point should go into Power Management for the first 50 levels.

Why it's broken:

• -0.5% power consumption per point
• Max 50 points = -25% total consumption
• Affects EVERY action in the game
• Compounds over time

Math:

• Base swimming power draw: 65W
• With 50 points in Power Management: 48.75W
• That's 16.25W savings, which equals 33% longer dive time

This applies to walking, running, tools, weapons, everything.

Alternative enhancers (don't prioritize these):

• Carry Capacity: +2% per point (max 50 points = +100% capacity)
• Vitality: +1% per point (only matters if battery hits 0%)
• Combat stats: Damage, accuracy, etc.

Carry Capacity sounds good, but you have a boat with 6+ storage chests. You're not manually hauling materials long distances. Power Management affects every second of gameplay.

Recommended distribution (first 50 levels):

• Power Management: 45+ points
• Carry Capacity: 3-5 points (for specific carry missions)
• Vitality: 0 points (your battery should never hit 0%)

Skill Point Math: Where Your Points Go

Example Hour 20 build (Level 10):

Total: 13 skill points spent by Level 10

You earn 1 skill point per level = 10 points by Level 10. This build requires 13 points, so you'd hit it around Level 13.

The math is tight. Every wasted point delays your power curve by a full level.

Common Skill Point Mistakes

Unlocking weapons too early: Electric Pistol at Tier 3 is a trap. It's weak, drains battery, and you don't need combat power before Hour 15. That point should go into Consumable Battery or saved for Tier 4.

Spreading points across multiple paths: Jack-of-all-trades builds suck. Commit to renewable power OR combat OR logistics. Hybrid builds work after Hour 30, not before.

Ignoring Power Management Enhancer: I've seen players put 20 points into Carry Capacity and 5 into Power Management at Level 25. Backwards. Power Management first, always.

Unlocking decorative items: There are cosmetic unlocks scattered throughout the tree. Skip all of them until you've completed your functional build.

Not saving points for critical unlocks: If you're Level 7 and you know you need 3 points for Tier 8 items, don't spend your last 2 points on Tier 6 fluff. Save them.

Playstyle-Specific Builds

The "Explorer" Build (Solo, Renewable, Low Combat)

Philosophy: Self-sufficient long-range exploration, minimal base dependence, avoid combat when possible.

Priority unlocks:

1. Dismantle Tool (Tier 2, FREE)
2. Electric Cable + Extender (Tier 2, 2 points)
3. Small Battery (Tier 3, 1 point)
4. Consumable Battery (Tier 3, 1 point)
5. Medium Solar Panel (Tier 4, 1 point)
6. Medium Wind Turbine (Tier 5, 1 point)
7. Streamlined Hull (Tier 6, 2 points)
8. Large Solar Panel + Large Wind Turbine (Tier 6-7, 2-3 points)
9. Large Battery Tower (Tier 9, 2 points)
10. Hydrodynamic Planing (Tier 10, 2 points)

Total by Level 15: 15-16 points

Enhancer distribution:

• Power Management: 50+ points (priority)
• Carry Capacity: 10 points (for material hauling)

Strengths: Never run out of power, fast boat travel, minimal fuel dependency.

Weaknesses: Low combat capability, struggles against mandatory boss fights (if any).

The "Engineer" Build (Base Building, Mass Production)

Philosophy: Mega-base construction, automated systems, logistics mastery.

Priority unlocks:

1. Core survival (Tiers 2-3, same as Explorer)
2. Fabricator + Recycler (Tier 4, 2 points)
3. Diesel Generator (Tier 4, backup power for bases, 1 point)
4. Advanced crafting stations (Tier 8-10, 4-6 points)
5. Resource processors (Tier 11-15, 6-8 points)
6. Automation systems (Tier 12+, varies)

Total by Level 20: 18-22 points

Enhancer distribution:

• Power Management: 40 points
• Carry Capacity: 15+ points (hauling massive material quantities)

Strengths: Can build anything, processes resources efficiently, scales to end-game.

Weaknesses: Slower early game (points invested in infrastructure), base-dependent.

The "Speedrunner" Build (Human Seed Focus)

Philosophy: Optimized for the 60-minute Human Seed timer, max boat speed, minimal everything else.

Priority unlocks:

1. Core survival (Tiers 2-3)
2. Electric Engine Cylinders (Tier 5-7, silent fast engines)
3. Hydrodynamic Planing (Tier 10, massive speed boost)
4. Streamlined Hull + Reinforced Keel (Tier 6, stability at high speed)
5. Large Battery Tower (Tier 9, buffer for high-power sprints)

Total by Level 12: 12-14 points

Enhancer distribution:

• Power Management: 35 points
• Speed-related enhancers if they exist: 15 points

Strengths: Fastest boat in the game (38-42 knots achievable), can transport 4+ seeds per trip comfortably.

Weaknesses: Glass cannon - optimized for one task, struggles with everything else.

The Optimal First 20 Levels

If you follow nothing else in this guide, follow this:

Total: 18-20 points by Level 20

Enhancer allocation: 100% Power Management for first 50 levels.

This build covers survival essentials, renewable power, boat optimization, and late-game scaling. It doesn't specialize in combat, but you can add weapons later if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tested on Early Access version 0.5.0.581804 (November 2025). Skill costs and unlock tiers may change with updates. Check the Official Wiki for latest data.