Icarusis a brutal extra-terrestrial survival game, tasking the player with searching for rare exotics and returning them to orbit. To find these materials and complete missions, players will bespending a considerable amount of timeon the perilous planet of Icarus, and will not only need to learn how to survive, but also gather resources to construct shelter, craft tools, and keep them sustained during their expedition.
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Fortunately, there’s a grand total of 465 differenttalentsto help players out, with each talent granting a special buff or perk. With such a wide variety to choose from, and limited talent points to spend, it can be difficult to know where to start. Here are thebest talents to acquireinIcarus.
10Building Talents
Composing the entirety of the Building tree, these talents make it easier to construct shelter and create a base of operations. Most of them, likeWood Hauling, are focused on reducing the weight of wood, stone, and concrete buildables in the player’s inventory.
Others, likeDiscount Wood, lower the cost of crafting said buildables, whereasStoking The Flamesincreases furnace smelting speed. If players are running a construction-heavy build, these talents are essential toexpanding their operationsas quickly as possible. If not, it might be worth skipping these for better options.
9Blade Talents
One of the four combat trees, Blade talents are centered around using knives and daggers. They can be handy when fighting off wolves and other hostile creatures, with talents such asSwift Stabincreasing attack speed andHeavy Handincreasing attack damage.
Knives are also crucial in hunting, as they allow players to skin animals for meat, leather, and fur. Talents such asTrained Skinnerreduce how quickly knives get worn down, whereasThat Was Quickgives a small chance for players to skin an animal instantly. While all these are helpful, knives aren’t the best weapon choice in Icarus, so players might opt to spend their precious talent points in another combat tree instead.
8Health & Stamina Talents
These talents are safe, reliable bets. Talents likeRobust Explorerincreases base health, giving the player a lot more survivability when out in the wilds. Meanwhile,Chase ‘Em Downincreases base stamina, helping to prevent players frombecoming exhausted while crafting, using tools, or fighting in battle.
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Both of these talents are solid picks that players can’t really go wrong with. If nothing else, their effects will help the player fend off predators and endure severe storms, making it easier to stay alive in the harsh biomes of Icarus.
7Carrying Capacity Talents
Especially useful for those focusing on crafting or building, these talents increase the amount of carrying capacity players have access to. Talents likeDense Packing I & IIincrease inventory capacity and lower the weight of stone, whileCarry Onreduces the encumbrance penalty, andExotic Powerlessens the weight of exotics.
Acquiring these talents makes it easier to transport materials around, and often allows the player to venture further without having to make routine stops back at base. It also increases the efficiency of construction, as it lets players collect more resources in one round trip.
6Hunting Talents
Many of these talents make it easier to hunt down animals and gain more resources from them. Talents likeSense Medium Animalshighlight creatures while aiming, andWithout A Soundincreases the player’s stealth capabilities, making it easier to locate and take down various fauna.
Players can also increase the yield they get from skinned animals by taking theFine Butchertalent for a universal buff, orBone CollectorandCareful Skinnerfor buffs to bone and leather harvesting. These extra resources can vastlyspeed up the crafting process.
5Solo Talents
A powerful talent tree that exists for the use of solo players only, these talents won’t work when playing with a group. Talents likeHealth MaverickandMarathon Runnermassively increase health and stamina, whileFleet Footedincreases movement speed and‘Tis But A Scratchcompensates for the lack of teammates by reducing damage from animals.
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The main downside is that these talents won’t be active when playing co-op, so even someone that plays solo a lot might not get full value from these talents, and might be better off spending their limited talent points elsewhere.
4Consumption Talents
These talents are particularly useful in the early game, focusing on lowering the player’s consumption of various core survival elements.Steady Breathingreduces the rate at which oxygen is consumed, whileWater Retentionreduces the player’s thirst rate, andCarbo Loadedreduces hunger.
These talents can be upgraded to a 25% reduction, which is highly significant when players are struggling to keep up with consumption. This can be massive whenjust starting out, and will remain rather convenient throughout the entire game, making them ideal choices for players to spend their early talent points on.
3Storm Talents
As many will know,storms in Icarus can be absolutely devastating, destroying flimsy buildings and forcing players to take shelter. These talents aim to make storms more survivable, withStorm Chaser,Weathering The Storm, andQuick Refreshall working to increase stamina, resistance, and recovery from storm exposure.
This will become more useful over time, as more challenging missions result in harsher weather effects, making these talents more effective should players get caught out - they might just give enough time to make it to a cave or a shelter.
2Movement Talents
In an exploration-heavy game where the primary mode of transportation is by foot, it’s no wonder that movement talents are some of the best in the game.Swift Survivorincreases movement speed universally, while each combat tree has a talent that increases movement speed while carrying that particular type of weapon.
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Aside from generally speeding up traversal across the map, these provide a number of benefits, including being able to flee from dangerous creatures, get out of storms faster, and cover more distance before needing to eat and hydrate. All in all, these talents willmake the player’s mission a lot less troublesome.
1Bow Talents
With the bow being by far the most practical and effective weapon in the game, these talents provide several powerful buffs that make hunting and ranged combat even stronger.Quick LoadandQuick Drawincrease the bow’s rate of fire, whereasBullseyewill increase accuracy andSoft Spot I & IIwill increase critical hit multiplier.
TheTwice The Funtalent will have a chance to fire two arrows instead of one, and theHoming Instincttalent will even make arrows lock onto their targets. Acquiring these talents makes an already strong combat style even stronger, and can help immensely with resource gathering and defending against deadly creatures.
