If you’ve ever stared at Enshrouded’s massive skill tree wondering how you’ll ever unlock that fancy double jump or boosted mining speed, you’re not alone. I spent my first 10 hours in the game wasting time on low-reward activities, wondering why I was barely earning enough points to grab even basic passives. Once I figured out how to get skill points enshrouded players actually use to progress fast, my entire playthrough shifted for the better. This guide breaks down all the tested, no-fluff methods I used to fill my skill bar in half the time, no exploits or cheating required.
How to Get Skill Points in Enshrouded: Core System Basics First
Many new players search for how to get skill points in Enshrouded because the game never explicitly explains all the available sources, so we’re breaking that down first. Unlike most survival RPGs, you don’t earn skill points just from leveling up your character, though that is one source. There are three permanent, reliable ways to earn points, and you can use all three at the same time to speed up your gains. You can’t reset skill points for free after spending them early on, so it’s worth making sure you’re earning enough to cover mistakes if you pick a bad skill first.
The three core sources are character level ups, Flame Altar upgrades, and clearing Shroud Roots of any size. Every time you level up, you get one skill point automatically. Every Flame Altar upgrade gives you two instant skill points, plus a larger exploration area. Every Shroud Root you destroy, from small camp roots to large spire roots, gives between 1 and 3 skill points depending on size. That’s all there is to the core system, the rest is just figuring out how to farm these sources as efficiently as possible.
Top High-Yield Activities to Farm Skill Points Fast
If you’re looking for how to get skill points in Enshrouded without grinding for hours, these activities are your best bet. I tested all the popular farming routes to find the ones that don’t feel like a slog, and these came out on top, even for players with basic early-game gear.
- Clear small Shroud encampments first: Each encampment has 2-3 low-level enemy groups that give solid XP, plus a small Shroud Root you can destroy for 1 skill point per camp. You can clear 3 of these in an hour even with a crude sword and basic armor, netting you 3 extra skill points plus enough XP for 1-2 level ups.
- Prioritize Flame Altar upgrade quests: Every time you upgrade your Flame Altar, you get 2 skill points instantly, plus a permanent boost to the maximum area you can explore. The materials required for the first 4 upgrades are super common (stone, wood, plant fiber) so you can knock them out in your first 5 hours of play for 8 extra skill points right away.
- Run group Shroud Spire runs with other players: Large Shroud Spires give 3 skill points per clear, plus enough XP to level up 2-3 times if you’re under level 15. Playing with 2 other players cuts clear time in half, and you still get the full skill point reward even if you don’t deal the final blow to the root. You don’t even have to contribute much combat, just stay alive and help loot materials between fights.
But don’t sleep on side quests either, especially the ones that task you with rescuing NPCs for your base. Most of these quests give 50% of a level’s worth of XP, plus rare crafting materials you can use to upgrade your gear for harder content. I usually knock out 2-3 side quests between Shroud runs to keep my XP gains steady without burning out on repetitive content.
Common Mistakes That Slow Down Skill Point Gains
Avoiding these mistakes is just as important as knowing how to get skill points in Enshrouded, since they can cut your gains in half without you noticing. When I first started playing, I made all of these mistakes, and I was stuck on the same 4 skills for almost 8 hours of play. Fixing them instantly doubled how fast I earned points.
First, don’t waste time fighting high level enemies outside the Shroud. Enemies in open, non-Shroud areas give 30% less XP than enemies of the same level inside the Shroud, and they don’t drop the Shroud-related materials you need for Flame Altar upgrades. It’s tempting to fight that big bear wandering near your base, but you’re better off spending that time clearing a low level Shroud encampment instead. Next, don’t ignore the small Shroud Roots just because they don’t give as many points as large Spires. A small root takes 5 minutes to clear, and the 1 skill point you get adds up fast if you clear every one you pass while exploring. I used to skip them to get to main quest objectives faster, and I missed out on at least 10 skill points in my first 10 hours of play.
Also, don’t spread your attribute points too thin early on. If you put all your points into strength, intelligence, and endurance equally, you’ll be too weak to clear higher level Shroud areas fast. Pick one main stat to focus on first (strength for melee, intelligence for magic, dexterity for ranged) so you can clear content faster and earn more skill points in less time. I tried to build a jack-of-all-trades character early on, and I could barely clear even small Shroud encampments without dying repeatedly.
How to Spend Skill Points for Even Faster Progression
Earning lots of skill points is only half the battle, spending them the right way will help you earn even more points faster down the line. It’s tempting to grab fun, flashy skills first, but prioritizing progression-focused passives will let you farm points way faster long term.
The first skill I recommend every new player unlock is the Shroud Resistance passive in the center of the skill tree. This lets you stay in the Shroud 30% longer, which means you can clear larger encampments and spires without having to run back to safe zones constantly. Next, grab the gathering speed passive that matches your main playstyle. If you spend a lot of time mining for upgrade materials, the mining speed passive will cut your farming time in half, so you can upgrade your Flame Altar faster and get those 2 skill point rewards sooner. If you’re more focused on combat, grab the increased XP from kills passive first. This gives you 15% extra XP from every enemy you kill, which adds up to an extra level every 3-4 hours of play.
Save the niche, fun skills like gliding or double jump for after you grab these progression-focused passives. They’re fun to use, but they won’t help you earn more skill points faster in the early game. I made the mistake of grabbing double jump as my first skill, and I spent 2 hours struggling to clear Shroud encampments because I had no combat or resistance boosts to help me out. You can always grab the fun skills later once you have a steady stream of skill points coming in.
At the end of the day, you don’t have to grind 12 hours a day to unlock all the skills you want in Enshrouded. Stick to the high-yield activities we covered, avoid the common mistakes that slow you down, and spend your points on progression-focused passives first, and you’ll have a full skill bar before you know it. If you’ve been struggling to figure out how to get skill points enshrouded players swear by, test out the small Shroud encampment farm first, it’s the easiest way to start seeing fast gains even with basic early game gear. Don’t be afraid to adjust these methods to match your playstyle too, if you prefer playing solo, skip the group spire runs and focus on clearing small encampments and upgrading your Flame Altar instead, it still works just as well.