Arthur is the first character players will have access to when playing We Happy Few and truthfully is the most versatile and well rounded character that players will have the opportunity to play in We Happy Few.
Arthur has a good amount of Stamina and fights with normal force, essentially allowing players to get used to the mechanics involved in We Happy Few.
When it comes to skills, Arthur comes with 4 stats that are specific to him, though he shares the Combat Tree with Ollie and the Stealth Tree with Sally.
When it comes to upgrading a player’s skill tree, players will have to complete the main story and side quests in order to gain access to the points that they will use in order to unlock them.
While many skills are unlockable immediately, many will require players to unlock a previous skill to gain access to the one that they want, making strategizing which skills you upgrade first an important task.
I will cover my favourite skills and ways to upgrade, though it should obviously be noted that the way that a player upgrades skills is going to be based on their play style as not everyone will struggle with the same issues or some players will enjoy certain versions of gameplay that others don’t.
ARTHUR SPECIFIC SKILLS
The following are the traits that are particular to Arthur, they are initially unlocked for players so players will not have to do anything to have access to them.
ODD MAN OUT
The first skill, Odd Man Out, doesn’t provide players with a whole lot of gameplay changes and doesn’t necessarily give players a whole lot of information.
Essentially Odd Man Out is a character flaw that Arthur has and allows players to understand a bit more about his personality as it affects the way that Arthur speaks to other folks in the world.
Arthur will not be able to de-escalate folks by talking to them, essentially meaning that whenever he is in danger, he will have to hold his own ground.
ENGLISH
The second skill, English, is similar to Odd Man Out, only providing players with insight to Arthur’s mental state as it only states that he is “Repressed.”
BUFF
The third skill, Buff, is the first skill that actually changes the gameplay that Arthur provides, essentially making it so that whenever players choose to play Arthur they will have a speed buff.
Arthur is essentially the fastest character in We Happy Few and will be able to walk and run faster than all the rest.
UNREMARKABLE
The fourth skill, Unremarkable, is going to be the skill you rely the most heavily on in comparison to all the rest.
Unremarkable is a skill that provides players with a good amount of stealth in locations that don’t have a regular place to hide such as a trash bin or the boot of a car.
Essentially, players will also be able to use benches, chairs and other seating areas to pull out a Newpaper and hide.
While players can sit in all situations, the reality is that this skill only works if Arthur is not currently being sighted by an angry individual, so make sure you run a fair distance or find a turn in the road to properly use this skill.
Players will be able to interact with the newspaper to pull it down when they are sitting, though this will never be used as players should essentially stand up when they are no longer in danger.
ARTHUR’S SUPER-DUPER TREE
Arthur’s Super-Duper Tree is going to be another character specific skill tree, though players will not be able to have access to these skills immediately and instead will have to wait to unlock them based on the points they collect from quests.
In my opinion, the Super-Duper Tree provides players with the best upgrades, though they are commonly more pricy than other upgrades, meaning that a player will not be able to unlock these as rapidly as other skills.
The following is a list of all the skills players can purchase in Arthur’s Super-Duper Tree and the ones that I prioritize:
HERBALIST
Herbalist has no prerequisite and costs 5 Skill Points to upgrade.
Herbalist is a very important upgrade to get as it will allow players to Heal Better with items like Medical Balm, essentially boosting all healing items by 50%.
In my opinion, Herbalist is the main priority for players to get as it will help players save on resources and will save them in the long run.
Even if you don’t choose to use this upgrade first, I strongly suggest that you get it quickly.
UNBURDENED
Unburdened requires players to unlock Herbalist first and costs 8 Skill Points to unlock.
In my opinion Unburdened is not required early on in the game as it simply allows players to carry 25 extra pounds in their inventory and reduces the penalty of being over-burdened by 50%.
The reality is that players will not want to pick up absolutely everything in the beginning of the game simply due to the fact that many of the items players will be collecting will be broken weapons.
The other reality is that players will have access to many Pneumatic Stashes when players begin to unlock Track Access Hatches.
Pneumatic Stashes have an unlimited amount of storage, however, there are some that will require players to solve certain puzzles or kill NPCs in order to provide the Track Access Hatches with power.
It should be noted that all Pneumatic Stashes are connected, so players will be able to access all of their items from anywhere in the world as long as they have access to the Pneumatic Stash.
I strongly recommend using Pneumatic Stashes to your advantage as in many cases a player will have to head back to a Track Access Hatch in order to actually use the items that they collect as many crafting recipes require a Workbench or Chemistry Set, especially in the late game when players need access to upgraded versions of these.
Players will want to upgrade these stations in Track Access Hatches that they frequent, however, if they have the funds to upgrade multiples they can upgrade them all by the end of the game.
BIG GAME HUNTER
Big Game Hunter requires players to unlock Unburdened first and costs 8 Skill Points to unlock.
While I admittedly really enjoy Big Game Hunter, the reality is that players can take a bit of time in order to unlock it, simply because the previous tier of upgrade isn’t the most useful in the early game.
I would say wait a bit before you jump to this upgrade, though the reality is that Big Game Hunter is going to be an upgrade you get in the mid-to-late game simply because it allows you to stealthily take down Bobbies and Doctors.
Essentially if a player is not seen they will be able to sneak up behind taller enemies in order to render them unconscious as they can to shorter enemies early on in the game.
This makes a stealth run a lot easier for players, especially if players are trying to get the achievement “The Saint.”
TIRELESS
Tireless requires players to unlock Big Game Hunter first and costs 15 Skill Points to unlock.
Tireless was an upgrade I didn’t actually need as I never struggled with Hunger, Thirst or Exhaustion, however, this perk can be game changing for players who are playing We Happy Few on Survival and are at risk of dying from any of these status effects.
When playing in the main-game these aren’t going to be as big of an issue.
COMBAT TREE
The Combat Tree is exclusive to both Arthur and Ollie and provides players with perks that increase a player’s stats that regard Combat. These upgrades include things like health, damage and can even enhance the way that players damage enemies.
The way I’m going to break down these various skills is in the order that they have to be unlocked, covering the first column, then the second, etc.
COLUMN ONE
The upgrades in Column 1 are strictly for Health related upgrades, including boosting a players maximum health and providing them with a bit more defense than they would have without the upgrades.
I strongly recommend the upgrades in column one as they will come in handy for both stealth and non-stealth game players simply because they will help a player survive in tough circumstances, especially in harder game modes where damage is fairly common.
BUFF
Buff doesn’t require players to unlock any upgrades first and costs 3 Skill Points to unlock.
While Buff is not the strongest upgrade players can gain access to it can come in very handy for players who are struggling to stay alive during fights.
I recommend this as your second upgrade, after Herbalist if you are attempting to do a run that does not rely on stealth as these runs will often leave a player in a situation where they are low on health.
Buff provides players with an extra 50% of Maximum Health.
If players are not struggling with Health or are simply very good with games that involve stealth, they can skip the majority of this part of the Skill Tree until the mid-to-late game.
BUFFIER
Buffier requires players to unlock Buff first and costs 5 Skill Points to unlock.
Buffier acts very similar to Buff, providing players with another 50% boost to their Health.
I personally recommend upgrading this skill third as having a good amount of Health means that players will not risk dying as often and will essentially make it so that players don’t have to worry about dying and restarting certain parts of the campaign.
BUFFIEST
Buffiest requires players to unlock Buffier first and costs 8 Skill Points to unlock.
Buffiest is a hit and miss for me when it comes to early upgrades as I personally feel like the first two versions of Buffiest are more than enough for the beginning of the of the game and you will only need to rush the upgrade to the third tier if you’re going to attempt an “all-kill” round of the game where you ignore the game mechanics and enjoy the battles between the NPCs.
Buffiest provides players with another 50% Maximum Health on top of the already received health buffs from the previous tiers.
In my opinion, it might be a good idea to get some other upgrades that provide players with more combat skills, especially if you enjoy the fighting mechanics in We Happy Few and want to explore more of them.
TANK
Tank requires players to unlock Buffiest first and costs 10 Skill Points to unlock.
Tank is the first skill upgrade from this tier that does not provide players with a base amount of health and instead provides players with stats similar to “armour” or “resistance” in We Happy Few.
Tank will allow Arthur to take 15% less damage when hit by any melee attacks, explosions, electricity or bees.
While pricy, Tank provides players with a good amount of defense and will really help in the end game or when players are prone to taking damage, even when they’re being stealthy.
The reality is that if players are attempting a full stealth game mode and aren’t the best at avoiding damage, they can focus on column 1’s upgrades.
COLUMN TWO
WAIT FOR IT
Wait for It does not require players to unlock any upgrades first and costs 3 Skill Points to unlock.
Wait for It is great for players who want to shred through a number of enemies allowing players to hit enemies with a harder hit whenever they use a charged attack.
While the tooltip states that players need a little preparation to give a wallop, all this means is that players must hold down their attack button to force a charged attack.
BLOCK PARTY
Block Party requires players to unlock Wait For It first and costs 5 Skill Points to unlock.
Whether or not a player is playing a stealth gameplay, Block Party will come in handy for any player as it will help the player buy some extra time whenever they block.
Essentially Block Party will provide a player with a 25% chance to knock down an enemy when they do a perfect block with a weapon, meaning that a player cannot pre-emptively block an attack in order to trigger Block Party and will have to work on their timing to ensure that they land the block right as an enemy hits.
Not only will Block Party allow players to get used to blocking mechanics, but it will also give some extra time for players to run away from enemies and hide.
CHAIN SWEEP
Chain Sweep requires players to unlock Block Party first and costs 8 Skill Points to unlock.
Chain Sweep is extremely useful for players who are not trying to complete a stealth play through of We Happy Few as it will essentially provide players with more damage due to the fact that it allows players to deal damage to all targets in the area of a weapon’s swing with damage.
Without this upgrade players will only be able to deal damage to a single target at a time, essentially making it so a player is always in danger when against a good amount of enemies.
For players who are willing to use brute force during their play through, they should make sure that they upgrade to this tier fairly early as it will really help with clearing out enemies.
WORTH THE WAIT
Worth the Wait requires players to unlock Chain Sweep first and costs 10 Skill Points to unlock.
When it comes to Worth the Wait, players will be happy to note that this is going to be an upgrade that provides players with an ample amount of damage in comparison to the other upgrades that players get from the Combat Tree.
Essentially players will have to make a decision whether they want to collect this upgrade first before Block Buster as they both share the same prerequisite, though Worth the Wait is focussed on dealing more damage while Block Buster is more of a defensive upgrade for stealth.
Worth the Wait will cause attacks to deal 100% more damage and will now provide players with the chance to stun enemies.
BLOCK BUSTER
Block Buster requires players to unlock Chain Sweep first and costs 10 Skill Points to unlock.
As mentioned Block Buster is considered to be a more defensive upgrade as players will now have a 25% chance to break an enemy’s weapon whenever they block any type of attack.
Now, not only will players be able to break an enemy’s weapon, but they will also have a 10% chance to stun enemies, essentially allowing players to dodge enemies after they have blocked.
I’m a huge fan of this upgrade when players are playing a stealth version of the game as it will help players get through the game without killing anyone.
Basically if you’re doing a stealth play through go with this upgrade, if you’re killing everyone use the other upgrade.
COLUMN THREE
Column Three has upgrades that vary between different types of upgrades, none of them really follow the same theme, meaning that players will be able to gain different quirks for following this path
IRON FIST
Iron Fist does not require players to unlock any upgrades first and costs 3 Skill Points to unlock.
Iron Fist can be useful for players in the early game as it will provide players with a 15% chance to stagger enemies while they are unarmed.
Truthfully I only find this upgrade helpful in the early game or when players are completing a fully stealth play through of the game as in the late game players can stagger enemies when using weapons, especially if they are going to complete a non-stealth play through where players don’t care how many enemies they kill.
If you’re having difficulty dealing with being caught by enemies and dying this might be the upgrade for you so you can slip away faster.
It should be noted that Iron Fist doesn’t work as effectively against Bobbies.
PACK A WALLOP
Pack a Wallop requires players to unlock Iron Fist first and costs 5 Skill Points to unlock.
I’m a huge fan of Pack a Wallop, especially because I love being able to burst down enemies as fast as possible.
Pack a Wallop allows players to deal 15% more damage when dealing melee attacks, so enjoy that extra damage.
BLOODY HELL
Bloody Hell requires players to unlock Pack a Wallop first and costs 8 Skill Points to unlock.
For players who are keen on killing all the enemies, Bloody Hell is going to be a great upgrade for you in the mid-to-late game as it will help you make sure that you have a better chance of killing enemies before they get to you.
Essentially, when players are using a weapon that can cause bleeding, players will now have double the chance to force them to bleed.
While players may not see the use of this upgrade, the reality is that it will be extremely helpful when players already have Chain Sweep and are trying to kill more than 3 enemies at a time, due to the fact that bleeding enemies may end up dying simply because of the bleeding instead of having to take an extra swing at enemies.
STEALTH TREE
The Stealth Tree is exclusive to both Arthur and Sally and provides players with perks that increase a player’s stats that regard Stealth and Distraction. These upgrades include things like distracting enemies, being able to spot enemies and being able to stay safe in troubling situations.
The way I’m going to break down these various skills is in the order that they have to be unlocked, covering the first column, then the second, etc.
COLUMN ONE
It’s hard to describe that linear progression of column one in stealth as all of the upgrades don’t have a consistent point of upgrade.
SWEET DREAMS
Sweet Dreams does not require players to unlock any upgrades first and costs 1 Skill Points to unlock.
The reality is that I have never found an opportunity to use this upgrade to it’s full capacity in any of my play throughs of We Happy Few, though that might just be because I am not the most silent killer and would rather be up against a horde of enemies than bored out of my mind waiting for enemies to come sneak up on me.
While this is the case for me, it’s undeniable that Sweet Dreams will come in handy for those who are trying to complete a fully stealth operation of We Happy Few as Sweet Dreams will allow players to Quietly Choke enemies unconscious when sneaking up behind them or with a pillow when they are in bed.
The reality is that I used Sweet Dreams regularly for people who are awake, though I have never had an opportunity to use it on anyone who is in bed simply because I always wake people up, oops!
Sweet dreams can come in handy for players in stealth, though as soon as players have a weapon, players will rely on weapons fully when completing a non-stealth version of this game.
EAR TO THE GROUND
Ear to the Ground requires players to unlock Sweet Dreams first and costs 5 Skill Points to unlock.
The reality is that I never used Ear to the Ground in my first play through of We Happy Few, again simply because I wasn’t playing a stealth version of the game and was much happier killing all enemies with Brute Force.
It’s undeniable that Ear to the Ground can be especially useful for players as it will allow players to detect footsteps from further away, essentially increasing the visibility players have of footprints by twice the the range when they are in their sneak mode.
Footsteps are going to be very important to monitor when playing a stealthy game as it will let players be aware of where enemies are and will allow them to base their routes on where enemies are headed to, especially when trying to complete quests that require a player to remain hidden for the whole quest.
Again, this is going to be more important for stealth players, leaving this upgrade fairly low on my personal play throughs.
TECH FRIENDLY
Tech Friendly requires players to unlock Ear to the Ground first and costs 8 Skill Points to unlock.
For players who are trying to avoid taking Joy at all costs, this is going to be the upgrade for you as Tech Friendly will ensure that you get double the time to dodge Spankers, Peepers and Jubilators, meaning that players have a higher chance to get away before being properly detected.
While not an early game kind of upgrade for me, I definitely loved having it around because in my first play through I didn’t realize Track Access Hatches were a thing players had to unlock in order to ensure fast travel… I know, dummy!
COLUMN TWO
SMOOTH TALKER
Smooth Talker does not require players to unlock any upgrades first and costs 3 Skill Points to unlock.
I, personally, didn’t end up using this skill at all as Arthur, but tended to focus on it more with Sally due to her combat skills being so terrible.
Essentially Smooth Talker will allow players to reduce an NPC’s suspicion by double when they talk to them.
Smooth Talker can really help with a player’s Stealth play through and can ensure that they get away from tricky situations without actually attacking an enemy.
TIPPY TOES
Tippy Toes requires players to unlock Smooth Talker first and costs 5 Skill Points to unlock.
Tippy Toes is going to be one of the biggest upgrades for players to prioritize because it will allow players to run around without making any noise.
The reality is that it can get fairly frustrating to have to get around the world simply by walking, so getting Tippy Toes early can alleviate a player’s boredom by making sure that they are safe when running around the world.
OH YOU
Oh You requires players to unlock Tippy Toes first and costs 5 Skill Points to unlock.
By far my favourite skill to upgrade to is Oh You and quite frankly I wish that I had gained access to it earlier simply because it made cheesing mechanics a lot easier.
While Oh You doesn’t bypass any of the clothing errors players may make, it will make sure that enemies don’t bother you when you are staring at them, jumping, crouching, and running.
This makes running in the main city an option allowing players to get to quests faster and avoid being spotted by the annoying Bobbies during the day.
BACKSTABBER
Backstabber requires players to unlock Oh You first and costs 10 Skill Points to unlock.
Backstabber is the only upgrade in this tier that is specifically for combat and quite frankly comes in very handy for situations where a player doesn’t just want to tank and spank.
Backstabber increases a player’s damage by double when players are not spotted by enemies, essentially making sneak attacks one of the best ways to damage enemies, especially when players have other upgrades that also increase the damage of a player.
While not the most helpful in stealth play throughs, I strongly recommend focussing on this one in the mid-game because of how powerful it can actually be when used properly.
LOOK! OVER THERE
Look! Over There requires players to unlock Oh You first and costs 10 Skill Points to unlock.
Although extremely helpful, Look! Over There was a skill that I never actually used… and I’m sure you’ve gotten it by now, I really enjoy attacking all NPCs.
Look! Over There is going to be one of the best upgrades for stealth players as it will ensure that when a player throws a bottle, duck or other form of distraction an additional NPC will get attracted and all affected NPCs will become distracted for 50% longer.
COLUMN THREE
BODY SNATCHER
Body Snatcher does not require players to unlock any skills first and costs 3 Skill Points to unlock.
Body Snatcher isn’t the most helpful upgrade to get, though if players are often getting caught while searching dead bodies or carrying dead bodies they will want to prioritize this upgrade.
Body Snatcher allows players to search and carry bodies 50% faster with the added bonus of making sure that bodies don’t make a sound when they are dropped by the player.
SNEAK THIEF
Sneak Thief requires players to unlock Body Snatcher first and costs 5 Skill Points to unlock.
Sneak Thief is extremely useful no matter what kind of play style players are choosing to approach the game with as upgrading this skill will ensure that whenever a player picks locks, jimmies a window or searches containers they will do it silently.
Quite frankly, the best part of this skill is the fact that Jimmy Bars and other Disarming Tools will last longer, essentially providing players with two uses on a Jimmy Bar and an extra use for Disarming Tools.
NIGHT STALKER
Night Stalker requires players to unlock Tippy Toes first and costs 8 Skill Points to unlock.
Night Stalker is mostly useful in the Garden District or amongst Bobbies as it will reduce a player’s visibility by 25% when travelling during the Night.
Again, I didn’t have much use for this upgrade, though it’s undeniable that it would come in handy for players who don’t want to pick every single fight and simply want to survive through a night.
NOTHING TO SEE HERE
Nothing to See Here requires players to unlock Night Stalker first and costs 10 Skill Points to unlock.
After unlocking Nothing to See Here players will be able to go out at night without any Bobbies attacking a player, essentially meaning that Curfew no longer applies to a player. Players will also experience a delayed reaction from Witnesses whenever a player is trespassing.
Nothing to See Here is perfect in tandem with Oh You, though both are not required at the same time to get around the world with hardly any issues.
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