Buddy Rush: Assigning Skill Points

The Ninth Wave revamped the entire skill system. Characters now get 1 skill point per level up instead of from mastering Missions. Skill points are only awarded up till level 100. Diamond levels do not give skill points. As such, the maximum skill points is 99 (characters start at level 1).

The maximum level for each skill is 7. Active skills costs 3 skill points to level, while ultimate skills cost 4 and passive skills cost 2.

Here are two possible methods of skill distribution:

Versatile Method

If the character has all round good skills, it may be best to evenly distribute the skill points and assign what is left to the skills which are considered important. By using this method, the character will be well rounded and able to use all his/her skills.

In order to level up all skills one level, the skill point cost, C = (number of active skills x 3) + (1 ultimate skill x 4) + (number of passive skills x 2)

C = (3 x 3) + (1 x 4) + (4 x 2) = 21

If we raised all skills to level 4, the amount of skill points needed is C x (desired level - initial level)
= C (4 - 1)
= 63
This leaves (maximum skill points - 63) = 99 - 63 = 36 skill points left to distribute among the skills that are considered important.

If we raised all skills to level 5, the amount of skill points left would be 99 - C (5 - 1) = 15.

Skill distribution, Versatile Method

In the example above, I raised all of Nagne's skills to level 5 first. With the 15 skill points left over, I bought 2 levels of Leaf Slash (6 skill points), 1 of QuickStep Slash (3) and 2 of Kiss of Death (6).

Remember that this method works best if all the character's skills are useful.

Subtract Method

The second method is to start with all skills at level 7 first, then subtract skill points from the not-so-useful skills.

WARNING: This should be obvious: Don't try to assign all the skill points first - do it on paper beforehand! Or do it in your mind.

To max out all skills at level 7 requires C (7 - 1) = 126 skill points.

This means that there is a shortage of 126 - 99 = 27 skill points.

So these skill points have to be subtracted from the available skills.

Skill distribution, Subtract Method

Botherella is used as an example for this method. I do not depend much on Wolfgang's damage-dealing potential so I thought I could do with 3 less levels (9 skill points). Ghost Storm is powerful but I do not use it often, so 5 levels of the skill should suffice (8).

I do not rely much on Botherella's normal attacks so Elastic Skull gets knocked down to level 3 (8). For the last 2 skill points, I thought I should take it from 'An eye for an eye'.

In hindsight, I probably should have taken more skill points from 'An eye for an eye' since my strategy is damage-prevention rather than healing-damage.

Buddy Rush: Contents