Skills & Builds: Practical Class Guide

Underkeep Skills: Build Smarter From Level One

Every dungeon run is shaped before the first turn, and Underkeep skills are the clearest place to see that truth. With a four-person party, one skill point per level, and two specializations per class, your Underkeep skills plan decides whether your group has a real answer to each fight. This is a party-based, turn-based dungeon crawler with grid-based movement, so the goal is not to make one hero look impressive. The goal is to make four heroes function as a team.

The current class and skill framework gives each class two specializations and roughly 9–12 skills. That range is still being refined and balanced, so treat it as a planning target rather than a final promise. The core loop is simple: earn one skill point per level, spend it on a skill, and improve that skill up to five times. Simple rules still create hard choices, because a class with ten skills can absorb fifty rank-ups if you max everything. You will not get there by spreading points evenly.

Those numbers are design targets, not final balance promises. There is not enough detail for a reliable best-skill ranking, and exact skill names, values, and cooldowns are still being developed. That is why the safest advice is to invest in roles the game clearly communicates: Warrior combat, Voidcaller healing, Wizard destruction, and party-wide effects such as auras.

Class Roles and Specializations at a Glance

The current roster gives you Warrior, Voidcaller, Archer, and Wizard. Thief and Blood Mage are planned next, while Paladin and Runecrafter are nice-to-have additions. Do not build a launch plan around the last two until they are confirmed with real skill lists. A class name is not a kit; the specialization and skill ranks are what turn a name into a role.

Races planned for the game are Human, Dwarf, Horemount, Raven, Elk, and Yah-Ti. Each is intended to bring strengths and weaknesses, but the specific modifiers are not detailed. Choose a race for roleplay or wait for the in-game stat screens. Do not copy a build that assumes a bonus the game does not show.

Underkeep skills and specialization choices should be read together. Two heroes of the same class can end up with different jobs because each class has two paths. Before you spend a large batch of points, check both specialization descriptions and decide which one matches your party plan.

Skill Points: How to Spend Without Spreading Thin

One point per level sounds generous until you see the five-rank cap. A skill at rank five is a serious commitment, and a class with ten skills can absorb fifty rank-ups if you max everything. The practical move is to choose a dependable action first, rank it enough to carry its job, then branch into party utility. Underkeep skills do not reward a flat spread just because every option looks interesting.

Do not judge a skill only by its first rank. If a skill is designed to scale to five ranks, its value may arrive later. That does not mean every skill deserves five ranks. Compare three questions: Does it support my class’s confirmed job? Does it help the whole party? Does it combine with another skill I already use? A skill that fails all three is a luxury, not a foundation.

Because respec rules are not detailed, avoid making a large point commitment before you understand both specialization paths. Read the in-game descriptions carefully. If a path asks you to give up flexibility for a stronger niche, make sure your four-person party can cover what you lose.

Auras, Synergies, and Passive Perks

The more interesting Underkeep skills are not only direct attacks. The planned system includes auras that passively affect your whole party, synergy skills that combine or boost each other, and passive perks for long-term growth. Future cooldown-based abilities may add another tactical layer. Each type asks a different question of your build.

A synergy skill is not automatically better than a standalone skill. It becomes better when your party can reliably trigger the combo. If two skills boost each other, plan which hero acts first and what happens if the combo fails. In turn-based combat, you have time to think through that order. Use it. Aura value also rises when the whole party benefits; a party-wide buff on a team with no clear damage plan can feel weak.

Passive perks are easy to ignore because they do not add a flashy button. They are most useful when your core actions already work and you want long-term character growth. If your Warrior already has a reliable attack and your Voidcaller can heal, a passive that supports that job can be a better level-up choice than a third emergency button.

Party Planning and Combat Tips

Build a four-person party with overlapping answers, not four isolated builds. The Warrior can anchor combat, the Voidcaller can heal, and the Wizard can bring destruction. The Archer is confirmed as a class, but its exact combat identity is not detailed, so keep that slot flexible. If you add Thief or Blood Mage later, wait for the skill list before deciding their job.

Your Underkeep skills plan should cover four jobs: a reliable attack, a way to recover, party support, and a flexible answer for unusual fights. You do not need four copies of the same role. A party that can only deal damage will struggle when healing matters. A party that only defends will take too long to finish fights.

• Pick one primary job for each hero and write it down. Then spend points on that job before collecting side options.
• Treat auras as party investments. If an aura helps all four heroes, it can be worth more than a selfish skill.
• Practice synergy order. Use the turn-based pace to set up combos instead of clicking the biggest button every round.
• Watch for specialization clues. Two paths per class mean your hero should lean one way; a split build can lack impact.
• Do not assume a skill covers exploration. Dungeons include traps and dangerous environments, but no skill-to-obstacle mapping is detailed yet. Wait for in-game confirmation before building a utility hero around locks, traps, or lore checks.
• Review Underkeep skills after each level. If a skill is not supporting its intended job, stop ranking it and redirect points.

Combat in a party-based dungeon crawler rewards preparation more than reflexes. Use the turn-based pace to check your aura, decide whether this is a synergy turn, and confirm who needs healing before you commit. A simple plan executed every round usually beats a clever plan you forget under pressure.

FAQ

How many skills does each class have in Underkeep?

Current planning targets roughly 9–12 skills per class, with two specializations. Those numbers are still being refined and balanced, and specific skill lists are not final.

Can I max every Underkeep skills choice?

Probably not early. One skill point per level and five ranks per skill means a ten-skill class needs fifty rank-ups to max everything. The level cap is not detailed, so the practical answer is to specialize rather than spread points. Treat Underkeep skills as a focused investment.

Which class is the healer?

The Voidcaller is the documented healing class. The Warrior is the combat bruiser, and the Wizard is the destruction caster. The Archer’s exact role is not detailed, so do not assume it is a pure support or pure damage class.

Are cooldown skills in the game?

Cooldown-based abilities are planned for the future, not confirmed as a complete current system. The present design also includes auras, synergy skills, and passive perks. Underkeep skills include several effect types, so build around what the game shows and leave room to adapt when timers and values arrive.