TL;DR
- Prioritize Survival Skills and Force Attunement first for better survivability
- Master parry timing early as it’s crucial against tough enemies and bosses
- Save skill points after early unlocks for more powerful intermediate abilities
- Focus on mobility and range skills like Dash Strike and Lightsaber Throw for bosses
- Time your skill unlocks with story progression to maximize combat effectiveness
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order presents a significant challenge compared to other action titles in the franchise, particularly when facing elite adversaries like Purge Troopers and Security Droids. As you progress through the narrative and acquire new Force abilities while enhancing your lightsaber, additional skill trees become available for point allocation.
Initial skills demand only a single skill point, but advanced capabilities later in the campaign will cost two or three points each. This economic system encourages strategic conservation of points after securing fundamental early-game abilities that match your playstyle. Resist the temptation to spend points immediately—preserving resources enables quicker access to visually impressive and substantially more potent late-game skills without requiring excessive grinding. Our comprehensive breakdown below outlines optimal skill investments for both early progression and mid-game advancement.
For additional Fallen Order assistance, explore our comprehensive beginner’s guide and detailed analysis of hidden easter eggs and references. You can also consult our complete Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order review. Continue reading for expert recommendations on the most valuable skills to acquire.

During the initial hours of Fallen Order, your offensive and defensive options remain limited primarily to basic lightsaber combat. This period offers perfect conditions for refining parry timing—a critical skill that differs significantly from similar mechanics in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Successful combat encounters increasingly require seamless integration of lightsaber techniques with Force powers, making consistent parrying an essential foundation for survival.
Consequently, you should allocate points across all first-tier skills. While four options exist, the final ability becomes accessible approximately one hour into your first Zeffo expedition. Survival Skills (boosting Cal’s maximum health) represents the optimal initial investment. With limited BD-1 stim canisters available early, enhanced health pools provide crucial survivability until you can expand your healing capacity. Similarly, Force Attunement (increasing Cal’s Force reservoir) serves as another excellent early choice.
Overhead Slash becomes automatically unlocked during the tutorial sequence. This devastating attack eliminates most wildlife and standard Stormtroopers with a single strike. Although its effectiveness diminishes in later stages due to slow animation speed and vulnerability in crowd situations, it remains exceptionally valuable during early gameplay.

Upon reaching Zeffo, Cal rediscovers his Force Push ability. This unlocks multiple new skills across his Lightsaber and Force skill trees, including the concluding first-tier ability: Mass Push. Veterans of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed will appreciate Mass Push’s functionality. This charged Force emission propels enemies through the air—particularly effective on Zeffo and Kashyyyk where environmental hazards and strategic enemy placements invite creative eliminations.
After completing your Zeffo mission, Cal’s development path requires more deliberate planning. Numerous skills diverge across second and third tiers, including enhanced versions of Survival Skills and Force Attunement that further increase health/Force pools or regeneration rates. However, you can defer many passive upgrades initially, focusing instead on intermediate combat skills that dramatically improve your effectiveness against recurring boss enemies.
Your Fallen Order journey inevitably involves confrontations with fellow lightsaber wielders and Force-sensitive opponents. These elite combatants possess tremendous power and can rapidly deplete your health bar. During these encounters, Fallen Order’s combat system closely resembles Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, featuring mutual guard/posture meters where both combatants attempt to exhaust the other’s defenses to create opening for decisive strikes. With many bosses displaying resistance to specific Force powers while countering standard lightsaber combinations, investing in intermediate lightsaber techniques becomes imperative.
Within the Lightsaber skill tree, prioritize Dash Strike, Sprint Strike, Delay Thrust, and Lightsaber Throw. Certain boss adversaries utilize mobility to create distance and regenerate their guard meter. All four techniques effectively counter this tactical approach. Dash Strike enables Cal to rapidly close distance with a leaping assault, Sprint Strike delivers powerful attacks directly from sprinting momentum, Delay Thrust extends the reach of standard combos, and Lightsaber Throw provides Cal’s exclusive ranged combat option. Among these, Lightsaber Throw requires the longest wait for availability since Cal cannot utilize it until rediscovering Force Pull during his second Zeffo expedition—immediately following his initial Kashyyyk visit.
A common mistake players make is spreading skill points too thinly across multiple trees early on. Instead, focus on completing skill branches that complement your preferred combat approach before diversifying. For players struggling with specific boss patterns, consider our Class Guide for strategic approaches to different enemy types.
Advanced players should note that perfect parries not only damage enemy posture but also instantly refill a portion of your Force meter. This mechanic becomes crucial during extended boss fights where Force management determines victory. The timing window for perfect parries is approximately 0.3 seconds before impact, requiring precise anticipation of attack animations.
When facing multiple enemy types simultaneously, prioritize skills that offer crowd control or target switching capabilities. The Weapons Unlock guide provides additional insights into weapon-specific techniques that can be adapted to lightsaber combat.
Action Checklist
- Unlock Survival Skills and Force Attunement immediately for better early-game survivability
- Practice parry timing against basic enemies to master the unique rhythm
- Save 3-4 skill points after early unlocks for intermediate abilities
- Acquire Mass Push on Zeffo for environmental combat advantages
- Prioritize mobility skills (Dash Strike, Sprint Strike) for boss encounters
No reproduction without permission:SeeYouSoon Game Club » Jedi: Fallen Order Skills Guide – The Best Skills To Unlock On The Tree Master Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order's skill progression with strategic early unlocks and combat optimization tips
