The Skill Tree

Being now twelve thousand bucks richer made me quite happy. Going home with a smile on my face, since I had taken off my costume already, it felt nice to just walk home like this. 

Walking back into the comfort of my apartment, the last bits of tension flowed away. Then, checking my xp bar, I felt like I did some and a bit more progress today. 

470/900 

Slowly contemplating on what I would be getting next, probably just try rushing to the legendary weapons, I kept looking back to the first time I saw the skill tree. 

For example. 

The close range skill tree.

The first tier :

<Spread Out>

Your pellets are spread apart 20% more, allowing you to hit more targets per shot. 

<Fast Reload>

You reload shotguns of any kind 25% faster.

<More Bang For Your Buck> 

One to three more pellets for shotgun shells with pellets.

<Steady hand>

Your shotguns have 30% reduced recoil when you shoot from the hip.

<Group up>

The pellets are spread out 10% less, improving the distance you can hit targets at.

Second tier. 

<More Focus!>

Shotgun kills restore half a second of focus. Allows it to be reactivated. 

<The Pouch>

Creates an ammo pouch that stores up to your (Strenght * 3) worth of shotgun shells. You can create another with enough Intelligence (Intelligence / 10, rounded down) 

<Down the Barrel>

Aiming your shotgun increases the projectile velocity and pellet count by 50%.

<Better Controlled Lead>

You gain flat 50% shotgun recoil reduction, that stacks up to 80% total with the previous skill. 

<Surprise! >

Pick one shotgun. Summon and unsummon it in your hand as much as you want, instantly. Can change the weapon once per day. 

The third tier

<Dead Man's Shells>

Per day, you can use this ability (strength / 5, rounded up) times. Using this ability creates 2 shotgun shells inside your weapon, and if its already loaded, it replaces the shells inside. They have four times the speed of the original shell. Can be slug or pellet type. They scale with strength. 

<Gamblers Hand>

Replaces your shells with a different type, randomly. Can be normal, blank, pellets, slug, or dragons breath. (Dexterity / 2, rounded down) uses. 

<Sticks of Fun>

Uses equal to Intelligence. Create a stick of dynamite in your open hand that explodes after 5 seconds. The explosive power of the stick scales with your strength. 

<Shotgunners Armor>

Hardens your body against physical damage. On its own it can protect against smaller caliber rounds. Applies to what you're wearing. Scales exponentially with strenght. 

<Blood Reload>

After scoring a kill, the next reload is 50% faster. Does not expire. Applies to any weapon. 

The fourth tier of skills only has two skills

<You can only pick one of these two for now. The other is available later.>

<Thunderclap >

A pitch black shotgun, with silver patterns adorning its entire barrel, and gold floral patterns on its cherry wood stock. Kills automatically reload the weapon with the same ammo the kill was scored with. Can be upgraded further. 

<Ol' Betty>

A sawed off four barrel shotgun. The engraved golden barrels shimmer with faint light, while the intricate steel on the stock radiates beauty and reliability. 

Has massively increased penetrating power and pellet count. 

Can be upgraded further.

<Advanced skills locked.>

Then, I looked at the second tree, the mid range tree's first level skills. 

<Deadeye I>

Headshot kills increase your Dexterity by 3% for 10 seconds. Stacks up to 5 times. Refreshable. 

<Rapid Reload>

You reload your revolvers 20% faster while out of focus. During focus, this bonus is increased by 50% (30% total)

<Good Eyes>

While aiming down a revolvers sights your perception is increased by 10%.

<Quickdraw >

While your revolver is holstered, and you shout "Draw!", you gain a 20% All-Stat boost for one second. Can only be activated once per day. 

<Akimbo >

When you wield 2 revolvers, you Dexterity is increased by 5%.

The second tier of the mid range tree was a bit more interesting in comparison. 

<Deadeye II>

Instead of just a Dexterity bonus, it is now an all stat bonus, and increased to 5%. Lasts an additional five seconds. 

<Spinning Reload>

Through your mastery over your revolver, you can now spin any revolvers cylinder and keep inserting shells in. Allows for quick reloading of bullets while firing. 

<Better Eyes>

You can see in the dark as if its day, that is always active, with a further 15% increase in perception while aiming down sights on a revolver. 

<Deadly Draw>

Three times increases bullet velocity during quickdraw, in addition to having its duration increased by (Intelligence / 3) and uses by (Dexterity / 3).

<Akimbo Mastery>

While dual wielding your revolvers, all stats are increased by 10%.

The third tier was where it got really interesting. 

<Devil's Dice>

Has a one in three chance of refunding a bullet that killed something. 

<The Holster>

Automatically reloads the revolver stored in it. You can think of the weapon inside to instantly make it appear in your hand, if the hand is open. 

<Gamblers Cylinder>

Replaces the ammo inside the cylinder with random types. Types included are explosive, fire bullets, blanks and normal bullets. (Dexterity / 2) uses. 

<Ghost Shot>

As long as the user keeps this skill active, any kills by the users revolvers results in the creation of ghost bullets. They have a third the power of the original caliber. 

<The Copy>

Recommend if you decide to take the unique weapons of the middle tree!!!

While holding a revolver in your right hand, you can create a perfect ghastly replica of it with the same stats in your left hand. 

<The Peacemaker.>

A stainless steel Colt Single Action Army, or better known as The Peacemaker. With its .45 cartridges this thing packs one hell of a punch. The ivory handle and the golden motifs on the weapon itself give it a truly regal feeling. Extends <Focus > by one second on kills, three on headshots. Allows you to reactivate it if it was fully used up. Can be upgraded further. 

<Satan's tooth>

A blood red weapon. The lack of cylinder is the first thing that's different. Your blood is its fuel. The second thing is the massive hand guard like on a rapier. The third and final thing is the serrated edges on the muzzle. 

Kills heal you, hits refund the blood spent. Can be upgraded further. Can kill the user due to blood loss. Increases bloodlust. 

<Advanced skills locked>

Shuddering having finished looking at the Satan's Tooth and the bad feeling it gave me, I checked the last skill tree, the long distance one. The first tier/level:

<Eagle eye>

25% increased perception while aiming down sights on rifles. 

<Rapid Reload>

You reload all rifles 25% faster. 

<Ambush > 

You lower your presence making you a 20% less detectable. Allows you to maybe sneak past people in a crowded area for example. Does not work on cameras. 

<Faster lead>

Your rifle projectiles are 25% faster. 

<Controlled shot>

Your rifle has 25% less recoil. 

Having finished the first tier, i checked the second tier. 

<Sharpshooter >

An additional 25% perception bonus while having a rifle as your weapon. 

<Rifle Pouch>

A pouch that stores up to (Dexterity + Perception)*2 worth of rifle ammo. 

<Night ranger>

While in the dark, you can hide your presence using the shadows. 

<Pinpoint >

Further increases your bullet speed by 50% while aiming down sights. 

<Precise lead>

While aiming down sights, you experience no recoil or fall off with rifles. 

Having finished the second one, i looked at the third and final level skills. 

<Critical hit>

You have Perception % chance of upgrading your shot to a critical shot. 3 times faster bullets for rifles. 

<Deadshot >

You take a calculated shot at a target, and if it hits, it explodes. Kills refresh this ability. Once per day. 

<Line Them Up>

Every headshot kill results in a stacking All Stats buff. 3% for 10 seconds. No stack limit.

<Marked For Death>

If you aim at a target for 5 seconds, you mark them for death. The bullet will automatically slowly curve towards them. 

<Ace Of Spades>

A throwing card with a metal edge. Can be recalled to owners hand freely. High cutting power. 

Then, the last two weapons made my mouth open wide. So big you could fit an egg in there even! 

<Skypiercer >

While aiming down sights with this silver and wood rifle, you are automatically in Focus. Can be upgraded

<Ol' Berta>

A relic of the civil war, this engraved howitzer is only usable once per day. Has no fall off, is not affected by gravity and air resistance. The explosion strenght scales with the sum of all stats, divided by 3. Can be upgraded. 

<Advanced skills locked>

Mildly frozen in shock, I kept looking at all the unique weapons. Especially at the... God damn howitzer?! 

Remembering how stupefied I was back then put a smile on my face. 

Going for a quick bath first and foremost, I then decided I would change around my plans a little bit.

I needed a reliable source of information to get myself going properly as a hunter of armed men. Who could I turn into my errand boy for these types of things?

A cop? Nah, not very good. If they are recognised anywhere they're dead. If they get caught to be getting money from the dark side of New York that could also prove troublesome for them. Lastly, I didn't really want to involve cops with matters that could get them killed. Maybe if they're corrupt or something but even then there's a limit. 

So, i guess i need to find myself a low level goon to work him to the bone? He could betray me though and I'm not confident I can get out of a properly set up ambush. 

Then, buy the info and whatever else from some black market? Or illegal store. 

That could work, but, I need to find one that's relatively safe so I won't risk getting my head blown off if I find myself in the wrong place at the wrong time.