Permafrost Skills & Classes Explained: 16 Skills, 3 Classes, 4 Specializations
What every Permafrost skill does per level, its cap and XP rate, how the Hunter, Smuggler and Survivor classes differ, what the Engineer, Marksman, Scavenger and Tracker specializations add, and which combination fits your playstyle.
Character progression in Permafrost is quiet: there are no levels to grind, only 16 skills that improve by doing. Chop trees and Axes goes up; sneak past cultists and Sneaking goes up. On top of that sit the character-creator choices — a class that sets your starting kit and a specialization that gives +1 to three skills. This guide lists what each skill actually changes per level, straight from the skill data, and which picks pay off for which kind of survivor.
All 16 skills
| Skill | Per level | Cap | XP per action | Levelled by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axes | +2% damage to trees | 50 | 5 | Chopping trees |
| Pickaxes | +2% damage to ores | 50 | 5 | Mining |
| Knives | −0.5% durability usage | 50 | 5 | Using knives |
| Bows | −1% durability usage | 50 | 5 | Shooting bows |
| Firearms | −1% durability usage | 50 | 0.5 | Shooting guns |
| Accuracy | Ranged precision (value not exposed) | 50 | 5 | Hitting targets |
| Building | −1% building time | 50 | 5 | Placing structures |
| Renovating | −1% renovating time | 50 | 8 | Repairing buildings |
| Crafting | −1% crafting time | 50 | — | Crafting items |
| Cooking | −1% cooking time | 50 | 12 | Cooking meals |
| Skinning | −1% skinning time | 50 | — | Skinning animals |
| Lockpicking | −1% lockpicking time | 50 | — | Opening locks |
| Running | −1% stamina usage | 50 | 0.7 | Sprinting |
| Jumping | −1% stamina usage | 50 | 3 | Jumping |
| Sneaking | −1% noise when sneaking | 50 | 0.4 | Sneaking past enemies |
| Toughness | Damage reduction (value not exposed) | 25 | 5 | Taking hits |
The per-level values are linear, so a skill at its cap of 50 is a −50% time or durability cost, and Axes or Pickaxes at 50 is double damage against trees or ores. Two skills — Accuracy and Toughness — list a benefit label but no per-level number in the data, so the site shows them without a figure rather than guessing. Note the XP rates: Cooking (12 per meal) and Renovating (8 per repair) level fastest per action, while Firearms (0.5 per shot), Running (0.7) and Sneaking (0.4) are slow grinders. The Steam achievement Master of One rewards level 20 in any skill, Pain Threshold level 5 Toughness and Jack of All Trades level 10 in five skills.
The three classes
- Wolf Head Hat (35 insulation) plus casual jacket, pants, boots, gloves
- Improvised Coffee (+45 warmth, +45 energy) and Instant Oatmeal
- Best headgear of the three at the start
- Full casual set: Casual Hat, Jacket, Pants, Boots, Gloves
- Energy Drink (+60 stamina) and Chocolate Bar
- Lowest starting warmth; pick for the stamina drink
- Complete Survivor's set: Hood, Uniform, Trousers, Boots, Gloves
- Improvised Tea (+45 warmth, +45 health) and Granola Bar (+40 hunger, stamina, energy)
- Only class with a matching five-piece set from minute one
VerdictAll three carry a Casual Backpack, one Makeshift Bandage and the Building Tool; none changes skills. Survivor and Hunter start warmer, Smuggler starts with the best stamina snack.
The four specializations
| Specialization | +1 to | Game description |
|---|---|---|
| Engineer | Running, Axes, Toughness | A practical person with a steady hand for tools, repairs, and understanding how things work. |
| Marksman | Accuracy, Firearms, Bows | A calm and focused individual with experience in handling ranged weapons and keeping steady under pressure. |
| Scavenger | Lockpicking, Sneaking, Running | An observant and resourceful person, used to searching carefully and making use of what can be found. |
| Tracker | Skinning, Bows, Knives | Someone with patience and attention to detail, used to noticing signs that others might overlook. |
A +1 head start matters most on the slow skills. Marksman's +1 Firearms is worth two hundred shots of XP (0.5 per shot), and Scavenger's +1 Sneaking is worth 250 sneaks at 0.4 each; Tracker's +1 Skinning and Engineer's +1 Axes, by contrast, are a handful of carcasses or trees. If you want the bonus to last, pick the specialization whose skills you would otherwise grind slowest.
Which combination fits you
- Hunter + Tracker — the Wolf Head Hat, bows and knives from the first minute; Skinwalker's hunting challenges in the Woods level all three skills. Pairs with the hunting guide.
- Survivor + Engineer — warmest start plus Toughness and Axes for a base-builder who chops a lot of Wood. Pairs with the base building guide.
- Smuggler + Scavenger — stamina drink, Lockpicking for locked chests (the quest Tools of survival opens one) and Sneaking for cultist camps.
- Any class + Marksman — if you plan to build a Weapon Bench early, the Firearms and Accuracy head start is the hardest to earn otherwise.
Get the Winning Edge
Real-time overlays, automatic match tracking, and exclusive tools — everything you need to climb, free on your PC.
- In-game overlays
- Automatic match tracking
- Desktop-exclusive tools
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Guide FAQ
How many skills are in Permafrost?
Sixteen: Accuracy, Axes, Bows, Building, Cooking, Crafting, Firearms, Jumping, Knives, Lockpicking, Pickaxes, Renovating, Running, Skinning, Sneaking and Toughness. Fourteen cap at level 50; Toughness caps at 25.
Do classes matter in Permafrost?
Only for the starting kit. Hunter, Smuggler and Survivor all start with a Casual Backpack, a Makeshift Bandage and the Building Tool; they differ in clothing and two snacks. Skills come from the specialization and from play.
What is the best specialization?
Tracker (+1 Skinning, Bows, Knives) for hunters, Marksman (+1 Accuracy, Firearms, Bows) for gun users, Engineer (+1 Running, Axes, Toughness) for builders and Scavenger (+1 Lockpicking, Sneaking, Running) for stealth looting. Marksman's Firearms bonus is the slowest to earn in play.
How do I level Toughness?
By taking damage and surviving fights. It gives 5 XP per qualifying hit and caps at level 25; the Pain Threshold achievement rewards level 5.
What does the Axes skill do?
Each level adds 2% damage against trees and reduces axe durability loss; at the level-50 cap that is +100% tree damage. It levels 5 XP per chopped tree.