Acquiring New Skills
In Sonic Frontiers, Sonic can learn a variety of new moves and abilities through a dedicated Skill Tree. These skills expand Sonic’s combat capabilities and can also assist with solving puzzles and interacting with the open world of the Starfall Islands. While Sonic begins with his standard moves like the Homing Attack, Drop Dash, and Stomp, unlocking new skills is crucial for facing the more formidable enemies encountered throughout the game.
The Skill Tree in Sonic Frontiers is designed to be compact, featuring a total of 12 unlockable skills. Players can realistically acquire all 12 skills before completing the main story, with some even managing to unlock them all before finishing the second island, depending on their playstyle and focus on collectibles and activities.
Skill Points and Skill Pieces
To unlock new moves on the Skill Tree, Sonic needs to earn Skill Points. Unlike traditional open-world games where characters level up, Sonic Frontiers uses a specific currency called Skill Pieces to grant Skill Points.
Skill Pieces are small, light blue diamond-shaped materials that drop from defeated enemy forces and Guardian bosses. It’s important to actively collect these pieces, as they are not automatically acquired when an enemy is defeated. As Sonic collects Skill Pieces, a radial circle in the lower right section of the HUD fills up. Once this circle is full, Sonic earns a Skill Point, indicated by a number within the circle. Accumulating enough Skill Points allows Sonic to unlock new abilities from the Skill Tree. Each skill node on the tree typically requires more Skill Points as you progress further down.
Available Skills
The Skill Tree offers a diverse range of moves, from combat abilities to utility skills. Here’s a breakdown of the skills and their costs:
- Cyloop (Cost: 1 Skill Point): Allows Sonic to run around, leaving a light trail. Creating an enclosure with this trail and releasing the button can trigger various effects. This is often the first skill unlocked and is very versatile for interacting with the world, revealing hidden items, and farming rings/collectibles.
- Phantom Rush (Cost: 3 Skill Points): Activates when the combo meter is maxed out, increasing attack power by 1.2 times until the combo meter depletes.
- Sonic Boom (Cost: 5 Skill Points): A high-speed kick that unleashes shockwaves to attack enemies. This is a useful early skill for mid-air combat and dealing damage from a distance.
- Air Trick (Cost: 5 Skill Points): Perform tricks when sparks surround Sonic in the air to earn Skill Pieces. This is a unique skill not related to combat, helping to acquire more Skill Pieces faster.
- Wild Rush (Cost: 10 Skill Points): A high-speed, zigzagging attack.
- Stomp Attack (Cost: 10 Skill Points): A stomping attack that swoops down from above onto an enemy.
- Auto Combo (Cost: 20 Skill Points): Automatically activates unlocked battle skills during combos, though damage dealt is reduced. This can be toggled ON/OFF in the Options menu after unlocking.
- Quick Cyloop (Cost: 20 Skill Points): Allows for a quick Cyloop around an enemy when the Cyloop meter is maxed out and turns blue. The meter fills with every successful attack.
- Homing Shot (Cost: 30 Skill Points): Launches a volley of energy spheres at an enemy.
- Loop Kick (Cost: 30 Skill Points): A looping, rapidly accelerating kick attack performed in midair.
- Spin Slash (Cost: 40 Skill Points): Surrounds an enemy with a multi-hit spinning attack.
- Recovery Smash (Cost: 50 Skill Points): If Sonic is knocked back by an attack, successfully executing an on-screen prompt before hitting the ground allows for an immediate counter.
Story-Unlocked Abilities
In addition to the skills acquired through Skill Points on the main Skill Tree, some abilities are unlocked as Sonic progresses through the game’s story. These abilities are located in the right column of the Skill Tree and cannot be unlocked using Skill Points. They include:
- Cross Slash: Circles the enemy and attacks with a series of shockwaves.
- Cyclone Kick: Launches a powerful series of rising kicks.
- Grand Slam: Unleashes a powerful attack by following an on-screen prompt.
FAQ
How do I earn Skill Points? You earn Skill Points by collecting Skill Pieces, which are dropped by defeated enemies and Guardian bosses. Filling a circular meter on the HUD with Skill Pieces grants one Skill Point.
Where can I find Skill Pieces? Skill Pieces are small, light blue diamonds that drop from enemy forces and Guardian bosses after they are defeated. You must pick them up manually.
Is it possible to unlock all moves in Sonic Frontiers? Yes, it is possible to unlock all 12 skills on the Skill Tree before finishing the game, and some players can even achieve this by the second island. Additional abilities are unlocked through story progression.
What is the Cyloop skill used for? The Cyloop is a versatile skill used for various effects, including revealing hidden items, farming rings and collectibles, and interacting with objects in the world. It is typically the first skill you unlock.
Can I turn off Auto Combo? Yes, after unlocking the Auto Combo skill, you can toggle it ON or OFF from the Options menu.