Tomb Raider Skills Guide: Axe Strikes

Among the new additions to the Tomb Raider gameplay formula is skill management. In this game Lara posses three different types of skills, related to the three main aspects of the game: surviving, hunting and fighting. The skills are really diverse and all serve a certain, useful purpose: leveling them up will be bring some good advantages whenever you level them up. In the end it all depends on your playstyle: some gamers may be better and uncovering treasures and areas or discovering enemies while some other may be better in the combat sequences of the game. You can improve these skills to improve your abilities in your best field or get some help in some other field where you are not so good. We’re not talking about role playing game level of customization but having a choice is better than having none at all! The inclusion of skills also makes the gameplay experience somewhat deeper. To improve your skills you’ll have to fill Lara’s experience shield, obtaining a single skill point used to improve unlocked skills or unlocking new skills. You will have to invest 7 skill points in rookie skills to unlock the higher tier; to unlock the final tier, seven more points must be used. Get as much experience as you can and you will be able to unlock most skills in the game as soon as possible.

• Brawler Skills

Axe Strikes

Axe Strikes is pretty much a Story-related skill: you will be able to learn it automatically after you have spent over 7 skill points on Novice skills. Once you can unlock your first hardened skill, the Axe Strikes will ba active as well. Being a free skill, you don’t really have a choice in learning it or not: Lara will use the climbing axe to deal two quick strikes to the enemies and leave them stunned. It’s quite effective in short range confrontations: the stunned enemies can be finished quickly if you have any of the Weapon Expert skills. Please note that the Axe Strikes skill is not necessarily automatically learned after fighting the first shield enemy: to make sure to have it you will have to use those seven skill points.