The Blood of Dawnwalker skill trees are where you decide who Coen actually is: a human swordsman in daylight, a vampire in the dark, or something in between. Swordmastery, Witchcraft, and Vampirism are the three trees, and every common build — swordsman, predator, hybrid — is just a different weighting of them.
What each tree specializes in
Swordmastery — the always-on core
Swordmastery is Coen’s melee tree. It covers his directional attacks, his parry game, and the combo structure that ties swings together into sustained pressure. What makes it different from the other two trees is that it works in both forms: the same swordplay carries over when the sun goes down. If you invest here, you are investing in the skill floor of your entire run.
Witchcraft — the daylight kit
Witchcraft is the day tree. It builds on Coen’s human side and his spells — the cast-based toolkit you lean on while the sun is up. Witchcraft points are worth the most when you are spending a large share of each day in combat, because a weak day kit is exactly when a swordsman or predator build feels underpowered.
Vampirism — the night kit
Vampirism is the night tree. It builds on Coen’s vampire abilities and on Blood Hunger, the blood-craving mechanic that is central to the game’s night side. Everything the night form does best comes from this tree, and the depth you get here decides how comfortable night combat feels.
| Tree | Active when | Core tools | Role in a build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swordmastery | Day and night | Directional attacks, parries, combos | The anchor in every common build |
| Witchcraft | Day (human form) | Spells, consumable buffs, active abilities | The daylight toolkit |
| Vampirism | Night (vampire form) | Shapeshift, claw strikes, Corruption scaling | The nighttime toolkit |
Verified perk nodes (launch v1.0)
The three trees break down into specific perk nodes, each purchased at road shrines with perk points earned from leveling. Learning or upgrading a perk costs 1–3 time segments — the only progression action that advances the clock without an hourglass icon, so it is easy to undercount. Some perks require a Manual (sold by merchants, quest rewards, or random bookshelf finds) to unlock their upgraded versions.
Witchcraft nodes (daytime)
Perks here focus on spell amplification, consumable stacking, and active defensive abilities.
| Node | What it does |
|---|---|
| Mercurial Fervour | High-speed dash — makes daytime exploration faster |
| Frugal Witchcraft | Spell kills restore health, offsetting the spell’s HP cost |
| Forbidden Sigils | Unlocks an extra Witchcraft ability slot |
| Amalgam | Multiple long-duration consumable buffs can stack simultaneously |
| Life Lock | Active ability: reflects incoming damage for a few hits, small HP cost |
Swordmastery nodes (anytime)
Perks here are the foundation of every build. Sustained Focus and Endless Effort are near-universal picks.
| Node | What it does |
|---|---|
| Sustained Focus | Increases active ability charge count — nearly every build takes this |
| Second Skin I / II | Unlocks armor proficiency, removes medium/heavy armor penalties; requires a Manual for the upgraded version |
| Perfect Block | Restores stamina and active ability charges on a perfect parry |
| Sharp Eye | Weakens enemy defense and damage after a perfect block |
| Master Fencer | Adds a Swordmastery ability slot |
| Endless Effort | Stamina boost — nearly mandatory once out of the early game |
| Broad Swing | Wide-reaching sweep AOE |
| Swiftness | Raises attack speed after a perfect block |
Vampirism nodes (nighttime)
Perks here scale with Corruption (raised by drinking blood from humans, animals, or monsters). Hastened Corruption is a high-ROI early pick.
| Node | What it does |
|---|---|
| Shapeshift | Turn into a wolf — faster long-range travel at night + Haste |
| Death From Above | Jump-and-pounce: instant kill on normal enemies, heavy damage to bosses |
| Voracious Bite | Empowered bite: damages and heals simultaneously |
| Endless Hunger | Massive boost to nighttime max HP, also lowers frenzy risk |
| Nourishing Blood | Increases healing from blood consumption |
| Hastened Corruption | Raises Corruption gain speed (≈ an XP multiplier) — recommended early |
Ultimate Perks (one per tree, permanent lock)
Each tree has three Ultimate Perks. You can only pick one per tree — the choice locks the other two permanently and is gated by a high investment threshold.
| Tree | Ultimate (3 choices per tree) | Verified Effect | Prerequisite | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Witchcraft | Entwined Torment | Target two enemies with a Witchcraft ability when it’s your first ability in combat | 35 points in Witchcraft | Multi-source ✓ |
| Runic Bulwark | Casts a magical shield blocking 3 attacks; other Witchcraft abilities replenish it | Same | Multi-source ✓ | |
| Aether Cascade | Using an ability reduces the next ability’s Activation Charge cost by 1 | Same | Multi-source ✓ | |
| Swordmastery | Last Stand | Weapon damage increases by 150% when HP drops below 30% | 35 points in Swordmastery | Multi-source ✓ |
| Sword Sage | Resets all active ability cooldowns immediately after killing an enemy | Same | Multi-source ✓ | |
| Tactical Mastery | Restores some Activation Charge when you use a Swordmastery ability | Same | Multi-source ✓ | |
| Vampirism | Renounce Death (aka Rebound Death) | Once per combat, fatal damage instead triggers temporary immortality (≈10s) + lifesteal | Corruption level 15 | Multi-source ✓ |
| Sanguine Renewal | Using Voracious Bite to kill an enemy resets all ability cooldowns | Same | Multi-source ✓ | |
| Lethal Crescendo | Claw damage boosts after each kill; resets if Coen dies | Same | hacktheminotaur + gamerguides.com ✓ |
The day/night split is the real axis
The trees look like three choices, but the underlying axis is time of day. Coen is human by day and a vampire by night, and the two form-based kits (Witchcraft and Vampirism) never overlap. Swordmastery is the only tree that bridges both halves of the day, which is why it is the first place a new player should spend. If you want a deeper look at how the two forms change combat, see the day and night dual-form guide.
Practical consequence: a build that ignores one half of the day is a build you will feel at the worst moment. Pure swordsman runs feel consistent all day but leave their night form thin; pure predator runs dominate at night but can be fragile in daylight. The hybrid exists exactly because the day/night cycle makes one-tree runs lopsided.
When to invest in each tree
A rough timing that works for all three builds:
- Early (your first meaningful points): commit to the tree that defines your build — Swordmastery for a swordsman, Vampirism for a predator, or Swordmastery plus both form trees for a hybrid. This is where you pay for the structure you will play around the rest of the run.
- Mid-run: fill out the active kit of your primary tree so you have full combos and utility rather than a few isolated nodes.
- Late-run: spend on the tree you are currently underpowered in. If your nights are rough, buy Vampirism; if daylight fights are dragging, buy Witchcraft. The 30-day timer means late points are precious, so spend them where they remove your weakest fights, not where you are already comfortable.
How the trees map to the three common builds
- Swordsman: heavy Swordmastery, light touches of both form trees for coverage. Swordsman Build: Best Swordmastery Skills
- Predator: heavy Vampirism, minimal day kit, Blood Hunger managed as a core resource. Predator Build: Best Vampirism Skills
- Hybrid: a structured split across all three trees so both halves of the day stay dangerous. Hybrid Build: Mixing All Three Trees
Before you spend: the point economy
The trees are the destination, but the currency is what constrains you. You earn progression from the day-to-day loop — combat, quests, and the activities that also consume days on the 30-day timer — and you convert it into a finite pool of skill points. Because the run has a hard horizon, the real question in this game is not “what can I get” but “what do I need before day 30.” Skill Points & XP: How Progression Works covers how the pool grows and how to think about opportunity cost across the three trees.
Full perk node index (launch v1.0)
The curated tables above cover the most commonly discussed nodes with verified effects. The table below is a complete index of all perk, ability, and manual-locked nodes collected from five independent launch guides (hacktheminotaur, ShowGamer, method.gg, games.gg, allthings.how). Node names are cross-checked across sources and match the in-game skill menu. Effect descriptions are condensed summaries — verify in-game before building around any node not in the curated tables above.
Witchcraft — all nodes
| Node | Type | Effect summary | Requires Manual? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active abilities | |||
| Astral Communion | Active | Pull haunted-site spirits into material world; also grants small damage buff | No |
| Burning Blood | Active | Damage-over-time hex | No |
| Compel Soul | Active | Speak with restless souls at specific locations | No |
| Life Lock | Active | Blocks and reflects one instance of damage | No |
| Mercurial Fervour | Active | Boosts movement speed and sprint in human form | No |
| Ravenous Flock | Active | Cone-area raven burst, stuns | Pilgrimage for Power quest |
| Soul Reaping | Active | Lifesteal + stagger target | Haunted Site loot / Ancient Circle |
| Soul Stigma | Active | Boosts Crit Chance and Crit Damage | Ancient Circle |
| Passive perks | |||
| Aether Flow | Passive | Reduces cooldown on Witchcraft abilities | Tower chest |
| Amalgam | Passive | Multiple consumable buffs active simultaneously (cap 2 → 3 at max tier) | Abandoned camp chest |
| Lasting Malediction | Passive | Witchcraft hex duration +10%/+20%/+40%; top tier extends duration further after casting. (Pre-launch name “Arcane Binding” does not exist in-game.) | Merchant Vera |
| Bewitching Influence | Passive | Buying prices −15%, selling prices +15%; special offers appear in some stores at higher tiers | No |
| Blasphemous Echo | Passive | Damage boost per enemy affected by Witchcraft | Multiple tower chests |
| Cycle of Ruin | Ability (passive once equipped) | Each attack or block extends the duration of your current Witchcraft ability | Howling Keep / Ancient Circle |
| Evil Eye | Passive | Boosts Crit Chance of Witchcraft abilities | Kobold Nest chest |
| Font of Life | Passive (quest reward) | Passive human health regeneration (daytime form). Quest reward from Stronger Than Achilles (Coen drinks from the Font himself; choosing Anca or destroying it permanently locks this perk) — not a Manual unlock | No manual needed |
| Forager | Passive | Doubles harvested materials | Tower chest / Merchant Vera |
| Forbidden Sigils | Passive | Extra Witchcraft ability slot | Merchant Matriarch |
| Frugal Witchcraft | Passive | Kills made with Witchcraft refund 40%/80%/120% of the ability’s HP cost (single node, 3 tiers) | Will-o’-the-Wisps activity |
| Herbal Remedies I/II | Passive | Extra health from consumables | Multiple sources |
| Medicus I/II | Passive | Carry more consumables | Tower chests / Merchants |
| Potent Blood | Passive | Chance for Witchcraft abilities to cost no HP | Merchants |
| Unholy Fervour | Passive | Chance to refund an Activation Charge after a Witchcraft ability | Tantari Tower chest |
| Unholy Vitality | Ability (passive once equipped) | Regenerates HP after using active abilities; higher tiers add crit healing and remove HP cost at low HP | Haunted Site loot |
| Unnatural Resilience | Passive | Armor/defense boost when casting Witchcraft | No manual needed |
| Witchcraft Mastery | Passive | Witchcraft ability damage +15%/+25%/+40% and a rising chance (50% → 100%) to deal bonus damage on hit (single node, 4 tiers) | Merchant Matriarch |
Swordmastery — all nodes
| Node | Type | Effect summary | Requires Manual? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active abilities | |||
| Charge | Active | Charge forward, dealing damage and stunning the target and everyone in your path (200–350% weapon damage + bleed). Some launch guides label this “Assault” — same node. | “Like Father, Like Son” quest |
| Broad Swing | Active | Wide-reaching circular sweep (300–525% weapon damage; +10% per enemy hit at higher tiers). Some guides label it “Wide Sweep” — same node. | Bandit camp chest |
| Dirty Trick | Active | Brief stun — available from the start | No (unlocked by default) |
| Artery Strike | Active | High damage + chance to decapitate | Merchant / quest |
| Swiftness | Active | Attack speed +10%/+30% after a perfect block; higher tiers add a crit chance and remove stamina cost from crits. Some guides label it “Agility” — same node. | Bandit camp chest |
| Adrenaline Rush | Active | Attack damage boost after any active ability | Maragir Forest bandit camp |
| Walking Fortress | Active (passive once equipped) | Perfect blocks refund 10–25% of activation charges; higher tiers add −1s to your next ability’s cooldown after a directional/perfect block and reduce the next ability’s charge cost | Manual (Saint Tyna’s Grove camp; sold by Ursul / Ocha / Drogos) |
| Passive perks | |||
| Counterattack | Passive | Counter-based follow-up on blocked attacks | Soldier camp chest |
| Endless Effort | Passive | Stamina boost | No manual needed |
| Fleet of Foot | Passive | Movement boost | No manual needed |
| Fate’s Favour | Passive | Weapon Critical Hit Chance + damage boost — high priority for Crit-focused builds (gamerguides database confirms 4-tier progression) | Merchant Ocha / Ursul |
| Growing Momentum | Passive | Damage builds as combo chains | Merchants Constantin / Catalin’s Tutor |
| Master Fencer | Passive | Extra Swordmastery ability slot | Merchant Ocha |
| Omniblock | Passive | Blocks more incoming damage types | Merchant Ursul |
| Pack Mule | Passive | Carry more inventory | No manual needed |
| Perfect Block | Passive | Restores stamina + charges on perfect parry | Merchants Ursul / Ocha |
| Perfect Riposte | Passive | Critical strike immediately after a successful block | Merchant Ursul |
| Precision | Passive | Improves hit chance | Merchant Ursul |
| Renewed Focus | Passive | Regeneration of ability charges | Merchants Catalin’s Tutor / Ocha |
| Restless Blade | Passive | Reduces Swordmastery ability cooldowns — passive reduction + additional -5% per critical hit. Excellent for frequent Ability cycling (gamerguides DB confirmed values) | Merchants Constantin / Ocha / Ursul |
| Second Skin I/II | Passive | Removes medium/heavy armor penalties; II requires manual | Manual for tier II only |
| Sharp Eye | Passive | Weakens enemy after perfect block | Merchant Constantin |
| Stinging Blade | Passive | Flat sword damage increase | Merchants Ursul / Ocha |
| Sustained Focus | Passive | Increases max Activation Charges | No manual needed |
| Vigour | Passive | Boosts max health in both Human and Vrakhiri forms — +20% at tier 2, +30% at tier 3 (tier 4 needs a rare Manual; some sources suggest +50% but this is unconfirmed) | Tiers 1–2 need no Manual; tier 4 requires a Manual |
Vampirism — all nodes
| Node | Type | Effect summary | Requires Manual? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active abilities | |||
| Death From Above | Active | Jump-and-pounce: instant kill on normal enemies, heavy boss damage | Corruption unlock only |
| Piercing Shriek | Active | Vampire scream — AOE attack + debuff | Corruption unlock only |
| Scarlet Shield | Active | Vampiric damage mitigation (works passively once equipped) | Corruption unlock only |
| Shapeshift | Active | Wolf form — fast night travel + Haste | Corruption unlock only |
| Voracious Bite | Active | Empowered bite: damage + heal simultaneously | Corruption unlock only |
| Shadowstorm | Active (blood-locked) | Slows time for 4–7s; +20% attack damage (R3) and a 1s duration extension per kill. Blood-locked — needs the Boki blood vial (Come Home quest + Leech Collector 1–3 + The Lunar Game) | Blood vial (see effect) |
| Blood Surge | Active (blood-locked) | Detonates a target for 3–6m radius area damage; hits bosses. Blood-locked — needs the Xanthe blood vial (Svartrau cathedral treasury, via The Cycle of Love) | Blood vial (see effect) |
| Mesmerise | Active (blood-locked) | Mind-controls a target to fight for you for 25–60s (cannot target bosses); higher tiers boost the target’s damage and let its attacks recharge yours | Blood vial |
| Passive perks | |||
| Crimson Feast | Passive | Extra healing from blood consumption | Corruption unlock only |
| Crimson Rush | Passive | Movement boost as vampire | Corruption unlock only |
| Dimension Reach | Passive | Reduces Planeshift / Shadowstep stamina cost −45%/−70%/−100% (passive, no equipment slot) | Corruption unlock only |
| Endless Ferocity | Passive | Frenzy threshold extended | Corruption unlock only |
| Endless Hunger | Passive | Massive nighttime max HP boost; lowers frenzy risk | Corruption unlock only |
| Hastened Corruption | Passive | Faster Corruption gain (≈XP multiplier) | Corruption unlock only |
| Nourishing Blood | Passive | Increased healing from blood | Corruption unlock only |
| Shred | Passive | Claw strike damage boost | Corruption unlock only |
| Vrakhiri Might | Passive | Claw strike base damage boost | Corruption unlock only |
| Wild Blood | Passive | Additional frenzy resistance | Corruption unlock only |
| Razorsharp Claws | Passive | Claw damage +5%/+12%/+20%; R4 refunds 100% claw-strike charge regen | Corruption unlock only |
| Restless Claws | Passive | Claw-strike stamina cost −15%/−30%; R3 refunds 100% attack stamina on block | Corruption unlock only |
| Clawpierce | Passive | Claw crit chance 10%/20%; R3 adds +25% claw crit damage | Corruption unlock only |
| Dancing Claws | Passive | +4%/+8% claw crit chance per attack (stacks to +40%; resets on being hit or landing a crit) | Corruption unlock only |
| Closing Wounds | Passive | Regenerates +2%/+4% of blood-bar HP per second while in blood form | Corruption unlock only |
| Blood Theft | Passive | Attacks recover your most recently lost vampiric (grey) HP; higher tiers extend the window and boost the effect by +30% | Corruption unlock only |
| Lasting Blood | Passive | Vampiric ability HP cost −20%/−40% | Corruption unlock only |
| Shadow Dweller | Passive | Shadowstep range 11m → 14.5m; R3 halves Shadowstep stamina cost | Corruption unlock only |
| Mandrake Ward | Passive (quest reward) | Once per night: surviving a fatal hit instantly restores 3 blood segments. Quest reward from Lacra’s The Night of Horrors (eating the mandrake) — not a Manual | Quest (see effect) |
What this table tells us
Compared to the branch-level descriptions the article used before the upgrade, the full node table shows three things worth knowing:
- The trees are much denser than the launch-day previews suggested. The full index above now lists 26 Witchcraft nodes (8 active + 18 passive), 25 Swordmastery nodes (7 active + 18 passive), and 27 Vampirism nodes (8 active + 19 passive) — cross-checked against gamerguides.com’s launch database. The curated tables above cover the nodes most launch builds actually spend on.
- Vampirism is structurally different. No Manual gates — every node unlocks purely through Corruption level, blood vials, or quest rewards. If you are building a predator, you do not need to hunt manuals; you need to drink blood. (Note: a handful of Vampirism nodes — Shadowstorm, Blood Surge, Mesmerise — are blood-locked, gated by specific blood vials, and Mandrake Ward is a quest reward rather than a Corruption unlock.)
- Manual locations are now cross-source consistent. ShowGamer and hacktheminotaur independently list the same merchant names (Vera = Witchcraft, Ursul/Ocha/Drogos = Swordmastery) and tower/chest locations for manual drops. See ShowGamer’s manual location guide for the full breakdown.