After a lot of consideration and testing on normal difficulty, I come upon the conclusion that the ability tree at its current state is very limited. I hope they make changes to it to allow some variety.
From Lv 1 - 15 you only got access to 7 ability picks.
Assuming you finish the game at level 15 - here's what I recommend you should pick, no matter what your build is.
1. +10 Rifle & Shotguns: Rifle has a reliable hand-placed loot. I don't wanna spoil too much, but even the first weapon reward in town gives you a rifle with no skill check. Yeah, no ammo, but it's a Rifle. Up to you if you want to treat it like a pre-requisite to Monster Lore or make it your primary weapon.
2. Monster Lore: HP & Weapon Awareness: This pays off immediately, allowing you to pick weaker targets and judge if you should burst fire or single fire. Seeing 6 slavers is scary but knowing they have 49 HP each makes it much less so.
3. Witcher: Double Damage vs Monsters/Animals. Dear diplomats, I recommend you take Witcher Diplomacy so your Pistol can contribute against non-negotiable monsters/animals.
4. 20% Knockdown Resistance: Getting knocked down sucks. You deal no damage and everyone is guaranteed to hit you.
5. 10% DR / 10% DT: This ability is pathetic, but you only take this to unlock the next one.
6. Think like the Enemy: +DT when you suffer 4 or more damage. This matters a lot in the late game when you start facing a lot of ranged enemies.
7. Free pick.
Scoped Rifle user may want to take the 50% critical chance bonus as the 4th pick, delaying Think Like the Enemy until Lv 15 - it's your choice, offense/defense. Just be aware Oaken Skin (+10% DR/DT) is a
terrible pick at a low level. Why? Because it scales off your armor, know that Leather Armor has DR16 /DT2 - so 10% of that is almost nothing.
As usual, the melee is viable argument talks about having access to top tier defensive perks so let's assume I want to do that.
Here's what I ended up with:
1. 20% Knockdown Resistance: You get hit more often in melee, very important.
2. Oaken Skin (+10%DR/DT): This is a sad pick at level 2 unless you smoke the elevator guard for top tier body armor. Then the extra 6% DR is better than nothing.
3. Think Like the Enemy: At last, something to make you survive longer. You still want your off-hand to carry a super-stim, though. Don't think your Level 5 HP is going to miraculously survive a sustained fire though. I hope you crit with your machete.
4. Increase 20% carry capacity: Why? Because you want the shield abilities. You need the shield to achieve invulnerability, remember?
5. Shield Block Chance increased by 50%: I hope you're happy now. More reliable DT.
6. Shield gives no debuff: Congratulations, you can now tank a lot of damage. With the DT from top end shield, you should be getting really good damage reduction compared to those cowards firing from long range.
Except:
Where is your melee ability pick?
Are you going to take a +10 Unarmed/Melee at level 15? I would assume you have it at 150 already.
At level 19 - you finally take your 2nd Melee Ability - Every spent AP is added to Dodge.
At level 24 - you finally get +10% stun chance when you punch someone.
Are you a melee specialist or a shield specialist?
Alternatively, if you just want to mess around with crafted guns, then go left of the ability tree past +10 Survival. Take the no jamming, increased handmade weapon damage. Then maybe go for defensive abilities or straight down rifle +10 to the Witcher or -1 Pistol AP if you want to use the crafted pistols.
) but I always do everything, so I'm not sure which quests you can completely skip, but without reading you can complete locations like Circus or Peregon in under 20 minutes. So if you go without looting, eg. through the bunker just to get the tags you'll probably finish the entire game in like 3h...
