How Resonance Points work
Resonance Points are the game's skill currency. They appear as glowing white pickups in the world, worth one point each, and some fights hand them out automatically. There are 200 in total, and buying every skill in the tree costs 165, so you can skip up to 35 and still max out the build.
The important rule is the carry-over catch. Resonance Points do not follow you through chapter select. They save only up to the next checkpoint. If you replay an old chapter, your balance snaps back to whatever it was at that point in the run, and dying before a checkpoint means re-grabbing points you already picked up. In practice this makes Resonance Points the only collectible you should chase on a first pass.
The skill tree structure
The tree is built from 6 mastery branches, each with 3 skills, 18 skills in total. Each branch has a base square skill and two sub-skills underneath it, and Like a Warrior only counts a branch once you have unlocked all three nodes in it. The cost curve is identical for every branch:
| Node | Cost per branch |
|---|---|
| Base skill | 5 points |
| First sub-skill | 10 points |
| Second sub-skill | 10 points |
The confirmed pricing pattern across the six branches is the ladder 5+10 / 10+10 / 15+10 / 20+10 / 25+10 / 30+10, which totals 165 when every branch is maxed. Guides differ on what the branches are called; the branch names are not officially published and not consistently sourced, so this guide does not invent labels for them. What is verified is the structure and the cost.
Skills vs Blade perks: two separate systems
Do not confuse the Resonance Points tree with weapon upgrades. The tree is bought with Resonance Points, while each of the 8 Blades carries its own passive perk that arrives with the sword. The full Blade perk list:
| Blade | Chapter | Perk |
|---|---|---|
| Rusty Sword | Ch1 · automatic | No special effect |
| Falchion | Ch2 · automatic | Momentum Strike: bonus damage after a critical strike |
| Hero's Blade (DLC) | Ch2 · Heritage Pack | Same as Falchion; excluded from trophies |
| Kopis | Ch4 | Stagger Blow: the final combo hit staggers |
| Greek Sword | Ch5 | Critical strikes become a sweeping spin |
| Sica | Ch6 | Kills refill the Focus gauge |
| Khopesh | Ch7 | Final combo hits apply damage over time |
| Broken Spear | Ch9 | Dash attacks pierce shields |
| Xiphos | Ch10 | Parries stun harder, but blocking is disabled |
What to upgrade first
With branch names unconfirmed and skill effects only partially documented, the safest advice is mechanical rather than name-based: spend your first points on the branches that extend your survival loop. Parry timing is the skill that carries the game, so anything that widens the parry window or lets you parry unparryable attacks is the highest-value early pick. After that, focus on skills that refund or extend your offence, since combat is the game's core loop and kills are your main healing source.
Skills FAQ
- Can I respec? Not confirmed across sources; treat respec as unverified until a guide confirms it in-game.
- Do Blade perks count as skills? No, they are weapon passives and separate from the tree.
- Which trophy needs skills? Like a Warrior, unlocked by fully unlocking all six mastery branches (165 Resonance Points).
FAQ
How do I unlock skills in Resonance?
Spend Resonance Points in the skills menu (Sophia → Skills). Points are white glowing pickups found in the world, +1 each, with some granted after fights.
How many Resonance Points do I need for everything?
There are 200 in the game and you need 165 to buy every skill across the six branches. The Like a Warrior trophy unlocks at 165.
Are Resonance Points missable?
They are the only progress that can genuinely go wrong. Points do not carry through chapter select: they save only to the next checkpoint, so replaying an old chapter rolls your total back to that point in the run.
Is there New Game Plus?
No. Resonance has no NG+, and chapter select is the only replay system.
Sources: allthings.how — Resonance Points, PowerPyx collectibles guide, PlayStationTrophies — blade guide. Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy content and assets remain the property of Asobo Studio and Focus Entertainment.