Dead Island 2 Skill Cards Guide

In Dead Island 2, you get to choose between one of the six survivors while starting the game, and these characters have different attributes with unique innate skills. The Skill Deck in Dead Island 2 functions through the Skill Cards, and you need to know how to pair them up properly to give your Slayer the ultimate boost. Here's everything you need to know about Skill Cards and how they work in Dead Island 2.

How to unlock Skill Cards in Dead Island 2

Skill Cards can be unlocked as you progress through the game by gaining new levels (we recommend completing story missions to gain massive XP for power leveling). The first unlock occurs during the Desperately Seeking Emma mission after you re-power the mansion gate. There you'll be rewarded with a Skill Card and Skill slots for leveling up your character.

Leveling up also increases your peak health, replenishing the health bar. Some of the Skill Cards are also tied to different quests, or hidden in explorable locations. You can also receive certain Skill Cards for defeating stronger infected zombies. Explore the various locations in Hell-A while fighting hordes of zombies to level up quickly and find these Skill Cards.

How does the Skill Deck work in Dead Island 2?

The Skill Deck features four different tiers of Skills your Slayer can gain, each of which has specific slots into which you equip Skill Cards from their respective categories.

Skill Card slots are unlocked as you progress through the game. In total, you can select 15 different Skill Cards in the Skill Deck slots, and how these are configured will determine your playstyle. Here are all the Skill types and Skill Card slots in Dead Island 2.

• Abilities - Five Skill Card slots
• Survivor - Four Skill Card slots
• Slayer - Four Skill Card slots
• Numen - Two Skill Card slots

All Abilities Skill Cards in Dead Island 2

Defensive Skill Cards

• Block - Press L1 with directional input to defend against enemy attacks. Well-timed Blocks will regain your stamina and stun zombies, leaving them open to a devastating Counter attack.
• Dodge - Press L1 with directional input to evade the enemy attack. Well-timed Dodges regain your stamina and stun zombies, leaving them open to a devastating Counter attack.

Jump Kick Skill Cards

• Drop Kick - Perform a powerful Jump Kick attack that can send regular zombies flying.
• Jump Kick - Perform a powerful Jump Kick attack.

Special Attack Skill Cards

• War Cry - Shout a War Cry that boosts Toughness for teammates while weakening nearby enemies.
• Ground and Pound - Drive a forceful blow into the ground that drains the Stability of nearby enemies.
• Dash Strike - Dash forward into zombies, weakening the enemies.

Fury Skill Cards

• Blood Rush: Slay zombies and perform Counter attacks to build Fury.
• Surgical Focus - This is an Autophage skill. Maim zombies to build Fury, but don’t lose focus. However, taking damage will drain Fury.
• Street Brawler - This is an Autophage skill.

Fury Special Attack Skill Cards

• Overhead Smash - While in Fury Mode let loose and unleash a powerful Ground Smash.
• Scream - While in Fury mode, emit a piercing wail that weakens nearby zombies.
• Spitting Cobra - While in Fury mode, vomit caustic bile on unsuspecting zombies.

Related: Is Lil Pump in Dead Island 2?

All Survivor Skill Cards in Dead Island 2

• Short Fuse - Unleash Fury mode as soon as the meter is more than half full.
• Safe Space - Using a Med Kit triggers a forceful explosion that drains the stability of nearby zombies.
• Pain Threshold - Block or Dodge an attack to get a minor boost to damage.
• Pain Magazine - Well-timed Block or Dodge boosts recharge for curveball throwables.
• Blockbuster - Well-timed Blocks trigger a forceful explosion that drains the stamina of nearby zombies.
• Flare Up -Ground and Pound attack ignites zombies on fires, but also drains your health.
• Invigorating - Counter-attack zombies to gain extra health, even more than usual.
• Wrecking Ball - Flying Kick attacks weakens zombies.
• Rallying Cry - War Cry regains health and removes harmful status effects from your and nearby teammates.
• Greased Pig - Get free when a zombie grabs you.
• Safety First: Well-timed Block or Dodge regains health.
• Steadfast - Block attacks in quick succession for a moderate boost to Toughness and Force.
• Shin Shrapnel - Slide attacks get a major boost to damage, and can send regular zombies flying.
• Vivisuction - Dash Strike enemies to regain health.
• Quake - Your Ground and Pound attack gets a major boost to force that can send regular zombies flying.
• Hot-Footed - This is an Autophage skill. Drop Kick attacks ignite zombies, but it also drains your character's health.
• Lightning Strike - Dash Strike attacks Electrify zombies but they also drain your health.
• Bob and Weave (only for Amy and Bruno) -
• Warhead (only for Carla and Ryan) - Drop Kick attack triggers a forceful explosion that drains the stability of nearby enemies.
• Serial Killer (only for Jacob and Dani) - Slay a zombie for a minor boost to damage.

All Slayer Skill Cards in Dead Island 2

• Skull Skewer - Hit a zombie in the head with a weapon throw to set off a powerful explosion.
• Surgeon - Maim a zombie for a moderate boost to Damage.
• Breakdancer - Slide attack a zombie for a moderate boost to Agility and Attack Speed.
• Janus Rage - Grants moderate Toughness boost when Fury is full, and gets a minor boost when Fury
• The Limb Reaper - Maim a zombie to regain health.
• Unrelenting - Attacks to knocked down zombies give a minor boost to Damage.
• No Mercy - Attacks to zombies suffering a harmful status effect get a moderate boost to Damage.
• Heavy Hitter - This is an Autophage skill. Heavy attacks get a major boost to Damage, but it also drains your health.
• Clear Sightlines - Knock down a zombie for a moderate boost to damage of your ranged weapons, weapon throws, and curveballs.
• Far From Done - Block attacks or take damage from a zombie in quick succession for a minor boost to Damage that can stack multiple times.
• Pyro - In Fury Mode, your melee and overhead Smash attacks ignite zombies, but they also drain extra Fury.
• Voltaic Steam - Scream attacks electrify nearby enemies
• Deadeye - Hit a zombie with a curveball item to trigger a recharge boost that can stack multiple times.
• Corpse Bomb - In Fury Mode, slain zombies erupt into powerful explosions.
• Carnage - In Fury Mode, your attacks get a major boost to Damage and force but they also drain extra fury.
• Hunting Season - Hit a zombie with a ranged weapon or weapon throw for a moderate boost to Damage of your melee weapons.
• Cull The Weak - Attacks to zombies with low health get a minor boost to Damage.
• Group Therapy - Slay zombies in quick succession to regain Stamina.
• Volatile - This is an Autophage skill. In Fury Mode, your melee attacks trigger an explosion on impact, but they also drain extra fury.
• Hack and Dash - Maim a zombie to boost your Attack Speed.
• Juggernaut - Deal damage with Overhead Attacks to increase Fury and deal more Damage.
• Tools of the Trade - Eliminate zombies with melee weapons to get a boost to Damage.

Related: Dead Island 2 Discord & Social Links

All Numen Skill Cards in Dead Island 2

• Glass Cannon - Gives a boost to critical damage, more so during critical health, but it also drains Toughness.
• Seismic Storm - Skull Stomps trigger a forceful explosion, that drains the stability of nearby enemies.
• Anger Mis-management - This is an Autophage skill. When your fury runs out, you'll stay in Fury Mode, but start draining health instead until it gets low.
• Born Survivor - This is an Autophage skill. When you are about to die, a forceful explosion will trigger instead and drain your fury, Attack zombies to regain health.
• Corpse Blossom - Zombies slain with Fire, Shock, or Caustic damage will detonate a powerful explosion of the same damage type.

For more Dead Island 2 guides, check out How to complete The Clean and Snatch in Dead Island 2 or Is there New Game Plus in Dead Island 2? on Pro Game Guides.