With the Skills 2.0 update, we got an amazing amount of depth added to the game. After you unlock the characters, you’ll be wondering how to unlock the new skills and skins for them! Each alternate ability is unlocked with challenges. Here’s your cheat sheet to get them all unlocked:
The Captain Challenges For New Skills
Unlock The Captain Secondary: Beacon - Resupply
Skill Description: Recharge equipment on use.
In order to unlock this skill you need to visit 10 different realms on a single run. Difficulty: MEDIUM
Unlock The Captain Secondary: Beacon - Hacking
Skill Description: Hack all nearby purchasables to a cost of $0.
In order to unlock this skill you need to purchase the TC-280 Prototype drone in Rallypoint Delta. Difficulty: EASY
Unlock The Captain Alternative Skin
In order to unlock this skin you need to complete the challenge: REX: Mastery. The challenge requires you to beat the game again or obliterate yourself at Monsoon as the Captain. Difficulty: MONSOON
REX Challenges For New Skills
Unlock REX Secondary: Seed Volley
In order to unlock this skill you need to complete the challenge: REX: Bushwhacked. The challenge requires you to: As REX, complete an entire teleporter event while under 50% health. Difficulty: EASY
Tips:
- Use your self damaging abilities to stay under 50% HP rather than being damaged by enemies.
- This is easier to complete later in a run, but before you can be one shot easily.
- You can also get the help of a friend to hold boss/monster aggro to reduce the risk of dying.
Unlock REX Skin: Smoothie REX
Mercenary Challenges For New Skills
Unlock Mercenary Secondary: Rising Thunder
In order to unlock this skill you need to complete the challenge: Mercenary: Demon of the Skies. The challenge requires you to: As Mercenary, don't touch the ground for 30 seconds. Difficulty: EASY
Tips:
- This can be done with no items after a bit of practice on the first stage in Distant Roost by climbing to the highest point of the map and jumping off while spamming Blinding Assault, Whirlwind and Eviscerate straight upwards.
- This can also be completed with relative ease after you have some movement speed items and a few Hopoo Feathers. Use your Blinding Assault and Eviscerate on enemies to buy time in the air.
Unlock Mercenary Special: Slicing Winds
In order to unlock this skill you need to complete the challenge: Mercenary: Ethereal. The challenge requires you to: As Mercenary, complete a Prismatic trial without falling below 100% health. Difficulty: MEDIUM
Tips:
- Since the Prismatic Trial is always changing (weekly) the best bet here is to follow news on when a particularly easy Prismatic Trial is on and use that opportunity to complete this.
Unlock Mercenary Skin: Oni Mercenary
Loader Challenges For New Skills
Unlock Loader Secondary: Spiked Fist
In order to unlock this skill you need to complete the challenge: Loader: Swing By. The challenge requires you to: As Loader, reach and proceed through the Celestial Portal in 20 minutes or less. Difficulty: EASY
Tips:
- This is pretty straightforward, especially with Loader's huge early game damage combo. Rush teleporters and spam Grapple Fist into Charged Gauntlet on Bosses to clear stages quick.
- See Loader for more tips.
Unlock Loader Skin: Classic Loader
Artificer Challenges For New Skills
Unlock Artificer Primary: Plasma Bolt
In order to unlock this skill you need to complete the challenge: Artificer: Massacre. The challenge requires you to: As Artificer, perform a multikill of 20 enemies. Difficulty: MEDIUM
Tips:
- Grab a Primordial Cube and a few Crowbars and this should be easy to complete once you get far enough enough into a run for enemies to spawn enough.
Unlock Artificer Secondary: Cast Nano-Spear
In order to unlock this skill you need to complete the challenge: Artificer: Chunked. The challenge requires you to: As Artificer, fully defeat the teleporter boss in a one second burst of damage. Difficulty: MEDIUM
Tips:
- Combining busrt damage with a Preon Accumulator
Unlock Artificer Special: Ion Surge
In order to unlock this skill you need to complete the challenge: Artificer: Orbital Bombardment. The challenge requires you to: As Artificerkill 15 enemies before touching the ground. Difficulty: MEDIUM
Tips:
- Combine the strategy of Artificer: Massacre with a H3AD-5T V2 or Hopoo Feathers and don't forget to use ENV Suit to slow your descent.
Unlock Loader Skin: Chrome Artificer
Huntress Challenges For New Skills
Unlock Huntress Utility: Phase Blink
In order to unlock this skill you need to complete the challenge: Huntress: One Shot One Kill. The challenge requires you to: As Huntress, collect and carry 12 Crowbars at once. Difficulty: HARD
Tips:
- There isnt much to this, you basically need to get lucky and find a Crowbar Item Printer or try your luck at a Shrine of Order.
Unlock Huntress Special: Ballista
In order to unlock this skill you need to complete the challenge: Huntress: Piercing Wind. The challenge requires you to: As Huntress, start and finish Rallypoint Delta without falling below 100% health. Difficulty: HARD
Tips:
- Barrier Items like Topaz Brooch or Aegis will give you a bit of breathing room on your HP
- Movement items like Energy Drinks and Hopoo Feathers will help you stay off the ground and away from enemies.
Unlock Huntress Skin: Arctic Huntress
Engineer Challenges For New Skills
Unlock Engineer Secondary: Spider Mines
In order to unlock this skill you need to complete the challenge: Engineer: 100% Calculated. The challenge requires you to: As Engineer, defeat the teleporter boss in less than 5 seconds after it spawns. Difficulty: EASY
Tips:
- This should be acheived passively on a good run as Engineer
- Burst items like the Preon Accumulator or the Royal Capacitor can help here.
Unlock Engineer Special: TR58 Caronizer Turret
In order to unlock this skill you need to complete the challenge: Engineer: Better With Friends. The challenge requires you to: As Engineer, recruit 12 minions at one time. Difficulty: MEDIUM
Tips:
- Buy every Bot you see, don't be afraid to stay longer on a stage to get all the bots.
- A Happiest Mask or a Queen's Gland can be lucky additions that will help this along.
Commando Challenges For New Skills
Unlock Commando Secondary: Phase Blast
In order to unlock this skill you need to complete the challenge: Commando: Rolling Thunder. The challenge requires you to: As Commando, land the killing blow on an Overloading Worm. Difficulty: HARD
Tips:
- Timing is key here, This will be easier in Singleplayer when you have no minions so there is less risk of having the last hit stolen
- If you are in Multiplayer, use a Preon Accumulator for a good damage burst to finish off the worm and let your teamamtes know to back off.
Unlock Commando Special: Frag Grenade
In order to unlock this skill you need to complete the challenge: Commando: Incorruptable. The challenge requires you to: As Commando, clear 20 stages in a single run without picking up any Lunar Items. Difficulty: HARD
Tips:
- Play on Drizzle Difficulty for an easier time here.
- Pretty straightforward, just go for a good run.
Unlock Commando Skin: Hornet Commando
MUL-T Challenges For New Skills
Unlock MUL-T Primary: Scrap Launcher
In order to unlock this skill you need to complete the challenge: MUL-T: Pest Control. The challenge requires you to: As MUL-T, defeat 2 Beetle Queens without leaving the teleporter area. Difficulty: EASY
Tips:
- Activating a Shrine of the Mountain will give you more Bosses making it easier to get an opportunity to battle multiple Beetle Queens
- Playing Multiplayer will also give more boss spawns making easier and possible to complete on stage 1.
Unlock MUL-T Primary: Power-Saw
In order to unlock this skill you need to complete the challenge: MUL-T: Gotcha!. The challenge requires you to: As MUL-T, land the killing blow on an Imp Overlord with the Preon Accumulator. Difficulty: HARD
Tips:
- Keep a good pace to get to stage 3 Rallypoint Delta before 10min and get the free Preon Accumulator in the timed chest.
- On Stage 3 The Preon Accumulator should do at least 25% HP to an Imp Overlord Boss. If you are lucky to get an Imp Overlord Boss, lower it to 20-30% HP and hit it with a point blank Preon Accumulator shot.
Unlock MUL-T Skin: Janitor MUL-T
Risk of Rain 2 Unlocked!
Happy Challenge Hunting! If you want more tips on your runs, check out our community Risk of Rain 2 tier lists for every character. If you just want to learn more, check out our Risk of Rain 2 Wiki.