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The best way to turn your Slayer into an unstoppable zombie killer is to track down all the Dead Island 2 Skill Card locations. Skill Cards replaced the skill tree used in the original game. There are dozens of them, and they are available in four tiers: Abilities, Survivor, Slayer, and Numen. You don’t gain them all the same way. Some are unlocked when you reach new levels or complete missions. Others are as loot in specific places or randomly in the world. Our guide will highlight their locations and how you can unlock them.
Dead Island 2 Skill Card Locations
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As you play Dead Island 2, you will naturally unlock Skills. You may not notice until you go to the Skills menu and see you have new ones. Before you can find most of them, you must unlock them. You won’t even gain access to the Numen Skills until you complete the 21st mission titled “The Search for the Truth.”
Before we get into how to find the Dead Island 2 Skill Card locations, let’s break down each of the categories:
- Abilities: This is the first skill tier you unlock. It features basic combat moves. You have five slots, and this is the only tier with subcategories: Defense, Jump Kick, Special Attack, Fury, and Fury Special Attack.
- Survivor: The tier lives up to its name as it contains moves to keep your Slayer alive. You have four slots.
- Slayer: In the Slayer tier, your character can learn moves that can decimate zombies. Like the previous tier, this one has four slots.
- Numen: This is the final tier and lets you tap into your zombie-based power moves. It only has two slots.
There are also Innate Skill Cards that specific Slayers always have. Some other skills may also be unique for one or two Slayers. Now, it’s time to find the Dead Island 2 Skill Card locations. Note that some Skill Cards may only be accessible out in the world. If the specific location is unknown, we will mark it as such.
Skill Card Locations – Abilities Tier
In the table below, we’ve addressed when you can expect to find or automatically unlock certain cards. Take a look at the Dead Island 2 Skill Card locations for the Abilities Tier:
| Skill Card | Location/How to Unlock |
| Block(Defense) | In the main quest, “Desperately Seeking Emma” |
| Dodge (Defense) | Reach Level 9 |
| Drop Kick (Jump Kick) | In the main quest “Bel-Air Brawl” |
| Flying Kick (Jump Kick) | Reach Level 7 |
| War Cry (Special Attack) | In the main quest “Room Service for Major Booker” |
| Ground Pound (Special Attack) | Reach Level 13 |
| Dash Strike (Special Attack) | Reach Level 17 |
| Blood Rush (Fury) | Unlock unknown |
| Surgical Focus (Fury) | In the main quest “The Final Gauntlet” |
| Street Brawler (Fury) | In the side quest “It Came from Monarch Studios” |
| Served Cold (Fury) | In the side quest “Coast Guardian” |
| Overhead Smash (Fury Special Attack) | In the main quest “The Final Gauntlet” |
| Scream (Fury Special Attack) | Unlock unknown |
| Spitting Cobra (Fury Special Attack) | Defeat Butcho the Clown in the main quest “Boardwalking Dead” |
Dead Island 2 Skill Card Locations – Survivor Tier
Next up for the Dead Island 2 Skill Card locations is the Survivor tier category. The table below details when you will unlock each card:
| Skill Card | Location/How to Unlock |
| Blockbuster | Reach Level 5 |
| Bob and Weave (Amy/Bruno) | Unlock unknown |
| Flare-Up | Reach Level 27 |
| Greased Pig | Reach Level 26 |
| Hot-Footed | In the main quest “Plumbing the Depths” |
| Invigorating | Loot | Search near the foot of the bed in the bedroom in Emma’s house |
| Lightning Strike | Loot | During “The Search for the Truth,” check the shelf in the office of the garage that leads to the lab |
| Pain Magazine | Reach Level 28 |
| Pain Threshold | Reach Level 22 |
| Personal Space | Pre-order bonus |
| Quake | Reach Level 16 |
| Rallying Cry | Reach Level 8 |
| Safe Space | Reach Level 4 |
| Safety First | Unlock unknown |
| Serial Killer (Dani/Jacob) | Unlock unknown |
| Shin Shrapnel | Unlock unknown |
| Short Fuse | In the side quest “Boz Makes a Bang” |
| Steadfast (Carla/Ryan) | Unlock unknown |
| Thick-Skinned | Loot | Unlock the LA24 building on Ocean Avenue once you access the side quest “Scooped!” | Search the balcony overlooking the reception desk to find the card on the table |
| Vivisection | Reach Level 19 |
| Warhead (Carla/Ryan) | Reach Level 12 |
| Wrecking Ball | In the side quest “#Clickbait” |
Dead Island 2 Skill Card Locations – Slayer Tier
Once you find all the Dead Island 2 Skill Card locations for the Slayer tier, you can nail some fun zombie kills. Check the table below for more information:
| Skill Card | Location/How to Unlock |
| Breakdancer | Reach Level 20 |
| Carnage | Loot | In “The Search for the Truth,” look inside the OSK shop to find the card in the server room |
| Caustic Blight | Unlock unknown |
| Clear Sightliness | Loot | Search the tables outside of Sound Studio 7 in Monarch Studios |
| Corpse Bomb | Loot | A rare drop when you kill Burster zombies |
| Cull The Weak | Unlock unknown |
| Deadeye | Reach Level 11 |
| Far From Done (Carla/Ryan) | In the main quest “The Chosen One” |
| Group Therapy (Dani/Jacob) | Unlock unknown |
| Hack and Dash (Dani/Jacob) | Unlock unknown |
| Hammer Fist | Reach Level 29 |
| Heavy Hitter | Loot | In “Boardwalking Dead,” head down The Pier and gain access to the photo booth to find the card near a disaster relief crate |
| Hunting Season | Reach Level 18 |
| Janus Rage | Loot | On a seat inside of a train in The Metro just before the safe zone |
| Juggernaut | Loot | A rare drop when you kill Crusher zombies |
| No Mercy | Reach Level 25 |
| Pay It Forward | Unlock unknown |
| Pummel | Reach Level 23 |
| Pyro | Loot | During “Boardwalking Dead,” head to the arcade on The Pier and search the desk in the upstairs office |
| Second Wind (Amy/Bruno) | Unlock unknown |
| Skull Skewer | Reach Level 21 |
| Surgeon | Reach Level 24 |
| The Limb Reaper | Reach Level 14 |
| Tools Of The Trade | Reach Level 30 |
| Unrelenting | Unlock unknown |
| Volatile | Loot | A rare drop when you kill Burster zombies |
| Voltaic Scream | Loot | A rare drop when you kill Voltaic Screamer zombies |
Skill Card Locations – Numen Tier
Finally, we’ve reached the Dead Island 2 Skill Card locations for the Numen tier. There are only five. Some don’t unlock until after you complete “Hollywood Ending,” the final main quest. The table below has the information you need:
| Skill Card | Location/How to Unlock |
| Anger Mismanagement | Post-Game | In the side quest “The Art of War.” |
| Born Survivor | In the main quest “The Search for the Truth” |
| Corpse Blossom | In the main quest “The End of the Line” |
| Glass Cannon | Post-Game | In the side quest “The Art of War” |
| Seismic Stomp | Loot | In The Metro, pass the flaming tunnel and enter a train to find the card at the far end near some train doors by a small platform |
Dead Island 2 is available on PC, PS5/PS4, and
