Skills and Unlockables

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Metal Gear Online Guide - Skills and Unlockables

A general tip is to just pick skills based on the sort of game modes you plan on playing, and the sort of player you are. If all you will be doing is Deathmatch and aggressive modes with little sneaking or stealth as many will, there is no sense in spending your skill slots on anything other than those of an aggressive nature.

As you use each skill they level up over time (over a lot of time!) and then cost an extra skill slot. So if you have Assault Rifle Level 3 (taking up 3 slots) you can only then have a Level 1 weapon ability or a secondary skill to take up the last slot. You can change skills, appearance, friends and view stats in the 'Personal Data' main menu option.

Primary skills:

These cost 1, 2 or 3 skill slots depending on their level. All can level up to a maximum of Level 3.

Weapons (reduced recoil and reload times):

Handgun , SMG , Assault Rifle , Shotgun , Sniper Rifle :

Level 1: Decreased recoil and reload
Level 2: More decreased recoil and reload
Level 3: Most decreased recoil and reload

Combination Skills: Hawkeye, Surveyor – you can level these up easily at the same time as the weaponry skills. To increase your level as quickly as possible just use the respective weapon or play in a room that only uses that class of weapon.

Surveyor (increases auto-aim lock on distance):

Level 1: Increased lock on
Level 2: More increased lock on
Level 3: Most increased lock on

Combination Skills: Weaponry Skills
Level up quickly by only using auto-aim to shoot enemies. Press Square while in over the shoulder mode to activate auto-aim.

CQC (close quarters combat mapped to R1):

Level 1: Allows basic CQC
Level 2: Increased CQC damage and human-shield ability
Level 3: Most increased CQC damage and disarm ability

Combination Skills: Handgun , Blades, Scanner
Level up quickly by using CQC as quickly as possible (you need a CQC weapon such as a handgun or knife equipped [look for the CQC icon on the weapon image]). You can also level up Scanner in tandem by injecting the Scanner while using CQC as much as possible or in a friendly game room. Be sure not to choke them by pressing R1 too hard.



Blades (faster knife attacks):123

Level 1: Faster knife attacks
Level 2: Faster knife attacks
Level 3: Fastest knife attacks

Combination Skills: CQC
Level up quickly by using knives as much as possible. Stun enemies or knock them out before reviving them and knifing them. Used with CQC you can knife enemies in the throat (R1 followed by Triangle when prompted) using a combination move at CQC Level 1.

Runner (increases run speed):

Level 1: Faster running speed
Level 2: Faster running speed
Level 3: Fastest running speed

Combination Skills: All
Level up quickly by running everywhere – walking or crouching doesn't count. Find a friendly game room and set your controller up to run while you do something else.



Unlockable Primary Skills:

Box Move (faster movement while in a cardboard box):

Level 1: Allows faster movement while disguised in a cardboard box
Level 2: Allows faster movement while disguised in a cardboard box
Level 3: Allows faster movement and the 'box tackle' move to take down enemies while disguised in a cardboard box (X)

Unlocked by using a cardboard box for over an hour in total. Select it as a skill from then on to increase levels further.
Combination Skills: All
Level up quickly by staying in a box in a friendly room for hours on end.

Quick Recovery (faster waking up of friendlies):
 
Level 1: Faster recovery of teammates
Level 2: Faster recovery of teammates
Level 3: Fastest recovery of teammates

Combination Skills: All
Level up quickly by waking teammates only. Enemies give you no points. Find a friendly room and use non-lethal weapons to knock out and revive your teammates. This does not level up in Deathmatch, only team games.

Secondary Skills:

Hawkeye (extra zoom in FPS mode):

Level 1: Increased zoom in FPS mode
Level 2: More increased zoom in FPS mode
Level 3: Most increased zoom in FPS mode

Combination Skills: Weaponry Skills
Level up quickly by only using first-person mode to shoot enemies (press Triangle after readying your gun). In the options menu you can set this view as default.



Note: This doesn't increase scoped zoom.

Quarterback (increases distance for throwing weapons):

Level 1: Increased throwing range
Level 2: More increased throwing range
Level 3: Most increased throwing range

Combination Skills: Weaponry Skills
Level up quickly by using grenades as much as possible.

Trickster (lay traps more quickly):

Level 1: Increased speed while laying traps
Level 2: More increased speed while laying traps
Level 3: Most increased speed while laying traps

Combination Skills: Sixth Sense, Weaponry Skills
Level up quickly by laying lots of traps, then collecting them again yourself and repeating – you don't lose any ammunition and you can also upgrade Sixth Sense in the process.

Monomania (shows enemies you've attacked on SOP):

Level 1: Longer exposure of enemies via SOP
Level 2: Longer exposure of enemies via SOP
Level 3: Longest exposure of enemies via SOP

Combination Skills: NARC, Surveyor
Level up quickly by ensuring you are SOP linked with teammates and that you try not to take out the enemy straightaway, giving your team time to see them on SOP. You can level up NARC and Surveyor at the same time. Enemies appear as a different colour on SOP. Linked teammates glow.



Sixth Sense (shows traps on SOP):

Level 1: Larger range of trap detection
Level 2: Larger range of trap detection
Level 3: Largest range of trap detection

Combination Skills: All
Level up quickly in conjunction with Trickster to lay and collect traps repeatedly.

NARC (shows enemies you're locked on to or when damage is dealt through SOP):

Level 1: Larger range of effect
Level 2: Larger range of effect
Level 3: Largest range of effect

Combination Skills: Surveyor, Monomania
Level up quickly by locking on to as many enemies as possible and from Level 2 onwards allowing (or setting it up with a friend) so that the enemy lock on to you.

Scanner (inject a tracker into an enemy while using CQC by pressing Triangle):

Level 1: Increased duration on SOP
Level 2: Increased duration on SOP
Level 3: Maximum duration on SOP

Combination Skills: CQC
Level up quickly by equipping the S. Plug in the equipment menu and using CQC on enemies. Press Triangle when prompted to inject them (much like the needle in single player). Be sure not to choke them by pressing R1 too hard.