In RimWorld, colonists don’t just perform tasks randomly; over time, they can develop specialized skills and expertise that significantly influence their efficiency and the success of your colony. This natural progression is a crucial gameplay element that allows players to shape their settlement’s dynamics, optimize resource management, and create a thriving community. Understanding how colonists gain expertise in various skills, how to encourage their development, and the impact of expertise on gameplay can greatly enhance your strategy in this deep and engaging simulation game.
How Colonists Gain Expertise in RimWorld
Expertise in RimWorld refers to a colonist’s proficiency in a particular skill area, such as construction, cooking, medicine, or shooting. This expertise is primarily gained through experience points that accrue as the colonist performs relevant tasks. The more a colonist practices a skill, the faster they advance, unlocking higher skill levels and eventually reaching expertise status.
Skill Levels and Experience Points
Each skill in RimWorld has ten levels, starting from level 0 (no experience) to level 20 in some cases with expansions and mods. As colonists perform activities related to a skill, they earn experience points which accumulate until they level up. Higher skill levels mean better performance, faster task completion, and lower chances of failure.
Expertise, in essence, is a higher skill level where the colonist excels. For example, a colonist with a Construction skill of 15 or above is considered an expert builder and will construct buildings more efficiently and with higher quality.
Training Through Repetition
One of the simplest ways for colonists to gain expertise is through repetition. The more a colonist repeats a specific task, the more experience they earn for the associated skill. For example, a colonist who spends most of their time mining will steadily increase their Mining skill, eventually becoming a mining expert.
This natural learning process encourages players to assign colonists to jobs that fit their growing skill set. Over time, colonists specialize, becoming valuable assets for their expertise.
Factors Influencing Skill Development
Several factors affect how quickly colonists gain expertise and how effective they become in their roles. Understanding these can help players manage their workforce more efficiently.
Passion
Passion is a key attribute that significantly accelerates skill learning. Colonists with high passion for a particular skill learn much faster compared to those with none. Passion levels are usually None, Minor, or Major:
- None: Slowest skill gain rate.
- Minor: Moderate skill gain speed.
- Major: Fastest skill gain, leading to quick expertise development.
Players should prioritize assigning tasks to colonists with a passion for those skills to maximize efficiency and speed up expertise acquisition.
Learning Sources
Besides on-the-job experience, colonists can gain skill points through books and teaching. Skill books related to specific skills provide a temporary learning boost when read. Additionally, colonists can be taught by more skilled peers, further accelerating their development.
Skill Decay
In some cases, if colonists stop practicing a skill for extended periods, their skill level may decay, especially for skills below expert level. Continuous use is necessary to maintain and improve expertise.
Benefits of Expertise in RimWorld
Having colonists with high expertise offers multiple gameplay advantages, affecting various colony systems and overall survival chances.
Increased Efficiency
Experts perform tasks faster and with higher quality. A skilled builder, for example, constructs buildings faster and creates more durable and attractive structures. Similarly, expert cooks prepare meals quicker and reduce the risk of food poisoning.
Higher Success Rates
Expertise reduces the chance of mistakes or failures in tasks. An expert doctor is more likely to successfully treat injuries and illnesses, improving colonist survival rates during critical medical situations.
Combat Advantage
Colonists with expert shooting or melee skills are vital for defending the colony. They have better accuracy, faster reload times, and enhanced combat tactics, significantly improving your colony’s defense capabilities.
Economic Growth
Specialized colonists can increase resource production and quality. For example, expert miners extract more valuable ore, while skilled farmers yield better crops, boosting your colony’s economy and sustainability.
Strategies to Encourage Expertise Growth
Players can adopt several strategies to promote skill expertise development in their colonists, optimizing the performance of their colony.
Assign Tasks According to Passion and Skill
Matching colonists’ passions with their job assignments maximizes experience gain and task effectiveness. Monitor colonist passions via their character screen and try to allocate jobs that align with their interests.
Provide Training Resources
Stockpile skill books and arrange for peer teaching sessions to boost learning. Encouraging colonists to read during downtime ensures continuous improvement without impacting daily tasks.
Rotate Tasks Carefully
Avoid frequently switching colonists’ roles, which can hinder expertise development. Allow colonists to focus on one or two skills to gain deep specialization rather than being jacks of all trades.
Use Mods for Enhanced Skill Progression
The RimWorld modding community offers mods that adjust skill gain rates, add new skill dynamics, or improve how expertise affects gameplay. Mods can provide more depth and control over expertise development.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Ignoring Passion: Assigning tasks to colonists without passion for them slows skill growth and reduces efficiency.
- Overworking Colonists: Constant work without rest can lead to mood drops and mental breaks, indirectly affecting skill progress.
- Neglecting Downtime: Not using downtime effectively for reading or training wastes potential skill growth opportunities.
- Disregarding Skill Decay: Skills unused for long may degrade, so consistent use is important.
In RimWorld, colonist expertise is more than just a number; it’s a reflection of the colony’s strength and adaptability. By understanding how skills develop through experience, passion, and training, players can strategically guide their colonists to become experts in vital roles. This specialization leads to faster work, higher success rates, and better overall colony performance. Utilizing effective assignment, training, and management techniques ensures your colonists evolve into highly skilled individuals capable of surviving the harshest environments RimWorld throws their way. Mastering colonist expertise is a key step towards building a prosperous and resilient colony.