Barotrauma Talents Guide: All Classes, Skills, & Loadouts

Introduced in late 2021, talents in Barotrauma are unique abilities that impact each character’s stats and abilities in various ways. Each class has unique talents that are split into general and specialization trees. So, it’s ideal to keep reading to learn more about each class’ talents and their effects.

Barotrauma Talents & Skills for Each Class

Each crewmember in Barotrauma is assigned a specific class. However, it’s important to mention that the game sometimes calls the classes as jobs or roles, albeit all terminologies point to the same definition. With that, each class has unique talents. Not to be confused with skills, the talents in Barotrauma help each crewmember differentiate themselves from others. For example, the Captain has talents that help the player command the submarine. On the other hand, a Mechanic can repair various items and structures, including doors and weapons. Tip: Use console commands to give talents to specific crewmembers without grinding for XP.

Captain

The Captain steers and commands the submarine and its crew. The player with this job starts with the Captain’s Pipe, Revolver, and an ID card that grants access to all doors and containers. A submarine can only have one Captain, with hired Captains costing 30% more than the standard price.

Starting Skills

• Helm: 40 to 50
• Weapons: 25 to 35
• Mechanical: 15 to 25
• Electrical: 15 to 25
• Medical: 5 to 10

Starting Loadout

• Loadout #1: Veteran’s Cap and Veteran’s Jacket
• Loadout #2: Renegade’s Hat and Renegade’s Jacket
• Loadout #3: Admiral’s Hat and Admiral’s Uniform

Talents

General

Tier 1

• Bounty Hunter: Gain 15% bonus XP and 15% bonus money when completing a Monster or Nest mission.
• Inspirational Leader: Applies to all crew: +25% Skill Gain Speed.
• Logistics Expert: Gain 20% bonus XP and 20% bonus money when completing a Cargo or Personnel Transport mission.
• Prodigy: +50% Skill Gain Speed.
• Travelling Tradesman: Applies to all crew: Special sales offer 3 additional items. +20% Item Sell Value Does not stack with multiple of the same talent.
• Veteran: Gain a one-time bonus of 20 Helm and 5 to all other skills. +10% Repair Speed.

Tier 2

• Camaraderie: While no crew member has died during a mission, gain 10% bonus XP and 5% Physical Damage Resistance. The deaths of assistants do not count.
• Down with the Ship: If you are on your submarine and it becomes at least 50% flooded, you gain an additional 50% swimming speed and repair hulls 50% faster for 60 seconds.
• Emergency Maneuvers: Whenever your submarine takes damage from a monster, gain maximum Helm skill for 5 seconds.
• Gunsmith: Unlock recipe: Revolver and Revolver Round.
• Sailor with No Name: Gain a bonus of 20 to Medical. Unlock recipe: Cigar.
• Steady Tune: After playing the Harmonica for 10 seconds or longer, you and nearby allies gain +100% Psychosis resistance for 60 seconds.

Gunslinger

• Quickdraw: If it has been longer than 8 seconds since you've attacked with a pistol, your next attack with a pistol is 25% more powerful. Reduce the penalty for dual-wielding ranged weapons by 50%
• Deputy: Assistants nearby get 20 Helm and 20 Weapons skill and gain these skills twice as fast.
• Lone Wolf: If there are no crew members nearby, gain the following: +20% Physical Damage Resistance, +20% Stun Resistance, and +20% Melee Damage Dealt.
• Drunken Sailor: Gain 75% stun resistance while drunk and immunity to the negative effects of drunkenness. Unlock recipe: Rum.
• Big Guns: Deal 30% more damage with Revolvers and Handcannons to monsters. Reduce the penalty for dual-wielding ranged weapons by 50%. Unlock recipe: Handcannon and Handcannon Round.

Skipper

• Leading by Example: As long as you're alive, all crew members receive High Morale, granting the following: +20% Repair Speed, +20% Hull Repair Speed, and +5% Movement Speed.
• Helmsman: Boosts your Helm skill by 30. Increases Engines and Pumps effectiveness by 20%. Does not stack with multiple of the same talent.
• Inspiring Presence: Crew members in the same room that gain a skill point instead get 3. Crewmembers walk 5% faster.
• Trickle Down: If you gain a skill, so does every other crewmember everywhere. Crewmembers swim 10% faster.
• Family: On unlock: Every crewmember gains one level. During missions, if no crewmember has died, upgrades High Morale to Excellent Morale, doubling the bonuses. The deaths of assistants do not count.

Politician

• Commendations: Whenever you finish at least one mission, gain a Commendation. When you apply a Commendation on another character, give them 275 experience.
• Affiliation: Reputation with factions increases 50% faster. Earn 10% more marks when completing a mission for your Affiliated faction. Does not stack with multiple of the same talent. Affiliated faction: The faction you have the highest reputation with.
• Your Reputation…: When entering a new outpost you have positive faction reputation with, gain 200 mk. Doubled for cities. You may select an additional mission.
• Campaigning: Affiliated faction shipyards offer a 10% discount for upgrades and buying submarines.
• Networking: Affiliated faction shops offer 10% lower prices. Doubled for faction-unique items.
• Figurehead: Replaces Commendations with Medals that give 550 XP. If the character is then below level 5, give them XP to reach level 5. All services on affiliated outposts give a 10% discount.

Security Officer

Security Officers are responsible for protecting the submarine from threats inside and out. This job starts with the Diving Knife, Stun Baton, and Handcuffs. Players can hire an NPC with this role, but it’ll cost 15% more than usual. The Security Officer has various responsibilities, such as keeping crewmates safe, operating turrets, repelling intruders, and maintaining order. This job starts with specific skills and equipment, including different loadouts and talents that focus on enhancing their offensive and defensive capabilities, such as the Frogman, Enforcer, and Gunner specializations.

Starting Skills

• Helm: 5 to 10
• Weapons: 40 to 50
• Mechanical: 15 to 25
• Electrical: 15 to 25
• Medical: 25 to 35

Starting Loadouts

• Loadout #1: Commando’s Fatigues
• Loadout #2: Security Officer’s Uniform
• Loadout #3: Gunner’s Uniform

Talents

General

Tier 1

• Buff: Gain an additional 50% Buff Duration. Gain an additional 25% Opiate addiction resistance.
• First Aid Training: Gain a bonus of 15 to Medical. Medical items are 35% more potent when applied to you.
• Physical Conditioning: Gain an additional 10% Movement Speed. Gain an additional 30% Oxygen low resistance.
• Protect and Serve: Gain 30% bonus XP and 100% more reputation when completing an Escort mission.
• Swole: Gain an additional 10% Maximum Health. Gain an additional 25% Melee Power.
• War Stories: At the end of each round, if you killed at least three enemies, create a Collection of War Stories in your inventory. Reading it gives Weapons skill to the reader; the skill gain is determined by the reader's current skill and the quality of the book.

Tier 2

• Bootcamp: Gain an additional 50% experience until you have obtained 5 talent points. When you have 5 or more talent points, gain +15 Bonus Weapons Skill instead.
• By the Book: Whenever you finish at least one mission, your crew gains an additional 1250 marks and 200 experience for each captured, live enemy human on board your ship, up to a maximum of 2500 marks and 400 experience.
• Don’t Push It: Unlock recipe: Bandolier and Explosive Slug.
• Munitions Expertise: Unlock recipe: SMG Magazine and Shotgun Shell.
• Weaponsmith: Weapons you fabricate are of 1 higher quality. Unlock recipe: Riot Shotgun and SMG.

Frogman

• Boarding Party: Unlock recipe: Boarding Axe, Slipsuit, and Harpoon Coil-Rifle.
• Scavenger: Whenever you open a container outside your submarine for the first time, you have a 25% chance of finding additional items.
• Slayer: Gain an additional 25% attack power with harpoons. If you are in the open sea, gain an additional 50% attack power to Harpoons instead.
• Daring Dolphin: Gain an additional 25% Swimming Speed.
• Easy Turtle: Take 20% less damage from attacks while you are in the water.
• Spec-Ops: Unlock recipe: Thermal Goggles. Inflict double (non-turret) damage against full health enemies.

Enforcer

• Pacification Kit: Unlock recipe: Autoshotgun, Fulgurium Stun Gun Dart, and Riot Shield.
• Beat Cop: Inflict 25% more stun. Doubled against monsters inside the submarine.
• Stonewall: Whenever you are attacked, gain an additional 25% physical damage resistance and 25% stun resistance for 4 seconds.
• Crusty Seaman: Recover from bleeding much more quickly.
• Inordinate Exsanguination: Inflict 100% more Bleeding damage.
• Implacable: Whenever you fall below 0 health, you will remain fully conscious, and your attacks are 25% more powerful for 15 seconds. This effect can only occur once per life each round.

Gunner

• Rifleman: Inflict 10% more damage with Rifles. Unlock recipe: Assault Rifle, Assault Rifle Magazine, Rifle, and Rifle Round.
• Commando: When firing a ranged weapon while crouched, you gain a 70% reduction to spread and inflict 10% more damage.
• Tandem Fire: As long as you are manning a turret alongside another allied crewmember, both of your attacks are 20% more powerful. Only the closest allied crewmember gains this effect.
• Extra Powder: Explosions have a 20% larger radius and deal 10% more damage. Explosives you fabricate are of 1 higher quality.
• Gun Runner: You move 25% faster while carrying turret ammunition. Walk 20% faster while aiming.
• Warlord: Inflict 10% more damage with ranged weapons for every nearby enemy. Up to 50%. Unlock recipe: HMG and HMG Magazine.

Medical Doctor

Medical Doctors onboard the submarine use a Medical Fabricator to create drugs and diagnose crew afflictions. This job also has an ID card that grants access to relevant areas and containers. Note that hiring a Medical Doctor outside of the standard means a cost of 15% more. Responsibilities of this job include crew health, rescue, first aid, and research on genetic materials. Additionally, a Medical Doctor starts with a Syringe Gun, Bandage, and Morphine.

Starting Skills

• Helm: 5 to 10
• Weapons: 15 to 25
• Mechanical: 15 to 25
• Electrical: 15 to 25
• Medical: 40 to 50

Starting Loadouts

• Loadout #1: Medic’s Fatigues and Health Scanner HUD
• Loadout #2: Doctor’s Uniform and Health Scanner HUD

Talents

General

Tier 1

• Example of Health: Gain an additional 20% Maximum Health.
• Health Insurance: If your health has dropped below 30% during a mission, gain 100 mk. Medical items can be bought 10% cheaper.
• La Resistance: Gain an additional 50% Opiate Addiction resistance. Gain an additional 50% Chem Addiction resistance.
• Nobody Important Dies: Medical items you apply are +10% more potent when applied to non-assistants. Treating assistants is 20% less effective.
• Self-Care: Medical items are 20% more potent when applied to you.
• Stayin’ Alive: The CPR applied by crewmembers reduces Oxygen Low 20% more effectively.

Tier 2

• Blood Donor: Whenever you finish at least one mission, gain one Blood Pack in your inventory.
• Don’t Die on Me!: The CPR you apply is much more powerful.
• Fireman’s Carry: You can drag characters at full speed.
• Medical Companion: Unlock recipe: Auto-Injector Headset.
• No Pressure: Unlock recipe: Pressure Stabilizer.

Xenologist

• Gene Harvester: When looting a monster, there is a 20% chance of finding Genetic Material on it.
• Bloody Business: Administering Alien Blood gives 50% less Psychosis. Large Creatures drop one extra Alien Blood.
• Gene Splicer: Refining genetic materials adds an additional 10% to their potency.
• Blackmarket Genes: Shops in Research Stations and Cities can sell Genetic Materials. You can sell genetic materials for 50% more.
• Gene Tampering: All crew members gain 10% more health and move 5% faster.
• Genetic Genius: Combining different types of genetic materials is 99% less likely to taint the materials. Unlock recipe: Advanced Gene Splicer.

Medic

• Medical Expertise: Boosts your Medical skill by 30. Your Bandages are more effective.
• Emergency Response: Assistants can drag characters at full speed. You move 40% faster if any crewmember is unconscious.
• Medical Assistance: Assistants in the same room have their Medical skill boosted by 30.
• Dr. Submarine: Medical items you apply are 25% more potent.
• Vitamin Supplements: Whenever you apply medicine to a friendly character, they gain 20% health until the end of the mission.
• Miracle Worker: Nearby crewmembers are unable to succumb to their injuries unless they give in. You become immune to Miracle in Progress.

Chemist

• Plague Doctor: Gain an additional 50% Acid Burn resistance. Unlock recipe: Europabrew and Crimson Acid.
• Delivery System: Unlock recipe: Advanced Syringe Gun.
• Lab Contacts: Chemicals can be bought for 30% cheaper. You construct medical items 100% faster.
• Super Soldiers: Buffs you apply last 25% longer. Unlock recipe: Combat Stimulant.
• What a Stench!: Acid Burns deal 15% more damage. Unlock recipe: Acid Grenade and 40mm Acid Grenade.
• Macrodosing: Buffs you apply last 25% longer. Poisons are applied with 100% more strength. Unlock recipe: Endocrine Booster. This medical contraption, when used, bestows the user with permanent performance enhancement.

Engineer

Engineers have strong construction and mechanical skills but struggle with complex mechanical devices. This job excels at fixing electrical devices and is essential when the power grid fails. An Engineer has various responsibilities, including maintaining electrical installations, operating nuclear reactors, and fabricating electrical items. A player in this class also starts with the following equipment: Toolbelt, Wrench, Screwdriver, and Fuel Rod.

Starting Skills

• Helm: 5 to 10
• Weapons: 15 to 25
• Mechanical: 25 to 35
• Electrical: 40 to 50
• Medical: 15 to 25

Starting Loadouts

• Loadout #1: Hazmat Suit
• Loadout #2: Engineer’s Jumpsuit

Talents

General

Tier 1

• Egghead: +100% Skill Gain Speed.
• Grounded: Gain a bonus of 10 to Electrical Engineering. Gain an additional 20% Burn resistance.
• Junction Junkie: Gain one-time rewards for repairing a certain amount of electrical devices: - 30: Gain +10 Bonus Electrical Skill and +500 XP - 50: Upgrades the submarine's junction boxes to level 1. - 100: Permanently repair electrical devices +50% faster.
• Remote Monitor: Unlock recipe: Reactor PDA.
• Station Engineer: Gain 30% bonus XP when reactivating a Beacon Station. Also, gain +50% Repair Speed and +50% Hull Repair Speed while on a Beacon Station.

Tier 2

• Aggressive Engineering: You deal triple damage with Screwdrivers.
• Fun with Fission: Fuel Rods you fabricate are of 1 higher quality.
• Melodic Respite: After playing a Guitar for 10 seconds or longer, you and nearby allies gain +25% Repair Speed for 60 seconds.
• Sample Collection: Unlock recipe: Cargo Scooter.
• Submarine of Things: You can craft FPGA Circuits and Circuit Boxes with much fewer materials.

Weapons Engineer

• Military Applications: Gain a bonus of 20 to Weapons. Unlock recipe: Depleted Fuel and Depleted Fuel Coilgun Ammunition Box.
• Arms Race: Unlock recipe: Depleted Fuel SMG Magazine and Depleted Fuel Revolver Round.
• Heavy Hitter: Unlock recipe: Hardened Wrench, Hardened Screwdriver, Hardened Crowbar, and Hardened Diving Knife.
• Weapon Artisan: Weapons you fabricate are of 1 higher quality.
• Nuclear Option: You can craft much cheaper Nuclear Shells and Nuclear Depth Charges using non-spent Fuel Rods. Unlock recipe: Rapid Fissile Accelerator.

Electrician

• Grid Maintainer: Unlock recipe: Handheld Electrical Monitor. Gain an additional 50% Repair Speed.
• Pyromaniac: Inflict 25% more burning damage. Doubled when fighting against Ballast Flora. Unlock recipe: Flamer.
• Unlimited Power: Battery Cells you fabricate are of 1 higher quality. Batteries and Supercapacitors have +10% capacity.
• Better Than New: Electrical devices you've repaired deteriorate 30% slower.
• Lightning Wizard: If you have not been attacked for 10 seconds, the next melee attack against you has 80% less power, and your attacker is stunned for 4 seconds. Unlock recipe: Arc Emitter.

Physicist

• Unstoppable Curiosity: Force doors open 50% faster. Your attacks with Crowbars are 100% more powerful.
• Buzzin’: Your reactor's Max Output is increased by 10%.
• Cruisin’: Your reactor's Fuel Efficiency is increased by 20%.
• Danger Zone: Have an additional 50% resistance to Radiation Sickness while wearing a Hazmat Suit. Unlock recipe: Volatile Fulgurium Fuel Rod.
• Ph.D in Nuclear Physics: Your attacks with Crowbars are 200% more powerful. Does not stack with Unstoppable Curiosity. Unlock recipe: PUCS.

Mechanic

Mechanics are skilled in construction and mechanics, using Welding Tools and Plasma Cutters to fix mechanical devices. This job maintains installations, repairs leaks, mines minerals, and fabricates items, devices, and weapons. Additionally, all Mechanics start with a Toolbelt, Wrench, Screwdriver, Welding tool, and Plasma cutter.

Starting Skills

• Helm: 5 to 10
• Weapons: 15 to 25
• Mechanical: 40 to 50
• Electrical: 25 to 35
• Medical: 15 to 25

Starting Loadouts

• Loadout #1: Baseball Cap and Boiler Suit
• Loadout #2: Baseball Cap and Mechanic’s Jumpsuit

Talents

General

Tier 1

• Ballast Denizen: Hold your breath 50% longer.
• Engine Engineer: Submarine engines have +2.5% Max Speed per level you have, to a maximum of 20%. Does not stack with multiple of the same talent.
• Machine Maniac: Gain one-time rewards for repairing a certain amount of mechanical devices: - 30: Gain +10 Bonus Mechanical Skill and +500 XP - 50: Upgrades the submarine's pumps to level 1. - 100: Permanently repair mechanical devices +50% faster.
• Multifunctional: Deal 50% more damage with Wrenches and Crowbars.
• Safety First: Unlock recipe: Safety Harness.
• Salvage Crew: Gain 30% bonus XP when completing a Salvage mission. Also gain +50% Swimming Speed and +10% Physical Damage Resistance while inside Wrecks.

Tier 2

• Ironman: Unlock recipe: Iron Helmet and Makeshift Armor.
• Modular Repairs: Unlock recipe: Multi-tool. Upgrade the submarine's Modular Repairs to level 1.
• Oiled Machinery: Fabricators and Deconstructors work 50% faster. Does not stack with multiple of the same talent.
• Pump N Dump: Pumps you've repaired gain 10% Maximum Flow.
• Retrofit: Unlock hull upgrades as if your submarine is one tier higher. Does not stack with multiple of the same talent.

Scrapper

• Miner: Whenever you deconstruct an ore, you have a 20% chance to gain double the output. Detach ores 100% faster with cutters.
• Mass Production: Fabricating items have a 40% chance of not consuming one of the input ingredients.
• Residual Waste: Deconstructing an item has a 20% chance of giving double the output.
• Scrap Savant: Deconstructing Scrap gives double the output. Whenever you open a container in a wreck for the first time, you have a 20% chance of finding additional scrap.
• Tool Maintenance: All crew members craft tools at 1 higher quality.
• Iron Storm: Tier 1 and Tier 2 submarines can be upgraded as if Tier 3. Unlock recipe: Scrap Cannon.

Machinist

• Hull Fixer: Unlock recipe: Fixfoam Grenade and Handheld Status Monitor. +25% Hull Repair Speed.
• Quickfixer: After you repair a mechanical device, move 20% faster for 10 seconds. You repair mechanical devices twice as fast.
• Tinkerer: You can repair mechanical devices 40% past their normal maximum condition.
• Let it Drain: Build portable pumps and install them where you need them. You can only install a maximum of 2 of this item on your submarine. Unlock recipe: Portable Pump.
• Robotics: Build a powerful (but fragile) drone to watch your back. Only 2 defense bots can be active at the same time. Unlock recipe: Defense Bot and Defense Bot Ammunition Rounds.

Brawler

• I Am That Guy: Inflict 20% more Blunt Force Trauma damage with melee weapons. Gain a bonus of 20 to Bonus Weapons Skill. Unlock Recipe: Heavy Wrench.
• Heavy Lifting: You move 20% faster when carrying Metal Crates or Artifacts.
• Mudraptor Wrestler: Deal 50% more melee damage to Mudraptors. Gain an additional 10% Physical Damage Resistance.
• Berserker: While below 50% health, you gain the following: +20% Melee Damage Dealt.
• Foolhardy: While below 50% health, you gain the following: +20% Physical Damage Resistance.
• MECHanic: Move 25% faster in an Exosuit. Unlock recipe: Exosuit.

Assistant

Assistants have no specific responsibilities or expertise, making it suitable for newcomers. The player with this job always start with three pieces of standard equipment: Assistant Clothes, Wrench, and Screwdriver.

Starting Skills

• Helm: 17.5 to 20
• Weapons: 20 to 30
• Mechanical: 20 to 30
• Electrical: 20 to 30
• Medical: 20 to 30

Talents

General

Tier 1

• Crew Layabout: Lose 40% Repair Speed. Suffer a reduction of 15 to all Skills. Allies near you repair 25% faster and gain a bonus of 10 for all skills.
• Mailman: Gain 25% bonus XP and 250 bonus money when completing a Cargo mission.
• Mule: Stackable materials can have +2 items per stack in your inventory.
• Playing Catchup: If you are 2 or more levels behind your highest-leveled crewmember, gain an additional 100% mission experience.
• Skedaddle: Move 10% faster. When you are attacked, this bonus is increased to 30% for 5 seconds.
• Starter Quest: Complete a task to receive a boost to the related skill and XP: - Kill a crawler (+400 XP and +10 Bonus Weapons Skill) - Repair a junction box (+300 XP and +10 Bonus Electrical Skill) - Weld a leak (+200 XP and +10 Bonus Mechanical Skill)

Tier 2

• Bag It Up: Unlock recipe: Backpack.
• Indentured Servitude: Assistants cost 20% less to hire. Other assistants receive a 10% bonus XP that stacks up to 50%.
• Inspiring Tunes: Nearby allies will gain a bonus of 15 to all skills for 10 seconds when honking a Bike Horn.
• Jenga Master: Interacting with cabinets on the submarine permanently increases that cabinet's stack sizes by +4. Does not stack with multiple of the same talent.
• Peer Learning: When completing a mission, give the lowest level crew members a 50% bonus XP.
• Revenge Squad: When you die, your crewmates get 30% Physical Damage Resistance for 120 seconds.

Grayshirt

• The Waiting List: When waiting for CPR, your vitality bar decreases 75% slower.
• Non-Threatening: Enemies will ignore you if you have been ragdolled for longer than 2 seconds.
• Tasty Target: Enemies prioritize attacking you. Receive 15% less physical damage.
• An Apple A Day: Gain 100% resistance to the skill loss upon death and 75% resistance to extra skill loss when choosing to respawn immediately instead of waiting.
• Insurance Policy: Whenever you die from non-friendly sources during a mission, your crew is paid 200 marks for each mission you've completed since the last time you died.
• The Friends We Made: Turns unhatched Mudraptors friendly in the Medical Fabricator. Only 2 per crew can be active at the same time. Unlock recipe: Petraptor Egg.

Apprentice

• Apprenticeship: Choose one job as an apprenticeship and gain a relevant skill boost from that job.
• Journeyman: You and all crew members whose job matches your apprenticeship get 10 of the job's primary skill and earn this skill 50% faster.
• Logistics System: Unlock recipe: Handheld Itemfinder and Makeshift Shelves. You can only install a maximum of 3 of this item on your submarine.
• Loyal Assistant: You and all crew members whose job matches your apprenticeship can craft items at 1 higher quality.
• Treacherous Scum: You and all crew members whose job does not match your apprenticeship repair, weld, and gain skills 20% faster.
• Graduation Ceremony: Get all talents from one random specialization tree of your apprenticeship job's talent tree. Unlock recipe: Ceremonial Sword.

Clown

• Enroll into Clown College: As long as you are wearing a full clown outfit, you gain Clown Power. Clown Power grants you: +10% Movement Speed and +5% Physical Damage Resistance. Unlock recipe: Clown Crate.
• Water Prankster: Unlock recipe: Clown Diving Mask. Clown Power grants you: +50% Swimming Speed.
• Chonky Honks: Honking your horn has a 50% chance to stun nearby creatures for one second.
• Psycho Clown: Clown Power allows you to attack faster with melee weapons based on how much Psychosis you have, up to 150%.
• True Potential: Hitting an unconscious ally with a Toy Hammer revives them with a Combat Stimulant applied for 15 seconds. Requires Clown Power. Unlock recipe: Funbringer 3000.