There are nine Ultimate Perks in The Blood of Dawnwalker, three at the end of each skill tree, and each costs 35 skill points. The part that catches people out is that taking one permanently disables the other two in that tree for the rest of the playthrough. It is the single largest build decision in the game.
What the Lockout Actually Means
Within a tree, the three Ultimates are mutually exclusive. Choose the Swordmastery Ultimate you want and the other two Swordmastery Ultimates are gone for that run. It is not a soft gate or a respec-able choice, and the game does not warn you again after the confirmation.
Across trees, though, nothing stops you from eventually taking one Ultimate in each tree, if you live long enough to bank 105 skill points. In practice most first playthroughs finish having taken one, possibly two.
Why 35 Points Is So Expensive
You earn one skill point per level. That means an Ultimate is worth 35 levels of progression, spent in a single click, on a campaign that runs against a clock. Our time limit guide explains why you cannot simply grind until the numbers stop mattering.
The consequence is that Ultimates arrive late. By the time you can afford one, you have already built a playstyle, which is genuinely the right way to choose: take the Ultimate that amplifies what you are already doing rather than the one that sounds most dramatic.
Choosing Well
The recommendation that circulates most is Runic Bulwark in the Witchcraft tree, which players describe as applying a random Hex on a perfect block. The reasoning is sound even if you treat the specific proc chance as unverified: by the time Ultimates unlock, you are perfect-blocking constantly, because that is what the combat system trains you to do. An Ultimate that triggers off your most frequent action will fire more often than one gated behind a situational setup.
Apply that logic to your own run rather than copying a pick. If you have built around claws and night play, a Vampirism Ultimate compounds a build you already have. If you have leaned on Swordmastery’s defensive line, as our best perks guide suggests, the Swordmastery Ultimate is the one that pays.
Before You Commit
Make a manual save immediately before taking one. Respeccing normally is possible, as our respec guide covers, but an Ultimate’s lockout of its two siblings is described as permanent for the playthrough, so a save is the only certain way back if you dislike the result.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Ultimate Perks are there?
Nine, three in each of Swordmastery, Vampirism and Witchcraft.
How much does an Ultimate Perk cost?
35 skill points, which is 35 levels of progression.
Can I take more than one Ultimate Perk?
Yes, one per tree, if you can afford the points. You cannot take two from the same tree.
Can I undo an Ultimate Perk choice?
The lockout of the other two in that tree is described as permanent for the playthrough. Save before choosing.