Going Medieval Newcomers Skills — Recruit Priority & Training Guide
Evaluate Going Medieval newcomers by priority skills. Learn which skills matter most for new settlers, optimal recruitment strategy, and training guide.
Not All Newcomers Are Equal
When a wanderer arrives or you capture a raider, you face a critical decision: accept them into your colony or turn them away. Each newcomer consumes food, requires shelter, and can either multiply your productivity or drain your resources. Skill evaluation is the key.
Skill Priority Tier List for Recruits
| Tier | Skill | Importance | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Construction | Critical | Required for all building and repairs |
| S | Cooking | Critical | Higher skill = less food poisoning |
| A | Mining | Very High | Resource extraction speed |
| A | Crafting | Very High | Quality of crafted items (armor, weapons) |
| A | Intellectual | Very High | Research speed — unlocks all tech |
| B | Medical | High | Healing speed and quality |
| B | Tailoring | High | Clothing quality and speed |
| B | Smithing | High | Weapon/armor quality |
| C | Melee | Moderate | Combat effectiveness |
| C | Marksman | Moderate | Ranged combat effectiveness |
| C | Animal Handling | Moderate | Taming and butchering efficiency |
| D | Speech | Low (early), High (late) | Trading and recruitment |
Early Game vs Late Game Priorities
In the first year, prioritize newcomers with Construction, Mining, and Cooking — these are your survival skills. By year 2-3, shift to Crafting and Intellectual for technology progression. Late game, Speech becomes valuable for recruiting rare specialists through trade and negotiation.
Skill Training — How Settlers Improve
Settlers gain skill experience by performing related tasks. A level 1 Construction settler will reach level 5 after building approximately 200 wall tiles. Assign low-skill settlers to repetitive tasks (hauling, cleaning) while reserving critical jobs (surgery, weapon crafting) for your highest-skill specialists.
When to Reject a Newcomer
Reject newcomers who have all skills below level 3, carry negative traits like Lazy or Cannibal, or arrive during winter when food is scarce. It's better to maintain a lean, efficient colony of 5-6 skilled settlers than a bloated colony of 10 unskilled mouths to feed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Should I accept every newcomer who arrives?
A: No. Evaluate each newcomer based on skills and traits. In early game, accept anyone with Construction or Cooking above level 5. In late game, only accept settlers who fill a specific skill gap or have rare positive traits.
Q: Can I train a settler with 0 in a skill?
A: Yes, all settlers can learn any skill through practice, but they start very slowly. A level 0 Construction settler builds at 50% speed and often creates lower quality results. Expect 2-3 in-game weeks of dedicated practice to reach a usable skill level.
Q: How fast do skills improve?
A: Skill gain is roughly linear — reaching level 10 takes about 5x longer than reaching level 5. Focus on training settlers to level 5-7 in their primary role, which provides 80% of the max benefit. Levels 8-10 are for dedicated specialists only.
Related Guides
Last updated: June 2026