> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://wiki.mypet-plugin.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://wiki.mypet-plugin.com/setup-guide/skilltree-creation/default-skilltrees.md).

# Default Skilltrees

MyPet 4 ships with 124 default skilltrees arranged as a two-tier "Ascension Ladder". They are ordinary skilltree files; customize or replace them freely.

MyPet 4 replaces the five classic default skilltrees of MyPet 3 (Combat, Farm, PvP, Ride and Utility) with **124 new skilltrees**. The old trees were identical for every pet; the new set gives each pet type its own small selection that fits its place in Minecraft's lore. No skilltree in the default set is available to every pet type.

{% hint style="success" %}
**The default skilltrees are content, not a system.** They are plain `.st.json` files built from the same building blocks as any [custom skilltree](/setup-guide/skilltree-creation/creating-custom-skilltrees.md) — [requirements](/setup-guide/skilltree-creation/creating-custom-skilltrees/requirements.md), levels, [inheritance and weights](/setup-guide/skilltree-creation/creating-custom-skilltrees/properties.md). Nothing about the two-tier "ascension" design is required by the plugin: you can edit any tree, delete the ones you don't want, or replace the entire set with your own flat MyPet-3-style trees. See [Using your own design instead](#using-your-own-design-instead).
{% endhint %}

## The Ascension Ladder

A pet climbs the ladder in two steps: it picks a **role** at level 1 and **ascends** at level 20.

### Tier 1 — Role paths (Level 1)

A fresh pet (one that has no skilltree yet) can pick one of three paths:

| Path         | Trees                                                                                                                                                                                  | Typical skills                                                                                           |
| ------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Combat**   | The pet's lore family - *Undead*, *Arthropod*, *Illager*, *Construct*, *Nether* or *End* - or, for pets without such a family, a temperament tree: *Predator*, *Companion* or *Rascal* | Family-flavored combat, e.g. Wither + Slow for Undead, Poison for Arthropod, Fire + Knockback for Nether |
| **Utility**  | A *Keeper* tree matching the pet's habitat (Land, Sky, Aquatic or Amphibious)                                                                                                          | Backpack, Pickup, Beacon                                                                                 |
| **Mobility** | A *Wayfarer* tree matching the pet's habitat                                                                                                                                           | Ride, Sprint                                                                                             |

Tier 1 trees stop at **level 25** and show a notification at level 19 hinting at the coming ascension.

### Tier 2 — Ascension (Level 20)

From level 20 on, the pet chooses between exactly two trees:

* **✦ Species signature** - a unique tree for the pet's species (90 of them, one per pet type, marked with a glowing icon). It carries the pet from level 20 to 100 and defines what makes that species special.
* **Path ascension** - a direct continuation of the chosen tier 1 tree (17 of them, one per tier 1 tree, built with [Inheritance](/setup-guide/skilltree-creation/creating-custom-skilltrees/properties.md#inheritance)). This is also the safety net: a custom pet type added by a third-party plugin has no signature tree but can still ascend.

Ascending is **free** and **permanent**:

* No [switch fee](/setup-guide/getting-started/configuration/config.yml.md#skilltree) is charged, and ascending works even when `ChooseOnce` is enabled. Both exemptions are controlled by the `MyPet.Skilltree.FreeAscension` config option (on by default). Lateral switches between tier 1 trees still pay the normal fee.
* After ascending, the tier 1 trees disappear from the menu and cannot be selected again. The choice between signature and path ascension is final.

### Design principles behind the default set

* **In-universe.** Every tree is named and themed to fit in with Minecraft lore.
* **No universal trees.** Every tree's [eligible pets](/setup-guide/skilltree-creation/creating-custom-skilltrees/eligible-pets.md) list is a real subset of the roster.
* **Vanilla parity.** Stronger vanilla mobs get stronger trees; a Warden's signature outclasses a Chicken's by design.
* **One signature per species.** Each pet type has exactly one tree that exists only for it; everything else is shared by family or habitat.

## How ascension works under the hood

There is no hardcoded ascension mechanic. The ladder is assembled entirely from standard skilltree features:

* Tier 1 trees use the [`NoSkilltree` requirement](/setup-guide/skilltree-creation/creating-custom-skilltrees/requirements.md#noskilltree) and `MaxLevel: 25`.
* Tier 2 trees use `RequiredLevel: 20` and a [`Skilltree` requirement](/setup-guide/skilltree-creation/creating-custom-skilltrees/requirements.md#skilltree) listing the tier 1 trees they accept.
* A switch counts as an "ascension" whenever the target tree's `Skilltree` requirement names the pet's **current** skilltree - that is exactly what `FreeAscension` waives the fee for. Your own custom trees get the same behavior if (and only if) they use the same pattern.
* Tier 1 trees carry per-pet-type [`Weight`](/setup-guide/skilltree-creation/creating-custom-skilltrees/properties.md#weight) values, so servers using `RandomAssignment` see fitting picks (mount species lean toward their *Wayfarer* tree, hostile mobs toward their combat tree).

{% hint style="warning" %}
If you disable `MyPet.Skilltree.PreventLevellingWithout`, a pet can level past 25 without ever picking a tree. It is then locked out of the entire default set: tier 1 trees are capped at level 25, and tier 2 trees require a previous skilltree. Keep that option enabled while using the default trees, or raise the tier 1 `MaxLevel` in your copies.
{% endhint %}

## Using your own design instead

The default trees are copied into `plugins/MyPet/skilltrees/` **only when that folder is first created**. After that, the folder is yours:

* **Edit or delete** any `.st.json` file. Deleted files are not re-created; only deleting the whole `skilltrees` folder triggers a fresh copy of the defaults on the next start.
* **Replace the set entirely** with your own trees. Single-tier, three-tier, one tree for everything: any structure that [Creating Custom Skilltrees](/setup-guide/skilltree-creation/creating-custom-skilltrees.md) can express is fine. The ascension behavior only activates for trees that opt into the `Skilltree` requirement pattern described above.
* **Edit in the browser** with the [Configurator](/setup-guide/configurator/configurator.md) via `/mypet editor`.
* **Upgrading from MyPet 3?** Existing servers are untouched: your old `skilltrees` folder keeps working as-is, including the five classic trees. They are simply no longer bundled for new installs. See [Updating from MyPet 3 to 4](/setup-guide/getting-started/updating-from-3-to-4.md).


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://wiki.mypet-plugin.com/setup-guide/skilltree-creation/default-skilltrees.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.