Skills in Samurai Warriors 2 have a higher importance than before and replaces the need to equip items like in the first installment. Aside from the shop, characters can "learn" them by defeating an enemy officer, though the chances of doing so are random; higher-leveled skills are only available at harder difficulty settings. The maximum level for the majority of skills is three. Rare level four skills can also be gained by completing a specific playthrough in the Survival Mode stages; these are worth 10,000 gold once unlocked.