U.S.A. · Tier V Destroyer
Nicholas
U.S.A. destroyer: smoke-supported support and spotting
Destroyer Commander Skills — verified — 24 skills
Recommended role
U.S.A. destroyer: smoke-supported support and spotting
Nicholas · Tier 5 Destroyer · Balanced playstyle
2 points intentionally saved.
- 1
Preventive Maintenance
1 ptEssential5 out of 5Cuts the chance of losing your guns, engine or rudder in a knife fight.
In game: -30% chance of the main armament, engine and steering gears becoming incapacitated; +15% hit points of secondary and AA mounts. · Unlocked from 1 total points.
- 2
Priority Target
2 ptsEssential5 out of 5Shows how many guns are pointed at you before they fire.
In game: The detection indicator shows the number of enemies currently aiming their main battery at your ship. · Unlocked from 3 total points.
- 3
Superintendent
3 ptsEssential5 out of 5One more charge of every consumable, including smoke and heal.
In game: +1 charge to all ship consumables. · Unlocked from 6 total points.
- 4
Concealment Expert
4 ptsEssential5 out of 5Lower detection is a destroyer's main weapon.
In game: -10% detectability range of your ship. · Unlocked from 10 total points.
- 5
Adrenaline Rush
3 ptsRecommended4 out of 5Faster reload as your health drops.
In game: For each 1% of lost hit points: -0.2% reload time of all armaments and +0.2% continuous AA damage. · Unlocked from 13 total points.
- 6
Survivability Expert
3 ptsRecommended4 out of 5More hit points, which on a destroyer is a whole extra exchange of fire.
In game: +350 hit points per ship tier (destroyer value). · Unlocked from 16 total points.
- 7
Consumable Specialist
1 ptRecommended4 out of 5Faster consumable reload, so smoke and engine boost come back sooner.
In game: -7.5% cooldown time of all consumables, except Damage Control Party and Repair Party. · Unlocked from 19 total points.
- 8
Demolition Expert
2 ptsRecommended4 out of 5More fire chance on a fast-firing HE battery adds up over a match.
In game: +1% chance of setting a fire with main and secondary battery HE shells; +15% explosion radius of all munitions except depth charges when attacking submarines. · Unlocked from 21 total points.
Class-based recommendation
Slot 1
Main Armaments Modification 1
Protects guns and torpedo tubes during close engagements.
Slot 2
Engine Room Protection
Helps preserve movement when the engine or steering is hit.
Slot 3
Aiming Systems Modification 1
Improves gun accuracy without committing to a narrow playstyle.
Build complete — every recommended skill is already unlocked at 21 points.
- This is a no-reset path: every skill taken earlier is still in the final 21-point build, so you never pay to redistribute points.
- Consumables first suits a destroyer that fights from its own smoke.
- Concealment Expert decides who starts every engagement.
- Points are only spent when the next skill in the plan is fully affordable — intermediate points are banked rather than wasted.
- Cap early only when you know where the enemy destroyers are; otherwise spot from just outside the circle.
- Never fight guns-first against a ship with better concealment — disengage and re-approach.
- Launch torpedoes at where the target will be, not where it is, and reset the wall as it reloads.
- Keep smoke for saving yourself or a teammate, not for a marginal extra minute of shooting.
Skill data: Skill names, point costs and effects taken from the current World of Warships Wiki destroyer skill list (Aug/Sep 2026).
Build: Curated beginner-safe no-reset progression built only from this app's verified class skill catalog (current World of Warships PC sources). Ship role reflects the ship's well-known in-game character; no numeric ship statistics are claimed. Not an official Wargaming build.
Inertia Fuse for HE Shells
3 ptsOptional2 out of 5Optional: more HE penetration for half the fire chance.
Extra-Heavy Ammunition
2 ptsOptional2 out of 5Optional: only pays off if you fire AP regularly.
Full skill table for Nicholas
Destroyer Commander Skills — 24 skills, 6 per row
Laid out like the in-game tree for this class. Each row is one point cost.
- Grease the GearsSituational3 out of 5
- LiquidatorSituational3 out of 5
- Consumable SpecialistRecommended4 out of 5
- Gun FeederSituational3 out of 5
- Incoming Fire AlertSituational3 out of 5
- Preventive MaintenanceEssential5 out of 5
- Demolition ExpertRecommended4 out of 5
- Swift FishSituational3 out of 5
- Consumables EnhancementsSituational3 out of 5
- Extra-Heavy AmmunitionOptional2 out of 5
- Priority TargetEssential5 out of 5
- Last StandSituational3 out of 5
- Main Battery and AA SpecialistSituational3 out of 5
- Fill the TubesSituational3 out of 5
- Adrenaline RushRecommended4 out of 5
- Inertia Fuse for HE ShellsOptional2 out of 5
- SuperintendentEssential5 out of 5
- Survivability ExpertRecommended4 out of 5
- Main Battery and AA ExpertSituational3 out of 5
- Swift in SilenceSituational3 out of 5
- Radio LocationSituational3 out of 5
- Fearless BrawlerSituational3 out of 5
- Concealment ExpertEssential5 out of 5
- DazzleSituational3 out of 5
Showing 24 of 24 destroyer commander skills , rated for Nicholas.
Preventive Maintenance
1 ptEssential5 out of 5-30% chance of the main armament, engine and steering gears becoming incapacitated; +15% hit points of secondary and AA mounts.
Cuts the chance of losing your guns, engine or rudder in a knife fight.
Priority Target
2 ptsEssential5 out of 5The detection indicator shows the number of enemies currently aiming their main battery at your ship.
Shows how many guns are pointed at you before they fire.
Superintendent
3 ptsEssential5 out of 5+1 charge to all ship consumables.
One more charge of every consumable, including smoke and heal.
Concealment Expert
4 ptsEssential5 out of 5-10% detectability range of your ship.
Lower detection is a destroyer's main weapon.
Consumable Specialist
1 ptRecommended4 out of 5-7.5% cooldown time of all consumables, except Damage Control Party and Repair Party.
Faster consumable reload, so smoke and engine boost come back sooner.
Demolition Expert
2 ptsRecommended4 out of 5+1% chance of setting a fire with main and secondary battery HE shells; +15% explosion radius of all munitions except depth charges when attacking submarines.
More fire chance on a fast-firing HE battery adds up over a match.
Adrenaline Rush
3 ptsRecommended4 out of 5For each 1% of lost hit points: -0.2% reload time of all armaments and +0.2% continuous AA damage.
Faster reload as your health drops.
Survivability Expert
3 ptsRecommended4 out of 5+350 hit points per ship tier (destroyer value).
More hit points, which on a destroyer is a whole extra exchange of fire.
Grease the Gears
1 ptSituational3 out of 5+15% main battery turret traverse speed.
No ship-specific note yet.
Liquidator
1 ptSituational3 out of 5+30% chance of causing flooding with your torpedoes.
No ship-specific note yet.
Gun Feeder
1 ptSituational3 out of 5-40% main battery shell-type switching time.
No ship-specific note yet.
Incoming Fire Alert
1 ptSituational3 out of 5Warns you about a main battery salvo fired at your ship from more than 4.5 km away.
No ship-specific note yet.
Swift Fish
2 ptsSituational3 out of 5+5% torpedo speed.
No ship-specific note yet.
Consumables Enhancements
2 ptsSituational3 out of 5+10% action time of Hydroacoustic Search, Surveillance Radar, Smoke Generator and Engine Boost.
No ship-specific note yet.
Last Stand
2 ptsSituational3 out of 5The ship remains able to move and manoeuvre — slowly — while the engine or steering gears are incapacitated.
No ship-specific note yet.
Main Battery and AA Specialist
3 ptsSituational3 out of 5-5% main battery reload time; +10% continuous AA damage.
No ship-specific note yet.
Fill the Tubes
3 ptsSituational3 out of 5-10% torpedo tube reload time.
No ship-specific note yet.
Main Battery and AA Expert
4 ptsSituational3 out of 5+20% main battery firing range; +15% damage from AA shell explosions (flak). This skill does not change reload time.
No ship-specific note yet.
Swift in Silence
4 ptsSituational3 out of 5While your ship remains undetected: +8% ship speed and +5% main battery reload time (slower guns). The effect ends as soon as you are detected.
No ship-specific note yet.
Radio Location
4 ptsSituational3 out of 5Shows the direction to the nearest enemy ship. That enemy is alerted that a bearing has been taken.
Useful map information, but it costs the same as Concealment Expert.
Fearless Brawler
4 ptsSituational3 out of 5While your ship is detected: -10% main battery reload time. Also +1 shell explosion (flak burst) in AA salvos. Current PC data lists no dispersion penalty.
Situational: rewards staying spotted, which is risky for beginners.
Dazzle
4 ptsSituational3 out of 5For 15 seconds after your ship is detected: +20% dispersion of enemy shells fired at your ship and +8% ship speed.
Situational: a defensive dispersion bonus after you are spotted.
Extra-Heavy Ammunition
2 ptsOptional2 out of 5+7.5% main battery AP shell damage; +10% depth charge damage. No calibre restriction is listed in current PC data.
Optional: only pays off if you fire AP regularly.
Inertia Fuse for HE Shells
3 ptsOptional2 out of 5+25% armor penetration of HE shells; base chance of setting a fire with HE shells is halved. (Numbers confirmed from one current PC source only.)
Optional: more HE penetration for half the fire chance.