Stupid Never Dies has separate skill systems that work together. Style skills come with the monster forms Davy devours: each of the ten monster Styles has five possible skills, and the one you receive is random. Zombie Skills are a different system unlocked at Bessie Burger in the mall. On top of that, the official site describes active and passive skills and gear-based stat changes. Style skills are not fixed, so read each Style Card before accepting it.
The skill systems at a glance
It helps to keep the skill systems apart before deciding what to prioritize. Style skills belong to the forms Davy gains through Style Eat. Zombie Skills are unlocked through Bessie Burger in the mall. Equipment adds its own layer through gear-based stat changes and active and passive skills.
Mixing these systems up leads to bad decisions at level-up time. A Style skill can disappear with a temporary form, while mall progress is persistent. Knowing which is which tells you what you are really investing in. The table below summarizes what is confirmed.
| System | Where it comes from | What is confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Style skills | Devouring elite-monster cores (Style Eat) | Five possible skills per monster Style; random; shown on Style Cards |
| Zombie Skills | Bessie Burger in the mall | Unlocked there; Bessie also improves rarity options at level-ups |
| Gear and skills | Equipment and Body Hack | Gear-based stat changes; active and passive skills |
| Level-up choices | Leveling during a dive | Three options offered at certain level-up points |
Style skills: five per form, chosen at random
The official Weekly Famitsu interview explains that each of the ten monster Styles has five possible skills. When Davy devours a core, one of those skills is acquired at random. Across all ten forms, that adds up to fifty possible Style skills. That figure covers Style skills only, not every skill in the game.
In a September 2026 interview, the developers separated the random skill type from enemy rarity. Defeating a rarer enemy does not lock in a particular skill. Rarity and skill type are two different rolls. That is why two players devouring the same monster can end up with different results.
No verified list of Style skill names has been published. We do not invent names, cooldowns or damage values. When the full list can be confirmed from the released game, it will be added here with its source.
Style Cards: compare before you accept
Style Cards show the incoming skill before you commit to it. According to the official interview, you can compare it with what you currently have or reject it. That makes every devour a small decision rather than an automatic upgrade. Taking a moment here is one of the easiest ways to keep a run on track.
The developers say that no single Style suits every situation. A skill that looks strong in one encounter may not help in the next. Since Style availability is also temporary within a run, think about the fights ahead, not just the current one.
Body Hack equipment keeps working across transformations. When you compare Style skills, remember that your gear stays the same whichever form you take. Our Styles guide covers the forms themselves.
Zombie Skills and Bessie Burger
GPTRACK50's second-trailer announcement explains that Bessie Burger unlocks Zombie Skills. Bessie also improves the rarity options offered at later dungeon level-up choices. That makes her service one of the main sources of persistent power. Gematsu's coverage likewise connects Bessie with Zombie Skills.
The September 2026 progression press release identifies monster parts as a resource for Bessie. You gather them in the dungeon and spend them in the mall between dives. Exact costs and unlock requirements were not documented in the sources we checked.
Zombie Skills belong to the mall side of progression, which persists between dives. That is different from Style skills, which come and go with forms. Our upgrades guide explains every mall service.
Level-up choices during a dive
Davy levels up quickly by defeating enemies during a dive. RPGamer's report on the progression video describes three choices offered at certain level-up points. Picking well at those moments shapes the rest of the run. Bessie's upgrades raise the rarity of the options you see.
Your dungeon level resets to 1 at the start of the next dive. Long-term progression increases how quickly Davy levels during later runs. Level-up choices are therefore part of each run, while mall upgrades decide how good those choices can be.
No verified level cap or experience table has been published. We do not list the exact level-up points that offer choices. See our leveling guide for what resets and what persists.
How to judge a skill choice
Without verified numbers, the best approach is to compare options against the situation. Ask whether a skill helps with the encounters ahead, whether it survives a Style change and whether it adds to persistent progress. Those questions follow directly from how the systems are documented.
Style skills depend on a form that may only be available temporarily within a run. Zombie Skills and equipment progress persist between dives. Weigh short-term power against long-term value with that difference in mind.
The developers also note that encounters change from dive to dive. A choice that worked last run may not suit the next one. Flexibility tends to matter more than following a fixed order.
Gear, active skills and passive skills
The official site confirms gear-based stat changes and active and passive skills. Body Hack covers Davy's head, arms and legs, according to the progression press release. Acelino develops and manages equipment, and the Ink on the Brain shop handles OT Gear and Body Hack.
The developers explain that equipped Body Hack gear stays functional across transformations. That means gear-related benefits stay with Davy no matter which Style he takes. It makes equipment a reliable foundation for a build.
We have not verified a complete list of equipment skills or their effects. A full skill tree has not been published either. Our best build page explains how to combine these layers without relying on invented numbers.
What is still unknown
Several details about skills remain unconfirmed before launch. There is no verified list of skill names, cooldowns or damage values. The total number of skills across every system is also unknown.
The first-hand material available today comes mostly from developer interviews, official videos and demo coverage. SEGA's DEEP BITE #1 video features director commentary on combat and devouring enemy powers. It explains the concepts, but it is not a frame-by-frame mechanics test.
We will update this page with skill tables after the October 21, 2026 launch, once they can be verified. Each table will show its source and the date it was checked. Until then, treat any skill list you see as unverified.
Sources and further reading
- GPTRACK50 / Weekly Famitsu developer interview — May 1, 2026
- GPTRACK50 second-trailer announcement — June 10, 2026
- Official English game website
- RPGamer: Video Goes for Another Bite — September 22, 2026
- Inven Global: Gamescom / TGS developer interview — September 19, 2026
- Gematsu: second-trailer report — June 10, 2026
- SEGA / GPTRACK50 progression press release — September 22, 2026
- Inven Global: Gamescom director interview — September 2, 2026
- SEGA: DEEP BITE #1 - Action (YouTube) — September 10, 2026
- GPTRACK50 release-date announcement — July 29, 2026