The Sims 4 Skills and Emotions
Faster Skill Gains and Better Results when in the Best Mood.
The Sims 4's Skill System ties directly to Emotions. When you use a Skill, being in the Ideal Emotion helps raise the rate at which you'll gain Skill Levels. This has been proven by Forum Moderator Nutella who did some testing comparing results between Very Happy and Very X for each Skill. Being near 'Very' Emotions does not help - you need to be all the way to Very Inspired, Very Happy, etc. However, do know that Very Happy or just Happy are good Moods for Skilling, as they affect all Skills in a positive way, allowing you to gain levels faster.
Skills' Ideal Moods for Gaining Levels Faster
Here are all the Skills and their Ideal Moods. Being in the Ideal Mood will boost Skill Level gain over Happy by about 20%, depending on the Skill. I must thank Member DarkWalker for providing the actual numbers. On each, you will see a link to an Emotion Guide to help you get that Emotion. Read the main Guide to Emotions to understand how the system works, getting Emotional Auras, Teas, and how Happiness boosts all other Positive Emotions. Happiness increases Skill gains by 20% when Happy and 40% when Very Happy, so it's helpful to all Skills.
Muser - Note all the Skills that are boosted by Muser, which is a Bonus Trait for selecting a Creativity Aspiration for your Sim upon creation. This boosts many Creative Skills and also raises effective level, as seen below!
- Charisma - Happy/Very Happy (25%/40%). Use Confident once Lvl 10, as it boosts Effective Level.
- Comedy - Playful/Very Playful (40%/60%)
- Cooking - Inspired/Very Inspired (40%/60%) (60%/80% with Muser Bonus Trait)
- Fishing - Focused/Very Focused (40%/60%)
- Fitness - Energized/Very Energized (40%/60%) Anger also helps if you've the Hot Headed Trait.
- Gardening - Focused/Very Focused (40%/60%)
- Gourmet Cooking - Inspired/Very Inspired (40%/60%) (60%/80% with Muser Bonus Trait)
- Guitar - Inspired (40%/60%) (60%/80% with Muser Bonus Trait)
- Handiness - Focused
- Logic - Focused (40%/60%)
- Mischief - Angry, (20%) but Happy/Very Happy (20%/40%) is equal or better. Angry Helps with Mischief Interactions.
- Mixology - Inspired/Very Inspired (40%/60%) (60%/80% with Muser Bonus Trait)
- Painting - Inspired/Very Inspired (40%/60%) (60%/80% with Muser Bonus Trait)
- Piano - Inspired/Very Inspired (40%/60%) (60%/80% with Muser Bonus Trait)
- Programming - Focused (40%/60%)
- Rocket Science - Focused (40%/60%)
- Video Gaming - Focused (40%/60% but seems to get further bonuses, making this Skill level very fast).
- Violin - Inspired/Very Inspired (40%/60%) (60%/80% with Muser Bonus Trait)
- Writing - Inspired/Very Inspired (40%/60%) (60%/80% with Muser Bonus Trait)
Skills, Emotions and Best Results
Now, all those Emotions will help your Sims make it to level 10. Forum Member Darkwalker submitted some interesting data from the game that helps us understand what Emotions do to Skills. Being under the effects of an Emotion will raise your Sim's effective Skill level, meaning they are more likely to produce higher quality items (Painting, Writing) or have a lesser chance of failure (Charisma, getting shocked with Handiness). Negative Emotions may boost some Skills, but drain others dramatically as in the case of Dazed. Thankfully, it's clear that these can boost your Sim past the max of 10, as evidenced by the increased rate of Masterpieces or Bestsellers when Very Inspired.
Obviously, the Ideal Emotion is usually best, but based on this information you may not worry if your Sim is confident and working on a Skill that doesn't require it. Every Emotion has impacts on Skills' effective levels as follows:
- Happy: +1 to all Skills, +2 if Very Happy
- Confident: +1 to all Skills, +2 to Charisma. +2 to all Skills if Very Confident
- Energized: +2 to all Physical Skills, +3 when very Energized.
- Flirty: +1 to Charisma, +2 if Very Flirty
- Focused: +2 to all Mental Skills, +3 if Very Focused
- Inspired: +2 to all Creative Skills, +3 if Very Inspired. With Muser (bonus Trait for Creative Aspirations) it is +3/+4!
- Playful: +2 to Comedy, +1 to Charisma. +3 to Comedy if Very Playful, +4 to Comedy if Hysterical (but can be Dangerous)
- Angry: -1 to Creative, Mental Skills and Charisma, +1 to Mischief/Physical, Furious is -2 Creative/Mental/Charisma and +2 Mischief/Physical. +3 if Enraged, but the others suffer -3. Being Enraged can be dangerous, as it is near the border for Killing a Sim.
- Bored: -1 to All Skills
- Dazed: -3 to All Skills
- Embarrassed: -1 to Social Skills.
- Sad: -1 to all Skills except Creative, which gets +1. Depressed makes it -2 and removes the bonus to Creative. If your Sim has the Gloomy Trait, you get a +2 Bonus when Depressed. Sad is not a dangerous Emotion.
- Tense: -1 to all Skills, -2 if Very Tense.
- Uncomfortable: -1 to all Skills, -2 if Very Uncomfortable
This should teach you how to use Emotions to benefit your Sim, and maybe go ahead and work on something without being in the Ideal Emotion at times. Emotions do have a massive impact on Skills as evidenced above. You can thank DarkWalker for providing the valuable data here.
Learn More
- Cheats - Gameplay, testing, and building cheats
- Careers - All job levels, promotions and rewards
- Skills - All skills, ideal moods, and their benefits
- Expansions, Stuff, and Game Packs - All Sims DLC Features
- Babies - Caring for an infant in The Sims 4
- Children - School grades and child skills
- Tips - Gameplay tips and tricks
- Sims' Needs - Caring for your Sims
- Money - Ways of making money in The Sims 4
- Building Tutorials - Learn tricks to make your houses look great.
- Get to Work: Open for Business - running a business
- Emotions - Getting your Sims in the right mood
- Relationships and Weddings
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