The Sims 4: Most Valuable Skills For Sims To Learn First, Ranked

The Sims is one of the most popular video game franchises out there. We all love creating digital clones of ourselves or wild characters beyond belief. The most satisfying part of the game is watching your Sim learn and grow. When you choose your skills at character creation, you might have an idea of who your Sim is, but the development of those skills can result in some surprising character development. If you’re wondering which skills are most important in The Sims 4, we’ve got you covered. Some classics and newer skills both appear on our list, but these are the most important skills to learn first, nonetheless.

9 9. Painting

Painting can be really valuable in a few ways. First of all, the skill has a medium entry cost. Most Sims can pick it up without too much of a headache. There is the initial cost of your Sim’s first few canvases, and just like in real life, artists in the Sims won't turn a profit at first. Their canvases won’t be valuable until they reach level four in the skill.

After a Sim has gotten to the upper levels of the Painting Skill, they’ll be able to create and display works based on their current emotions. When other Sims look at these paintings they will feel those same feelings. This allows you to influence Sims’ emotions quickly.

8 8. Parenting

This skill was introduced in the Parenthood Game Pack. A Sim’s level in this skill controls how successful any parenting command will be. This directly impacts their child’s character values and traits. It has a huge impact on how each child will turn out. This skill increases organically every time a Sim uses parenting command. They can also read skill books to passively increase their level. The higher the level of a skill, the more specifically a Sim can influence their child’s development.

7 7. Logic

This basic skill isn’t hugely useful on its own, but it acts as a modifier for quite a few other skills. Logic impacts a Sim’s ability to win games. For analog games like board games, card games, and other contests, this is the main skill. Video games obviously favor a Sim's video game skill level, but logic can enhance this performance as well.

A quick way to improve a Sim’s logic skill is to play chess. Playing chess in parks is free. If you use the Ponder Moves interaction, you can force the focused emotion and up your logic skill even faster.

6 6. Alchemy

Alchemy may sound like a lot of hocus pocus but this skill has the potential to be an excellent money maker. Sims can learn the skill starting as teenagers. Once your Sim has purchased Aleister’s Alchemy Station and placed it in their home, they can begin learning the skill; they’ll craft a series of elixirs. Finding the ingredients for these is no easy task but once completed, the elixirs can be sold at a consignment shop. Once your Sim is well trained and has a good idea of where to find ingredients, this can become a lucrative self-employed career.

5 5. Handiness

Handiness is as useful in the Sims as it is in real life. This skill allows Sims to repair items themselves and save a lot on repair services. Unlike in real life, your Sim begins learning handiness from the second they begin their first repair. Repairs also never fail, they just take a long time. Each repair will grant your Sim a few spare parts creating a virtual junk drawer full of useful odds and ends. As your handiness skill improves, you’ll gain the ability to use spare parts to improve objects.

4 4. Gardening

This skill has a low-cost entry and can be helpful in many ways. Sims can produce fruits and vegetables for their own use, but they can also sell them. Gardening is useful on its own but it can be combined with flower arranging which is a highly lucrative skill. Once your Sim is turning out food and flowers, there’s no cap to the success they can achieve. It’s not difficult to get started with just a few garden pots.

3 3. Fishing

Fishing is a great way for your Sim to feed himself and while he works on other skill in the process. Every neighborhood has at least one fishing area. Sims can begin fishing alone or in groups. When more than one Sim is fishing at the same time, they can talk to each other and improve their charisma skill. Not only can fish be used in cooking, but they can also be sold for a small profit. High-level fisher-Sims can find exciting and exotic locations for their hobby.

2 2. Charisma

Charisma is a classic skill introduced in the first game. It’s one of the most important skills a Sim can possess. Charisma affects two aspects of gameplay. The first is the rate of relationship development between Sims as they interact with each other. The second is the success of Sim relationships. A high charisma score means your Sim will make friends quickly and it can also enhance many careers. The best way to develop this skill is to talk to yourself in a mirror. That may not work in real life, but it makes Sims more charming.

1 1. Cooking

Art imitates life when it comes to this skill. Being able to feed yourself and your family is the most important skill you can have. Sims without this skill face a grim end when they inadvertently set their oven on fire. Sims can level up their cooking skill by watching cooking shows. Sims can also read skill books. Practicing the skill is somewhat costly and food eventually spoils, so cooking all day isn’t really an option. A balanced approach should get the job done just fine.