The achievement is unlocked once the base,
unadjusted value of a skill reaches level 100. You can earn this through normal game play providing you focus on a particular skill rather than spreading all your skill points equally over multiple skills. Alternatively, especially if you want to unlock the achievement at the earliest possible opportunity (as early as level 7), you can use the
Vocational Competence Respecification Machine on your ship to respec your character assuming you have earned sufficient skill points to bring the skill of your choice to an unadjusted value of 100. Regardless, of the method you use,
the achievement will pop when you back out of the character -> skills screen after raising your first skill to the unadjusted 100 level.
To get to your skills screen, press
to go to the inventory screen and
to tab to
character. From there, press
to tab to skills. Skills are grouped into categories. Until all skills in a category reach 50, you can increase the value of those skills to 50 by allocating skill points to the category. Once a skill reaches 50, it will no longer advance when points are assigned to the category—only those skills in the category less than 50 will increase. Once a skill reaches 50, it can only be increased by allocating skill points to it directly.
I
recommend increasing Science to 100. When the base value reaches 100, weapon & armor tinkering costs are reduced by 90%. This is of enormous benefit in ensuring your character is both lethal and survivable. High science has other benefits. In addition to passing all science skill checks—there is no science skill check in the entire game greater than 100—plasma, shock, N-ray, corrosive, and science attacks are all boosted.
Other skills are of value—lockpicking and persuasion, for example. The difference is that it is the adjusted score which is important for lockpicking and persuasion. It is easy to increase both by including Felix & Parvati in your party, wearing armor & helmet that provide bonuses, and using consumables that boost those skills. In contrast, it is the
unadjusted value—the one that is relevant to this achievement—that is of greatest benefit for the science skill.
If you are going to earn this achievement during normal game play, my recommendation is as follows. When you are in Emerald Vale at the beginning of the game, allocate points to each of the following categories until at least one skill in each reaches 50: Ranged (or melee if that is your preferred playstyle), dialog, stealth, and tech.
You level up quickly at the beginning of the game. Accordingly, one should expect each of those categories to reach 50 before you finish the main story and side quests on Emerald Vale and leave for Groundbreaker. At this point, when you level up, allocate all your points to science. Not only will this decrease your tinkering costs but you will receive a substantial boost to attacks that inflict status effect damage—shock, plasma, acid, N-ray. When the base, unadjusted value of science hits 100, the achievement will pop.
Alternatively, you can use the
vocational competence respecification machine on your ship to respec your character. There, you can reset your skills in order to unlock the achievement. The machine is above the workbench. Use the ladder in the workbench area to find it.
Assuming you are at least level 7, make a manual save. Press
to access the machine and pay the appropriate price—500 bits the first time you use it.
Respec your character, allocating at least 100 points to one of the skills. When you back out of the skills screen, the achievement will pop. You can then revert to the manual save you made before the respec or continue your game with your respeced skill set.
Level 7 is the earliest you can do this but you have little margin for error. One scenario is to make sure
Intelligence and
Perception are
very high. This will create a character with level 30 long guns. You can allocate one of your two points to the ranged category bringing the long guns skill to 40. Finally, you will have leveled up 6 times and will have 60 skill points at your disposal. Place the first 10 against the ranged category bringing long guns to 50. To wrap up, place the remaining 50 points on long guns bringing it to 100. Complete the respec (allocate perks if you want) and back out. The achievement will pop.