It Takes Two Character Skills guide screenshot

Character Skills

Character Skills Guide for It Takes Two



Overview


In It Takes Two, the two protagonists – Cody and May – do not have permanent skill trees or character progression. Instead, each chapter grants them unique, complementary abilities that define the gameplay for that section. These abilities are used exclusively within their home chapter and are essential for solving puzzles, traversing the environment, and defeating boss encounters. This guide lists every ability for both characters across all seven chapters, including effects, controls, cooldowns, upgrades, combos, synergies, and optimal usage strategies.

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Chapter 1: The Shed


Cody – Nail Gun


  • Description: Shoots nails that adhere to most surfaces. Nails can be used as footholds, handholds, or anchors. Hold the button to charge a more powerful shot that embeds the nail deeper.

  • Controls: RT / R2 (shoot nail), LT / L2 (hammer a previously shot nail to drive it deeper)

  • Cooldown: None; can shoot nails rapidly, but ammo is limited (infinite in practice; nails disappear after some time or when hammered)

  • Upgrades: Early in the chapter, Cody gains the ability to hammer his own nails (initially only May can). Later, he can shoot a spread of three nails at once.

  • Combos & Synergies: May’s Sledgehammer can break nails Cody shoots, or May can hammer them to create permanent platforms. Use Cody’s nails as anchors for May to swing from.

  • Use Cases: Creating stepping-stones over gaps, providing climbing points for May, triggering pressure-sensitive switches by stacking nails.


    • May – Sledgehammer


  • Description: A heavy hammer that can smash objects, break walls, hit switches, and drive Cody’s nails deeper.

  • Controls: RT / R2 (swing)

  • Cooldown: Brief recovery after each swing (0.5 seconds)

  • Upgrades: None directly; after defeating the first boss (the vacuum), May’s hammer can break stronger walls.

  • Combos & Synergies: Hit Cody’s nails to embed them, creating safe ledges. Cody can also hammer nails himself later. Use the hammer to clear obstacles blocking Cody’s path.

  • Use Cases: Destroying barriers, activating floor switches, smashing enemies, driving nails for climbing, opening secret areas.


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    Chapter 2: The Tree


    Cody – Sap Gun


  • Description: Shoots a stream of sticky sap that adheres to surfaces and objects. Sap can be ignited by May’s matches to create explosions or burns.

  • Controls: RT / R2 (shoot sap, hold for continuous stream)

  • Cooldown: None; sap dissipates after a few seconds unless ignited.

  • Upgrades: None; the sap remains the same throughout the chapter.

  • Combos & Synergies: May ignites the sap with matches to destroy obstacles or burn away blockages. Sap can also be used to glue objects together or slow down enemies.

  • Use Cases: Covering enemies to immobilize them, creating patches for May to ignite, sticking moving parts to prevent rotation, bridging gaps by coating platforms.


    • May – Matches


  • Description: Lights a match that can set fire to Cody’s sap, igniting it and causing combustion. Can also be used to light other flammable objects like fuses or torches.

  • Controls: RT / R2 (strike match, hold to keep lit; release to toss)

  • Cooldown: Each match lasts about 2 seconds; can hold up to three matches before needing to “reload” by shaking the canister (automatic after a short cooldown)

  • Upgrades: None; match supply is infinite.

  • Combos & Synergies: Always use with Cody’s sap. The fire from ignited sap can deal damage, melt ice, or reveal hidden paths. Matches alone can light candles and torches.

  • Use Cases: Igniting sap to blow up obstacles, starting fires to melt blockage, lighting fuses for timed puzzles, stunning or damaging enemies in sap.


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    Chapter 3: The Pillow Fort


    Cody – Vacuum (Pillow Shooter)


  • Description: Fires globs of soft pillow material that stick to surfaces and grow into puffy platforms. Also can suck in small objects and shoot them out with force.

  • Controls: RT / R2 (shoot pillow glob); hold LT / L2 and release (suck in small items); then press RT / R2 to shoot them

  • Cooldown: Pillow globs have a short delay before solidifying; suction and shoot have no cooldown.

  • Upgrades: Later, Cody can charge the vacuum to launch larger projectiles from sucked objects.

  • Combos & Synergies: May can use the rope gun to swing from Cody’s pillows. Sucked objects can be fired at targets or into May’s rope loops. Use pillows to create safe landing zones.

  • Use Cases: Creating floating platforms, bridging gaps, deflecting enemy projectiles (with suction), providing anchor points for May’s rope, launching projectiles at weak points.


    • May – Rope Gun


  • Description: Shoots a rope that can attach to certain anchors (including Cody’s pillows). Once attached, May can swing, zipline, or pull objects.

  • Controls: RT / R2 (shoot rope at anchor point); while attached, move to swing; press A / X to detach

  • Cooldown: Rope can be shot repeatedly; each rope connection lasts until cancelled.

  • Upgrades: Can shoot two ropes to create a zipline for Cody. Later, can attach rope to enemies to pull them.

  • Combos & Synergies: Attach rope to Cody’s pillows to traverse large gaps. Cody can also shoot pillow globs to create new anchor points for May’s rope. Use the rope to lift heavy objects with Cody’s vacuum assist.

  • Use Cases: Swinging across pit, pulling levers from a distance, creating ziplines for both characters, restraining enemies, reaching high ledges.


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    Chapter 4: The Space Station


    Cody – Magnet


  • Description: Magnetic ability that attracts or repels metal objects. Hold left bumper (LB / L1) to attract, right bumper (RB / R1) to repel. Can also affect May if she holds a metal item.

  • Controls: LB/L1 (attract), RB/R1 (repel); hold trigger for continuous effect; press Y / Triangle to toggle polarity

  • Cooldown: None; uses a stamina bar that depletes when active and refills quickly.

  • Upgrades: Later can magnetize large objects to move them slowly. Also can create temporary magnetic fields on certain surfaces.

  • Combos & Synergies: May’s platform launcher creates platforms that can be moved by Cody’s magnet. Use magnetism to pull May across gaps (if she holds a metal part). Attract or repel enemies and objects into May’s platform path.

  • Use Cases: Moving floating platforms, redirecting projectiles, pulling distant switches, creating bridges by repositioning metal debris, trapping enemies in magnetic fields.


    • May – Platform Launcher


  • Description: Fires a disc that expands into a solid floating platform. The platform stays for a limited time (about 10 seconds) and can be moved by Cody’s magnetism.

  • Controls: RT / R2 (shoot platform); hold for trajectory aim

  • Cooldown: Can shoot up to three platforms before needing a recharge (platforms disappear automatically after time).

  • Upgrades: Platforms can be made larger or stick to metal surfaces. Later, May can shoot platforms that act as trampolines.

  • Combos & Synergies: Cody uses magnetism to reposition May’s platforms. Use platforms as stepping stones or to block enemy projectiles. May can stand on her own platforms to reach new heights.

  • Use Cases: Bridging gaps not reachable by jumping, creating temporary cover, elevating both characters, holding objects in mid-air for Cody to magnetize.


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    Chapter 5: The Garden


    Cody – Seed Launcher


  • Description: Shoots seeds that rapidly grow into plants (vines, leaves, etc.). The type of plant depends on the surface (soil, wood, etc.). Vines can be climbed or used as bridges.

  • Controls: RT / R2 (shoot seed); aim with left stick

  • Cooldown: Seeds grow after 1 second; can hold up to 6 seeds before automatic reload.

  • Upgrades: Later can shoot explosive seeds that bloom into damaging vines.

  • Combos & Synergies: May’s water gun speeds up growth and can make plants larger or create flowering platforms. Use vines as attach points for May’s rope? (Not directly, but May can climb vines).

  • Use Cases: Climbing walls, growing bridges over gaps, covering enemies with vines to immobilize them, creating platforms for May’s water to enlarge.


    • May – Water Gun


  • Description: Sprays water that immediately grows plants hit by Cody’s seeds. Also can shrink certain overgrown plants by spraying them with a different mode (press R3 / right stick to toggle).

  • Controls: RT / R2 (spray water); hold for continuous stream; press R3 / right stick to toggle shrink mode

  • Cooldown: Water supply is infinite; toggle has no cooldown.

  • Upgrades: Later can shoot a high-pressure stream that pushes enemies and objects.

  • Combos & Synergies: Water on Cody’s seeds makes them grow instantly and become climbable. Use shrink mode to reduce large obstacles. Combine both modes to solve size-based puzzles.

  • Use Cases: Accelerating plant growth, shrinking barriers, watering vines to create solid paths, pushing rotating gears, stunning enemies with water jet.


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    Chapter 6: The Snow Globe


    Cody – Flamethrower


  • Description: Shoots a steady stream of fire that melts ice, burns obstacles, and damages enemies. Can also be used to ignite flammable objects.

  • Controls: RT / R2 (spray flame); hold for continuous fire; uses fuel gauge (auto-replenishes after a short pause)

  • Cooldown: Fuel recharges when not firing (about 2 seconds for full refill).

  • Upgrades: None; flame intensity remains constant.

  • Combos & Synergies: May’s Freeze Ray creates ice platforms that Cody can melt back into water. Use fire to thaw frozen mechanisms or melt ice walls blocking paths. Fire can also melt snow piles to reveal items.

  • Use Cases: Melting ice obstacles, burning through thickets, damaging ice enemies, creating steam clouds that obscure vision (sometimes useful), heating frozen objects to unlock them.


    • May – Freeze Ray


  • Description: Shoots a beam of cold that freezes water into solid ice platforms, freezes enemies, and can create ice walls. Also can freeze moving machinery components.

  • Controls: RT / R2 (spray freeze beam); hold for continuous freeze; uses a freeze gauge (auto-replenishes)

  • Cooldown: Gauge recharges after not firing for about 2 seconds.

  • Upgrades: Later can fire a charged shot that creates a large ice block.

  • Combos & Synergies: Cody melts ice back into water for reuse. Use ice platforms to cross water surfaces. Freeze enemies for Cody to incinerate. Freeze moving parts to stop them temporarily.

  • Use Cases: Creating bridges across lakes, trapping enemies, stopping dangerous machinery, forming ice walls for cover, freezing waterfalls to climb.


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    Chapter 7: The Finale (The Wedding / Final Boss)


    Both Characters – Heart Power (Love Beams)


  • Description: Each character shoots homing projectiles shaped like hearts that deal damage to the final boss (Dr. Hakim). The hearts home in on the boss’s weak points.

  • Controls: RT / R2 (shoot heart); no ammo limitation; fire rate is moderate.

  • Cooldown: No cooldown; continuous fire possible.

  • Upgrades: None; the ability remains the same throughout the boss fight.

  • Combos & Synergies: Both characters shoot simultaneously for double damage. Hearts can be used to activate special objects in the arena. Timing shots together can stun the boss faster.

  • Use Cases: Only used during the final boss fight. Shoot hearts to damage the boss, activate platforms, or break shields.


    • Cody – Melee Mace


  • Description: A heavy mace that swings in a wide arc. Can be used to smash ground-based enemies or break certain obstacles in the final arena.

  • Controls: X / Square (swing)

  • Cooldown: Swing speed is moderate; can be chained into a combo of three hits.

  • Upgrades: None.

  • Combos & Synergies: Use after May’s attacks to create openings. Mace can stun the boss briefly.

  • Use Cases: Destroying spawned enemies, breaking fragile objects, dealing extra stagger damage to the boss when close.


    • May – Energy Whip


  • Description: A whip that can reach distant targets, pull levers, and damage enemies at range. Can also be used to swing from special hooks in the arena.

  • Controls: X / Square (whip attack); hold to charge a more powerful lash

  • Cooldown: Quick recovery; charged whip has a longer cooldown.

  • Upgrades: None.

  • Combos & Synergies: Whip can stun the boss from a distance, allowing Cody to close in with the mace. Use whip to interact with environmental objects while Cody attacks.

  • Use Cases: Hitting boss weak spots from afar, activating switches, pulling down shields, grabbing items.


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    General Tips & Synergies


  • Complementary Design: Every chapter’s abilities are built to require cooperation. Always communicate which ability you are using and when you need assistance.

  • No Permanent Upgrades: Abilities only exist within their chapter. Don’t expect to carry skills forward; learn each set fresh.

  • Environmental Interactions: Many objects in the environment react to both characters’ abilities. Experiment with using your skill on anything that looks interactive.

  • Practice in Safe Areas: Each chapter starts with a safe zone to test your new abilities. Spend a minute practicing before moving into puzzles.

  • Cooldown Management: Abilities with gauges (Flamethrower, Freeze Ray) require careful management. Don’t empty them completely unless necessary; save a reserve for emergencies.

  • Hidden Content: Some collectibles are only reachable using specific skill combos, e.g., May’s rope gun combined with Cody’s vacuum or magnets. Replay chapters to find everything.


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Recommended Passive Skills? (None)


It Takes Two has no passive skills, talent trees, or character builds. Everything is situational. The “best build” for any chapter is simply to use the abilities as the game teaches you, and to coordinate with your partner. The true “skill” is communication and timing.

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Conclusion


This guide covers every active ability for Cody and May across all chapters of It Takes Two. By mastering the synergies between each pair of skills, you will overcome every puzzle and boss with efficiency and fun. Remember: no two players approach a chapter the same way – experiment, communicate, and enjoy the cooperative journey.