[Feature Request] Dedicated 'Custom Skill System' and Ability Slots for UEFN

General Feedback & Requests
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1. Overview & Background
From classic 1990s RPGs to modern MOBAs (League of Legends) and class-based shooters (Call of Duty’s Perk system, Team Fortress 2), active and passive skills/abilities serve as a core pillar of gameplay mechanics—completely independent of inventory items.

While UEFN has introduced the “Custom Items & Inventories” feature in Scene Graph, all gameplay interactions are still heavily locked into the “Item” paradigm, creating severe structural limits for skill-based game design.

2. Technical Limitations of the Current Architecture

  • Forced Inventory Slot Overhead: Iconic abilities like Star Wars ‘Force Powers’ or character skills currently force players to use up one of their 5 weapon/item slots, destroying complex loadout and RPG mechanics.

  • Input Mapping & Control Collisions: Workarounds using Verse input_trigger_device frequently collide with default movement/shooting inputs, making cross-platform (PC/Console/Mobile) skill keybindings erratic and difficult to manage.

  • HUD UI Friction: Essential skill HUD elements—such as radial cooldown displays, mana/stamina resource bars, and active state indicators—must be built entirely from scratch using Verse UI widgets for every single project.

  • Lack of GAS Accessibility: Unreal Engine’s native Gameplay Ability System (GAS) is not yet exposed via UEFN Devices or Verse APIs, forcing creators to reinvent core ability logic.

3. Proposed Architecture for the Custom Skill System

  • ① Dedicated Skill Slots & Native Ability HUD

    • Introduce dedicated Skill Slots (e.g., mapped to Q, E, R / Z, X, C / D-Pads) separate from the 5-slot weapon inventory.

    • Built-in HUD widgets that natively render skill icons, radial cooldown timers, and resource costs.

  • ② Universal Skill Device (No-Code Friendly for Beginners)

    • A drag-and-drop device featuring customizable preset mechanics for beginner creators without requiring Verse.

    • Presets: Dash, Invincibility, High Jump/Double Jump, Stealth, Area Heal, Teleportation, Knockback, etc.

    • Direct configuration of Cooldowns, Resource Costs, Radius, and Triggered VFX/SFX via the Device Details Panel.

  • ③ Verse & Scene Graph Ability API (Advanced Developers)

    • Expose modular Gameplay Ability components integrated directly with Scene Graph entities and Verse.

    • Empower advanced developers to script conditional abilities, combo mechanics, passive perks, and dynamic cooldowns.

4. Ecosystem Value
Whether building original titles or leveraging global brand IP toolkits (LEGO, The Simpsons, Star Wars), creators need to build distinct character classes and hero mechanics without sacrificing weapon slots.

Implementing a native Skill System will be the primary catalyst for genre diversification in Fortnite—unlocking deep MOBAs, Hero Shooters, and Action RPGs.