Can I simply take the 2nd skill in the line without the first? Thanks!

You NEEDS the first to level the tree and to get the second. However, when you get the second you can take the first off the bar. You need one skill on your bar to level in that line, but you can skip after the first.

on phone sorry about the typos

Also, it only applies to class ski

..it won't let me edit my post and made me stop mid sentence

It only applies to class skill lines, armor and weapons will level just by being equipped and you can skip those

You don't need the first skill to get the second UNLESS the skill line requires the use of a skill to level it. For example, you must use dark magic abilities to level the dark magic skill line. Therefore, you need the first skill in dark magic. You can, however, skip the second or third or whatever skill and just pick what you want after that.

You do not need to use weapon skills to level the weapon skill line however. Just use the weapon. Once it's leveled enough, you can select whatever skill you want regardless of whether you have the others.

Other skill lines have other ways of leveling. The mage's guild requires finding lore books. The alliance war requires alliance rank, earned by just killing other players and whatnot. Thus you don't have to get the first skill, or any skill, before getting the one you want. Just need the right level in the skill line.

NM.

What about passives? Are these unlocked separately from actives?

Passives unlock with the skill you are at with that particular area, so the same rules still apply. For class skills you need an ability from that tree on your bar; weapon/armor just need to have them equipped.

Can you clarify what this means? I understand how to level that area. Let's say a passive requires level 14. Can you simply equip the first level skill on your hotbar and then wait until level 14 for that passive, or do you need to unlock the active class skills in between the level 1 ability and the passive you want?

When you click on a skill tree, there is a progress bar on top of the skill tree. For example, if I predominantly use the Restoring Light Templar skills, there is a level bar when I press K to open the skills and in the Restoring Light Tree. There is also a number next to the bar, this is your level in that skill tree. It's in every tree, a separate progress bar specifically for that tree.

Okay, so, to level the Restoring Light tree, I need to have and/or use Restoring light abilities on my hotbar (just one on your hotbar will level you in that tree). As I level, the Restoring Light tree will also level with me as long as there is an ability on my bar from the Restoring Light line.

Now, that tree will level continuously as long as there is that Restoring Light. Let's say I have a passive that requires level 14 in Restoring Light that I want. I need to keep that Restoring Light ability on my hotbar until the Restoring Light progress bar is at level 14, and I may skip the other passives and go straight for that one. Since the Restoring Light passives only require a higher skill level in Restoring Light, I may skip as many as I wish and go straight for the ones I want.

On the flip side, lets say I just want a 1h+shield passive. I do NOT need a 1h+shield ability on my bar to get that passive, as equipping the weapon and using it will give me experience in that line, as will armor that I'm wearing, unlike class skills.

Ok, so actives in class abilities require previous ones, but passives do not then.

Well, sort of. You just need 1 for class skills. So you can take the first one, and then replace it with the second. As long as 1 ability from that tree is on your bar you can skip whatever you want in the tree. For example, let's say you take the first, but you don't want it. As soon as you can get the second, you do. You don't like #3 or #4 in the tree, but #5 is appealing. You can skip #3 and #4, but you still need the proper skill level for #5.