I am wondering if there is a respec potion in this world, it seems like a lot of people might have screwed up their builds.
And why do people keep shouting things that are supposed to be kept on the down low?
Earlier chapters explained there is no respec potion and it's how the original Magic World game worked. Instead of respeccing you reroll the whole character. But thats not possible since this world isnt the game. It's why Luce's old party was kind of concerned she'd go around town shouting how they ruined her build.
The only way to level up in this world is by killing monsters higher level than you. There are a finite number of skillpoints you earn and it seems there arent enough to max out your 3 trees. Once you spend your skillpoints you cant refund or reallocate them. If you put your points in a tree you overwrite with a skillbook, those points arent coming back. If you fuck up your build to the point you cannot even kill monsters the same level as you, your career is over.
This is why you see people, including Elma, bank their skillpoints instead of spending them right away. Those points are saved up until they're pushed into a situation where they need the power boost one of their trees provides. While it'd be nice to have the full optimal build, Elma is also aware he may have to dip into other trees in unforeseen emergencies. He did it against the Mad Head in the early chapters to get Vital Blow, a meh attack skill. It wasn't particularly useful as an attack skill in that battle. What he wanted out of that skill was the short leap it included so he could keep on dodging and make up for the Heavy Knight's poor agility.
Elma has noted that many people in this world do not try unexplored builds and always play it safe. They mostly build for survivability and what other adventurers before have found success with. In his words, "build research has entirely stagnated" or is nonexistent.
Poor Hilde
But it's also kinda her own fault for buying equipment that doesn't match/synergize with her own class.
She is out 50k+ gold because of the duel. Beggars can't be choosers. She's not really buying it because she wants it or she feels it suits her. It's because her wallet is still crying.