Some starting ideas on adding a NPC that will let Frogatto spend some sort of second currency that’ll let him improve his skills.
Jetrel: second currency idea: will-o-wisps/tiny magic creatures of some form. grab a bunch of them, visit a guru in the forest, spend them on magic upgrades (to skills, or to frogatto himself), rinse, repeat (but not enough for all upgrades, probably)
Jetrel: So, Frogatto should always be given an opportunity to be a smartass, so, suggestion of dialogue with the guru:
Frogatto: "Do I really need to find those things? Can’t you just give me new powers?"
Guru: "You seem to be mistaking me for a genie, frog. But maybe I’m a lamp, so feel free to rub my back! It’s mightily sore. "