Star Wars Outlaws Experts teach the best skills and abilities to players who can unlock them as mentors, a unique system that allows you to build a network of contacts across the game and a skill tree with them. Each of these contacts in Star Wars Outlaws grants the player six new abilities to be earned through unique challenges, representing Kay Vess learning from all sorts of knowledgeable scoundrels around the galaxy. If you want to find them all, you'll need to explore thoroughly and do some mission chains - but fortunately, we can lay out to you all Expert locations in Star Wars Outlaws, and all skills and abilities you can unlock.
Warning: the following guide contains minor spoilers for Star Wars Outlaws.
All skill and ability Experts in Star Wars Outlaws
There are 9 Experts in Star Wars Outlaws, each one of which can teach 6 abilities for the player to unlock. Below, we've got them all listed, as well as their identity.
- Bram - "The Bartender"
- Selo Rovak - "The Mechanic"
- Ailen Bren - "The Slicer"
- Temmin Wexley - "The Scavenger"
- MT-7 - "The Veteran"
- Rooster Trace - "The Mercenary"
- Sheriff Quint - "The Gunslinger"
- Teeka - "The Hotfixer"
- Lando Calrissian - "The High Roller"
How to unlock new abilities in Star Wars Outlaws
Unlocking new abilities in Star Wars Outlaws is done in the following sequence of gameplay events:
- Progress through the game until you obtain "Expert Intel".
- This Intel directs you towards an optional chain of side quests to be completed.
- When completed, these side quests unlock a new Expert in your Abilities menu.
- Experts give you one free ability for unlocking them.
- There are then five more abilities and skills that you can earn through specific challenges, which you can check in the Abilities menu.
It is worth mentioning that some abilities do require others to be unlocked, even from different Experts' skill trees. For example, the Mechanic will unlock a smoke bomb, which the Slicer can then upgrade into a Concussive Smoke Bomb that staggers enemies. Of course, if you want to understand how best to apply these powers, our Star Wars Outlaws tips can help.
Where to find all Experts' locations in Star Wars Outlaws
Below we've listed all nine of the Star Wars Outlaws Experts' locations - or rather, how to unlock the initial Expert Intel that directs you to the quest chain that will then unlock them and their ability trees. We've also included every ability they teach you, so you can read below and see what they have to offer and whether you want to prioritize them.
Bram the Bartender
Bram Shano teaches an eclectic mix of skills and abilities that cover many of the tutorialised elements, including Star Wars Outlaws Fast Talk. He's also one of a few experts who unlocks two Abilities as a default, rather than requiring challenges.
- Location: Unlocked by default through the early stages of Star Wars Outlaws' main campaign on Cantonica.
- Abilities:
- Cantina Brawling: Allows Kay to execute melee attacks with button combos. Press repeatedly to chain hits. (Default unlock)
- Lockpicking: Kay will be able to open a variety of doors and containers by succeeding at the Star Wars Outlaws lockpicking minigame. (Default unlock)
- Fast Talk: Allows key to quickly react to nearby alerted enemies and delay their reaction. Press the marked button prompt to briefly distract the alerted enemy.
- Keep Talking: Allows Fast Talk to affect and distract every nearby enemy in a medium radius. (requires Fast Talk)
- Armored Undershirt: Increases Kay's maximum health by 1 after collecting Star Wars Outlaws Ironweave and Coarseweave.
- I Know Someone: Unlocks the ability to see and fulfill Personal Requests, optional trades Kay can do with merchants.
Selo Rovak the Mechanic
Selo starts as an Expert who can upgrade your speeder with certain new daredevil powers, but then broadens into a general technician who helps with all things hardware.
- Location: Progress the main story campaign until you obtain the Ion Blaster. After that, her Expert Intel will come through and direct you to her quest chain, beginning in the Jaunta's Hope Diner on Toshara.
- Abilities
- Speed Boost: Press Square/X while on the Speeder for a short speed boost. (Default Unlock)
- Speeder Jump: Press and hold X/A while on the Speeder to perform a small jump.
- Treasure Hunter: Nix highlights nearby containers, both with noises and causing them to glow blue in scans.
- Smoke Bomb: Gives Kay a smoke bomb which blinds all nearby enemies.
- Scoundrel's Pouch: Hold 1 extra Bacta Vial and Grenade.
- Outlaw's Pouch: Hold 1 extra Bacta Vial and Grenade (requires Scoundrel's Pouch).
Aila Bren the Slicer
Aila is the game's "Slicer", or hacker, to use a more common parlance. As well as helping with Star Wars Outlaws hacking, she also teaches skills based around stealth and sabotage.
- Location: Progress the main story campaign until you obtain the Ion Blaster. After that, her Expert Intel will come through and direct you to her quest chain, beginning in Makal's Gambling Parlor in the city of Mirogana on Toshana.
- Abilities
- Slicing Kit: Allows Kay to hack devices that don't have terminals. Comes with "Joker" mods that players can spend energy on to help hacking attempts. (Default unlock)
- Sneak Shot: Shooting unaware enemies does extra damage.
- Concussive Smoke: Smoke Bomb has an additional concussion effect that staggers enemies (requires Smoke Bomb ability from The Mechanic).
- Sneaky Trap: Allows Nix to trap alarm panels, killing enemies who try to use them.
- Lightfooted: Reduces noise Kay makes while walking and sprinting by half.
- Slice Kit Upgrade: Increases Energy for the Slicing Kit by 2.
Temmin Wexley the Scavenger
Similar to Selo, Wexley starts as somebody who will modify your speeder, but then broadens their scope to all sorts of fun things.
- Location: Journey to Akiva and progress the main story until you free Gedeek. Afterwards, ND-5 will call and give you Expert Intel on "Temmin's Family", which leads to Wexley's quest chain in Sashin Village in Akiva.
- Abilities
- Hydrorepulsor: Allows the speeder to drive over water, allowing you to reach new areas (Default unlock).
- Electro-shock Prod: Allows Kay to perform stealth takedowns on elite enemies.
- Ion Smoke Bomb: Upgrades smoke bombs to also deal ion damage, temporarily disabling devices and droids nearby (requires Smoke Bomb ability from The Mechanic).
- Assisted Scavenger: Increases rewards from containers.
- Scavenger's Footwear: Increase movement speed when crouching.
- Survivor: Increases Kay's maximum health by 1.
MT-7 the Veteran
A Commando Droid like ND-5, MT-7 is a broken-down droid on Akiva who largely teaches combat skills and abilities to help with being tough.
- Location: When in orbit around any planet, head to points of interest on the map (such as shipwrecks) and look for yellow containers floating in space. Some of these will grant "Transmissions". Once you've found four of them, you'll be directed with new Intel leading you to an Abandoned Landing Pad on Akiva.
- Abilities
- Decryption Module: Allows Kay to decrypt Separatist Datadiscs for info. (Default Unlock)
- Improvise: Increases Kay's maximum health by 1.
- Adapt: Increases instant health recovery of Bacta Vials by 1 (requires Improvise).
- Overcome: Regenerate health quickly after taking explosion damage (requires Adapt).
- Nix Commando: Nix attacks a second enemy when you use his attack command, if there's one nearby.
- Slice Kit Upgrade: Increases Energy for the Slicing Kit by 2.
Rooster Trace the Mercenary
Associated with big guns, weapons and firepower, Rooster teaches Kay how to use heavy weapons and even some new tricks for the Trailblazer.
- Location: After entering the spaceport on Kijimi for the first time and exploring, you'll get a call from ND-5 with "The Domak Refectory Intel". This will lead you to the bar of the same name in the North West corner of the settlement, where Rooster's quest chain begins with speaking to her.
- Abilities
- Can I Try That?: Allows Kay to pick up and use high-tier imperial weapons she couldn't use before. (Default Unlock)
- I Like This Thing: Increases ammo in picked-up weapons by 25%.
- Feelers Out: Doubles the range of Nix's Sense ability to detect enemies.
- Sharpshooting: Increases Adrenaline earned through headshots significantly.
- Loop Maneuver: Allows the Trailblazer to quickly turn 180 degrees by pressing the controller's shoulder buttons.
- Top Roll Maneuver: Hold the shoulder buttons while flying the Trailblazer to do a special backwards roll that puts you behind your pursuers, lined up to shoot them (requires Loop Maneuver).
Sheriff Quint the Gunslinger
A classic western cowboy at heart, Quint gives a range of upgrades to your quick-draw Adrenaline Rush power, allowing you to gun down enemies at speed.
- Location: After a main story mission on Tatooine where you have to find a special pearl, ND-5 calls you with a mission chain that begins in the iconic Mos Eisley Cantina on Tatooine.
- Abilities
- Adrenaline Rush Mastery: Allows Kay to mark 2 extra targets in Adrenaline Rush, as well as mark objects like explosive barrels. (Default Unlock)
- Powered Recharge: Earn a small amount of adrenaline when activating Perfect Cooling.
- Speeder Shot: Adrenaline Rush on the Speeder automatically targets nearby enemies.
- Resilient: Increases Kay's maximum health by 1.
- The More: Allows Kay to mark 1 extra target in Adrenaline Rush.
- The Better: In Adrenaline Rush Kay can mark tougher enemies like Death Troopers twice, shooting them twice and killing rather than staggering them. (requires The More)
Teeka the Hotfixer
Yes, there's a Jawa Expert out there too. Starting with adding a turret to your ship, Teeka then provides a disparate range of eclectic abilities.
- Location: After a main story mission on Tatooine where Kay is temporarily forbidden to use her ship, ND-5 suggests that this might be a good time to upgrade it, and gives the "Buying a Turret" intel. This begins Teeka's quest chain in Scavenger's Draw, in North West Mos Eisley on Tatooine.
- Abilities
- Laser Turret: Adds an upgradeable laser turret to the Trailblazer that automatically shoots at nearby enemies when active. (Default Unlock)
- Improved Grenade: Increases radius and damage of Grenades by 50%.
- Enhanced Bacta Injector: Increases instant health recovery of Bacta Vials by 1.
- Magnetic Dice: Adds a new cheat to Sabacc where Kay can control the outcome of dice rolls.
- Cheeky Explosion: Nix can be ordered to trigger the grenades held by enemies, killing them.
- M'gasha: Improves merchant prices by 10%, and grants you an extra 10% on any items you sell.
Lando Calrissian the High Roller
Yes, Lando's back, and he's here to teach a range of stylish skills, including cheating at cards, shooting people, pilot tricks, and more shooting people.
- Location: In the Alcazar bar in South Myrra, the city on Akiva, speak to the Bartender to get the "Taking Your Shot" Intel. Follow this to Satrap's Promenade, where you can meet Lando and begin his quest chain.
- Abilities
- Plan A: Allows Kay to perform a Double Draw cheat at Sabacc, taking 2 cards instead of 1. (Default Unlock)
- Plan B: Allows Kay to craft the Heavy Blaster Module to do heavy damage at a slower fire rate (Default Unlock)
- Roll Maneuver: Hold either shoulder button to roll the Trailblazer while in flight, for a more effective dodge.
- Shoot First: The opening shot that triggers combat does huge damage.
- Ask Later: All shots from hip-fire mode, for a short time after unholstering the blaster, whether they hit or not, grant Adrenaline (requires Shoot First).
- Just Improvise: After a Fast Talk or Arrest Sequence, instantly provide a very high amount of adrenaline, setting you up for an Adrenaline Rush.
Best abilities and Experts in Star Wars Outlaws
With 54 different abilities and skills in Star Wars Outlaws, it's hard to know where to begin as a priority. However, we'd say the best Expert to unlock first is Aila Bren the Slicer, as her default Slicer upgrade is essential to making that hacking minigame more fair and useful.
If you want to know some general abilities to pick out and prioritise across the board though, here's ones you should go for that we found generally useful across the board:
- I Know Someone (The Bartender)
- Lightfooted (The Slicer)
- Electro-Shock Prod (The Scavenger)
- Assisted Scavenging (The Scavenger)
- Can I Try That? (The Mercenary Default)
- Plan B (The High Roller Default)
- Just Improvise (The High Roller)
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