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5.
Skills And Professions
The character you define during character creation is only a starting point for your online persona. As you advance through the game, your character will evolve, gaining new skills, abilities, and even entire professions over time. You are free to choose exactly how your character grows and changes, deciding whether you want to specialize in a small set of related skills or to expand and diversify.
The skill system in Star Wars™ Galaxies involves four components: experience points (XP), skills, titles, and professions.
5.1.
EXPERIENCE POINTS (XP)
In Star Wars™ Galaxies, your character can advance by earning experience points (XP). There are actually several different types of XP in the game, each related to specific in-game activities. You earn Pistol XP for using your blaster to kill enemies, while you earn Unarmed Combat XP for defeating enemies with your bare hands and feet. Nearly everything you do earns you some form of XP. You can see what types of XP you have earned by reviewing your XP in your Skills screen (CTRL+ S keys) .
Experience points are the core component of the skill system. You can visit skill trainers (usually located in the Training Halls in all major cities), and "spend" XP to learn new skills.
XP TYPES
Many XP types are self-explanatory, named after specific types of activities or a profession. Methods for earning different XP are described under descriptions of specific professions elsewhere in this manual.
5.2.
Skills
Skills improve your character. Some skills will give you bonuses when using specific weapons or equipment; other skills will give you new abilities. Every skill has an XP cost associated with it; you must have enough of the appropriate XP before you can learn that skill. You can review your current skills in your Skills screen (CTRL+ S keys) . This screen arranges your skills by profession, and includes both skills you currently possess and those that you can learn as part of your current professions.
In the All Professions tab, you can highlight any of the skills to see the type and amount of XP the skill will require. Aside from an XP cost, many skills often require a prerequisite skill. You can't gain Advanced Blaster Pistol without first learning Intermediate Blaster Pistol. (Go here for more information on how skills are organized)
5.3.
Skill Trainers
To learn a skill, your character must train with a suitable teacher. Throughout the galaxy, you' ll find numerous NPCs called "trainers," each associated with a given profession. A Marksman trainer can teach you all skills related to the Marksman profession. Trainers for all Starting Professions are found in virtually every major city. Use the radial menu to converse with an NPC to learn what skills he or she can teach you.
5.4.
Apprenticeship
Star Wars™ Galaxies also offers players the opportunity to teach one another certain skills. In fact, the concept of apprenticeship is key for advancement in some professions.
Some skills require Apprenticeship XP. To take an apprentice, group with another character. You can then teach that character specific skills that you possess. The other character needs to have any prerequisites, including XP, for the skill you want to teach.
Becoming another player' s apprentice has several advantages. First, you can learn any skills that another player possesses without seeking out an NPC skill trainer (thus allowing you to train in the field). Second, NPCs will nearly always charge for training, but you aren' t automatically charged credits when you learn a skill from another player.
5.5.
Professions
"Profession" is the term for a collection of skills and titles. Every profession, regardless of type, has the same general layout.
To gain a skill, you need to have the skills below it.
Each column in a profession is called a "discipline." You are not forced to learn all four disciplines in a given profession. In fact, you will probably want to mix and match disciplines, allowing you to focus on what interests you most. If you ascend to the top of a discipline, you may gain access to an Elite Profession or a new title.
You will need to learn all four disciplines in order to attain a Master title.
During character creation, you select a single Starting Profession. Once in the game, you can gain the basic "novice title" and attendant skills for any other Starting Profession by visiting the right trainer (the Brawler trainer to gain Novice Brawler, for example) and paying a credit fee.
ELITE PROFESSIONS
Elite Professions represent focused training. A Marksman can concentrate on using pistols, rifles, or carbines, while a Brawler can become proficient with unarmed combat or a number of melee weapons. Most Elite Professions can only be accessed after you climb to the top of one or more disciplines in a related profession. For example, you can gain access to the Rifleman profession and qualify for the Novice Rifleman skill after you achieve the Rifle Specialist skill box in the Rifle discipline of the Marksman profession.
You can learn more about the Elite Professions by viewing them in the Skills screen (CTRL+ S keys). To "unlock" any of the Elite Professions, you must gain a specific title (or titles), earn enough of the appropriate XP, and visit the proper skill trainer. The title requirements are listed below:
Architect: Allows construction of houses and other buildings.
Requirement: Engineering IV: Complex Systems (Artisan)
Armorsmith: Crafter specializing in armors.
Requirement: Engineering IV: Complex Systems (Artisan)
Carbineer: Marksman specializing in carbines (hard projectile weapons)
Requirement: Carbine Specialist (Marksman)
Chef: Crafter who can manufacture a wide range of foods.
Requirement: Domestic Arts IV: Clothing Repair (Artisan)
Creature Handler: Scout trained in taming and controlling animals.
Requirements: Exploration IV: Alien Environment Training and Hunting IV: Unconventional Methodology (Scout)
Dancer: Entertainer with increased healing abilities through dancing.
Requirement: Master Dancing (Entertainer) Doctor: A skilled surgeon with the ability to make medicines.
Requirement: Master Medic (Medic)
Droid Engineer: An engineer who builds droids.
Requirement: Engineering IV: Complex Systems (Artisan)
Fencer: Brawler trained in all manner of one-handed melee weapons.
Requirement: Master One-Hand Sword Specialization (Brawler)
Image Designer: A character capable of changing nearly anything about another character's appearance.
Requirement: Hairstyling Specialist (Entertainer)
Musician: Gains healing through music and access to more songs and instruments.
Requirement: Master Musicianship (Entertainer)
Pikeman: Brawler trained to use all types of Polearms.
Requirement: Master Polearm Specialization (Brawler)
Pistoleer: Marksman skilled at using blaster pistols and other small firearms.
Requirement: Pistol Specialist (Marksman)
Ranger: Adventurer well-suited to travel, tracking, and defending others in combat.
Requirement: Master Scout (Scout)
Rifleman: Marksman who is skilled using blaster rifles and other large firearms.
Requirement: Rifle Specialist (Marksman)
Swordsman: Brawler trained to handle various two- handed melee weapons.
Requirement: Master Two-Handed Sword Specialization (Brawler)
Tailor: Crafter specialized in creating all types of clothing.
Requirement: Domestic Arts IV: Clothing Repair (Artisan)
Tera Kasi Artist: A master of unarmed combat.
Requirement: Master Unarmed Specialization (Brawler)
Weaponsmith: Artisan who has become a skilled weapons maker.
Requirement: Engineering IV: Complex Systems ( Artisan)
HYBRID PROFESSIONS
While Elite Professions indicate specialized training in focused areas, Hybrid Professions provide a broader base of skills. Because they are complicated career paths, Hybrid Professions often require some degree of proficiency in two other related professions, and may call for Master titles.
Bio-Engineer: Excels at producing and harvesting organic resources.
Requirements: Organic Chemistry IV ( Medic) & Hunting IV: Unconventional Methodology (Scout)
Bounty Hunter: A mercenary who earns his living by hunting down "criminals. "
Requirements: Master Marksman (Marksman) & Master Scout (Scout)
Combat Medic: A healer who also has some field training to increase his odds of survival in battle.
Requirements: Ranged Support Specialist ( Marksman) & Master Medic (Medic)
Commando: A hardened soldier trained to use and craft heavy weapons.
Requirements: Master Marksman (Marksman), Unarmed Specialist (Brawler) & Engineering Specialist (Artisan)
Smuggler: An adventurer able to sell contraband and collect spice.
Requirements: Pistol Specialists ( Marksman), Business IV: Business Diversity (Artisan), Unarmed Specialist (Brawler) & Engineering Specialist (Artisan)
Squad Leader: A soldier whose very presence in a group provides benefits to all group members.
Requirements: Ranged Weapons Support Ability Specialist (Marksman) & Survival IV: Special Techniques (Scout)
5.5.
Titles
Occasionally, you' ll gain enough skills and XP to be eligible for a title. You' ll also receive titles when you gain new professions. Titles range from Novice Marksman to Master Commando. A title generally confers several bonuses, but the XP cost and skill prerequisites can be steep. Titles are indicators to your character' s abilities, and they may also give you access to Elite or Hybrid Professions.
5.7.
Learning Capacity
Every character has the same learning capacity, which is basically a representation of the number of skills you can have at any one time. Your Learning Capacity bar, which can be reviewed in your Skills screen (CTRL+ S keys) , fills up as you gain skills. When the bar is completely full, you can no longer learn new skills.
Different skills have a different learning capacity "cost," but all characters can gain complete mastery in three full professions and dabble in a fourth. However, you don' t need to adhere strictly to the professions or learn each discipline in your chosen professions. In fact, the most successful players will likely create unique characters by learning a number of disciplines from several different professions.
< < < TRANSMISSION OVERRIDE: REROUTING TO NEW SIGNAL> > >
I' VE FOUGHT ALONGSIDE A LOT OF THUGS, ADVENTURERS AND EVEN OUTRIGHT HEROES, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT NO TWO ARE IDENTICAL. YOU GOT HAN SOLO, A BLASTER JOCKEY AND SMUGGLER WHO ACTUALLY KNOWS HIS WAY AROUND A HYPERDRIVE. THEN THERE' S THE PIRATE, NYM. HE CAN BLOW UP JUST ABOUT ANYTHING OR BEAT A TRANDOSHAN SENSELESS. MOST PEOPLE THINK HE' S JUST A BRUISER, BUT I HEAR HE' S ALSO A DAMN FINE ARCHITECT ... I DON' T THINK THERE' S A WEAPON BOBA FETT DOESN' T KNOW HOW TO USE, AND HE CAN STITCH UP HIS OWN WOUNDS AFTER GETTIN ' STABBED BY A FRIGHTENED BOUNTY! THE POINT IS, THESE GUYS AREN' T ONE-DIMENSIONAL. THEY JUST LEARN THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO SURVIVE.
SO WHEN YOU' RE KNOCKING ABOUT THE GALAXY, LEARNIN' NEW SKILLS, REMEMBER: YOU DON' T HAVE TO ACTUALLY MASTER PROFESSIONS TO ACHIEVE FAME, FORTUNE, AND GLORY. YOU MIGHT DECIDE YOU JUST WANT TO LEARN PISTOL MARKSMANSHIP, BUT NEVER PICK UP A RIFLE OR A CARBINE. IN YOUR SPARE TIME, MAYBE YOU MINE ORE FOR EXTRA CREDITS OR PLAY THE SLITHERHORN IN THE MOS EISLEY CANTINA.
EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS AND FIND A UNIQUE SET OF SKILLS THAT SUITS YOU. IF YOU START DOWN A PATH AND LATER LOSE INTEREST IN THAT PROFESSION, YOU CAN ALWAYS SURRENDER YOUR SKILLS AND LEARN SOMETHIN' NEW.
< < < RESUMING NORMAL DATA TRANSMISSION> > >
SURRENDERING SKILLS
When your Learning Capacity bar is full, you can free up some mental space by surrendering skills. This is useful when you want to try out new professions.
Identify a skill that you don' t use any longer, enter the Skills screen (CTRL+ S keys) , highlight that skill, and then choose the Surrender option. You can' t surrender skills that are prerequisites for other skills you still possess, which generally means that you can only surrender your most advanced skills for a given profession. It' s also important to note that you don' t regain the XP or credits originally spent to gain the surrendered skill, and you' ll still need to earn and pay XP and credits for any new skills you want to learn.
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