Bounty Hunters chase the worst foes in the galaxy. You will learn to use whatever dirty tricks you must to bring your prey down. When someone needs an enemy taken care of, they hire Bounty Hunters to do their dirty work. Tracking down and eliminating people are what Bounty Hunters do best. As a Bounty Hunter, you must learn the tricks of ambush and assault so your prey does not escape.

Ranged Combat
Bounty Hunting
Melee Combat
Capture Techniques

Bounty Hunters specialize in 'problem solving'. If a person is having a problem with someone else, they call on the Bounty Hunter to fix it for them. As a hit man, you won't have a lot of subtlety or finesse to your attacks, but you'll still manage to get the job done. After completing several assignments, you'll be tasked with more difficult targets to take down and your reputation will increase. Each assignment completed brings you closer to becoming known throughout the galaxy as a prestigious Bounty Hunter!

Once you've finished the tutorial, it's a good idea to spend a bit of time exploring Tansarii Point Station and helping the people there with various quests. You'll earn both experience and credits to get yourself started. You can also learn piloting skills while you're here. For grouping experience, Gamma Station is a dungeon designed for levels 1-10 that's only a short space hop away from Tansarii Point Station.

Bounty Hunters gain new abilities at the following levels:

Level	Skill
1	Assault: A high powered level 1 attack that causes bonus damage.
4	Ambush: A quick high powered level 4 attack that has an increased chance to cause a critical hit.
7	Maim: A level 7 attack that inflicts bonus damage and lowers the target's movement speed.
10	Relentless Assault: A high powered level 10 attack that causes bonus damage.
14	Low Blow: A quick high powered level 14 attack that has an increased chance to cause a critical hit.
18	Mangle: A level 18 attack that inflicts bonus damage and lowers the target's movement speed.
22	Merciless Assault: A high powered level 22 attack that causes bonus damage.
26	Cripple: A level 26 attack that inflicts bonus damage and lowers the target's movement speed.
30	Unyielding Assault: A high powered level 30 attack that causes bonus damage.
34	Aid: The bounty hunter uses their knowledge to apply first aid and recover some of their health for a level 34 heal.
38	Mancatcher: A level 38 trap that is used to lower the target's movement speed.
42	Onslaught: A high powered level 42 attack that causes bonus damage.
46	Burn: A powerful level 46 flame attack that envelops multiple opponents at once in a cone of fire.
50	Razor Wire: A level 50 attack that lowers the target's movement speed while causing a bleeding wound.
54	Relentless Onslaught: A high powered level 54 attack that causes bonus damage.
58	Mend: The bounty hunter uses their knowledge to apply first aid and recover some of their health for a level 58 heal.
62	Tangble Bomb: A level 62 trap that is used to lower the target's movement speed.
66	Merciless Onslaught: A high powered level 66 attack that causes bonus damage.
70	Spike Trap: A level 70 attack that lowers the target's movement speed while causing a bleeding wound.
74	Scorch: A powerful level 74 flame attack that envelops multiple opponents at once in a cone of fire.
78	Unyielding Onslaught: A high powered level 78 attack that causes bonus damage.
82	Rejuvenate: The bounty hunter uses their knowledge to apply first aid and recover some of their health for a level 82 heal.
86	Web Bomb: A level 86 trap that is used to lower the target's movement speed.
90	Razor Net: A level 90 attack that lowers the target's movement speed while causing a bleeding wound.

Expertise

Expanding the possibilities in Star Wars Galaxies to make your character special and unique is the upcoming "Expertise System". The Expertise System is a new game feature in Chapter 2 that will enhance everyone's ability to customize their Profession skills and abilities. Dave "Dev-Vapor" Jones and EJ "EJDev" Moreland brought us a first look at the details.

For a basic guide on understanding how to use experience points, click here to read the guide, "Introduction to Profession Expertise"

Article originally published as Rogue_5's Comlink: July 7th, 2006

At a glance:

What is the Expertise System?

Bounty Hunter Expertise Charts

Bounty Hunter Expertise ability descriptions

As many know, we're in the process of completing implementation on the Jedi and Bounty Hunter trees in the Profession Expertise system for Chapter 2. The designers responsible for these new trees are Hanse for the Jedi trees and Tunso for the Bounty Hunter trees.

In last week's Comlink, I briefly outlined the Expertise system and discussed its impact on the Jedi. This week I am including the brief overview for those of you who missed last week, and I am also discussing the Bounty Hunters' Expertise trees.

What is the Expertise System?

Before I get into the specific trees, I want to explain the goals of the Expertise system and how it works. The overall goal of the system is to offer new and exciting choices for players to make about the development of their characters. These choices offer players the chance to further customize their character creating more diversity between characters of the same profession and give the player an additional goal when leveling.

At level 10, a player earns five Expertise points and then earns 1 point every two levels up to a maximum of forty-five points at level 90. Beginning with Chapter 2, only Jedi and Bounty Hunter characters will be able to interact with the system and allocate these points or even see the Expertise interface. We will introduce the expertise system to two professions per Chapter moving forward.

Once a player reaches level 10, they can activate the Expertise interface (it will appear on the Main Menu) and begin allocating their points over the two trees available to their profession. Eventually, a third tree will be introduced that specifically offers choices regarding the Galactic Civil War and Player-versus-Player specific enhancements, but that will not be available after the basic Expertise system is available to all nine professions.

Allocating Expertise points will do one of two things for a character. They will either modify an existing ability, such as increasing damage done, or they will unlock new abilities or series of abilities.

Players can allocate the points they have earned and even experiment with different choices through the interface without permanently committing to the changes. Once they're satisfied with their allocation, they can choose to "accept" those choices by clicking the "Accept" button. Once accepted these choices can only be undone for a fee through a re-spec (re-specialization option) from the appropriate NPC.

Chart Key Notes:

The Expertise tree graphics below are concept pieces used to construct the trees and not representative of actual in-game art.

Specific numbers mentioned in the tree summaries are apt to change as we iterate and test the data over the weeks leading up to the scheduled update.

The Bounty Hunter Expertise Trees

The two trees below reflect improvements or brand new abilities for the Bounty Hunter. We are not going to auto-allocate any Expertise points on release for the Bounty Hunter since all expertise choices are additive to the currently existing special abilities.

The two Bounty Hunter trees are Bounty Hunting and Bounty Specializations. The Bounty Hunting tree focuses on allowing the Bounty Hunter to enhance or focus on specific areas of actually hunting targets by offering new abilities and improvements to existing trap and ambush abilities. The Bounty Specializations tree emphasizes benefits to the Bounty Hunter wearing assault armor and using carbines and/or rifles as weapons of choice.

Click image to enlarge

Name	Tier	Max	Type	Expertise Pre-req	Point Pre-req	Minimum Level	Maximum Effect
Assault Efficiency	1	4	Mod	---	1	10	20% action cost reduction for Assault line.
Intense Assault	2	3	Mod	---	5	10	10% Damage increase to assault line specials
Return Fire	2	1	Abil	Intense Assault	8	16	Reactive damage (damage shield). 30 seconds; 2 min reuse.
Rapid Assault	3	2	Mod	---	9	18	Assault cooldown reduced by 1 second
Innate Assault	5	1	Abil	Rapid Assault	17	34	Chance per use that using a special from the "Assault" line will cost 0 action.
Antagonize	3	1	Abil	---	9	18	Attack line that causes low damage but a large amount of hate.
Fumble	4	1	Abil	Taunt	13	26	Debuff increases opponent Glancing Blow chance by 20% for 15 seconds, 30sec reuse. Causes large amount of hate.
Stun	5	1	Abil	Fumble	17	34	Attack line that roots target and adds 100% Glancing Blow chance for 3 seconds, 30sec reuse. Generates high hate.
Ambush Efficiency	1	3	Mod	---	1	10	20% action cost reduction for Ambush line
Surprise Attack	1	1	Abil	---	1	10	Continuation of the Ambush line. Increases critical chance versus opponent.
Ambush Intensity	3	3	Mod	---	9	18	10% Damage increase for Ambush line
Swift Ambush	4	2	Mod	---	13	26	Ambush line cooldown reduced by 2 seconds
Absorption	1	4	Mod	---	1	10	+500 Kinetic Protection
Deflection	2	4	Mod	Absorption	5	10	+1000 Energy Protection
Shields	5	1	Abil	Deflection	17	34	+10000 Energy/Kinetic Protection, +50 Glancing Blow chance for 20seconds. 5min cooldown.
Lethal Mechinations	1	4	Mod	---	1	10	20% Damage increase to Maim and trap lines
Trap Extension	2	2	Mod	---	5	10	Increase trap AOE range by 2m
Cruelty	3	4	Mod	---	9	18	Increase Maim and trap snare durations by 3sec.
Intimidating Strike	4	1	Abil	Cruelty	13	26	Attack line that causes action damage.
Dread Strike	5	1	Abil	Intimidating Strike	17	34	Attack that decreases opponent's damage by 25% for 15 seconds, 30sec reuse.
Man Hunter	5	4	Mod	---	17	34	Gain 5% crit chance versus NPC and Players

Click image to enlarge

Name	Tier	Max	Type	Expertise Pre-req	Point Pre-req	Minimum Level	Maximum Effect
Evasion	1	4	Mod	---	1	10	+50 AGI
Pain Tolerance	1	4	Mod	---	1	10	+50 CON
Marksmanship	1	4	Mod	---	1	10	+50 PRE
Endurance	1	4	Mod	---	1	10	+50 STA
Carbine Efficiency	2	4	Mod	---	5	10	Reduce Action cost by 15%
Carbine Marksmanship	3	2	Mod	---	9	18	Increase Carbine Damage by 5%
Deadly Strikes	4	1	Mod	Carbine Marksmanship	13	26	Gain 5% crit chance with carbine
Relentless Onslaught	5	1	Abil	Deadly Strikes	17	34	Action Costs reduced by +75% for 15 seconds. 5 minute reuse.
Rifle Efficiency	2	4	Mod	---	5	10	Reduce Action cost by 15%
Rifle Marksmanship	3	2	Mod	---	9	18	Increase Rifle Damage by 5%
Sniper Shot	5	1	Abil	Rifle Marksmanship	17	34	Line of high damage attacks. Requires prone. 60 sec cooldown.
Take Cover	4	1	Abil	Sniper Shot	13	26	Buff: Requires prone. +40% Dodge versus ranged. 15sec duration 2 min reuse.
Assault Kinetic Defense	3	4	Mod	---	5	10	+1000 Kinetic Protection while wearing a full set of Assault Armor
Assault Energy Defense	3	4	Mod	---	9	18	+2000 Energy Protection while wearing a full set of Assault Armor
Assault Melee Defense	4	3	Mod	---	13	26	+5 Glancing Blow versus Melee while wearing a full set of Assault Armor
Assault Ranged Defense	4	3	Mod	---	13	26	+5 Glancing Blow versus Energy while wearing a full set of Assault Armor
Power Assisted Sprint	5	1	Abil	Assault Melee Defense	17	34	Buff: Increase run speed 60% for 30 seconds; 3 min cooldown. Must wear a full set of Assault Armor.
Duelist Stance	5	1	Abil	Assault Ranged Defense	17	34	Buff line: +Energy Protection, +Ranged Glancing Blow chance. 90 second cooldown.

Skills:

Profession Skill Path

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