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xpanding the possibilities in Star Wars Galaxies to make your character special and unique is the profession Expertise System. In this week’s comlink, Mark “SWG-Tunso” Halash introduces Officer Expertise!
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: September 8th, 2006
At a glance:
- What is the Expertise System?
- Squad Command Expertise Charts
- Squad Command Expertise ability descriptions
- Officer Specialization Expertise Charts
- Officer Specialization Expertise ability descriptions
Last chapter (Chapter 2) brought us Jedi and Bounty Hunter Expertise Trees, giving those classes the opportunity to enhance and differentiate themselves among one another. This chapter we continue in that same vein to bring you the Officer and Smuggler Expertise Trees.
In today’s Com-link we’re going to explore the Officer Expertise Trees that will be available next chapter. Much like the Jedi and Bounty Hunter trees, the expertise available to Officers will allow them new and exciting ways to enhance and set themselves apart from others. Improved group support ability, increased combat viability and better defensive options are a few high points of the upgrades coming your way!
Squad Command
Below is a first look at the “Squad Command” expertise tree. This tree allows the officer to choose a number of diverse areas of concentration.
These areas include Leadership, Deployment, Explosives and general combat. Leadership provides the Officer with powerful new group buffs and enhancements giving your party a significant edge. Deployment not only offers useful new types of supply drops to support your group and yourself it also includes the ability to call for reinforcement, summoning a soldier you can add to your group, command and control permanently (until they’re killed in action).
Explosives allow the Officer to improve the destructive power of their Air Strike, Grenade and Bomb area effect abilities. Finally a number of upgrades and improvements to the Officer’s existing damage special attacks are available. Detailed information on specific abilities within this tree can be viewed below.
Click image to enlarge
Detailed descriptions of the individual abilities and bonuses can be found below.
| Leadership Expertise |
| Name |
Tier
|
Cost
|
Type
|
Maximum Effect |
| Initiative |
2
|
3
|
Modifier
|
20% action cost reduction to group buffs. |
| Focus Fire |
3
|
1
|
Ability
|
Offensive group buff scaling with level. |
| Scatter! |
4
|
1
|
Ability
|
Group buff increasing run speed, removing snare effects and increasing Glancing Blow chance. |
| Last Words |
5
|
1
|
Ability
|
On officer death all group members heal, have action restored, +10% damage/glancing blow buff. |
| Medical Resupply |
3
|
1
|
Ability
|
Delivers 8 level appropriate healing stimpaks. These are temporary items that decay in 1 hour. |
| Reinforcements |
5
|
1
|
Ability
|
Summon a level appropriate NPC soldier pet to serve under your command. |
| Surgical Demolition |
2
|
3
|
Modifier
|
Grenades, air strikes, etc have a +50% chance to crit. |
| Superior Firepower |
4
|
1
|
Ability
|
Buff increases Air Strike/Grenade/Bomb special damage and critical chance dramatically. |
| Sure Shot Efficiency |
1
|
4
|
Modifier
|
Reduce action cost of Sureshot by 25% |
| Target Selection |
3
|
3
|
Modifier
|
Reduce action cost of Paint Target by 20% |
| Advanced Paint Target |
5
|
1
|
Ability
|
Extended Paint target line scaling to level 90 |
Officer Specialization
Next, let’s take a look at the Officer Specialization tree. This tree allows the Officer to specialize in and receive abilities useable only with 1-Handed melee weapons, Pistols and Battle armor. It also includes the opportunity to gain permanent bonuses to important skill statistic modifiers.
Specialization in Swordsmanship will make enemies think twice about getting too close to the Officer with punishing abilities like Decapitate and Crippling Vortex. For those who would rather maintain their distance specialization in Pistols is possible. You can not only improve your own personal performance with Pistols but also the performance of your entire group should you elect to purchase the Pistol Drillmaster ability.
A number of enhancements are available that give the officer increased personal defense while wearing a full suit of Battle Armor. Aside from bonuses to Energy and Kinetic protections, the Officer can gain improved healing and the ability to cure themselves of a number of harmful states and conditions.
Click image to enlarge
Detailed descriptions of the individual abilities and bonuses can be found below.
| Expertise Stat Modifiers |
| Name |
Tier
|
Cost
|
Type
|
Maximum Effect |
| Toughness |
1
|
4
|
Modifier
|
+50 CON |
| Endurance |
1
|
4
|
Modifier
|
+50 STA |
| Grim Blows |
3
|
4
|
Modifier
|
Increase 1-H melee crit chance by 10% |
| Crippling Vortex |
5
|
1
|
Ability
|
1-H melee AOE crowd control. Short duration root effect followed by a snare. |
| Side Arm Accuracy |
3
|
4
|
Modifier
|
Increase Pistol damage by 5% |
| Pistol Drillmaster |
5
|
1
|
Ability
|
Group Buff. Reduce pistol action cost and increase pistol damage. |
| Synaptic Stimulator |
4
|
1
|
Ability
|
Remove 2 debuffs. Requires battle armor. |
| Kinetic Defense |
2
|
2
|
Modifier
|
+1000 kinetic defense. Requires battle armor. |
| Automated Diagnosis |
5
|
2
|
Modifier
|
Reduce heal cooldown by 3 seconds. |
As you can see, Officers are receiving a wide range of new abilities to choose from that will improve their ability to support their groups, increase their combat viability and solidify their defense against their enemies. I hope you enjoyed this first look at the new Officer Expertise that are coming your way in the Chapter 3, “Smugglers and Scoundrels”. |
