All Star Wars Outlaws Experts, abilities and skills

The Star Wars Outlaws experts — (Image credit: Ubisoft)

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All Experts
The Bartender
The Mechanic
The Slicer
The Scavenger
The Veteran
The Mercenary
The Gunslinger
The Hotfixer
The High Roller
Best abilities and Experts

When you unlock Star Wars Outlaws Experts, you also unlock new abilities and skills that span a multitude of upgrades from combat moves, stealth tricks, upgrading flying skills, gambling cheats, and more. In Star Wars Outlaws, there are nine different experts with cryptic names like the Slicer, the Hotfixer, and the Gunslinger, which might give you a bit of a hint of what they’ll do for you once you help them.

Locating all the Star Wars Outlaws Experts is no easy task, in fact it’s a lot of quite hard ones. You don’t just find an Expert and ask them for help, an Expert is a final reward unlocked at the end of a quest chain. Even then you'll only learn one ability from unlocking them, initially. Then, you'll have to earn the rest through a series of challenges. It's a lot, we know, but it's absolutely worth your time to reap the rewards.

If you’re looking for all the Star Wars Outlaws Experts' locations and want to understand what abilities you’ll get in exchange for your time, here's everything you need to know.

All Star Wars Outlaws Experts you can find

Star Wars Outlaws Experts and Abilities — (Image credit: Ubisoft)

Here are all 9 Experts in Star Wars Outlaws, each can teach you 6 abilities:

The Bartender - Bram
The Mechanic - Selo Rovak
The Slicer - Ailen Bren
The Scavenger - Temmin Wexley
The Veteran - MT-7
The Mercenary - Rooster Trace
The Gunslinger - Sheriff Quint
The Hotfixer - Teeka
The High Roller - Lando Calrissian

How to unlock abilities in Star Wars Outlaws — (Image credit: Ubisoft)

You can find experts and unlock new abilities in Star Wars Outlaws by completing these steps:

At certain points in the story you'll gain "Expert Intel" which opens a chain of side quests.
When completed, these side quests unlocks a new Expert in your Abilities menu.
Experts give you one free ability for unlocking them.
After that there are then five more abilities and skills to earn by completing specific challenges, which you can check in the Abilities menu.

Some abilities will be story locked, requiring resources you can only get from quests or when you reach a certain area. Some abilities can also require others to be unlocked first, even from different Experts' skill trees. For example, the Mechanic will unlock a smoke bomb once you find the Star Wars Outlaws Smoke Bomb Compressor part to unlock it. The Slicer can then upgrade that into a Concussive Smoke Bomb that staggers enemies. Our Star Wars Outlaws tips can help you understand how best to apply these powers.

Below are all nine Star Wars Outlaws Experts' locations and how to unlock the initial Intel that starts their quests. I've also included every ability they teach you, so you can see what they have to offer in Star Wars Outlaws, and whether you want to prioritize them.

Star Wars Outlaws The Bartender Expert

The Bartender, Bram Shano, teaches an eclectic mix of roguish skills and abilities, including things like the Star Wars Outlaws Fast Talk which can help you get out of trouble if you get caught. He's also one of a few experts who unlocks two Abilities as a default, rather than requiring challenges.

Bartender location: Unlocked by default through the early stages of Star Wars Outlaws' main campaign on Cantonica

The Bartender Abiltiies

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 with the Star Wars Outlaws lockpicking minigame. (Default unlock)
Fast Talk: Allows you to quickly react to 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.

Star Wars Outlaws The Mechanic Expert

The Mechanic, Selo, starts as an Expert who can upgrade your speeder, but broadens into a general technician who helps with all things hardware.

Mechanic Location: Progress the main story until you obtain the Ion Blaster upgrade and unlock her Expert Intel. Her quest chain starts in the Jaunta's Hope Diner on Toshara.

The Mechanic 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).

Star Wars Outlaws The Slicer Expert

Aila is the Slicer (or hacker). As well as helping with Star Wars Outlaws hacking, she teaches skills based around stealth and sabotage.

Slicer Location: Progress the main story campaign until you obtain the Ion Blaster upgrade to unlock the Slicer's Expert Intel. Her quest chain begins in Makal's Gambling Parlor in the city of Mirogana on Toshana.

The Slicer 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.

Star Wars Outlaws The Scavenger Expert

The Scavenger, Wexley, starts as somebody who will also modify your speeder, but then broadens their scope to all sorts of fun things.

Scavenger Location: Reach Akiva and progress the story until you free Gedeek to unlock Expert Intel on "Temmin's Family". That leads to Wexley's quest chain in Sashin Village in Akiva.

The Scavenger 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.

Star Wars Outlaws The Veteran Expert

The Veteran, MT, is a Commando Droid like ND-5 you can find 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 (such as shipwrecks) and look for yellow containers floating in space. Some of these will grant "Transmissions". Once you've found four you'll get Intel leading you to an Abandoned Landing Pad on Akiva.

The Veteran 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.

Star Wars Outlaws The Mercenary Expert

Rooster, the Mercenary, is all about big guns, weapons and firepower. She teaches Kay how to use heavy weapons and even some new tricks for the Trailblazer.

The Mercenary Location: After reaching Kijimi spaceport 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.

The Mercenary 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).

Star Wars Outlaws The Gunslinger Expert

The Gunslinger, Quint, is a classic western cowboy at heart and 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 to find a special pearl, ND-5 calls you with a mission chain that begins in the iconic Mos Eisley Cantina on Tatooine.

The Gunslinger 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)

Star Wars Outlaws The Hotfixer Expert

Surprise! The The Hotfixer Teeka is a Jawa (Utinni!). Initially they add a turret to your ship but then provide a disparate range of eclectic abilities.

Location: After a mission on Tatooine where Kay is temporarily forbidden to use her ship, ND-5 suggests it might time to upgrade it, and provides the "Buying a Turret" intel. This begins Teeka's quest chain in Scavenger's Draw, in North West Mos Eisley on Tatooine.

The Hotfixer 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.

Star Wars The High Roller Expert

Yes, Lando's back as the High Roller. He teaches 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.

The High Roller 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

These are the best Star Wars Outlaws abilities to unlock first:

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)

Obviously this list is limited by the story progress required to find and unlock the relevant experts but once you can access any of these, prioritise the challenges to unlock them.

With 54 different abilities in Star Wars Outlaws, it's hard to know where to begin as a priority overall. However, I'd say the best Expert to unlock first is Aila Bren the Slicer, as her default Slicer upgrade is essential to making the hacking minigame more fair and useful.

It might have made it onto our list of the best Star Wars games, but as we laid out in our Star Wars Outlaws review, it's a very specific kind of game for a very specific kind of player. Our thoughts are laid out on both pages, where you can find out more.