While Kay Vess is no novice in Star Wars Outlaws, she’s far from a seasoned pro. She can hold her own in a firefight, hack basic computers, and even pick locks, but she needs more than just basic skills to truly excel. Unlike traditional open-world games, you won’t find skill trees or XP bars in Outlaws. Instead, Kay gains new abilities by meeting specialized Experts. These NPCs are scattered across planets and must be found and befriended before you can unlock new skills.
This is a long process, so let’s dive into the essential abilities that will make your journey through the galaxy less stressful:
Armored Undershirt:
The first Ability you should target is Armored Undershirt, which is part of Bram’s set and immediately available. This passive buff boosts your default HP by 1, a crucial advantage early in the game when you have limited health. Obtain Ironweave and 8 Coarsweave on Toshara to unlock it.
Fast Talk:
Fast Talk is another part of Bram’s set, and it can be a lifesaver during stealth missions. If you’re caught by a single trooper, you can press a button to delay them from attacking and alerting others, giving you time to subdue them without losing stealth. This ability is unlocked by distracting three enemies with Nix, taking down five enemies in melee, and completing specific tasks.
Scoundrel’s Pouch/Outlaw’s Pouch:
You might not expect the Speeders Expert to have abilities related to Bacta Viales and grenades, but they do! Since Kay has a limited carrying capacity for these crucial items, the Scoundrel’s Pouch allows you to carry one extra vial and grenade, while the Outlaw’s Pouch adds another on top of that. Both pouches require materials, specifically Durafiber Fabric, Coarsweave, Robuma Leather, Elastic Durafiber Fabric, and Polycarbonate.
Sneaky Trap:
Stealth is essential in Outlaws, but once an alarm is triggered, it’s almost impossible to recover. Sneaky Trap allows Nix to tamper with alarms, damaging anyone who triggers them. To unlock this ability, give Nix seven unique commands, and slice three devices in three attempts or fewer.
Lightfooted:
Stealth is even more effective with Lightfooted, which reduces the noise Kay makes while moving without crouching, allowing for a more stealthy approach. This ability is unlocked by completing a smuggler contract, performing a takedown on an Imperial Officer, and picking three locks.
Electro-shock Prod:
This new weapon, not a traditional ability, provides Kay with a stun stick to take down elite enemies, which cannot be subdued through stealth. To craft the Electro-shock Prod, you’ll need an NL-02 Charge Emitter, Chalcopyrate, and Ion Cells.
Assisted Scavenger:
Nix, your trusty companion, can retrieve loot for you, making exploration even more efficient. Assisted Scavenger enhances Nix’s abilities, allowing him to find more items. To unlock this, find four Smuggler Caches, collect 2,500 Credits, and fulfill five merchant requests.
Scavenger’s Footwear:
This ability is essential for stealthy players, increasing Kay’s crouch-walking speed. Unlock this ability by gathering Sussurra-Weave Fabric, Coarsweave, and Jarwal Fiber.
Feelers Out:
Rooster offers one of the most powerful Nix buffs in the game, Feelers Out, which doubles the range of Nix’s senses, allowing you to see enemies and interactables from afar. To unlock this, command Nix to bring you a weapon, grenade, and bacta vial, complete a thief contract without breaking stealth, and make Nix jealous by petting another animal in front of him.
The More:
Kay’s Adrenaline Rush is a powerful combat ability. Initially, you can only mark one target, but completing Quint’s mission grants you two more. The More ability allows you to mark even more targets, maximizing your Adrenaline Rush. This is unlocked by defeating four enemies with a single Adrenaline Rush three times and getting 15 headshots.
