To date, four of the Star Wars Galaxies professions have benefited from the new Profession Expertise System, and with Chapter 4: Armed and Ready for Action, the final three combat professions (commando, spy and medic) will see the system introduced for them as well. In addition, commandos will receive a powerful new battle boost as they rack up enemy casualties.

Chapter 4: Armed and Ready for Action introduces the following features:

• Profession Expertise System for Commandos: The commandos are the weapons experts in Star Wars Galaxies, and the Expertise System gives them all new abilities to arm themselves. Commandos will be able to take advantage of new attack abilities and group buffs. Through the “Primary” tree, commandos can access remote explosives through new talents such as “Remote Detonator,” along with the ability to control their accuracy and radius through “Flash Bang” and “Angled Shrapnel.” Through the “Assault” tree, commandos can put expertise points into heavy weapons and stat enhancements, making themselves powerful adversaries and even more valuable allies.

  More information on the commando Profession Expertise System can be found at: http://starwarsgalaxies.station.sony.com/players/guides.vm?id=80124

• Commando Kill Meter Power Boost: Now, when commandos go into battle, the meter starts ticking. The new Kill Meter amps up the commando’s power with each kill, up to a maximum of 50 kills. For example, if a commando spent a point for the “Killing Grimace” ability, each point on the Kill Meter would increase weapon damage by 1%. A total of 10 kills would increase weapon damage by 10%.

  The Kill Meter decays over time though, so there’s an incentive for the commando to keep fighting the good fight.

• Profession Expertise System for Spies: The spy Expertise System takes undercover over the top. The “Covert Operative” tree allows spies to improve all aspects of their stealth abilities, including the new speed boost “Burst of Shadows,” and their damage-dealing abilities including “Ambush” and “Snipe.” The “General” tree features new abilities that strengthen armor, survivability, traps and damage-dealing outside of stealth. Through this tree, spies can acquire skills like the new heal, “Cloaked Recovery,” and the ability to remove damage-over-time effects with “Run Its Course.” With this new Expertise System, spies will become both harder to detect and better at detecting others.

  More information on the spy Expertise System can be found at: http://starwarsgalaxies.station.sony.com/players/guides.vm?id=80125

• Profession Expertise System for Medics: The Profession Expertise System will reinforce the medic’s role as the primary healer in Star Wars Galaxies through new healing, enhancement, crowd control, and effect cancellation abilities. Both new trees in the Expertise System focus on improving the Medic’s abilities to keep their group safe while simultaneously keeping their enemies suppressed. Key new abilities include the single-target heal, “Bacta Grenade” and the super-heal, “Bacta Bomb.” Enemies will be contained through skills like “Seratonin Boost” and “Stasis Field.” Now, being a medic is more than just healing – it’s a strategic component of combat.

  More information on the medic Expertise System can be found at: http://starwarsgalaxies.station.sony.com/players/guides.vm?id=80126

• In-Game Rewards: Chapter 4: Armed and Ready for Action brings a very special in-game reward to Star Wars Galaxies subscribers – their very own holo-pet. Players who log in after Chapter 4 goes live and before Chapter 5 is released, will receive a holo-pet emitter and a data cube that will give the player one of 10 randomly generated holo-pets. The emitter, when placed in a house or other player structure and loaded with a data cube, will display a holographic pet that wanders around the room. The data cubes are tradable, so players can collect the whole set.

  More information on the holo-pets can be found at: http://starwarsgalaxies.station.sony.com/players/content.vm?id=66920&resource=features

Star Wars Galaxies is one of the longest-running and most popular online experiences, bringing gamers of all ages and skill levels together in the ultimate Star Wars® journey. Begin aboard the Millennium Falcon helping Han Solo and Chewbacca fend off the notorious Darth Vader. Along the way, join with Star Wars characters on missions that span across the galaxy. Ally with the Rebels to fight against the Galactic Empire, or join forces with the Dark Side and crush the Rebel scum. Heroic adventurers can seek their fortune in space or on the ground as a Bounty Hunter, Smuggler, Jedi or a host of other unique Star Wars professions.

Throughout the remainder of 2006 and into 2007 LucasArts and Sony Online Entertainment are scheduled to add a host of new content and features to Star Wars Galaxies through a series of downloadable Chapter Adventures. Featuring such high-value enhancements as Player versus Player upgrades, a character profession expertise system, new high-level quest series, and epic, server-wide events, these downloadable adventures provide players new content to explore and new ways to influence the entire Galaxy.

As always, the latest news and information on Star Wars Galaxies can be found on the community page at: http://starwarsgalaxies.station.sony.com/en_US/players/.