AdvGamer
As a veteran scoundrel who has navigated the shadowy corners of the galaxy in Star Wars Outlaws since its 2024 debut, I can tell you that blasters and fancy maneuvering only get you so far. In a universe teeming with Imperial patrols, syndicate enforcers, and treacherous terrain, it's the subtle art of the toolbelt that separates a quick grave from a legendary score. Over the past two years, the underworld community has refined our understanding of Kay Vess's 11 signature tools, and I'm going to share that hard-won wisdom. Whether you're a fresh-faced scoundrel or a seasoned operator looking to optimize your loadout, this ranking—from helpful novelties to absolute must-haves—will keep you alive and flush with credits.
11. The Glowlamp: A Stylish But Limited Illuminator
Let's start with the Glowlamp. It's undeniably cool, casting a moody purple glow instead of the harsh yellow beam you'd expect from a standard flashlight. The device kicks on automatically in dark corridors and caves, which is a nice touch for preserving that cinematic smuggler feel. However, in the grand scheme of the game's open-world heists, its utility is incredibly narrow. Sure, it helps you spot ledges and treasure in pitch-black nooks, but flashlights have existed since the Old Republic—hardly a groundbreaking piece of tech. I've found that simply sticking to well-lit paths or using Nix's senses often renders the Glowlamp redundant. It's a pretty sci-fi greeblie, but it spends most of my game time gathering dust. Only pack it if you're absolutely determined to explore every abandoned mineshaft on Toshara.
10. Thermal Grenades: Classic Boom, Limited Finesse
Grenades are the blunt instruments of any outlaw's arsenal. These thermal detonators deliver a satisfying crump and a radius of high explosive damage that can clear out a clustered patrol or destabilise an entrenched position. The problem is noise. In a game that rewards subtlety and offers a rich stealth system, chucking a grenade announces your presence to every buckethead within a square kilometer. While you can upgrade their deadliness through contacts like the Hotfixer Teeka, and you'll find them scattered across the galaxy—on fallen foes, in vendor inventories, or ripe for the picking from unwary pockets—I prefer tools that don't close off my escape routes. They're a solid panic button, but true scoundrels know the silent exit is always the better payout.
9. Smoke Bombs: The Scoundrel's Vanishing Act
This is where the clever among us start to shine. Smoke Bombs create a dense cloud that completely blinds enemies, giving you precious seconds to slip through a doorway, vanish into vents, or realign for a flank. Acquiring the crafting recipe requires a scenic trek to Falen Mount on Toshara, where you'll need both the grappling hook and ion blaster to reach the schematics. It's a worthwhile pilgrimage. Even better, with upgrades, these bombs can stun any target caught in the plume, turning your escape route into an instant crowd-control setup. I've lost count of how many times a well-timed Smoke Bomb transformed a botched heist into a flawless extraction. For any smuggler who values the art of misdirection, this tool is a silent partner in crime.
8. Electrobinoculars: Your Intel-Gathering Superpower
Knowledge is the currency of the underworld, and the Electrobinoculars are your investment firm. These scanners let you tag enemies, droids, and points of interest from extreme range, highlighting patrol paths and identifying elite threats before you ever set foot in a compound. While Nix's auto-mark is handy, it's short-ranged and limited in scope; the binocs let me tag up to ten targets simultaneously and plan an entire silent takedown sequence from a high vantage point. I've learned to scout every Imperial checkpoint or syndicate vault from a nearby cliff before moving in. It turns the dreaded alarm sequence into a calm, choreographed dance. Don't underestimate this early-game tool—it's the reason I secure safehouses on the first run without a single blaster bolt fired.
7. Holotracker: Unlocking Jet Kordo's Legacy
This one is a specialist. Tied exclusively to the Jet Kordo vault questline, the Holotracker projects a translucent map overlay that you must align with physical landmarks on each planet. Once matched, it becomes a proximity beacon that beeps louder as you near the hidden holodisc reader and the secret entrance to a treasure vault. The quest itself is a superb slice of treasure-hunting fantasy—I felt like a true galactic archaeologist matching ruins and star patterns. The rewards inside are generous, from rare upgrade materials to unique cosmetic items. It's not a tool you'll use in daily heists, but it provides some of the most fulfilling exploration in the game. Just don't expect it to save you in a firefight.
6. Bacta Vials: Keeping The Smuggler Upright
Bacta is a scoundrel's best friend. These portable healing canisters patch up blaster burns and fall damage on the fly, and they're as common as dirt if you know where to look. I keep my pockets stuffed with them, looted from every crate and corpse I come across. The real magic lies in upgrades: Kay's toolbelt can be modified to carry more vials, and certain outfits boost their effectiveness. Combined with a cautious playstyle, you can treat most gunfights like a resource puzzle rather than a test of reflexes—just pop a vial and reposition. For those of us who occasionally misjudge a thermal detonator's blast radius, the Bacta Vial isn't just a tool; it's a second chance.
5. Electroshock Prod: The Stealth Player's Equalizer
Before I crafted the Electroshock Prod, elite enemies were my bane. Those heavily armoured brutes with sensory helmets would sniff me out no matter how carefully I crept. This elegant little baton changes everything. With a silent approach from behind, you can one-tap any elite target instantly. Unlocking it involves a trip to Akiva, finishing the Droidsmith quest, and winning the favour of the Scavenger expert Temmin Wexeley. Then it's off to excavation site 12 in The Great Basin Lake to retrieve the NL-02 Charge Emitter—a little dungeon crawl that rewards you with the galaxy's most satisfying stealth tool. Since I've added it to my kit, perfect stealth runs on Death Trooper-guarded bases have become my signature. No alarm, no reinforcements, just the hum of the prod and a quiet getaway.
4. Grappling Hook: Opening The Vertical World
Every smuggler worth their bantha leather carries a grappling hook. This trusty ascender latches onto designated anchor points scattered across the environment, letting you reach otherwise inaccessible ledges, bypass patrols, or disappear into the rafters in the middle of a chase. The genius of its implementation isn't in flashiness, but in reliability: you see a gap or a glowing prompt, you throw the hook, and you're up. It transforms static levels into three-dimensional puzzles, and it's frequently the key to finding hidden treasures tucked behind vertical shortcuts. Just when you think you know a region, the grappling hook reminds you there's always another layer. It's the most cinematic tool in the inventory, and I never leave my ship without it.
3. Fusion Cutter: The Key To The Galaxy's Locked Secrets
This is the queen of backtracking. The Fusion Cutter arrives relatively late in the story, but it retroactively justifies every “locked” door you've ever pouted at. By bypassing those sealed panels with a satisfying hiss of molten metal, you open up corridors that lead to high-level weapon caches, deeper alternate paths through strongholds, and entire rooms you missed during the first pass. For a completionist like myself, it turned Star Wars Outlaws into a new game: suddenly every planet begged to be re-explored, every Imperial base to be re-infiltrated. The loot inside scales to match your expected level at this point, meaning you're getting peak gear for your trouble. The Fusion Cutter is the ultimate collector's tool, and it makes Kay Vess feel like she truly holds the master key to the galaxy.
2. The Data Spike: Hacking Through Fresh Beats
I've lockpicked in a dozen open-world games, but Data Spiking feels unique. Instead of rotating picks, you're listening to a sequence of electronic beeps and matching their rhythm with careful button taps. It's a small mini-game that keeps your fingers moving and your ears sharp, and I've found it to be a genuinely engaging twist on a tired mechanic. Acquired in the first handful of missions, the Data Spike quickly becomes your most-used tool. If it's worth locking, it's worth spiking: supply crates, restricted passages, hidden terminals—nothing is safe from Kay's musical touch. The pace of unlocking never lags, and because the rhythm pattern varies, it never becomes mindless muscle memory. For keeping the heist flow smooth and rewarding curiosity, the Data Spike is my inseparable companion.
1. The Ultimate Smuggler's Kit: Versatility Over Firepower
After two years orbiting the Outer Rim and cracking every syndicate vault, I've settled on my holy trinity: the Electroshock Prod for ghosting through detachments, the Grappling Hook for effortless traversal, and the Data Spike for making every locked thing mine. What truly elevates Star Wars Outlaws is how these tools aren't just upgrades—they redefine your approach. The prod eliminates elite threats from the stealth equation; the hook turns patrol routes into suggestions; the spike turns locked doors into welcome mats. A smart smuggler invests in their toolkit before their blaster. As you roam from the sand-swept canyons of Toshara to the neon underbellies of Canto Bight, remember: in the underworld, the one with the most cleverly applied gadget wins the day. Happy heisting, scoundrel.