What Was the SWG Skill System? (A Simple Explanation)

Star Wars Galaxies, in its original "Pre-CU" form, was famous for having one of the most freeform and creative character development systems ever seen in an online game. Instead of picking a rigid class like "Warrior" or "Mage," you were given a **blank slate character and a pool of 250 skill points**. It was then up to you to spend these points across more than 30 different professions to build your unique galactic citizen. This was the heart and soul of the game. It was a system that let you truly be who you wanted to be. Did you want to be a charismatic musician who was also a deadly gunslinger? You could do that. A master swordsman who could heal his friends with advanced medicine? No problem. A creature handler who was also a feared bounty hunter? Absolutely.

This incredible freedom was what made the game a legend, but it also presented a huge challenge: planning your character was complicated! With so many choices, it was easy to accidentally waste points or lock yourself out of a powerful "Master" profession. This calculator is designed to be your personal datapad, a modern tool to solve that classic problem. It takes the stress and guesswork out of planning by giving you an interactive, visual playground to experiment with. You can click to add skills, instantly see the point costs, and track your progress towards your goal of 250 points. It's about bringing the joy of theory-crafting back, allowing you to design your perfect character template with confidence before you ever set foot in Mos Eisley.

How to Build Your Character Template

Building your dream character is an easy, interactive process that gives you instant feedback:

1. Explore the Professions: The main area is filled with all the available professions. You can click on any profession's title to expand or collapse its skill tree, or use the "Expand/Collapse All" buttons at the top for a quick overview.
2. Select Your Skills: Click on any skill box within a tree to "train" it. The box will light up in gold, and the points will be instantly added to your total in the summary panel on the right. Clicking it again will "untrain" the skill.
3. Check Your Prerequisites: Unsure what you need for a specific skill? Just **hover your mouse over it**! A helpful tooltip will pop up telling you exactly which skills you need to train first.
4. Track Your Progress: The summary panel is your command center. It gives you a real-time count of your spent skill points, a visual progress bar, and a detailed list of every skill you've selected, neatly organized by profession. The calculator will warn you if you go over the 250-point limit by turning red.
5. Reset and Experiment: Don't like your build? Just hit the "Reset Build" button to wipe the slate clean and start a new template. The possibilities are endless!

Tips for a Powerful Build

• The "Holy Trinity" of Defense: One of the most famous and effective character templates in SWG involved mastering three key professions: **Fencer** (for defense), **Pikeman** (for more defense and stun attacks), and **Swordsman** (for area-of-effect attacks). This combination, along with a ranged weapon skill, created a character that was incredibly difficult to defeat.
• Don't Neglect the Basics: It's tempting to rush straight for the flashy elite professions, but the basic professions are full of essential skills. Every combat character needs some **Marksman** or **Brawler** skills, and every crafter needs a solid foundation in **Artisan**.
• **Hybrids are the Spice of the Galaxy:** The most memorable characters were often clever hybrids. A **Doctor/Commando** was a beast who could heal themselves while dishing out massive damage. A **Teras Kasi/Creature Handler** was a martial arts master who fought alongside their pet rancor. Use this tool to see what unique and powerful combinations you can discover!
• Plan for 250: The goal is to spend *exactly* 250 points. A build with 249 points is leaving power on the table! Use this calculator to fine-tune your choices and make sure every single point is working for you.