Sneaky Backhander is a five-level Outlaw research that unlocks a weekly Independent Credit gift bundle in the Rogue Faction Store, then grows it: the listed bundle value rises from 100 at level 1 to 250 at level 5. It unlocks at Academy 41, with Mudd’s Mudd 1 as its prerequisite.
What Sneaky Backhander does
Level 1 adds the weekly bundle to the store; each further level raises its listed value, from 100 up to 250. Independent Credits are slow to earn elsewhere, so a recurring free source compounds meaningfully over a season of play.
| Level | Bundle value | Requires Academy | Research required | Cost | Base time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 | 41 | Mudd’s Mudd 1 | 5.5K Outlaw Research Credits, 301.5M Dilithium, 2.8K 4★ Uncommon Refined Crystal, 5.6K 4★ Common Refined Crystal | 311.5 d |
| 2 | 130 | 43 | — | 5.7K Outlaw Research Credits, 652M Dilithium, 4K 4★ Uncommon Refined Crystal, 12K 4★ Common Refined Crystal | 1.9 yr |
| 3 | 165 | 45 | — | 5.9K Outlaw Research Credits, 1.4B Dilithium, 5.1K 4★ Uncommon Refined Crystal, 18K 4★ Common Refined Crystal | 3.2 yr |
| 4 | 205 | 47 | — | 6.1K Outlaw Research Credits, 2.9B Dilithium, 6.2K 4★ Uncommon Refined Crystal, 1.4K 4★ Rare Refined Crystal | 5.6 yr |
| 5 | 250 | 49 | — | 6.3K Outlaw Research Credits, 8B Dilithium, 7.2K 4★ Uncommon Refined Crystal, 1.7K 4★ Rare Refined Crystal | 9.5 yr |
Unlock requirements
The line is gated by the Academy at 41 rather than the R&D Department, and needs Mudd’s Mudd 1 first. Costs run through Outlaw Research Credits, refined crystal, and dilithium, listed per level above.
Cost and research time
Per-level costs are in the table above. Maxing all 5 levels totals about 29.5K Outlaw Research Credits, 13.3B Dilithium, 25.3K 4★ Uncommon Refined Crystal, 35.6K 4★ Common Refined Crystal, 3K 4★ Rare Refined Crystal. The base research time adds up to roughly 21.1 yr on paper; research speed bonuses cut real timers to a small fraction of that, so use it to compare levels, not to plan your calendar.
Is Sneaky Backhander worth it?
Yes for committed Outlaw players; a permanent weekly income line is what that credit grind is for. Casual visitors can stop at level 1 for the unlock and upgrade later. The branch is on the Outlaw Research guide.