diff --git a/src/resources/objects/creature/CreatureMessageBuilder.java b/src/resources/objects/creature/CreatureMessageBuilder.java
index 8c8edbf9..b8f2113b 100644
--- a/src/resources/objects/creature/CreatureMessageBuilder.java
+++ b/src/resources/objects/creature/CreatureMessageBuilder.java
@@ -191,20 +191,7 @@ public class CreatureMessageBuilder extends TangibleMessageBuilder {
 		
 		buffer.putInt(0);	// MissionCritical objects todo later
 		buffer.putInt(0);
-
-		if(creature.getAbilities().isEmpty()) {
-			buffer.putInt(0);	
-			buffer.putInt(creature.getAbilitiesUpdateCounter());
-		} else {
-			buffer.putInt(creature.getAbilities().size());	
-			buffer.putInt(creature.getAbilitiesUpdateCounter());
-
-			for(String ability : creature.getAbilities().get()) {
-				buffer.put((byte) 0);
-				buffer.put(getAsciiString(ability));
-				buffer.putInt(1);
-			}
-		}
+		buffer.put(creature.getAbilities().getBytes());
 		buffer.putInt(creature.getXpBarValue());	// xp bar value
 		int size = buffer.position();
 		buffer = bufferPool.allocate(size, false).put(buffer.array(), 0, size);
@@ -912,44 +899,6 @@ public class CreatureMessageBuilder extends TangibleMessageBuilder {
 
 	}
 	
-	public IoBuffer buildAddAbilityDelta(String name) {
-		
-		CreatureObject creature = (CreatureObject) object;
-		
-		IoBuffer buffer = bufferPool.allocate(15 + name.length(), false).order(ByteOrder.LITTLE_ENDIAN);
-		buffer.putInt(1);
-		buffer.putInt(creature.getAbilitiesUpdateCounter());
-		buffer.put((byte) 0);
-		buffer.put(getAsciiString(name));
-		buffer.putInt(1);
-		
-		int size = buffer.position();
-		buffer.flip();
-		buffer = createDelta("CREO", (byte) 4, (short) 1, (short) 0x0E, buffer, size + 4);
-		
-		return buffer;
-
-	}
-	
-	public IoBuffer buildRemoveAbilityDelta(String name) {
-		
-		CreatureObject creature = (CreatureObject) object;
-		
-		IoBuffer buffer = bufferPool.allocate(15 + name.length(), false).order(ByteOrder.LITTLE_ENDIAN);
-		buffer.putInt(1);
-		buffer.putInt(creature.getAbilitiesUpdateCounter());
-		buffer.put((byte) 1);
-		buffer.put(getAsciiString(name));
-		buffer.putInt(1);
-		
-		int size = buffer.position();
-		buffer.flip();
-		buffer = createDelta("CREO", (byte) 4, (short) 1, (short) 0x0E, buffer, size + 4);
-		
-		return buffer;
-
-	}
-	
 	public IoBuffer buildResetHAMListDelta() {
 		
 		CreatureObject creature = (CreatureObject) object;
diff --git a/src/resources/objects/creature/CreatureObject.java b/src/resources/objects/creature/CreatureObject.java
index 40e15fc4..583d4fcf 100644
--- a/src/resources/objects/creature/CreatureObject.java
+++ b/src/resources/objects/creature/CreatureObject.java
@@ -95,8 +95,7 @@ public class CreatureObject extends TangibleObject implements Serializable {
 	private float turnRadius = 1;
 	private float walkSpeed = (float) 1.549;
 	private float waterModPercent = (float) 0.75;
-	private SWGList<String> abilities;
-	private int abilitiesUpdateCounter = 0;
+	private SWGMap<String, Integer> abilities;
 	private int xpBarValue = 0;
 	
 	private SWGMap<Long, Long> missionCriticalObjects;
@@ -193,7 +192,7 @@ public class CreatureObject extends TangibleObject implements Serializable {
 		loadTemplateData();
 		skills = new ArrayList<String>();
 		skillMods = new SWGMap<String, SkillMod>(this, 4, 3, true);
-		abilities = new SWGList<String>(this, 4, 14, true);
+		abilities = new SWGMap<String, Integer>(this, 4, 14, true);
 		missionCriticalObjects = new SWGMap<Long, Long>(this, 4, 13, false);
 		equipmentList = new SWGList<Long>(this, 6, 23, false);
 		buffList = new SWGList<Buff>(this, 6, 26, false);
@@ -786,60 +785,29 @@ public class CreatureObject extends TangibleObject implements Serializable {
 			this.waterModPercent = waterModPercent;
 		}
 	}
-
-	public SWGList<String> getAbilities() {
+	
+	public SWGMap<String, Integer> getAbilities() {
 		return abilities;
 	}
 	
 	public boolean hasAbility(String name) {
-		for (String ability : abilities) {
-			if (ability.equals(name)) {
-				return true;
-			}
-		}
-		
-		return false;
+		return abilities.containsKey(name);
 	}
-
-	public int getAbilitiesUpdateCounter() {
-		synchronized(objectMutex) {
-			return abilitiesUpdateCounter;
-		}
-	}
-
-	public void setAbilitiesUpdateCounter(int abilitiesUpdateCounter) {
-		synchronized(objectMutex) {
-			this.abilitiesUpdateCounter = abilitiesUpdateCounter;
-		}
-	}
-	
 	
 	public void addAbility(String abilityName) {
-		
-		if(abilities.contains(abilityName))
+		if (abilities.containsKey(abilityName)) {
 			return;
-		
-		abilities.add(abilityName);
-		
-		if(getClient() != null) {
-			setAbilitiesUpdateCounter((short) (getAbilitiesUpdateCounter() + 1));
-			getClient().getSession().write(messageBuilder.buildAddAbilityDelta(abilityName));
 		}
-
+		
+		abilities.put(abilityName, 1);
 	}
 	
 	public void removeAbility(String abilityName) {
-		
-		if(!abilities.contains(abilityName))
+		if (!abilities.containsKey(abilityName)) {
 			return;
-		
-		abilities.remove(abilityName);
-		
-		if(getClient() != null) {
-			setAbilitiesUpdateCounter((short) (getAbilitiesUpdateCounter() + 1));
-			getClient().getSession().write(messageBuilder.buildRemoveAbilityDelta(abilityName));
 		}
 		
+		abilities.remove(abilityName);
 	}
 	
 	public SWGMap<Long, Long> getMissionCriticalObjects() {
@@ -1862,6 +1830,15 @@ public class CreatureObject extends TangibleObject implements Serializable {
 							getClient().getSession().write(buffer);
 						}
 						
+						break;
+					}
+					case 14: { 
+						buffer = messageBuilder.createDelta("CREO", (byte) 4, (short) 1, (byte) 14, buffer, buffer.array().length + 4);
+						
+						if (getClient() != null && getClient().getSession() != null) {
+							getClient().getSession().write(buffer);
+						}
+						
 						break;
 					}
 				}
diff --git a/src/services/SkillService.java b/src/services/SkillService.java
index 6396581f..fcd3ec36 100644
--- a/src/services/SkillService.java
+++ b/src/services/SkillService.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import java.nio.ByteOrder;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.TreeMap;
 
 import org.apache.mina.core.buffer.IoBuffer;
 import org.apache.mina.core.session.IoSession;
@@ -163,10 +164,16 @@ public class SkillService implements INetworkDispatch {
 								}
 							}
 						} else {
+							Map<String, Integer> abilitiesMap = new TreeMap<String, Integer>();
+							
 							for (String ability : abilities) {
-								creature.addAbility(ability);
+								if (!creature.hasAbility(ability)) {
+									abilitiesMap.put(ability, 1);
+								}
 							}
 							
+							creature.getAbilities().putAll(abilitiesMap);
+							
 							for (String expertiseName : creature.getSkills()) {
 								if (expertiseName.startsWith("expertise")) {
 									if (FileUtilities.doesFileExist("scripts/expertise/" + expertiseName + ".py")) {