Star Wars: The Old Republic will be converting to Free-to-Play later this month and hopefully there will be a flood of new players into the galaxy. So in preparation for that influx, I thought I’d put together a brief guide to planets and companions for new players. This does not include class quests which take you back to a planet as part of your class quest. After starting planets, all classes follow the same planet path. Every guide I’ve found has the order progression wrong for Republic players and can be quite frustrating.
All classes have immediate access to a healing companion once they earn their ship. The ship droid is ranged heals and heals as well as your healing companion once outfitted and equipped. Most players use the ship droid as they always available for crew skill missions. This is the only companion that does not come with appropriately equipped class gear and weapon.
Companion legend is:
- rdps: ranged dps
- rt: ranged tank
- mt: melee tank
- h: healer
- mdps: melee dps
For Republic Players, the order of planets (suggested level range), and companions are:
- Ord Mantell and Tython: starter planets for Smuggler & Troopers and Consular/Knights. Smugglers will gain Corso Riggs (rt) and Troopers will recruit Aric Jorgan (rdps). Consular’s gain Qyzen Fess (mt) and Knight’s have the pleasure of T7-01 (rt).
- Coruscant: Knights gain Kira Carson (mdps) and all players earn their space ships upon completion of their respective class quest story lines. (10-18)
- Taris: Troopers will acquire Elara Dorne (h) (17-20)
- Nar Shaddaa: Smugglers encounter and recruit Bowdaar (mt) while Consular’s recruit Theran Cedrex (h). Troopers meet and recruit M1-4X (t). (20-24)
- Tatooine: (24-28)
- Alderaan: (28-32) Smuggler’s acquire Risha (rdps), although Smuggler’s meet this companion much earlier.
- Balmorra: (32-36) Knights acquire Doc (h). Consular’s recruit Zenith (rdps). Smuggler’s get Akaavi Spar (mdps) and Troopers recruit Tanno Vik (mdps/mt)
- Quesh: (36-37)
- Hoth: (37-41) Consular’s gain Lieutenant Iresso (rt). Knights gain Sergeant Rusk (rdps) and between Hoth and Belsavis Knights also gain Lord Scourge (mt). Smuggler’s gain Guss Tuno (h), while Troopers acquire Yuun (mdps).
- Belsavis: (41-44) Consular’s recruit Nadia Grell (mdps).
- Voss: (44-47)
- Corellia: (47-50)
- Ilum: (50) you are sent here once your class quest is completed in its entirety
For Empire players, the order of planets, companions, and suggested level range is:
- Hutta and Korriban: starter planets for Imperial Agents and Bounty Hunters and Warriors and Inquisitors. Agents recruit Kaliyo (rt) and Bounty Hunters acquire Mako (h). Warriors gain the service of Vette (rdps) and Inquisitors unlock Vhem Kal (mt). (1-10)
- Dromund Kaas: (10-18)
- Balmorra: Warriors gain Malavai Quinn (h) (17-20)
- Nar Shaddaa: (20-24)
- Tatooine: (24-28) Inquisitors recruit Andronikos Revel (rdps). Bounty Hunters acquire Gault (rdps)
- Alderaan: (28-32) Jaesa Willsaam (mdps) is acquired by Warriors. Agent’s gain Vector (mdps)
- Taris: Warriors will acquire Lieutenant Pierce (rt) (32-36) and Inquisitors acquire Ashara Zavros (mdps). Bounty Hunters gain Torian Cadera (mdps). Agents get Doctor Lokin (h).
- Quesh: (36-37)
- Hoth: (37-41) Warrior’s recruit Broonmark (mt). Inquisitors acquire Talos Drellik (h). Bounty Hunters gain Blizz (rt), while Agents acquire Ensign Temple (rdps).
- Belsavis: (41-44) Bounty Hunters get Skadge (rdps) and Agents gains Scorpio (mt).
- Voss: (44-47) Inquisitors gain Xalek (rt/rdps) in this level range but not on this planet.
- Corellia: (47-50)
- Ilum: (50) you are sent here once your class quest is completed in its entirety
A couple of helpful hints for new players:
- Once you pick your advanced class you cannot change it to the other advance class. The game warns you multiple times before you pick an advance class. You can however respec your chosen advance class if needed. At level 10, you get a quest to chose your class quest on your respective Fleet.
- Companion affection directly affects their success during crew missions and their performance while questing. The higher the affection, the better they perform. Ship droids can now gain in affection, it does improve their performance.
- Force users, particularly Consulars and Inquisitors, have a Force pool of 500 (unless talented to increase to 600) and does NOT increase as you level.
- Companions, except ship droids, have quest lines that become available as their affection increases.
- Gear is important. Remember to use commendations to replace modifications, enhancement, etc. whenever possible.
- There are bonus quest series available on all planets except the starter planets and the city worlds of Coruscant and Drummond Kaas. Most bonus quests are available immediately after concluding questing on that planet but some planets, the bonus series is available much later.
- Rolling greed while in a group for companion gear is considered bad form.
- Story lines are linear but wonderful. Everyone has their favorite, and what my favorite story is may not be yours. So my best advice, play the class you enjoy.
Enjoy the game for what it is and not what the critics demand it to be, a story driven game with multiplayer heroics, instances (flashpoints), and operations. If you’re on the fence about trying the game and have enjoyed previous Bioware games, then you will enjoy SWTOR. Just don’t expect to open the game and have a sandbox experience, the core of the game would suffer.
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