8 Tips for the Starting Star Wars: The Old Republic Player

5) Two sabers (or three or four) are better than one.

There’s no shame in enlisting help from fellow star-hoppers. Even the Emperor surrounds himself with a trusted inner circle of followers. And when it comes to questing, playing with others pays off more than going it solo. You see, each time you reach a dialogue branch in Bioware’s typical brand of conversations while grouped, you’re awarded a small allotment of social points, which in turn “level up” your social rank. A high social rank eventually enables the enterprising player to purchase social items like speeders and themed gear.

What’s more, while social items are initially just for vanity, the gear is completely modifiable and is more than capable of being used in combat should you choose to throw some good mods in it. So it’s not a bad idea to group up with other people just for the added social points, even if you can handle the quests on your own.


6) Companions are people, too.

That is, unless they’re a Trandoshan, a Twi’lek, a Wookiee, or hell, even a droid. Anyway, the point is that your companions are important and you shouldn’t neglect them. Your first order of business when you start getting a choice in companions should, of course, be which companion to rely on. Make sure to pick a buddy that complements your own chosen playstyle—if you’re playing a tank, you should probably roll with a companion that can pump out dps. If you’re a dps yourself, you might want to bring a healer that can keep you alive while you dish out the damage.

And once you’ve decided on your companion of choice, make sure you keep their gear as up-to-date as your own! If they wear the same armor type as you do, the hand-me-down strategy of giving them your old pieces as you nab upgrades is a very efficient way of keeping them well-equipped. If you wear different armor types, always be on the lookout for gear that your companion can use before you decide to pawn it off to a vendor or auction it.





7) Consult the codex before you pick out crew skills.

At the same time you have to decide on your advanced class, you also get the chance to decide on three crew skills (otherwise known as your professions, for those used to other MMOs). With a whopping 14 crew skills spanning three categories—gathering, crafting, and mission—picking three that synergize well with each other is a tall order for the uninitiated. Fortunately, the codex will come to the rescue if you check it first by telling you the types of materials obtained or used by each crew skill as well as exactly which other crew skills benefit from it.

It also doesn't hurt to check in with the codex in general while you're still learning the ropes. It may not be a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, but the codex is a very helpful little tool. You can consult it for information on your class and the game mechanics, in addition to a Corellian Corvette-load of lore about planets, species, organizations, and history within the game world.


8) Think twice before touching your PvP-ness.

As it currently stands, SWTOR’s PvP is the shakiest aspect of the game at launch. Warzones (read: battlegrounds) are not bracketed by level and use simple stat buffs on lower-level players to “equalize” the playing field. The problem with this is that stats aren’t everything. If you jump into a Warzone at level 10 (the earliest you can), you’re going to get slaughtered, period. This is because you barely have any abilities learned, while the level 45 Consular over yonder is blasting you with the full fury of his spells and talents.




If you just love PvP and insist on trying to p'wn the other faction, you’d best hold off until you’re at least level 20-25 or so, when you’ve got most of your class’ core abilities learned. If you’re too impatient for that, well… imagine playing a Rogue in WoW without stealth. Good luck with that. Take it with a grain of salt, however, because this is the one tip that’s subject to change once Bioware finds their footing with balancing the PvP game—and hopefully installing some much needed level brackets.