**OFFICIAL** Star Wars: The Old Republic Thread

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KeithTalent

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I gotta admit: I'm going in blind to this game. I can have fun with Star Wars, but I'm not a huge fan like I used to be (pre-prequels). So, I haven't read up on it at all until some co-worker friends talked me into playing with them this week. Where are some good places to start reading about character progression, the crafting system, etc?

This would be relevant to my interests too. I feel like such a nub after reading this thread, even though I played the game for two weekends. :(

KT
 

velillen

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Jul 12, 2006
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This is hilarious, AT is going to have an all-healer guild. :eek:

i was just about to say that lol. Normally healers are the ones you can never find >.< One a plus though least each "healer" can respec into a dps role as well.

I think I'm going to be a Trooper to start. Not sure about trees or anything as I did not get very far in the betas and have not ready much else either, but I'd try to make my guy workable solo so I am not reliant upon grouping (not that have issues grouping with people, I just like to be able to work on my own when need be).

one thing i was impressed/happy with was the fact i did just fine solo even speccing as a healer. the companion tanks and did good dps while i cc'd, healed companion, and dps'd. Even multimob packs i could usually open with attacks and have the mob down to needing 1-2 hits to die. unless it was a "strong" mob then it took more.

I do wish they would have a "two talent tree" option like WoW did. So you could just swap into a healer spec and have a dps specced saved that you could switch between.

I am going to be speccing as a Tank, so we should do well together, if you're interested!

Sounds good...though sounds like everyone is going to be healers in our little guild lol. Right now im on odd shifts for work though so we'll see who can actually play from ~9am-2pm PST since thats my game time till probably christmas time
 

SunnyD

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I forgot to post the before hand and you beat me to it. Originally I was told they were thinking about moving it up to the 12th for early access. So we would start on that Monday and have all week while Bioware does a rolling early access launch. This way everyone gets to join for early access by the 15th.

I was told not to tell anyone else that and usually I do anyhow for you guys. Because they can't trace it back to me here :) Still it must have slipped my mind. You guys found out anyhow.

From the site:

Early Game Access* for Star Wars&#8482;: The Old Republic&#8482; is only a few days away! Starting December 13, 2011, The Old Republic will begin emailing invitations to start your Early Game Access. Invitations will be sent throughout the Early Game Access period offering rolling access to the game in the order in which you redeemed your Pre-Order Code, so be sure to check your email inbox!

That to me tells me that they'll just be emailing out the invites 2 days early, not that you can play on the 13th.

edit: nm. early access starts on the 13th.
 
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KeithTalent

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I'm not attached to any particular class, I was just picking Trooper because it was recommended to me. I've yet to actually try the class. I tried Jedi Knight and Imperial Agent in the betas and both were equally fun, so I can play whatever if it helps out the group. Not saying I can play it well, but I can try. :D

KT
 

Mem

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Apr 23, 2000
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I'm not attached to any particular class, I was just picking Trooper because it was recommended to me. I've yet to actually try the class. I tried Jedi Knight and Imperial Agent in the betas and both were equally fun, so I can play whatever if it helps out the group. Not saying I can play it well, but I can try. :D

KT

I thought Jedi Knight was boring to me at least, both Consular and trooper were more fun,but each to their own as they say.
 

velillen

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Jul 12, 2006
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This would be relevant to my interests too. I feel like such a nub after reading this thread, even though I played the game for two weekends. :(

KT


TORhead.com has been decent. its more of a item/area look up over guides or anything though. But still nice ot look at say synthweaving and see what items can actually be made. Vs most info just seems to be "synthweaving is good light armor wearers"

otherwise really ive just googled my question and usually found a decent answer pretty quick. That and most of the fansites seem to pretty much have the same info (which isnt much).
 

s44

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I was looking for a guide for you guys and most of them were unfortunately spoilertastic. Don't want that.

You've all at least played KOTOR though, right?
 

KeithTalent

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Thanks for the tips! I've played KOTOR and this game does feel quite similar, I don't recall talent trees, but it's been a long time since I played it. :hmm:

KT
 

maniacalpha1-1

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It's been 8 months or more since I played EQ and I just thought of something...in EQ, sometimes, if you have a specific goal in mind(especially back in the early days before having full raid gear would max all your stats), you can pick and choose gear from different sources. That's actually not my question...you see, this made it good to use sites like Allakhazam where you could peruse through gear lists, find out where they drop, or what tradeskill components you farm to make them, etc.

Is TOR such that you'd have any need for a gear and mob database? I've never played any other MMO but Allakhazam's network has a lot of other MMO sites and I notice that many of them don't seem to have gear databases like that.
 

KeithTalent

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Whoa whoa, hold the phone, you used to play Everquest? :eek:

KT
 

maniacalpha1-1

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Whoa whoa, hold the phone, you used to play Everquest? :eek:

KT

Yeah, yeah...but it's the only point of reference I have...(2 weeks Rift trial doesn't count for much).

Just wondering about that because frankly, it was pretty cool to browse through mob and gear lists at lunchtime at work, planning out what to camp later...
 

s44

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There are three main gear databases: Darth Hater (also the biggest news/community site), which is now part of Curse; TORHead, from the WoWHead people (ZAM); and R2-DB. Fortunately or unfortunately the latter two are merging. So there will be two main database sites.

Before you decide whether or not you'll need a database, you should read the long recent dev post on the TOR gear modding system.

Basically, if you just want top stats, it's pretty simple, but if you want top stats and a particular look (whether armor appearance, lightsaber/blaster bolt color, or whatever), it can get really complex. Also, obviously, if you're planning to do gear (and not stim/medpac) crafting, you gotta know this stuff to understand the market.
 

maniacalpha1-1

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There are three main gear databases: Darth Hater (also the biggest news/community site), which is now part of Curse; TORHead, from the WoWHead people (ZAM); and R2-DB. Fortunately or unfortunately the latter two are merging. So there will be two main database sites.

Before you decide whether or not you'll need a database, you should read the long recent dev post on the TOR gear modding system.

Basically, if you just want top stats, it's pretty simple, but if you want top stats and a particular look (whether armor appearance, lightsaber/blaster bolt color, or whatever), it can get really complex. Also, obviously, if you're planning to do gear (and not stim/medpac) crafting, you gotta know this stuff to understand the market.

Eh, top stats comes before look. Is it simple to get top stats because there is a stat cap that's easily reached without getting the best possible item for each slot?

Or is it a system where there's not a "maximum", but a soft cap after which there are diminishing returns, but by getting WELL past that soft cap you can still be a lot more powerful than people who are right at it? Using armor class(or whatever it's called) as an example?

Also, I'm going to guess that "mods" are gear pieces you can get separately as well? That article may as well have been describing EQ augments(sorry for the additional EQ reference...)
 

s44

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No, it's simple because group and after-world-chain quests drop the best non-epic loot as *quest rewards*, which are individualized by class when you turn it in. (You usually get some choice as to distribution of the various class-relevant stats.) Then at endgame you raid or spend commendations on high-end PvP gear, again basically class-tailored. There aren't that many alternate gear paths yet. (Well, you can get even better pre-endgame loot from World Bosses, but that's not really worth it just for leveling.)

Mods appear as drops too, yeah. But in moddable gear they are how the gear bonuses are delivered, not some extra on top of that.
 

coloumb

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I gotta admit: I'm going in blind to this game. I can have fun with Star Wars, but I'm not a huge fan like I used to be (pre-prequels). So, I haven't read up on it at all until some co-worker friends talked me into playing with them this week. Where are some good places to start reading about character progression, the crafting system, etc?

Don't worry about it too much.

The official site has enough information about character classes [Advanced classes] and their role within a group:

http://www.swtor.com/info/holonet/classes

Just pick a class YOU would like to play.

Crafting = crew skills:

http://www.swtor.com/info/systems/crew-skills

I would highly suggest picking up Slicing as one of your gathering skills - it's always good for a few extra credits and gear drops.

Then just pick up the appropriate gathering skill depending upon what crew skill [crafting]. The game will suggest what gathering skills you should pick to compliment your crew skill.

For beta - I chose Slicing, Scavenging, and Armormech.

Slicing definitely helped make me a few credits. Scavenging/Armormech go well together to make armor that's slightly better than quest amor but not as good as the commendation gear [honestly - all of the gear you receive from quests is sufficient enough]
 

s44

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To explain a bit further: it used to be that every role/spec had its own key stat, but Bioware has changed the system to give each class a main stat, which boosts *every activity* important to your class, no matter which AC or spec you're in. So as long as you get gear with your main stat, you're good. Gear also usually has Endurance, which ups your HP.

So the first thing you should do is find out what your class main stat is. (Of course, it should be obvious, since any gear you pick up from your class storyline will boost that stat.) Also, when you get a companion, check on his Codex entry to find what *his* main stat is.

FYI -- reports are that Slicing has been seriously nerfed as a moneymaking skill.
 
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maniacalpha1-1

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To explain a bit further: it used to be that every role/spec had its own key stat, but Bioware has changed the system to give each class a main stat, which boosts *every activity* important to your class, no matter which AC or spec you're in. So as long as you get gear with your main stat, you're good. Gear also usually has Endurance, which ups your HP.

So the first thing you should do is find out what your class main stat is. Also, when you get a companion, check on his Codex entry to find what *his* main stat is.

But it's not a simple matter of just farming one spot until you are geared up right? I mean, you might decide to get something that's easier first, so you can get gear in a harder zone later?

Also, I know most raids are instanced, but what about group content? Does the best gear come from static or instanced? (I actually have a reason for wondering that)

FYI -- reports are that Slicing has been seriously nerfed as a moneymaking skill.

Is that like pickpocketing lol?
 

s44

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Oct 13, 2006
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Hm, I'm not sure you realize just how serious TOR is about the whole storyline thing. They expect you to do quests, in a rough planet-by-planet order. The best gear is in instanced quests (group and non-group) -- or rather, not even *in* the quest, but acquired when you turn the quest in at the quest giver. Actually, the *best* pre-endgame gear drops from non-instanced world bosses, but you need a full-sized raid party to kill one; it's a major ordeal now (apparently they tweaked so even a level 50 gets stomped fighting one solo) and not really worth the epic planet-level drop(s) (i.e. useless when you hit level cap) the raid gets.

You can get quite a lot of the good gear by grinding tough mobs for that planet's commendations, then buying from the commendation vendor, but this is *severely* time-inefficient. In terms of most efficient leveling/gearing,
questing in groups > questing solo > warzoning >>> grinding

Slicing in the Star Wars universe is hacking, but in the game it's basically safe-cracking. It's funny, because in my earlier beta phase it was totally crap and a major money-sink; it was treasure-hunting that was the moneymaker then. Not sure if there's a single specific money-making skill now.
 

maniacalpha1-1

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Feb 7, 2010
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Ah, so I guess groups giving away extra loot drops doesn't happen since it's mostly instanced...and I'm betting that even when it's not instanced, mobs decay and poof and people outside the group can't even loot...?
 

CVSiN

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Jul 19, 2004
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Ah, so I guess groups giving away extra loot drops doesn't happen since it's mostly instanced...and I'm betting that even when it's not instanced, mobs decay and poof and people outside the group can't even loot...?

like I explained earlier to you if an item dropped for a group its flagged for that group only.. meaning only those that rolled in the group for the item have a chance on it.. ( and 90% of the time this will be in a PRIVATE INSTANCE where noone else but your party can enter.

when an item drops you have 3 options that come up..
NEED GREED and PASS

if you roll NEED you better be able to use and equip that item right then and there.. as you are saying you NEED the item people that roll need roll first and thier rolls are higher priority than greed.

Greed means you want the item but dont really want to use it.. or want to sell it. ( even vendor if its BOP)

Greed rolls are calculated second.

and of course if you dont want it.. pass..

this is all done by the game..

you will get blacklisted quick if you need roll (ninja) things you dont need..
so understand the options before you play.

Items can be BOP, BOE.. and fully tradeable..
and no you wont find anyone just giving away spare loot.. it all goes on the GTN (Auction House) or to guild banks etc..

it's going to be a culture shock for you coming from EQ.
 

maniacalpha1-1

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it's going to be a culture shock for you coming from EQ.

Indeed! I know how all that loot procedural stuff works, at least THAT will be the same, except I see you say they have made it handled by the game. Now on that one I admit - I have nostalgia for doing it manually :)

What are BOP and BOE? I'm guessing BOE is bind on equip(ie becomes no drop when equipped)...what's BOP?
 

s44

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Oct 13, 2006
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Bind on Pickup. Note that bound-to-you gear can also be used by your companions.

Most drops in the world (off a corpse) are BOE. Most (all except commendations and the contents of loot boxes?) loot from quest turn-ins are BOP.