Star Wars the Old Republic Super Guide: Part 1 Getting Started, About the Game and Classes
Contents
What is Star Wars the Old Republic?
Game Versions
Player Creation
Factions
Classes
Advanced Classes
Welcome to Confucius’ Star Wars The Old Republic Super Guide! In this guide we will cover many things and hopefully help you learn all the basics of the game while also helping your decision of what class and race to play! Without any more waiting let’s take a look at…
What is Star Wars the Old Republic?
Star Wars the Old Republic is a new MMORPG created by BioWare and LucasArts. This is the second Star Wars MMO to date and is BioWare’s first step into the online game world. The game is hoping to be known for its strong compelling stories, unique companion system, and advancements in combat animation. The game takes place roughly 300 years after BioWare’s Knights of the Old Republic I and II, as the Sith Empire attacks Coruscant and breaks the tenuous peace between the two factions that was barely held intact.
The game launches on December 20th and is already being played by those who preodered and got early game access. There are a total of eight classes, each with two “advanced classes” making there an actual total of around sixteen different classes. Players can either be Empire or Republic which also limits their choice of which class they get to play (although the separate classes on each faction are very similar but with different attack names and animations). The game also features full voice overs for every conversation and throughout the game choices made can influence the player’s game later on.
Since Star Wars Galaxies is now officially shut down, Star Wars the Old Republic is now the only Star Wars MMO and is expected to be a major success.
Game Versions
Star Wars the Old Republic features multiple game versions, each with different bonuses to offer. At the time of the writing of this guide players can still pre-order and receive a special color crystal along with early game access.
Standard Edition
Cost: $60
Features: Standard Game with 30 days prepaid time.
Digital Deluxe Edition
Cost: $80
Features: Standard Game with 30 days prepaid time and special virtual items described below.
Flare Gun: Fire a dramatic and inspiring flare high into the air.
Training Droid: A small but advanced training droid to hover at your side for combat assistance.
HoloDancer: Portable entertainment system to project your own holographic dancer.
HoloCam: Keep visual Records of your in-game adventrues as you travel the Star Wars galaxy.
STAP: The STAP is a sleek and unique in-game vehicle that you will acquire during your journeys.
Collector’s Edition
Cost: $150
Features: Standard Game with 30 days prepaid time, the virtual items mentioned above plus the exclusive collector’s store, and the physical items shown below.
Getting Started
After you have downloaded and installed the game it is time to login and create your first character! This is an important choice and you may need to spend some time to get your character just the way you want it; because remember once you create a character you are stuck with them unless you decide to reroll.
The first step to do is to login to the launcher, it’s pretty self-explanatory; just enter your email and password associated with the account and your authenticator if you have one.
After you login just hit play and you are ready to start your adventure!
Once the game loads up, and possibly shows the opening cinematic it is time to choose your server and allegiance to begin your saga within the game!
Factions
The two playable factions within the game are the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire.
The Galactic Republic
The Galactic Republic can be seen as the good guys within the game from most point of views, it is a vast democracy led by a Supreme Chancellor. There are often many divisions within the republic because of its democratic nature. The republic is protected by the Jedi and its somewhat advanced military, along with the occasional volunteer. The playable classes for the republic are the Trooper, Smuggler, Jedi Knight, and Jedi Consular; all of which will have more info later on in this guide!
Below is some information about the republic from BioWare itself.
A Bright Light In The Darkness...
For more than twenty thousand years, the Galactic Republic has been the most civilized and advanced power in the known galaxy. Governed by the Galactic Senate with representatives from hundreds of star systems and planets, the Republic has been the center of peace and progress, a bright beacon in the darkness of outer space.
The revered Jedi Order has sworn itself to defend the Republic, to battle the darkness, and to bring peace and balance to the greater galaxy. The Jedi have served for millennia in this capacity, and in that time they have earned themselves the admiration of their allies, and the hatred of their enemies.
Less than a century ago, the greatest of those enemies returned…
The onslaught of the Sith Empire caught the Republic and the Jedi completely by surprise, and during a long and arduous war, the Republic was broken. After the capital planet of Coruscant was ravaged by the Sith’s Imperial forces, the Supreme Chancellor and the Senate were forced to sign the painful Treaty of Coruscant, which required the Republic to withdraw its support of several long-standing allies, including the ever-loyal Bothans.
Struggling with a wave of withdrawing star systems, an insurmountable supply crisis, and chaos on the streets of Coruscant, the Senate has become paralyzed in the years since the treaty.
The bitter and divided nobility of the Core Worlds disputes every decision, damaging the morale of the Republic’s already discouraged citizens. Blaming the Jedi for the failures that led to Imperial domination, the Senate has distanced itself from the Republic’s legendary guardians.
The Jedi remain committed to protecting the Republic, but the Jedi Council has moved from Coruscant to the ancient Jedi homeworld of Tython.
The Republic has trained up new squads of Special Forces, disciplined teams capable of working together with near-perfect efficiency. These elite troopers still work often in conjunction with the Jedi, but in many places, the troopers have taken the prominent role in providing the Republic’s defense.
Despite a post-war economic depression and the continued expansion of its enemies, the spirit of the Republic remains independent, brave, and strong. New leaders are stepping forward even now to stand against the dark Sith Empire, liberate the galaxy, and restore the Republic to its former glory.
The Sith Empire
Much like the Galactic Republic can be seen as the good guys in this game, the Sith Empire is seen as the bad guys or perhaps the misunderstood good guys. It is a militaristic society where those with the best powers and skill succeed while the weak die or are enslaved. The entire faction revolves around power, with back stabbing and organized rises to power commonly expected; however it also follows strict orderly rules, that if broken can lead to great success or even worse punishment. The classes available to the Sith Empire are the Bounty Hunter, Sith Warrior, Imperial Agent, and Sith Inquisitor; all of which will be described later on in this guide!
Here is some more info from BioWare itself about the Sith Empire.
Determined to dominate the galaxy
The true origins of the Sith remain shrouded in mystery. The Sith race was, in fact, largely unimportant until three thousand years ago, when Dark Jedi exiles arrived on Korriban and subjugated the Sith beneath their rule and their philosophy.
As the years passed, the Dark Jedi intermarried with those they ruled, and within generations, the word “Sith” took on new meaning. This powerful new civilization began expanding rapidly, led by a growing population of ambitious dark Force-users. Fifteen hundred years ago, the Sith civilization’s boundaries reached the Republic, and the Great Hyperspace War began.
Dark Lord of the Sith Naga Sadow led his armies in an aggressive campaign to destroy the Galactic Republic. Though the Sith were successful at first, the Jedi Order rallied back to defeat their dark counterparts, systematically destroying the Sith civilization on Korriban.
Unbeknownst to the Jedi however, the last Emperor of the Sith managed to escape the carnage and fled into Deep Space with his most trusted Dark Lords.
These surviving Sith began rebuilding their society on a distant planet, hoping to one-day return for revenge.
Over the course of the next thousand years, the Sith Empire recovered its strength. The Emperor developed a massive Imperial military, a fleet of advanced warships, and undertook dark rituals which prolonged his life and his undisputed rule.
When the time for vengeance arrived, the Sith began infiltrating star systems in the Outer Rim, sowing seeds of discord and making secret deals with local criminals and warlords. With all the pieces perfectly in place, the Sith launched an enormous offensive which caught the Jedi completely off-guard. In the first wave alone, the Sith succeeded in seizing control of several star systems in the Outer Rim, destroying the Republic’s shipyards in the Sluis sector, and strangling the popular Rimma Trade Route.
After the initial crush, the Emperor’s brilliant strategies continued and the brutal force of the Imperial military slammed the Republic time and time again, from the deep sinkholes of Utapau to the tall forests of Agamar. Though it seemed the Empire was capable of waging war indefinitely, the Emperor surprised the Republic yet again.
While the Emperor’s Dark Council engaged Republic leaders in peace talks, several Sith Lords and an elite Imperial army sacked the Republic’s capital planet.
Destroying the Jedi Temple and holding the planet hostage, the Sith left Republic leaders no choice but to surrender several outlying star systems by signing the Treaty of Coruscant.
Since the treaty, the Emperor has withdrawn to pursue his own mysterious goals, deferring control to the Dark Council, and setting the stage for a brutal power struggle. In the political vacuum, the strongest and most cunning Sith and Imperial leaders are rising up to assume authority, consolidate the Empire’s dominion and crush its enemies.
Classes
Now that you have chosen your side, it is time to decide what class you will play, this is an important decision and it may take a few tries before you figure out which one you like best!
Republic Classes
Troopers are the republic's front line forces, whether they are tanking all the damage, dealing out the pain, or healing their allies , there is always a spot for a good trooper within a group. Troopers wear heavy armor and use blaster rifles and cannons as their weapons, I like to think of them as WoW hunters with paladin armor and tanking ability. They use ammo as their resource and have the ability to deal damage over time but most of their damage comes from direct instant cast spells, much like World of Warcraft's hunter.
Here is what BioWare has to say about the trooper.
The trooper class is a good choice if you want to have a variety of attack options and ranges, they can deal damage at long range or close range with their two specializations and can fill all three roles between their two advanced classes.Honor, Duty, Defense of the Republic
Not all heroes carry Lightsabers. Some just have the will to fight.
For decades, the armed forces of the Galactic Republic defended their civilization against the seemingly unstoppable Sith Empire. Despite countless setbacks, the men and women of the Republic military never backed down until the Senate ordered them to do so. These brave souls remain ready and willing to lay their lives on the line today.
In the wake of the Treaty of Coruscant, the Republic military has begun recruiting from within its own ranks, creating cutting-edge Special Forces squads for the inevitable day when the war with the Sith Empire begins anew. These advanced strike teams are comprised of only the most talented and disciplined soldiers—a new breed of elite Republic Troopers.
These Troopers are the embodiment of the Republic military’s highest aspirations—the most advanced fighting force in the galaxy. They are equipped to face any foe in any environment, but it’s not their gear that makes them tough—it’s their guts. The Troopers’ greatest weapons are their indomitable spirit, their unwavering sense of duty and their undying loyalty to each other and to the ideals that the Republic represents. In this age, the stakes have never been higher. The Republic must win or face extinction. The fate of the galaxy rests upon ordinary men becoming extraordinary heroes. This is the path of the Republic Trooper.
Relations with the Jedi
The Knights of the Jedi Order have defended the Republic for generations, but they have not fought alone. A host of unsung heroes have marched at the Jedi’s side—common men courageous enough to enlist and face the same risks as their Jedi comrades despite not having access to the Jedi powers of protection. These heroes have not gone unappreciated by the Jedi. The men and women of the Republic military are accorded complete respect and admiration by the Order and by the Republic’s political leaders.
In the years since the Treaty of Coruscant, the Jedi have withdrawn in significant numbers to their homeworld of Tython. Their presence in the Republic military, though still significant, is not what it was during the war. In many ways, the Republic’s newly-trained elite Troopers have stepped up to take charge of the Republic’s defenses. When Troopers are partnered with the Jedi, they are a force to be reckoned with on any battlefield.
Trooper Advanced Classes
Vanguard
Vanguard is the trooper's tanking specialization, it's a close range class and also has a damage tree along with the trooper pvp tree.
Tactics:
Shield Specialist:
Assault Specialist (shared):
Commando
Commando is the trooper's healing specialization, it is a far range class and also has a damage tree along with the trooper shared pvp tree.
Gunnery:
Combat Medic:
Assault Specialist (shared):
Smuggler is the republic's other non jedi class, they can tank, heal, or do damage between their two advanced classes. I like to think as smugglers as a hunter and rogue combination, they use energy as their resource. They are the only republic class who uses cover in combat, which reduces damage done to them. They are a pretty dynamic class and can fit a lot of different play styles.
Here is what BioWare has to say about the smuggler.
Quick, Clever, Answers to No One
Sometimes luck is more important than skill, but it never hurts to have both.
Lawlessness has become common in the wake of the devastating war between the Republic and Empire. Shifting political allegiances and marauding pirates have made independent space travel a dangerous enterprise. Cut off from traditional supply routes, entire star systems waver on the verge of collapse. An adventurous spirit who’s not afraid to break a few rules can make a handsome profit hauling cargo to these hotspots, but it requires fast reflexes, fast wits and a fast draw with a blaster. Even then, the life of a Smuggler is always a gamble.
Stacking up enemies as fast as they stack up credits, Smugglers only survive in this galaxy by being slick, sneaky and street-smart. Whether sweet-talking an attractive alien or bargaining with a hardened criminal contact, the Smuggler’s charm is a notorious asset, and often the ticket to turning around a deteriorating situation. If circumstances get too complicated, though, count on a Smuggler to always have an escape plan. Experienced in flying under the radar, Smugglers are amazingly elusive. Yet when backed into a corner, they quickly become cunning and often deadly combatants.
Above all else, Smugglers make their own destinies. Despite their affinity for credits, Smugglers have been known to turn down lucrative opportunities when the clients have demanded too much control. Some Smugglers are even more discriminating—refusing to work with slavers and representatives of the Sith Empire. It’s a business where one is always looking for trustworthy allies, but they are often few and far between. Whether running an Imperial blockade or shooting down a double-crossing gangster, Smugglers are always flying by the seat of their pants. Every deal carries the chance for wealth beyond their wildest dreams… or an anonymous death in the harsh void of space.
Relations with the Republic
Faced with choosing an allegiance in these uncertain times, Smugglers have been forced to consider the implications of trying to operate under the tight controls imposed by the Sith Empire. Though never the most patriotic members of Republic society, many Smugglers have decided that siding with the Republic is siding with freedom, and of course, freedom is everything.
The Republic has never indulged a systematic prejudice against Smugglers. Generally speaking, they have more commonly tangled with laws and law enforcement measures from specific star systems, not the greater Republic. Thus, it has not been overly difficult for the Jedi and the Republic military to accept Smugglers as allies in resisting the growing dominance of the Sith Empire.
Smuggler Advanced Classes
Gunslinger
The Gunslinger is the smuggler's tanking and damage class, they use two pistols and attack from a long range.
Saboteur:
Sharpshooter:
Dirty Fighting (shared):
Scoundrel
The Scoundrel is the smuggler's healing and damage class, they use a singal pistol, stealth, and sneaky tricks to take down their enemies.
Sawbones:
Scrapper:
Dirty Fighting (shared):
Continued in next post!