Tobold's Blog
Friday, December 30, 2011
 
SWTOR mid-level

I'm 80 hours into Star Wars: The Old Republic, level 30, and I'm still loving it. One can probably level a lot faster than I did, but I'm not at all in a hurry, and rather spend time trying out different features like crafting and space combat instead to rushing to the level cap. I also want to do *all* the quests, and some planets like Taris really have a lot of those.

In any case one is forced to see all the major places, as the class quest is strictly linear. Your only option is whether or not to do all the side quests, and the heroics, and the flashpoints. "Heroics" in SWTOR are relatively small instances with hard mobs usually requiring a group, albeit not always a full one. Flashpoints are more similar to traditional dungeons, with trash mobs, boss mobs, and the need to bring a full group.

While doing all this stuff in Coruscant and Taris, I had the feeling I was outleveling my main quest line. Especially by doing the bonus series of quests on Taris; obviously if a quest series is *labeled* "bonus series" by the game, it isn't strictly necessary to do it. On the next planet, Nar Shadaa, the bonus series is several levels above the rest, and is better kept for later.

So now I'm on Tatooine, and the difficulty level of the solo leveling game is going up. That is a good thing. By level 30 you are supposed to know how to play your class; if you die to a bad pull, it is your own fault, and it teaches you to play better. Star Wars: The Old Republic has a very good system of normal, strong, elite, and champion mobs, where the normal mobs are just cannon fodder which serves to make you feel powerful. My artillery wielding trooper can often kill a full group of normals with a single mortar attack, and if they don't die from that a hail of bolts quickly finishes them. The challenge is in the harder mobs, which of course also drop the better loot. Even if not asked by a quest, I do try to kill elite and champion mobs I encounter, because they usually drop green or even blue gear, while the normal mobs often drop nothing at all, or just vendor junk.

After Tatooine I still have to do Alderaan, which I hear is even harder, to finish chapter 1 of the game. I will then get my legacy surname. Up to now the game is excellent value for money, especially since the holidays allow me to play more than my usual 20 hours per week. And if the endgame at the level cap isn't to my liking, well, I already rolled a Jedi Knight who will go for the dark side.
Comments:
Nice little write up and it pretty much is a reflection of my experience so far. I'm currently only level 20 however as I had to reroll after encountering queues of up to 4 hours on my previous level 24 toon.

I've seen enough however to uninstall wow, swtor will definitely last me until guild wars 2 releases and will most likely be my 'go to game' which I return to when new content is released. Overall swtor gets a big thumbs up from me...... Mainly as its saved me from pandas and pokemon
 
I'm currently a level 31 Jedi Shadow in Alderaan and indeed, it's fairly difficult for an mmorpg. Yesterday I needed to kill a few champion mobs and each time I ended up with my companion killed and myself at half dead. I also used my panic button (instant stealth) a few times to get out of a fight. That's perfectly fine with me. If someone finds it to hard, they can just do some sidequests or dungeons and retry it later.

It's been since the launch of WoW that I've had so much fun in an mmorpg. Definitely worth my money.
 
This game definatley is a step up in the difficulty from WoW. I would class myself as an above average player in that game, consistantly at the top end of the DPS charts on any character, but this game can be brutal. Trying to go through some of the quests in Tattooine as a gunslinger is suicidal. No mid-fight healing at all (beside the 20 min c/d panic button) makes even some of the story quests all but impossable to solo at effective level. Hell, even hunters got a 'mend pet' option. something for gunslingers would be nice at level 27...

Finding Jedi Sage much easier at this stage in the game, bubble is a lifesaver for avoiding incomming damage to my character as well as companion.

Don't get me wrong, I like that its not a walk in the park, the thoughtfull pulls, carefull use of CC etc, but damn...it can be unforgiving after Taris.
 
So you got used to two-shot packs of normal mobs. Know what, do _not_ level Jedi Knight. Not as defense guardian anyway. At least not yet.
 
Just cracked 40 on my Agent and got to Hoth ... it's just unbelievable how much fun I'm having in this game! Make sure you do all your quests in Alderaan. The storyline is so engaging.

And a pro tip: If you have to rescue people out of the Killik hives (you'll know it when you see it) LOOK UP.
 
Level 24 Jedi Shadow here. I just got my 2nd companion (a healer) and wish I had him ten levels ago. The starter companion for consulars is a tank, and wasn't very compatible with me, since I'm leveling as a tank myself. It seems that since all 4 starter classes have the opportunity to be hybrids, an earlier variety of companions would be nice.
 
I'm at 38 myself, doing Quesh 1 level above the level range. And let me tell you this, the mobs here are a lot more trickier to handle than previous levels, forcing you to use your full arsenal of nukes, stuns, cooldowns etc.

Interrupts especially, make a ton of difference.

After so many years of WoW, I find it amazing that the leveling game actually takes steps to prepare you for the harder "endgame".
 
Actually my jedi will probably do better than my trooper, because the trooper is healing spec, while the jedi is damage spec.
 
@Wolf. Since I'm leveling as DPS I'm still using the first, tank companion. But if I decide to switch to tanking I can see how the healer companion is better.

@Chris. Yeah, stunning is the key. My Jedi Shadow has a stun, kick and counterspell. Once I started using these morr, fights became easier.
 
I've decided to be more alty in TOR than I have been in other games.

I have paired Jedi Shad/Sage, One Knight and 2 troopers. My max level toon is 27. Oh... AND I have this Sith Inquisitor that I er do bad things with.

Frankly I think the Sith story AND planets are much better to play in than the Republic. I personally hated Coruscant and doing Nar Shad after that *shudder*. But on the Sith Side you go to Drummond Kas which seems to be a real NEAT little jungle world.

Quick question to all did EVERYONE roll a Jedi Cons or Sith Inquisitor??? The Warzones are just packed with these classes.
 
My wife and I made it to level 40 so far duoing the entire way. It is so much fun this way. If you have the chance to do it for 10 levels you should, it feels like a totally different game!
 
Quick question to all did EVERYONE roll a Jedi Cons or Sith Inquisitor???

When I check out popularity in PvE Jedi Knights tend to outnumber consulars (and sages are more popular than shadows). I didn't notice too many consulars in PvP on my server (haven't done that much yet), but I think shadow is probably quite good for PvP - both infiltration & tank specs.
 
I'm level 29 and doing Alderaan so I've been a lot less completionist than you have probably. It's quite hard - one elite which blocked the class quest took 3 goes and I was beginning to think I wouldn't beat it. Managing to just about bumble through. It's a very nice game.
 
Couple things before I goto bed. Ranged is OP in PvP and may get nerfed soon. I've been top 3 as a Smuggler since level 15 and at 28 I will normally double 2nd place's damage and still have top kills.

I'm playing a Smuggler Gunsligner, and loving it. I love the story. I went "dark side" on my story line because I felt it had a more unpredictable story line... which turns out to be true. I've been telling my friends though that this isn't your normal MMO... this is a BioWare RPG that is online.


SMALL SPOILER INCOMING



I've had sex with 2 women in the game and killed a Jedi... as Republic.
 
Im level 22 (as of last night) on my Jedi Sentinel and also loving it. Was thinking I was over-leveling on Taris and took off from Nar Shad, but from seeing the comments here I might fly back to finish. Just have to do the swoop and suicide missions.

Definitely agree with all, that this is a funtastic experience. Never thought I'd ever play a PC game and actually like it! My 360 is collecting dust.
 
SWTOR is an excellent game, no doubt at all. But I have a question which, admittedly, was partially answered already here:

I am a very diligent player and seeing all the planets, doing all the quests, exploring every corner is for me the very essence of the game. My worries are that like that it might eventually get a little to easy. For example: my most advanced character is currenty on Taris, third region (Brell settlmente), on level 23. I cannot complain about the difficulty right now - it is challenging. Yet I am quite over-levelled already. So probably I won´t finish Taris before level 26. In Nar Shaddaa I will arrive at level 26 (while it says the planet is for 20-24). As I said, I love to do everything (and I don´t want to play differently) but I also hope that the challenges later on will still be there. What do you think?

Greetings
 
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