So you’re new to SWTOR and you’ve got questions; we have the answers. Whether you are afraid to ask in general chat or don’t trust the answers you might get, we’ve got your back so don’t worry about it. This guide is meant to be a simple newbie FAQ for SWTOR. While it’s not meant to answer every question you may have about the game or to cover every aspect of it in detail, it’s a great overview for the new player.
Even if you’ve played other MMORPGs (such as WoW), you’re going to find some differences in SWTOR that will make a difference from the very start. For example, while the UI and controls are familiar, there are other aspects of the game that are different enough that you might find yourself making some big mistakes early on if you don’t take the time to read up on what you’re doing.
First, you need to know a bit more about the classes. There are four different classes to each faction. Each of these four classes also has two specializations called Advanced Classes.
Advanced Classes
Choosing your Advanced Class (AD) will happen at level 10 and it is an important decision to make since it affects how you will play and what skills and abilities you get for the rest of the game and it is irreversible. The classes are mirrored between the two factions to help keep things equal, particularly in PvP situations.
Mirrored Classes:
- Jedi Knight (JK) = Sith Warrior (SW)
- Jedi Consular (JC) = Sith Inquisitor (SI)
- Trooper (Tr) = Bounty Hunter (BH)
- Smuggler (Sm) = Imperial Agent (IA)
One way in which the classes differ in SWTOR from other MMOs is that each class has the abilty to perform multiple roles in the game such as tank, heals or DPS (damage). So it all depends on how you choose your AC and your skills. Your choices have little impact on how you play the game at lower levels so you can literally choose anything you want, regardless of how you will be playing.
For example, you don’t have to worry that you need to pick a certain class because you will be leveling solo. You can pick whatever you want to play and then flesh out your deep specialization as you level up the character.
Gear, Armor Types and Stats
Another thing you need to learn early on about SWTOR is gear, armor types and stats. Just like other MMOs, each class in SWTOR has a main or primary attribute. However, these are not always obvious to the new player.
Here are the basics on the primary attributes:
- Trooper/Bounty Hunter – Aim
- Jedi Knights/Sith Warriors – Strength
- Consulars/Inquisitors – Willpower
- Smugglers/Imperial Agents – Cunning
Everyone can use Endurance to help survive more damage.
Now to avoid looking like a noob in groups or making people royally angry when you roll on gear that’s not right for you, then you also need to learn the correlation between stats and armor types. For example, you might find strength on both medium and heavy armor. Every piece of heavy armor is not for you. Be sure to learn the proper stat and weight for your class so you know what to roll on and what to pass or greed.
Story
Now on to the part of the game that truly makes SWTOR unique in the world of MMORPGs- the story. This is the true essence of your character and the thing that brings the real RPG elements to the game of SWTOR. It’s what sets it apart the most from other MMOs. You will choose light side (LS ) or dark side (DS) alignment and the decisions you make in the story affect your progression in the game and in your alignment.
The story controls your ship, your weapons, the class quests you get and what happens in your character’s storyline. It is so unique to each class and Advanced Class that you will be tempted to want to play more alts than you probably do in other games just to see the unique story for each one. While the classes are mirrored across the factions, keep in mind that the stories are not so there will be a unique storyline for each side even if some of the playstyle is similar.
