Official F2P Star Wars: The Old Republic Thread

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New thread here for the upcoming F2P SWTOR launch. I will be updating this first page with useful information on how to get into the game and general quick guides.


Patch Notes 1.7 (as of 2/12/2013)

PvP is back at Ilum! It not be in the form of true Open World PvP, but it is something new outside of the warzones.

Incoming 1.7 Patch info! Official 1.7 Patch Notes

Highlights
A new Event, Relics of the Gree, has been added to the Western Ice Shelf on Ilum. An ancient Gree starship called "Gray Secant" has transformed the battlefield into a crucible for research, with PvE and PvP missions available for the duration of the Event. Earning Reputation with the Gree Enclave will unlock permission to board Gray Secant itself, which includes access to a new Operation boss - Xenoanalyst II. The "Relics of the Gree" Event will last for two weeks and will return in the future!

Galactic Reputation is a new system for advancing your Legacy. You can unlock Reputation ranks by completing missions for various organizations and earning Reputation Trophies, which can be consumed to earn Reputation points. Higher Reputation ranks will unlock rewards such as mini-pets, cosmetic gear, and Legacy Titles.

The final Cartel Pack of our initial set of packs (known as Shipment One) has arrived. The Space Pirate Pack features a wider variety of exclusive items than any previous pack!

Legacy Titles can now be unlocked in your character sheet. Legacy Titles occupy the slot below your name in your nameplate, and once unlocked, they are available to all characters in your Legacy. Your Legacy surname and Legacy Title surname are independent and can be toggled separately. Character and Cartel Market menus have been updated to reflect this.

Cartel Market

General
-Updated the Cartel Market storefront to differentiate between Character Titles and Legacy Titles.

New Items
-A new cartel pack, the Space Pirate's Cartel Pack, is now available on the Market. Cost: 360 Cartel Coins
-"It's a Surprise!" and "I Love You" Jawagrams are now available for a limited time! Cost: 20 Cartel Coins
-Players can now purchase a Hypercrate containing 24 Space Pirate's Cartel Packs. (Discounted by 15% for a limited time!) Cost: 7344

New Discounts
-The Blockade Runner Cartel Pack is now discounted by 5%. Cost: 342 Cartel Coins
-Authorization: Artifact Equipment (Account) is now discounted by 10%. Cost: 2430 Cartel Coins
-Authorization: Artifact Equipment (Character) is now discounted by 25%. Cost: 900 Cartel Coins
-Major Experience Boost (x5) are now discounted by 25%. Cost: 360 Cartel Coins
-The Carbonite Chamber is now discounted by 25%. Cost: 540 Cartel Coins
-The Experimental Flight Suit is now Discounted by 50%. Cost: 600 Cartel Coins

Expiring Discounts
-Access Authorization: Section X (Character) is no longer 10% off. Cost: 540 Cartel Coins
-Access Authorization: Section X (Account) is no longer 10% off. Cost: 1,215 Cartel Coinsl
-Unlock: Cargo Hold Access (Character) is no longer 20% off. Cost: 380 Cartel Coinsl
-Unlock: Cargo Hold Access (Account) is no longer 20% off. Cost: 840 Cartel Coins
-Unlock: Additional Cargo Bay (Character) is no longer 20% off. Cost: 380 Cartel Coins
-Unlock: Additional Cargo Bay (Account) is no longer 20% off. Cost: 840 Cartel Coins
-Medical Probes are no longer 50% off. Cost: 250 Cartel Coins

Bug Fixes
-Players are now able to use more than one Category-specific Experience Boost simultaneously. Ex: A player may have both a Warzone and Space Experience Boost active at the same time. However, General Experience Boosts may not be combined with Category-specific Experience Boosts.
Several Cartel Market tooltips have been corrected to indicate that they unlock for characters rather than full accounts.

-Players who had previously obtained a piece of the Spymaster, Conservator's, Phantom, Despot's, Perceptor's, or Trailblazer's equipment set will receive a matching piece of the "Classic" version of the item. You will find the "Classic" version of the item delivered via in-game mail or inside of the equipment lockbox where you originally obtained the item.
The tooltip for Social Boost items now indicate that the cooldown is 1 hour.
Updated the art for the Skip Tracker's Cartel Pack to accurately depict the Stylish Dancer's items.

General
-The number of abilities players can learn has been significantly increased, allowing anyone who had been unable to summon a new pet or vehicle to now do so.
Added a Cargo Bay, Guild Bank, mail box and Galactic Trade Network Terminal to VIP area on the Republic and Imperial Fleets.

-All players located on Ilum prior to Game Update 1.7 will now find their positions to be updated. Imperial characters will be at the Imperial planetary shuttle and Republic characters will be located at the Republic planetary shuttle.

Flashpoints and Operations
Operations
Terror From Beyond
-Reduced the damage dealt by Hypergate Irregularities during the encounter with Terror From Beyond in 16-player Story Mode.

Items and Economy
General
-Item sell values and item repair costs now reflect the value of the items and any enhancements attached to them. Previously, items were incorrectly being valued without their enhancements.

Vendors
-The Bartenders on the Republic and Imperial Fleets now sell "Flower Delivery" Jawagrams for 1,000 Credits.

Legacy
General
-Galactic Reputation is a new system for advancing your Legacy. You can unlock Reputation ranks by completing missions for various organizations and earning Reputation Trophies, which can be consumed to earn Reputation points. Higher Reputation ranks will unlock rewards such as mini-pets, cosmetic gear, and Legacy Titles. There are four Reputations are currently available:
-The Voss
-The Gree Enclave
-Republic Hyperspace Armada / Imperial First Mobile Fleet
-Republic 5th Assault Battalion / Imperial Guard on Belsavis

-Legacy Titles can now be unlocked in your character sheet. Legacy Titles occupy the slot below your name in your nameplate, and once unlocked, they are available to all characters in your Legacy. Your Legacy surname and Legacy Title surname are independent and can be toggled separately.

-Priority Transport: Personal Starship is now available as a Legacy unlock. This ability requires Legacy level 15 and character level 20 and does not share a cooldown with any other Priority Transport unlock.

Bug Fixes
-The tooltips for "Improved Rocket Boost" Legacy unlocks now properly indicate that will have no effect on player speed without first unlocking the "Rocket Boost" first.
-The Legacy Character unlock for the Imperial version of HK-51 is now properly restricted to Imperial characters.

Missions and NPCs
General
-A new Event has been added to the Western Ice Shelf on Ilum. An ancient Gree starship called "Gray Secant" has transformed the battlefield into a crucible for research, with PvE and PvP missions available for the duration of the Event. Earning Reputation with the Gree Enclave will unlock permission to board Gray Secant itself, which includes access to a new Operation boss - Xenoanalyst II. The "Relics of the Gree" Event will last for two weeks and will return in the future!

Missions
World Missions
Belsavis
-A new Reputation Vendor is present in both the Imperial and Republic camps of Section X.
-Reputation Trophies are now awarded for completing daily and weekly missions in Section X.
-Section X: Data Raid: The respawn timer has been decreased for the Energy Tubes in this Imperial Mission.
-Section X: March of the Dread Guard: Players who exit the mission phase before completing all objectives will no longer be prevented from re-entering the phase.
-Section X: [AREA 2+] Lost Reconnaissance: All enemies, including the Voracious Tuk'ata, now count toward mission credit when defeated.
-Section X: Targeted Misfire: Both Jedi Special Operatives and Jedi Protectors now drop targeting beacons.

Voss
-A new weekly mission is available in the Voss-Ka Cantina: "The Defense of Voss-Ka." This mission rewards ---Reputation Trophies with The Voss.
-Reputation Trophies are now awarded for completing many Heroic missions on Voss.
-A new Reputation Vendor is present in the Voss-Ka Cantina.

Class Missions
Jedi Knight
-The Jedi Envoy: The arrivals console will now properly advise players that "You must have T-7 with you to do this" when they attempt to use the console without this companion summoned.

Jedi Consular
The Arrival: The arrivals console on Coruscant will now properly advise players that "You must have Qyzen Fess with you to do this" when they attempt to use the console without this companion summoned.

Smuggler
-The Gambler: The arrivals console on Coruscant will now properly advise players that "You must have Corso Riggs with you to do this" when they attempt to use the console without this companion summoned.

Imperial Agent
-The Path Leads to Dromund Kaas: The arrivals console on Dromund Kaas will now properly advise players that "You must have Kaliyo Djannis with you to do this" when they attempt to use the console without this companion summoned.
-The New Truth: The Holoarchives on Hutta will now properly display the "You must have Kaliyo Djannis with you" error message if you attempt to download the holorecordings without this companion summoned.

Trooper
-Coruscant Assignment: The arrivals console on Coruscant will now properly advise players that "You must have Aric Jorgan with you to do this" when they attempt to use the console without this companion summoned.

Bounty Hunter
-The Hunt on Dromund Kaas: The arrivals console on Dromund Kaas will now properly advise players that "You must have Mako with you to do this" when they attempt to use the console without this companion summoned.

PvP
World PvP
Ilum
-The "Battle for Ilum" [AREA] PvP missions are no longer active in the Western Ice Shelf.
-The Western Ice Shelf is now divided into a Small Group Free-For-All PvP region in the south and a standard open world area in the north. Missions in these areas will activate during the "Relics of the Gree" Event.
-"Small Group Free-For-All" is a new ruleset for world PvP regions where groups of up to four players compete against all other groups in the area. Operations groups are disallowed in these regions.

Space Combat
-Reputation Trophies are now awarded for completing the daily Heroic Space Missions from the Fleet Command console on your ship.
-A new Reputation Vendor is present on the Imperial and Republic Fleets, in the area near the Space Combat vendors.

UI
-Your character's Galactic Reputation can now be viewed in the Legacy window.
-The Character and Cartel Market windows have been updated to include Legacy Title information.
-Miscellaneous Bug Fixes
-Corrected minor spelling and grammar errors on the Character Selection screen.
-The /stuck command will now kill players who are stuck on their personal starships.
Click to expand...


Current Servers (as of Nov. 2012)

http://www.swtor.com/server-status

What is SWTOR about?

http://www.swtor.com/info/newplayerguide

Current Classes (as of Oct. 2012)

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

Free 2 Play info

http://www.swtor.com/free

http://www.swtor.com/free/features

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Community Sites:

DarthHater.jpg


http://www.darthhater.com/


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http://www.torhead.com/


dulfy.png


http://dulfy.net/category/swtor/

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http://swtor.askmrrobot.com/


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PC specifications:

Operating System
Star Wars ™: The Old Republic ™ can be played on Windows XP SP3, Windows Vista, or Windows 7.

Minimum Specs (This means @ 768p on the lowest settings will net 30+ fps)

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 4000+ or better, and an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor 2.0GHz or better.

RAM: Windows XP: 1.5GB, and for Windows Vista and Windows 7: 2GB. For PCs using a built-in graphical chipset, 2GB RAM recommended.

Video: ATI X1800 or better, nVidia 7800 or better, or Intel 4100 Integrated Graphics or better.

HDD: 25GB
Click to expand...



Recommended Specs

CPU: AMD Phenom 2 X4 Quad-core 2.5GHz or better / Intel Core 2Quad Processor 2.4GHz or better.

RAM: Windows XP: 1.5GB, and for Windows Vista and Windows 7: 2GB. For PCs using a built-in graphical chipset, 2GB RAM recommended.

VIDEO: ATI/AMD Radeon HD 4850 or better* / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 or better* / *512 minimum video RAM / *Shader 3.0 or better fully compatible graphics card

HDD: 25GB
Click to expand...


SWTOR is a very CPU demanding game. Having a CPU that is a duo-core or less will provide a very unsatisfying visual gameplay experience. Installing the game on an SSD will also not improve the load times. Unfortunately the data loads are all from the server so regardless if the game is installed on a SSD or HDD the load factor is determined on your internet connection.
 
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New Player Guide:

Star Wars: The Old Republic is a story-driven online game set in the Star Wars™ galaxy, during an age where the galaxy is on the brink of war. In the game, you create your own hero based on the classic Star Wars roles, including Jedi Knights, Sith Lords, Bounty Hunters, Smugglers, and more. Embark on an epic personal saga, facing great challenges and making decisions that determine your path down the light or dark side of the Force. Whether you play with your friends or people you meet for the first time in- game, you choose how your destiny unfolds.

We want you to enjoy the experience from the very start whether you’re new to Massively Multiplayer Online games, or a seasoned veteran. This New Player Guide will explain everything you need to know before you begin your journey.

Massively Multiplayer

You’ll often hear Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ referred to as a ‘Massively Multiplayer Online’ game, or ‘MMO’ for short. This means that, in order to play the game, you have to be connected to the internet at all times. Think of your PC as a window into The Old Republic galaxy. The galaxy itself exists inside a vast network of computers, and your PC opens the gate for you to get in.

The ‘Massively -Multiplayer’ part simply means you’ll be playing in the same game space with thousands of other players. In fact, you’ll see other players soon after you first login. You can join up with others anytime, but if you prefer, you can play through your own personal storyline and many other parts of the game entirely on your own. However, most of the advanced content is geared to challenge groups, so join up with your friends and give it a try.

Role-Playing

To create your hero in Star Wars: The Old Republic, you will start with one of the eight iconic class archetypes. Each of these character classes features its own fully-realized interactive story and a style of play that is unique to that class.

When you’re playing alone, the role you select will determine the entire experience. If you choose to play as a Jedi Knight, you’ll be playing through a Jedi Knight storyline, you will fight your enemies with a Lightsaber and by using the Force.

When you join up with other players, your choice of class will also define the role you play in the group dynamic. To overcome some of the group challenges in The Old Republic, your team will need to coordinate tactics, and each class has its own strengths and weaknesses to consider.


To be most effective, a group should include as many different classes as possible. This means that if you’re planning to play with friends, you should coordinate to choose different classes. This will help you and your friends work together better, and it’s more fun because you get to see how each of the different classes plays both in and out of combat.

The Setting...
In Star Wars™: The Old Republic™, you will be able to explore the rich and diverse Star Wars™ universe three hundred years after the events of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic™.

In this age, the galaxy is divided between the legendary Galactic Republic and the dark Sith Empire. Turmoil is everywhere; civil uprisings, gang wars and military coups have created conflict and confusion on countless worlds, and the fragile peace between the Republic and the Empire threatens to unravel into a galaxy-spanning war...
Click to expand...


http://www.swtor.com/info/newplayerguide


Free to Play information:

-Free-to-Play players will now get a second quickslot bar.
-Free-to-Play players will now be able to do 5 Warzones per week instead of 3.
-The Cartel Coin item lock (i.e. temporary bind) will be reduced to 3 days for Free-to-Play players, and 2 days for subscribers.

Preferred Status
Former subscribers and Free to Play players who made any purchase will get preferred status rank
As a Preferred Status Player, you will gain the following benefits compared to Free-to-Play Players:
• The Sprint ability at Level 1
• Access to your Cargo Hold (an 80 item Player Bank)
• Access to Secure Trade
• The ability to send Mail, including one (1) attachment
• Increased allowance for chat message frequencies in Public chat channels (such as /general)
• An increased Credits Cap
• Access to the Who List
• Three (3) additional Sale Slots on the Galactic Trade Network (for a total of 5)
• One (1) additional active Crew Skill Slot (for a total of 2)
• Reduced skill point respecialization costs
• Increased Server queue priority
Subscribers who return as Preferred Status Players will find that they retain any Cargo Hold and Inventory expansions they had unlocked, any Legacy Unlock or Perk they have gained (including Species) and can continue to use any Artifact equipment that was bound to them previously.

Character Creations Restrictions
Information courtesy of Settesh

Jedi Knight – Human, Zabrak
Jedi Consular – Human, Zabrak
Smuggler – Human, Zabrak, Cyborg
Trooper – Human, Zabrak, Cyborg

Sith Warrior – Human, Zabrak, Cyborg
Sith Inquisitor – Human, Zabrak
Agent – Human, Zabrak, Cyborg
Bounty Hunter – Human, Zabrak, Cyborg

1. Chat & General stuff
-General chat/Trade/PvP limited to one message every minute (shared timer)
-All vendors have their credit/commendation prices increased by an additional 25% of the subscriber cost for FTP players (see specific examples below under PvP and Flashpoint/Operations).
-2 character slots per server
-No trading with other players
-Can not send mail
-No /who usage
-Say chat/tells/groups/ops not restricted.
-No access to Emergency Fleet Pass
-2 hr cooldown on Quick Travel
-No access to Cargo Hold
-No access to Guild Bank
-Cannot expand inventory tabs by credits
-No access to Section X
-No rest XP
-Cannot equip purple/artifact quality gear.
-Cannot equip event stuff
-Limited to 3 Space Missions/week
-Cartel Coin item lock (Cartel items are temporarily bound to you for a few days after purchased) will be 3 days for Free to play players and 2 days for subscribers
-Total of 5 Field Revives (if you run out, you will need to return to med center or purchase more field revives).

2. Quickbars
-Two quickbar/hotbars

3. Appearance
-No Unify Color, no Hide head slot
-No title, no legacy name display

4. Coins & Commendations
-Credits capped at 200k, if you are over 200k the credits goes into Credit Escrow Balance. --The restriction can be only removed by subscribing.
-Flashpoint Commendations cap (Tionese 60, Columi and Black Hole 100).
-Planet Commendations cap (All planets capped at 20, daily capped at 175). This means that you can’t get some of the new relics due to the daily cap
-Space and PvP Commendations cap (Warzone Comms capped at 2000, ranked Warzone comms capped at 3500)
-As a reader point out in the comments section below, FTPers cannot obtain elite War Hero weapons since it is priced over 3500 cap for FTP players

5. GTN
-Two active sale slots

6. Companions & crew skills
-Max Deployable companions: 3
-Only 1 crew skill allowed
-Crew skill that returns lockboxes do not return lockboxes. Instead, players are asked to subscribe to get full rewards.(picture taken from d4rkfire on reddit)
-No access to companion customizations


7. Emotes & Moods
-A lot of emotes and moods are locked and there is no specific way to unlock them except through random luck at the Crime Lord and Black Market Cartel packs

8. PvP
-All PvP equipment prices are increased for FTP players (see example for War Hero). 25% increase in the number of commendations needed per item.
-Limited to 5 warzones/week


9. Flashpoint & Operations
-3 Loot rolls per week (displayed at the bottom of the group finder).
-This is currently a bit buggy as it doesn’t seem to update after every roll. Regardless, with two players, we both reached our weekly loot limit before we even finished normal mode Black Talon on the PTS (I only got 2 items). Once all 3 loot rolls are used up, you will be automatically skipped in the next loot distribution.
-If you pass on the loot, it doesn’t appear to trigger the count.
-Price/Comm increase on Tionese, Columi, and Black Hole Gear (see example of Columi). 25% increase on the number of commendations required.
-No operation access (but you have access to hardmode flashpoints).
Click to expand...

http://dulfy.net/2012/10/24/swtor-free-to-play-ftp-player-restrictions/
 
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How to gear for 50 PvP:

This guide was written before 1.4 so there has been some changes. Notably is the new recruit PvP gear is now a MK-2 version. Anyone that either PvPs or PvEs should take the recruit gear over credits. 300k in creds is easy to make back.


PvP Guide – Gearing up, medals and commendations

Since Ranked Warzones are finally here, I figure the new players and some old ones, could use some help regarding gearing up, getting ranked warzone commendations, medals etc.

Most of the info used here is from:
http://www.oldrepublic.net/470-how-g...endations.html
http://www.oldrepublic.net/304-pvp-v...tles-list.html
For more details and screenshots check the original articles.

I’ve noticed that in Warzones a lot of new players, and even old PvE players are not getting the Recruit suit and instead, they are coming with pve gear. Well … that’s the worst way to do it – even if you wear Rakata gear, Recruit is a lot better due to Expertise, which is the most important stat in PvP. Don’t be cheap and buy it, it’s worth the money.

Here are the prices for the Recruit gear:

Wrist – 20500 Credits
Waist – 20500 Credits
Boots – 26200 Credits
Ear – 17000 Credits
Implant – 17000 Credits
Hands – 26200 Credits
Head – 31700 Credits
Chest – 31700 Credits
Main-Hand – 38700 Credits
Off-hand – 19300 Credits
Legs – 31700 Credits
Champion Relics – 11300 Credits

So, to get full Recruit gear (including 2 Relics) it will cost you only 320000 Credits and provide you with approximately 900 Expertise which is more than decent for a fresh PvPer. Also lvl 50 players will get a new one-time PvP mission (New technology) available at the Mission Terminal on the Imperial and Republic fleets located in the Combat Training Quarter. This mission will allow you to choose between the following rewards: Recruit Gear Box (a complete Recruit set based on your AC) or a Recruit Credit Redemption Token, which can be sold at the vendor for 320000 credits (the cost of a full Recruit set).

After getting the Recruit gear, you are ready to do some Warzones and get Commendations for the Battlemaster gear. You can’t skip this tier if you want to go further and get the War Hero set.
Warzone Commendations (these can be obtained by playing normal Warzones) are needed in order to buy Battlemaster items.

Let’s take a look over the Battlemaster gear prices:

Wrist – 550 Warzone Commendations
Waist – 625 Warzone Commendations
Boots – 875 Warzone Commendations
Ear – 625 Warzone Commendations
Implant- 625 Warzone Commendations
Hands – 875 Warzone Commendations
Head – 1075 Warzone Commendations
Chest – 1425 Warzone Commendations
Main-Hand – 1550 Warzone Commendations
Off-Hand – 1550 Warzone Commendations
Legs - 975 Warzone Commendations

War Hero gear and Ranked Warzone Commendations

The next step is the War Hero gear. Players can buy it with Ranked Warzone Commendation + the equivalent Battlemaster item. For a full list of War Hero and Ranked War Hero gear costs please check this article: http://www.oldrepublic.net/470-how-g...endations.html

Note: When buying a piece of War Hero gear players must have the equivalent Battlemaster item in the inventory (not equipped). Only the empty shell is needed (you can get the mods off from the item and you should still be able to trade it for War Hero gear).

Ranked Warzone Commendations can be obtained by doing Ranked Warzones or the PvP Daily and Weekly missions. Also players will be able to trade 30 Warzone Commendations for 10 Ranked Warzone Commendations, but Valor Rank 40 is required. More details about this can be found in the link above.

Note: Valor Rank is the system implemented by Bioware as a method for distributing PvP rewards and titles (such as crafted Battlemaster / War Hero / Rated War Hero gear, Longspur Recon mount. etc). Valor XP can be obtained by doing Warzones and Open World PvP.

Crafted Battlemaster and War Hero gear

This gear can be made by Synthweaving and Amormech. The gear has no mods on it, basically it’s just the empty shell.
However, to equip this crafted gear, players have to obtain a certain Valor Rank (Rank 60 for Battlemaster, Rank 70 for War Hero, while the Rated War Hero also requires Warzone Rating).
Also, augment slots can be added on any gear now. Bonus sets can be transfered on them but only from the new items added in Game Update 1.2 or later, such as War Hero set.

For some screenshots please check the original article: http://www.oldrepublic.net/470-how-g...endations.html

Medals and Titles

Completing some achievements during a Warzone, will award you with medals. The first 8 Medals are now worth 250 Valor and 5 Commendations each. Players earn Valor and Commendations only for the first 8 Medals (2000 Valor / 40 Commendations in total).
For the full list of medals and titles please refer to the original article: http://www.oldrepublic.net/304-pvp-v...tles-list.html

Resolve Bar

Basically, the resolve bar is a visual representation on how many movement, knock backs or action impairing effects (purple bar) a player can take before he becomes immune (the white bar). A good article explaining how this works can be seen here: http://www.oldrepublic.net/391-pvp-r...planation.html
Click to expand...


http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=462232


How Resolve works in PvP:

This has changed since 1.4, but the general idea is still the same. The resolve bar is there to prevent stun locking someone. SWTOR is very PvE oriented in the skills department, so the stuns were meant for CCing crowds. In PvP the stuns make or break the match because of the objective based nature of the game. Learn to love your CCs and Stuns :D


Resolve, Crowd Control (CC) and You

Players first coming to SWTOR often complain that the “resolve” system doesn't work. In my opinion, it represents a unique solution to the problem of chain CC. For those who understand how it works, like my readers at the end of this guide, resolve offers a system in which good players will make good choices and thereby reap the benefits that lesser knowledgeable players will complain don't work.

First, what is crowd control (CC)?
Crowd control, or CC as it's abbreviated, was originally intended in MMO's as an ability used by certain low dps classes to make them worthwhile in a group. The abilities range from a short term stun that allows continued damage of the target, to a long term sleep used out of combat to make a mob no longer take actions until it receives damage. PvPers immediately saw the value in these abilities and adopted them for their own uses often to the scorn of those pvpers that didn't have them.

In SWTOR we have three types of CC:
Snares: an ability that slows the target by a percent up to 100%
Mezz: an ability which causes a target to no longer have the ability to take action for a period of time or until damage is taken (whichever comes first). Sometimes these abilities can only be used against certain types of targets (droid) or when a target is out of combat.
Stun: an ability of a short term duration that prevents a target from taking action regardless of the amount of damage taken

In PvP the three above categories have specific uses to consider. First, one will usually always keep one's target snared so that one can keep on top of them as a melee, or away from them as a ranged. Even in a ranged versus ranged fight, putting a snare on the enemy will help to unbalance his gameplay a bit and reduce the chance he can successfully use LOS (line of sight) to avoid one. Second, Mezz can be useful in a small engagement where AoE will unlikely occur. For example, in Voidstar the disarm bomb ability is much shorter in length than the time a Whirlwind will take a player out of action. Lastly, stuns work best either in a chain with another player to maximize the amount of time an enemy has to endure damage OR when the other player is in a hazardous situation (environmental damage area). Additionally, stuns can be used a cast interrupt against healers OR as an actual stun to kill a player that doesn't know what he's doing or perhaps burned his CC Breaker earlier.

Secondly, what is a CC Breaker?
In SWTOR, every character has a stun ability and a CC breaker. The CC breaker is an ability that BREAKS CC. Different classes have different names for this ability. Not all classes have the same cooldown between uses of this ability. Not much more to say about that other than learn when to use it. Although all characters get a CC breaker, not everyone knows when to use it properly (to be elaborated on).

Thirdly, what is Resolve?
Resolve is SWTOR's method of preventing chain CC. Generally, for those leveling up through the pvp bracket, Resolve seems to do nothing. I myself have played part to numerous occassions in which I've been stunned, broken the stun with my CC breaker, only to get immediately stunned again. While quite frustrating, I eventually came to realize I was not using my CC break at the right moment.

Resolve is a bar that fills up next to one's avatar and the avatar of one's enemy. When the bar fills up, the person gains immunity to further CC. The length of this immunity is almost long enough to run a huttball from the beginning of the ramps to the goal with a bit of luck. The problem is, most players find that the bar doesn't fill up until they're just about dead. Even when the bar does fill up, the immunity doesn't matter until the cc that filled one's bar wears off. This is where an experienced player knows why resolve is kinda cool.

Finally, how do I take advantage of this system?
An experienced player uses his damage mitigation abilities in preperation of an incoming CC. Then, while stunned and taking a beating, he doesn't take as much damage as the enemy is hoping to inflict. Thus the CC wears off and the player resumes his PvP having SAVED his CC breaker. Now, when the player gets CC'd again, he immediately uses his CC breaker (because two stuns will fill the bar) and gains immunity to all further CC for a good length of time. Getting this to work in Huttball while carrying the ball works wonders since most players have no idea their CC won't work when the target has a white bar of resolve.

Its very important to remember that CC does not work on a player who has a white bar of resolve. Its also important to realize that using CC on someone will give them immunity to further uses once the bar fills up HOWEVER, resolve does not affect snares. So when the resolve bar fills up, one can still snare the player even to the point of zero movement. Furthermore, snaring a player does not increase his resolve bar. So use snares as often as needed without any worry. For those warriors with the ability to cause a 100% snare, remember that it will ALWAYS cause this effect. There is no immunity against it.

Another simple strategy to use regarding CC is to test a player's knowledge. Instead of opening up with one's awesome 6 second stun, try using a garbage mezz on the player. If one has an addition stun like many melee classes do, try using that first. A less sophisticated player will automatically use their CC breaker, thus allowing one to immediately follow up with the long 6 second stun whenever it tactically suits one. I use this strategy all the time.

In reverse, its important to know what stuns to break and which to eat. Anytime someone stuns one's character in a manner that throws one on the ground, beware using the CC break. A stun that floors a player will only last between 2 and 3 seconds. Stealthers will often mezz a player before starting a fight, just to see if the player will try to break it. If the situation will allow it, save one's CC break. Additionally, don't use a CC break on a snare unless absolutely necessary since snares usually have VERY short cooldowns and can rapidly reapply.

Examples of CC not to break include, snares that result from getting pushed. Snipers and some Sorcerors have a 100% snare they do when they AoE push people away. Unless one is taking damage or really want to kill the pusher, consider eating this one. If one's character gets slept, don't break it. As mentioned twice above, abilities that cause a lose of control belonging to the "Mezz" class of CC breaks if one takes damage. So when tactically unnecessary for one to take action, just ride it out. There is only one objective in game that can be capped in the 8 seconds and that's the disarm bomb in voidstar.

So in retrospect, resolve may seem like a broken system, but actually has some interesting layers of complexity to it. Those players who know these tricks, will see that resolve not only does work, but can be gamed to work for one.
Click to expand...


http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=61363
 
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Player List:

(CAG Name): (Toon Name)- Server

_________

j-cart: Siret (Rep-50), Zhaneordo (Imp-50), Yahs (Imp-14) - The Bastion (West Coast PvP)

_________
 
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As long as you login into your email account that you used, then yes they will still be there. On which server is a different question because of the many server merges and changes that they have made.

Either way, try to hop on The Bastion, that is where I am at :D

(getting to level 15 is quick and easy)
 
Yeah, but if I get to keep them, then that means I've dodged the new restrictions on character creation - whatever the fuck those amount to - that are being put on free-to-play players.
 
cool. TOR wasn't good enough to pay for, but for free i think its hit the equilibrium.
I had a badass lvl 40 sith maruader before my first free month ran out lol
 
[quote name='The Crotch']Yeah, but if I get to keep them, then that means I've dodged the new restrictions on character creation - whatever the fuck those amount to - that are being put on free-to-play players.[/QUOTE]


If you were never a subscriber, then you will be put on F2P status. This includes accounts made for the free to play to level 15. If you want preferred status, you need to have had an active subscription at one point in time.

Plus, you'll miss out on taking down some world bosses and player chumps with :D


@mrspicytacoman: Great to see you coming back. Though I certainly believe the game now has plenty of content to net the subscription model. There is still loads of things I have yet to do! And with only a level 40 Marauder you have barely seen all of the Flashpoints, World Bosses, and Operations. Not to mention all of the planets! Either way this F2P is going to bring back a lot of people and more people is always a good thing :D
 
[quote name='The Crotch']Wonder if my characters from the free-to-level-15 playing that I did ages ago still exist.[/QUOTE]

I just logged on today and had a trial character that was 12. Not able to find him on the available servers. No characters listed
 
Expected that'd be the case - and Bioware warned use of it - but still disappointed.

Getting to 15 may not take long, but that's a lot of fucking characters to get to 15.
 
[quote name='The Crotch']Expected that'd be the case - and Bioware warned use of it - but still disappointed.

Getting to 15 may not take long, but that's a lot of fucking characters to get to 15.[/QUOTE]


Just don't worry about alts. This is an MMORPG, get a character to level 50 first and then go level up your alts. This game's legacy system (which unlocks around level 35) helps in leveling alternate toons. You can level a 50 faster when you have your legacy name and you can transfer items/creds cross-faction through the legacy system aswell.

Seriously though, the game opens up so much more at end game. Focus on that first.


[quote name='Indignate']You made this thread just as an excuse to post multiple times in a row.[/QUOTE]


You know it. Start your own quality thread and you can do the same :D
 
[quote name='The Crotch']You know I'm just playing this game like it's KotOR 3, right?[/QUOTE]


Then you better get to level 40 so that you can do the Maelstrom Prison (Rep) or The Foundry (Imp) Flashpoint. Some crucial KotoR storyline happens there.

Also at 50 there is False Emperor Flashpoint. That is some serious storyline stuff to KotoR.


/edit: Also forgot, but F2P players only get two, 2 character slots with limited character customization. Subbers get 12 slots with all the bells and whistles.


With Game Update 1.5, players who are returning subscribers that do NOT re-subscribe and play as Preferred will still have access to all of their old characters. However, it is important to note that this is NOT the intended behavior and with Game Update 1.6, we will be enforcing the 2 character limit on all Free-to-Play players (including Preferred). When GU 1.6 releases, players will need to select which two characters they want to remain active and will have the ability to purchase individual character slot unlocks to access other previously created characters.
Click to expand...


http://www.zam.com/story.html?story=31045
 
[quote name='Indignate']Why do you always say things in the coolest ways?[/QUOTE]
I think I stole that line from Donald Rumsfeld.
[quote name='j-cart']Also forgot, but F2P players only get two, 2 character slots[/QUOTE]
So... either I have to delete my second character whenever I want to do another class, or create a new account every two characters and give up on legacy bonuses?
 
[quote name='The Crotch']
So... either I have to delete my second character whenever I want to do another class, or create a new account every two characters and give up on legacy bonuses?[/QUOTE]


Or you pay for some cartel coins and buy the character slots.

But yes, your two choices you have would work. However having my Jedi do a dirty kick (Smuggler stun) or call in an Orbital Strike (Agent AoE) makes leveling extremely easy and fun. Not to mention the bonuses to companions from each playthrough and the legacy unlocks you get from going full light or full dark also helps in the leveling process.

Also mounts @ level 10 because of legacy make traveling easier than to wait to level 25.
 
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So, I have a CE key that I haven't redeemed yet... so I would need to do that before F2P starts on Nov. 15 in order to get the Cartel Coin bonuses?

But once the initial subscription period ends and I don't renew, I lapse back to the F2P "Limited Access" features?

EDIT: Hm, so from the FAQ, it seems like Subscribed players who don't renew get converted to "Preferred" accounts, which seems to be F2P "Limited Access" with some additional benefits:

  • The ability to run faster (Sprint) starting at Level 1.
  • Cargo Hold access (Bank Slots) and higher login queue priority.
  • Increased access to Chat and Secure Trading.
  • Post more items for sale on the in-game Galactic Trade Network.
 
[quote name='ragingst0rm6']So, I have a CE key that I haven't redeemed yet... so I would need to do that before F2P starts on Nov. 15 in order to get the Cartel Coin bonuses?

But once the initial subscription period ends and I don't renew, I lapse back to the F2P "Limited Access" features?

EDIT: Hm, so from the FAQ, it seems like Subscribed players who don't renew get converted to "Preferred" accounts, which seems to be F2P "Limited Access" with some additional benefits:

  • The ability to run faster (Sprint) starting at Level 1.
  • Cargo Hold access (Bank Slots) and higher login queue priority.
  • Increased access to Chat and Secure Trading.
  • Post more items for sale on the in-game Galactic Trade Network.
[/QUOTE]


This is correct. If you do not keep up your subscription, you be converted to Preferred status. Anyone that comes back and previously has been a subscriber will be placed on Preferred status. Also anyone time you spend at least $5 to the Cartel Market will net you Preferred status.
 
[quote name='JasonTerminator']Do we know how many Cartel Coins we get as our monthly stipend as subscribers? Or is it going to remain 200 coins like it has been pre-FTP?[/QUOTE]


This is still unknown. As of right now the rumor is that subscribers that are month to month get 500 cartel coins on top of everything being unlocked to them. They have stated that those with 3 month or 6 month subscriptions will receive more coins per month. What that number will be is still unknown.

Also what server are you on JasonTerminator?
 
[quote name='j-cart']This is still unknown. As of right now the rumor is that subscribers that are month to month get 500 cartel coins on top of everything being unlocked to them. They have stated that those with 3 month or 6 month subscriptions will receive more coins per month. What that number will be is still unknown.

Also what server are you on JasonTerminator?[/QUOTE]

I have characters on 3 servers.

The Bastion (Empire)
Jung Ma (Republic)
The Shadowlands (This is the only one with a 50, and the only character on the server.)(Republic)

I don't know how much I'll be playing though, and definitely not much this month because I'm going on vacation for two weeks. If they ever allow me to transfer my 50 onto a different server, I'll be more interested in playing.
 
What's the deal with that "crew skill" shit, anyway? Are the restrictions on those gonna make playing a major pain in the ass, or does it only really matter at high levels or what?
 
What are the restrictions?

I expected to find them in one of the TC's many first post, but the most relevant information to have in a "Official F2P" thread seems to be missing.
 
[quote name='JasonTerminator']I have characters on 3 servers.

The Bastion (Empire)
Jung Ma (Republic)
The Shadowlands (This is the only one with a 50, and the only character on the server.)(Republic)

I don't know how much I'll be playing though, and definitely not much this month because I'm going on vacation for two weeks. If they ever allow me to transfer my 50 onto a different server, I'll be more interested in playing.[/QUOTE]


Paid character transfers are suppose to be in the works. When F2P is finalized and the game is on its merry way I am sure they will implement it. I would say give them till March for them to drop paid transfers on the Cartel Market. A lot of people have legacies that they want to move to other servers, so it is in demand. It's just EA priority is to get this F2P to drop this holiday season.


[quote name='The Crotch']What's the deal with that "crew skill" shit, anyway? Are the restrictions on those gonna make playing a major pain in the ass, or does it only really matter at high levels or what?[/QUOTE]


Crew Skills is broken down into 3 skills, two gathers (mats) and one crafting. SWTOR crafting is super simple, send your companions out and you get mats. Get a set of mats and then use a companion to craft. This is basically a credit dump to control the credit economy. Crafting items can net you some money on the GTN for decent gear while leveling up, but the money makers is all level 50 stuff. Consumable stuff like PvE healing and stat buffs are always in need at end game. Seriously though, credits will be worthless to free players because for for one, there is a bank cap and two you'll have enough to always buy what you need. The expensive stuff is all from the GTN player named prices. I got space bucks, but man some people have space banks.

You make a character on The Bastion, I'll gear you out :D

[quote name='Indignate']What are the restrictions?

I expected to find them in one of the TC's many first post, but the most relevant information to have in a "Official F2P" thread seems to be missing.[/QUOTE]

I listed the "free" SWTOR link, but here you go.

http://www.swtor.com/free/features

Seriously though, you get all the stories for free. Each story has about 80 hours worth of content. EA offering that much is a freaking deal. Don't worry too much about having top gear pre-50, you'll lose it in a few levels to a generic item. Everything you need to get to level 50 will be free.

If you end up on The Bastion, I love helping people through their class quests. I get in on your guys story for a bit :D I get to also make fun of your stupid choices that you make along the way.
 
ive been playing guildwars casually on and off for the past few months and now level 40. halfway done lol. honestly the problem i had with swtor is it iddn't feel much like a mp game. it would of been better if they just made it more like mass effect. :)
 
[quote name='Kevfactor']ive been playing guildwars casually on and off for the past few months and now level 40. halfway done lol. honestly the problem i had with swtor is it iddn't feel much like a mp game. it would of been better if they just made it more like mass effect. :)[/QUOTE]


Didn't feel like a MP? All of the content the game provides can be played with friends and most side quests will require a team. Each planet has Heroics and Areas, which will require a group to complete. Heroics are a great chance to get better gear drops and may require a bit of some team synergy to complete. Not to mention all of the flashpoints that the game has that requires a complete four man strike team: Tank, healer and two DPS. Flashpoints contain story bits for the overall SWTOR and also drops the best loot for the FP level requirement.

SWTOR is an MMORPG with a story mode that can be completed by yourself. Half the fun is teaming up with people though :D.


[quote name='momouchi']How is it to play as single-player? I loved the Kotor universe and I want to play a new game in the universe.[/QUOTE]


Your Class Quests aka Storyline can be completed by yourself. You get companions along the way to help you in this journey. You can certainly add people to your group to help you along your way. Though the main storyline stuff happens during Flashpoints (Dungeons in WoW) and Operations (raids). Those require groups and some coordination. Sure you can youtube them, but taking down a Hutt in a giant AT-AT with stupid hat is half the fun with a full OPS team.

The free singleplayer is a lot of fun and each class has their own unique story within the realm of the SWTOR universe. Just know that these toons are side characters to the overall main storyline. Which is why the "story" continues in the Flashpoints and Operations.
 
They sent me an email saying I earned cartel coins, I logged in and looked and it says I will earn 550 because I subbed for 2 months and bought the Digital Deluxe, but only IF I resub, well played bioware.
 
[quote name='hustletron']They sent me an email saying I earned cartel coins, I logged in and looked and it says I will earn 550 because I subbed for 2 months and bought the Digital Deluxe, but only IF I resub, well played bioware.[/QUOTE]


EA has kids to feed too you know...

But yes, it is a cash grab :D But to me, I really only play SWTOR at the moment. So the price is basically like buying 2 and half games per year. With CAG and PC games being really cheap, having a subscription to SWTOR isn't so bad.
 
[quote name='hustletron']They sent me an email saying I earned cartel coins, I logged in and looked and it says I will earn 550 because I subbed for 2 months and bought the Digital Deluxe, but only IF I resub, well played bioware.[/QUOTE]
Lol, guess they didn't get the memo that F2P doesn't stand for free to pay.

Anyway, my server is gone and WoW is still holding my attention. fuck TORtanic.
 
[quote name='Indignate']I received information that the character I used to have is now on Jedi Covenant.

Whatever that means.[/QUOTE]


Server merges were made awhile back, so your new home server is now Jedi Covenant. Have fun on your East Coast PvE server!

You can always reroll with the cool kids on The Bastion :D
 
I played from release until about March. Then I went back to WoW. Still playing WoW atm, but I'll probably check this out again when it goes F2P. Looks like my old server was merged with The Ebon Hawk.
 
The Ebon Hawk is one of the more community oriented servers. Those RP-PvE guys love community events soo much.

They even have their own server website: http://ebon-hawk.net/

You'll be able to find a guild on that server in no time.
 
I got to Battlemaster with my Sith Juggernaut at the beginning of this year. Game went to hell and sucked shortly after.

Not worth the grind, not worth F2P. I miss my guild and our zerging the repubs.
 
[quote name='Calipso']I got to Battlemaster with my Sith Juggernaut at the beginning of this year. Game went to hell and sucked shortly after.

Not worth the grind, not worth F2P. I miss my guild and our zerging the repubs.[/QUOTE]


Your jugg still exists and you can certainly still grief lowbies on their way to their class quests :D No need to pay to do that.
 
[quote name='j-cart']Your jugg still exists and you can certainly still grief lowbies on their way to their class quests :D No need to pay to do that.[/QUOTE]

Griefing em was fun at the beginning. The theme park linear design of the game didn't allow it to continue to be fun.

Sandbox games like how SWG were in the beginning allowed almost endless griefing possiblities and clan wars. SWTOR, guild wars were few and far between. Maybe one or two good repub guilds and then there were the dozens of imp guilds.

Such a shame. Game had serious potential. :/
 
[quote name='Calipso']I got to Battlemaster with my Sith Juggernaut at the beginning of this year. Game went to hell and sucked shortly after.

Not worth the grind, not worth F2P. I miss my guild and our zerging the repubs.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, 1.2 really destroyed PvP for me in this game, the biggest reason I stopped playing. If I return to it, I'll prolly focus on PvE.
 
[quote name='Calipso']Griefing em was fun at the beginning. The theme park linear design of the game didn't allow it to continue to be fun.

Sandbox games like how SWG were in the beginning allowed almost endless griefing possiblities and clan wars. SWTOR, guild wars were few and far between. Maybe one or two good repub guilds and then there were the dozens of imp guilds.

Such a shame. Game had serious potential. :/[/QUOTE]


What server did you play on? The Bastion has had some serious Ranked Warzone competition until patch 1.4 dropped.



[quote name='JasonTerminator']Yeah, 1.2 really destroyed PvP for me in this game, the biggest reason I stopped playing. If I return to it, I'll prolly focus on PvE.[/QUOTE]


You felt that 1.2 ruined PvP? Why is that?

1.2 introduced a much better Expertise bonus stat for PvPers and War Hero gear for all classes.
 
[quote name='j-cart']What server did you play on? The Bastion has had some serious Ranked Warzone competition until patch 1.4 dropped.






You felt that 1.2 ruined PvP? Why is that?

1.2 introduced a much better Expertise bonus stat for PvPers and War Hero gear for all classes.[/QUOTE]

1.2 reduced the time-to-kill significantly, as well as buffing sentinels and marauders into serious OP status. The nerfs to Scoundrel and Operative damage, as well as the nerfs to other healers, made healing the far better choice for them if they wanted to be competitive. It also gave major incentives to quit a losing match rather than stay and try to win.

Some of these things have changed since then from what I understand, but the time-to-kill issue was the biggest problem IMO. I'll prolly give it another shot in December, when I'll likely try playing the game again, but I'm not optimistic about PvP. (Terror from Beyond looks really awesome too, so I might be biased toward PvE right now because of that as well.)
 
I would argue that the time-to-kill that you are referring to has to do with with the buff to the expertise stat.

In PvP you need Expertise, it buffs damage, reduces damage and buffs heals. The whole point of the buff is to prevent PvE from becoming a factor in PvP. Of course there are those that have found some PvE gear to be BiS because they were still able to get the expertise stat to the magic 1200 range. There is the issue now for fresh 50s with no gear, these guys get murdered for their lunch money because of the low HP and expertise stat.

PvP becomes a much different beast when in a Ranked Warzone. I've been in a match once before where the DPS on both sides top in the 700k range but total kills by both teams barely broke double digits. Team composition becomes a huge factor where sometimes two good teams just come to a complete stalemate until the end. Sometimes it is serious business when it comes to RWZ for some individuals.

Sentinels and Marauders are certainly killers, but nowhere near the OP status of the 1.0 concealment Operatives/Scrapper Scoundrels. In a pure DPS race Pyro-Powertechs/Assault Specialist-Vanguards are the ones that can dish out the heaviest of damage with their Rail Shot/High Impact Bolt procs.
There was a recent buff to Smash spec Juggs/Guardians, but roots are still their weakness. PvP has certainly changed and those that haven't learn to use the changes are the ones that you see on the forums QQ about how much unfun they are having because they lose all the time.

I gotta say that the Operations have been some awesome stuff. Still need to gear up a bit for Terror from Beyond, but man taking down a Hutt with a stupid hat was fun. The game certainly has a lot to offer and maybe it is because I had no expectations going into this game, but there is so much to do and I enjoy every bit of it.
 
[quote name='j-cart']What server did you play on? The Bastion has had some serious Ranked Warzone competition until patch 1.4 dropped.






You felt that 1.2 ruined PvP? Why is that?

1.2 introduced a much better Expertise bonus stat for PvPers and War Hero gear for all classes.[/QUOTE]

I was on Veela with Fist of the Empire (My previous guild from SWG). Almost everyone from the guild stopped playing SWTOR. I was one of the first to leave after hitting battlemaster and finding NOTHING to do everytime I logged in.

I went online today and found Veela isn't even a server anymore. It was one of the top PVP servers in the USEast when it launched.

This game really sunk fast. :/
 
[quote name='Calipso']I was on Veela with Fist of the Empire (My previous guild from SWG). Almost everyone from the guild stopped playing SWTOR. I was one of the first to leave after hitting battlemaster and finding NOTHING to do everytime I logged in.

I went online today and found Veela isn't even a server anymore. It was one of the top PVP servers in the USEast when it launched.

This game really sunk fast. :/[/QUOTE]


You should be in Prophecy of the Five server now. Having only hit Battlemaster only means you never got a taste of ranked warzones. Don't expect to be a top player now, everyone that has been playing knows the ins and out so each class now, hopefully :D



[quote name='The Crotch']Giant fucking installer Vs shitty Canadian internet and limited SSD space.

GO![/QUOTE]


Do not install on your SSD! The game still loads from the server side, so loading from a SSD vs HDD basically is the same speed. Sucks I know, but that is just the way it is.
 
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