3. Classes, Skills & Feats PDF Print E-mail
Written by Old-Republic.com   
Wednesday, 13 August 2008 19:38

You start the game as a human (either male or female) soldier, scout or scoundrel. About 1/3 of the way through the story, you'll be forcibly switched to a Jedi class (guardian, sentinel or consular). The statistics for each class along with a brief description are below.

Note on Skill Points

Due to the very small number of skills available in SW:KotOR, skill points are awarded in smaller amounts than the base d20 Star Wars rules. In addition to a smaller number of base skill points per level (as shown in the descriptions below), you only get 1/2 of your Intelligence modifier added per level. So you need at least an INT of 14 before you get any benefit in terms of skill points. (INT 14 = +2 modifier = +1 skill point per level) Thus, any INT between 10 and 14 is a waste. Either stick with 10 (so you don't receive a penalty), or raise it to 14 (so you get the bonus skill point). Avoid an INT score over 14, as you gain no additional benefit until 18, and that's much too high for any player character. The only exception to the half-bonus rule is during character creation, when you get your full INT modifer (*4).

Saving Throws

There are three types of saving throws: Fortitude, Reflex and Will. Each class gets more favorable saving throws in one or more types. These are noted in the class descriptions as "high". Less favorable saving throws are noted as "low". Jedi classes have a higher "low" saving throw progression. These saving throws represent your ability to resist force powers, reduce or avoid damage from mines and grenades and overcome the effects of poison/venom.

Soldier

Soldiers are combat specialists. They get the most vitality points, fewest skill points and most feats. The primary attributes for soldiers are Strength and Constitution. Since you will eventually be a Jedi, you will not want to neglect Dexterity--unless you decide you will be an armored Jedi, which will greatly restrict useable force powers. Soldiers are the best class to use as almost-pure Jedi; i.e. don't level up past 2 until after you've received your Jedi class. At the cost of a few feats, you will be much, much stronger in the force and, if you stay with the Jedi guardian, your attack bonuses and vitality points will be the same.

  • Vitality: 10/level
  • Skill points: 1 + 1/2 INT modifier/level (*4 at 1st level)
  • Class skills: Awareness, Demolitions, Treat Injury
  • Feats: Start with Light/Medium/Heavy armor proficiency; melee weapon, blaster pistol, blaster rifle & heavy weapons proficiency; Power Attack; Power Burst; 1 feat per level (until 17th level, then 1 per 2 levels)
  • Saving throws: Fortitude high, Reflex & Will low

Scoundrel

Scoundrels derive their strength entirely from their skill set, which include Stealth and Persuade as class skills. They get the most skill points, but fewest feats of any base class. In my opinion, scoundrels are the most difficult class to play, and the greatest challenge. You will find yourself as more of a support character while your associates handle all the hard stuff. This will make those areas where you have to go solo very difficult. You will want to maximize Demolitions in order to make use of mines. You can also take Persuade as a class skill, allowing you to talk your way out of some situations. Giving up scoundrel levels for Jedi levels is not as desirable for this class, as you will be giving up your bread-and-butter: skill points. It's also much harder to survive Taris as a low-level scoundrel. If you do want to increase Jedi powers, I recommend going to at least level 5 while still on Taris. This will allow you to build up your class skills and give you the desirable Scoundrel's Luck II, which provides +4 to Defense. The primary attributes for Scoundrels are Dexterity and Intelligence.

  • Vitality: 6/level
  • Skill points: 4 + 1/2 INT modifier per level (*4 at 1st level)
  • Class skills: Awareness, Demolitions, Persuade, Security, Stealth
  • Feats: Start with Light armor proficiency; melee weapon, blaster pistol & blaster rifle proficiency; Critical Strike; Sniper Shot; 1 per 3 levels (with bonus feat at 2nd level) + increasing Sneak Attack damage every 2 levels + Scoundrel's Luck at 1st and 6th levels
  • Saving throws: Reflex high, Fortitude & Will low

Scout

Scouts are a cross between soldiers and scoundrels. They get fewer vitality points than soldiers and fewer skill points than scoundrels. They do get a nice selection of feats, totalling 17 by 8th level. Scouts should concentrate on Dexterity and either Strength/Constitution for a combat-oriented character or Intelligence/Charisma for a skilled/persuasive character. In my opinion, scout is the best class to play, though not necessarily the easiest (soldier would fit that description). Combined with the Jedi sentinel, this is a powerful character that will be at home in almost any situation. If you do play scout, I recommend taking the full 8 levels before switching to a Jedi class. This will maximize your feat selection, skill points and saving throws.

  • Vitality: 8/level
  • Skill points: 3 + 1/2 INT modifier per level (*4 at 1st level)
  • Class skills: Awareness, Computer Use, Demolitions, Repair, Treat Injury
  • Feats: Start with Light/Medium armor proficiency; melee weapon, blaster pistol & blaster rifle proficiency; Flurry, Rapid Shot; 1 per 2 levels (with bonus feat at 2nd level) + bonus feats Uncanny Dodge I (4th level), Uncanny Dodge II (7th level), Implant Level 1 (1st level), Implant Level 2 (4th level), Implant Level 3 (8th level).
  • Saving throws: All high

Jedi Classes

All Jedi classes automatically receive Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Lightsaber, Jedi Defense (ability to deflect blaster attacks) and Jedi Sense (+2 Defense) at 1st Jedi level. They all also receive Improved Jedi Sense (+4 Defense) at 6th level and Master Jedi Sense (+6 Defense) at 12th level. Also, all player characters keep as class skills the class skills of their base class. So, a Scoundrel/Consular would have all skills as class skills.

Force Points

In addition to the points received each level, a Jedi also gains points equal to his or her level multiplied by his or her Wisdom and Charisma modifiers. These additional points will vary based on your current Wisdom and Charisma. For example: 12th level character with a Wisdom of 15 (+2 modifier) equips the Circlet of Saresh (Wisdom +5) and now has a Wisdom of 20 (+5 modifier) and gains 36 ( 5-2*12 ) force points.

Jedi Guardian

The Guardian is the Jedi equivalent of the Soldier. They get the most Vitality Points, highest attack bonuses and fewest Force Points of the Jedi classes. Guardians should concentrate on building up melee combat skills and should probably choose to dual-wield (either two sabers or a double saber). Use your force powers mostly for personal improvement (buffing powers, such as Speed, Armor, Valor, etc.) or, especially if darkside, some damage-dealing powers (Lightning, Kill, etc.) You will be relying mostly on your abilities in hand-to-hand combat rather than force powers.

  • Vitality: 10/level
  • Force points: 4/level
  • Skill points: 1 + 1/2 INT modifier per level
  • Class skills: Awareness, Persuade, Treat Injury
  • Feats: Approximately 1 every 2 levels, though they are not evenly distributed; Guardians automatically receive Force Jump (1st level), Improved Force Jump (6th level) and Master Force Jump (12th level)
  • Force powers: 1 per level, 2 at 1st level
  • Saving throws: Fortitude & Reflex high, Will low

Jedi Sentinel

Sentinels are a "tweener" class. Their combat abilities are lower than a Guardian, while their force abilities are lower than a Consular. Another way of looking at it: their combat abilities are higher than a Consular and their force abilities are higher than a Guardian. They receive marginally more skill points (2 rather than 1) and are best played with a Scout or Scoundrel base class and an INT of 14. They thus become the "skill-meisters" of the Jedi world, able to continue slicing computers, picking locks or recovering-and-deploying mines (depending on base class and skill selection). They are sort of a jack-of-all trades class that depends more heavily on companions; but, when they do have to go solo, they generally have more options than the other classes.

  • Vitality: 8/level
  • Force points: 6/level
  • Skill points: 2 + 1/2 INT modifier per level
  • Class skills: Awareness, Persuade, Treat Injury
  • Feats: 1 per 3 levels; Sentinels automatically receive Force Immunity: Fear (1st level), Force Immunity: Stun (6th level) and Force Immunity: Paralysis (12th level)
  • Force powers: 1 per level, 2 at 1st level
  • Saving throws: Fortitude & Reflex high, Will low

Jedi Consular

The Consular is the force-stud of the Jedi classes. They recieve more force points, more force powers and have a higher Difficulty Class (DC) for their force powers. This is not to say Consulars cannot fight hand-to-hand, but their lack of vitality means they depend more on Defense or freezing their enemies from a distance before closing in. Consular characters will want to concentrate on Wisdom and Charisma, with Dexterity (for Defense and attack) a strong second. Strength, Constitution and Intelligence generally suffer. Light Side Consulars in particular, due to some LS-only Wisdom-boosting items and the LS-Mastery +3 Charisma bonus, can pretty much knock everything (even force-resistant beasts) out with their force powers. The Consular is a good class to take "early" (i.e. get 16 or so levels by not levelling on Taris) so you will receive even more force powers and points.

  • Vitality: 6/level
  • Force points: 8/level
  • Skill points: 1 + 1/2 INT modifier per level
  • Class skills: Awareness, Computer Use, Demolitions, Persuade, Repair, Treat Injury
  • Feats: 1 per 3 levels; Consulars automatically receive Force Focus (1st level), Improved Force Focus (6th level) and Master Force Focus (12th level)
  • Force powers: 5 per 4 levels
  • Saving throws: Fortitude & Will high, Reflex low

Skills

  • Awareness: Awareness is used for spotting hidden items. In SW:KotOR, this primarily means mines. While it is also useful for spotting Stealth characters, hardly any of your enemies actually use Stealth. You'll want at least one member of your party to have a high Awareness skill to keep you from stepping through mines all the time. In those areas where you are forced to go solo, there are relatively few mines, so it's not as important a skill for the PC.
  • Computer Use: Throughout the game you will find computer terminals. You can slice (hack) into these terminals and do various different things. Each thing that you can do with them costs a certain number of "computer spikes", and, the higher your CU skill, the fewer spikes each function will cost. Some examples of functions: download area schematics (reveal the map), override power conduits or vent gas in rooms filled with large numbers of enemies, deactivate security gun turrets and droids, etc. Slicing computers can make life a lot easier for you, but is not necessary. (Well, actually, there are a few places where you have to slice a computer to advance, but means are provided so that any character can slice the computer.) This is a handy ability to have either for yourself or for a member of your party. Unfortunately, only Zaalbar and T3-M4 are any good at this skill, and they're not as good at the "rough stuff".
  • Demolitions: Demolitions affects your ability to disable, recover or deploy mines. This is an important skill, so make sure either your character or someone in your party has a decently high skill ranking. This is a great skill for Mission, and she becomes a mine-recovering supergirl pretty quickly. It can also be handy for the PC, mainly to use in deploying mines in those areas where you have to go solo.
  • Persuade: Only the PC can take points in this skill. This affects your chances of success whenever you see [Persuade] at the beginning of a conversation item. The higher the skill, the more likely you will be successful with that option. This is a very useful skill; however, by taking the force power Affect Mind or Dominate Mind, you can get through many tough situations without this skill.
  • Repair: For all characters, this skill affects how many parts you have to use to repair broken down droids. You will find these droids scattered about and they can be re-activated and sent on patrol routes to help you defeat large numbers of enemies. There is also a plot-related function for repair when dealing with HK-47 (see Party Members for more details). For droids, this skill also functions in the same way as Treat Injury for humans. A droid using a repair pack, advanced repair pack or construction kit will have the number of vitality points restored increased by the Repair skill.
  • Security: This skill affects the ability of the character to pick locks. A useful skill to have, but probably the least important. If it's important that you get through a lock, an alternate method will usually be supplied. And there's always the "bash" option.
  • Stealth: This can be an important skill, especially early in the game. However, you cannot simply sneak past most enemies. Sooner or later (usually sooner) you will be forced to fight. I would never bother much with this skill for yourself, and of your companions, only Mission will get any use from this skill.
  • Treat Injury: Whenever a character uses a medpack, advanced medpack or life support pack, the amount of vitality points restored is increased by the Treat Injury skill rank. Even though Jedi can use Cure and Heal, it's important to allocate some points to this skill for each character for those times when Jedi powers are exhausted or the Jedi are down. Plus, medpacks are more powerful (for the individual) than the force powers.

You will want to try to always have a well-rounded (skill-wise) party. There are a couple of areas where your companions are forced on you, and they are not necessarily the best to have (skill-wise). For your character (the PC), I would rank the skills in this order of importance:

  1. Persuade
  2. Treat Injury
  3. Repair
  4. Computer Use
  5. Demolitions
  6. Awareness
  7. Stealth
  8. Security

Feats

Passive Combat Feats

Passive combat feats improve your combat abilities. You do not have to "activate" them, the bonuses are always applicable.

  • Weapon Proficiency: There are five types of weapon proficiency; blaster pistols, blaster rifles, heavy weapons, melee weapons (swords and such) and lightsabers (Jedi only). You must have proficiency with a specific weapon type in order to use those weapons. All characters start the game proficient with some weapons, and Jedis automatically receive lightsaber proficiency. It doesn't really behoove you to select additional weapon proficiencies for any character.
  • Weapon Focus/Specialization: Once you have proficiency in a weapon type, you can take Weapon Focus in that weapon type to increase attacks with that weapon by +1. Soldiers and Jedi Guardians can take Weapon Specialization to increase damage done with that weapon type by +2. Not necessarily worth the feat slots they take unless you are a soldier/guardian and have plenty to go around.
  • Two Weapon Fighting (Improved/Master): Reduces the penalties associated with using two weapons at once, or a double-sided weapon (such as double-sided lightsaber). This is a must for any character that wishes to use two weapons. Actually, unless you have a very specific reason for making a character that uses only a single lightsaber, this is the way you want to go with your character and all your companions that are combat-oriented.
  • Dueling (Improved/Master): For those characters that only use a single one-handed weapon, these feats provide both increased attack and increased defense. This is a good set of feats for those characters that have lower vitality (Mission, Jolee, T3-M4, yourself if playing a Consular) as it keeps you from being hit as often (as well as giving you more ability to hit).
  • Sneak Attack: Scoundrel-only feat (automatically granted and improved) that allows scoundrels to do extra damage if they hit an opponent while that opponent isn't looking. You can combine with Stealth or a freezing Force Power (Stun/Stasis/Stasis Field/Horror/Insanity) to deliver devastating first-blows to your enemies.
  • Force Jump (Improved/Master): Guardian-only feats (automatically granted) that allow these characters to cover great distances when you target an opponent who is more than 10 meters away. You must be wielding a lightsaber and target the enemy with a standard attack (rather than a feat-based attack such as Flurry). Improved/Master offer to-hit and damage bonuses to your jump-attack.
  • Force Focus (Improved/Master): Consular-only feats (automatically granted) that increase the Difficulty Class (+1, +2 and +4 respectively) of your force powers for determing whether your target makes the saving throw.

Active Combat Feats

Active combat feats have to be specifically chosen each round in which you want to use that feat. Any reference to "melee weapons" below includes lightsabers.

  • Critical Strike (Improved/Master): Increases the chance of scoring a "critical" hit with a melee weapon, but you take a -5 penalty to Defense when using this feat. Critical hits double (or triple) the damage scored on that hit. One thing to keep in mind, when using Critical Strike, your attacks are reduced to one for that round. Using Speed/Flurry, you can get enough attacks per round to equal one critical hit. And, there's no Immunity to Multiple Attacks (there is Immunity to Critical Hits), the damage is more consistent, and the penalty to Defense is much smaller.
  • Sniper Shot (Improved/Master): Increases the chance of scoring a "critical" hit with a ranged weapon at the cost of -5 to Defense. Rapid Shot is better for ranged fighters.
  • Flurry (Improved/Master): Allows the character to make one extra attack per round with a melee weapon. This comes at the cost of a penalty to defense and attack during that combat round. These penalties decrease as the feat is improved: from -4 to -2 to -1. These feats are nice if you are using a single weapon, not as important if dual wielding.
  • Rapid Shot (Improved/Master): Allows the character to make one extra attack per round with a ranged weapon. A good set of feats for any ranged fighter.
  • Power Attack (Improved/Master): Allows the character to do extra damage with attacks that round with a melee weapon. This comes at the cost of a penalty to attack. The penalties decrease and the extra damage increases as the feat is improved. Only OK at lower levels, so you probably don't need to bother improving this feat.
  • Power Burst (Improved/Master): Allows the character to do extra damage with attacks that round with a ranged weapon. No better for ranged fighters than Power Attack is for melee fighters.

Defensive Feats

  • Armor Proficiency (Light/Medium/Heavy): You must have proficiency in a specific type of armor in order to wear armor of that type. All PCs start the game with at least light armor proficiency. Pure Jedi classes (i.e. some of your companions) do not have any armor feats.
  • Conditioning (Improved/Master): Increases your saving throws. Since you will become a Jedi (with high throws for two saves and medium-high for the other), this series isn't as useful for you. It might be good to take one or two for your soldier companions, since they have lots of free feat slots.
  • Toughness (Improved/Master): Toughness adds 1 vitality point per level (retroactive) to your total vitality. Master Toughness adds another. Improved Toughness gives you 2 points of damage reduction. Overall a very nice set of feats, but you may not have enough feat slots to take them all. Your soldier and scout companions should definitely take them.
  • Jedi Sense (Knight/Master): Grants Jedi additional defense points. Automatically granted to all Jedi.
  • Jedi Defense (Advanced/Master): Gives Jedi the ability to deflect blaster bolts. Advanced and Master add bonuses (+3 and +6 respectively) to your bolt deflection rolls. All Jedi receive Jedi Defense at first level. Advanced and Master levels have to be selected; however, there's not much point to this as you can equip your lightsaber with power crystals that boost your deflection ability.
  • Force Immunity (Fear/Stun/Paralysis): Sentinel-only feats (automatically granted) that give you immunity to certain effects.
  • Scoundrel's Luck: Scoundrel-only feats (automatically granted) that improve their defense rating.
  • Implant levels I, II and III: Granted automatically to scouts, implants are highly useful equippable devices. Especially the Level 3 implants you'll encounter later in the game. Plus, just having one more equipment slot is a big boost towards making your character more powerful.
  • Uncanny Dodge I/II: Scout-only feats (automatically granted) that allow you to retain your DEX bonus to Defense even when surprised (which, I don't think, happens often in KotOR). Also grants +2 or +4 to saving throws against grenades (which does happen often in KotOR).

Skill-Related Feats

There's plenty of equipment in the game that will give you large bonuses for your skills, so don't waste feat slots on these.

  • Gear Head (Improved/Master): Gives bonuses to Repair, Security and Computer Use
  • Caution (Improved/Master): Gives bonuses to Demolitions and Stealth
  • Empathy (Improved/Master): Gives bonuses to Awareness, Persuade and Treat Injury.

Force Powers

Key: (LS) = Light Side power, (U) = Universal power, (DS) = Dark Side power, (NUA) = Not Useable with Armor

Defensive Powers

  • Burst of Speed/Knight Speed/Master Speed (U, NUA): Doubles your movement rate, adds either +2 or +4 to defense and adds either 1 or 2 attacks per round. Almost a must have, at least to Knight level, for any Jedi. Also allows you to quickly run through already-visited areas (like the Dune Sea on Tatooine, or the Great Walkway on Kashyyyk). Bonus: your party members will keep up with you!
  • Cure/Heal (LS): Allows the Jedi to restore vitality points to the entire party. Not as effective as medpacks, but acts on more than one person at a time and Heal neutralizes poison. At least one Jedi in your party should have Heal, but don't waste power slots on these for your PC. Use medpacks and antidote kits instead.
  • Force Aura/Shield/Armor (LS, NUA): Adds +2, +4 or +6 to the Jedi's defense rating and saving throws. Doesn't last very long, though. Can be useful if you're getting beat up pretty bad, but only take them if you have a lot of power slots available. It's better to disable your enemies than try to increase your protection.
  • Force/Knight/Master Valor (LS, NUA): Adds +2, +3 or +5 to the entire party's saving throws and attributes. Sort of like a super, all-in-one stimpack. Only lasts a few rounds, but highly effective. These are great powers since they apply to everyone and boost a lot of things (attack, damage, defense, DC of powers, etc.) very quickly. Can also be used to boost your CHA for tough Persuade checks... In the end, its probably better for you to have Jolee, Juhani or Bastila have this series (Jolee works well for this and set with the Jedi Support scripts). When you're on your own, these powers are less useful, unless you are building a super force-wielding Jedi.
  • Force Resistance/Immunity (U): Offers some protection from force powers targetted against you. Useful if you have primarily defensive powers and/or your offensive powers aren't capable of stunning your enemies. If you can freeze your enemies, you don't really need to protect yourself from their force powers.
  • Energy Resistance (Improved) (U): Roughly the same effect as an energy shield, absorbing the first 15 points of fire, cold, sonic and electrical damage for the duration of the power. Improved version gives the entire party this protection.

Offensive Powers

  • Affect Mind/Dominate Mind (U): Only available for the PC, these allow you additional dialogue options. Affect Mind at the least can save you having to spend skill points in Persuade. (Be wary, using [Force Persuade] can sometimes earn you Dark Side points. Make sure you are only using it for things that do not directly benefit yourself or harm the other person.)
  • Stun/Stasis/Stasis Field (LS, NUA for Stasis Field only): Freezes an opponent, or group of opponents (Stasis Field). Very useful for keeping gangs off your back while you take them down. Very cheap power for Light Side Mastery players.
  • Stun/Disable/Destroy Droid (LS): Very good set of powers against droids and also useful in the final battle against Malak. Having these powers makes slicing computers to disable sentry droids a meaningless task.
  • Wound/Choke/Kill (DS): Basic damage-dealing powers. Kill takes away half the target's maximum vitality points (if the target does not make the saving throw).
  • Slow/Affliction/Plague (DS): Target is slowed and loses physical attribute points (7 from Affliction, 12 from Plague). Plague has a DC of 100! Making it impossible to save against this power. Very good for softening opponents.
  • Fear/Horror/Insanity (DS): Basically the DS equivalent of Stun/Stasis/Stasis Field. Affected creatures (single for Fear, small group for Horror, large group for Insanity) are reduced to catatonic fear unless they make the saving throw.
  • Shock/Force Lightning/Force Storm (DS, NUA): Bread-and-butter damage spells for dark Jedi. Not only reduces vitality points, but force points as well. Lightning and Storm can affect groups of creatures.
  • Force Push/Whirlwind/Wave (U): Similar to Stun and Fear series powers, these push the target back and do damage. Whirlwind actually picks the target off the ground and spins it around while doing damage. Wave radiates outward from the Jedi, affecting groups of creatures. These are great powers to have, but can't be used in the final fight against Malak, so you'll need something else to take out his "batteries".
  • Drain Life/Death Field (DS): Sucks vitality points from the target and gives them to the Jedi. Death Field can affect multiple targets. This is the DS equivalent of Cure/Heal with the bonus of damaging your opponent at the same time you are being healed. The downsides are the opponent can save (thus denying you the curative effect) and it doesn't affect the whole party. One of these is a great power to have in the fight against Malak because you can use his "batteries" as well.
  • Force Suppression/Breach (U): Allows you to strip defensive force powers from the target. You'll find this used against you far more often then you will try to use it.
  • Throw Lightsaber/Advanced (U): The Jedi can throw a lightsaber at a target (or 3 targets for Advanced) and always hit. Not that great a power (it leaves you defenseless against blaster fire!), but useful for the final battle against Malak if you don't have anything else at your disposal.



Last Updated on Wednesday, 13 August 2008 21:36