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Advanced Classes are specialized careers that your characters can choose in Star Wars™: The Old Republic™. As your character becomes more seasoned through adventure, you will be given the opportunity to undertake one of two Advanced Classes. This decision is equally as important as when you originally created your character. This is because your choice will not only make your character more distinct and powerful, but it will also help further define the role you wish to play in The Old Republic.
In addition to your Class-specific Skills and Abilities, your chosen Advanced Class will grant you access to role-defining Abilities that represent additional areas of expertise and some may even grant new weapon and armor types. Additionally, each Advanced Class will also have three sets of Skills available to further customize your character.
The chart above is not representative of any of the current Advanced Class Skill Sets, nor does it show exactly how many Skills you may potentially access. It is included to provide an example of how a character, in this case a Sith Warrior, may look as he progresses through one Advanced Class (note that the other Advanced Class Skill Sets are disabled and cannot be trained).
As mentioned above, each Advanced Class opens up three Skill Sets with a variety of Skills in each. Unlike selecting an Advanced Class, these Skill Sets are less restrictive and your character can obtain Skills from any set or from all of them!
The main goal of the Advanced Class System is to allow you to customize your characters according to your play style. For example, some Sith Warrior players will want to charge into the fight and take the full heat of the enemies’ aggression. Others will want to execute their maneuvers more strategically, focused on channeling all their rage to destroy their enemies as quickly as possible. The Advanced Class System gives you these kinds of choices and more.
While the first two Skill Sets include Skills entirely unique to the chosen Advanced Classes, the third Skill Set consists of a shared set of Skills which expand upon the core Skills of the Class itself.
One thing to note is that you use the same pool of points when training your Advanced Classes Skills, so spend your points wisely!
For those of you who might be wondering what Hoth's significance is so many thousands of years before the epic Battle of Hoth, the planet's claim to fame didn't begin with the centerpiece Empire Strikes Back battle, as it was also a battlefield in The Great War between the young Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire. The Republic suffered a great loss on Hoth, leaving the planet's icy desolate wasteland strewn with the husks of fallen machines of war, and with neither side capable of sparing the resources to recover their technology this left Hoth open as a ripe target for intrepid pirates and looters, who established a salvage operation on the planet.
The signing of the Treaty of Coruscant saw both the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire's return to Hoth, however, where both factions are now eager to recover their technology, which has resulted in a number of engagements, despite the peace terms set by the aforementioned treaty.
...In The Old Republic, Hoth has no allegiance, no government, is contested by players from both factions, has frozen desolate wasteland terrain and is littered with wreckage from a major battle of what's called the Great War.
According to Star Wars lore, Hoth was of no real interest to the Republic until it became the site of a devastating military defeat. At the height of the Great War, Republic and Imperial fleets clashed in the Hoth system in a decisive battle which saw the destruction of some of the most advanced and powerful starships in the galaxy.
In the aftermath of the battle, Hoth became a massive starship graveyard, littered with the wreckage of hundreds of warships from both sides, including several prototype ships the Republic had deployed in the hope of turning the tide of the war. As the war raged on, though, neither the Republic nor the Empire had the time and resources to mount a recovery operation.
Upon learning of the wealth of technology abandoned on Hoth, an ambitious pirate confederation started their own salvage operation. They brought an army of droids and mercenaries and began looting all useful remnants from the wreckage in an effort to piece together their own battle cruisers and create a pirate armada...
Whether you dream of beating the odds with just your luck and a blaster, or imagine restoring order to the galaxy with Force powers and a Lightsaber, you’ll have your chance in Star Wars™: The Old Republic™.
We’ve talked a lot about how The Old Republic is innovating on storytelling in MMOs, and now we want to share with you how combat in The Old Republic will deliver a new level of excitement for fans. Check out our latest Video Documentary that focuses on Combat to get an inside look at how we’re bringing dynamic Star Wars™ action to life in Star Wars: The Old Republic!
Once home to a sprawling planet-wide city, Taris was razed long ago by the Sith Lord Darth Malak while seeking to eliminate the Jedi Knight Bastila Shan. Now, a post-apocalyptic Taris is being realized in Star Wars™: The Old Republic™. After 300 years, Republic and Jedi leaders are moving forward with the efforts at colonization.
Watch insights from James Ohlen, Drew Karpyshyn, Scott Carpenter, and Mark How about the new environments – and adventures – awaiting players in our latest Developer Dispatch: Returning to Taris!
While we have not announced a specific date, we can confirm that we are targeting a spring 2011 release for Star Wars™: The Old Republic™. We’ve got a lot of exciting updates and reveals planned throughout 2010, including the first-ever hands-on testing for the game. It’s not too late to sign up to be a game tester, so go to www.swtor.com/tester and sign up today. We can’t wait to share more about the game with you as we progress through the year, so make sure you stay tuned to the official website for details.
On the remote jungle world of Dromund Kaas, the Sith have spent a thousand years building their mighty war machine to prepare for an assault on the Galaxy.
Colonized in ancient times by the Sith Empire, the hyperspace coordinates of the Dromund Kaas were lost to time, allowing the isolated planet to fade into distant memory. Following a crushing defeat in the Great Hyperspace War, the handful of surviving Sith desperately sought to escape annihilation at the hands of their Jedi foes. The desperate Sith, leaving their collective destiny to chance, chose to forgo all known hyperspace routes and attempt a series of dangerously random hyperspace jumps and blind scouting missions. For 20 years the Sith armada drifted aimlessly in the forgotten regions of space before finally rediscovering the Dromund system.
The Sith’s first century back on Dromund Kaas was dedicated to reestablishing the glory of Imperial society. In the depths of the jungle, the magnificent capital city of Kaas City was established and a citadel built – a standing testament to the power of the Emperor. Ceaselessly, the Empire worked to raise both army and fleet in preparation for their inevitable return to the greater galaxy. Power hungry, the Emperor spent great energy discovering and perfecting esoteric rites of darkness – rituals that wrecked the atmosphere of Dromund Kaas, transforming the ionosphere into a swirling electric storm.
Now, more than one thousand years later, the Empire has returned to the galaxy – bringing full-scale war with it. The Sith have forced a great number of systems into submission in the war, however Dromund Kaas remains home to both the Emperor and his Dark Council. Even though the planet is bristling with the energy of the dark side, it is the Imperial military that has the largest visible presence on Dromund Kaas. It is here that the Empire’s power brokering games are played and alliances are forged and broken. For up-and-coming Moffs and Imperial intelligence operatives, success – and survival – hangs on the ability to master these games of intrigue.
It is from here, on Dromund Kaas, that the dark hand of the Empire reaches ever outward.
Dromund Kaas was the third planet in the Dromund system, a colony then the capital of the Old Sith Empire and later the lasting base of the Prophets of the Dark Side, whose Dark Force Temple contained such power in the the dark side of the Force that most weapons, excluding lightsabers, malfunctioned on the planet's surface. The site of a major battle during the New Sith Wars under Kaan's Brotherhood of Darkness, for millennia the planet's location was known only to a few, very select Sith Lords, falling almost completely out of the public eye.
How about announcing two more classes? Of course! Rounding out the choices include the Jedi Consular, a new Jedi class for the Galactic Republic. This character offers a more thoughtful response to attacking, as opposed to the direct brutal attacks of the Jedi Knight. There's a lot of support options, as well as plenty of Force attacks. Promises to be a well rounded option for people looking for something a little different than typical Jedi attack options.
And finishing things up on the Sith Empire is the Sith Inquisitor. Fulfilling the role of a Palpatine-like character, the Sith Inquisitor uses a lot more attacks based on Force Lightning and support. he hangs out in the back, letting other do more direct damage while he zaps away at enemies .Check out the gallery for both class types in action.
Since the Republic’s inception, Alderaan’s nobility has been at the political forefront, taking a stand in the Senate for peace, freedom and unity. While Coruscant has always been considered the heart of the Republic, to some extent, Alderaan has been its soul. In the aftermath of the Treaty of Coruscant, however, Alderaan withdrew from the Republic and soon became embroiled in one of the bloodiest civil wars in the galaxy’s history. The future of this once-proud planet is heavily in doubt.
Renowned for its captivating beauty, Alderaan’s verdant forests and snow-capped mountain ranges have always been a vision of utopia. Matching the landscape’s serenity, Alderaan’s political process has historically been smooth, though the crown has often been handed back and forth between several entrenched noble houses. At the height of the Great War, though, everything changed—Alderaan’s timeless tranquility was shattered. Seeking to sap the Republic’s morale, the Sith Empire invaded the planet with all its might, quickly overwhelming local defense forces and taking the royal family hostage. The reaction was equally swift and savage—Republic and Jedi forces tapped into previously unknown reserves of valor and rushed to Alderaan’s rescue. The Republic’s heroes obliterated the invaders and handed the Sith Empire a humiliating defeat.
The Imperial invasion was not forgotten, though. For the first time in history, Alderaan’s leaders became a voice for aggressive military action in the Senate. When the Treaty of Coruscant was signed a few years later, Alderaan’s crown prince marched out of the Senate in protest. Alderaan seceded from the Republic and became an independent system. The crown prince’s decision was met with mixed reaction at home; though many were supportive, others were outraged. Despite the controversy, order was kept until an assassin’s blaster took the prince’s life, and the queen died heirless just days later. Alderaan’s parliament soon became deadlocked on which of the noble houses should inherit the throne. When one of the houses sought to settle the matter through a show of force, civil war broke out on all fronts.
Adding fuel to the fire, one of Alderaan’s forgotten houses has now returned with Imperial backing to claim its rightful place, and the Republic has begun funneling support to the honorable House Organa. Though neither superpower has troops on the ground, Alderaan could become the tinderbox that sparks a return to a galaxy-spanning war. Still, no matter how violent and chaotic the political climate may become, the legacy of the planet’s rich history and its sheer environmental beauty make Alderaan a breathtaking place to behold. The question lies in whose hands this treasure will eventually end up…
If you are waiting for SW:TOR to come out ... you are really going to like this video. Now much gameplay, but the cinematics are great.
From the majestic skyline to the dark and seedy underground levels, a large team of The Old Republic developers worked together to construct the dynamic city-world of Coruscant. Watch our latest Developer Dispatch, The Making of Coruscant, to hear developers discuss the creation of the Republic’s capital from the deepest basement to the tallest skyscraper.
I heard SWTOR official beta signups were ready!
Get to it people!!
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If you missed out on drinks and Stormtroopers in the Cantina at PAX, we have a special treat for you. Join The Old Republic community by September 15th, and receive a 25% off coupon for Star Wars™: Knights of the Old Republic™ on PC, redeemable at Direct2Drive!
Prepare for Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ by playing KOTOR, a role-playing game developed and published by BioWare and LucasArts, which takes place 300 years before the events in The Old Republic. Can you master the awesome power of the Force on your quest to save the Republic? Or will you fall to the lure of the dark side? Hero or villain, savior or conqueror… in Knights of the Old Republic, you alone will determine the destiny of the entire galaxy!
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was voted Game of the Year, receiving over a hundred awards from top websites. Ranked second in GameSpy's best Xbox games of all-time list, Knights of the Old Republic was said to be “filled with the kinds of well-defined characters with fleshed-out motivations and great plots that you remember from the best movies."
Look for your 25% off coupon code in our September 18th community update e-mail. Our email address has changed, so make sure you add swtor@email.swtor.com to your address book to receive Star Wars: The Old Republic emails.
If you’re not already a registered community member, register now and opt-in for our newsletter!
Coruscant. A symbol of power, prosperity, and innovation for civilization. The capital of the Republic serves as a hub of cultural influence and home to hundreds of alien species and from across the galaxy. Still recovering from the Sith attack during the Sacking of Coruscant, the planet has set out to rebuild what they have lost. Though the pristine skyline continues to grow, the lower level districts of Coruscant have developed troubles of their own.
Access the HoloNet to learn more about the history of Coruscant and the struggles facing the citizens as they rebuild the planet after the attack.
This year at the Penny Arcade Expo, attendees were treated to a special sneak-peek of the Republic capital world of Coruscant! For anyone who was unable to attend, or anyone who would like to relive the video in higher quality, we invite you to check it out!
Jedi Master Gnost-Dural has entered a new holorecord in the Jedi Archive. After a thorough analysis of the evidence, Master Gnost-Dural has discovered that the Mandalorians’ return to the galaxy and alliance with the Sith was no coincidence—it was the result of years of shadowy machinations by the sinister agents of Imperial Intelligence.
BTC 14 – Frustrated by a series of Republic military victories, the Empire began exploring alternative strategies in its drive to conquer the galaxy. Despite the tantalizing offers of Imperial Diplomats, members of the galaxy’s notorious underworld refused to swear allegiance to the Sith Empire. Thus, Imperial Intelligence began laying the groundwork to win the underworld’s loyalty through other means. Infiltrating the gladiatorial arenas of Geonosis, Imperial agents fixed the fights to cultivate the rise of a new Mandalore—an Imperial puppet who would call forth some of the galaxy’s most proud and independent warriors to unknowingly aid in the Empire’s dark designs.
Watch the fourth Timeline holorecord, The Empire Changes Strategy, narrated by actor Lance Henriksen.
I got this in my email last night!! So exciting! It's the official announcement and information on the Sith Warrior:
CHAMPION OF THE DARK SIDE
An unstoppable force of darkness, the Sith Warrior is entrusted with the task of destroying the Empire’s enemies and enforcing Sith domination across the galaxy. The Warrior channels the destructive emotions of fear, anger, and hatred to purge weakness from body and mind and become a being of pure, brutal efficiency.
Destined to eradicate the incompetent chaos created by the Jedi, the Sith seek to rule the galaxy through power and intimidation. The armies of the Sith Empire are trained to accomplish this task, but they require the leadership of bold Sith Warriors—loyal and mighty overlords—who will drive them to conquest and victory.
These cold-blooded conquerors waste no time with cunning manipulations and carefully-crafted plans. Sith Warriors crush their opponents and stride toward their goals with dreadful determination, leaving ruin and annihilation in their wake. Emanating awe and terror at every step, they accept nothing but absolute obedience from their followers. In turn, Sith Warriors can serve as loyal subjects to their own dark masters, often surprising enemies and allies with their rigorous honor and perfect discipline.
Whether they align their ambitions with those of the Dark Council or become renegades in pursuit of their own goals, they are never far from the action. Their fierce hatred of the Jedi keeps Sith Warriors at the forefront of any conflict with the Republic. The passion to eradicate the Jedi Order fuels many of their actions, but that does not make them single-minded fools.
Ultimately, the destiny of any Sith Warrior is his own to choose… and woe to those who would stand in his way.
Working with Others
A natural leader in any context, a Sith Warrior inspires both fear and undying loyalty into his followers and allies. Though they rarely exercise patience for incompetence or indecisiveness, Warriors have realized the importance of strength in numbers in their war with the Jedi, and have learned to accept and sometimes even encourage their comrades, whether they are like-minded Sith, ruthless Bounty Hunters, or others who embrace the darkness.
Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ showcased the first public gameplay
demo at GamesCom in Cologne, Germany on August 19-24. If you didn't make it to the shows, don’t worry! The Developer Gameplay Walkthrough Video is now available to the community!
Also, join us at the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) in Seattle, Washington on September 4-6. Visit the fan cantina in room 307-308 and hang out with members of the Star Wars: The Old Republic team. Receive free green screen photos and other cool giveaways. And make sure you attend one of the live Developer Gameplay Walkthroughs. This is your last chance in 2009 to see live gameplay. To stay up-to-date with conventions this summer, visit the Community Events page!
We actually posted about this already but since it's up on SWTOR's site we thought we would take another look. Plus ... It's sooooo gorgeous :)
Whether you were busy being digested in the Sarlacc Pit, Bounty Hunters stole your speeder or – like at least one of us – you were encased in carbonite and unable to make it to Germany for GamesCom, we’ve got something for you!
Head over to IGN.com to watch a video of the complete Developer Gameplay Walkthrough showcased at this week’s GamesCom. Get a close-up look at the Bounty Hunter and Smuggler on the worlds of Hutta and Ord Mantell. Jump to the Sith home-world of Korriban and meet the Sith Warrior class. Be transported aboard an Imperial transport ship to see the Bounty Hunter and Sith Warrior decide the fate of the captain and crew aboard the Black Talon.
The video contains almost 20 minutes of actual gameplay footage so check it out at IGN.com!
Gamespot gets to get hands on to SW:TOR. I'm sooooo jealous. Here's a snippet from the article:
Before we got hands-on, we were treated to another demo and briefly introduced to the Sith homeworld of Korriban. We saw the massive pyramid-shaped Sith Academy in the distance and a quest that involved clearing a tomb of grave robbers so we could collect some valuable Sith artifacts for our quest giver. Our BioWare guide, playing as a level four character, made quick work of the raiders, as well as some giant K'Lor slugs and their smaller broodlings at which point we moved on to a familiar setting: the hands-on section from the same demo that we saw previously at E3 2009.
Massively is reporting that the Sith Warrior is the next official SWTOR class. Here's what the article says:
While not entirely unexpected -- especially since it was playable, but unnamed, at this year's E3 -- Star Wars: The Old Republic's Sith Warrior class has now been officially revealed and discussed by BioWare. We're expecting an official class page by Friday, but for now this Gamespot interview from GamesCom will have to sate our curiosity.
It'll come as no surprise that in their effort to emulate classic iconic movie characters, BioWare has decided to make the Sith Warrior a physically aggressive front line fighter who dons somewhat heavy armor. So, if your aspiration as a little boy or girl was to grow up and become just like Darth Vader, here's your chance.
Interestingly, while abilities such as Force Choke will be present in the Sith Warrior's skill set, the class leans between pure offense or a balanced defensive-offensive build. With such an emphasis on nitty gritty physical combat, many are starting to wonder if another Sith class will represent something akin to Emperor Palpatine, a heavy force user. We think there's a good chance that may happen, although it's all speculation until the actual reveal.
Massively reports:
that the game will see a release date in Q3 2010, specifically September.
Another SWTOR developer blog is up. This one is about the creation of the smuggler. Check it out!! http://www.swtor.com/news/article/20090807_001
Here's a snippet:
Try this hypothetical scenario… you’re relaxing at the local cantina when three trigger-happy Rodian mercenaries pick a fight with the most attractive Jedi Knight you’ve ever seen. After the smoke clears, the Rodians are carried outside and the Jedi apologizes to everyone for making a scene. Do you:
a) Crack a joke to relieve the tension;
b) Demand the Jedi buy you a drink to replace the one that got spilled during the fight;
c) Smoothly invite your new friend back to a private booth to get better acquainted.
The answer, of course, is (d) All of the above. What’s that, you say? “All of the above” wasn’t among your options? Consider that your first taste of the Smuggler lifestyle. It’s time to make your own options and never limit yourself to just one. Strict adherence to rules and regulations is something other people do. Smugglers make things up as they go.
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