5 Things Star Wars: The Old Republic Never Tells New Players

Compared to many other MMORPGs out there, Star Wars: The Old Republic is pretty generous for the things it offers free-to-play players, but the game can be a bit vague when it comes to how some of its mechanics work. Especially if you’re new, SWTOR’s systems can seem complicated. Knowing how some of the more advanced parts of the game work as a new player can help you get off to a better start. Below are five things the game never tells new players that can make starting out easier.

1. Your Gear Automatically Scales

When you’re just starting out, you’re probably stressing out looking for gear that will help you fight your way through your starting planet. But you don’t need to dedicate a ton of time to gear hunting, because your gear scales to your level. For F2P players, that means you don’t have to worry about buying gear from the Galactic Trade Network. Quest rewards will get the job done for you. Really, you don’t have to worry about your gear’s Item Ranking until the late game.

2. Strongholds Are More Than Just Customizable Spaces

On the surface, strongholds seem like nothing more than customizable apartments, but they have a lot more value than that. Strongholds serve as fast travel points you can use to quickly navigate, and you can use them for storage to keep gear you might not be using right now. More than that, they’re great for earning bonus XP via resting. You’ll unlock your first stronghold around level 15, so it’s great to know what you can do with one before you get there.

3. Heroics Will Help You Level Up Fast

As a new player, you probably want to level up fast so you can really explore the entire Far, Far, Away galaxy. While the game’s main storyline is your best path to leveling up, you can boost your XP gain with heroics. While these missions are typically designed for two or more players to complete together, solo players don’t have to fret. You can handle most heroics with a companion.

4. You Can Solo Most Flashpoints

Even though flashpoints are meant to be completed as groups, you can solo these story-driven missions with the right companion, just like heroics. These missions give players great rewards, and the XP payout is certainly worth mentioning. If you’re looking to have some role-playing fun, these missions are perfect, as the choices you make during them influence their story.

5. Datacrons Give Permanent Stat Boosts

Datacrons are hidden collectibles scattered around every planet that give you stat boosts to mastery, endurance, or power. Some datacrons are easy enough to find just wandering around the map, and others require you to solve puzzles or work together with other players. While the stat boost of one datacron isn’t that big, the boosts stack the more datacrons you find. The best part? Datacrons are part of your legacy, meaning they’ll apply to any character you create.

While not all of these mechanics will be available to you right at the beginning of the game, knowing they’re coming can help you use them more efficiently when the time comes.