Combat | Hints SWTOR Guide

Last update: 11 May 2016

Character classes

The great majority of your abilities is intended to be used in combat. Remember to purchase abilities from trainers as you gain the next levels. The combat type strictly depends on your character's class and can change after choosing one of the two subclasses (the guide doesn't include this topic). Each class has a mirror counterpart in the opposing side:

Light Side	Dark Side	Combat type
Trooper	Bounty Hunter	Range combat
Smuggler	Imperial Agent	Ranged combat with taking cover
Jedi Knight	Sith Warrior	Melee combat
Jedi Consular	Sith Inquisitor	Melee and medium range combat

Stats

• Each ability has its own range of use. Some classes are based on ranged combat whereas other on melee (although it's interesting to note that even melee combat abilities have far bigger range than it might seem).
• If using a ability lasts for some time, it's given under the name Channeled.
• It's essential that you know the time after which you'll be able to use a given ability again (Cooldown).
• If a ability is used at once, then it's Instant.
• If the beginning of using a certain ability lasts for some time, then it's given under its name Activation.
• Additionally, using particular abilities takes or gives a certain amount of 'energy', which varies from one class to another.
• Inflicted injuries can be of Area type - which means that they work on an area, e.g. a grenade explosion wounding several opponents.
• Some abilities can also (or only) immobilize enemies for a given time.

Combat and its avoidance

Before you engage in any combat (sometimes, of course, you have to fight), make sure there's a chance of winning it. Always look at the information about the type of opponents (shown by their name) - enemies with silver plates [+], elite [*] and bosses [#] are of the more challenging kind.

The level plays a major role here - if you're level 10 while the enemy [#] 6, then you'll manage to defeat him. But if you're level 6 and the enemy [*] 9, then it's unlikely to assume you'll win on your own. In the second case gain some experience points to at least reach level 8.

It's best to test abilities and read their descriptions. There are, for example, boosting abilities that should be used before the fight, e.g. (also including hiding behind Cover for Smuggler and Imperial Agent). It's worth using them before a really challenging combat.

The idea of combat is that, as in the majority of MMO games, you should create your most effective "chain" of using subsequent abilities and take into consideration the damage they inflict, changes in stats and all timers (Cooldown, Activation, Channeled), depending on the situation.

Some abilities regenerate slowly or deal considerable damage but during a certain period of time. For example, if you can see a group of two weak enemies with a stronger one and a grenade will kill the weak ones at once, then that's what you should use at the beginning of the fight. This is only an example, as every ability opens new possibilities.

In the majority of places there are a lot of unfriendly "mobs", namely, rather weaker enemies alone or in groups. Sometimes it's necessary to fight with them if you want to get somewhere, but not always - there are many paths you can go in order to avoid most of them.