STAR WARS: Knights of the Old Republic – Combat Guide

This guide is used to optimize your character for combat in Knights of the old Republic.

KOTOR Combat Guide

Choosing your Class

In Knights of the old Republic you get one non-jedi class to start with and one jedi class as the story progresses. The three non-jedi classes are Scoundrel, Soldier and Scout, the three jedi classes are Guardian, Sentinel and Consular. These classes increases your vitality, defense and attack modifier stats differently. For example, soldier increases vitality (health) more per level up than scoundrel. Scoundrel increases defense more per level up than soldiers. This is the same for the jedi classes, even though the game doesn’t specify which stats increase more per level up.

Attribute Mapping

At the start of the game, you can choose which attributes to increase. Strength increases the attack modifier for melee attacks ( which I will explain later) and the damage you can give with melee attacks. Dexterity does the same for ranged attacks but it also increases defense. Constitution increases how much vitality (or health) you get as your level increases. Intelligence is useless for combat, but it can help with skills and related items. Wisdom and charisma are the same for combat but differ in terms of skill modifiers. They both decrease the chance of a successful saving throw on the part of your opponent when you use a force power (see saving throws for more details).

I explain why these non-jedi classes have attribute points distributed this way in the attack feats section.

• Soldiers- Strength + Constitution
• Scout- Strength + Dexterity (if going scout/consular) Strength + Constitution (if going scout/guardian) Strength + Dexterity OR Constitution (if going scout/sentinel)
• Scoundrel- Strength + Dexterity

What jedi class you pick influences how high you should make charisma and wisdom.

• Guardian- Low Charisma + Wisdom (+1 to each)
• Sentinel- Medium Charisma + Wisdom (+2 to each)
• Consular- High Charisma + Wisdom (+3 to each)

Attributes modifiers (the +# stuff) will increase per 2 attribute points given to each category. Get each category to at least 10 so you don’t get negative modifiers. As you level up, every 4 levels you will get the chance to increase attribute points again. Try to make the attribute points more well rounded (for example, if you are going to be a soldier/consular, you should start out with lower strength and constitution and higher charisma and wisdom, however as you go on, try to increase strength and constitution to make it more similar to the Charisma and Wisdom modifier) because some opponents will be easier to physically fight and some will be easier to use force powers against.

I know its kind of confusing, but to sum it up:

1. Get each category to 10 at least
2. Increase the charisma and wisdom based on what jedi class you plan to be
3. Use the rest of the points to increase the non jedi attributes
4. As you keep playing try to round out the attribute modifiers

Example:

Soldier/Consular

1. Increase all attribute points to 10
2. Increase wisdom and charisma to 16 each (for a +3 modifier for each)
3. Use the points that are left to increase Strength and Constitution
4. As you keep playing increase your strength and constitution points

Combat Feats

The attributes that we chose for the non-jedi were due to the future weapons feats we are going to get. This part will outline which feats to prioritize and why.

Power Attack/Flurry/Critical Strike – The attack feat that you should master depends on what non-jedi class you pick.

• Soldier – Power attack Scout – Flurry Scoundrel – Critical Strike

Some may disagree, but I think it’s best to specialize in the attack feat that you get by class, ignoring the other attack feats. The attribute paths I outlined earlier was meant to optimize this path. For example, critical strike will increase the chance to stun if your strength is higher, but will also decrease your defense for a combat round. This is why I said to increase strength and dexterity if you are becoming a scoundrel to start out with.

The second feats to mention is two handed proficiency and dueling. The one handed vs two handed explanation is in a different section, but suffice it to say that if you are planning on wielding two weapons or a two handed weapon, you will need to max out two handed proficiency and if you are planning on using only one weapon, you need to max out dueling.

The third and fourth feats that I recommend maxing out are toughness and conditioning. Toughness with increase your total health, which is very good for consulars and scoundrels who suffer from low vitality. Conditioning allows characters to resist force powers and special attacks easier when they make saving throws. Saving throws are explained in the combat mechanics section.

So to summarize:

1. First priority is maxing out your classes attack feat
2. Second priority is maxing out either dueling or two handed proficiency
3. You can choose your own feats from there, but I recommend toughness and conditioning

Force Powers

Your force powers should be chosen based on what jedi class you picked. If you picked guardian, I recommend investing in more buffing force powers. If you picked sentinel, I recommend a mix between offensive force powers and buffing force powers. If you picked consular, I recommend using mostly offensive force powers. Now for a few specifics:

• It is CRUCIAL to get force breach if you become a consular
• Try to get diversify to get powers that check against fortitude, will and reflex each because your opponents likely have one of these as a low stat and one as a high stat (this is explained better in the combat mechanics section)
• Don’t upgrade force whirlwind to force wave because force wave is mind affecting and some enemies are immune to mind affecting abilities

Combat Mechanics

The primary combat system is d20 + attack modifier versus your opponents defense. d20 is a 20 sided dice that is rolled and the resulting value. The attack modifier can be increased or decreased by a lot of things, including what class you pick and whether you use two weapons or one. The attack modifier is the +# you see underneath the damage range (#-#). The damage range determines how much damage you will do if you successfully make a hit. If the d20 + attack modifier is higher than your opponents defense, the attack will hit and vice versa for when your opponent attacks you.

Saving Throws:

• The primary saving throw mechanic is d20 + fortitude, reflex or will stat + specified attribute modifier
• Saving throws are made when an opponent uses a force power or special attack
• DC means difficulty check, if your saving throw is lower than the difficulty check value then you suffer the full effect of the attack
• You can cause your opponent to make a saving throw by using a force power on them, but their fortitude, will and reflex stats might be different from one another, so you will have to find which of those stats are weakest and exploit it

One handed Vs Two handed:

• One handed weapons give a bigger attack modifier but make one roll to hit once
• Using two one handed weapons will make the attack modifiers lower, but will make two separate rolls to hit twice (one can hit while the other misses)
• Using two weapons but the offhand is a +2/+0 makes the attack modifier higher but decreases the damage range for the offhand
• Using a double handed weapon makes the damage range the same for both attacks

If you are using only one weapon, increase the dueling feat to make the attack modifier and your defense greater.

If you are using two weapons or a two handed weapon increase the two handed proficiency feat to increase the attack modifier for both hands

Party Members

Most of the other combat rules can be applied to the rest of your party. However, some non-jedi characters you might want to be ranged. If this is the case:

• Soldier: Constitution + Dexterity + A bit of wisdom
• Scout: Constitution + Dexterity + A bit of Intelligence
• Scoundrel: Dexterity + Intelligence

• Soldier: Specialize Power Shot
• Scout: Specialize Rapid Shot
• Scoundrel: Specialize Critical Shot

It is very important to get special equipment for non jedi party members that you wish to take with you often, especially Mission, she is very weak unless you give her master critical shot with good dexterity and intelligence and a weapon with a large critical threat range.

In general remember to read the description for all of the feats, powers and equipment that you invest in, this will help you a lot when supplemented with this guide.