Combat Styles in 7.0

There has been some interesting news when it comes to Combat Styles for 7.0, and we finally have some answers to some important questions about our characters.

Developer Posts

Second post:

Creating a Character

When creating a Jedi Knight, you will have the ability to choose between four Combat Styles: Guardian, Sentinel, Sage and Shadow, who all fight with Lightsabers and the light-side of the Force, but who each have very different ways of approaching combat. Your Combat Style choice is a permanent choice, so choose wisely.

If you have earned the Dark V achievement on any of your characters on your server, you will also be able to choose from the dark-sided Combat Styles as well, and the Juggernaut, Marauder, Sorcerer or Assassin will be added to the list you can choose from when creating a level 1 Jedi Knight character.

If you’re a newer player, and didn’t have Dark V unlocked and didn’t have the option to choose a dark-side Combat Style when you created a character… while you are playing the story, if you make dark-sided decisions and your character has turned towards the dark side by moving their character Alignment bar into the Dark, you will have the option to flip your chosen Combat Style to its dark-sided counterpart, the Juggernaut, Marauder, Sorcerer or Assassin, while remaining a Jedi Knight. This choice to flip happens after you reach Chapter 3 of your Jedi Knight origin story. If you are an experienced player and have already earned the Dark V achievement on any of your characters on your server, you won’t get this option to flip, since you had the option to choose a dark-side combat style when you were creating your character.

(And here’s an important note for players who had characters that existed before the expansion. If you already have a Jedi Knight created but you haven’t logged into them since the Legacy of the Sith expansion came out, the first time you log into your Jedi Knight, if their alignment is even 1 Dark Side point away from 0, you’ll be given the option to flip your current combat style. This is kind of like a one-time gift from the developers, to give us the option to flip an existing character since the option didn’t exist until the expansion launched.)

In addition to all that, as a newer player, when you complete Chapter 3 of the Jedi Knight Origin Story, subscribers will be able to pick up a second Combat Style. This second Combat Style choice is permanent, but you will be able to swap between your first and second choice while playing. You will be able to choose from Guardian, Sentinel, Sage and Shadow. If you have also earned the Dark V achievement on any of your characters on your server, you will be able to choose from the dark-sided Combat Styles as well, and the Juggernaut, Marauder, Sorcerer or Assassin will be added to the list you can choose from for your second Combat Style.

If you are an experienced player and have already completed Chapter 3 of the Jedi Knight Origin Story on any of your Jedi Knight characters on your server, subscribers will be able to choose your second Combat Style immediately after your create your character, and you won’t have to wait to complete your Origin Story to pick up your second style.

(So that means, if you have existing characters who have finished their story, when the expansion launches you should be able to just log in and pick your second combat style for them right away.)

Once you have chosen your Jedi Knight’s Combat Style and finished creating your character, you can then choose your Discipline. Your Discipline is your specialized way of fighting, and each Combat Style has three options to choose from. Your Discipline is not a permanent choice, and you can easily switch between the three discipline options tied to your Combat Style. If you are a subscriber who has a second Combat Style chosen, you’ll have six total Disciplines you can choose from at any given time.

All the was for Force Users – Tech Users, like the Scoundrel, are a lot easier, because they do not have any type of alignment when it comes to dark or light. Players who reach Chapter 3 on their tech user characters will be able to pick up a second combat style from any of the eight tech user options. Players who have already completed their class story for that class can choose a second combat style right away.

Example #1 – Existing Character, Sith Warrior Juggernaut

So let’s go over some examples.

I have a Sith Warrior Juggernaut that I created years ago. I’ve been player for a while but I only have one character so far on my server.

She’s finished her story, and she decided to bring order and equality to the Empire, taking down its evil from the inside, and leans towards the light side of the Force.

On her character sheet before the expansion, when I roll over her character sheet it shows she is Alignment positive 3,000, Light I. Because she is not Neutral, and not Dark which is kinda the default, when I log into her after the expansion launches I will have the “one-time-gift” option to “flip” her Combat Style from the dark-sided Juggernaut to its light-sided mirror counterpart, the Guardian. This seems cool, so I decide to flip her, and she becomes a Sith Warrior Guardian instead of a Juggernaut. This is a permanent choice, I can’t flip-flop.

Because I am a subscriber, and because she has finished her story, I can add a second combat style to her right away when I log in for the expansion. And cool – since I had the option to flip my character, I will also have all four light-side combat styles to choose from in addition to the four dark-side ones. I’ll pick up Sorcerer as my second one for some lightning action.

Don’t forget though, you can’t combine combat styles in anyway – I can’t use my light side Guardian and dark side Sorcerer powers at the same time. But I can swap between Guardian and Sorcerer depending on how I want to play that day.

Example #2 – Existing Character, Jedi Consular Shadow

I have a Jedi Consular Shadow. I have a ton of characters on this server that I’ve played a lot.

My Shadow is a pure light side character who saved the galaxy and is a paragon of the Jedi.

When I log into her when the expansion launches, since her light-side alignment matches her being a Jedi, she won’t have the option to flip unlike my Sith Warrior did. Her first combat style will remain as Shadow. I’m sad, because although she is light-side in the story, I reallllyyyyy like the way Force Lightning looks.

Because I am a subscriber, and because she has finished her story, I can still add a second combat style to her right away when I log in for the expansion. On this server, I have unlocked the Dark 5 achievement through one of my other characters, which means when I go to choose a second combat style, I’ll have all eight combat styles available – four dark-side and four light-side. I was sad I couldn’t flip my Shadow over to the dark side combat style, but at least I can choose a dark-side Combat style as my second combat style. I had kind of hoped to be able to choose two totally new combat styles and not be stuck with Shadow, but that’s not how it works. So I can choose Assassin as my second combat style to fling some lightning, or even pick up Marauder if I want to try something totally different.

Example #3 – Existing Character, Trooper vanguard

I have a Trooper Vanguard, she’s my main character and is all caught up with the stories.

When I log into her when the expansion launches, since she’s not a Jedi or Sith, there’s no option to flip her in any way – her first combat style will automatically be Vanguard.

Because I am a subscriber, and because she has finished her story, I can add a second combat style to her right away when I log in for the expansion. Because she’s a tech user, she’ll have all eight tech user styles to choose from. I want to occasionally be able to use stealth, so decide to choose Operative as my second class. Now when I want to tank, I’ll choose Vanguard, and when I want to sneak or do damage, I’ll choose Operative because I find it a lot of fun to attack with.

Example #4 – New Character, New Player, Dark-Side Jedi Knight

I’m a brand new player. I don’t have any achievements or any characters who have finished their stories or anything cool like that yet.

I’m going to create a brand new Jedi Knight character now that the expansion has launched.

I will have the four default light-side options available: Guardian, Sentinel, Sage and Shadow. I’m going to make a Guardian right away. I’ve heard maybe I can make them dark-side, but since I’m not I don’t see any options to do that when creating my character. As I play the story, I do evil deeds and start turning towards the dark-side. Since I take my time, a few months later, I eventually finish my Jedi Knight origin story!

Because I have been choosing dark-side options, after I finish my story, I will get the option to flip my character from Guardian to Juggernaut. I can say yes or no. I’m so excited that I unlocked an option to have dark-side powers so I say yes.

Partway through playing, I decided I liked the game and decided to subscribe. Since I am a subscriber, I also now can add a second combat style to my character. Because I earned the option to flip my character, I will also have the option to choose either a dark or light second combat style. If I’d gone full light side while playing, I would only have had the light side options available for my second combat style. I decide to choose Sorcerer as my second combat style because I thought it would be cool to have both Force Choke and Force Lightning on the same character – I can’t use them at the same time, but I can swap between Juggernaut and Sorcerer so that’s ok.

Example #5 – New Character, Experienced Player

I’m a player whose been playing for years and I have a ton of characters and achievements. Woohoo!

I’m going to create a brand new Jedi Knight character now that the expansion has launched.

Because I’m an experienced player, I have the Dark V achievement unlocked. Uh.. ok.. I didn’t have it before the expansion but I figured out how the system works and grinded Diplomacy and PvP’d on my characters with the highest dark aide alignment until I got the achievement. Hah.

When I go to create that new Jedi Knight, because I do have the Dark V achievement, I can make him choose a dark-side combat style right away when I create him – I’m going to make him a Jedi Knight Marauder at level 1 and terrify everyone on Tython and I’m totally going to get him some evil looking robes.

Because I am a player who already has the Dark V achievement, I won’t see any type of option to flip him when I finished my story.

I will be able to add a second combat style to him though! Because I am an experienced player and have already ran a Jedi Knight through the story in the past, I’ll be able to add that second combat style right away once I’m in-game, I don’t have to wait to finish the story. Since I have the Dark V achievement, I’ll even have all eight combat styles to choose from, and because I am an edgy Jedi, I’m going to make him a Marauder and Assassin. No light ide garbage for me wheeeeeeeeee! The only part I’m sad about is that I can’t use my double-bladed lightsaber while I’m a Marauder – since we don’t get to mix and match weapons.

Prepare

With all this info, there’s not a lot you need to do to prepare your characters for the expansion. The only thing you might want to keep in mind is that if you want the option to flip any of your characters, they must be at least 1 Dark Side or light Side point away from 0 for the option to flip them to come up. That means if you wanna flip and are a Jedi, you need to go earn Dark Side points, and if you are a Sith and want to flip, go earn light side points. Easiest way is through diplomacy and warzones. That’s the only one that’s a bit of a rush.

If you want opposite-alignment combat styles, you’ll also need to grind out either Dark V or Light V, on any of your characters.

Lastly, I’ve seen people asking if they should create characters now or later. The answer to that is really going to depend on what you want your final character to look like and what achievements you have. For example, if you want to play a Jedi Knight who is a Guardian and Sage, no problem, go ahead and create that now. But if you want a Jedi Knight who starts off as a Marauder… you may want to hold off until the new character creator is available.

While the information we got was detailed and a little confusing due to all the options, I’m glad we finally seem to understand exactly how the new system will be working. I hope this indepth explanation and all the example help you decide what type of character you want to make, and I’m really, really hoping I got it right this time. See you in the expansion!