SWTOR Trench Runner Uprising Guide

Trench Runner is an Uprising in Star Wars: The Old Republic, and is like a short, story-light Flashpoint with three bosses and a few surprises including the ability to bring a desert pet along for the fight. Trench Runner comes in three different difficulties: Story. Veteran, and Master, and is meant to be done with a group of four at level 70+.

If you are new to Uprisings, you may want to first visit the basic Uprisings Guide for tips about the quests to pick up before you go in. For the most part, you don’t really need a guide for Uprisings unless your group is struggling with a specific boss, especially in Master Mode. Uprisings are meant to be very accessible and short, fun, run-and-gun missions.

How to Start

All Uprisings start at the glowing blue table in the Combat Training section of the Republic or Imperial Fleet. You can also enter the Groupfinder for Veteran Mode, just keep in mind if you filter for just Trench Runner, you won’t be eligible for the bonus groupfinder rewards for running a random Uprising.

Once you have picked up an Uprising, left-click the icon of a shuttle in your quest log to travel to the Uprising.

Difficulty Modes

• Story Mode: Easiest mode, designed for four players but likely doable with 2 or more decent players in any roles and their companions.
  • Solo: I had a very hard time doing the first boss on my level 80 damage and/or tank character, even in high-end gear with an Influence level 50 companion! I tried quite a few times but game up on it after a while – so I wasn’t able to solo this Uprising at all.
• Veteran Mode: Middle difficulty but not that much harder, designed for four players but likely doable with 2 or more decent players in any roles and their companions
• Master Mode: Quite difficult mode, most groups will need a full four players, including 1 healer, 1 tank and 2 damage players. Very competent groups might be able to do it with 3 players and one companion. Your team should be decently geared, understand their class and role, and be ready to do some mechanics and stay out of bad stuff on the ground.

Trench Runner Power-Ups

While running Trench Runner, keep you eyes open for glowing blue crates with powerups inside. To open a crate, you can right-click it, then walk over the item it reveals.

Once you’re carrying a power-up, you’ll get a temporary ability to use it, and you can get up to one of each kind. These crates will be hidden throughout the Uprising.

Entrance

As soon as you walk forwards, a long fight will start, so make sure your team is loaded in all the way before you walk into the trenches. The red door will not open until you defeat all the enemies.

There are two medpacs nearby in Story and Veteran mode.

Boss 1: Lieutenant Jom Shomo

After you clear all the first wave of enemies including the Republic Commander, Lieutenant Jom Shomo will come out. Stay out of the red circles.

Terminal (Optional): When Lieutenant Jom Shomo shows up, the blue turret terminal will become clickable.

One player from the team may right-click the glowing blue terminal inside the small building.

This will turn them into a “turret” that can shoot enemies before they make it down to the trenches. It has a very awkward range though, and you can’t really hit any enemies that have gotten into the trenches.

You can only use the terminal while in a group.

After you use it, it kicks you out after a short time, and you can’t use that turret again.

Boss 2: Captain Dakarus Garnik

Boss 3: Nayva Isoder

turret with walkers: can ignore but will be in combat

Boss 4: General Rike’s Hover Tank

Avoid the orange circles.

When the tank gets an orange shield, ONE player from your team needs to use the purple temporary ability on your temporary ability bar to call air support. The longer this takes, the more the tank can repair. While the tank is repairing, it is shielded from standard attacks.

Avoid the red circles if you aren’t calling air support.

After the tank is defeated, General Amos Rike will come down and fight you.

To leave Trench Runner, use the Exit Area button after the final boss is complete or xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Star Fortress Mine Sweeper

The Star Fortress Mine Sweeper is a rare drop from Trench Runner

Trench Runner Achievements

In addition to the Trench Runner achievements for doing this Uprising all the way through in Story, Veteran and Master Mode, this Uprising has a TON of unique achievements.

• Over the Top – Defeated 1000 opponents in the Trench Runner uprising without using the Bunker Defense Turret.
• Bunker Defender – Defeated 100 opponents while operating the Bunker Defense Turret in the Trench Runner uprising.
• Trench Runner: Adrenal Assault – Defeated 100 opponents while infused with the combat adrenal in the Trench Runner uprising.
• Trench Runner: Thermally Charged – Defeated 100 opponents with a thermal detonator in the Trench Runner uprising.
• Trench Runner: Rocketed – Defeated 100 opponents with the rocket launcher in the Trench Runner uprising.

PS it’s not an achievement, but if you manage to get to the upper parts of the map above the trench, something fun happens. The easiest way to do this is to walk behind the crashed ship at the very beginning of the Uprising, walk upwards along the ship’s little ledge as a ramp, then carefully jump up to the surface.

Story & Lore

Admiral Aygo: “Commander, there’s a situation on Denova. Republic loyalists under General Amos Rike have seized control of the baradium mines. They’ve set up several heavy artillery bunkers on the beachhead. We can’t land troops on the surface until those bunkers are taken off-line. It won’t be easy, Commander. General Rike won many victories for the Republic: he wouldn’t seize the baradium mines unless he was confident he could defend them.”

General Amos Rike: “These mines belong to the Republic-your Alliance stole them. But what else could I expect from your kind?”
General Amos Rike: “My colleagues may be willing to make peace with the enemy. Some have even defected to your side. But I remain loyal to the Republic!”
General Amos Rike: “I will fight with everything I have to restore our former glory… including this prototype hover tank. Ha ha! Bey’wan didn’t warn you about that, did he?”
General Amos Rike: “You’ve never faced firepower like this before!”
General Amos Rike: “Now you’ll see what real Republic soldiers can do!”

Codex: Alliance Intelligence Report: General Amos Rike

Fun Fact: This map is normally only seen in the Explosive Conflict operation!