What do a noble race of feline humanoids, a horned red-skinned species and a species known for its intricate head-tails and orange skin have in common? The potential for new races in The Old Republic. These three species fit the criteria of being humanoid enough for Bioware to consider including them, unlike the Wookies or Trandoshan, and are also featured in the game heavily enough to warrant consideration.

Jump past the cut to explore a bit about each of these races, and how they might be included. Minor spoilers as to the names of companions will be below.

“I’m looking for a great warrior.”
“Wars not make one great.”

The Old Republic places us in a setting that is on the brink of war. The Treaty of Coruscant keeps the Sith Empire and Republic at bay, but each side is itching to be at each other’s throats.  As a roleplayer creating a character in this environment, there are many things to consider about how this war would affect how they think. Nearly every part of the known galaxy was touched by this war, from the Outer Rim to the Core Worlds.

Jump past the cut to explore what it means to have a character grow up in a culture of war, and how you can use this to help flesh out your own.

Companions are a very large part of The Old Republic; adding to the story, providing support to fill out much needed roles while soloing or in a Flashpoint, and going off to do all your crafting. Roleplayers, however, need to get a bit more creative when it comes to using companions. After all, as much as we might enjoy Jorgan’s no-nonsense attitude or Vette’s sarcastic remarks, there are only one of them in the galaxy. Every Bounty Hunter cannot be personal friends with Mako or we’d obviously have a big continuity problem.

What can you use them for? With the right idea, they can spice up quite a few roleplay encounters for you. Jump past the cut to learn more about their versatility.

As Star Wars fans, it is easy to divide the galaxy into the categories listed in the title. After all, it represents the struggle between good and evil, law and chaos, and peace over war. It is just as easy to forget that the majority of the universe consists of those with no connection to the Force whatsoever. The Old Republic represents this part of the galaxy with Smugglers, Bounty Hunters, Agents and Troopers, but these are no ordinary individuals. We rarely get a glimpse into the viewpoint of the common person in the galaxy, which makes this quote from Atton Rand all the more interesting:

“The Jedi…the Sith…you don’t get it, do you? To the galaxy, they’re the same thing; just men and women with too much power, squabbling over religion, while the rest of us burn.”

“Peace is a lie, there is only passion.”

This is the first line of the Code of the Sith, a rather obvious antithesis to the Jedi Code. These are the words that the Sith live by during the Old Republic era and as a result the entire Sith Empire. Due to the unique position the Sith have in the Empire’s hierarchy many non-Force users have come to accept portions of the Code in how they handle their political and military dealings, whether they realize it or not.

Whether you play a cold-blooded Sith Warrior or Inquisitor, or perhaps an Agent or Bounty Hunter, the Code of the Sith can have a drastic impact on how your character interacts with the denizens of the Empire. Jump past the cut to find out how.

With The Old Republic’s huge emphasis on good and evil choices, it is easy to divide the galaxy amongst those lines. The Sith follow the dark side, and are evil; the Jedi follow the light side and are good. Even the Jedi tend to view the galaxy with this lens and place all Force users into those two categories. But what of the morally ambiguous path, or those who wish to operate outside of these orders and their goals? These men and women are called the Gray Jedi.

Beholden to no Jedi or Sith code and answering to no one but themselves, this combination seems as though it would lead its followers down the path to the dark side. The Jedi renounce it and the Sith call it weak, but there are those who know better. Click past the cut to find out more.

The Star Wars Universe is one of frantic dogfights in space, battles of good and evil, and even the seedy underbelly of the many worlds and their crime organizations. The Old Republic allows you to take on some of the most famous archetypes in this universe and explore some unique stories. In Role Play, however, players do not need to be restricted by these archetypes. If a smuggler doesn’t interest you, why not an entertainer? If following the Jedi code is not your cup of tea, why not play as a Republic politician?

There are many roles in this galaxy, and not all of them are offered by Bioware. With a little creativity any roleplayer can have a unique and off-beat character to play. Click past the cut to explore some potential concepts.

Upon embarking on a new character’s journey, we usually feel a strong emotional appeal to navigate toward the “intended” morality path. It feels natural for a Sith Inquisitor to be powerful in the dark side of the Force, and it feels right for a Jedi Knight to be attuned to the light. Bounty Hunters, Smugglers, Agents, and Troopers seem more flexible as far as morality goes, but there’s still a certain inclination in the stories just because of the whole Republic/Empire thing.

There’s also a certain attitude we take when rolling characters on a given side. Players may consider the Republic characters to be heroes of the Star Wars franchise, for example, so the attitude they may take with these characters might be driven more toward random acts of heroism. On the other hand, players may consider the Empire side to be the side of the underdogs, the self-sufficient, and the rebellious. These players will then have a natural inclination to create their characters with these personality traits.

Some of the first players are reaching level 50 with their characters, and after experiencing such a robust story you may be looking for more. Perhaps after going through the trials and tribulations of your class’s story you have a firm grip on who your character is and how he or she reacts to the galaxy’s challenges. This is one of SWTOR’s greatest points for the roleplaying crowd: Playing the game can be a form of roleplaying, and is a great launching off point for joining the growing RP community.

Whether you have heard nothing about roleplaying and accidentally landed yourself on an RP server, or simply looking for a place to start your RP career, let Force Junkies guide you through your first steps as a roleplayer.

None project the wisdom and calm of the Jedi better than the Jedi Consulars, men and women who chose more cerebral paths in their attunement to the force rather than devoting themselves to combat. Whether they be historians, seers, healers or sages, these Jedi are the holders of knowledge and teachers of every new generation.

Not all Consulars are alike in being perfect beings of wisdom. Even Yoda found himself regretting his mistakes during his exile on Dagobah. Their work is no less challenging than that of a Knight, and the Force has a way of manifesting in various ways. Click past the cut to see some of the most famous Jedi Consulars and how their trials shaped who they were.