When I started playing KotOR/TSL I....

[milestails 264]

When you first started playing the games, what mistakes did you make during the course of a playthrough that you wouldn't make today? Hopefully, we can all have a laugh to see how far we've come in navigating through things like character progression, quest completion etc.

 

I'll start:

 

When I started playing KotOR, I did not save my level ups for when I became a Jedi. I always ended up going into the fight against Malak as a level 8 scout/scoundrel/soldier and a level 12 Jedi. One time, I didn't even reach level 20 before the final showdown!

[Eauxps I. Fourgott 81]

When I started playing KotOR, I did not save my level ups for when I became a Jedi. I always ended up going into the fight against Malak as a level 8 scout/scoundrel/soldier and a level 12 Jedi. One time, I didn't even reach level 20 before the final showdown!

 

Heh. I still don't save my levels, though at this point, I never have trouble with Malak anyway.

 

When I started... I think my two biggest problems were 1. that I thought blasters were better than vibroblades and 2. that I had the game do all of the level ups for me. It took me less than a full playthrough to clear that up.

[TheDarkChocolateJedi 17]

I couldn't beat taris for at least 8 months when i first started playing, I literally kept restarting my characters over and over and over. I always thought carth was revan and our character was malak though xD

[Haveayap 127]

I lost to Deadeye Duncan in my first playthrough

[DarthTyren 103]

First time I played KotOR, I made it to Taris and stopped playing for almost two years because I couldn't get into it. Then when I started playing it again, I played it four times in a row, only one of them remotely dark side.

[Eauxps I. Fourgott 81]

I lost to Deadeye Duncan in my first playthrough

 

Now THAT is impressive. I could never lose to him without trying really hard to.

 

I also never found Bendak my next playthrough, though I also never beat Marl, so it wouldn't have made a difference. One thing I did RIGHT my first playthrough was that I just so happened to go through the four Star Map planets in the generally recommended order.

[Jango32 23]

 

When I started playing KotOR, I did not save my level ups for when I became a Jedi. I always ended up going into the fight against Malak as a level 8 scout/scoundrel/soldier and a level 12 Jedi. One time, I didn't even reach level 20 before the final showdown!

To be honest, if you are playing as a Scoundrel, you should absolutely NOT save your level ups for Dantooine. 

[Eauxps I. Fourgott 81]

To be honest, if you are playing as a Scoundrel, you should absolutely NOT save your level ups for Dantooine. 

 

Agreed. That would eliminate the biggest advantage to playing as Scoundrel, the sneak attack.

 

Another problem I had in my first playthrough was that I could not figure out how to deal with the Rancor. I ended up just running past it and somehow making it to the Vulkar base entrance.

[milestails 264]

Never knew that about scoundrels! Looks like this thread can provide new insights into playing the game!

 

I used to auto-level up my character too, but now I just do that to my party members. Can't be bothered to micro-manage them.

 

As far as the order is concerned, I used to play Tatooine, Kashyyyk, Manaan, Korriban for both LS and DS, but I've learned that Tatooine, Korriban, Kashyyyk, Manaan is the best way to go for LS players.

 

When I first started playing KotOR, I never even considered siding with the Black Vulkars. I just thought that the Hidden Beks were the only way to go.

[Black_Rogue 1]

First TSL walkthrough, got stuck at the jammed door in Peragus's medbay. hit it with my foot for about an hour before I realized how to work the computer and get the plasma torch.  This was about 5 ish years ago and on a very worn Xbox version. 

[Haveayap 127]

To be honest, if you are playing as a Scoundrel, you should absolutely NOT save your level ups for Dantooine. 

I only play scoundrel for the skills so you can do that with the scoundrel, I find the sneak attack rather useless

[Eauxps I. Fourgott 81]

I only play scoundrel for the skills so you can do that with the scoundrel, I find the sneak attack rather useless

 

I used to never think anything of it, but then I did a full playthrough as a Scoundrel, emphasizing sneakiness and underhandedness -- and let me tell you, if you have Stasis Field or Insanity, then using that on your enemies and subsequently getting 4-24 extra points of damage per attack on them is a BIG help in combat. For just sneaking up to somebody in Stealth and then picking them off, I would agree that it's not too helpful past Taris, but the bonus vs. stunned enemies makes a huge difference.

 

In fact, I enjoyed it so much (along with the alternative gameplay style associated with the class) that I used the KSE to make my character for TSL a Scoundrel instead of a Jedi.

[Haveayap 127]

I used to never think anything of it, but then I did a full playthrough as a Scoundrel, emphasizing sneakiness and underhandedness -- and let me tell you, if you have Stasis Field or Insanity, then using that on your enemies and subsequently getting 4-24 extra points of damage per attack on them is a BIG help in combat. For just sneaking up to somebody in Stealth and then picking them off, I would agree that it's not too helpful past Taris, but the bonus vs. stunned enemies makes a huge difference.

 

In fact, I enjoyed it so much (along with the alternative gameplay style associated with the class) that I used the KSE to make my character for TSL a Scoundrel instead of a Jedi.

I am still not that fond of the sneak attack

[Xuul 224]

I think my story has all of yours topped:

 

When I first played Kotor I got to the outside of the cantina on Taris.

 

This particular Cantina has a door that needs to be opened; it also has the typical lock picking interface. I attempted to unlock the cantina and got the *impossible* message. I then spent an hour attempting to find how to unlock the cantina. 

 

So yeah. I spent hours on Taris trying to unlock a door that wasn't locked.

[Eauxps I. Fourgott 81]

I think my story has all of yours topped:

 

When I first played Kotor I got to the outside of the cantina on Taris.

 

This particular Cantina has a door that needs to be opened; it also has the typical lock picking interface. I attempted to unlock the cantina and got the *impossible* message. I then spent an hour attempting to find how to unlock the cantina. 

 

So yeah. I spent hours on Taris trying to unlock a door that wasn't locked.

 

Yeah, I think that would be number one. Except for possibly losing to Deadeye Duncan without trying.

[Mephiles550 227]

When I started playing Kotor, I had to run around in circles and spam Power Blast while dueling Marl in the Taris Dueling Ring because he would always knock me out in at least 2 hits.

 

...Actually, I still do that.

[134340Goat 116]

Let's see.... first played TSL at age 6. I hadn't beaten K1 cause of the rancor on Taris. So I go in not knowing the main character of the first game was Revan

My memories are very foggy, but at the same time it's quite nostalgic

 

I remember at first I was very dark side, but once I got back to the Hawk at the polar plateau, I started going more light sided (but I remained neutral and killed the Jedi)

As a result, no Prestige class. Didn't know it was a thing. I also sucked at influence. I didn't know you could make characters Jedi. I believe Korriban was my first planet followed by Dxun, while I did Nar Shaddaa last. What else.... due to my sheer inability to character build, it took me a whole day of luck to finally beat Kreia

This was before I knew how useful stims and energy shields can be. And before I knew you could use items from the menu even during combat

 

As for K1, there are a few things there too

 

I'm sure my story of getting stuck cause of the rancor is not unique. I also played mostly light side but neutral the first time, so I killed Juhani and never knew she would be a party member. I had no idea whose that last black spot was supposed to be. I was absolutely convinced that it must be a Selkath due to the alien's prominence on the cover art

 

And of course in both games, I just went the Soldier/Guardian route, devoting nothing to skills and basically giving myself 18 STR 17 CON, and 8 of everything else. So as a result I lost out on a lot of good stuff you get from needing those skills and attributes.

[Mephiles550 227]

And of course in both games, I just went the Soldier/Guardian route, devoting nothing to skills and basically giving myself 18 STR 17 CON, and 8 of everything else. So as a result I lost out on a lot of good stuff you get from needing those skills and attributes.

I always focus only on upgrading my character's contribution during level ups in TSL, since that's the determining factor for whether or not you can wear the more advanced implants.

[Rinku 22]

I think my story has all of yours topped:

 

When I first played Kotor I got to the outside of the cantina on Taris.

 

This particular Cantina has a door that needs to be opened; it also has the typical lock picking interface. I attempted to unlock the cantina and got the *impossible* message. I then spent an hour attempting to find how to unlock the cantina. 

 

So yeah. I spent hours on Taris trying to unlock a door that wasn't locked.

I did the same thing and then quit playing Kotor for about a week because I didn't understand what was going on (granted, I was 10 years old) haha

 

Later in that same playthrough I refused to duel because I couldn't persuade him to give me a higher pay. So I went through Taris and came back toward the end and it still didn't work, thus I left Taris without dueling on my first run of the game xD

[LiliArch 115]

The Cantina Door thing happened to me, too...

 

Also, I didn't understand that I had to put something else to the corpse pile with that synthetic odor, too.

[Eauxps I. Fourgott 81]

And of course in both games, I just went the Soldier/Guardian route, devoting nothing to skills and basically giving myself 18 STR 17 CON, and 8 of everything else. So as a result I lost out on a lot of good stuff you get from needing those skills and attributes.

 

That can be an interesting way to play. That's what I usually do for the few Dark Side playthroughs I have. I certainly did have fun the first time when I managed to take down Darth Malak in about three rounds.

[milestails 264]

Likewise on missing influence and jedifying party members entirely!

 

When I started playing KotOR, I did not know that you could side with the Elders. I thought siding with the Rakata was the only way to go.

[Kexikus 995]

I still rarely make my party members Jedi in TSL, simply because I never knew about the possibility in my first playthroughs and now it just feels weird for some of them to be Jedi as I know them as non-Jedi characters.

 

So yeah, it took me I don't know how long to learn of this possibility... oh and I was soooo scared of Peragus the first times I played TSL. Creepy place :|

[Jango32 23]

Scoundrel -> Jedi Guardian breaks the game's (relative) difficult at level 16 or 17, just sayin'...

 

The first time I played KotOR 1, I goofed hard because I actually bought items on Taris...

 

I could send a PM to you, Miles, breaking down how OP Scoundrel->Guardian is and the way sneak attack works. (a Light Side Scoundrel -> Guardian basically means being a Warrior, Mage and Rogue at the same time and you more or less absolutely destroy every mob by yourself...)

[milestails 264]

I'm interested Jango!

 

In fact, how about a post on the forums on this very subject? You could detail how to build such a character in terms of the starting attributes, feats, etc. I would definitely read it. Not much out there in terms of character builds.