In this article, I will be going over what SWTOR companions are, what they do, and their effect on gameplay. As the game draws closer to release, I will update this page with specific information on each SWTOR companion.
The Role of SWTOR Companions
Unlike in other MMORPGs, players in SWTOR will get access to a companion player. This player will accompany the player in combat and aid him in his adventures. This is not unlike the companion system in FFXIV. FFXIV has a companion system and the companion’s character is used to advance the plot.
However, the primary difference is that in FFXIV, the companion only accompanies you on missions. In SWTOR, the companion is with you nearly all of the time and you can take them out to farm or even to group content. Additionally, when you are with your companion and are fighting, your companion can stay behind to harvest materials off of slain enemies and catch up later. This way, you can do all the fighting and have your companion perform necessary but bothersome tasks.
Another thing about companions is there will be a very large number of them. Some will drift in and out of the story and some will become part of your crew. Through the storyline, the same companion can become both your closest allies or an enemy, depending on the choices you make.
Additionally, players will start out with a single companion at a low level and get access to much more as they progress through the game. Each class also has its own unique set of companions (as the storylines are different), so it is possible that they may be 40 companions (or even more) in SWTOR (5 for each class).
The 40 companion number may seem high but while no official numbers have been announced yet it has been stated that the crafting station can support 4 crew members, while 1 crew member is with you in the field, meaning that there is at least 5 crew members per player at max level. Since every class’s companions are different, I think it is safe to assume a minimum of 40 companions will make it into the game at launch. Given that some may become enemies, there may be even more possible companions.
I think that this type of companion system could make the crew concept a lot more interesting. It is one thing to have a bunch of generic NPCs doing tasks for you on your ship, it is another thing altogether for NPCs you worked through the main storyline with to be the ones in your crew.
SWTOR Companions Guide – Favor
When you have an active companion, you can earn favor with them by participating in quests and events and doing the things particular to that companion’s tastes. Each companion has their own personality and tastes, and as such they will respond differently to different items and conversations.
For example, the first Jedi Knight companion is a droid named T7-01, who is programmed to love Light Side Jedi, being humble, and the Galactic Republic in general. Let’s examine how you would earn favor with this companion:
- T7-01 loves noble Jedi, and as such, whenever you take an action which earns you light side points, you almost always get a big favor boost with T7-01.
- T7-01 likes you to be humble, so when you express your gratitude during interactive quests or are kind to NPCs throughout the game, you will earn a small amount (typically 15) faction points with T7-01.
- T7-01 is a big fan of the Galactic Republic, so if you give him Republic memorabilia (you find gifts throughout the game), you will get a lot of points with him. If you give him Sith memorabilia, you will earn nothing, and if you give him other gift types, you will get a small amount of faction.
Other companions are completely different though. For example, Kira, the next Jedi Knight companion, responds favorably to luxury gifts and goods rather than Galactic Republic memorabilia.
Earning favor with your companion changes the way they interact with you, but I am unsure if this has any effect on say, crew skill performance. If you want to try to seduce any of your companions, you will need a lot of favor, and in general they will treat you nicer, but whether or not they actually perform better as a result of favor is unclear. I will update when I know the answer (if you know it, feel free to drop me a line via the contact form at the bottom of the page).
SWTOR Companions Guide – Crew Skills
One of the coolest things companions are good for is their crew skills. Once you get your first companion and head to your respective faction’s capital (Coruscant or Dramund Kaas), you can learn crew skills and start sending your companions out to do various tasks.
To keep things brief, you can get three types of crew skills – gathering, mission-based, and crafting. You can learn three total skills (they can be one of all type or a mix of the three) and your companions can then use these skills at your bidding. Note: To select a crew skill, visit the trainer in the market district of your capital city and there you will find trainers who will allow you to learn a crew skill.
Once you have learned a skill, you can pull up the crew skills menu by pressing the “n” button. Once you do that, you can click on the crew skills icon next to the companion you want to send on a mission. You can then select a mission for them (or an item for them to craft) and send them on their way.
Each mission, craft, or gathering task takes time. Crafting requires materials, whereas missions and gathering quests cost credits. You can also gather materials out in the game world quite frequently free of charge. Both are convenient ways to get resources.
The best part though is that can send your crew members out to complete missions or gather materials at any point in the game. This means you can be doing Warzones and have your companions gathering for you the whole time. This is an easy way to make extra credits without really having to do anything or actually having to go out and farm.
SWTOR Companions Guide Conclusion
Your companions are a big part of SWTOR – they are central in the story line, very effective in combat, and can be used to gather materials and craft items remotely through the crew skills system. Be sure to upgrade their equipment and keep their skills updated in order to get the most out of them.