So, just wondering if I’m weird. So far I completed da trooper, last trooper, sleeping aw, last smuggler, last counsular and ls bounty hunter. My favorite by the largest margin is BH. I feel like the story was grounded enough for me to truly get behind. While SW, touted as one of the best stories in the game, felt kinda weak. Besides kinda wanting to kill the main villain, I truly didn’t feel any drive from my character to do anything. Most of the dialog options I picked were “why do I care?” Don’t get me wrong, I think the voice acting is quite nice. Snarky jokes were funny too. But as far as story went.... didn’t care.

Reason for post is that I am going to play other classes to finish their story lines. I have inquisitor, Agent and Knight left. Very curious what your guys opinion on the drive of the main character in those stories. Thinking of doing JK next but don’t want to rehash the same scenario I had with SW

You aren't weird for having a preference. I have a hard time really picking a favourite, but I think it's hard for any of the other class stories to beat the consular for me, just because that was the first one I completed. I suppose the parts of SW I like are the role you are given as a reward for completing the story, even if it just isolated to dialogue, but also the companions. I also think SW characters make sense for the role that are put on them in the expansions.

With my BH I couldn't really care that much about the other companions, I even argued against bringing on Gault, even though I actually like him as a character, just because I didn't get what my bounty hunter would do with this dude who had dubious loyalties. I felt the same way with all companions that wasn't Mako, I understood her role on the ship and quite enjoyed her partnership with the BH.

I also feel like quite a few stories suffer from chapter 1 completionism. BH was actually the first class I took beyond chapter 1, but after winning the great hunt I sort of lost interest in the story for a while. I can't really say I loved it once I picked it up again either, I felt like it was a story that could have really used some branching paths just because of the freelance nature of it. I'm glad I was given one in the end.

Other stories I feel suffered from completing goals early was smuggler and the two jedi classes. One of the strong points of the sith's are that the general goal of optaining power remains regardless of what allignment you play for.

For the same reason, I actually think Trooper and IA are the strongest class stories seen overall; but that's just because of the structure of intelligence and military operations. It makes it easier to get behind the turns the narrative takes from chapter to chapter, since it's just your job. Trooper is also helped with the early pace of optaining companions, you already have three options halfway through chapter 1.

I understand why some prefer BH and smuggler just because of the more grounded narrative background, but for me it sort of loses its charm when the story restricts you along a certain path. This is true of all classes, but only BH and smuggler feels to me like they pretend that you had a choice of direction.

I think what Class Story you'll like is mostly dependent on personal preference, I quite enjoy all of them however I do have my favorites.

Sith Inquisitor: Now there are parts that I definitely think should've be written better or with a better explanation but overall I found the class story extremely engaging and immersive. If you want to roleplay a rising Sith Lord, obtaining more power and influence in the hierarchy then this is definitely the class for you. The story is really excellent at making you feel like a Sith Lord when it comes to key moments in the story.

I think what Class Story you'll like is mostly dependent on personal preference, I quite enjoy all of them however I do have my favorites.

Sith Inquisitor: Now there are parts that I definitely think should've be written better or with a better explanation but overall I found the class story extremely engaging and immersive. If you want to roleplay a rising Sith Lord, obtaining more power and influence in the hierarchy then this is definitely the class for you. The story is really excellent at making you feel like a Sith Lord when it comes to key moments in the story.

I've restarted the SI story after initially getting to Quesh (just because I needed to unlock Rattataki and this class seemed the best fit). While I do share your sentiment that rising in the ranks, as far as I got to the story, is satisfying I really do wish specific parts of the story weren't written as if my hand is being held.

I finished the inq and agent so I'll only give my opinion on those.

I hated the agent story personally but I think it was a good story because it made me roll my first republic character after purely playing the empire. Won't get into it furthe because that would spoil the story for you, but playing the agent gives you some nice insight into what the empire does with capable non-sith imperials.

I liked the inquisitor story but the character is a complete idiot and you can't prevent that.

I think is all down to preference...

For me all classes are interesting until class story are over, after that you play same story with bit of a different dialog... I just use them to feed my Legacy and Datacron hunting, beyond that I just Role with my Inquisitor.

My favorite story was the Inquisitor, going Full Light Side... as it seems that his being calculating more than benevolent... even if you go Dark Side the story is interesting though.

Also the Inquisitor is (I think) the only character in the story that seems to take inspiration on Darth Sidius character in SW Canon and likely the one who would become a Galactic Emperor at some point, his charismatic dialog seems to insinuating that with every choice whether Light or Dark his calculating, already thinking the next steps to take or its end result benefiting him in the end, (specially Light Side choices)... either that, but also the Voice actor and writers did an excellent job at writing/voicing the Inquisitor lines as such a calculating interesting character.

I made him a Chiss as I consider this race very calculating, enigmatic and the Chiss consider Force users to be impure so it fitted perfectly with the story... Does my character come from a noble family and so was given to the Sith academy to either survive and become who he is or die and be forgot as the impure shame he was to his families name? Does he have a brother, sister, father or mother that monitor his progress from the shadows or is a last descendant of that Noble Family, if he even noble? This and so much more I think as I play with the his story in-game and in my head...

Also I like not only Darth Sidius and how he manipulated his way into power even as powerful as he was (also his mastery of the Dark Side and Sith Lightning), but also I like Grand Admiral Thrawn know for his "diabolical, tactical brilliant genius and ruthlessness" who's command style was considerably different from that of Darth Vader and other typical Imperial commanders; instead of punishing failure and dissent, Thrawn promoted creativity among his crew and accepts ideas from subordinates (Again I associate this with my Light Side Choices). The Chiss Ascendancy also being interesting to me, So I basically kinda created my Inquisitor out of these 2 characters I like posibly creating one of most dangerous SWTOR protagonist the NPCs will ever face BWAHAHA! Ehem sorry got carried away.

However, again this is my opinion and preference...so like I said before its all up to your preference of story entertainment that will determine who you like the most and most likely become your main.

I probably like SW the best of all of them, with Smuggler running up as the best pubside story.

Smuggler has the best Act 1, imo. The villain is someone you love to hate, and there's a lot of fun comedy going on that livens up the worst planets [ie. Alderaan]. SW also has a very good Act 1, but the second half is significantly better than the first.

All the Act 2s are kind of crappy imo, but the best story of the bunch is the IA for the dramatic reversal of fortunes - there seems like a lot more going on in this Act for IAs than for other classes. The JC storyline in Act 2 is also surprisingly good, as you come into some real power and ditch the straitjacket plot you were forced into in Act 1.

SW has the best Act 3, I think, as you finally devote all your resources to killing your old master and everyone connected with him. Most of the other classes stories don't really shine until Corellia, but on the pubside I did also like the JK's Act 3 most of the way through.

OTOH:

Trooper has a really good Act 1, but the rest of the story isn't very good. BH has an almost identical problem, but it's a little ahead depending on your choice in the class story finale, and it has a better crew.

I thought SI is generally awful the whole way through. You're mainly playing to show how crazy your character is, but it's hard to roleplay crazy people. The best is probably Act 2, as alone among the classes, you don't have a class story questgiver.

As mentioned, JC has a truly terrible Act 1. It's as if the writers peeled this storyline off of a branching class story that was solely lightside, because there's really no rationale to be DS here. JK doesn't have a bad Act 1, but the plot of finding superweapons and destroying them is something that really should have gone to the Trooper instead. It's also a bit repetitive, since it re-occurs in Act 3. The Hoth mission for JKs is also the worst of any class, period, and Hoth is pretty terrible for every class.

IA's Act 1 has a good beginning and ending, but the stuff in the middle is hit and miss. The good thing is that unlike a lot of the classes, the story gets better from Act 2 onward. Contrast this with the BH, where Act 1 is the high point of the story, it's all downhill from there. With the possible exception of Voss.

* spoilers *

Thanks so much everyone for such wonderful replies. I’m slowly trying to figure things out for myself and what made me enjoy one story vs another. I think my biggest issue with SW was the crew. First: a certain betrayal I couldn’t do anything about but forgive. That left such a bad taste in my mouth. Then there was that whole thing with broombark or whatever his name is. Why is that fool on my ship?! What kind of idiot is my Sith that he brings a homicidal crazy alien on board?! Like... what? I think my second issue with the story was the main antagonist and my relationship with him. If I am his apprentice , there should have been some iota of me learning from him or something. The entire time I act superior to him and as much as he is annoyed by it he does nothing to me. Then I smash him in the end and YAY, I’m the most powerful dude in the empire (or darn close to it) Finally, playing a light side Sith, was confusing as heck. The entire time I felt like I was suffering from faction confusion. Like... why am I killing all these Jedi? I show up, say I come in peace, they don’t believe me, I kill them all. Though the two times I got to have a normal conversation with them was probably my biggest highlights of the story.

Sorry for the rant 😢

Ending of the BH story was freakin awesome because I fought the guy who truly seemed powerful and imposing and it was done great.

I agree that Trooper has a great act 1 and the rest kinda meh. Smuggler failed to make any sort of impression on me whatsoever. Consular I feel is way too pious for someone who walks the line between darkness and light.

I dunno. Maybe I’ll play Jedi and blast through Hoth if I can.

I player Smuggler, and Consuler so far. Plan to rush through with my Trooper soon. I grinded it's levels through FPs. Might do the same with my inquisitor.

Consular class story could be better. Mainly by saving the other "children of the Emperor". Other than that it's not too bad. The companions are booring however.

The Smuggler got some hillarious responses. It's entire style is just great. The worst part of the story is the 1. chapter. I mean my guy is rich as it is, and beside why the hell i trust this girl who worked with my last enemy? Why i can't just dump her in the nearest spaceport, and go on my own ways? (I still wouldn't do that, but still) The rest is kinda enforced, because people wants the main character die.

I played the Inquisitor's first chapter. While i love the way the Inquisitor looks. I really hate helping the Empire. If i could do anything, then i would sabotage the Empire, and harm it as much as possible. I would stay away from the jedi order, but would help all other enemies of the Empire mainly through assisting the Republic army. The first chapter, and the beginning of the second shown just how luck based this whole situation.

1. At the end of Korribban. If Zash wouldn't be checked in earlier, then we would be good as dead for "failure". Beside the fact, that we were given unfairly difficult tasks, and tried to be assassinated twice.

2. First time entering the ancestor's tomb. If he weren't our ancestor we would have killed.

3. Second time we go into a guarded tomb, and the ancestor saves us.

4.Thanaton's attack.

* spoilers *

I think my second issue with the story was the main antagonist and my relationship with him. If I am his apprentice , there should have been some iota of me learning from him or something. The entire time I act superior to him and as much as he is annoyed by it he does nothing to me. Then I smash him in the end and YAY, I’m the most powerful dude in the empire (or darn close to it)

This mentions a couple problems that recur throughout a lot of the class stories. First, that none of the force using classes get anything that amounts to training from their masters. For the Jedi classes, it's because their masters leave almost immediately, and for the Sith classes, it's because the Act 1 objectives are deemed too important to waste on training imo. The SI is maybe the only class here that I'd let slide on that, because of the way the story is set up.

Second, that there's no sense of consequences for being insubordinate among any of the classes. The IA tries to resolve this early on [on DK], but of course, you can't really play an MMO where there's only one line of dialogue that keeps you from getting killed, game over. It would make more sense on a SP RPG. You can be a DS Jedi [either class] and Satele and the council will just shrug. You can refuse to follow orders throughout most of the trooper storyline and Garza will yell at you just like Baras yells at the SW, but there's no pay-off for the yelling. The trooper can do one thing near the end of Act 3 that may limit their freedom after the class story [or so Garza says] but afaik it's never brought up again.

This mentions a couple problems that recur throughout a lot of the class stories. First, that none of the force using classes get anything that amounts to training from their masters. For the Jedi classes, it's because their masters leave almost immediately, and for the Sith classes, it's because the Act 1 objectives are deemed too important to waste on training imo. The SI is maybe the only class here that I'd let slide on that, because of the way the story is set up.

This also kinda annoys me because it could so easily be fixed by just letting you be at the final stages of your padawanship or what you'd call it instead of at the beginning of it. Instead of the story framing it as your introduction to the jedi life, it's your final "exam" where you go through the works of what you have "learned" and how you are almost a fully trained Jedi.

This also kinda annoys me because it could so easily be fixed by just letting you be at the final stages of your padawanship or what you'd call it instead of at the beginning of it. Instead of the story framing it as your introduction to the jedi life, it's your final "exam" where you go through the works of what you have "learned" and how you are almost a fully trained Jedi.

Umm, it is your final exam (the pass/fail variety in this case), both Jedi classes go to Tython to complete their training, not to start it.

I think the situation would sit a lot better with me if instead of “Holy Force diarrhea! We are being attacked! Go alone into deep dark cave and face unknown evils!” we’d get something like an actual exam that went wrong as we are doing it or some effing guidance. In a span of Tython I beat the dude who bested my master. Seriously? I am that amazing??

Apperantly yes. You are a sort of "chosen one". But the point is there. You are stronger, than the masters, and no one blinks an eye.

I made a personal backstory for all my characters, that justifies their superiority. But it is true, that the main character shouldn't be that powerful, and on Sith side he isn't. At least the Inquisitor gets force beaten in cutscenes multiple times. Showing, that he is not the ultimate ****** from start, and that just how damn lucky he must be to be alive.

BH... I am on Knight of the Fallen Empire with him. I started him about 8 weeks ago so he's fresh in my mind. I like the story more and more as I look back at how he began. He starts as a normal guy with a decent reputation--enough to get him into the Great Hunt obviously--but he's not a special snowflake. He's not a Sith or a Jedi, or really anyone of note. He's just a guy or a gal if you go that way. Being female, I usually play female characters so I started a female BH but it didn't feel right and going with the male helped my immersion into the story. So to watch this guy grow from a nothing nobody into someone who commands a galactic alliance is pretty intense IMO. I don't think it would be as intense if I played a Sith or Jedi as they commonly become commanders or generals. I do wish more emphasis had been placed on his being "The Republic's most wanted" in the original released stories. There were a few exciting moments around that, but it should have been played up more in the story. As soon as I get past this annoying Gemini Captain fight (which I can't beat no matter what), I'll be looking forward to more of what the story holds for my BH. On the Republic side, I think the Smuggler would be a good choice too, seeing that he/she comes from humble origins. You can make the BH a true anti-hero which makes the story golden for me.

Jedi Sentinel - I've only completed the original chapters on her. Rather boring, IMO. Typical good guy story but I stuck with it because I adore Jedi in lore, stories and movies. Some of the darkside choices made sense, yet were still darkside. Even still, with the darkside choices you're too goody two-shoes for me. The reason I prefer my bounty hunter is I like the anti-heroes.

Imperial Agent - LOVED this story. Loved loved loved. It felt like a spy novel to me with all the double crossing and spy stuff. I've never been so immersed in a computer story ever. I think I liked this story the best. I have not played him passed the original release unfortunately. Although I think his initial story is better than the BH, I'm not sure how he will play in the new expanses.

I will probably complete a female smuggler next.

Imperial Agent - LOVED this story. Loved loved loved. It felt like a spy novel to me with all the double crossing and spy stuff. I've never been so immersed in a computer story ever. I think I liked this story the best. I have not played him passed the original release unfortunately. Although I think his initial story is better than the BH, I'm not sure how he will play in the new expanses.

 

I will probably complete a female smuggler next.

The Smuggler is the agent's pair in gameplay method. So at least that will be good. For the story itself i loved it. You start as a civilian nobody, and in the end of the class story you can wield a kind of power, that can rival the hutts. Not gona reveal more, but i can assure you, that the Smuggler got some of the most annoying enemies. Though i believe, that the "bad guy" plays his role best, if you hate him/her.

I also played Consular, and for me it wasn't that bad. It was more revolving around being a diplomat, than the unstoppable force of destruction. Though many player find it boring, and i could have made it far better with little alteration, but it's not exactly bad.

Now i'm playing inquisitor, and it's quite refreshing how different the starting style. Instead of being one of the best padawan from start i'm an ex-slave, lowly, expected to die fast guy. Even later i get one lucky survival after another, and that gets a bit boring. My story isn't over yet, but they played the lucky survivor of certain death card 6 times already (Korriban ending, ghost in the crypt1, chapter one ending, ghost in the crypt2, chapter 2 beginning, chapter2 ending). Consular didn't had that, and Smuggler got it only once. At least with my choices.