I've seen a lot of new players complaining about how hard open world is and then get soundly slapped down in chat, which isn't really all that helpful to the new player. Here's how to be unkillable in open world: level a companion to influence L50, put it in heal mode, and summon it. That's really all there is to it.

But, it costs to much to level a companion! Not really.

@L20 you gain a ship droid. You can use jawa scraps to level it to L50. You likely won't have near enough scraps on your first L20 character to do this, but it is by far the cheapest way to level it up. Buy all 3 ranks of companion improvement in your legacy tab, convert all scraps to maintenance items, feed your droid.

Put your droid in heal mode and it will keep you alive in all open world content; at influence L50, a healer companion will out-heal all but a good player healer in i306 gear. Even influence L10 (or 20) is enough to cover open world and is a big step up from a L1 companion.

But, I hate the ship droid. It doesn't talk and when it does, it whines! Well, yes. However, it is FREE to level with scraps, unlike most other companions. Scraps will accumulate simply from playing, but if you lack a sufficient pile to make a difference right away, you can use credits to buy companion gifts on the fleet.

Credits -> Gifts -> Companoin is how to raise up the more fun and vocal companions you meet in your story: 14k cr for L1->10, 40k for L1->15, 78k for L1->20, ..., ~4M for L50 (which is why scraps & ship droid are nice). Here are some reference links to help you level your companions.

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A L50 companion in heal mode can solo most small pulls while you watch, but for the big ones, you will want to help and will want some gear on your character. First, make SURE you fill every single slot. Then worry about improving your gear. FYI, at L10, doing one (1) PvP match will provide an entire set of left-hand-side (LH) gear. PvP peeps can seem a bit pugnacious, but in all honesty, as long as you're trying hard to help (especially in the lowbie unranked zones), you'll be appreciated and it is only a single match.

So, the answer to the How-To in the subject is: high-influence companion, full gear (all slots), and go have fun. I've left out some details to keep the post short, but google will be happy to help you there now than you know what to ask it.

I've seen a lot of new players complaining about how hard open world is and then get soundly slapped down in chat, which isn't really all that helpful to the new player. Here's how to be unkillable in open world: level a companion to influence L50, put it in heal mode, and summon it. That's really all there is to it.

 

But, it costs to much to level a companion! Not really.

 

@L20 you gain a ship droid. You can use jawa scraps to level it to L50. You likely won't have near enough scraps on your first L20 character to do this, but it is by far the cheapest way to level it up. Buy all 3 ranks of companion improvement in your legacy tab, convert all scraps to maintenance items, feed your droid.

 

Put your droid in heal mode and it will keep you alive in all open world content; at influence L50, a healer companion will out-heal all but a good player healer in i306 gear. Even influence L10 (or 20) is enough to cover open world and is a big step up from a L1 companion.

 

But, I hate the ship droid. It doesn't talk and when it does, it whines! Well, yes. However, it is FREE to level with scraps, unlike most other companions. Scraps will accumulate simply from playing, but if you lack a sufficient pile to make a difference right away, you can use credits to buy companion gifts on the fleet.

 

Credits -> Gifts -> Companoin is how to raise up the more fun and vocal companions you meet in your story: 14k cr for L1->10, 40k for L1->15, 78k for L1->20, ..., ~4M for L50 (which is why scraps & ship droid are nice). Here are some reference links to help you level your companions.

Google Spreadsheet Companion Leveling Costs

Influence Loves, Favorites, Likes, Etc (what to feed your companion)

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A L50 companion in heal mode can solo most small pulls while you watch, but for the big ones, you will want to help and will want some gear on your character. First, make SURE you fill every single slot. Then worry about improving your gear. FYI, at L10, doing one (1) PvP match will provide an entire set of left-hand-side (LH) gear. PvP peeps can seem a bit pugnacious, but in all honesty, as long as you're trying hard to help (especially in the lowbie unranked zones), you'll be appreciated and it is only a single match.

 

So, the answer to the How-To in the subject is: high-influence companion, full gear (all slots), and go have fun. I've left out some details to keep the post short, but google will be happy to help you there now than you know what to ask it.

"Click to upvote?" What a shameless, deceptive plug to trick people into clicking your referral link.

I thought your post was nice until I got to that part. Shame on you.

Actually, the easiest (not quickest though) way to do it is with the initial companion taht you team up with before leaving your starter planet, and run the Esseles (if you are Rep side) or Black Talon (if you are Imperial) beginner flashpoint repeatedly on Story Mode. The instance start is right in front of you when you take the "Coruscant/Dromund Kaas Departures" elevator on the fleet, and the quest giver is right in front of the instance.

In Story Mode, you get a combat support droid that makes it very difficult to die in the FP, and you can watch the conversations as much as you like. Each run through can earn you a few Light/Dark Side points, and if you take the conversation options that your companion likes you will also gain up to about 6000 influence with them. In the initial stages, that is enough for several Influence levels per run. You will also get several level-appropriate prototyle (blue quality) gear pieces from the mini bosses throughout the FP, so as well as getting companion influence and gaining xp yourself, you will also be able to keep yourself reasonably well geared.

Actually, the easiest (not quickest though) way to do it is with the initial companion taht you team up with before leaving your starter planet, and run the Esseles (if you are Rep side) or Black Talon (if you are Imperial) beginner flashpoint repeatedly on Story Mode.

I did this a fair bit 3~4yrs ago; got more than a little burned out on that FP. If you don't mind the grind, this will absolutely work. I'm unsure how fast scraps accumulate down low these days. I seem to recall always having piles of them with no clue what to do about them. You will have piles @ 75; I'm currently generating enough scrap to take one companion from L1->L50 from 3x FPs.

However you do it, though, get a companion leveled if you're having a rough time in open world.

Really, a level 10 (influence) companion (heal) will do just fine through most of the "story", although level 20 would be better. Even through KOTFE/ET the companions you get are only around level 10 (or less), but they do OK.

You only need level 50 companions for crafting and for higher level content like Flashpoints. Of course, level 50 companions are always best.

@L20 you gain a ship droid.

You get your personal starship, and the droid, when you complete your Class Story on your faction's capital world.

Back at launch, with the original leveling curve, it was normal to get your ship well before hitting level 20. (The capital worlds were designed for characters from levels 10 to 16, after all).

Nowadays, it's probably more likely that you'll be well past level 20 by the time you get your ship, especially if you do all the "planet" or "side" missions on your starter world, plus the Heroics, and then go from Fleet to the capital via the Esseles or Black Talon FP.

Or you can pretty much ignore the Class Story altogether, and level up doing PVP, Heroics, Conquest, and whatever else. I currently have at least one character at nearly level 40 who still doesn't have their personal starship & droid.

*One exception: If you use a Master's Datacron to bump an existing character, that doesn't already have their ship, to level 70, they will also be granted their personal starship and ship droid.

I leveled the ship droid up for the heck of it one day and that damn thing can rock it man!

Be glad they fixed the bug where you couldn't equip a weapon on the ship droids, although it was fun watching C2-N2 go around punching out Imperial soldiers.

Be glad they fixed the bug where you couldn't equip a weapon on the ship droids, although it was fun watching C2-N2 go around punching out Imperial soldiers.

Especially dressed as a butler.