I'm doing an experiment to see how fast and how much time it will take me to get to level 50 on a new server with no help, pure solo questing too. Rolled the toon 4 hours ago on The Harbinger.

I'm level 10 Jedi Knight just got off of Tython and am on Republic Fleet with 9k in credits. I've decided I'm not going to gear up until I meet up with a boss I can't beat, this way, and I have a habit of this, I don't over-gear and blow credits when I don't need to.

But really being that this is the first toon on this server, I'm mainly going to be collecting materials and building cash and going to 50th without any secondary toons. Just to see if that's the best method. Should I hold the mats for when I later do crafting or should I sell them as a noob on this server and needing cash, what would you do?

Going to pick up 3 gathering skills, Slicing/Archeology and either Bio or Scav, I'm thinking Scavenging because there are a lot of droids that drop mats after they're killed so I think I'd collect more and faster that way then again it's usually just Desh or Silica at the low levels, which would you pick?

I'm going to use this thread to post updates to see how this experiment goes, I'll only post if I have trouble with the toon, or every 10th level whichever comes first. Any suggestions, ideas etc... that's kinda the point of this, to get ideas from others on how you would start from scratch on a new server if you had to... I think new players may find it useful to get ideas like that.

Anyway, unless this thread gets interesting I'll be posting up again when I hit level 20. What other updates would you guys like to read me post? I'm going to post level/credits and any character choices I made, oh and I'm going 100% light side on this guy, I'm hoping to repeat this with dark side just to see the differences and then if I can get someone to mirror this on the Empire faction, That would rock as well.

My first 50 started off that way. I done the majority of side quests which earned me some cash, and some decent. XP. My skills were.. Slicing, Treasure, and scav, mid 40's I was earning a load cash from all 3. I kept Elara in good gear and just let the others walk around in their boxers n bra's or greens lol!

It's pretty easy to solo all the way up, although I group a hell of a lot more now, not just for xp and gear, cause I like to think that I know the game and have learned a lot.

Not sure what the next step is for me, not into pvp much.

Good luck in your trial.

My first 50 started off that way. I done the majority of side quests which earned me some cash, and some decent. XP. My skills were.. Slicing, Treasure, and scav, mid 40's I was earning a load cash from all 3. I kept Elara in good gear and just let the others walk around in their boxers n bra's or greens lol!

 

It's pretty easy to solo all the way up, although I group a hell of a lot more now, not just for xp and gear, cause I like to think that I know the game and have learned a lot.

 

Not sure what the next step is for me, not into pvp much.

 

Good luck in your trial.

Did you save your mats for later or sell them on GTN?

Defiantly worth while since your starting on a completely new server hence, not being able to make use of your legacy advantages.

If you could list the amount of hours it took you between 10-20, 20-30, 30-40, 40-50; i'm sure it would help for all the new players to see what to expect as far as how long it could take them if taking the solo route also.

I too started my first 50 off the same way as only having 1 character I leveled completely to 50 before starting another. As far as crew skills, I had Artifice, Treasure Hunting, Archaeology so I was using the mats I gathered as i was leveling to also level up artifice. As far as what you are currently doing with your crew skills, if you are planning on only making that character for the new server, i would gather the mats until i had the stacks I would want to sell them at and then post them on the GTN. If you planned on making another character after hitting 50 with that one, I would think of which crafting skill i was planning on making with the 2nd character, save the mats for that and sell off the others I was not planning on using.

Defiantly worth while since your starting on a completely new server hence, not being able to make use of your legacy advantages.

 

If you could list the amount of hours it took you between 10-20, 20-30, 30-40, 40-50; i'm sure it would help for all the new players to see what to expect as far as how long it could take them if taking the solo route also.

 

I too started my first 50 off the same way as only having 1 character I leveled completely to 50 before starting another. As far as crew skills, I had Artifice, Treasure Hunting, Archaeology so I was using the mats I gathered as i was leveling to also level up artifice. As far as what you are currently doing with your crew skills, if you are planning on only making that character for the new server, i would gather the mats until i had the stacks I would want to sell them at and then post them on the GTN. If you planned on making another character after hitting 50 with that one, I would think of which crafting skill i was planning on making with the 2nd character, save the mats for that and sell off the others I was not planning on using.

Well I've only played SWTOR for the last month-ish. So relocating to a new server isn't a big deal, highest level toon I have on my starter server is 33rd, enough to get legacy for any other toons. I think I made a great many mistakes the first time around, I've learned a lot and won't squander the way I did the first time around, I had 400 slicing ability and then, dropped it to pick up Synthweaving... yeah... should have just put it on another toon. Point being to get to 400 slicing I also sold off a LOT of schematics... so I wasn't broke, but, I also squandered it.

When I played Asheron's Call in 1999 I did the same thing, started on one server and then made the next one my home.

This time around with this toon I'm going to engage in space combat and do every single mission on the planet I'm on as I go, or as best I can tell. I wish there would be a way to check to see what missions are available for a XYZ class character for XYZ level on XYZ planet, something out of game a database that would just list all the missions sortable like that would be a massive help. That and the ability to review all the past missions you've had would come in handy.

1st level through 10th only took me about 3 hours of playtime, but only because I knew the conversations and didn't play through them... spacebar was my friend in order to get through it quick. So maybe double that time for a true noob to get through the first 10 levels of Jedi Knight. I will be marking the hours of gameplay and what I've done in that time. I'm going to break it down by planet, rather than missions.

Key thing is to show how the economy works as well, I want to show you can be well outfitted by 25th/26th solo...

Just gathered 99 of each at a time and sold. You start to make the real money when selling your Lvl 6 matts, zal alloy etc. I'm not one for crafting so I found that a quick (although lazy ) way to make good cash.

Hey nothing wrong with that, I'm thinking of one of 3 options, save everything, sell everything or a 50/50 split, like keep the first 99 of an item and then sell the second 99 when I hit the second stack. For rare rare mats that might not be possible and I'll play it by ear.

I did something similar to see what playing on an RP server would be like.

I am leveling an Operative healer so I picked Slicing. Bioanalysis and Biochem. The Slicing and Bio analysis allow me to gather two different resources. The biochem allows me too craft my own medpacks, I just have to buy the mission mats off the gtn. Since I have slicing, the cost isn't too bad. The medpacks I can craft give more health than what is available from vendors at my level and the reusable medpacks are awesome.

What I also found useful when I was leveling my first 50 was every single reward I took was for the planet commendations which i used for the gear upgrades instead of spending the credits to get better gear. This also helped a lot with saving credits.

I do that unless there is an item for my companion that would gear up better. But I agree, 9 out of 10 times I take the commendations and use them on upgrades, unless the reward is an upgrade then I take the upgrade. I just need to figure the best way to get all orange gear for my slots, buy the proper implants etc.

I'm doing an experiment to see how fast and how much time it will take me to get to level 50 on a new server with no help, pure solo questing too. Rolled the toon 4 hours ago on The Harbinger.

I think it's interesting that your experiment- "no help, pure solo questing too" - is how a whole bunch of people (myself included) play the game all the time! I just hit 50 on my first toon last night. It took me about 3-4 months of casual playing, if that helps!

I like your idea of only gearing up when you face a boss you can't otherwise beat. I think that's a good way gear up properly as you're leveling.

I think you're right about the crafting. I leveled just fine with Cybertech, but I'm thinking of going gathering-only with one of my alts, just to see what happens. If it doesn't work, I can always send the mats to my Cybertech main. Speaking of which, Underworld Trading is great for those rare mats, you might consider it.

I'm doing an experiment to see how fast and how much time it will take me to get to level 50 on a new server with no help, pure solo questing too. Rolled the toon 4 hours ago on The Harbinger.

 

I'm level 10 Jedi Knight just got off of Tython and am on Republic Fleet with 9k in credits. I've decided I'm not going to gear up until I meet up with a boss I can't beat, this way, and I have a habit of this, I don't over-gear and blow credits when I don't need to.

 

But really being that this is the first toon on this server, I'm mainly going to be collecting materials and building cash and going to 50th without any secondary toons. Just to see if that's the best method. Should I hold the mats for when I later do crafting or should I sell them as a noob on this server and needing cash, what would you do?

 

Going to pick up 3 gathering skills, Slicing/Archeology and either Bio or Scav, I'm thinking Scavenging because there are a lot of droids that drop mats after they're killed so I think I'd collect more and faster that way then again it's usually just Desh or Silica at the low levels, which would you pick?

 

I'm going to use this thread to post updates to see how this experiment goes, I'll only post if I have trouble with the toon, or every 10th level whichever comes first. Any suggestions, ideas etc... that's kinda the point of this, to get ideas from others on how you would start from scratch on a new server if you had to... I think new players may find it useful to get ideas like that.

 

Anyway, unless this thread gets interesting I'll be posting up again when I hit level 20. What other updates would you guys like to read me post? I'm going to post level/credits and any character choices I made, oh and I'm going 100% light side on this guy, I'm hoping to repeat this with dark side just to see the differences and then if I can get someone to mirror this on the Empire faction, That would rock as well.

You should do it complete noob style. Don't use gear you don't pick up from quests, only use mod gear you get from the commendations vendors, only gear up one companion with gear you pick up from side quests, and don't group for anything outside of a Heroic Mission. For professions get a crafting spec and two gathering specs. I think that's how the average new players do it now, that's what all the friends I brought in did before I told them the only useful ones for leveling were Artifice and Armstech.

Using all gathering professions is technically cheating. People's first instinct is that they can save money making their own stuff for themselves instead of picking random stuff off the ground and trying to hawk it.

You should do it complete noob style. Don't use gear you don't pick up from quests, only use mod gear you get from the commendations vendors, only gear up one companion with gear you pick up from side quests, and don't group for anything outside of a Heroic Mission. For professions get a crafting spec and two gathering specs. I think that's how the average new players do it now, that's what all the friends I brought in did before I told them the only useful ones for leveling were Artifice and Armstech.

 

Using all gathering professions is technically cheating. People's first instinct is that they can save money making their own stuff for themselves instead of picking random stuff off the ground and trying to hawk it.

Yeah but I'm not playing like I'm trying to be a noob, I'm playing like I would once I understand the game, and to do so without any external help. That's the key bit, from scratch, using just my knowledge of the game and dropped on a server where I don't know anyone and see how long it takes to make it to 50th without any alts.

Basically what would you do if you were starting on a new server right now? What would you do differently? What tips and tricks have you picked up in your playing time that would help you on a new server that you didn't get the chance to do on your first one. For me it would be level 1 toon to 50th first, or at least till Legacy is opened up. But I'm going to 50th with this single toon just to see.

What I also found useful when I was leveling my first 50 was every single reward I took was for the planet commendations which i used for the gear upgrades instead of spending the credits to get better gear. This also helped a lot with saving credits.

^^

This

I always go with the comms cause the rewards are mostly green crud!! Seriously, they need to upgrade the rewards!! (sorry off track there)

From my experience you'll level faster than the story if you do all missions a planet has. Your class mission will be gray for the last few planets. For me level 35-50 started to feel like a grind when that happened.

Still it will be very interesting how long it takes.

You guys are all really fast! I want to start a toon "slowbie" style. I started playing in April, & have 6 toons at various levels, but hit 50 for the first time yesterday. I think I might start a new toon myself just to see how long a casual, slow-player like me takes.

Speaking of which, I totally agree with the idea that alts shouldn't be played simultaneously. I'm alt-happy, but I've been with my main for about 2 months straight, so I kind of forget where my alts are. I might start them all over again & play each one straight through.

You guys are all really fast! I want to start a toon "slowbie" style. I started playing in April, & have 6 toons at various levels, but hit 50 for the first time yesterday. I think I might start a new toon myself just to see how long a casual, slow-player like me takes.

 

Speaking of which, I totally agree with the idea that alts shouldn't be played simultaneously. I'm alt-happy, but I've been with my main for about 2 months straight, so I kind of forget where my alts are. I might start them all over again & play each one straight through.

What's wrong with playing more than one character at a time? I play my main and my alt. I switch between them every once in a while. Doesn't bother me, but then I sometimes get bored easily.

fastest i hve done it not doing FP's WZ's and no heroic 2+ 4+ was 7days played exactly

what were you doing... logging 12 hour days playing the game???

You guys are all really fast! I want to start a toon "slowbie" style. I started playing in April, & have 6 toons at various levels, but hit 50 for the first time yesterday. I think I might start a new toon myself just to see how long a casual, slow-player like me takes.

 

Speaking of which, I totally agree with the idea that alts shouldn't be played simultaneously. I'm alt-happy, but I've been with my main for about 2 months straight, so I kind of forget where my alts are. I might start them all over again & play each one straight through.

On my original server I have 6 toons all between levels 15 and 33, that's as far as I've gone, but what I was doing was rotating through them as they capped out their rest xp so I'd get double for my labor. If I were to do slowbie style that's what I would do again, but this time on my new server I'm getting to 50th with 1 toon first. Firstly so I can have some legacy unlocked to make leveling the next ones easier. Second for the financial needs. I still plan on having 6 toons one with each crafting skill/gathering/mission skill, but had to re-evaluate how that's done in SWTOR vs my last MMORPG, Asheron's Call. In AC you could have a strictly crafter toon that would do little else, can't do that here.. which in the end is good.

I'm still following my sig by rolling an alt first, but he's my establishing alt.. that's what I'm calling it. My main will be different, this guy is currently my primary, if that makes any sense.

i wouldn't worry about augmenting anything until you started wearing the level 50 stuff because when your leveling, you tend to out level the gear you currently wear and swap it out with new gear.

Oh when I first started playing, 3-4 weeks ago, what occurred to me coming from Asheron's Call is, the only way in SWTOR for your toon to upgrade Ability scores is to do so through equipment upgrades, so I focused on that. But what I've learned since is, we level so quickly that we tend overgrow the gear and to really be able to constantly be in the top gear costs a lot of credits/time and energy collecting- buying mats to make your own etc.

Which is why I've taken the stance that I'll only gear up when the content starts to overwhelm me, not because I've overgrown the gear. Also, taking one toon to level 50, should alleviate a lot of the credit concerns with leveling up the second toon/third etc... Once I have the first to 50th, any other toons I make I roll, and level at my leisure taking full advantage of the top gear, rest xp, and no worry about credits, plus, I'll be able to get to level 400 on all the crafters before they hit level 20 if I so choose.

At least that's my current view, after I've gone through all this I'll let you know if this was right or not.

The one thing I've not spared expense on though is to make sure my companion's weapon, in this case T7's blaster, is at or above his current ability. He's my tank, and if he can out damage me he keeps the aggro and let's me do the debuffs, in my case as a Guardian DPS, sunder strike. It's working out well so far, just hit 14th level this morning expect to hit 18-20 before bed. We'll see.

If i was to start over on another server fresh I would have to pick up the social gear and use it till i could replace it with better looking gear. The social gear being modable gives you a big advantage when fighting those bosses later on in the game.

You can grab a orange pistol on the second planet for T7. If you go Cybertech / Scavaging / and maybe slicing or underworld trading that way you can make armorings and mods for all that orange gear not to mention driod parts. That will free you up to grab the planets coms and just buy the enhancements for 2 coms a piece.

The only time i'd take gear over coms is if it was orange gear from a heroic quest just to save you from making the mod later.

Good luck on the fresh start.

If i was to start over on another server fresh I would have to pick up the social gear and use it till i could replace it with better looking gear. The social gear being modable gives you a big advantage when fighting those bosses later on in the game.

 

You can grab a orange pistol on the second planet for T7. If you go Cybertech / Scavaging / and maybe slicing or underworld trading that way you can make armorings and mods for all that orange gear not to mention driod parts. That will free you up to grab the planets coms and just buy the enhancements for 2 coms a piece.

 

The only time i'd take gear over coms is if it was orange gear from a heroic quest just to save you from making the mod later.

 

Good luck on the fresh start.

I have scav / slice / archeology on me now... but yeah the more I look at it, it seems the most useful skill is cybertech if only to produce your own mods/armor. I'm not changing anything yet, I'll wait till 20th/25th level to see how it's going overall before making any changes.