I was thinking about what it might be like as a new player to level a toon completely solo (i.e. without a companion).

I'm hoping for some feedback about what sort of "rules" would make this an authentic experience. Here's what I have so far:

1. By never pulling out a companion, legacy presence boosts are made irrelevant, as are boosts to heroic moment.

2. Delete all of the "welcome to Star Wars here's a bunch of stuff" mail.

3. No credits or gear mailed to the toon from alts.

4. Don't purchase any character perks (or anything else) with Cartel Coins.

5. Only use personally obtained planetary comms and credits to upgrade gear.

6. If a particular class quest requires having a companion with you, remove all their gear (including main hand and offhand).

The one concession I'd like to make, is to give this toon a set of really nice-looking adaptive gear, dyed, once he reaches level 10. Mainly because this is probably going to take a while, and I want a nice looking toon.

I think this is fair as one can purchase orange Social gear on the capital planet for only a few hundred credits.

I figured I'd roll a Commando dps. Partly because this is the first class I leveled 2 years ago, so it will be a relatively fresh experience, and partly because I'm really familiar with it so I won't be fumbly. It also has decent utility for the purely solo experience (e.g. off-heals, good aoe and an in-combat mez).

Am I overlooking anything? Does anyone have any suggestions?

Edit: I should probably clarify that this isn't to find out if it can be done at all, more to see can it be done at-level, and if not, how overleveled woudl I need to be?

Can't you skip the Presence boost by rolling the character on a different server? That would enable you to have your trusty companion by your side. You can play just by using your first companion.

^^Slafko speak truth

You would also lose all your legacy unlocks if you start on a fresh server.

Assuming you're as silly as me, before you start come up with a good first name/legacy name combo that will make you smile when you see it. Bonus points if one of your titles fits with the name you choose. (example: Captain Hammer Pants)

I'm thinking the best option for a totally new char that will use only his first companion would be a Bounty Hunter with Mako. If you roll it as a tank, there's nothing in the leveling part of the game that can stop a geared tank with a healer guarding his back. Crew skill: Biochem. gg

But if you're really interested in leveling completely alone and without a comp - I'd say Shadow/Assassin tank. Stealth is invaluable and tanking skills will provide more survivability.

Bounty Hunter PT

Sith Sorcerer

Why not - I think it's a good idea and a nice challenge. (I'd probably give up after level 20 or so - it's really nice to have a healer companion around, and, naturally, Treek is a blessing). A Sorcerer might have easier time than a Sniper, maybe - and a stealth class might have it easier still.

It does mean no flashpoints, no heroic quests and no grouping at all, naturally, right? Because it's all too easy to get comms and levels by grouping and then just stealth/run/click through the class quests.

Can't you skip the Presence boost by rolling the character on a different server? That would enable you to have your trusty companion by your side. You can play just by using your first companion.

I gave it some thought

But I do want to be able to purchase a nice set of adaptives and sent it to the new toon, and I'd need a sugar daddy on the new server.

But actually, the idea was to see if I can level with no companion at all, without being overleveled. I'm torn with it being an interesting question to have answered, and it being potentially too frustrating to finish.

It does mean no flashpoints, no heroic quests and no grouping at all, naturally, right? Because it's all too easy to get comms and levels by grouping and then just stealth/run/click through the class quests.

Interesting thought. I think it would mean no KDY for fast leveling, but perhaps one each of the regular flashpoints wouldn't be overkill?

This sounds like it will get annoying really quick, since companions automatically pop back out after every conversation you have o_O

this. my SO tried doing that, as he prefers to play as a lone wolf if you will.

that change they made to companions that make them pop up on every conversation, makes solo leveling drag.

that said, yeah, the best way to replicate new player leveling experience is to start on a new server.

I gave it some thought

 

But I do want to be able to purchase a nice set of adaptives and sent it to the new toon, and I'd need a sugar daddy on the new server.

Hehe... well.. keep in mind anything you unlocked in Collections is there for you on every character on every server.

So.. you don't really need a sugar daddy character on a new server these days unless you have condemned the CM and boycotted it's items. And you can get all the mods you need via comms... so really.... you can do this on a fresh server if you have Collections to leverage.

But actually, the idea was to see if I can level with no companion at all, without being overleveled. I'm torn with it being an interesting question to have answered, and it being potentially too frustrating to finish.

I actually did this on a character a while back.. up to about level 40. It's very doable with most classes at lower levels, but it gets tough on the last 10-20 levels as the mobs hit harder, have more trick skills in their own bag of tricks, and there is no margin for error (such as getting an accidental add pulled).

Net of the exercise.. you will die...fairly often.... unless you are very careful. But you know what.. it's a game.. so play any experimental character leveling scheme that strikes your fancy IMO.

 

that change they made to companions that make them pop up on every conversation, makes solo leveling drag.

Change? It has been like that since release oô. I know because back then I tried to play my trooper without a companion, because I missed the good, old kiting fun I had with my Hunter in WoW. I believe they appeared even at zone changes back then, so everytime you entered a building they were there... but I could be wrong there.

You'll need a class with a 60 second CC I imagine. There are plenty of fights with 2 strongs or an elite and 2 weaks. While I'm sure you can eventually beat these fights by killing one, then dying then killing the other, it seems to be a real pain.

Definitely helps, but IMO the best approach (and the one I used) is to use a high DPS character and rely on being faster on the take down then the two silvers or the gold+trash. Without a companion.. I see this as a straight attrition match.. and the faster attrition usually wins in MMOs.

The real challenge I found was when DPSing a cluster of mobs and there was one or more healers in the cluster and they were healing. It is imperative to be aware.. and burn down the healer first.

You'll need a class with a 60 second CC I imagine. There are plenty of fights with 2 strongs or an elite and 2 weaks. While I'm sure you can eventually beat these fights by killing one, then dying then killing the other, it seems to be a real pain.

I agree.

The advice to try a stealth toon is a good one, but I eventually decided against it. Partly because I just leveled 2 of them recently, and partly because I like ranged classes.

So I'm giving it a go. I started a new Trooper this morning and ran through a few levels of Ord Mantell. We'll see how it goes.

that change they made to companions that make them pop up on every conversation, makes solo leveling drag.

Really? Well, that's a too bad. But at least I'll be able to dismiss them.

Definitely helps, but IMO the best approach (and the one I used) is to use a high DPS character and rely on being faster on the take down then the two silvers or the gold+trash.

This is my theory as well.

Will you be sending your companions on crew missions? You can gather materials yourself, but I don't think there is anyway to craft something by yourself.

I think a Jedi Guardian may be good for doing this. I know I soloed through Corusant until I got Kira because T7 would take agro and I would have to run down the enemy...

Will you be sending your companions on crew missions? You can gather materials yourself, but I don't think there is anyway to craft something by yourself.

This is a good question.

Seeing as how this toon needs to be self-funded, I could either do Bio / Scavenging / Slicing and only gather nodes myself or Scavenging / Slicing / Underworld Trading and send companions on UT missions while I gather nodes myself. Either way I'd sell off the mats to augment the income from quests.

I'll probably do the latter. UT materials sell pretty well on the GTN, and I'm going to want to spend money on periodic gear upgrades -- I'd prefer to upgrade gear as needed to prevent having to "overlevel" the mobs I'm facing.

The nice thing is I'll never have to upgrade my companion's gear. So at least that part will be less expensive.

you know... actualy sending companions on mission could at least partially solve the "damn companions keep popping back up" issue. I'm fairly sure, conversations do not make them come back while on a gathering mission

Aha! As soon as I get to level 10 I'll give that a try and let you know.

Aha! As soon as I get to level 10 I'll give that a try and let you know.

I would be interested to find out at first missions are short, but once you get to one hour or longer ones? could be good

Change? It has been like that since release oô. I know because back then I tried to play my trooper without a companion, because I missed the good, old kiting fun I had with my Hunter in WoW. I believe they appeared even at zone changes back then, so everytime you entered a building they were there... but I could be wrong there.

at one point, if you started conversation while mounted etc - they wouldn't show up and you would miss out on affection. they would also not show up, if you were dismounted by some mob hitting you. people complained. so bioware changed it and now they would show up, no matter what ,even if you sent them off crafting - which pissed people off even more. so they fixed it for companions to show up no matter what, unless they are crafting. but it wasn't that way all of the time. and at one point - if you dismissed them, they stayed dismissed. not anymore. at least they no longer stop crafting just because you mount and dismount on a fleet or something.

I commend you for attempting this experiment. I will be interested in hearing how it turns out.

I might suggest something, something you probably already know....keep your level at least one level above required level for the area, old school RPG style....meaning grind. You'll need the cash and experience, so don't be afraid to linger somewhere and grind to boost your level and coin.

But if you're really interested in leveling completely alone and without a comp - I'd say Shadow/Assassin tank. Stealth is invaluable and tanking skills will provide more survivability.

This is a bad idea.

If you're going to play solo, you need to be able to heal yourself. If you're a tank, you won't be able to put up enough DPS to last during an encounter. If you roll with tank stats - def/absorb/shield - you hurt your DPS, but if you stack power and surge, you'll have good DPS and good heals.

I'd go Commando/Merc or Scoundrel/Operative if I were going to try to solo the game.

I commend you for attempting this experiment. I will be interested in hearing how it turns out.

 

I might suggest something, something you probably already know....keep your level at least one level above required level for the area, old school RPG style....meaning grind. You'll need the cash and experience, so don't be afraid to linger somewhere and grind to boost your level and coin.

You don't have to grind in this game. I literally skipped all the quests save the class quest and the black bisector quest on Corscant and I was still a level higher than the recommended when I hit Taris.

* Class quest and non-heroic sidequests

* Exploration, lore objects, and datacrons

* Ground PvP and GSF

* Space missions

* Bounty Hunter event

For several alts, I've set foot for the first time on planets and was already higher than the maximum level for that planet. Without even trying. :/

I might suggest something, something you probably already know....keep your level at least one level above required level for the area

I'm hoping (though I may end up being wrong about this) that I can be slightly under level and still pull this off.

Basically, I'll focus primary on the class quests and a few planetary quests. If things get difficult I'll used any comms and credits I've accrued to upgrade my gear. If things are still difficult, I'll have to grind up a few levels.

I'd go Commando/Merc or Scoundrel/Operative if I were going to try to solo the game.

Yeah, I agree. Seeing as how I've recently been leveling a Scoundrel, I settled on a Commando. Created him this morning.

My thought here would definitely be to use one of the DPS with healz classes like commando/merc or Sorc/sage.

Sorc/sage comes to mind more because they have an ability in their madness/balance tree that allows their CC to work on up to 3 enemies- 1 strong/elite and 2 more normals. That would definitely make some groups doable as long as you can dps them down one at a time fast enough.

Anyhoo, good luck with your experiment!