ANSWERED

A big thanks to everyone who responded and tried to give me an answer to my question(s)

To those looking for answers to the same question I can say that the general consensus of the community seems to be that it will not be possible to skip "Knights of the Fallen Empire" expansion like you could some of the previous expansions.

Also for those who had the same reasons as me for wanting to skip it (which was the loss of the original companions), even though you are still not able to get most of them back to use within the KotFE storyline zones yet, you are actually able to get all of them back by accessing a terminal on Odessen after completing chapter IX, I was not aware of this as I had been away from the game for awhile

Anyway, once again a big thanks to everyone who was ready with a reply to my questions, it was much appreciated

With the best regards

CP

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Original question:

Does anyone know if it will be possible to skip the "Knights of the Fallen Empire" expansion storylines and jump straight to any possible future expansion storylines?

I have bought and run my game with the expansion, but due to the devs decision to not let you keep your "old" companions, I have no intention of starting the "Knights of the Fallen Empire" storyline with any of my core characters, in fact the only character I currently have running storyline is a level boosted one and so far he's only at chapter VI because I can't get myself to play him as I don't feel any kind of relation to him and even less his companions...

In short, once I am done with the pre FE storylines the game ends for me unless there will be future expansion with independent storylines, so I'd really like to know if I'm just treading waters for nothing or if there is still hope

Best regards

CP

That's a good question, and unfortunately, one I can't answer for certain. My best assumption would be that future expansions will be playable without forcing individuals to play through KOTFE. That is, unless these (potential) upcoming releases somehow follow in similar fashion to the current 'Knights' template - or continue alongside KOTFE.

Personally, I've yet to experience the KOTFE story-line myself - and even when I do, I definitely won't be using any of my main characters because of your aforementioned reasons. Needless to say, I've invested way too much time into my primary toons to alter the adventure to such a degree... and once you've started that expansion, there's no reversing the change.

No one knows what SWToR will be like after KotFE.

You can unlock your original companions from a terminal on Odessen after completing Chapter IX.

That's a good question, and unfortunately, one I can't answer for certain.

No one can.

At this point CorePhantom your guess is as good any anyone's.

Best to just not start it or just go though once with one character to get story. Really though CorePhantom I not seeing the issue here. If you don't want to keep going though it because its same story repeating itself, then skipping it will not help you. It going to be the same for every xpac down the road. So if you want to skip for that reason you will want to skip the next and the next and so on. We also now know there is a season 2 KotFE, there could be more seasons after that long before any other xpac with a totally "new" storyline.

 

In short, once I am done with the pre FE storylines the game ends for me unless there will be future expansion with independent storylines, so I'd really like to know if I'm just treading waters for nothing or if there is still hope

I doubt there will ever be independent storyline again in SWTOR,

As for losing companions which seems to be the real issue here, than as masterceil said you can get them back at the end of chapter 9. I mean if you run though story you can get to chapter 9 after just 1 day or a few days if you only play for a few hours per day. So this to me is not even a point to begin with.

No one knows what SWToR will be like after KotFE.

 

You can unlock your original companions from a terminal on Odessen after completing Chapter IX.

Really though CorePhantom I not seeing the issue here. If you don't want to keep going though it because its same story repeating itself, then skipping it will not help you.

As for losing companions which seems to be the real issue here, than as masterceil said you can get them back at the end of chapter 9. I mean if you run though story you can get to chapter 9 after just 1 day or a few days if you only play for a few hours per day. So this to me is not even a point to begin with.

Allot of people have been saying that you only get a few of your original comps back, is that not true then?

No, it's not true.

BW added a special terminal where people can go and claim their old companions back even if they are not yet part of the new story. They won't add anything new to the story because they're not technically there, but they're usable outside the main chapters like before. They don't lose their original affection either. The only requirement is to finish Chapter IX because you need access to the Alliance War Room, where said terminal is located.

If all you care about are your precious companions, endure the physical pain you must be suffering from not having Ashara in slave outfit until Chapter IX and go claim her back.

I still think certain KOTFE unlocks should be tied to legacy.

Mostly odesson, zakuul and anything similar that unlocks during the storyline, also the buffs for starforge from alliance contacts 💪

Like you have one main "outlander" and rest of your legacy characters support that.

... My best assumption would be that future expansions will be playable without forcing individuals to play through KOTFE. That is, unless these (potential) upcoming releases somehow follow in similar fashion to the current 'Knights' template - or continue alongside KOTFE.

Yes, well that was true in the past since the prior expansion story lines were pretty much self-contained packages. Since it looks like Season 1 will finish without the complete (story) return of all previously missing companions from the start of KoFTE and that KoFTE added new story line companions (and the choices you make in the chapters so far are captured and "matter" to them and probably the story conclusion), I think a better assumption is that Season 2 will be a continuation of where 1 left off and that it won't be possible to jump over Season 1 content.

There will be a season 2 of KotFE, so there's that. Not much info about it so far, but we can assume it will be the same, 1 general storyline, no class specific ones. So, yeah you can skip it for now, but I guess that to access season 2 of KotFE one must have to complete this iteration.

Where did they say that season 2 was going to be KoTFE? KoTFE was stated to be 16 chapters. Season 2 will be another story, like SCORPIO jacking GEMINI then unleashing a droid army on the galaxy.

To the OP's question, we'll probably be able to play the new season stuff as long as you meet the level requirements. It wouldn't make sense to gate people behind TFE, although they did gate Rise of the Emperor behind SOR. On the other hand, if the new story requires you to have certain companions, then yeah, TFE will be required.

Guess we'll find out soon enough.

Where did they say that season 2 was going to be KoTFE? KoTFE was stated to be 16 chapters. Season 2 will be another story, like SCORPIO jacking GEMINI then unleashing a droid army on the galaxy.

 

To the OP's question, we'll probably be able to play the new season stuff as long as you meet the level requirements. It wouldn't make sense to gate people behind TFE, although they did gate Rise of the Emperor behind SOR. On the other hand, if the new story requires you to have certain companions, then yeah, TFE will be required.

 

Guess we'll find out soon enough.

I'm not sure why people keep saying KotFE is 2 seasons. The original plan was to have a season of stories henceforth, but there was no mention that I know of that said each/any of those future seasons would be KotFE.

Usually when something is called "Season II," the implication is that it is a continuation of Season I. Think of it like TV shows, (which the devs have compared KOTFE to.) Not only that but the story is clearly not finished, and I doubt two more chapters will enough to wrap up the multiple plot lines they have going. (We have at least 3 "bad guys" to deal with. I expect Season I will wrap up only one of those.) If they want to give it another name than "KOTFE," great, but I can't see how it can be anything other than a continuation of the current story.

I hope that in the end it will be skippable for those who want to, just like all the other current story lines/expansions are optional. As to why you'd want to skip something...well, if you have tons of characters, doing KOTFE on ALL of them can seem pretty daunting, especially when the story is virtually the same for all. Other reasons might be to keep the current companion screen in its uncluttered state, especially for those who may have no desire to add umpteen new companions to their roster. Also, some companions change when they return (Scorpio goes from melee to ranged, and I suspect that Torian is going to do the same) and some people may prefer to keep the original version. And there are people just don't like the story. <shrug>

Right now all the following storylines are skippable:

Planetary stories

side quests/bonus series

All flashpoints

Ilum

Makeb

Forged Alliances (you can start SOR without it.)

SOR and Ziost

Even class stories are technically skippable as well, although I've only heard of hard core PVPers doing that.

My biggest issue and the reason why I asked the question has nothing to do with the storyline, it is solely based on the fact that the devs took away my comps and replaced them with comps that looks like they are from a completely different game (and a horribly designed one as well), I'm guessing it is the same designer who was given the job of designing the model for Satele Shan which also looks like it is from a completely different game (though slightly more in the style of the usual SWTOR character design)...

But again, even though it would still be preferable by far to never lose the original comps at all, my question is no longer relevant as I now know that I will thankfully get all my original canon looking customizable comps back in chapter IX

Still, it will most likely mean I will just rush through most of the KotFE story with all my core characters so I can get my real comps back, sadly that's the only option the devs have left me with

I still dont understand why anyone would want to skip the story part of a story focused game.

It wouldn't be a big deal if you have only 8 characters to drag through all of the story line ,but a lot of people, myself included have a bunch of alts and that would become a rather tedious time consuming chore to be subjected to. And some stories are just more interesting and have more replay value than others. But more to the point is that it promotes player retention to be able to skip certain aspects of the game and still be able to participate at the current " end game" content.

lol 16 chapters and u all want a season 2? theyre probably in the future going to make another expansion that ties into it but not a season 2 and between that alliance missions to get companions back

Season II has been confirmed by the devs and the voice recording has already started.

I still dont understand why anyone would want to skip the story part of a story focused game.

I can understand the sentiment - possibly - with respect to doing it once. As far as the OP is concerned, yeah, he can certainly check it out once and not lose his comps.

But I think it's a perfectly reasonable sentiment to have zero interest in doing it more than a couple times. For people that have dozens of characters, gating future story content behind KotFE would be pretty harsh.

I've done it twice and I couldn't stomach running it again. I am far from alone in that.

I do not think Kotfe will be skippable in future due to fundamental changes to your character in it. Also their current subscription model supports it being mandatory for future expansions.

I am concerned that they will view KOTFE differently than previous expansions. I hope not though, because I like having that flexibility.

Allot of people have been saying that you only get a few of your original comps back, is that not true then?

What you have heard others say is that not many of the comps have returned in the storyline of KotFE. So far Trooper has the most comps return, Yuun, Arc, M1-4X and Vic appears but doesn't join in. The Imps seem to be getting most of the returning comps after Trooper, with Agent having 3 and BH about to have 3 and the Sith both having 2.

Just to note I am not including 2V-R8 and C2-N2 in the returning comps list.

My biggest issue and the reason why I asked the question has nothing to do with the storyline, it is solely based on the fact that the devs took away my comps and replaced them with comps that looks like they are from a completely different game (and a horribly designed one as well), I'm guessing it is the same designer who was given the job of designing the model for Satele Shan which also looks like it is from a completely different game (though slightly more in the style of the usual SWTOR character design)...

Which comps are you talking about, and how do they look like they're from a completely different game? I don't mean that in a sarcastic manner, I'm just curious

Where did they say that season 2 was going to be KoTFE? KoTFE was stated to be 16 chapters. Season 2 will be another story, like SCORPIO jacking GEMINI then unleashing a droid army on the galaxy.

OK, and where did they stated that? As much as I would be happy to wrap up this KotFE stuff and be over with, returning to the classical republic vs empire beef, I assumed the remaining chapters won't wrap up the Arcann situation. Assumed. If it will be done with, good. If not and season 2 will be a whole differenty storyline, I can see some people revolt....

I still dont understand why anyone would want to skip the story part of a story focused game.

Because it suxx.

lol 16 chapters and u all want a season 2? theyre probably in the future going to make another expansion that ties into it but not a season 2 and between that alliance missions to get companions back

Personally I don't want season 2, but it will happen.

I do not think Kotfe will be skippable in future due to fundamental changes to your character in it. Also their current subscription model supports it being mandatory for future expansions.

This.

Which comps are you talking about, and how do they look like they're from a completely different game? I don't mean that in a sarcastic manner, I'm just curious

- Satele

- Vaylin

- Arcann

- Valkorion

Other comps are:

- Senya

- Koth

I think in their attempt to really make these key characters stand out among the other NPCs the artists have accidentally lost that slightly more cartoonish style that is a part of what I like so much about the game

For some people (I'm talking about you there, running around in-game in that santa costume and a top-hat) who doesn't really look at this stuff it might not be a big deal, but to someone like me who takes things like design- integration and flow serious, it's really frustrating when developers do things like this