Is the JC story really that bad?

[jovianus]

imho the story has to engage you at the pace that the game world does or there is a serious disconnect. I see people that enjoyed this class story bashing the JK a bit and I ask why? Good lord, it is one of the best in the game (IA easily taking the prize there) and is basically the main story of the game. Why? Because it is all about you vs the ultimate evil and the build up to that is a hell of a ride.

 

I dislike the JK storyline simply because of the overwhelming cheese it throws at you right from the word go. I mean the entire Jedi Council including the Grandmaster of the Order are falling all over themselves to worship your SUPREME OVERWHELMING AWESOMENESS before you even finish Tython.

 

Practically speaking the Consular does more important stuff on Tython than the Knight, and they're just told "Good job, keep up the good work on Coruscant.", but the Knight gets , "OMG! Will you sign my lightsaber!! There has never been anyone as super special and cool as you!! I WANT TO HAVE YOUR JEDI BABIES!!" from the entire Council.

 

The Consular storyline isn't as action packed, but it's still (imho) engaging and interesting, and doesn't require being a 'Jedi Nerd' to enjoy. I like it because yes, you are set up at the beginning as having a unique gift, but you work up to power and influence. Whereas the JK is just ridiculously cheesy and forced, like I kept expecting Satele to beg me to take her place as Grandmaster of the Order as soon as I killed my last Flesh Raider.

Edited October 29, 2013 by jovianus

[Tellenn]

The JC light side also has some really funny comedy moments if your into that socially awkward style. Being so out of touch with reality and spouting Jedi dogma at the most inappropriate times get some great *** moments from npcs.

[smartalectwo]

Why don't the Jedi characters go through Act 1 as a Padawan, and travel with their Master? Always thought this was the biggest mis-step of the Jedi stories.

 

One of the more interesting parts of the early Sith stories are the interactions between you and your Masters, with you achieving the title of Lord as your Act 1 milestone. The Jedi race through their padawanship, especially the Consular. I would have liked to see the Consular's master travel on board ship and give the Consular the occasional lesson, like Kreia in KOTOR2. That would have worked even if she was weak or infirm. Being Knighted at the end of Act 1 would seem to make more sense, storywise?

 

Come to think of it, the weakest stories in TOR seem to be those that fail to establish long-term recurring characters that you can get invested in.

[Birna]

The JC light side also has some really funny comedy moments if your into that socially awkward style. Being so out of touch with reality and spouting Jedi dogma at the most inappropriate times get some great *** moments from npcs.

 

This is probably my favorite thing about the consular character.

 

The problem with the story to me isn't so much the story, but the voice acting. It gets really monotonous (the lady one in particular sounds like a robot, while the male one very, very occasionally sounds like he vaguely remembers what emotions are), even though it's pretty much in character. My favorite version thus far (I've played one female one to cap, and I have two male ones kicking around in the mid-20's) has been my male light-side-but-insufferable-about-it consular. He's pretty much Master Vrook. Does the right thing, but still a douche you wouldn't invite to parties.

[Ingmar]

Well, i don't see where the Jedi Knights story is a Jedi Story. You are free to show me differently, but i don't recall and part of the Jedi Knight story that were in tune with the Jedi Codex. As far as i remember it, the Jedi Knights story doesn't have one part where it would require a Jedi. Its not force centric. The Jedi Knight spends his whole time hunting superweapons, playing special operative, and then joins a taskforce to capture the emporer, during which you discover the evil plan to destroy the whole galaxy, which you then work to stop. You don't really do anything Jedi related, but kicking A and taking names. Which admittedly fits very well to a Guardian, as opposed to a Consular. But the thing is.. the story itself doesn't require a Jedi. Were as the JC story requires a Jedi.

 

 

JK spoilers here:

 

 

 

There are plenty of steps in the JK quest that have to be done by a Jedi, anything related to the Emperor being the most obvious. There's a reason you can only take T7 to the final fight with you, after all - anyone who isn't a Jedi or a machine is basically going to be unable to resist him mentally. There's also the fact that Kira's personal storyline is deeply interwoven into the JK's and you couldn't very well assign her to be a Trooper's padawan. Same goes for Lord Scourge. There are also Sith lords to be converted and fallen Jedi to deal with. The force is involved all over the place in the storyline, it just is a more action movie style version than the JC.

 

 

 

[KaliMagdalene]

This is probably my favorite thing about the consular character.

 

The problem with the story to me isn't so much the story, but the voice acting. It gets really monotonous (the lady one in particular sounds like a robot, while the male one very, very occasionally sounds like he vaguely remembers what emotions are), even though it's pretty much in character. My favorite version thus far (I've played one female one to cap, and I have two male ones kicking around in the mid-20's) has been my male light-side-but-insufferable-about-it consular. He's pretty much Master Vrook. Does the right thing, but still a douche you wouldn't invite to parties.

 

I actually liked the vocal delivery for the female Consular. But then people tell me I sound like Daria, so.

[Righness]

I actually liked the vocal delivery for the female Consular. But then people tell me I sound like Daria, so.

 

Yeah, I would say I have no problem with any of the voice overs. I cant say I particularly like or dislike any of them.

I enjoyed the JC story and am likely going to enjoy it when I roll a Shadow,. next time through.

[darthjamez]

Why don't the Jedi characters go through Act 1 as a Padawan, and travel with their Master? Always thought this was the biggest mis-step of the Jedi stories.

 

 

 

 

 

Come to think of it , I dont recall learning anything from either my Jedi or Sith Masters....dem lazy bums!

[Righness]

Come to think of it , I dont recall learning anything from either my Jedi or Sith Masters....dem lazy bums!

 

I just think it is hilarious that my Jedis always say (or at least have the option to say) something along the lines that I am only the Jedi I am because of your teaching or some such. Acting like we actually learned something from them. I always think of Episode 1 where Obi-Wan is with Qio-Gon and that we should always have our Master there at first then once the time comes their gone, maybe like Sataele and Obi-wan and have them die at the hands of the Sith around the time we become a Jedi.

 

 

Although that does happen with the Jedi Knight eventually, there is no real effect they, the Masters that is, have on the Jedi himself.

 

[Rabenschwinge]

I think the major problem with the JC storyline is the act I. All the class stories are somewhat repetitive in act I, but it's even more true for the Jedi Consular. You do the same thing over and over...

 

When people are asked to rate the stories most of them mention "Jedi Knight" second right after Imperial Agent. I never understood that, I found Jedi Knight pretty dull. Straightforward at the enemy, not looking left or right and found it rather dull except for the end of act II and the character Kira.

 

What I really didn't like about Jedi Consular is that in the later phases there is always something going on that's supposed to be a big mystery, but you don't really get to solve that mystery, you continue beating up people and suddenly you stand before the answer without giving you the feeling of really having solved it... And I must admit and some points I had the suspicion that the answer would be more reminiscent of Knights of the Old Republic.

Edited November 26, 2013 by Rabenschwinge

[Viperswhip]

I am planning to do it twice. I have gotten my ships with both my sage and shadow and they are close to 40. I plan on doing the whole class story at like 48 or something in one go; One light, one dark. Thus far they have leveled solely on PvP and Flashpoints. I will probably role a 3rd consular to redo Tython and Coruscant class stories before I start my story run though.

[Hyfy]

To supply a different opinion, I personally feel it is the most boring story out of all the classes I've played if you go light side. I leveled my Sage as LS and it was incredibly dry and unsatisfying. However, I leveled my Shadow as DS and it was really really fun. As DS you are the biggest a-hole in the galaxy and its hilarious at times.

 

I was ready to throw myself in front of a fast moving train by about level 17. Particularly with a male consular. The female acting is a bit better and has made playing through a bit more bearable. Granted Balmorra is as far as I have managed to make it so far so I'm speaking from experience thus far.

[Taythan]

The story itself isn't bad, but at least the Belsavis mission didn't mesh well with the general republic Belsavis planet mission at all.

[Aeneas_Falco]

I just wrapped up Voss and am liking it so far. In fact despite the Jedi Knight being my main, I'd say I'm enjoying this alt more. The Jedi Knight storyline is a bit overrated, because it is stocked with fanservice and ego strokes for the player. On every world he (or she) is the most amazing hero EVER who saves yet another world from going boom. Its a bit too much at times, and probably should have been toned down a notch or three.

 

I might be in the minority but I also prefer to the voice acting of the Consular over the Jedi Knight. Even when going light side too many responses for the Jedi Knight sound angry or irritated. The more serene and zen delivery for the Consular is more in keeping with how Jedi are supposed to be.

[Uvirith]

The story is quite good, I enjoyed it a lot.

But, Consular has THE WORST companions of the whole game. Seriously, all of them are just sooooo bad.

[Alexhpy]

The Consular story fits a Sage perfectly. I mean perfectly. You are a diplomat and a healer, trying to undo the damage done by enemies while bringing allies closer and so on. As a light side consular, it fits.

 

If you want more dramatic action like killing the Jedi Council while climbing to power or whatever, then yes you will be disappointed. But if you want to feel like a diplomat and a healer trying to gain knowledge while helping other in need on the way... you will love it.

[Atim]

I just wrapped up Voss and am liking it so far. In fact despite the Jedi Knight being my main, I'd say I'm enjoying this alt more. The Jedi Knight storyline is a bit overrated, because it is stocked with fanservice and ego strokes for the player. On every world he (or she) is the most amazing hero EVER who saves yet another world from going boom. Its a bit too much at times, and probably should have been toned down a notch or three.

 

I might be in the minority but I also prefer to the voice acting of the Consular over the Jedi Knight. Even when going light side too many responses for the Jedi Knight sound angry or irritated. The more serene and zen delivery for the Consular is more in keeping with how Jedi are supposed to be.

 

I kind of feel the opposite way. The JK's responses seemed so serene they could make a horse race sound as boring as watching paint dry. At one point Gen. Var Suthra even makes the comment "glad you finally found a sense of humor" if you hit the right response. I'm only just getting to Tatooine with my JC, but I'm liking a lot of his lines because they aren't so dry. As others have mentioned, some are these wild, from-out-of-left-field, unnecessary, ultra-philosophical responses that even make the NPCs go: O_o . Others are somewhat innocent or humorous sarcastic quips. He kind of reminds me a bit of Obi-Wan, actually.

 

The story isn't fantastic, but I do like playing the character more now than when I first started.

[SwiftDuck]

I like the story. It was good. The end fight was very fun and the story climax was well put together. big plot twist at the end

[Rabenschwinge]

The Agent is a class by itself, which is probably the reason people like it so much. Closest you can really call it is a cross of James Bond, Jason Bourne, and Grand Admiral Thrawn (I won't say Tarkin - Thrawn had more brain cells).

 

The Agent is really James Bond as far as I am concerned. The story may have some resemblance to Jason Bourne but, the way the he/she approaches people and the image they seem to have of themselves (i.e. him- / herself) seems to be more like that of an overly self-confident James Bond rather than that of a Jason Bourne who is afraid of finding out he might be a killer.

 

The resemblance to Jason Bourne is of course that you find out a lot of things about that didn't seem possible to you before and that you must ask yourself who you really are throughout the story line, even though you didn't directly loose your identity.

 

I don't really see the Imperial Agent as a great schemer or strategist. She's (i.e. my Agent) an opportunist between the gaps of an Imperial society that tears itself apart. What the people around you mean to you greatly depends on what light side and dark side choices you make.

[urborror]

I'm not enjoying it particularly compared to other classes. "Smuggler" might be worse-written, insofar as I often couldn't remember what I was doing on planets--I would just forget, and go to quest goals.

 

Just like to point out, the class "character" is part of story, maybe even more important than the class cutscenes--it's embodied in voice-acting, responses, etc., and here both Jedi classes are equally bad / boring. Bioware did not solve Lucas's "Jedis=boring indistinguishable emotionless monks" problem from the prequels. Which is funny, since the first Jedis...(Obi-Wan and Yoda) were pretty distinctive. They called people "scum" and 'fools." They had a misanthropic world-weariness and idiosyncrasies. They did not suffer fools gladly.

 

It makes the Sith classes--whether evil or good, just more engaging on a moment-to-moment basis, seems like. At least you can see some humanity there, paradoxically, through evil. Plus the "evil" itself can be sort of fun in a "Grand Theft Auto"/"Hitman" kind of way, with the story so diffused (I would never pick darkside in KOTOR 1 because it meant betraying your friends and it seemed to make no sense in the operatic context of the story.)

 

Your Jedi will not say anything wise ("I serve the light.") Your Jedi obviously has no sense of humor. Your Jedi does not have an interesting personal history (as KOTOR 1 and 2 exploited big-time, to anchor their entire stories and make the choice between light-side and dark-side feel truly epic and logical in the context of the character's life.)

 

I'd rate both Jedi class stories kinda failures compared to the storytelling heights of KOTOR 1 and 2 or Mass Effect 2 and 3. The Sith classes and maybe agent seem to work best, with the MMO storytelling, maybe because causing mayhem and attaining power at least feel like goals, or have an arc, or make sense, or are fun in a "Grand Theft Auto" way, but that's because the storytelling of Republic classes especially fails to be epic or rewarding, so illicit force-choking thrills are really all there is to be got from the story.

[Scyion]

My 2c,

 

General notes:

* The class stories mesh with the planet questline very well, much better than the other classes.

* It has some nice references to the Expanded Universe, especially the original Tales of the Jedi comics.

 

Voice Acting:

* While the voice acting can be a bit flat at times I personally prefer the female JC over the female JK; who to me has an emotional range of completely clueless to totally over-the-top arrogant.

* On Darkside conversation options, I think the calm demeanor can make completely horrific choices even scarier.

 

Makeb

* Regarding the voice acting I've been hearing much more emotion and energy since starting Makeb. I even heard her yell out screaming in a cutscene of one of the first quest chains.