Underleveled at Aldaaran, and a Sage need advice!

[Kaprua]

So I finished all the main planet story, class story and small side story quests on Tatooine, and was level 27 when I left for Aldaaran, however I am finding out that I am simply no longer able to slip by on being under leveled by around four levels. So... how that happened was....

 

I was over leveled for awhile but then I hit Taris and basically ignored all the side story quest and because of a lack of clear planet story quest, and Taris getting on my nerves; I just finished my class story quest and left at level 20 and did all of Nar Shadda then Tatooine. My question is what is the best or fastest way to level up as a Sage? I've been doing ship battles and pvp battles and gettin close to 28 but I feel like the time taken and return of rewards such as credits is lacking, plus I'm no stranger to long grinds so what would be the best way to just grind out the levels where would be the fastest to accomplish that as a sage?

[Jester-Head]

So I finished all the main planet story, class story and small side story quests on Tatooine, and was level 27 when I left for Aldaaran, however I am finding out that I am simply no longer able to slip by on being under leveled by around four levels. So... how that happened was....

 

I was over leveled for awhile but then I hit Taris and basically ignored all the side story quest and because of a lack of clear planet story quest, and Taris getting on my nerves; I just finished my class story quest and left at level 20 and did all of Nar Shadda then Tatooine. My question is what is the best or fastest way to level up as a Sage? I've been doing ship battles and pvp battles and gettin close to 28 but I feel like the time taken and return of rewards such as credits is lacking, plus I'm no stranger to long grinds so what would be the best way to just grind out the levels where would be the fastest to accomplish that as a sage?

 

Ignoring side quests = VERY BAD

at the least. Do your space/pvp dailys. if your doing them atleast once a day theres no reason for your character to be underleveled.

 

from levels 15-25 you either can gain one full lever, or get atleast 3/4 of the way just by doing Space/PVP levels. If that somehow still isn't doing it for you - go back and do bonus quests on previous planets. Heroic quests are also Repeatable Daily quests that give very respectable Exp.

 

You shouldn't be feeling under leveled til about 35+. Thats when Exp rewards from daily's start to die down and you have to diligently do every sidequest (with all bonuses) if you have any hopes of remaining on the same level as your quest line requires.

[LawStanz]

I'm having the same issue. I'm level 28, but I skipped a few of the Tatoonine side quests and I'm finding Aldaaran a big jump up in difficulty. Qyzen gets chewed up much quicker and Theran can't keep me healed for more then a group of 3 without meditating between fights. I can still solo alright, but it's much slower then I was used to. I'm seriously contemplated going back to Tatooine and doing the bonus quest line.

[Jester-Head]

I'm having the same issue. I'm level 28, but I skipped a few of the Tatoonine side quests and I'm finding Aldaaran a big jump up in difficulty. Qyzen gets chewed up much quicker and Theran can't keep me healed for more then a group of 3 without meditating between fights. I can still solo alright, but it's much slower then I was used to. I'm seriously contemplated going back to Tatooine and doing the bonus quest line.

 

It is my opinion that Theran is useless to Jedi Consulars.

When playing solo with your companion you kind of take the Support/Dmg roll on.

The best way to do that is indeed with Qyzen.

 

1) he needs to have decent armor and +end stats.

2) if your fighting strong/elite mobs you'll want to use force lift on them, pick off the adds around them. and then shield Qyzen before he goes in to tank them. Use your Stuns and keep shielding Qyzen when possible in order to buy yourself time to heal him. IF you think he is surviving ok, blast your opponents with Force Powers.

2a) Qyzen gets an AoE skill later on in the game. you're going to want to set him to passive if you plan on stunning/rooting a whole group of enemies. otherwise he is just going to run strait in and AoE them and they are going to wake up, and swarm you both.

3) being ahead of the game is extremely helpful in this game. I can't say it enough. Do all your daily missions in order to get the jump on EXP. if your same-level or underleveled its going to be a challenge. If (for example) you are level 36, and you want to move onto Hoth (which is for level 37+) your going to be really frustrated.

 

Also consider your play style. Are you Spec'd for healing? Thats more group/friend play.

Are you a Damage dealer? Do you need more crowd control?

 

Different requirements, different skill trees.

 

You need to find the best way to attack each enemy one-on-one and reduce damage to yourself and Qyzen. You have Stun abilities that last for a few seconds, you have Force Lift which roots enemies as long as they are not attacked. and you have Shielding/Healing abilities to keep yourself and Qyzen alive.

Its all a puzzle in finding which order and place it all goes into.

 

But the easiest solution? Being 2-3 levels ahead of the game.

Edited December 29, 2011 by Jester-Head

[Zabrakus]

I'm 28 and I just landed on Tatooine!

 

I agree, Taris can get on one's nerves, 95% of the quests there involve Rakghouls....I find that to be a bit annoying, but just gotta grit your teeth and push through, or at least that's what I did.

 

Done quite a few space missions as well, but not every day, I should really work that into the schedule .

 

I don't quite know how big Tatooine is, but as with all previous planets I will be doing every quest available...I expect to be at least around 33 - 35ish when I depart there and then comes Alderaan . Should be fine I reckon.

[Winfrid]

Just wanted to add my 2 cents. On every planet there's one race the whole plot is all about it. Same on Tatooine, where we do a lot qs with sand people. And this game isn't about getting fast somewhere fast. You picked up a jedi consular, which is a char that meants to be interested with the whole universe. I found it really nice how they make up the whole story on Taris. Anyway, I'm a Seer Sage and doing all the main, side, heroic quests, doing the flashpoints according to my lvl, but only once, and I got way higher lvl then needed (I'm 32 and still on Tatooine). Don't need to grind. Just doing quests with all bonus quests, because I found them a great thing. If you don't like questing but grinding I guess this is not a good game for you.

[Dreggzender]

I always like to save a few sidequests on a couple planets and see how far i can get in the main story. When I hit a wall, hard, I'll go back to earlier planets and do my Rocky training montage until I'm high enough level to save the Galaxy from Apollo Creed.

[underbridge]

Ah Taris, Rakghouls are the Christmas Turkey of the SWTOR Universe, at first it's all, oo! Rakghoul! I haven't had that since KOTOR! Then it's Rakghoul sammiches.. Rakghoul curry.. spicy rice and Rakghoul chorizo...

 

Let's start with this.

 

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS OVERLEVELLING.

 

Finish *every* *single* gaming session in your ship, for the rested xp bonus.

 

*Start* every session with your space missions.

 

and then pick up your PvP daily quest (mission terminal is on the fleet right in front of all the PvP token vendors, it basically doubles the xp you got for winning your match). Um, win 1 match - this is getting harder now that people are l2p but a couple of fails is just another 25k xp so it's not exactly time wasted).

 

Assuming space and 1 win pvp game, you just made 60,000 xp !MINIMUM! (I've had days where I've hit more than a hundred k); and it should have taken you an hour, tops.

 

Now you can go planet farming and for heavens sake DO THE SIDEQUESTS.

 

Sure, if you get to Alderaan and your level 39, you get 5 xp for trash mobs, not 105. Big deal, no great loss, it means (except where localized bonus missions are available), you can just skip around mobs left and right to finish your quests all the faster and minimize the grind, maximize the story.

 

Watch in general chat for groups meeting up to do the +2 and +4 heroics and if you're approaching the end of the quests for Taris/Nar Shadaa/Tat keep a very keen eye out for people looking to do the bonus quests. The bonus quests on these planets are worth as much as everything else combined and give the really sick rewards you'll need to keep alive on the next planet.

 

If you do find yourself behind in levels because you didn't realise the above, then just put a day aside for PvP and catch up. Like I say, it's great to win but you get plenty of xp for a lose so going 0 and 5 is still building that ding. Please though, for the love of all that is good, read (and reread) your class pvp guides and watch (and rewatch) a youtube primer for each of the 3 missions. It's only 3 missions and you've only 1 class to learn, don't make others suffer for your lack of preparedness ^^

 

/tiphat

[BoDiE]

I did aldaaran at level and found it manageable as long as you let qyz tank. Use his taunt ability if you're taking aggro. It really is that simple Edited December 29, 2011 by BoDiE

[Kadoozy]

I found that I had to outlevel most of the planets after Tatooine in order to beat them. Belsavis in particular I really had to outlevel. It starts to get quite a bit more difficult.

[Morrtin]

I am in the middle of Aldaaran story and I am level 35. I actually log out in open area so I DON'T get rested XP. There are XP all over the place.

 

underbridge tips are correct. If you to it like this, then you don't know what to do with your XP. I also skip space quest now. I do them once to see what is new but that's it.

[Mekkanon]

+ dont forget that pvp gear is actually quite good at level 40, even for pve lots of stats and close to no expertise!

 

Win-Win!

[Kaprua]

Thanks everyone for the great advice! I love questing so I'm glad to hear that I do not have to grind, sounds like I can also go back and do the heroics and still get EXP? I might do that for some of them since I really liked certain planets so it will be fun to return till I get to level 32 or something.

 

Also thanks for mentioning the location of the PvP daily didn't know one was available!

[Morrtin]

When the quest is grey you get only 5 xp. I had a couple of them already. But you still get the money and the loot ;-)

 

As I am doing pvp sometimes, going every FP at least once, doing every new space quest at least once my level is still in frond of the planet requirements.

[apollocalris]

I haven't had much of this problem with this. Currently level 30 and still on Tattoine. Like others, my advice would be to do every quest you can. I usually finish the story quest line on a planet by accident from grouping it with other quests, I don't purposely look to finish any one particular quest. Space missions are great exp the first time, and I haven't done the pvp daily but it appears to be great exp from what others have said.

[Droidist]

I too managed to show up before my level. Perhaps because I don't do any of the heroic quests, or pvp. I do dable in the space quests, however, they are all the same after awhile - the typical daily. So, I have been leveling alts, while my main gets double exp saved up. Don't know if this will help me or not. However, the quests BARELY keep you leveled as you progress. They either need to add more exp from quests, perhaps sensing where you are in the progression and award more if you need it, or add more side quests that are interesting.

 

I am probably going to have to respec to keep playing because I am only at level.

Edited December 29, 2011 by Droidist

[Alavastre]

So I finished all the main planet story, class story and small side story quests on Tatooine, and was level 27 when I left for Aldaaran, however I am finding out that I am simply no longer able to slip by on being under leveled by around four levels. So... how that happened was....

 

I was over leveled for awhile but then I hit Taris and basically ignored all the side story quest and because of a lack of clear planet story quest, and Taris getting on my nerves; I just finished my class story quest and left at level 20 and did all of Nar Shadda then Tatooine. My question is what is the best or fastest way to level up as a Sage? I've been doing ship battles and pvp battles and gettin close to 28 but I feel like the time taken and return of rewards such as credits is lacking, plus I'm no stranger to long grinds so what would be the best way to just grind out the levels where would be the fastest to accomplish that as a sage?

 

Best way is to do your space missions every day, and your daily pvp mission. Gives good exp normally, and helps you build up commendations you need for Starship upgrades. After that, hit up some of the flashpoints. Don't do Alderaan before level 29. I was a Seer Sage and lvl 29, I had a hard time on Alderaan until I was 30-32.

[Jester-Head]

Ah Taris, Rakghouls are the Christmas Turkey of the SWTOR Universe, at first it's all, oo! Rakghoul! I haven't had that since KOTOR! Then it's Rakghoul sammiches.. Rakghoul curry.. spicy rice and Rakghoul chorizo...

 

Let's start with this.

 

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS OVERLEVELLING.

 

Finish *every* *single* gaming session in your ship, for the rested xp bonus.

 

*Start* every session with your space missions.

 

and then pick up your PvP daily quest (mission terminal is on the fleet right in front of all the PvP token vendors, it basically doubles the xp you got for winning your match). Um, win 1 match - this is getting harder now that people are l2p but a couple of fails is just another 25k xp so it's not exactly time wasted).

 

Assuming space and 1 win pvp game, you just made 60,000 xp !MINIMUM! (I've had days where I've hit more than a hundred k); and it should have taken you an hour, tops.

 

Now you can go planet farming and for heavens sake DO THE SIDEQUESTS.

 

Sure, if you get to Alderaan and your level 39, you get 5 xp for trash mobs, not 105. Big deal, no great loss, it means (except where localized bonus missions are available), you can just skip around mobs left and right to finish your quests all the faster and minimize the grind, maximize the story.

 

Watch in general chat for groups meeting up to do the +2 and +4 heroics and if you're approaching the end of the quests for Taris/Nar Shadaa/Tat keep a very keen eye out for people looking to do the bonus quests. The bonus quests on these planets are worth as much as everything else combined and give the really sick rewards you'll need to keep alive on the next planet.

 

If you do find yourself behind in levels because you didn't realise the above, then just put a day aside for PvP and catch up. Like I say, it's great to win but you get plenty of xp for a lose so going 0 and 5 is still building that ding. Please though, for the love of all that is good, read (and reread) your class pvp guides and watch (and rewatch) a youtube primer for each of the 3 missions. It's only 3 missions and you've only 1 class to learn, don't make others suffer for your lack of preparedness ^^

 

/tiphat

 

This post should be its own seperate sticky!!!

This is exactly how to do it, folks!

[AlatarTheGrey]

Thanks everyone for the great advice! I love questing so I'm glad to hear that I do not have to grind, sounds like I can also go back and do the heroics and still get EXP? I might do that for some of them since I really liked certain planets so it will be fun to return till I get to level 32 or something.

 

Also thanks for mentioning the location of the PvP daily didn't know one was available!

 

I do some Heroics, but not all, and try to do nearly every side mission. The result has been arriving at new planets at least one level above the new opponents.

 

Taris and Tattoine have LOTS of side missions, but completing them also yields some very good equipment rewards. Tattoine thankfully has more variety, probably because it's also an Imperial planet.

 

I second the above comment that there is no such thing as "over levelling".

[Masakijoe]

Make sure you do all the quest. I found out the hard way in beta. And make sure you do the flashpoints a few times as well.

[Dreamsinger]

pvp and flashpoints can help get you caught up, if you don't want to backtrack. Don't underestimate your daily space missions either.

[Elyx]

Watch in general chat for groups meeting up to do the +2 and +4 heroics and if you're approaching the end of the quests for Taris/Nar Shadaa/Tat keep a very keen eye out for people looking to do the bonus quests. The bonus quests on these planets are worth as much as everything else combined and give the really sick rewards you'll need to keep alive on the next planet.

 

for me this bears repeating. Especially when your a sage...you can heal most the content early on no matter what spec you are. but even with shadow, keep an eye open for groups. easy way to level. and you get good gear, and can have some fun in them as well! and most the people you play with are congenial at the worst, thoroughly enjoyable at the best I have yet to not enjoy a run. Course, i also have allot of patience...

[Aethena]

I'm consistently 2–3 levels above the quests I'm on – I make sure I do every quest on every planet, *except* the Heroic-4 ones (if I get a guild group, great but I don't go out of my way looking for one). When I was at a lower level and on the same level as my quests, I made sure I killed every mob I came across. Now I skip those that I can avoid.

 

I haven't done any Flashpoints or Space Missions, but I'm PVP crazy – I do the PVP Daily every day and usually run at least 3–5 PVP matches per day (more on a weekend). A couple of times I've actually had two PVP Dailies in my mission log, but I'm not sure why that happens.

 

As a Seer Sage, I have a lot of fun healing in PVP and it's always very much appreciated! I've actually gotten to the point where I wish I could turn the XP-gain off -- if I could, I'd do even more Warzones than I do now. But as it is they're causing me me level almost *too* fast.

 

TLDR: As others have said, do all the quests and supplement with FP, Space Missions or PVP. Make sure you have the Dailies if you're doing FPs or PVP. But really, just find what you enjoy the most, and do more of it!

Edited December 30, 2011 by Aethena