Returning Player: what do I do with my 55s?

[Kaphik]

Hi, returning player here. Last time I played cap was 55 so right now i'm kind of clueless. Where should I start, story and quest wise? Also I played both Shadow and Assassin tank when I was active. Do casual groups, guilds and/ or pugs still need tanks? Is leveling in tank spec still viable or even advisable?

 

Thanks!

[SteveTheCynic]

Hi, returning player here. Last time I played cap was 55 so right now i'm kind of clueless. Where should I start, story and quest wise? Also I played both Shadow and Assassin tank when I was active. Do casual groups, guilds and/ or pugs still need tanks? Is leveling in tank spec still viable or even advisable?

 

Thanks!

There's a lot of questions there, so I'll try to separate them and answer what I can:

* Where should I start, story and quest wise?

If you've got some 55s already, you could set up their abilities again (there have been numerous fairly radical changes, notably the abolition of "hybrid" skill tress in favour of more fixed-configuration Disciplines) and continue the story with the "Revan" series that begins with the "Prelude to Revan" missions that can be acquired from a droid on the Fleet or via a breadcrumb mission on your ship's mission console (sends you to see the droid). It's advisable to do that once anyway (Prelude, Shadow of Revan, then Rise of the Emperor which is often called "Ziost" because that's where it happens) because it provides narrative background for Knights of the Fallen Empire (starts at level 60+).

 

Otherwise keep them or drop them as you see fit, and begin a new character (character slot limits have been increased) to learn "from the beginning". The basic stories haven't changed, of course, although the experience awards from class stories have been increased approximately times six, so there's no need to do all those fiddly side missions in order to stay at level.

 

4.0 introduced "Level Sync" where your Mastery (all four classic mainstats have been fused into Mastery), Power, Endurance and Health are clipped to preset values if you are above a planet's maximum level. In return, you are treated as being at that planetary maximum level for the purposes of experience earned for kills. (Example: you are on Dromund Kaas where the planetary maximum is 18, but you are level 67. You get the same experience from kills as an actual level 18 character would.)

 

There's more I could say, but the above should get you going.

 

* Also I played both Shadow and Assassin tank when I was active. Do casual groups, guilds and/ or pugs still need tanks?

The former "normal mode" Flashpoints have been replaced by [VETERAN] mode, previously (after 4.0 dropped) called "Tactical", which work like the Kuat Drive Yards FP (if you remember that), in that they don't require a Trinity group (two guitars, bass and drums, er, sorry, two DPS, one tank, one heal).

 

[MASTER] mode is the new name for the former Hard Mode flashpoints, and these require Trinity groups. They are essentially unchanged in concept from the 2.X era.

 

[sTORY] mode flashpoints are simplified versions that are meant to be done with just you and a companion. A God Bot / Jesus Droid is provided to assist you in most of them. Some FPs don't have Story mode.

 

Operations of all levels (Story = normal, Veteran = Hard, Master = Nightmare) still require essentially the same group composition as before.

 

* Is leveling in tank spec still viable or even advisable?

Sure. It will go a little slower on tough fights because most tank disciplines have a lower DPS output than DPS characters.

[Kaphik]

Perfect answers, thanks and very much appreciated!