Inquisitor and Smuggler Lack-luster Companion returns.

[Raistalion]

TLDR: The Smuggler and Inquisitor are the only classes that do not get Companion returns as integral parts of the KOTFE and onwards storyline and that feels disappointing.

 

So...

 

Now that all the original companions are back (well the last one will be shortly), one thing has been bugging me, a lot.

 

Why do Inquisitors and Smuggler companion returns get the short end of the stick?

 

By this I mean, every other class gets at least 1 Companion returned as part of a Chapter and its usually pretty involved but at the very least they have screen time. In some cases, two or three companions have chapters based around them. (Knight: T7, Kira, Scourge, Doc. Sage: Nadia, Theron. Trooper: Jorgan, Elara and sort of Vikk. Warrior: Vette, Quinn. Agent: Kaliyo, Temple, SCORPIO. BH: Gault, Torian.)

 

However, both the Smuggler and Inquisitor get left out in this department, all their companions return as Alliance Alerts only, or as a Class-specific cutscene attached to another Story, but they have ZERO impact on those stories. For example: Khem turning up on Ossus for Inquisitors.

 

Further, out of Smugglers and Inquisitors, the latter really get the short end of the stick. The Inquisitor companions have almost all given up on your character. Khem runs off to be free cause he thinks you broke your deal. Ashara outright hides from you even if you were lovers, Telos thinks you’re dead, Xalek is doing the Sith thing and doesn't care. Andronikos is the only exception here as he is rather vainly raiding Eternal Fleet shipping in the off chance your kept aboard one (Not a great theory, but it counts I guess.)

 

The Smugglers companions are only a bit more loyal... Bowdaar (Made it to Zakuul), Corso & Risha (Went looking but ended up on the run as a result), Guss (Figured you were dead), Akaavi (Went back to her job).

 

For all that the main story treats your character as the head of a Cult of Personality that will last for all eternity these two classes really get screwed over here. As the story has played out thus far, none of these companions will ever get a mention in the dialogue of chapters or have any lines/parts to play beyond the 1 to 2 minutes of dialogue they got as part of their Alert. It’s all very disappointing and a bit depressing if you think it over too much.

 

Please, oh devs of SWTOR, if you read this, consider throwing Inquisitors and Smugglers a bone, and give our companions some screen time in a primary story going forward, let us know you (and these companions) still care!

 

- Raith

 

p.s. On a related note. How about as the game goes forward you think about ret-conning some of the crappy Alliance Alert returns for full-fledged story-related returns for all the other companions. The alerts always felt like they were placeholders to me.

[banimoka]

- they should add all the missing OR class-restricted companion in the next part of the story

- sure some are die-HARD supporters of their faction

BUT ultimately i believe it should be up to the player to decide " who " they feel are right as companions

- i am sure at the end of the day there are " enough " republic players that want Ashara Zavros and i'm sure there plenty of lore friendly ways of explaining the transition

- even M1-4X could join the empire in a number of different ways :

* hacked : damaged in battle then repaired without

* convinced ... abandoned by the republic during missions then saved by an empire char

* unlocked : removed " help republic " directive , and allowing it to choose a side

[Shayddow]

M1-4X would make a perfect companion for my Imperial (secretly republic) Agent, and Pierce would be perfect for a republic saboteur.

[ceryxp]

Few minor corrections.

 

Now that all the original companions are back (well the last one will be shortly)...

 

Tharan (it's not spelt the stupid way), only makes a brief cameo appearance at the end of Meridian Complex. Some might say that that is on par with Tanno Vik's cameo appearance, but at least Tano explains why they're not joining you. They've said that Tharan will return in December, but Zenith is still missing. So that's two companions that Consulars are still missing after over four years.

 

By this I mean, every other class gets at least 1 Companion returned as part of a Chapter and its usually pretty involved but at the very least they have screen time.

 

No Consular companion makes a chapter appearance. Yes, that is true for Inquisitor and Smuggler, too. All Consular companions are returned via an Alert. Nadia and Doc do appear in Jedi Under Siege during the Republic story, so they do get some screen minor time, but unless you're a Consular or Knight they do not play an integral role in the story and could be replaced by an NPC. The companions don't actually return until after you have completed the story and run the Alert. This differs from Elara and Quinn on Iokath, as one of them will be joining you depending upon your choice, and from Kira and Scourge in 6.0 because they both join you. Elara, Quinn, Kira, and Scourge are for everyone while Nadia and Doc, unless you're a Consular or Knight, just play a generic role. For someone who's never played the Knight or Consular stories Nadia and Doc are just NPC's.

 

It took two-and-a-half years for Consulars to get our second companion back, Felix, a little over three years to get our third, Nadia, and four years later we got a tease for our fourth while our fifth is still MIA. I'd take lack luster returns over the short end of the stick Consulars have been handed time and again. And with BW's track record with December updates Tharan's return, if it is delivered on time, will likely be buggy and no fix will be forthcoming until January, at the earliest, or February with the way they've been acknowledging bugs lately.

 

If I sound a little bitter it's because Consular is my favorite class, both AC's, and the story I've played the most.

[Raistalion]

Tharan (it's not spelt the stupid way)

 

Ugh, thought I fixed that spelling error... oh well. But as you and the Dev's point out TharAn will be back more or less immediately.

 

As for Zenith... Ok, I "thought" Zenith had an Alert and I'd seen it on youtube, I admit I didn't check that one, I always figured the lack of his return/the reason it was taking so long was due to the presence of Troy Baker as Theron Shan. And in regards to Tanno... well the original Voice actor died so thats why they wrote him out of the story as I understand.

 

But talking about Nadia, I still maintain they got Screen time and where part of the story. Sure, they could have been replaced by a random NPC, but so could many other NPC's they used. At least they where part of the episode, and as for the alert, its click a button and speak to them, I don't think that has the same scope as most Alliance Alerts.

 

But your right, Consulars get screwed over as well, just in a different way.

 

- Raith

[irrevelant]

Well it would take one hell of a job to make the companions play good role, or at least give some comments. I was thinking about it a long time ago to make a story specifically based on ALL the companions. This part would be the end of the Alliance.

 

Start: If imperial saboteur/republic loyalist. The Empire comes to attack you, and part of your companions switch sides. Lana, and Theron always loyal. Same happens for other 2 option, but then republic comes.

 

During the battle the opposite side comes to the rescue, and after that you join/rejoin your faction. During the battle certain characters, and companions would side against you.

 

After that all planets would enter a new phase with a new story for each. Either repelling the enemy, or conquering from them. Each companion would play crucial roles on certain planets. Basically instead of giving new generic characters, and use Lana/Theron for everything we would use all companions for stuff. Lana/Theron would be the backup plan, if a companion is missing for a certain mission.

[Raistalion]

Back when KOTFE first started, I assumed they would categorize the Companions so that certain companions filled specific roles in the various stories based on your class... it didn't happen but the idea is...

 

Story/Chapter/Cutscene has force related stuff happening? Here comes the Force-User/Sensitive companion. Almost every class has one, The Jedi/Sith have their Apprentices/Padawan's, Smuggler has Guss, Agent has Temple etc. Failing to have such a companion is why you have Lana.

 

Story/Chapter/Cutscene has Slicing/Tech related hurdle to overcome? Scene uses your Tech companion. T7, Mako, Risha etc and failing that deploy Theron.

 

I think you can more or less categorize all the companions into Force-Sensitive, Combatant, Diplomat, Techie and Operator types which should let you design cutscenes/chapters around which companion would be used with Lana and Theron covering the gaps.

 

But that would mean having to get every Voice Actor in to record dialogue for the same mission in which not everyone will play through with that companion, so it’s an inefficient use of time & money compared to just adding a new VA with a New Companion that everyone gets.

 

And instead we have an increasing roster of new companions and an increasing list of companions that will never see the light of day in favour of the post-kotfe companions which they "know" we have aka the ones you can't kill-off and just have to put up with.

[Hadsil]

While my Smuggler likes the idea of being King, he's not sorry his wife won't return after the Character Arc story. He likes to flirt too much, even with Theron. Besides, galactic Alliance Commander is more prestigious than a planet's King which would be only a figure head since he's really Queen's Consort. Of course, she doesn't get her planet back in game and we don't know what happens after.