As Onslaught’s final hours tick down, I struggled to find a topic to discuss in the lead up to Legacy of the Sith. Things like SWTOR’s tenth anniversary or the possibility of cross-faction grouping that I thought might make interesting posts seemed to work out better as quick tweets. I did consider writing about Boba Fett, but I’m not sure I’m able to untie the Gordian Knot that is my conflicting reactions to his new show.
Instead, I think it’s fair to stick to tradition and go with an overview of the Onslaught expansion. I liked it and I’m glad I got to go along for the ride. As I indicated during reviews of individual game updates, I had fun with each new story addition, and I’m sure I’ve run out of ways to describe how amazing each new location we get to visit along the way is, but I genuinely enjoyed exploring Onderon, Mek-Sha and Dxun, confronting an ancient enemy in the theatre of the mind, fighting my way through Mandalorian warships and exploring the ruins of Dantooine.
The Stories
Unlike the Fallen Empire saga, Onslaught’s story has been rather more episodic with three major arcs that seem to be only lightly connected to each other. The Sith Emperor’s tale has likely come to a conclusion, although, I don’t imagine that we have seen the last of “Syl” just yet. However, the ambitions of Darth Malgus and Heta Kol, the antagonists of the other two storylines, have yet to fully play out. I wrote last year that I wish those stories had a bit more heft, but I am certain that those arcs will indeed bend in Legacy of the Sith.
The edges between the various SWTOR expansions have always been fuzzy. Is the Forged Alliance arc part of Rise of the Hutt Cartel or Shadow of Revan? Certainly the two Fallen Empire expansions elide together almost seamlessly. And I suspect this will be true for Onslaught and Legacy of the Sith as we pick up where we left off on Manaan and Elom.
I do want to briefly touch on the Swoop Rally and Feast of Prosperity events, which were added during Onslaught. I think both are worthy additions to the game. That I don’t need to equip proper gear to race on a swoop bike or even put on any at all to cook a meal of spicy glowshrooms in the kitchen is, for me, a welcome change of pace. SWTOR is filled with an endless array of ways to shoot lasers and swing lightsabers at my foes. But sometimes it’s nice to just do something different. Your mileage might vary, and I can understand that someone else might instead prefer to spend their time in the game fighting the actual star war. These events remain optional with cosmetic rewards, as they should, and I’m glad they’re here to mix things up.
Spoils of War
Onslaught’s gearing system “Spoils of War” seemed to work as intended. I’ll be completely honest, I don’t find gearing to be interesting. Getting upgrades is nice, but I’ve always considered min-maxing to be nothing more than busy work. With Onslaught, it was a relief to spend the majority of the expansion rarely if ever worrying about gear, which was, I think the chief intent and benefit of the Spoils of War system.
It wasn’t all perfect, I pushed some Veteran and Master Mode content this expansion but was rewarded with bags and bags of junk. From what I saw on the PTS, Legacy of the Sith hopes to bring back the thrill of getting upgrades from defeating more difficult content. This is a good thing!
As a Vanguard tank for my guild team, I did go through the expense of acquiring the Emergency Power set, partially from Veteran Mode Dxun, but mostly from Kai Zykken. I’m glad I finished the set, but having to spend months of Tech Fragments on spins of the dial for random loot was not a fun way to gear up. Hopefully Bioware will not repeat that experiment.
Without any vertical progression, Onslaught’s attempt to introduce horizontal progression was a mixed bag. There were countless sets for each class to collect, but most of them were not worth the space they might take up in your inventory. Moreover, I suspect most players just took the advice of fellow players or online guides about which sets and Tacticals and maybe Amplifiers to use and never gave it a second thought.
I do think there was some fun to be had with builds and sets that were not recommended as “Best in Slot.” I would swap gear, especially Tacticals, depending on circumstances, but I wonder how many other players were also doing so, even when it might benefit them. The Victor’s set, for example, was brilliant for solo play in daily areas and heroics where bonuses from other sets would rarely, if ever, make a difference. The new Sage/Sorcerer ability Telekinetic Blitz/Volt Rush was roundly derided, but when paired with the Endless Offensive set and the proper tactical, it opened up a neat way to play as a healer, even in dps spec! I don’t know how much action it saw in “real” content but I enjoyed dusting it off for runs with friends.
The Nature of Progress
Speaking of Dxun, this time around I did complete the expansion’s signature operation, the Nature of Progress, on Storymode and Veteran Mode (I’m not nearly competent enough for Nightmare!). I had a fun time learning it. Red is an excellent first boss to get a group’s feet wet and the two containment breach encounters are exciting run-and-gun fights, something that SWTOR doesn’t do very often.
Up next comes the Mutant Trandoshan Squad, quite possibly my favorite operation fight in all of SWTOR. I’ve always been fond of council fights, but I like that the bosses’ mechanics feel like natural parts of the encounter, that different group compositions need to approach the fight in different ways, and that raid members who feel up for the challenge get to perform extra duties during the encounter. And that defeating each Trandoshan requires running them over with a high speed train has not gotten old for me in the least. I love this fight when the team executes it perfectly, but I think I love it more when it goes a little sideways.
I also enjoy the next encounter against the Huntmaster, despite some desync glitches. It’s chaotic and random, but in a good way. And that it also includes comedy deaths at its climax is another point in its favor.
After all that, the final boss, the Apex Vanguard is a bit of a let down. In Storymode, its mechanics are in the hands of just one player while everyone else simply beats the boss down. Assuming the group has one person who knows what to do with the battery, Apex is probably the easiest encounter in the entire operation.
For my Hard Mode progression, I was on flare duty, which is a tense job critical to beating the boss, but it was not very engaging. I spent most of the encounter watching cool downs and running in circles around the room. To top it off, the fight is long, very long, and the final burn required, for my group at least, cresting its own separate learning curve. Wiping at 3% meant having to slog through another 10-15 minutes of fighting just to get to the same point again and again.
Overall, however, it is a fun operation, with a lighter comedic touch. It’s not as intimidating as Gods from the Machine, and I’ve had lots of fun introducing many new players to it. I think it’s a good example of why I enjoy raiding in SWTOR. I also have a bet going regarding whether ARIA, the rogue Czerka artificial intelligence from the operation, will return in Legacy of the Sith’s upcoming R-4 Anomaly operation. I’m confident I’m gonna win that dollar.
Launching into Legacy of the Sith
I try always to be sanguine about SWTOR. No, there wasn’t as much content as I would’ve liked last year. And I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t disappointed that some of Legacy of the Sith’s features are delayed, but I also know that the last couple of years have been tough on everyone. I commend the good folks at Bioware who managed to produce an expansion to be proud of. I’ll remember Onslaught as an expansion that made some difficult times a little easier to take, and that counts for a lot in my book.
I’m looking forward to seeing SWTOR’s tenth anniversary begin in earnest in a few days. I’m looking forward the new stories the game will tell. And I’m looking forward to the adventures I’ll get to have with friends old and new.
I hope to see you on Manaan and beyond next week!
Opal Vulptilla, You Say?
Just as I was preparing this post, the good folks at Bioware provided me with a fresh batch of Opal Vulptillas in search of a place to call home. To be entered in a raffle for one of these glittering beast mounts, let me know in the comments what your favorite part of Onslaught was. Just like last time, the more comments I get, the more winners I will draw!
To enter, leave a comment below with the following information:
- Your character name (be mindful of spaces and special symbols!)
- Your faction
- Your server
That’s it! I will accept entries for one weeks from this posting and will randomly select the winner on February 17 at 11 PM ET.
If you prefer not to comment publicly, I will also accept entries via email at twia@generic-hero.com or through twitter.
There are no country or server restrictions on any of the prizes that will be awarded.
This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with LucasFilm Ltd, BioWare or Electronic Arts Inc.
We’re on the honor system here, so one entry per person, please.
Trília
Empire
Darth Malgus
Rin’or Valae
Empire
Tulak Hord
Marév
Empire
Tulak Hord
Willielo
Empire
Star Forge
Locos Tacos
Empire
Star Forge
Dxun’s Stair Boss
Winkywonky
Empire
Star Forge
My favorite part of Onslaught: Honestly, was the Spoils of War, I love playing around with all the different tactical items and set bonuses. I really like a lot of the armor skins, and I think it’s pretty cool that they are converting those sets to Titles in 7.0 because I have collected them all 🙂 I’ll have 60 or 70 new legacy titles… now if only they can put them alphabetical order so I can find them, argh… lol.
Your character name: Sexyshadow
Your faction: Republican
Your server: Star Forge
Vonador
Empire
Satele Shan server
(@VonadorSWTOR on Twitter)
I haven’t done Dantooine Flashpoint yet, but I think my favorite part is Echo of Oblivion. Going through the Satele Shan’s memory is just 👌
Wir’yûk’en’sonau
Empire
The Leviathan
My favourite part of Onslaught was definitively Echoes of Oblivion. I wish it had the option to be repeated either as a flashpoint or a chapter! I also enjoyed the two planets, Onderon and Mek-Sha, and I hope there will be a chance to return there for more story content.
Ayresis
Republic
Darth Malgus
Hello! I guess, the best part of Onslaught for me was the nostalgia for KOTOR I and II that the Dantooine (that tree in the Jedi Temple, the hounds and ofc the amasing calming music) and Onderon (it looks different ofc but I still remember the Untamed and the royal papalce). And reliving this moments (and adding some new meaning to the classic locations)… for me it was amazing.
Romul Meas
Republic
Darth Malgus.
I adore Onderon, my favourite part was finding out about feeding the flirron with the tag ‘so tiny, so hungry’ with food collected from various locations to gain it as a pet. I’m a mad datacron hunter and side quester so I spend more time than I like to admit getting flirrons for my characters!
Jae Juun
Republic
Darth Malgus
* Marrlak
* Imperial
* Satele Shan
Wolfsoul
Sith Empire
Satele Shan
Artuur
Imperial
Darth Malgus
🙂
Can’t wait to see what Manaan looks like in 7.0!
Jyn’hirr
Empire
Darth Malgus
Character Name: Keyrna
Faction: Empire
Server: Star Forge
My favorite part of Onslaught was definitely Dxun. Like you said it provided a good experience and challenge for people to get into raiding while not being as intimidating as gods from the machine was. Also some of the new set bonuses like Meteor Brawler and Emergency Power, as well as tacticals like Cut to Pieces or Grit Teeth were very fun to play with.
Dongo
Empire
Satele Shan
Zhi’sha
Republic
Star Forge
Environments and story.
Character Name: Zigg Zagg
Faction: Empire
Server: Satele Shan
My favorite part of Onslaught is a toss up between Duxn and the Mandalorian flashpoint. I really enjoy the voice acting and narration for Nature of Progress, but the artwork of Spirit of Vengeance was phenomenal.
Character name: Gonzo Katarn
Faction: Republic
Server: Star Forge
Psycario
Imperial
Star forge
Objective meridian for me, everything after that was kinda meh
G’arphield
Imperial
Star Forge
Can’t wait for the next round of fun!
Galaxiya
Republic
Star Forge
Onderon is honestly a really cool planet, I liked Ossus as well and they both share a similar theme which is some cool colors and a world that seems alive.
Riku
Republic
Darth Malgus
Howorka
Empire
Tulak Hord
The best part of Onslaught was that we finally got the good old republic-vs-empire setting back which was way more enjoyable than the alliance story, especially for non-force-wielders.
My favorite part of the expansion was the Secrets of the Enclave flashpoint, it had a decent story and the scenery was cool
Gummy Worm
Republic
Star Forge
Operations and large group content are by far more favorites
Toxic Player
Imperial
Star Forge
Schnipsor
Empire
Tulak Hord
Forgot the best part, I really enjoyed the return of Darth Malgus as a Main Villain, aswell as the whole Dxun Operation, especially the Mutant Trandoshan Squad.
My favorite part of Onslaught was exploring the new locations, especially Onderon
Kehssya
Republic
Darth Malgus
Kha’mûl
Empire
The Leviathan
Karacho-Tech
Empire
Tulak Hord
Honestly the best part of the expansion were the addition of tacticals and the fresh badge of new abilities.
Meditie
Empire
Darth Malgus
I don’t need another Vulptilla, thank you, but I just wanted to say I can’t believe you didn’t give a shout-out to the addition of the crafting materials inventory with Onslaught! Such a huge quality of life change that came out of nowhere…
Since Onslaught crafting will be, at least to start, Legacy of the Sith crafting, I’d kind of overlooked that area of the game. But you’re right, of course! A legacy crafting inventory has been really great, and so seamlessly integrated that it’s easy to take for granted now. No more farming materials on one character and sending them to another or forgetting who has the Polyplast or Metamorphic Cell Cultures anymore. It’s all in one place. However, the aspect of Onslaught crafting that I do not like is the tedious need to craft dozens upon dozens of components to turn into more components which need to be turned into even more components. All to make a single augment. Hopefully that process will be streamlined with the 7.0 crafting update.
Oh, favorite part of Onslaught… that’s tricky. Honestly, I enjoyed most of the initial launch content, but not so much the endless briefings (and briefings, and briefings) that followed…
That aside, I also enjoyed learning HM Dxun with my guild team, and (after a rocky start) Mek-Sha has really grown on me as a location I enjoy.
Character Name: Delfae
Faction: Imperial
Server: Star Forge
ALKOTOS
Republic
Star Forge
huge fan of the bounty hunter story and flashpoint
Artela
Imperial
Satele Shan
For me, the best part was progressing the Dxun Operation with my raid team.
Tognus
Empire
Tulak Hord
I liked the Objective Meridian flashpoint. It was actually entertaining.
Crimsynn
Republic
Satele Shan
I enjoyed the Story finally returning to full on Empire vs Republic and being able to integrate the Alliance into the respective faction.
Jianzhou
Empire
Darth Malgus
I only did story mode Dxun, but it was my first operation and I had a lot of fun in the raid.
Missed’take
Republic
Star Forge
flashpoints are kinda fun, sometimes you get an amazing group that can deal with the mechanics and doesn’t get whiny after a wipe, other times you lose one guy at the start and gotta sit in queue for 10 minutes waiting for a tank/healer
Melissa Rose
Republic
Tulak Hord
Chrysenia
Republic
Darth Malgus
Great review and thanks for a good read, A feature im really looking forward to is the weapon outfitter for that extra character customization 😀
Vansiris
Republic
Darth Malgus
I forgot to add my favorite part or parts rather of Onslaught was the story and the return of darth malgus and the addition of Nautolan’s! 🙂