Next Expansion Announced -- Subscribers get 12x Class XP*

From the Site: http://www.swtor.com/shadow-of-revan

Highlights:

• Launch date is December 9, 2014
  • 2 new Operations (Raids)
  • 2 Tactical Flashpoints (Role-Neutral, no tanks/healers needed)
  • 4 Hardmode Flashpoints
• Level Cap is Now 60
• Skill Tree replaced with Discipline System (on paper it sounds more like Cataclysm & Pandaria Hybrid Talent System)
• * Subscribers who purchase the expansion pack before November 2nd get 12x Bonus Xp and free ability training for Class Quests until December 1st.

For those curious, doing class quests exclusively is roughly 20 hours if you include travel time & watching cutscenes. SWTOR's maps are huge so bring a podcast -- there's a lot of travel time. The defacto "must experience" class quests are Jedi Knight (AKA KoToR 3) & Imperial Agent (Most cohesive, robust, engaging Class Quest).

I'll likely be resubbing I resubbed and will max out those last few alts I never capped. Which reminds me -- is there a Giantbomb guild anywhere? If not, I'm leader of the inactive guild named Naritus on The Shadowlands (Republic) and can start housing people who want a crack at up to 10% more bonus XP & rep. Mail Gabriel on The Shadowlands for an invite.

Edit: Folks in the thread are giving out referral links for former subscribers. You both get perks like inventory space so you may want to consider following one of their links in this thread before you resub.

I really enjoyed TOR at it's release. It somehow managed to drag me into the end-game content without my even really noticing. Most MMOs, I tend to find the progression from questing and doing dungeons to trying to prepare for raids and high-end PvP to be a chore, but between playing Space-Murder-Hand-Ball until my head burst, and the surprisingly coherent story-line, I had a blast of a time. The fairly limited selection of raids finally had me migrate full-time into the ruination of my social-life that is DOTA 2. That said, I might end up picking this up, if only to see what's next for my Sith Assassin.

@do_the_manta_ray: It's worth noting Chapter 4+ (The first expansion) don't have class specific story lines. There's flavor text that may reference what you did through Chapter's 1 - 3, but they announced a long time ago SWTOR will no longer have class specific which is a bit of a downer.

Since it's F2P now, you may just want to jump in for a day or two, see how you feel before throwing money back at the game.

I subbed and pre-ordered! Been waiting for something like this since it first launched. To get enough XP from the class story to focus on just that. I am not saying that all other quests are crap, there are some good ones, but unlike story quests they are not unique to your class so I have seen them several times. This makes it possible to play the game like it is KotOR3.

@dagas: Yeah, I wrapped up Chapter 1 on my Sith Inquisitor last night. It helps if you already have one or two max level characters because you outgrow gear fast so they can feed you supplies to keep questing smoothe.

That said, ho man, I legitimately forgot how much time is lost from going from A to B. I did 4 class quests and it took ~3 hours largely due to travel time.

Holy crap. I might have to jump on that.

Looks like there will be one new class quest in this expansion.

http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/07/swtor-shadow-of-revan-will-include-new-class-missions/

I am tempted to get in on this. We discuss it a bit on the podcast coming up today.

@rorie: Neat! As noted above, a class story is roughly 20 hours (most of it travel time) and at one point between level 1 - 50, you will be undergeared for the mobs you face (happened to me today). Helps if you have alts or credits or folks who don't mind crafting stuff for you to get keep the quest flow going.

They added a 'bolster' effect (character stats raised to level 55 gear) for 50 - 55 so you won't need any gear to do those last few missions.

God, you just reminded me that I'm still a sub for this game. I do go back from time to time but I'm surprised I forgot that. I'm attentive.

If any former subscribers or brand new players would like any of the following.

• 7 Days of Game time
• A care-package including but not limited to an inventory unlock for EVERY CHARACTER YOU'VE MADE, OR WILL MAKE
• One free server transfer

You can accept my friend referral

Disclosure : I will receive a non-combat pet for your doing so.

Help me give this little guy a home. He's like a tiny little Metal Gear

I started playing this a couple of months back and found this to be real fun. Lots of good friendly guilds out there as well looking to help you out. If anyone wants to try it out or give it a go, I'd recommend starting with the Jedi Knight story (being a logical sequel storyline to the KOTOR games) or the Imperial Agent. Also, here's a code thingy to give you more Free Inventory and stuff to start - Link

That is why I use game time cards, and also because they are cheaper. A year ago you could get a 60 day GTC for around the price of one months sub. Now those deals are gone but Origin still have a great price at least here in Sweden. The price of 60 day GTC on origin is 159SEK and one month of sub is 119SEK. For some reason a 60 day GDC on swtor.com is 249SEK so a lot cheaper to buy it on origin! Not sure how it is if you pay with euro, punds or dollars.

159SEK is 17.5 euros.

That is tempting. I felt like I was stormed through levels being subbed and XP boosters on F2P vs the slower grind when it was only sub. Which 12x XP just sounds like an explosion on XP as you should also be bearing the XP boosters with being subbed along the way.

@akyho: The current XP boosters & guild xp bonus stack with the 12xp bonus. A level 38 quest gave me 111k with no guild bonus and then jumped to ~143k with the XP Booster (and no guild bonus). You gain a level every 2nd or 3rd class quest you turn in. It's crazy.

Yes however it does NOT stack with the "class mission xp legacy boost" So don't go dumping a bunch of creds/Cartel coins on those legacy boosts.

Aw fuck, I'm going to go back to SWTOR aren't I.

Something something something.... darkside

@skithus said:

If any former subscribers would like any of the following.

• 7 Days of Game time
• A care-package including but not limited to an inventory unlock for EVERY CHARACTER YOU'VE MADE, OR WILL MAKE
• One free server transfer

You can accept my friend referral

Disclosure : I will receive a non-combat pet for your doing so.

Help me give this little guy a home. He's like a tiny little Metal Gear

I am only a preferred status person who has not played in ages. I was thinking of finally subbing to plow through a few of the class quests as that is what I enjoyed most. Can I accept this or is it for only previous subs? Also, is this for new accounts only? I am too scared to click accept in case I ruin the whole thing for someone else!

@comprox said:

@skithus said:

If any former subscribers or brand new players would like any of the following.

• 7 Days of Game time
• A care-package including but not limited to an inventory unlock for EVERY CHARACTER YOU'VE MADE, OR WILL MAKE
• One free server transfer

You can accept my friend referral

Disclosure : I will receive a non-combat pet for your doing so.

Help me give this little guy a home. He's like a tiny little Metal Gear

I am only a preferred status person who has not played in ages. I was thinking of finally subbing to plow through a few of the class quests as that is what I enjoyed most. Can I accept this or is it for only previous subs? Also, is this for new accounts only? I am too scared to click accept in case I ruin the whole thing for someone else!

Its reusable, so you won't ruin it for someone else. I believe it works for either returning players who have had a subscription in the past OR brand new players, but not players who are neither new nor have had a subscription (AKA you've only played the F2P game) I know, Its weird. If you sub and THEN use the code you'll get 7 extra days and the transfer and the bonus items, which Is very weird I find, referring someone who is already paying them money, but eh it works, and its free items.

@skithus Good to know, thanks!

@skithus: What do you get if multiple people use your code? Another copy of the pet? If so, I'll try to use someone who hasn't gotten their goodies yet (post links if you got em GBers)

Unless you can use multiple copies of the pet in the new decoration system. An army of Metal Gears!

They actually have 4 different (albeit texture swapped) pets.

i'm working towards the last one now. Neon 80's Metal Gear!

Also you can absolutely use multiple copies of the same item/pet/crew member in the houseing system, however since they mail one of these pets to each of my characters, I potentially could have 12 in my house per server if I wanted...

In case anyone else is into pet collecting in SWTOR here is a great link for it.

So, I was going to post this before the letter from the editor came up, and it took me a while to put together my thoughts in that post, so this post may be jumbled. (although I still think I likely wrote poorly there, that whole scenario makes me sad. However, after writing it, I do think I'm going to call the whole thing the supernova of hate from now on.)

So I'm thinking of getting back in to SWTOR. I have a level 50 bounty hunter, but am thinking I want to focus on my Republic characters this time. The actual guild threads seem to be dead, though.

Is anyone in a GB filled republic guild on any of the PVE servers? I love playing with the community here in the games I play (wish I could find one for TSW), and would want to do so in TOR.