Nearly a decade has passed since Star Wars: The Old Republic was released. SWTOR is the first MMO developed by BioWare and received praise on release for its stories, characters, and their execution in an MMO setting. Nearly ten years on, and much has changed in the game, with several expansion packs added. The game is now free-to-play, which makes it more accessible than ever.
SWTOR has eight class stories, letting you play as a variety of backgrounds from the Republic and Empire, light side or dark. Some are a little more interesting than others. This is how they all sort out.
Updated June 24th, 2021 by Shayna Josi: Star Wars: The Old Republic is always updating and improving, which means its more relevant than ever before. Not only is does SWTOR feature eight different class stories, but it also takes you across the galaxy to places like Ord Mantell and Corellia, which have become locations featured in other Star Wars media such as The Bad Batch. While SWTOR isn't considered canon, the variety in character classes and stories give players a different feel and understanding of each locale, and make the Star Wars experience all the richer.
8 (Worst) Republic Trooper
"That's the kind of friendly greeting that always comes before asking me to risk my life."
- Best companion: Jorgan
- Best romance: Elara
- Best subclass: Vanguard
- Best specialization: Plasmatech
The Republic Trooper doesn't have any glaring problems, which is just the problem. The story is fine and the characters are fine. The story just doesn't have any of the standout moments that the rest of the classes have, and so comes away lacking.
The story largely involves building an elite Republic squad, who then go on to do high-risk missions against the Empire. The premise has a lot of potential, but it does what it says on the packet, and nothing more. The standout character here is Elara Dorne, a defector from the Empire. Helping her through her defection and the struggles she faces as a former citizen of the Empire is the redeeming feature of the Republic Trooper class story.
7 (Best) Smuggler
"I don't know where you people get this 'I am the only one' thing. I'm just a guy with a ship."
- Best companion: Bowdaar
- Best romance: Risha
- Best subclass: Gunslinger
- Best specialization: Dirty Fighting
The Smuggler has some of the funniest content in SWTOR, and is the most lighthearted of the stories. Unlike the Bounty Hunter, the Smuggler's humor remains consistent, and the tone remains fun throughout the story.
The Smuggler is the closest you get to actually role-playing Han Solo in the games, and the romance for a male Smuggler is something straight out of The Empire Strikes Back. The characters are an interesting cast, and each arc delivers on the entertainment value. As a polar opposite to the Imperial Agent, this class is recommended if you're looking for a more laid-back story.
6 (Worst) Sith Inquisitor
"Everyone has weaknesses, but especially Jedi."
- Best companion: Khem Val
- Best romance: Adronikos
- Best subclass: Sorcerer
- Best specialization: Lightning
The Sith Inquisitor starts strong with an interesting plot with Force Ghosts and a famous ancestor who has your back. Unfortunately, each act gets progressively weaker, and even the implications of its endgame can't salvage the lukewarm third act. Decisions your character makes blow up in their face and leave you feeling foolish and silly, and you can't help but feel like the story could have gone in so many other, better, directions.
The Force abilities you get as an Inquisitor are incredibly powerful though, and by the end of the game, you do feel like a master of the dark side.
5 (Best) Sith Warrior
"If I had a credit for every time someone I'm about to kill predicted my doom..."
- Best companion: Jaesa
- Best romance: Vette
- Best subclass: Marauder
- Best specialization: Annihilation
The Sith Warrior storyline promises to be the ultimate dark side power fantasy and it delivers on it all. Each act delivers a punch, complete with unexpected twists and turns. Not only is the story compelling, but the dialogue is hilarious in places. The Sith Warrior is a fantastic character who delivers his lines with brilliant deadpan wit.
The Sith Warrior gets points for being a fun protagonist with some great companions. The story is everything you could want from a Sith Lord character, and the closest we have to actually role-playing Darth Vader.
4 (Worst) Jedi Consular
"And I thought being a Jedi Master would get me into all the best shrines."
- Best companion: Nadia Grell
- Best romance: Lieutenant Iresso
- Best subclass: Sage
- Best specialization: Telekinetics
While not necessarily "bad", the Jedi Consular storyline has a different take on the Jedi story. While the Jedi Knight story is true to the Star Wars hero's journey, the Jedi Consular has a more subdued story.
The Jedi Consular story has the opposite problem to the Sith Inquisitor's in that it starts slow and gets better as it goes on. The third and final arc of the game is by far the best part of the story, with a personal and shocking plot twist. The characters and companions are interesting and colorful, but the Jedi Consular character is unfortunately pretty bland and overly serious.
While a taciturn Consular makes sense given their responsibilities, it makes for dull roleplaying. The slow start and monotone protagonist drags down the rest of this interesting storyline.
3 (Best) Jedi Knight
"Typical Jedi. Slaughter a room full of men and then apologize for it."
- Best companion: Lord Scourge
- Best romance: Kira
- Best subclass: Sentinel
- Best specialization: Watchman
The Jedi Knight storyline is the closest to the classic Star Wars experience. You take on the role of a talented young Jedi Knight who quickly rises through the ranks to take on the Emperor and fulfill a prophesy centuries in the making. You're joined by a plucky and adorable astromech droid, train a witty padawan, and are joined by a most unexpected ally.
The Jedi Knight storyline may be criticized for being too vanilla and relies on the controversial Revan novel a bit too much. The game assumes you've read the book, and parts of the storyline will be confusing if you haven't. Otherwise, the Jedi Knight storyline is a fun adventure and has everything which made A New Hope great.
2 (Worst) Bounty Hunter
"I would know who you are and how you came to be in my face."
- Best companion: Mako
- Best romance: Torian
- Best subclass: Powertech
- Best specialization: Pyrotech
The Bounty Hunter has all the ingredients to make for a fantastic story. Thanks to The Mandalorian, bounty hunters in Star Wars are more popular than ever. Add in the importance of the Mandalorians in this arc, and we should have a winner.
Unfortunately, while the Bounty Hunter storyline does have its moments, much of the story is lackluster and misses out on the charm and funny moments which made the Smuggler storyline so endearing. While it's not bad by any means, the Bounty Hunter storyline doesn't quite live up to the expectations.
1 (Best) Imperial Agent
"Listen for screams."
- Best companion: Vector
- Best romance: Vector
- Best subclass: Sniper
- Best specialization: Virulence
The Imperial Agent wins the top spot. You take on the role of a newbie in Imperial Intelligence, the secretive spy branch of the Empire. Using your skills, you quickly rise through the ranks and become Cipher 9. Your past, present, and future are erased. You do not exist.
The Imperial Agent storyline has all the trappings of a classic spy story. You unravel conspiracies, go undercover in enemy territory and unearth a secret organization that's been controlling the course of galactic politics for hundreds of years. The main antagonist is a mirror image of yourself.
You engage in a cat-and-mouse game with this enemy and, through it, begin calling into question your identity, loyalty, and place in the galaxy. Your companions are an interesting bunch, and the romance option for the female Imperial Agent is one of the best in the game.