[2021] Jedi Guardian on the PTS!

Hello everyone!

Welcome to our first phase of PTS featuring the Jedi Guardian Combat Style. In case you missed it, we go through a bit of the philosophy behind the updates we’re making to Combat Styles in this article.

There are two main goals we are aiming to achieve: Streamlining ability sets in order to enable more player choice and maintaining the unique identity of the class. We know players will be thinking about the reduced quantity of abilities and what that looks like, so here is an in-depth look into how the Jedi Guardian Combat Style is impacted by player choices.


Spoiler The way combat styles will work is that every few levels, players will have one of the following occur:

• Receive a new ability
• Choose from 1 of 3 abilities
• Choose from 1 of 3 passives
• Choose from 1 of 3 passives or abilities

This allows us to streamline each class while ultimately retaining its original identity. Even though streamlining each combat style ultimately means paring down the overall quantity of abilities that every playstyle shares, our goal is that players will still be able to choose their favorite abilities and make more meaningful decisions around how they want to play and fulfill their gameplay fantasy.

Let’s walk through what the Focus Jedi Guardian’s paths and choices look like today. Remember that this is all very initial and we expect this will change a lot between now and launch based on your feedback (so please share your thoughts). When choosing your Discipline you will get the option to select one of two defaulted sets of choices. "A" focuses on more offensive abilities while "B" will lean more on defense. Review the info below to see exactly which skills and passives you will receive based on your selection.

*Levels tied to ability grants in PTS are not set in stone and subject to change*
*The A and B markers indicate the two ability path options that are chosen for this phase of PTS. *

~Levels 1-5 - These are not Discipline specific

• Strike (1)
• Slash (1)
• Force Leap (1)
• Blade Storm (4)
• Blade Barrage (5)

~Level 10 - Gain Ability

• Focused Burst - Single target burst damage ability.

~Level 15 - Choose one ability or passive

• [B] Blade Burst - Blade Storm becomes AoE and slows.
• Saber Throw - Gain the Saber Throw Ability.
• [A] Energy Barrage - Adds Energy Damage to Blade Barrage and it now immobilizes the target.

~Level 20 - Choose one passive (applies to Focused Burst)

• [A] Zenith - Increases critical chance after using Focused Burst
• [B] Focusing Strike - Focused Burst deals 15% more damage.
• Unstable Focus - Focused Burst now hits in AoE.

~Level 25 - Gain Ability

• Zealous Leap - A short ranged leap with high damage.

~Level 30 - Choose one passive (applies to Zealous Leap)

• [A] Zealous Discovery - Reduce the CD of Combat Focus every time you activate Zealous Leap.
• [B] Zealous Defense - Receive a small shield every time Zealous Leap hits a target.
• Zealous Annihilation - Zealous Leap now also hits in AoE.

~Level 35 - Choose one ability or passive

• [A] Focused Mediation - Dealing damage with Force Energy generates AP.
• Awe - Gain the Awe Ability.
• [B] Critical Conditions - Critical hits with Force Energy reduce the Cooldown of Combat Focus.

~Level 40 - Gain Ability

• Force Exhaustion - Slow the target and apply a high damage DoT.

~Level 45

• New ability granted but there is no choice to be made and it is not discipline specific

~Level 50 - Choose one passive

• [A] Battlefield Command - Taking damage reduces the Cooldown of Force Leap.
• [B] Path Carver- Increases AoE damage done.
• Defiance - Build AP whenever you are stunned.

~Level 55 - Gain Ability

• Concentrated Slice - A strong single-target weapon attack.

~Level 60 - Choose one passive

• Second Wind - Lowers the cooldown of Unleash. Unleash now also heals you.
• [A] Preparation - Leaving combat now reduces the remaining cooldown on some skills.
• [B] Narrowed Focus - Taking AoE damage now generates AP.

~Level 65

• New ability granted but there is no choice to be made and it is not discipline specific

~Level 70 - Choose one Ability

• [B] Saber Reflect
• [A] Blade Blitz
• Enure

~Level 75

• New ability granted but there is no choice to be made and it is not discipline specific

~Level 80 - Choose a passive

• [A/B] War Master - Force Leap grants immunity to movement impairing effects and grants Dispatch.
• Purifying Sweep - Sweep now applies debuffs.
• Through Peace - Reduces Enure’s Cooldown.

Should you choose the Defense or Vigilance Guardian, the ability paths are as follows:

Defense A

• Blade Burst - Blade Storm becomes AoE and slows.
• Antagonizing Assault - Increases damage and critical hit chance of Aegis Assault and increases threat generated.
• Critical Slash - Guardian Slash’s critical hit chance is increased and its cooldown is reduced for each enemy you critically hit.
• Critical Defense - Critically hitting with an attack reduces the cooldown of your Combat Focus by 1 second. Combat Focus purges incapacitating and movement impairing effects.
• Defiance - Builds focus whenever you are stunned.
• Narrowed Focus - Taking AOE damage generates focus
• Saber Reflect
• Through Peace - Reduces Focused Defense’s Cooldown.

Defense B

• Kinetic Barrage - Blade Barrage deals additional kinetic force damage on each hit.
• Marked Assault - Warding Strike deals more damage to taunted targets.
• Guardian Focus - Guardian Slash grants protection to all allies in range for 10 seconds
• Marked Focus - Dealing damage to taunteds target generates 1 focus
• Trailblazer - Cyclone Slash deals 25% more damage.
• Preparation - Leaving combat now reduces the active cooldowns of Force Leap, Combat Focus and Saber Throw by 100%.Enure
• War Master - Force Leap grants immunity to movement impairing effects and grants Dispatch.

Vigilance A

• Burning Barrage - Blade Barrage deals additional burning damage on each hit.
• Cauterizing Brand - Increases initial damage of Plasma Brand and reduces its cooldown by 2 seconds.
• Burning Offense - Overhead Slash does additional direct burn damage on hit and its critical chance is increased
• Searing Meditation - Each time you deal damage with a direct burn attack, you generate 1 focus. Activating Combat Focus resets the cooldown of Blade Storm.
• Battlefield Command - Taking damage reduces the cooldown of Force Leap.
• Preparation - he active cooldowns of Force Leap, Combat Focus and Saber Throw by 100%
• Enure
• Through Peace - Reduces Focused Defense’s Cooldown.

Vigilance B

• Blade Burst - Blade Storm becomes AoE and slows.
• Branding Burst - Killing a target with direct burn damage while affected by Plasma Brand causes it to explode, hitting nearby targets
• Force Skewer - Increases the leap range of Overhead Slash and immobilizes target
• Critical Conditions - Critical hits with Force Energy attacks reduce the Cooldown of Combat Focus.
• Trailblazer - Cyclone Slash deals 25% more damage.
• Narrowed Focus - Taking AOE damage generates focus
• Blade Blitz
• Purifying Sweep - Force Sweep now sunders the targets they damage for 45 seconds.

This is where PTS comes in. As we announced on our livestream last week, what is available now on PTS is a first look into the upcoming changes of this class. We want to give you all first impressions into what customization will look like, but please keep in mind the following to set expectations for this round of PTS:

• This is super high level and not a deep dive (that will come later!).
• All three Disciplines will be available; however flexibility in ability choices will be heavily restricted for this first phase of testing.
• Each Discipline has two ability paths available and you can select one of the two options to get a taste for different playstyles
• Your character will be capped at level 75

There is a lot of info to read and process, so please take your time in familiarizing yourself with all the data provided and let us know your thoughts!

For Steam players, there will be a new prompt on our storefront page when PTS is available. Clicking the link there will start the process to getting the PTS installed!

For details on how to access PTS, please go here.
Jedi Guardian feedback can be provided here.

Hello everyone, PTS is now live. Please read all the stickied threads for all of the info surrounding this phase of PTS.

Thank you!

Hello Nether_Pantera,

Please read this thread on how to access this phase of PTS. Additionally, PTS is only available for the NA servers.

Hi Marqhill,

I've updated the original post with descriptions, so there's a little more clarity. I hope this is helpful for you and other players who had the same question/concern.

Hi everyone,

We're looking at a new patch for PTS that will include a high level look into Sentinel, and targeting next week to launch it. Should the timeline change, I will be sure to let you all know.

Details will be provided in similar fashion as to when the Jedi Guardian PTS was live once the patch is available.

Hello SWTOR Community,

PTS will be going down today to prepare for our next phase. We'll provide updates here and on our forums when PTS is back up next week.