Which SWTOR Class Has The Worst Companions?

Star Wars: The Old Republic is an online MMO RPG game that allows players to step back from the Skywalker saga and play in the sandbox that is the Old Republic. Taking place over three thousand years prior to The Phantom Menace, there is a war raging between the Republic and the Sith Empire and you have eight different class stories to play. You can customize your character, make “light side” or “dark side” decisions, and can either play a heroic Jedi Knight, an evil Sith Inquisitor, a bounty hunter, a spy, or even a Republic Trooper.

Launching in 2011, it has eight class stories, with each story having three long chapters in it, and several expansions. The story is still going in current day and depending on all the sidequests you do, you can take forever to complete one origin story. I’ve started playing within the last six months and have completed three out of the 8 origin stories, but only with one have I actually knocked out the expansions. I really love this game, even though I have to say I’m not loving the recent character modernization changes they made on December 10th of this year. Fellow players, we want a toggle, right?

However, this isn’t about that. While I’ve only completed three origin stories, I’ve made a character for each class story because…that’s just how I am. And I’m in the second and even third chapter for quite a few of them. So, I pretty much have met all the companions for each character. For those who don’t know, each character gets five companions who join your crew throughout the game. They range from the most loyal to the most ridiculous and while, for the most part; I love them all, there is one class where I feel got the short end of the stick. The worst companions.

The Worst Companions

On top of having one of the weakest stories and some of the flatest line delivery, the Jedi Consular has, in my opinion; the worst companion set. When I first started playing SWTOR, I had made a Jedi Consular character, but upon finding out that Lord Scourge was the Jedi Knight’s companion and not the Jedi Consular, I quickly switched. What can I say? I had just read the Revan book and wanted more Scourge. Anyway, I eventually remade the Consular character and am up to chapter three now. I’m not impressed. Let’s quickly go through this.

I already find the Jedi Consular to be incredibly monotone and the story itself is not nearly as exciting as the Jedi Knight. As the Consular, your first companion is a Transdoshian by the name of Qyzen Fess. This already is an odd choice, as Jedi are all about the Light Side of the Force and as a Consular, it feels like you really need to play this character Light Side. Transdoshians’ culture centers around hunting others and killing them to appease their deity. Qyzen himself isn’t terrible and having opposing companions can make for an interesting back and forth, like with the Imperial Agent and Kaliyo.

But, Tharan Cedrax was the biggest letdown for me. The Sith Warrior was and is still the first character I’ve played all the way through to the last expansion, where you actually meet Tharan briefly. So, initially, I thought it was cool for the Consular to get him as a companion. I thought Tharan would be another Doc and I’ll get to why [later] I think Doc is actually a great companion/romance option for the Jedi Knight. Unlike Doc, who while flirtatious, wants to ultimately help others and save the Republic; Tharan comes off as a coward. Not only that, he’s initially shown as a flirt as well, so you think you’ll have a similar dynamic with him that the Knight has with Doc. Nope. After an incredibly brief one-night stand, Tharan breaks it off with your character to be faithful to his…hologram. He has a sentient hologram of a woman named Holiday. After that, I was just annoyed with his character and a little creeped out?

The rest of the companions are lackluster. Nadia, Zenith, and Felix are just…okay. Nothing stands out with them and the romance with Felix feels thrown in there. Unlike other companion romances that start off as either the first or second companion, Felix comes in late in the game, and it’s just disappointing. I love companion interactions with my character and their little side-conversations are some of the best parts of the game. It’s why it’s so hard for me to go back to the Consular.

The Best Companions

Even though this op-ed is focusing heavily on the worst companions, I did want to briefly share who I think has the best companions. It’s the Sith Warrior. Without a doubt, the Sith Warrior. Vette is your first companion and she’s the best companion in the game. Fun, quirky, and with a rich backstory that feels satisfying to play out, I love Vette. I play my Sith Warrior as a [mostly] Light-Side Female, so you almost have a sisterly bond with Vette, which is so funny and ironic considering you are a Sith. Even she points it out.

Lieutenant Pierce is the most loyal, rocking and rolling kind of guy that it’s incredibly fun bringing him into the fold. I do wish your character could have a longer-lasting romance with him, but it’s still cool to see him unwaveringly loyal to your character, even in the expansions. While Jaesa and Broommark are a little lackluster (though if you’re a Dark Side Male character, you can have a fun romance with Jaesa), Vette, Pierce, and Malavai Quinn make up for it. Malavai adds a rich, twisted story that’s full of loyalty, possible romance, and betrayal. When I’m playing as the Sith Warrior, I really feel the effort and thought that were put into these companions.

Honorable Mentions

Theron Shan: Theron comes in on the expansions and he’s a great character. The son of Satele Shan, I love his romance with my Sith Warrior. He’s got charm, he’s a spy, and they put a lot of thought into his character.
Aric Jorgan: When Aric was first introduced in the Trooper’s story, he started by questioning your qualifications. However, he’s a no-nonsense soldier, who you can actually have some really funny interactions with. He especially shines in the expansions and yes, I have my female Trooper romance him haha it’s actually a really good bond!
Doc: I told you I’d get into this! Doc is flirty, charismatic, but he has a heart of gold. At the end of the day, all that bravado masks how much he cares and wants to help anyone he can. It’s what makes him so different than Tharan, because Doc even braves the final arc of the Jedi Knight’s story to go defeat the Emperor.
Lord Scourge: Scourge is a pureblood Sith and while he starts as an adversary, his common goal of defeating the Emperor puts him in alliance with your Jedi Knight. He adds a good back and forth for your character and if you make some Dark Side choices, you get some great dialogue. And yes, post expansions, you can romance him.
Corso Riggs: Corso gets some flack, but I think he’s sweet. He’s a good-natured farm boy with a great moral compass. If you’re a female Smuggler and flirt with others in front of him, it makes for some golden moments.
Khem Val: While the Sith Inquisitor isn’t my favorite, I think Khem Val is the perfect companion. A warrior who is fierce and has a connection to ancient Sith, I love how he starts off wanting to literally eat you, to becoming a very loyal companion.
Torian Cadera: While the Bounty Hunter class story is near the bottom of the totem pole for me, I like Torian. You get to meet him in the expansions, so getting him as a companion for the Bounty Hunter was cool.
Lana Beniko: Lana is one of my favorite characters I met in the expansions. She’s a Sith, but very much a pragmatic Sith. She’s the one who concludes that a partnership with Theron Shan is beneficial, despite Theron being part of the Republic. She’s calm, intelligent, but a friendship or even romance feels very natural very quickly.