Smuggler Storyline Big Disappointment

[Deleted]

Throughout the SWTOR beta I played a Smuggler and leveled him up to 20 which meant that I was just done with Coruscant at the time. And back then, I was really disappointed with the story. So when the game launched I didn't think of starting a Smuggler right away, played a Trooper and was incredibly surprised by how good that was over the Smuggler that I played. But, yesterday, I decided I wanted to try out the Smuggler storyline again and rushed my way through multiple planets and just got to ask;

Will Smuggler ever stop feeling like the galaxy's errand boy?

My Smuggler now is level 17, which is really low I know, but the catch is that I rushed through Coruscant and had a friend help me straight away through Taris, Nar Shaddaa the mission you get before Tatooine and a little bit of the early bits of Tatooine.. before I just gave up. If I am not mistaken this is around level 26 or so that you should normally be at. I know with my Trooper at this point I was around level 28.

And so far I just feel like.. the intergalactic repairman.

Nothing that I have done so far feels at all like it matters or has any significance of any form. I can honestly say that I think this is the worse thing BioWare has ever written so far, I love BioWare writing and story but this just feels.. all kinds of bad. Taris especially felt like they were deliberately dragging the story out. "Hey, go make some deliveries! Hey, scavengers stole my stuff!"

You went from one guy to another, all the while doing nothing more but helping them recover some items and delivering some items only to find out that the next guy has also lost his stuff and needs help getting it. And it's not like they were stolen by Imperials or people that matter in anyway. Just random "Pirates".

To make some story comparisons with Jedi Knights and Troopers (I can't talk for Consulars)

At the point where you're about to fight Watcher One, a pretty major character in everything that follows in Chapter 1 for the Jedi Knight, you were basically sifting through the pirates' trash and then run into some completely random fellow who you never met, won't have any story significance afterwards and then you move on only to never think about it again. They honestly may as well have called that guy.. "Random NPC". Or rather, not name him at all kill him and move along. That's essentially what happens.

On Nar Shaddaa when, as a Trooper, you're stopping a renegade super droid that has pretty much been kicking everyone's butt you, as a Smuggler, are doing trivial tasks for a Hutt to get his favourite pet back. Which doesn't lead up into some sinister Imperial plot or anything, it instead leads into PETA.. err.. Eco-terrorists (Don't think they even bothered giving this organization a proper name did they?) who stole the pet for... well... the sake of not giving it to the Hutt. Sure it ends up she's kidnapped by some random scientist and he's doing some experiments, but there's no reason for your Smuggler to care or be bothered at all at that point. You're there for the pet, the scientist is doing some weird experiments.. wooh, alright moving on never to return to the subject again. Oh, you do get a Wookie companion there of course.. because we'd like a Wookie I guess. I did find it quite curious how he always made an entrance when you happened to talk to the Hutt.. but alright, the conclusion there fighting the Hutt's pet with the Wookie did make some sense.

The interlude between Nar Shadda and Tatooine for the Smuggler exists of "Ex-girlfriend from Skavak - why do we really bother chasing this guy the whole time again? - decided she wants to kill you to get his love back." it was kind of funny, sure, but it had no significance for the story in anyway.
In contrast to the Trooper you're infiltrating a ship - of a really important fellow in the Trooper storyline who you'll run in during Chapter 1 all the time - which turns out "ITS A TRAP" and end up facing off against the Empire's Fantastic Four.

So then I saw a bit of Tatooine and.. I can already foresee a lot of trivial tasks in my Smuggler's future.
I know this is supposed to lead up to something.. but even the major goal, stealing this old and famous criminal's treasure, seems really small and insignificant in contrast to what you're doing on.. about every other class. If this is just for fame and credits.. well I made way, way more fame during all the other missions on my Trooper.

I know story is a very subjective matter, but I just can't help but feeling this is really poorly written, drawn out and incredibly impersonal leaving me to think "Why?" most of the time as I see other classes do some amazing stuff with big consequences in the meanwhile.

Lastly, I am not expecting major Sith stories to occur or giant epic battles to happen as I stop yet another superweapon on my Smuggler (Seriously, the Empire has these things lying around everywhere don't they? ) but I was at least expecting something other than "Run to the end of this map to get my pet" or "There's this group of pirates, I'd like four of my items hidden in chests there.. or else I won't help you, period"

So do you ever stop being an unimportant, insignificant errand boy or does the story take a completely radical turn somewhere? (Perhaps after Chapter 1? Which means a really.. really dull Chapter 1 but that aside) Because at this point, even if you're a big Han Solo fan or like the idea of smuggling, I can't see how anyone can honestly want to play this over any other class quest. Which is a shame, as I do like the class a lot from a gameplay perspective.

[jmann]

From what i have heard Smugglers story is one of the best.

[Deleted]

Maybe being a roguish smuggler isnt your thing.

[Deleted]

The story isn't that bad, I'm playing with a mate whos smuggler so I get to follow 2 storylines all the time. And it I know it's different...but not bad.

[Deleted]

Maybe being a roguish smuggler isnt your thing.

But it doesn't feel like a roguish smuggler. It just feels like an errand-boy. That's the thing, nothing of what you do feels roguish or like you're actually doing anything in the form of smuggling. The side quests I am doing felt like of higher quality than the Smuggler class quest, and they have pretty much the same goal - with often way more importance behind it.

[Deleted]

But it doesn't feel like a roguish smuggler. It just feels like an errand-boy. That's the thing, nothing of what you do feels roguish or like you're actually doing anything in the form of smuggling. The side quests I am doing felt like of higher quality than the Smuggler class quest, and they have pretty much the same goal - with often way more importance behind it.

Well maybe because you are too low level to do the epic stuff

[Deleted]

Well maybe because you are too low level to do the epic stuff

Hopefully, but on any of the other classes I didn't seem "too low level to do the epic stuff" at all. I am over halfway of Chapter 1 on my Smuggler, at this point my Trooper had done some pretty amazing things.

[Deleted]

I played the smuggler on beta and yes, in the first chapter of the story you basicly ARE an errand boy since you have a bunch of crap in your cargo hold and you are trying to get it to the people who want it. In return you are getting closer and closer to being able to find a "huge" treasure from a dead pirate which will make you rediculously rich.

Personally I found the story to be pretty good and fits with the idea of a smuggler perfectly since smugglers ,as a general rule, aren't doing things to make the world a better place but are in it for the credits.

[Nynax]

i think its funny that only Imral, out of all the other posters, seems to have leveled a smuggler beyond you. :P guess everyone is playing something else.

[Deleted]

i think its funny that only Imral, out of all the other posters, seems to have leveled a smuggler beyond you. :P guess everyone is playing something else.

Haha, that's forums for you.

[Bluehairedgamer]

Smugglers ,as a general rule, aren't doing things to make the world a better place but are in it for the credits.

This...right here. Sure, a smuggler can care about the republic but what's in it for them? This has been my ongoing theme as I levelled my smuggler during beta, only to the point of getting my ship so as not to spoil things for myself and its very much the theme for my smuggler now. Sure, I'll help, but let's talk payment first.

If you want to do something epic and save the republic, you should have enlisted. (play a trooper)

[smartguy16]

I must ask, what kind of smuggler are you playing?

[Thornstar]

I enjoyed the Smuggler class. It fits as others have said to the idea of the class very well. They are nothing else if not greedy, some to the point of not caring about anything regardless of how many extra credits it will get them.

[Bluehairedgamer]

I'm playing a gunslinger.

[smartguy16]

No no I mean Light side/ dark side I find the dark side options to generally be more fun. Corso can go screw himself if I want to shoot a woman who betrayed me then I am doing it.

[Bluehairedgamer]

Ohh...yeah, generally I go light side but I make a fair amount of dark choices that Corso whines about. I just bribe him with presents later to shut him up. I almost always ask for money to do something and he hates that but a girl has to make a living somehow. I send him off at the right times too so I can flirt in peace.

[smartguy16]

Oh I just looked in your spoiler.
Skavak - why do we really bother chasing this guy the whole time again?
If you don't want to get some sort of revenge against guy, no, scratch that, if you don't want to KILL this guy, then the smuggler isn't for you.
(Story-wise)

[Yuanrang]

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but if the Smuggler job description pretty much involves transporting goods illegally from point A to point B, that does make you into an errand boy.

Okay, I get that having 100% of a storyline as an errand boy would be boring, but I highly doubt it is and quite honestly, what did you expect?

It's like rolling a Trooper and being annoyed because you're in the republic military. o_O

[Shadylol]

Beats the Sith Ghostbuster story

[Smitzelplix]

I'm really liking the smuggler storyline so far even despite the fact that I'm basically the errand boy and I've just gotten to Tatooine myself. I like the whole aspect that for the most part your just in this for yourself, it's like you're on your own adventure while the battle between the Republic and Empire is more of a side thing. I also like how it's not all serious business as a smuggler, like some of the things you mentioned in your spoilers that you thought were not good, I found enjoyable and a bit funny especially some of the smart ass responses I can give are priceless.