Players who caught the 7.5 Developer Stream or hopped onto the Public Test Server (PTS) recently were able to get a first glimpse into the Basilisk Protype Venture and meet B3-S1.
First, what is a Venture?
Ventures are a new system we’re introducing to Star Wars: The Old Republic. To break a Venture down to its basics, players who participate in this new system will complete a relatively long series of tasks to receive a unique reward. Ventures are designed with the solo player in mind, so while grouping up may speed up the process, or make Heroic Missions easier, everything can be accomplished without needing to coordinate with other players. In this first Venture, players embark on an effort to restore functionality to B3-S1, the Basilisk Prototype that Lane has been working on, eventually unlocking her as a full-fledged companion.
How can players start the Venture?
In order to be eligible for this Venture, players must have the following:
- Active Subscription
- A character that is level 80
- The ability to travel to Ruhnuk
- Completed the mission “A Few Modifications” from Lane Vizla’s storyline in Kessan’s Landing
Once eligible, players can continue Lane’s storyline as they unlock the Venture and begin on their journey. Lane will contact the player via holocall stating that there has been a breakthrough with her research and ask the player to come to Ruhnuk. Lane has relocated to a new lab on Ruhnuk, conducting research and experimentation to bring the prototype back online. Though she’s managed to get the droid stabilized for brief periods, she now needs the player’s assistance to gather combat data and fully rehabilitate the droid. Once players meet with Lane in her new lab, the Venture tab will be unlocked and viewable from the Achievement Window (press Y to open this window).
After clicking the “Grant Mission'' button, players will be sent to speak with Lane in her new lab on Ruhnuk. After a brief introduction to B3-S1, the window will be updated to show B3-S1’s training progress.
How to train B3-S1
While players can group up together to speed up the process of training B3-S1, this Venture can be completed entirely as a solo player. To begin, players will need to take B3-S1 out on limited-time training missions. Since the droid is still quite unstable at the beginning of the Venture, it will take some time and effort until she becomes a full companion. At the outset, B3-S1 will only have one combat ability per role available–as you continue the Venture, you will bring her combat capabilities back online and upgrade them over time. To this end, you’ll need to complete training missions with her in each of her combat roles: Tank, Healer, and DPS.
When you begin training, you’ll start in Lane’s Lab by giving B3-S1 a Memory Chip that allows her to become stable for one hour. One Memory Chip is available in the lab each day, but they can be found while collecting data on B3-S1 as well.
Training Module items will grant a mission that directs you to a specific Daily Area, where you’ll need to complete missions alongside B3-S1 to receive credit. Note that she will need to be in the correct role in order to get credit for training! Using a Training Module will automatically set B3-S1 to the correct role. Players will receive two random training modules each time they stabilize B3-S1, but more can be found in the data they collect, or purchased from the HK-24 Astromech droid in Lane’s Lab.
While out with B3-S1, keep an eye on the following:
- B3-S1 can’t be out all day, so make sure to watch her availability timer, which can be seen both near the companion’s portrait and on the companion screen.
- B3-S1 MUST be the summoned companion when completing training missions. If she is not, no progress will be made.
- Make sure she is in the correct role while completing missions. Using the training item will automatically set the correct role for B3-S1.
Some important things to note:
- Other characters within your Legacy can help progress B3-S1’s training via the training missions at any time, but only one character per Legacy will be able to complete Lane’s story arc.
- Players cannot grant themselves these training missions unless they have B3-S1 as their active companion
- Only one training mission can be active at a time.
- Abandoning a Training Mission does not “refund” the training item.
- Training missions are daily missions, so they are subject to the same reset timer as all other daily missions.
Once the requisite number of missions are complete, return to the lab, deliver the collected data to Lane, and let B3-S1 get some rest! Don’t worry, you can always take B3-S1 out for more training as long as you have a Memory Chip to stabilize her. As training progresses, B3-S1’s physical appearance will change indicating that she is becoming stronger.
Heroics as Bonus Missions
Each Training Mission can also grant a bonus mission to complete a Heroic Mission in the designated area. Upon completion, players will be awarded extra rewards for their efforts. Heroics will count toward training progress making them the most efficient route to take. However, it will be a challenge as B3-S1 is still a pup in training. We encourage players to group up and help each other out if they choose to tackle Heroics, especially early on in the Venture.
What does progression look like?
Each node on the Venture track is a small checklist of things to accomplish. Completing a node will unlock the next set of tasks, and offer some small Basilisk-specific rewards to continue their progress. Throughout the Venture, players will also experience story moments with Lane Vizla and her HK-Astromech assistant as they help upgrade B3-S1's systems. Once players reach the end, the final mission to pick up their fully repaired Basilisk Prototype will become available! From that moment on, B3-S1 will forever be a loyal companion by their side.
We’re very excited to introduce this system to SWTOR and look forward to building upon it for future Ventures to come.
FAQ
Do I need to complete the Ruhnuk storyline first in order to start Lane’s missions?
- No longer! Beginning with 7.5, players Lane’s introductory mission “Showdown’s Wake” will now trigger once a player reaches level 80 and has traveled to Ruhnuk. If a player has already completed the introductory missions, the trigger will grant “Eyes on the Prize”, the second set of missions instead.
How will the story missions work with all of my characters?
- As the Venture is based on the Achievement system, only one character per Legacy at a time can play Lane Vizla’s story missions with B3-S1. Other characters within your Legacy, however, can help progress B3-S1’s training at any time, but only one character per Legacy will be able to complete Lane’s story arc.
Can my other characters get B3-S1?
- Yup! B3-S1 will be added to your Collection once the Venture is complete.
Will B3-S1 be in Collections?
- Yes! B3-S1 and her customizations will both be in your Collection once they have been unlocked.
How does raising B3-S1’s influence work?
- Once B3-S1 is a companion, her influence will begin at level 1 and can be increased through gifts and compendiums just like other companions.
Can B3-S1 be used for Crew Skills?
- She is a non crew-skill companion as she doesn’t have any thumbs!
Once unlocked, can I augment her weapons and armor stats?
- No, there are no weapon or armor slots, just customization.
Is there anything else I can get after unlocking B3-S1 completely?
- Once you’ve fully repaired your Basilisk Prototype, you can still continue progress in the Venture! Truly dedicated B3-S1 fans can continue to collect data for Lane, and unlock a unique companion customization to show off on Fleet, or wherever your travels take you!
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