SWTOR: So you want to play a Jedi Consular
Peace. Serenity. Harmony. These are some of the touchstones of the Jedi order, and they are the values that the Consular embodies. Where the Jedi Knight is meant to be the military and defensive might of the Jedi Order, the Consular is instead a teacher, a defender, and a scholar of the mysteries of the Force. If a Knight can be seen as a paladin, then the Consular is the gentle monk, teaching others and seeking out new mysteries for spiritual purposes.
Of course, the war against the Sith Empire means that there is no opportunity for these scholars to remain passive, but the Jedi Consular does not act with rash and overt motion. Instead, Consulars remain subtle, either slipping through the shadows or calling upon the raw might of the Force. In battle, they may specialize in a variety of roles, but all Consulars take a more cerebral approach. For them, the war is not their truest focus -- what matters is learning and understanding. This war will end, and afterwards, the Consular will teach those who remain what has been forgotten in the ravages of battle.
Starting out
When you begin your career as a Consular on Tython, you are not flung into an urgent battle -- no, the Consular will always take the slow and patient approach. Your priority, rather, is to recover a handful of ancient holocrons recorded by the founders of the Jedi Order before attending to your new trainer, Master Yuon Par. It's only when you start recovering these holocrons that you find one of them to be missing. Worse yet, it's the recording of the Jedi Master Rajivari, a founder whose philosophies stood far from what the Order has come to symbolize. The loss is more than a coincidence...
As you seek the truth behind the lost holocron and the further mysteries that await, you'll no doubt need to make good use of the Force to stay alive. Appropriately enough, the central resource of Jedi Consulars is Force, which starts out full and depletes as you use abilities. While it slowly replenishes, the replenishment is slow, meaning that going in with everything you have will leave you almost unable to act for want of Force. Play as a Consular, moving slowly and steadily and husbanding your resources as necessary.
Advanced roles
At level 10, you'll have no doubt discovered that solving one mystery simply leads to another mystery. You'll also have discovered that you can pick between the Jedi Sage and the Jedi Shadow as your advanced class. There's no going back once you make the choice, but fortunately both will offer you numerous enlightening abilities.
A Jedi Sage is truly one with the Force, eschewing material concerns to deepen his or her connection to metaphysical abilities. A sage may choose to specialize in mending the wounds of others and defending them from harm, or choose instead to focus on telekinetic abilities to destroy those who would threaten the Order and the Republic. Whether healing or attacking, the Sage is gifted with ample power if precious little physical strength.
Meanwhile, a Jedi Shadow acts as the eyes of the Council and a seeker of hidden truths. Cloaking herself in the Force and wielding a double-bladed lightsaber, a Shadow may take to the front lines to defend her allies with artful motions or simply move, observe, and strike from hidden vantages. If you wish to use your powers in conjunction with an elegant yet complicated lightsaber, then perhaps the Shadow speaks to you.
Final thoughts
Even though the Consular is probably the least iconic class in the game, in its own way it feels the most natural. The Jedi are a peaceful order, dedicated to learning and protecting others, and the Consular is the purest expression of that. Even the story is more reserved than others, giving you a chance to uncover mysteries that have more to do with the nature of the galaxy than an arbitrary war.
Be calm. Be contemplative. And above all else, remember that your quest is not simply for information -- it's for answers, sometimes to questions that may not have easy answers. Not every problem is solved with bolts of energy and saber theatrics, after all.
More resources
Star Wars: The Old Republic is finally here, and the Force is with Massively! We've prepared a Hutt-sized feast of class introductions, gameplay guides, lore roundups, and hands-on previews to help you navigate the launch period and beyond. And don't forget our weekly SWTOR column, the Hyperspace Beacon!
