Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is a beloved classic in the pantheon of both Star Wars video games and Bioware games. It recently received a re-release on the Nintendo Switch and has a remake on the horizon. It's ranked amongst many a gamer's favorite RPGs and captivates players both new and old to this day.
KOTOR can be a challenging RPG for people who aren't familiar with it. The combat runs on a system inspired by Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Edition, and the stats, perks, and feats can leave new players a little lost when building their character. Choosing the right weapon can be the difference between life and death throughout the game, but especially in the early game on Taris. Thankfully, there are ideal weapon choices to be made that can save Revan in the opening hours of Knights of the Old Republic.
5 Grab Zaalbar's Bowcaster In The Undercity
Zaalbar is the reliable Wookiee partner and friend to the young Twi'lek Mission Vau. Revan and Carth Onasi encounter them in the Undercity on Taris. This area is crawling with Rakghouls, the unfortunately infected denizens of the Undercity who have mutated into flesh-eating beasts.
Prior to Mission meeting Revan and Carth, Zaalbar was captured by Gammorean slavers and taken to the Undercity sewers. Now, the trio has to go save Zaalbar. Revan and their cadre can recover Zaalbar's equipment in a weapons locker, including his Wookiee Bowcaster, after saving him. This weapon can prove invaluable early on.
Like most of the best weapons in Knights of the Old Republic, Zaalbar's Bowcaster is upgradeable. Here are some of the stats for this blaster rifle:
- Damage: Energy 1-10 (1d10)
- Range: 28 meters
- Critical Threat: 19-20 x2
- Attack Modifier: +1
4 The Arkanian Heavy Pistol Is Great For Carth
Like Zaalbar's Bowcaster, the Arkanian Heavy Pistol can be found in the Undercity on Taris among the Outcasts, a society of people who were exiled to live in squalor for their crimes or for the crimes of an ancestor. This weapon is actually sold by Igear, an Outcast merchant. Igear himself wants the Outcasts to continue living in poverty, as it benefits his personal business as an arms dealer.
Igear sells the pistol for 750 Republic Credits. It's a particularly good weapon for Carth Onasi, who can use it paired with his own personal blaster pistol to keep the Sith at bay from a distance. The stats of the Arkanian Heavy Pistol are as follows:
- Damage: Energy 1-9 (1d8 +1)
- Range: 23 meters
- Critical Threat: 20-20 x2
- Attack Modifier: +1
3 Bendak's Blaster Is Hard To Get But Worth The Effort
Bendak's Blaster is the signature weapon of the Mandalorian warrior known as Bendak Starkiller. He is a legend in the Dueling Ring on Taris, but he quit when a law was passed that forced the duels to be nonlethal. Bendak no longer saw any sport in participating in the duels without the thrill of risking death.
However, Revan can still challenge Bendak to a duel if they beat all the other duelists on Taris (Deadeye Duncan, Gerlon Two-Fingers, Ice, Marl, and Twitch). Bendak will then take interest in dueling Revan, under the condition that it is a lethal duel — thus, Revan's win means Bendak's death. Afterwards, Arjuur the Hutt, who has a bounty on Bendak's head, will reward Revan with Bendak's Blaster and 700 Republic Credits (more if the player can persuade him).
The stats on this upgradeable blaster pistol are:
- Damage: Energy 1-7 (1d6 +1)
- Range: 23 meters
- Critical Threat: 20-20 x2
- Attack Modifier: +1
2 The Prototype Vibroblade Is More Than Worth It
The Prototype Vibroblade is actually a weapon that Revan can snag before even arriving on Taris. It can be found on the Republic ship, the Endar Spire. Revan has to grab this before using the escape pod with Carth, or else it will be lost to them forever. To get the Prototype Vibroblade, the player will need to loot the body of the red-armored Sith Heavy Trooper on the Endar Spire.
This is another weapon that can be upgraded at workbenches, making it a particularly strong tool for surviving the threats on Taris. However, it loses much of its usefulness once moving on to bigger and badder enemies. Here are the stats on the Prototype Vibroblade:
- Damage: Physical (Piercing) 1-10 (1d10)
- Critical Threat: 19-20 x2
- Damage Bonus: +1 Physical (Slashing)
- Balanced: +2/+0 vs. two-handed penalty when used in the off-hand
1 The Enchani Ritual Brand Is An Ideal Melee Weapon For Revan
Revan can obtain the Enchani Ritual Blade almost immediately upon arriving on Taris. It can be purchased across from the apartment complex in which Revan awakens after their escape pod crashed in the Upper City. Buy it from from Kebla Yurt's Equipment Emporium for 280 Republic Credits.
The Ritual Brand can carry Revan and their compatriots through many of the threats on Taris. What's more, it can give the player some experience with double-bladed weapons in case they want their Revan to have a double-bladed lightsaber later in the game. Here are the stats on the Enchani Ritual Brand:
- Damage: Physical (Slashing) 3-13 (2d6 +1)
- Critical Threat: 20-20 x2
- Attack Modifier: +1
- Balanced: +2/+0 vs. two-weapon penalty