Welcome, SWTOR players. In this guide, We've highlighted the top five mistakes that new players often make. These include improper gear and augmentations, playing with a zoomed-in view, issues with positioning and movement, neglecting to use all your abilities, and making poor target choices.

 

• Mistake 1: Being Undergeared / No Augments
• Mistake 2: Playing too Zoomed in
• Mistake 3: Bad Positioning & Movement
• Mistake 4: Not Using Cooldowns
• Mistake 5: Tunnelling/Bad Target Selection

 

↖ Mistake 1: Being Undergeared / No Augments

Before you even set foot in a war zone, it's crucial to ensure your character is geared up appropriately. Even experienced players can struggle without adequate gear, but it's especially important for PvP beginners. 

 

Aim for an item rating of at least 328-330 before diving into PvP. Equally crucial is augmenting your gear, which can provide a 10-20% boost to your stats. If you're unsure how to gear up efficiently, you can check out Quickly upgrade the level of the gear to 332 Guide.

 

↖ Mistake 2: Playing too Zoomed in

Playing in first-person view might seem immersive, but it can hinder your situational awareness. You won't spot enemy cooldowns, openings, or threats from behind. Set your camera distance to 100 and zoom out. It may take some getting used to, but it will significantly enhance your gameplay. 

Setting/Control	Recommendation
Graphics Settings	Full Screen Window mode for better performance. Adjust refresh rate, frame rate, and resolution. Experiment with other graphic settings (low). Turn off Shadows for improved performance. Monitor your frame rate (aim for 60+ FPS).
Camera Settings	Max Camera Distance: 100. Disable Global Camera Shake. Customize zoom controls (e.g., mouse wheel).
Sound Settings	Turn off in-game music. Increase sound volume for ability cues.
Nameplates	Nameplate on Self for health and resolve. Always display nameplates on enemy players. Show class symbols and guild names.
User Interface	Use Operation Frames for group coordination. Enable cooldown text display. Customize cooldown text styles.
Combat Logging	Toggle on all combat logging options.
Floating Text	Ensure all flight text is turned on.
Controls	Enable Focus Target Utilize screen space target cycling for efficient targeting.
Ability Action Queue	Experiment with setting it to 0.5 for improved APM and DPS.

 

↖ Mistake 3: Bad Positioning & Movement

Positioning and movement are pivotal in PvP. Ranged players often make the mistake of entering melee range, providing an easy opportunity for enemies to engage. Additionally, standing out in the open exposes you to enemy fire or even enemy pull abilities.

 

Instead, stay at range and make use of cover. For melee players, overextending by running too far from healers or tanks is a common mistake. Focus on protecting your healers and coordinating movements effectively.

 

↖ Mistake 4: Not Using Cooldowns

New players often forget to use their abilities in the heat of battle. Whether it's defensive cooldowns or offensive abilities, not using them can put you at a severe disadvantage. Don't hesitate to use your abilities; it's better to use them suboptimally than not at all. 

 

Pay attention to red numbers, and if you see a power Tech about to burst you, use defensive cooldowns like Energy Shield and Force Speed to survive. The same applies to offensive abilities; don't be shy about using them.

 

↖ Mistake 5: Tunnelling/Bad Target Selection

Target selection can make or break a PvP match. Avoid targeting tanks over DPS, and don't get stuck on a single enemy dueling them when they've used damage reduction abilities.  The worst mistake is hitting into immunities or reflects, potentially healing your enemy or damaging yourself. Choose targets wisely to maximize your damage output. 

 

Conclusion:

By addressing these five common mistakes, you can significantly improve your performance in PvP. Proper gear, camera settings, positioning, ability usage, and target selection are all vital aspects of becoming a formidable player in SWTOR PvP. Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep honing your skills on the battlefield.