Bastila Shan

Bastila Shan

Bastila Shan is one of the most pivotal and powerful companions you'll acquire in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. As a Jedi Sentinel, she embodies a balanced approach to combat, excelling in both lightsaber dueling and the strategic application of Force powers. Her unique Battle Meditation ability makes her an indispensable asset, especially in large-scale engagements.

Combat Role and Utilization

Bastila's primary strength lies in her versatility. She can effectively fill roles ranging from crowd control and support to direct damage dealing. Understanding her strengths and weaknesses is key to maximizing her potential throughout your journey across the galaxy.

• Crowd Control Specialist: Bastila's access to powerful Force-based crowd control abilities makes her excellent at neutralizing groups of enemies, allowing your main character and other companions to focus on high-priority targets.
• Support Caster: With Force Valor and other buffing powers, she can significantly enhance the combat effectiveness of your entire party, turning difficult encounters into manageable ones.
• Secondary Damage Dealer: While not typically your primary damage dealer, a well-equipped Bastila with a double-bladed lightsaber can still contribute substantial damage, especially against single targets after crowd control has been applied.
• Battle Meditation: This unique ability, available only to Bastila, provides a significant boost to your party's attack, defense, and saving throws, while simultaneously debuffing enemies. Activate it at the start of any major combat encounter to gain a decisive advantage.

Recommended Feats for Bastila

As a Jedi Sentinel, Bastila gains a good number of feats, allowing for specialization. Prioritize feats that enhance her Force powers and lightsaber combat efficacy.

• Force Focus/Force Immunity: These are crucial for any Force user.
  • Force Focus: Increases the DC (Difficulty Class) of her offensive Force powers, making them harder for enemies to resist. Max this out early.
  • Force Immunity: Reduces the chance of her own Force powers being resisted, and provides resistance to enemy Force powers.
• Lightsaber Specialization:
  • Two-Weapon Fighting (Rank 1-3): If you opt for two single lightsabers, this is essential to reduce attack penalties. However, for a double-bladed lightsaber, only the first rank is needed to negate the off-hand penalty.
  • Flurry (Rank 1-3) / Power Attack (Rank 1-3): Choose one of these combat styles based on your preference.
    • Flurry: Provides an extra attack at a slight penalty to attack rolls and defense. Excellent for increasing damage output against single targets.
    • Power Attack: Adds bonus damage at a penalty to attack rolls. Good for burst damage, especially when combined with critical hits.
  • Weapon Focus: Lightsaber / Weapon Specialization: Lightsaber: These provide a bonus to attack rolls and damage respectively with lightsabers. Essential for any lightsaber user.
• Conditioning: Provides a bonus to all saving throws, making her more resilient against enemy Force powers and other debilitating effects.

Synergistic Force Powers

Bastila's starting Force powers are a good foundation, but strategic investment in additional powers will unlock her full potential. Focus on a mix of offensive crowd control, defensive buffs, and direct damage.

• Essential Crowd Control & Debuffs:
  • Stun / Stasis / Stasis Field: The Stun line is arguably her most important offensive Force power. Stasis Field, in particular, can immobilize multiple enemies, setting them up for easy elimination.
  • Slow / Affliction / Plague: These powers reduce enemy attributes, making them easier to hit and less effective in combat. Plague is particularly potent against bosses.
  • Force Push / Force Whirlwind / Force Wave: Force Wave is an excellent area-of-effect knockback and stun, providing valuable breathing room and interrupting enemy actions.
• Crucial Support & Buffs:
  • Valor / Knight Valor / Master Valor: This line is non-negotiable. Master Valor provides a significant boost to all attributes for the entire party, making every combat encounter easier. Cast this at the start of every major fight.
  • Energy Resistance / Improved Energy Resistance: While not as flashy, these powers can significantly reduce incoming energy damage from blasters and certain Force powers, increasing party survivability.
• Situational Damage:
  • Force Breach / Sever Force: Useful for stripping enemy Force users of their buffs and draining their Force points, making them vulnerable.
  • Force Storm: While Bastila is primarily a Light Side user, if you dabble in Universal powers or Dark Side powers, Force Storm is a devastating area-of-effect damage spell. However, it costs a significant amount of Force points.

Equipment Recommendations

Bastila benefits most from equipment that enhances her Force abilities, defense, and lightsaber damage.

• Lightsabers:
  • Double-Bladed Lightsaber: This is her signature weapon and generally the most effective choice for her. It allows for more attacks per round, especially with Flurry. Equip it with crystals that boost damage (e.g., Upari, Solari) and critical hit chance (e.g., Krayt Dragon Pearl).
  • Color Crystal: While aesthetic, Bastila's canonical lightsaber color is yellow.
• Armor: As a Jedi, Bastila cannot wear heavy armor.
  • Jedi Robes: Focus on robes that provide bonuses to Wisdom, Charisma, or Defense. Examples include the Jedi Master Robe (found on Korriban or Tatooine) or the Qel-Droma Robes (found on Korriban).
• Headgear:
  • Circlet of Saresh: (Found on Korriban) Provides a +5 bonus to Wisdom, significantly boosting her Force power DCs and Force points.
  • Verpine Headband: (Found on Manaan) Offers a +3 bonus to Wisdom.
• Gloves:
  • Dominator Gauntlets: (Found on Korriban) Provide a +5 bonus to Strength, increasing her lightsaber damage.
  • Sith Gauntlets: (Found on Korriban) Offer a +2 bonus to Strength.
• Belts:
  • CNS Strength Enhancer: (Found on Manaan) Provides a +2 bonus to Strength.
  • Adrenaline Amplifier: (Found on various planets) Offers a bonus to Dexterity, improving her defense.
• Implants:
  • Cardio-Regulator: (Found on various planets) Increases Constitution, boosting vitality.
  • Biotech Package: (Found on various planets) Provides a bonus to Dexterity, improving defense.

Bastila's Personal Quest: The Search for Helena

Bastila's personal quest is deeply intertwined with her past and her family, specifically her estranged mother, Helena Shan. Completing this quest provides valuable insight into Bastila's character and strengthens your bond with her, potentially influencing later story events.

1. Initiation: The quest begins naturally as you progress through the main story. Bastila will eventually confide in you about her mother and the circumstances of their separation. This typically happens after a few conversations with her on the Ebon Hawk.
2. Location - Tatooine: Bastila believes her mother might be on Tatooine. Upon landing, speak with the inhabitants of Anchorhead.
   • Specific NPC: Look for a woman named Helena Shan near the speeder bay or in the Cantina area.
   • Dialogue Choices: When you encounter Helena, Bastila will confront her. Your dialogue choices here are crucial. Encourage understanding and reconciliation between them. Avoid being overly critical of either party.
3. Resolution: The conversation will be tense, but if you guide it carefully, Bastila and Helena will begin to mend their relationship. There isn't a physical reward for this quest, but the narrative impact and the deepening of Bastila's character are the true benefits. It also contributes to her overall alignment and your influence with her.

Common Pitfalls and Tips

• Neglecting Force Powers: Don't just treat Bastila as a lightsaber wielder. Her Force powers are incredibly potent and define her combat style.
• Ignoring Battle Meditation: Always activate Battle Meditation at the start of significant encounters. It's a game-changer.
• Poor Feat Allocation: Avoid spreading her feats too thin. Focus on maximizing her primary strengths (Force powers, lightsaber combat).
• Light Side Bias: While Bastila is a Light Side Jedi, she can still benefit from Universal Force powers. However, investing heavily in Dark Side powers will clash with her alignment and potentially impact your influence with her.
• Dialogue Choices: Pay attention to your conversations with Bastila. Supportive and understanding responses will increase your influence with her, unlocking more dialogue and potentially affecting her alignment.

By following these guidelines, Bastila Shan will become an invaluable and powerful ally, capable of turning the tide of even the most challenging battles in your quest to save the galaxy.