Helpful Information
Staying at level 2
Optimizing jedi levels for your main character
The level cap is 20.
Your main character will start as either a soldier, scout, or scoundel, and become a jedi shortly after leaving Taris.
The game will force your main character to level up to 2 during the tutorial. Optimal builds stay at level 2 of the base class until forced to level up as a jedi.
This will result in an end-game build of scout 2/jedi consular 18, for example.
Read: do not level up past 2 on your main character, even when you have enough experience to do so. The game will force you to level into a jedi class eventually.
Spending levels on jedi classes maximizes force powers and force points (mana).
Holding at level 2 does not mean you stop gaining experience. When playing for optimal experience, it is possible to level all the way to level 8 from level 2 when the jedi class is unlocked.
You can and should level your party members as soon as possible. They will carry your main character in combat.
Winning the dueling arena at level 2
Set combat difficulty to easy.
Do it as late as possible so you have better items. You can complete the arena up until the point you allow Canderous to take you to the estate.
You can heal with medpacs without your character having to consume an action by doing so from the pause/escape inventory menu.
Abuse saving and loading. You can quicksave after every attack and reload if the AI hits you.
Abuse the AI by manually running in and out of melee range. Some opponents will switch between melee and ranged weapons in response, and you can shoot them a single time while they switch, then repeat the process. For example: enemy has ranged weapon, run into melee, shoot, run away as they switch to melee weapon, enemy will begin to switch to ranged weapon, repeat.
Spam grenades, mines, energy shields, and stimulants (though I prefer not to do this because they are valuable and can be sold).