Optimal Guardian
Build goals
Bring the jedi class "online" as soon as possible, and maximize force powers as soon as they become available; builds that go above level 2 in the base class must wait longer and receive fewer force powers.Â
Defeat the final boss with the guardian as easily as possible.
Max out HK-47 with repair.
Pass all persuade checks.
Maximize melee damage output, number of feats/force powers, hit points, defense, and saves.
Considerations
The best strength robes and the mastery bonus for guardians are dark side, which means the optimal guardian is dark side. However, light side is perfectly viable.
The final boss will almost always hit no matter your defense. This build focuses on tanking damage and dispatching enemies quickly.
Once buffs have been cast, this build will defeat the final boss in one to three rounds.
This build will hit the final boss 95% of the time, which is the maximum.
Weakness
This build holds the main character at level 2 until they unlock the jedi guardian class. This can make the early game difficult and tedious at times.
Is this build really optimal?
This build optimizes the number of feats, force powers, vitality, force points, defense, and offensive capabilities of the guardian class. Every feat and power is important to the build, and changing the leveling path would remove critical feats and powers, or lower the optimization of the build's stats.
There are many builds that are capable of completing KotOR with ease. This build's sole purpose is to maximize the guardian class in terms of damage output while also optimizing survivability, force powers, and force points. I welcome any input on improvements that can be made.
While builds with different level spreads (i.e., 4/16, 5/15) can do more damage per round of combat and make the early game easier, these builds sacrifice versatility/survivability, bring the jedi class online later, and lower the number of force powers available to the guardian.
This build and many others are capable of killing the final boss in a single round. Therefore, further improvements on damage per round are wasted, which is why this build focuses on maximizing every numerical aspect possible in addition to providing the same game-breaking damage output as other builds.
Build highlights
Maximized strength for guaranteed hit rate and highest damage output.
Balanced constitution, wisdom, and charisma for highest health and force points.
Scout 2/guardian 18 for maximizing number of force powers and feats.
Ability to pass all persuade and HK-47 repair checks.
15 starting charisma for passing all persuade checks on Taris.
+7 blaster bolt deflection for late game.
Screenshot includes all end-game buffs for final fight:
Master valor, master speed, improved energy resistance, force immunity.
Dark side mastery.
Hyper-adrenal strength, alacrity, stamina, and Echani battle stimulant.
Starting stats
17 strength becomes an even number with items and master valor.
Low dexterity due to inability to raise defense to useful levels against final boss.
11 constitution, like strength, becomes an even number with master valor.
8 intelligence provides enough skill points to hit persuade and repair breakpoints.
Wisdom and charisma prioritized to make up for guardian's low force points. Both stats become even with master valor.
15 charisma ensures ability to pass early persuade checks on Taris.
Attributes from level 4/8/12/16/20 spent in strength.
Level 2 on Taris
Build stays at scout 2 until forced to transition to jedi guardian. This will happen automatically during the story.
Skills: 2 persuade, 5 repair. Excess points will be saved for later level ups.
This allocation may change depending on your preference in who to side with during a specific quest. See "Repairing HK-47" below for important considerations.
Feats: two-weapon fighting and toughness.
Tips:
Use the best melee weapon available, but stay out of danger where possible.
Rely on party members and allow them to tank damage.
See staying at level 2 for further advice.
Items
Cardio Power System: +4 constitution (main quest, Manaan).
Stabilizer Mask: +2 saves, immunity to mind-affecting (Tyvark's Shop, East Central, Manaan).
Dominator Gauntlets: +5 strength (Mika Dorin, Dreshdae, Korriban, available before final planet).
(Spoiler) Robes: +4 strength, +1 regeneration, +5 defense (Replicator Bin, Deck 2, final level of game).
Brejik's Arm Band: resist 5 slashing (Swoop Platform, Taris).
Verpine Prototype Shield (optional): 200 damage absorption (various locations).
CNS Strength Enhancer: +2 strength, +2 saves (Crattis Yurkal, Jedi Enclave, Dantooine).
Lightsaber
Double-bladed lightsaber.
Focus on +attack and damage
Heart of the Guardian color crystal (Yavin).
Upari crystal: +4 attack, +2-12 energy damage (Temple, final planet of the game).
Solari crystal: +2 attack, +1-10 energy damage, +4 blaster bolt deflection (Tomb of Naga Sadow, Korriban).
Special note
A lightsaber with Mantle of the Force, Solari, and Phond would technically do more damage. However, as seen below, this build uses Mantle of the Force for utility purposes, meaning we use Heart of the Guardian for our main weapon. Seeing as this setup is strong enough to kill the final boss in a single round, further damage output would wasteful, and is why this build errs on the side of saving Mantle of the Force for the utility saber.
Utility lightsaber
Double-bladed lightsaber.
Focus on force point regeneration, which works while in combat and is invaluable during the final level of the game. Switch to this saber when running low.
Interface is bugged; actually provides 5 regeneration.
Mantle of the Force color crystal (Yavin).
Rubat crystal: 3 force point regeneration (crystal cave, Dantooine).
Damind crystal: +1 attack, +1 energy damage, 2 force point regeneration (various locations).
Skills: repair
12 skill ranks spent on level up.
Spend all points in repair until reaching 12 ranks, then the rest in persuade.
Meets minimum 17 repair skill to fully repair and upgrade HK-47.
+3 repair from Calrissian's Utility Belt (Crattis Yurkal, Jedi Enclave, Dantooine).
+5 intelligence (+2 repair) from master force valor.
+1 intelligence (+1 repair) from Memory Package (requires betraying Gadon Thek on Taris).
If not wanting to betray Gadon, spend 1 extra point in repair for a total of 13 skill ranks. This will lower persuade and not hit the 19 breakpoint required for 75% success on hard checks.
To avoid this, keep persuade at 1 skill rank until becoming a jedi (persuade is a cross-class skill and costs more for scouts, but not jedi). See next section for further information.
Skills: persuade
14 skill ranks spent on level up.
Meets minimum 13 persuade skill to guarantee 25% success rate on hard persuade checks.
Also meets minimum 19 persuade skill to guarantee 75% success rate on hard persuade checks.
15 starting charisma (+2 persuade)
+5 charisma (+3 persuade) from master force valor.
If keeping persuade at 1 skill rank on Taris, passing hard checks will require force valor casted by Bastila. There are three hard checks: convincing Holdan to drop his bounty, Zax to pay more for the serum, and stopping a fight at the estate.
Feats
Scout 2/guardian 18 receives 11 feats on level up.
Gets flurry 1 and implant 1 for free at character creation.
Two-weapon fighting 3 for maximum damage output.
Toughness 3 for maximized hit points.
Implant 3 for stat flexibility.
Lightsaber focus and specialization for bonus attack and damage.
Advanced jedi defense for blaster bolt deflection.
Offensive force powers
Affect/dominate mind should be prioritized first to unlock dialogue options.
Plague (slow) for debuffing strong, single enemies.
Death field (drain life) plays a critical role during the final fight, useful for healing.
Force breach (suppression) purges buffs from enemy jedi.
Buffs and defensive powers
Master speed for maximized defense, bonus attacks, and fast movement.
Master valor should be prioritized first after affect/dominate mind. It plays an integral part in boosting attributes and therefore skill checks (persuade, repair), while providing huge benefits in combat.
If you would like to grab other powers first, you can use a party member to pick up the valor line and cast it on your behalf.
Improved energy resistance lasts 120 seconds and completely trivializes enemies with blasters, lightsabers, or electric damage.
Two free powers. This build uses force resistance/immunity, but neither are necessary. Low wisdom/charisma makes the difficulty class of offensive powers far too low to be effective, but (advanced) throw lightsaber is a good alternative with no saving throw and respectable damage.