Today BioWare announced the delay of the release date for SWTOR 6.1. The Patch Notes are available, however! Check them out below! While on the topic of updates, I have a few other news to share – February Subscriber reward is currently available, while the Strongholds discounts from the 8th Anniversary celebrations are getting removed soon!
Today community manager Eric Musco announced that the release of Game Update 6.1 to Star Wars The Old Republic is getting delayed for an unknown number of days. The scheduled maintenance for February 11 was also canceled.
There is no official confirmation when the patch will go live at this time. The message on the forums stated the following:
“A bit of bad news, we are going to be delaying 6.1. We discovered a last minute issue with the patch today that we need to address before releasing it. I don’t currently have the new release timing (as we are actively investigating the issue) but I will let you know as soon as I do. This also means that tomorrow’s maintenance is postponed and will coincide with 6.1’s new date.”
The patch notes are official, though. Because of their release as originally planned – for Monday evening – means that the issue with the patch itself is not major and it will likely get fixed tomorrow or on Wednesday.
The first update for 2020 brings the Alderaan Stronghold – a brand new personal home for you to decorate and enjoy spending time with your friends. The Stronghold is one of the largest the game has seen so far. Its price will also match the large number of rooms and places filled with hooks.
This update also brings a small story segment that will prepare you for the major event involving Malgus, Kira and Scourge coming later this Spring – SWTOR 6.2.
A small set of class changes will also fill the list of the patch notes. More were planned for SWTOR 6.1, but the Sages and Sorcerers had their changes postponed for a future update. The changes were intended to balance the healing specs of these classes, but BioWare did not foresee that implementing them would also nerf the DPS disciplines for the classes.
A larger healing-focused update is coming later this year and it is very likely that we will find the previously announced Sorc and Sage changes to be included in it, with a few tweaks probably.
SWTOR 6.1 Patch Notes
These are the official patch notes for SWTOR’s latest update, arriving in mid February 2020.
Highlights
- Story Update – In the aftermath of the Sith Empire’s assault on the Meridian Complex Shipyard, both factions form elite organizations to carry out key objectives that could tip the balance of the war. As fighting intensifies across the galaxy, representatives from the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire arrive on Odessen to discuss plans of attack….
- Alderaan Noble Estate – Customize your own royal retreat hidden away in the mountain ranges of Alderaan!
General
- Using Quick Travel on Mek-Sha will no longer kill the player’s Companion.
- Crackling engine noises will no longer play throughout Guild Flagships.
- The audio of nearby traffic will be less noisy in the Coruscant Stronghold.
- Players are no longer dismounted when using reputation items.
- Female Sith Assassins who have their weapon drawn once again have footstep sound effects.
- Adjusted the lighting slightly for Imperial character creation so that hair colors are more accurately represented.
- The “Hive of the Mountain Queen” Achievements have had their point values reduced to be more in line with similar Achievements.
- Onderon and Mek-Sha have been added to the Current Conquerors list.
- Adjusted health totals on the turrets for the Dantooine Mission “Pirates Again” so that this Mission is no longer blocked.
- When a stack of materials is split in a player’s inventory and moved in the Materials Inventory, the inventory stack is no longer lost.
- The anniversary discount pricing for the Dromund Kaas and Coruscant Strongholds has expired, they are once again available at their standard prices.
- Corrected an issue where Imperial players on Mek-Sha could not take a taxi from the Red Zone to Three Points.
- The Three Points Quick Travel Point on Mek-Sha now unlocks as intended for Imperial players.
- The Huttbreaker’s Compound Quick Travel Point on Mek-Sha now unlocks for all players as intended.
- The Brothers Oversight Center Quick Travel Point on Mek-Sha has been removed for Republic players. (This could not be unlocked previously)
- The Glory Set Bonus Guild Perk now refers to the bonus affecting RXP instead of CXP as intended.
- Corrected an issue where previewing some items in the Preview Window would not properly display their visual effects.
- The “Huttball: Pin Cushion” Achievement now grants as intended when the Achievement criteria is met.
- Players can no longer purchase unidentified gear from the Spoils of War vendor if they do not have a Discipline selected.
- An option has been added to social preferences to auto-decline duel requests.
Classes + Combat
General
- Tooltips now more accurately reflect absorb numbers.
Jedi Knight
Sentinel
Combat
Combat Tacticals
- The Fanged God Form tactical item now only removes the Hyper Buff when a damaging ability other than Blade Rush is used (previously the buff was removed on any ability other than Blade Rush, not just damaging abilities).
Guardian
- Sundering Strike no longer consumes Force Clarity stacks.
Sith Warrior
- When not dual wielding, the animation for Assault once again swings three times.
Marauder
Carnage
Carnage Tacticals
- The Fanged God Form tactical item now only removes the Hyper Buff when a damaging ability other than Massacre is used (previously the buff was removed on any ability other than Massacre, not just damaging abilities).
Jedi Consular
Sage
- Adjusted Enduring Bastion to absorb as much damage as Force Armor at one charge (scales up for more absorption with each additional charge).
Seer
- Soothing Protection now heals for approximately 12% more.
Balance
- Increased Drain Thoughts periodic damage bonus to 15% (up from 10%)
Shadow
Serenity
- Increased Atrophying Attacks critical chance bonus for periodic damage to 20% (up from 10%)
- Increased Drain Thoughts periodic damage bonus to 15% (up from 10%)
Sith Inquisitor
Sorcerer
- Adjusted Enduring Bastion to absorb as much damage as Static Barrier at one charge (scales up for more absorption with each additional charge).
Corruption
- Sustaining Darkness now heals for approximately 12% more.
Madness
- Increased Force Horrors periodic damage bonus to 15% (up from 10%)
Assassin
- Reduced the visual effects of Deflection to help increase visibility when numerous effects are happening at once.
Hatred
- Increased Languishing Lashes critical chance bonus for periodic damage to 20% (up from 10%)
- Increased Force Horrors periodic damage bonus to 15% (up from 10%)
Smuggler
Gunslinger
Sharpshooter
Sharpshooter Tacticals
- The Agitating Energies Tactical item has had its damage reduced for Sharpshooters so that it is now in line with the Marksmanship version of the item.
Dirty Fighting
Dirty Fighting Tacticals
- Resolved an issue where the Exploited Weakness Tactical was causing Dirty Blast to deal too much damage. We are fixing this so that it is in line with the Virulence version of the item.
Saboteur
Saboteur Tacticals
- Resolved an issue where the Ruthless Interrogation Tactical was causing Shock Charge to deal too much damage. We are fixing this so that it is in line with the Engineering version of the item.
Scoundrel
Scrapper Tacticals
- The Acid Lash tactical now increases Flechette Round’s damage by 60% (down from 100%).
Lethality
- Synox Shots now increases Sanguinary Shot’s damage by 75% (down from 100%).
Imperial Agent
Operative
Concealment
Concealment Tacticals
- The Acid Lash tactical now increases Acid Blade damage by 60% (down from 100%).
Lethality
- Synox Shots now increases Toxic Blast’s damage by 75% (down from 100%).
Bounty Hunter
Mercenary
Mercenary Tacticals
- Updated the tooltip for the Power Cycle Tactical item to be more clear.
Powertech
Powertech Set Bonuses
- Reduced Meteor Brawler’s Firefall damage by 25%.
- Fixed an issue where the Veteran Ranger set bonus was not getting a benefit from Power Loaders.
- Updated the Veteran Ranger 6pc Set Bonus
- Each Shoulder Cannon rocket has a 75% chance to trigger an additional rocket. When Shoulder Cannon is put on cooldown, it applies Autocannon to you for 60 seconds, firing a rocket at your current target whenever you deal damage. This additional rocket can fire once every 10 seconds.
Advanced Prototype
- The Energy and Kinetic damage buff from High Energy Gas Cylinder increased to 5% (up from 3%).
- Power Bracer damage buff increased to 10% (up from 5%).
- Blood Tracker damage buff increased to 5% (up from 3%).
Advanced Prototype Tacticals
- The Powerlode tactical now increases Energy Burst’s critical chance by 100%.
Trooper
Commando
Commando Tacticals
- Updated the tooltip for the Power Cycle Tactical item to be more clear.
Vanguard
Vanguard Set Bonuses
- Reduced Meteor Brawler’s Ionfall damage by 25%.
- Fixed an issue where the Veteran Ranger set bonus was not getting a benefit from Charged Loaders.
- Updated the Veteran Ranger 6pc Set Bonus
- Each Shoulder Cannon rocket has a 75% chance to trigger an additional rocket. When Shoulder Cannon is put on cooldown, it applies Autocannon to you for 60 seconds, firing a rocket at your current target whenever you deal damage. This additional rocket can fire once every 10 seconds.
Tactics
- Increased the Energy and Kinetic damage buff from High Energy Cell to 5% (up from 3%).
- Riot Augs damage buff increased to 10% (up from 5%).
- Triumph damage buff increased to 5% (up from 3%)
Tactics Tacticals
- Powerlode tactical now increases Cell Burst’s crit chance by 100%
Flashpoints + Operations + Uprisings
Flashpoints
Objective Meridian
- Players who die during the final boss encounter in Objective Meridian will no longer be blocked from completing the Flashpoint in some situations.
Operations
- Activity Finder no longer allows players to queue for Operations they are ineligible for.
Hive of the Mountain Queen
- In line with the laws of gravity, the ooze coming from the walls in the Hive of the Mountain Queen is no longer coming out sideways.
Nature of Progress
- Corrected a variety of loot issues from bosses in the Nature of Progress Operation including missing credits, Tech Fragments, and group loot drops.
Scum and Villainy
- The Snipers in the Thrasher encounter are now less likely to Evade.
Uprisings
- All enemies in Uprisings are now level 70. Players in Uprisings will still remain at level 75.
- As a result of the level adjustment for Uprisings, Group Finder rewards for Uprisings have also been adjusted.
Items + Economy
- The Umbaran Patrol Tauntaun now correctly lists “February Sub Reward” as its source in Collections.
- Corrected a typo in the Stronghold Decoration of Darth Yun.
- Mercenaries can no longer receive a Generator when purchasing Unidentified Offhands.
- Regardless of what he says, Kai Zykken’s Unparalleled Log is not a mount, and it is now properly classified as a toy.
- Corrected a typo in the Commander’s Character Token ability description.
- Corrected a typo in Remulus Dreypa’s Armor Set in Collections.
- The Reputation vendors on Ossus now display reputation requirements on items as intended.
- The Meteor Brawler set gloves and helmet are no longer named boots.
- The Gladiator’s Striker Techblade is now categorized as a vibrosword (previously was a techblade which was blocking characters from equipping it).
- The following items have been fixed to appear in the correct Category on the GTN:
- Exarch’s Blaster Pistol MK
- Exarch’s Blaster Pistol MK
- Exarch’s Sniper Rifle MK-2
- Updated some older Electrostaffs to ensure that all Weapon Tunings function when equipped to them.
- The Desolator’s Starforged Lightsaber now shows up in the Lightsaber section of Collections as intended.
Missions + NPCs
- Valen Korik will respawn much quicker for the Heroic Mission “Possessed Hunter” on Dromund Kaas.
- The Gnawed Tauntaun will respawn much quicker for the Gree Missions “Catalysis” and “Supplemental Research”.
- The Republic Orbital Station above Makeb no longer has deprecated vendors.
- Fixed an issue where in rare circumstances Theron Shan would show up in Objective Meridian after being killed on Nathema.
- Droids will no longer spawn under the map on Ilum and Balmorra during the Loyalist Sweep Conquest Objective.
- Completing the Mission [HEROIC 4] Turf War on Mek-Sha now properly grants Achievement progress towards Aspiring to Heroics, Hero of the Day, and True Heroism.
- The Mission “A Scoundrel’s Debt” will now offer Mission Rewards choices at equal item rating.
- Killing Sith Lords for the Mission “Expel the Darkness” on Ossus now grants Mission progress as intended.
- Killing Jedi Masters for the Mission “Consume the Light” on Ossus now grants Mission progress as intended.
- The Imperial Prison officer on the Eastern Ice Shelf of Ilum no longer has stealth detection so that it is in line with its Republic counterpart.
- The Ossus Daily Mission “The Science of Darkness” now rewards credits in addition to its other rewards as intended.
- Corrected an issue where Mission difficulty colors were not displaying properly for level 75 characters in some situations.
- Lowered the cast time and cooldown of the “Evidence Plant” item for the “Shock Doctrine” Heroic Mission on Alderaan.
- Jedi Knight and Jedi Consular players that have Treek unlocked will now see the Ewok sitting on their box on the Defender ship as intended.
- During the Onderon Mission “The Attack on Iziz” it is no longer possible to block progress by killing the relevant NPCs before that Mission step is active.
- The world boss The Nightmare Pilgrim now also drops Tech Fragments and has a chance to drop a World Boss Equipment Cache.
- The world boss Lance Squadron Command Unit now also drops Tech Fragments and has a chance to drop a World Boss Equipment Cache.
- Bounty Hunters who completed the Ilum Mission “First Strike” before completing their Class Story will no longer have their progression blocked by being granted the Missions a second time.
- Fixed an issue where Grim Tooth on Makeb would not attack players.
Warzones
General
- Corrected a number of instances where Unassembled Components were listed as a reward as that currency was removed from the game in Onslaught.
- The PvP Conquest Objective “Warzones: The Killing Fields” has been renamed to “Warzones: Fight for Glory”.
- The error message a player receives when trying to queue for Ranked Warzones when below Valor 25 is now more clear.
- Corrected an issue which would cause air vents in Warzones to not function properly.
- The Brutal title from Season 11 no longer shows as blank text in the French Client.
Most important recent non SWTOR 6.1 News
The February Subscriber reward is still available to you all! Tradition dictates that when the end of the fiscal year for EA comes close, BioWare offers a Subscriber Reward to influence more subscriptions before the numbers are finalized for 2019.
To get your Umbaran Patrol Tauntaun mount, you need to do the following:
- Be a Subscriber at any time between January 28th and February 29th.
- The Umbaran Patrol Tauntaun will be delivered via in-game mail as soon as a Subscriber account logs into the game within the promotional period.
- If you miss this promotional window, the Umbaran Patrol Tauntaun will return again in a future game update.
The promotional discounted price for the Dromund Kaas Appartment and the Coruscant Galactic Stronghold will return to their regular purchase prices of 5000 Credits.
The announcement of SWTOR 6.1 getting delayed came today, while the above mentioned Tweet is from a day earlier.
2020 plans and 2021 teases – a quick recap!
If you have missed the last few SWTOR news articles on VULKK.com, you might be happy to read that BioWare is preparing something big for next year (2021) and they plan to add a decent amount of content for us to enjoy in this year!
First Eric Musco (community manager) appeared on the official game forums with a greeting message to wake us up from the Holiday’s lethargy and laziness. Musco briefly prepared us for the more contentful messages coming from creative director Charles Boyd and game producer Keith Kanneg, which came near the end of January.
Musco was the first to tease the big 10th anniversary plans and the misterious “something major”. He confirmed the updates labeling change clearing up for us the fact that only updates that contain story elements will be labeled 6.X from now on. Smaller and non-story related patches will be incremented with 6.X.X.
After Musco it was Keith’s turn to drop a small bomb revealing that SWTOR will be here for years to come and the studio is already planning the next few of them.
To me, however, the most interesting was the third forum post, in which creative director Charles Boyd reveals a few more details of SWTOR 6.1’s story and teases that in 6.2 Kira and Scourge will involve you in something really interesting.
Overall SWTOR’s 2020 seems to be shaping as a year of preparation. The story segment that was teased for 6.2, seems to be set up for a release no sooner than May, possible even June. Of course, no target date is known yet.
The Star Wars Celebratoin Cantina will likely reveal some bits of the aforementioned 6.2 story and possibly a trailer might even appear.
But the big question – how do you feel about the changes included in SWTOR 6.1? Did you expect more or less? Do you think this will be enough while SWTOR 6.2 is being developed?
