Tired of Tatooine and ready to risk exploring new and dangerous planets? Are you ready to try your luck on Lok or visit the Ewoks on Endor?

Whether you're a member of a large Player Association or you are just looking for some excitement with a small group of friends, the following suggestions can help make your big game hunt an enjoyable and rewarding experience. With a little preparation and planning you too can explore the far reaches of the galaxy. Happy hunting!

Preparation

Before you head out you might consider gathering a little information about your destination. Try asking around a local cantina to see if anyone has traveled there and is willing to share any information on what you can expect. They may even be willing to share waypoints to particularly interesting (or dangerous) places that could be fun to explore. Who knows, you may even wind up with a knowledgeable guide who is willing to travel with your group!

One of the next things to consider is travel expenses. You don't want to be stranded on some remote planet with no way to get home! Always be certain you can cover the cost of a return ticket. You'll probably also want to clone first thing after arriving so be certain you have the cash on hand or in the bank for that as well.

Make sure everyone on your team is clear about the starting destination. If your plan is to check out Endor and half your team goes to the Smuggler Outpost while the other half travels to the Research Outpost, you're already off to a rocky start.

Equipment choice is also an important consideration. Your favorite blaster may be just fine for defense against common enemies. However, some of the nastier things in the universe may be incredibly resistant or even immune to the damage type of your favorite weapon. It's not a good thing to open fire on a target only to find your shots barely made a nick in the thing's hide! Consider bringing some back-up weapons which do different types of damage in case you are faced with an enemy who can shrug off attacks from your preferred weapon.

Make sure your equipment is in a good state of repair. If you are going to be spending a long time in the field far away from civilization, the last thing you need is for your rifle to break or your helmet to crack in two. Be certain your most important equipment is durable enough to withstand the rigors of traveling through hostile environs.

Finally, remember to stock up on crucial supplies before embarking. Did you bring enough resources to craft what you will need while on your trip? Did you bring enough medicines to treat your wounded patients in the field? Whatever roles you play you don't want to be caught undersupplied at a critical time. Bringing extra supplies for others is never a bad idea either.

Building an Effective Team

You will want to make sure your team has a broad range of skills at their disposal. The more variety the better! Doing so can lead to a successful hunt and will keep the fun rolling. The following are some suggestions.

When you put yourself in harm's way, you inevitably get hurt. Being able to recover from damage and wounds is important. Though many may have some basic medical skill, you may consider adding someone from one of the specialized medical professions to your team.

Aside from simple healing, doctors excel at curing dangerous status effects such as poison and disease. Some of the creatures you may encounter could have devastating special attacks and can leave you debilitated until you are cured and the wounds are healed. Doctors are able to help you quickly recover from such nastiness. They can also provide buffs which can dramatically increase your statistics. Top notch doctors can even revive those who have been slain, saving you from a long run back to your party!

Combat medics excel at keeping people alive during a fight with their ranged healing. Whereas a normal medic might need to be at pointblank range to heal someone during a fight, a combat medic can heal from a distance. This saves them precious seconds by eliminating the need to run closer to a teammate who is under attack and can mean the difference between life and death. A combat medic may also specialize in various forms of chemical warfare which can give your party the edge in battle.

Do not underestimate the importance of scouting skills. Scouts and rangers in particular are at home in the wilderness and their skills can make life a whole lot easier for those not so accustomed to life in the field.

Scouts can use their mask scent ability to avoid detection by hostile creatures. This can allow them to check ahead for prey or other dangers before your team accidentally stumbles upon them. Furthermore, a ranger can use their conceal skill to mask the scent of others in your group to make travel through dangerous areas much safer.

Rangers and scouts are able to examine creatures to determine their strengths and weaknesses and this can give you an important tactical advantage. Rangers and scouts can create camps which can be vital to the success of your hunt. Highly skilled rangers can erect encampments of an epic scale and these can even include such amenities as crafting stations.

You will also want to bring along some entertainers. Entertainers are able to soothe the minds of your crew as you relax in your encampment. Aside from raising morale, the healing of mind wounds makes an entertainer an extremely important addition to your hunting party.

Remember an army travels on its stomach. You will want to consider bringing along a chef. Chefs are able to create a wide variety of foods and can add significant bonuses to a broad range of statistics. This can improve the efficiency of your combat support, medical staff, and really just about everyone else.

Always keep in mind that one person can often fill several roles. For example, many who follow the ways of combat often dabble in medicine. Just because someone's a battle hardened commando doesn't preclude them from being a mean slitherhorn player. And for all you know, that simple businessman could be a ranger in disguise. Don't always judge a person by the title they wear. Be sure to ask about your team's skills, you just might be surprised!

Tips for in the Field

Now that you are prepared and your team is assembled, it's time to get down to business! The following are some additional tips to help make your hunt a success.

It's important to be considerate of your teammates. A little courtesy and common sense can go a long way toward making your hunt rewarding and successful.

When a teammate gets separated, tragedy can strike if they are ambushed alone. It's probably a good idea for everyone to stick together. Luckily, this can be easily achieved by using the /follow command on one of your group members.

Develop a strategy for combat and stick to it. Is everyone going to focus fire at one opponent at a time or are you going to use smaller strike teams and tackle several enemies at once? Whatever your plan, using the /assist command is a great tool which allows you to quickly acquire a teammate's target and more efficiently defeat enemies.

Use CTRL+M to easily see where everyone in your party is and to keep track of any immediate dangers. Should a hostile creature attack from behind you will be able to notice right away and spring into action to defend against the attack.

Finally, being conscious of the personal goals of those in your party is also nice thing. Helping others is a great way to form lasting bonds. You never know when you'll need your back scratched in the future!

Some items can only be crafted with resources gathered from exotic planets. Furthermore, you may come across resources of exceptional quality that you would not normally have access too. A certain type of hide on the planet you are adventuring might be as valuable as gold to an armor smith. A certain type of meat could be a component for various life saving medicines used by a doctor. Check before you harvest a creature to see if anyone is in need of any particular resource.

Wrapping it Up

Outings such as these are a great way to have some fun and excitement with your friends. They are also a great opportunity to meet new people and maybe form some friendships along the way!

Whether you're a member of a large Player Association or you are just looking for some excitement with a small group of friends, the suggestions above can help make your big game hunt an enjoyable and rewarding experience for everyone.

A little knowledge and preparation can go a long time way toward making your big hunt a big success and provide a fun night for all. Happy hunting!