What are the best crystals?

[mofunzone23]

I’m on Dantooine and are trying to figure out what crystals I should purchase if any.

[cerberusiv]

Don't waste your money buying crystals, most of what are available don't really make that much difference. Those that do are generally horrendously expensive.

Apart from the unique named crystal the main ones to go for are, if darkside, the Quixoni crystal obtained through a quest on Onderon, and if lightside, the Solari crystal. Others to particularly look out for are a Kaiburr crystal and crystals that increase blaster bolt deflection - particularly the Lorridian gemstone which also boosts defence.

[Palpidius]

Originally posted by cerberusiv:

Don't waste your money buying crystals, most of what are available don't really make that much difference. Those that do are generally horrendously expensive.

What about Opila crystals? Look quite useful to me. I'm also interested in obtaining the Solari, but I didn't find it yet. Looks like it could be found only in random loot. Tricky.

[cerberusiv]

Many of the crystals available to buy are useful but once they are in merchant inventories, they should be turning up as random loot anyway. Can't remember whether the Solari is only random or not. By the end of the game you will have far more crystals than you can use, particularly with TSLRCM.

[Palpidius]

Originally posted by cerberusiv:

By the end of the game you will have far more crystals than you can use, particularly with TSLRCM.

That If we're talking about random selection of crystals, but if you want particular ones, it's not so easy even with color crystals (if they are not yellow, blue, green or red). Crystals are rare n general. For example, containers on the Eclave Sublevel are filled with anything except Jedi stuff, which is a bit dissapointing, heh-heh.

[cerberusiv]

One option is the save and reload trick to change what is in merchant inventories. Save before the first time you talk to a merchant and reload if they don't carry anything good. Then you will get a fresh selection you can buy from them.

You will get more crystals (colour and lightsaber enhancing) as the game goes on. Just keep going.

[Palpidius]

Originally posted by cerberusiv:

One option is the save and reload trick to change what is in merchant inventories.

The thing is it's much easier to get access to a merchant's inventory than to containers in separate game zone like the aforementioned Enclave Sublevel or the Sith Temple, so buying crystals could be an option, if you don't want to explore the same area over and over again hoping to get an item you want.

By the way, what items you would recommend to spend credits on instead of crystals?

[cerberusiv]

I usually start as a Sentinel so don't need to buy upgrades. Or weapons for that matter as I can craft stuff that is good enough for the early/mid game and find enough really good items before I need them.

The only stuff I regularly buy are specific shields (for HK47 for the droid factory - but I can usually pick up enough good droid shields on M4-78 and always as many Mando Power shields as I can get if I have Hanharr). Apart from that the main thing I buy is armour. Specifically a suit of Force power friendly armour for the Exile if I don't find one very early but also armour for Atton and Mira for the end game where their initial jackets may not be enough. Yes, I make both of them Jedi but both are much better with disrupters/blasters than with lightsabers so armour is worth forgoing sme Jedi powers for. Otherwise I just buy a few items I have a particular use for. Implants can make a real difference, for example.

I'm not saying don't buy crystals, particularly as you cannot craft them and a crystal in a lightsaber is always better than an empty slot, but I almost never spend more than 2000 credits on anything and rarely more than half that on a single item. Partly because once you have enough credits to buy pretty much anything you want (I usually finish with 120-150,000 credits) the game is even more ridiculously easy, so not spending large amounts keeps the difficulty up a bit at least.

[Palpidius]

Originally posted by cerberusiv:

I usually finish with 120-150,000 credits.

Woah! Are you playing as a Dark Sentinel? Or you just sell all items you don't really need?

[cerberusiv]

I do sell a lot of stuff and break down a lot more (25,000+ components by the end). Even then wading through the inventory is a nightmare. Light or Dark, similar outcome.

I tend to do just about every possible quest, loot everything and play using TSLRCM and M4-78. It all adds up.

[Palpidius]

Originally posted by cerberusiv:

I do sell a lot of stuff and break down a lot more (25,000+ components by the end). Even then wading through the inventory is a nightmare. Light or Dark, similar outcome.

Figures. I definitely loose some credits, playing as a good old Jedi Knight, who's being nice to sentients, turns down awards, etc, heh-heh. But when you sell pretty much everything you don't use, a couple thousand credits don't make any difference, I guess.

[Vennek]

Best crystals are your player character named Pet Crystal combined with a Solari crystal. Using the Solari with your personal crystal in the same saber gets around the alignment check on the Solari crystal. I'd recommend an Improved Beam Gem Lens on this, your main saber, no matter your level.

The Upari crystal is probably the next most powerful crystal because it also has a +3 Attack bonus. The reason the Opila crystal isn't great is because it lacks Attack bonus. Missing a single hit nerfs DPS. If you have super high Strength and some feats that enhance Hit Chance, and if you only hit stuff with Master Critical Strike, then maybe, maybe your Pet Crystal plus Opila, with an Improved Beam Gem Lens, would be best.

I usually give Atton the DC18 Stun Lens so I'll put an Ankares Sapphire in his main saber at least, to give him a good chance of triggering sneak attacks mid-combat. Never found blaster damage really worth stacking Deflect on sabers.

[Chillearth]

Here is a link to various good combinations of lightsaber crystals, depending on what you want (max outright damage, or max droid damage, or max blaster deflection, or max crit chance).
https://twinfinite.net/2022/06/best-lightsaber-crystals-and-combinations-kotor-2/

[Cato]

Originally posted by Chillearth:

Here is a link to various good combinations of lightsaber crystals, depending on what you want (max outright damage, or max droid damage, or max blaster deflection, or max crit chance).
https://twinfinite.net/2022/06/best-lightsaber-crystals-and-combinations-kotor-2/

Very helpful been a while since I played

I tend to have two lightsabers one with damage attack stacked the other with blaster deflection and defense buff

I cannot remember where you get the fire crystal though

Originally posted by Vennek:

Best crystals are your player character named Pet Crystal combined with a Solari crystal. Using the Solari with your personal crystal in the same saber gets around the alignment check on the Solari crystal. I'd recommend an Improved Beam Gem Lens on this, your main saber, no matter your level.

The Upari crystal is probably the next most powerful crystal because it also has a +3 Attack bonus. The reason the Opila crystal isn't great is because it lacks Attack bonus. Missing a single hit nerfs DPS. If you have super high Strength and some feats that enhance Hit Chance, and if you only hit stuff with Master Critical Strike, then maybe, maybe your Pet Crystal plus Opila, with an Improved Beam Gem Lens, would be best.

I usually give Atton the DC18 Stun Lens so I'll put an Ankares Sapphire in his main saber at least, to give him a good chance of triggering sneak attacks mid-combat. Never found blaster damage really worth stacking Deflect on sabers.

I am a fan of the upari crystal too missing attacks sucks

[Alcon]

the meth kind

[Palpidius]

Originally posted by Vennek:

Using the Solari with your personal crystal in the same saber gets around the alignment check on the Solari crystal.

But where can I get the Solari crystal in TSL?