KOTOR 1 - T3-M4 Builds

This file details some considerations to make for a T3-M4 build, and may eventually contain a few T3-M4 builds from different playthroughs. We'll see how far I take it.

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T3-M4 is an Expert Droid. He can only use ranged weapons. He can be useful for certain skills. But because there are no feats in KOTOR I for changing cross-class skills to class skills, his benefit there is limited as well. But hey, he's a cheerful little guy, so he's got that going for him.

You're required to use T3 on Taris to unlock a certain door, but otherwise he is optional.

=========== ATTRIBUTES ===========

You'd think that all T3's attribute bumps should be put into INT in order to maximize skill points. But counterintuitively, pushing INT past 22 (+6) doesn't help. The way skill points gained at level up work, T3 would need an INT of 26 (+8) to get additional skill point at level up. But you can only get to 25 (only your base INT counts for skill point gain, not gear or other bonuses).

However, continuing to push INT does help with several skills (Computer Use, Demolitions, Repair). So you may want to bump it anyway. Alternatively, you could push DEX, for attack bonus and defense. But the only skill that bumps is Stealth, which T3 can't take. CON would help with health, but doesn't bump any skills. WIS would bump Awareness and Security.

=========== SKILLS ===========

Expert Droid class skills are Computer Use, Repair, and Security. Unlike KOTOR II, there's no way to make cross-class skills into class skills. So T3 is ultimately is limited by the cross-class skill cap, which basically says a cross-class skill can never be higher than half the value of a maximized class skill.

By the end, you really don't have a lot of choice about where to spend T3's skill points. He simply runs out of places to put them. You can pick which skills you advance first, and how close to the max you get each one. But by level 20, it all ends up looking about the same.

=========== FEATS ===========

T3's choice of feats is also very limited.

Expert Droids are restricted from most feats. The full list they can take is:
(Expert Droids cannot take Master Two-Weapon Fighting, just Improved)

That's 11 feats, and and T3 gets to select 8. So you'll get most of them, whatever you do.

The Superior Targeting Computer (found in a footlocker on the Command Deck of the Leviathan) gives Weapon Focus: Blaster Pistol and Weapon Specialization: Blaster Pistol. The Basic Targeting Computer (cheaply available early in the game from numerous vendors) gives Weapon Focus: Blaster Pistol. There's no point in giving T3 an Advanced Targeting Computer - compared to the Basic Targeting Computer it only adds Weapon Focus: Blaster Rifle, but T3 can't equip blaster rifles. No other equipable gear grants feats.

You don't have to use a Targeting Computer at all. If you prefer, you could instead use a Sensor in that gear slot, which would bump either Awareness or Demolitions. For example, you could equip Droid Motion Sensors Type 3 (from the Leviathan) for a +6 bump to Awareness or Verpine Demolitions Probe (available for purchase on Manaan or Tatooine, or as loot in the Rakatan settlement) for a +4 bump to Demolitions.

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T3-M4's progression details per level (g = granted, s = selected)

Character Level Class Level Attributes Skills Feats Force Powers
3 Expert Droid 3 STR: 10 (0)
WIS: 10 (0)
CHA: 10 (+0)
INT: 20 (+5)
CON: 14 (+2)
DEX: 15 (+2)
 22 points
Persuade +0 (0)
Computer use +6 (6)
Stealth N/A
Awareness +3 (3)
Repair +6 (6)
Security +6 (6)
Treat Injury N/A
Demolitions +1 (1)		 Caution (g)
Droid Upgrade Class I (g)
Combat Logic Upgrade (g)
Weapon Proficiency: Blaster Pistol (g)
Blaster Integration (g)
Gear Head (g)
4 Expert Droid 4 INT +1, 21 (+5) 4 points
Repair +1 (7)
Security +1 (7)
Demolitions +1 (2)
5 Expert Droid 5 4 points
Repair +1 (8)
Security +1 (8)
Demolitions +1 (3)		 Improved Caution (s)
6 Expert Droid 6 4 points
Repair +1 (9)
Security +1 (9)
Demolitions +1 (4)		 Tactician Logic Update (g)
Improved Gear Head (s)
7 Expert Droid 7 4 points
Repair +1 (10)
Security +1 (10)
Demolitions +1 (5)		 Droid Upgrade Class 2 (g)
8 Expert Droid 8 INT +1, 22 (+6) 5 points
Computer Use +3 (9)
Repair +1 (11)
Security +1 (11)
9 Expert Droid 9 5 points
Computer Use +1 (10)
Repair +1 (12)
Security +1 (12)
Demolitions +1 (6)		 Master Caution (s)
10 Expert Droid 10 5 points
Computer Use +3 (13)
Repair +1 (13)
Security +1 (13)
11 Expert Droid 11 5 points
Computer Use +1 (14)
Repair +1 (14)
Security +1 (14)
Demolitions +1 (7)		 Master Gear Head (s)
12 Expert Droid 12 WIS +1, 11 (+0) 5 points
Computer Use +1 (15)
Repair +1 (15)
Security +1 (15)
Awareness +1 (4)		 Battle Droid Logic Update (g)
Toughness (s)
13 Expert Droid 13 5 points
Computer Use +1 (16)
Repair +1 (16)
Security +1 (16)
Demolitions +1 (8)		 Droid Upgrade Class 3 (g)
14 Expert Droid 14 5 points
Computer Use +1 (17)
Repair +1 (17)
Security +1 (17)
Awareness +1 (5)
15 Expert Droid 15 5 points
Computer Use +1 (18)
Repair +1 (18)
Security +1 (18)
Demolitions +1 (9)		 Improved Toughness (s)
16 Expert Droid 16 WIS +1, 12 (+1) 5 points
Computer Use +1 (19)
Repair +1 (19)
Security +1 (19)
Awareness +1 (6)
17 Expert Droid 17 5 points
Computer Use +1 (20)
Repair +1 (20)
Security +1 (20)
Demolitions +1 (10)		 Master Toughness (s)
18 Expert Droid 18 5 points
Computer Use +1 (21)
Repair +1 (21)
Security +1 (21)
Awareness +1 (7)		 Two-Weapon Fighting (s)
19 Expert Droid 19 5 points
Computer Use +1 (22)
Repair +1 (22)
Security +1 (22)
Demolitions +1 (11)
20 Expert Droid 20 DEX +1, 16 (+3) 5 points
Computer Use +1 (23)
Repair +1 (23)
Security +1 (23)
Awareness +1 (8)

This is a basic skill-focused build. It completely gives up on making T3 effective in combat.

I chose to maximize Demolitions as quickly as possible, on the theory that T3 shouldn't be in front anyway, so someone else should take Awareness to detect mines. Then, when the game auto-pauses, change to T3 and have him come disable/recover the mine. The problem with this plan is that, because Demolitions is a cross-class skill for T3, he's not really all that good at it. The build compensates for this via Improved Gear Head and INT. This T3 should probably also use sensors that bump Demolitions (instead of using a targeting computer in that slot).

An adjusted 20 in Demolitions is needed to recover Deadly mines out of combat. Assuming +4 from gear, T3 will get that at level 11. In practice, T3 probably won't have the +4 Demo gear by then, but he probably also won't be running into a lot of Deadly mines that early either. And a Jedi in the party could use the Valor line to give a T3 temporary skill bump (via the attribute boost).

All this means that T3 can push things other than INT for the last three attribute increases without losing much. I chose to put two points into WIS (mostly for a bit more Awareness, because that skill is low-ish) and one point into DEX (for minor combat bonuses, as it wasn't going to do much good anywhere else).

I chose not to take the Weapons Focus/Specialization feats in this build, on the theory that if you really wanted to use T3 in combat, you could get those feats via gear. A combat-oriented build could push DEX/CON and take different feats. But no matter what you do, T3 just isn't going to be an effective fighter, especially compared to other companions. If you're playing both KOTOR games, don't let this affect your perception of T3 for the second game! Something must happen to the little guy between games, because in KOTOR 2, he can be built as an incredible damage sponge. But alas, this is KOTOR 1, where he is much less impressive.

Really, the best thing for T3 to do is unlock the door to the Sith Base on Taris, then chill on the Hawk for the rest of the game. If you just like having him around, though, this build is worth a try.