This file details some considerations to make for a Zaalbar build, and may eventually contain a few Zaalbar builds from different playthroughs. We'll see how far I take it.
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Zaalbar is a Scout.
He starts with incredible STR and CON, making him an early game beast (pun intended!). However, as a Wookiee he cannot equip armor or anything in the Head slot. And as a Scout he gets fewer feats than a pure combat-oriented class like Soldier. All of which means he starts strong and then tends to be surpassed by other companions later in the game.
You're never required to have Zaalbar in your party. He's involved in several plot-related events, but he'll just magically show up for them, even if he wasn't even on the ship. The will of the Force or something, I guess. For plot-related reasons, you will lose use of Zaalbar for much of Kashyyyk.
While the bowcaster is the traditional weapon associated with Wookiees, Zaalbar's attributes and initial feats make him much better suited for melee.
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Zaalbar's progression details per level (g = granted, s = selected)
| Character Level |
Class Level |
Attributes |
Skills |
Feats |
Force Powers |
| 4 |
Scout 4 |
STR: 20 (+5)
WIS: 12 (+1)
CHA: 8 (-1)
INT: 10 (+0)
CON: 20 (+5)
DEX: 13 (+1)
|
21 points
Persuade +0 (0)
Computer use +0 (0)
Stealth +0 (0)
Awareness +6 (6)
Repair +4 (4)
Security +0 (0)
Treat Injury +5 (5)
Demolitions +6 (6) |
Power Attack (g)
Improved Power Attack (g)
Flurry (g)
Rapid Shot (g)
Implant I (g)
Implant II (g)
Uncanny Dodge (g)
Wookie Toughness (g)
Weapon Proficiency: Blaster Pistol (g)
Weapon Proficiency: Blaster Rifle (g)
Weapon Proficiency: Melee Weapons (g)
Weapon Focus: Melee Weapons |
|
| 5 |
Scout 5 |
|
3 points
? |
Toughness (s) |
|
| 6 |
Scout 6 |
|
3 points
? |
|
|
| 7 |
Scout 7 |
|
3 points
? |
Uncanny Dodge II (g)
Improved Toughness (s) |
|
| 8 |
Scout 8 |
STR +1, 21 (+5) |
3 points
? |
Implant III (g) |
|
| 9 |
Scout 9 |
|
3 points
? |
Master Power Attack (s) |
|
| 10 |
Scout 10 |
|
3 points
? |
|
|
| 11 |
Scout 11 |
|
3 points
? |
Two-Weapon Fighting (s) |
|
| 12 |
Scout 12 |
STR +1, 2 (+6) |
3 points
? |
|
|
| 13 |
Scout 13 |
|
3 points
? |
Improved Two-Weapon Fighting (s) |
|
| 14 |
Scout 14 |
|
3 points
? |
|
|
| 15 |
Scout 15 |
|
3 points
? |
Master Two-Weapon Fighting (s) |
|
| 16 |
Scout 16 |
STR +1, 23 (+6) |
3 points
? |
|
|
| 17 |
Scout 17 |
|
3 points
? |
Master Toughness (s) |
|
| 18 |
Scout 18 |
|
3 points
? |
|
|
| 19 |
Scout 19 |
|
3 points
? |
Conditioning (s) |
|
| 20 |
Scout 20 |
STR +1, 24 (+7) |
3 points
? |
|
|
This is a melee-focused build. It prioritizes damage output, but also compensates for Zaalbar's unique restrictions
I pushed STR for every attribute bump.
I didn't specify skills. Class skills are: Computer Use, Demolitions, Awareness, Repair and Treat Injury. If Zaalbar is going to be your primary melee combatant, he'll probably in the front most of the time. This would make Awareness, Demolitions, and Treat Injury a good combo. But depending on the main character and other companions, you may prefer something else. Be sure to use medpacks instantly from the Inventory screen and not as a queued action via the action button on the main screen, to avoid losing your attacks for the round.
It is worth mentioning that Zaalbar is the only non-droid companion with both Computer Use and Repair as class skills. In case that matters to you (Jolee does get Repair, but he also only get 1 skill point per level).
Because he can't wear armor, Zaalbar needs help with health and damage reduction. The normal Toughness feat line stacks with Wookiee Toughness, making it worth taking. He'd also benefit more than most characters from both Brejik's Belt and Brejik's Armband. It'd be a good idea for a Jedi in the party to keep their best Energy Resistance going, or else for Zaalbar to keep an energy shield active. He'd also benefit greatly from the late-game
Advanced Combat Implant, although your main character may have dibs on that.
This build takes Toughness and Improved Toughness early, to make up for the lack of armor. Zaalbar can get away with deferring damage-focused feats due to his incredible STR and nice selection of starting feats. But this pushes back Two-Weapon Fighting, and relegates Zaalbar to using a single weapon for a long time. That's especially true if you don't actually equip two weapons until you get Master Two-Weapon Fighting (to avoid the big attack penalties). So this build will start strong, then have a bit of a lull where it doesn't improve much, then pick up again for the later game.
.
You could avoid this, and gain a bit of defense and attack bonus, by taking the Dueling line instead of the Two-Weapon Fighting line. You'd give up a bit of end-game damage output, though.
The Flurry line is statistically better in the late game, so you could take that line instead of the Power Attack line. Because Zaalbar starts with Improved Power Attack, you have one more feat to catch up on. This probably means not taking Conditioning.