KOTOR: What's the best order of the planets?

After you find the first Star Map on Dantooine, you are free to go anywhere on the Ebon Hawk and you may wonder which planet you should visit next. The truth is, you can visit any planets you like.

Also you don't have to finish each planet as you visit ('finish' means do everything available and find the Star Map). You can read more about it in "Skip One Star Map" section below.

A. Basic Order

Here, I list the ideal order of the planets to minimize your journey & maximize your XP & outcomes.

(it's the basic order of planets, but if you're doing side quests, you need to revisit the same planet. I explain how you can plan integrating with other quests in "C. Intergalactic Quests" section below)

1. Tatooine

It's a good place to start after Dantooine, because you get Krayt Dragon Pearl for your lightsaber which will help your journey. Also you can finish Bastila's Mother Quest, and start Mission's Brother Quest (read more about NPC Quest here).

You'll receive a secret message from Hulas (Genoharadan Quest) who awaits for you on Manaan. If you start Mission's Brother Quest, you'll have to travel to Kashyyyk. So coming here first will save you at least one or two trips.

2. Kashyyyk

I'd say Kashyyyk next, so you can fetch Jolee before you travel to Manaan, where his Quest awaits.

While you are here, you will also collect Tach Gland for Griff (Mission's Brother Quest).

3. Manaan

If you bring Jolee here, you can trigger Sunry Murder Case Quest. Also you'll meet Hulas of Genoharadan if you received the invitation on other planet.

To finish the game at high Level, you can't afford to miss Genoharadan Quests, which will give you over 7500xp and superior Genoharadan equipment. Each task will give you DS points, but it's a small price to pay (in my LS walkthrough, I did Genoharadan Quest & still finished the game as the Lightest Jedi).

4. Korriban

I recommend Korriban as the last planet. It's the home of the Sith after all, so you want to be at comfortable level as Jedi - there is nothing worse than being humiliated as a weakling by the Sith Students!


B. Skip one Star Map

You'll be taken to the Leviathan after finding 4th Star Maps (including Dantooine's 1st Star Map). But the Leviathan is one of the hardest place in the game, and you want to be as high level as possible.

So if you skip one Star Map, you are still safe from the Leviathan, until you visit all five planets & gain more XP. You can read how to boost your XP here.

You may note that if you take Kashyyyk Star Map after the Leviathan, you'll get a different outcome. Usually, you'll have to take the Evaluation test which will give you LS or DS points.


C. Intergalactic Quests

Some Side-Quests are intergalactic and require you to travel different planets. Namely:

- NPC Quests
- Strange Stowaway
- Trouble with Gizka (unless you poison them)
- Genoharadan (6 tasks)
- Unfinished Business (Mysterious Box)

Strange Stowaway & Genoharadan (Zuulan) must be completed before the Leviathan, because you won't be able to visit Dantooine afterward.

Here is how I planned the order of planets along with Intergalactic Quests, by bundling them as much as possible.

[Light Side]

1) Dantooine (1st Star Map)
[Trigger] Mission's Brother 1 2

2) Tatooine (2nd Star Map)
[Trigger] Strange Stowaway
[Trigger] Trouble with Gizka
[Ongoing] Mission's Brother 1 2 3
[Trigger] Finding Dustil (Carth)

3) Kashyyyk
[Ongoing] Finding Dustil (Carth)
[Ongoing] Mission's Brother

4) Manaan (3rd Star Map)
[Complete] Trouble with Gizka
[Trigger] Genoharadan (finish Lorgal & Ithorak here)
[Trigger] Jagi's Challenge (Canderous)
[Trigger] Threat from Xor (Juhani)

5) Tatooine
[Complete] Jagi's Challenge (Canderous)
[Ongoing] Genoharadan: Vorn
[Complete] Mission's Brother 1 2

6) Dantooine
[Complete] Strange Stowaway
[Ongoing] Genoharadan: Zuulan

7) Kashyyyk
[Ongoing] Genoharadan: Rulan

8) Manaan
[Ongoing] Genoharadan: Hulas
[Complete] Threat from Xor (Juhani)

9) Korriban (4th Star Map)
[Trigger] Unfinished Business 1 2 (Mysterious Box)
[Complete] Finding Dustil (Carth) 1 2

--> Leviathan

10) Tatooine
[Complete] Unfinished Business
[Complete] Genoharadan: Hulas

11) Kashyyyk (5th Star Map) --> Star Forge System

Total Traveling : 11 times (all side quests completed)
[Dark Side]

1) Dantooine (1st Star Map)
[Trigger] Mission's Brother 1 2
[Trigger] Bastila's Mother

2) Tatooine (2nd Star Map)
[Trigger] Strange Stowaway
[Trigger] Trouble with Gizka
[Trigger] Finding Dustil (Carth) 1 2
[Ongoing] Mission's Brother 1 2 3
[Complete] Bastila's Mother 1 2 3 4

3) Kashyyyk (3rd Star Map)
[Ongoing] Mission's Brother

4) Manaan
[Complete] Trouble with Gizka
[Trigger] Genoharadan (finish Lorgal & Ithorak here)
[Trigger] Jagi's Challenge (Canderous)
[Trigger] Threat from Xor (Juhani)
[Ongoing] Strange Stowaway

5) Dantooine
[Complete] Strange Stowaway
[Ongoing] Genoharadan: Zuulan

6) Tatooine
[Complete] Jagi's Challenge (Canderous)
[Ongoing] Genoharadan: Vorn
[Ongoing] Mission's Brother

7) Kashyyyk
[Ongoing] Genoharadan: Rulan

8) Korriban (4th Star Map)
[Trigger] Unfinished Business
[Complete] Finding Dustil (Carth)

--> Leviathan

9) Manaan (5th Star Map)
[Complete] Threat from Xor (Juhani)
[Ongoing] Genoharadan: Hulas

10) Tatooine
[Complete] Mission's Brother
[Complete] Unfinished Business
[Complete] Genoharadan: Hulas

---> Star Forge System

Total Traveling : 10 times (all side-quests completed)