The Esseles

The Esseles is the first Flashpoint available in Star Wars: The Old Republic and is only available to those who are sided with the Republic.

Description
"When a Republic transport secretly carrying a high-profile passenger is attacked by Imperials, your team must defend the ship and eventually must decide the passenger's fate."

The recommended level for each character in the party venturing into The Esseles should be between 10 to 12.

Esseles gives a large number of social points because of the number of cutscenes throughout.

This flashpoint is introduced right after leaving the starting planet in the docking bay of the republic fleet. It is offered up as one of two ways to reach Coruscant.

The flashpoint starts with the characters on board the transport bound for Coruscant. Starting off by talking to a passenger, she expresses concern about a Sith dreadnaught following the transport. After the conversation the transport is attacked by the Sith and the characters must fight their way to the bridge to talk with the captain.

Once they reach the captain and discuss the situation, they are informed that they must meet up with the security chief to determine how to break the lockdown and recover the ship from the imperial hijackers.

NPCs

 * Captain Tyrus
 * Communications Officer Raste
 * First Officer Haken
 * Navigator Plex

Mobs

 * Esseles Bartender
 * Esseles Emergency Droid
 * Esseles Engineer
 * Esseles Ensign
 * Esseles Passenger
 * Esseles Repair Droid
 * Esseles Sabacc Dealer
 * Esseles Security Droid
 * Esseles Sergeant
 * Sabacc Participant

Bosses

 * Lieutenant Isric

The first boss is run into shortly after you being clearing. He is a ranged soldier type and waves of mobs attack from behind him throughout the fight. Without a plan to deal with the waves it is easy to be overwhelmed at this point. Ideally burn the boss with melee DPS while ranged/healer holds off the waves.

Next you talk with the security chief who tells you to get to engineering and the engineering chief can break the lock down and retake the ship. There is a light/dark side choice here, but it only effects how much clearing you need to do. However, the area you need to clear for the light side choice contains a lore entry, so you should pick that up on your first time in the instance, regardless of your light/dark choice.


 * Ironfist

Once you have finished with the engineering chief, you will now clear to Ironfist. A Mandalorian mercenaryu, he is very much like the first boss you fight, a ranged boss with some waves. The waves are less intense and more spread out than the first boss, but Ironfist has more tricks, so melee will need to adjust to them. Really just a stun and AOE knockback. Otherwise same strategy as before, melee on boss and ranged on clean up and healing.


 * ISS-7 Guardian Battledroid

After Ironfist is dropped, you will speak with the Captain once again and find that you must enter the Sith dreadnaught to disable the tractor beam.

Once on board you'll have to clear and do some item interaction. Just before you have a chat with the Imperial admiral on the holo, there is a lore object right behind a console down a nearby corridor.

Then you'll be sent on to the next boss, a droid guarding the tractor beam controls. Make sure to do all the bonus missions in this area, as doing so will activate a bonus boss.

The combat droid is a fairly simple, straight forward fight. However, be sure to lure it down from the platform it's on, as it has a knock back and if you are knocked off the platform it's instant death. Otherwise, standard tank and spank.


 * ISS-994 Power Droid (Bonus)

This is an optional boss following the previous boss encounter.

For small groups using companions this is the hardest boss in the instance. This is a melee boss with one ability: lightening field. A simple, sustained short-range AOE he pumps out around himself, it lasts roughly 10 seconds and has a 5-10 second CD. This is lethal to melee companions as they will not avoid the field while it is on and quickly die. Thankfully the boss is slower than character run speeds, so simply kite the boss and melee attack when you can. Watch aggro so that you don't have the boss chasing your ranged/healers. You won't be able to heal through the lightening field.

After these boss fights you'll complete more story and clearing mobs before circling back to the shuttle you started at.


 * Vokk

The final boss that attacks just before you leave. A melee boss, the only trick here is to avoid the AOE's he throws around and be ready for the occasionaly stun. Otherwise, much like the first 2 bosses, tank and spank while keeping the adds under control.

Once the boss is dead, you have your last Light Side Points and Dark Side Points choice.

Titles


 * "The Backstabber" - For leaving ambassador Asara behind on the imperial ship.
 * "The Uncompromising" - For choosing not to space the engineering section AND not to leave ambassador Asara behind.

Lightside Points 250 total
 * Not venting engineering section: 150
 * Not leaving Asara behind: 100

Darkside Points 250 total
 * Venting Engineering section: 150
 * Leaving Asara behind: 100