Are you ready for Knights of the Fallen Empire?

The time is there: just one more week and Knights of the Fallen Empire will take off for subscribers.* In an ideal world we players would just sit back and relax before a new expansion hits. In reality, though, there are usually things to take care of before big changes are implemented.

I've gathered a few in the form of a last-minute check list. If you actually want to do these things is of course entirely up to you!

Last-minute KotFE Checklist

☑ Cartel Certificate items

Edit: Well done, you've already completed the first action! Turns out this change has been revoked due to player feedback. Thanks go to the sharp-eyed Darkbrew for pointing this out (see comments).
Check the reputation vendors in the Bounty event area of the fleet for things you want to barter for with Cartel Certificates (those things you get from buying cartel packs or using the slot machine). Don't worry, the certificates won't be removed from the game, but some of the things that are being offered will be removed when the Coffee expansion hits. This includes all non-reputation specific items from Cartel Reputation vendors and 1 credit items. So it's fine to keep your certificates, but if there's something you really want it's best to play it safe and buy it now.

Source: Cartel Market changes developer blog (old) & Cartel Market Changes Coming in Fallen Empire! (new)

❏ Makeb achievement

If you care about completing all achievements or stronghold decorating, you may want to complete the Making the Connection (Rep) or Well Connected (Imp) achievement on Makeb. The achievement is being removed from the game with the expansion for some reason - my guess is that they want to streamline how quests are bestowed with the major quest overhaul and Makeb chained weeklies are an odd duckling. Everyone completing the achievement will receive a unique decoration: the Makeb Gazebo. I have no idea if it looks good, but I want it just for stronghold fangirl completionism reasons! If you haven't worked on the achievement yet at all, you'll need three max level characters of the same faction that have completed the Makeb storyline in order to make it in one week.

A good guide: How to Obtain the Makeb Gazebo (Rep) / (Imp)

Useful background information / achievement checker: Dulfy's Achievement Guide (Rep)  / (Imp)

We're doing everything to get that gazebo!

❏ Companion affection

Although there have been updates about how companions will work with Knights of the Fallen Empire, I would not presume to understand every aspect of it until I've seen it in effect with my own eyes. Since I don't want to risk missing out on conversations or companions as a whole, I've been working on their affection. If you are like me and don't have time to complete them all, focus on the companions you care about for the first character you plan on taking through the expansion: it's been confirmed that you can't complete any companion missions on that specific character from then onwards.

❏ Group content

Nightmare mode will be removed for Eternity Vault and Karagga's Palace, so if you want to have the achievements and/or stronghold trophies for them, now is the time to act. Yet another design decision that has to do with streamlining content: all nightmare modes will have additional mechanics compared to hardmodes, and these two only had a difference in boss health. I'd personally rather have seen new mechanics added to them than have them be removed altogether, but I guess resources didn't allow for that. I think I'll be skipping this one: I'm only missing the 16-man nightmare modes and the stronghold trophies are the same as the 8-man ones.

Then there are some people that hunt achievements for content that will be scaled to level 65 now because they will be harder to complete after the expansion hits. The Oricon raids, Nightmare mode Explosive Conflict and flashpoint achievements (complete 25x etc) are popular examples. I'm personally not doing this because I don't care enough about the achievements and like the idea of having some challenges left to complete with KotFE.

Vintage Ravanel meeting hutt of questionable fashion

❏ Storylines

If you don't plan on rolling a brand new insta-level 60 with the expansion, I would definitely recommend finishing the Shadow of Revan and Ziost storyline with the character you want to play with KotFE. When it comes to the pre-50 content, the jedi knight and sith warrior storylines are directly connected to Shadow of Revan and are worth playing through. If you are subscribing you can easily blast through them within a week with 12x XP. The Maelstrom Prison (Rep) and The Foundry (Imp) flashpoints are also relevant. Heck, I even have a friend who is playing through KOTOR 1 & 2 as we speak just to get the whole picture, but I admit that you have to be a die-hard story addict for that.

❏ Commendations

If you have easy access to ultimate commendations, it may be worth stacking them in order to get a new set of comms gear with the expansion. I'll be skipping this one because I can't be bothered to grind and I have plenty of commendations leftover from the previous months. I really hope they will do away with the endurance-heavy commendation gear policy with the expansion: I don't know about you, but the only thing my ultimate comms have been useful for is gearing up tank companions (and even that won't be possible anymore with KotFE).

❏ 198 Deceiver gear

Dataminers have found all operation gear back save the 198 Deceiver gear. If you'd like one of the Deceiver sets for cosmetic reasons, now is the time. I'm no great fan of the look myself (hood, weird arm flaps, satellite thingy - gaah), so I can save some time here.

Have I missed anything? Let me know in the comments!

* The plebs will have to wait until the 27th. I sort of envy them, because I still have so many things to take care off!