Read this paragraph carefully Set 1000 years before the events found in the Star Wars films, KOTOR takes place soon after the infamous Mandalorian Wars. Although victorious, the Republic Army has weakened significantly due to the years of strife and battle with the bloodthirsty Mandalore Empire. Two rogue Jedi Knights seduced by the power of the dark side of the force have resurrected the remnants of the ancient Sith Empire, seizing control of half of the remaining Republic Forces.

You can choose from several character 'classes', including Scoundrel, Soldier, Thief, etc. The interesting aspect of Bio-Ware's RPG engine is that players do not have to stick with their initial class. As experience is gained, players can use the extra points in any fashion they see fit: that includes building up upon the original skill traits for their chosen character class, or adding points to any other set of skills or abilities. Players have direct access to what skills or abilities they can obtain with XP, or they can bypass the whole system itself, opting for the auto-update of character skills. This system allows the game itself to delegate experience into the proper channels for a chosen profession, strengthening the pool skill base of the players chosen class. This goes for the standard RPG classes found in the game, as well as the Jedi-Knight profession that can be obtained later on in the game.​