Post Sections ⇅
- Quick Start Questions
- Health Warning!
- How to Get Started
- How the Event Works
- Rakghoul Resurgence Missions
- → Combating the Plague / To Fight Infection
- → Quarantine: Mos Ila (Empire), Anchorhead (Republic)
- → The Tunnel Network, Navigating the Tunnels
- → All That Remains, A Grim Examination
- → Collecting Raklings, Rounding Up Raklings
- → Dissecting the Plague, Tracking the Plague
- → Jeelvic’s Datapad
- → [Heroic 4] Fungal Corruption, Flora and Fauna
- → Spreading the Infection
- SWTOR Rakghoul Event Rewards
- Rakghoul Resurgence Rewards
- Other Related Content
- TL;DR Time to Push Back the Rakghoul Resurgence in SWTOR!
In this guide I’ll cover the main quests of the Rakghoul Event and show some of the rewards available too. Let’s get vaccinated. I mean, started!
Quick Start Questions
When Can I Play the Rakghoul Event?
Any characters who are at least Level 25 can take part. I called it a scaling event earlier, because some SWTOR events have an interesting mechanic. Dotted around the Rakghoul tunnels are Level 25 enemies. But when they are attacked, additional mobs spawn at your level. The event missions and rewards are also scaled to your current level.
It’s for this reason that when there are calls for the Heroic 4 mission, and the Lair of the Eyeless raid, you’ll need to find a group around your level.
When Is the Next Event?
The current Rakghoul Resurgence Event is: 7th – 14th April on Tatooine. The event starts and ends at 10am PST, 6PM GMT, 7PM BST. Yes, UK-ers, we’re currently in BST.
Always keep an eye on the news forum and on Twitter or Facebook. I will attempt to update this in time too.
Where is Rakghoul Event Held?
The planet to get infected rotates but, from memory, the event cycles the following planets:
- Alderaan
- Corellia
- Tatooine
Keep an eye on social media and the forums for where the nest infestation happens!
Where To Get Rakghoul Serum?
Do not buy any of this from GTN! I’ll say it again, because I’ve seen some “ignorance profiteering” in the past. Do not buy this from GTN. Any Med Droid or Stims Vendor sells Rakghoul serum for 2000 Credits. While it has 6-hour cooldown timer, it only counts down while you’re logged into that character.
Did I say “don’t buy it from GTN” yet?
Health Warning!
If you are infected with the Rakghoul Plague, please arrange for your immediate incineration. (Imperial Announcer)
How to Get Started
From Fleet
If you’ve never taken part in Rakghoul Resurgence before then the easiest way is from Republic or Imperial Fleet. Look for the News Terminals dotted around and interact with them as you would any quest-giver.
You’ll get a brief news-report style cutscene and, if you’re L25+ you’ll get an intro mission to follow.
On Planet
When you arrive on-planet you’ll need to seek out The Hyland Organization for Rakghoul Neutralization (THORN). This will be somewhere near your primary spaceport for your faction.
So, for Tatooine, initially head to Mos Ila or Anchorhead. You’ll then get a mission that takes you to the Dune Sea, and the entrance to the Rakghoul tunnels. Use the nearby speeder to get there quickly.
How the Event Works
Event Missions that give Rakghoul DNA Tokens:
The Tunnel Network, Navigating the Tunnels- Jeelvic’s Datapad
- Fungal Corruption, Flora and Fauna
- Spreading the Infection
So if you were to do all these, you can earn 5 Tokens per Character per Day. Once you hit maximum rep with THORN, you can just focus on these missions, if you want.
This does not include the Raid, which I have not documented here.
Do Dailies for Tokens
Taking part in Rakghoul Resurgence involves a little time each day, likely on more than one character. That’s because you’re trying to acquire Legacy-bound “barter currency” called Rakghoul DNA Tokens.
THORN Reputation
Not daily missions reward the DNA Tokens you need for most of the rewards, but all except Jeelvic’s Datapad give reputation with THORN.
Rakghoul DNA Tokens
The main currency you’ll earn during the event is Rakghoul DNA Tokens.These can be exchanged for Rakghoul DNA Canisters on a 1:1 ratio, to enable you to buy Vendor Rewards.
With enough time investment, you can build up the currency and earn rewards. This is true even if you just do the Solo-able missions and avoid the Heroic 4 and the Raid.
There are also Symbiotic Fungal Blooms and Exotic Plague Specimens , which can be exchanged alongside other tokens at Jeelvic in the Heroic 4 area and in the Cartel Bazaar on Republic and Imperial Fleets.
Rakghoul Resurgence Missions
Once you enter The Spike, head to the missions terminal. Some of your tasks are there, but there one more Solo Mission to be found in the tunnels themselves.
Combating the Plague / To Fight Infection
(Non-Repeatable) This is the introductory quest, but if you’re not max reputation with THORN, then do it anyway as it grants a small amount of reputation.
Quarantine: Mos Ila (Empire), Anchorhead (Republic)
Your Daily Quarantine mission can be picked up at the THORN Triage Tent or your faction’s base inside the Rakghoul tunnels. In both cases you can find it on a nearby datapad.
Inoculate Pre-Raks
You’ve been given 5 × Rakghoul Inoculations in your quest items. Head back into town and find five Infected Citizens and give them the injections. You’ll need to target them, then use the Inoculation either in the mission tracker, or the Quest Items tab of your Inventory.
Bear in mind, advanced stage Infected are almost certain to spawn and attack. Don’t try to give them the inoculation. Extermination is the only approved method for those. And the only way to avoid becoming a Rak yourself to be honest. Running is always an option for the bravest heros.
How to Spot Infected Citizens
Infected citizens may cry out in pain, hold their heads or make other sounds/movements. You may also find it helpful to enable Nameplates for Friendly NPCs, which will make them easier to spot.
Mission Rewards
As well as credits and XP (or Renown XP) you get:
- THORN Booster Pin: Small Reputation Increase
The Tunnel Network, Navigating the Tunnels
When THORN drill into the ground with The Spike, it fires navigational beacons off. These are used to find air that THORN volunteers can use as an aid to navigating the tunnel network. Technicians need the data from these to be mapped and routes planned. Your job is to use the THORN scanner to find and collect data from 5 × Navigational Beacons.
Where Are the Beacons?
The approximate areas are marked on your map. There are two in the Contagion Zone and three in the Infested Pathways. You can find the beacons high up, embedded in the tunnel ceiling. If you’re struggling to find one, look directly above your character’s head!
I have also found that asking players works really well on this quest. In fact, during this event, I find most players are willing to help, so don’t be afraid to ask!
What Do They Look Like?
Aside from glowing blue (when using the scanning device), if you’re struggling to see them, these pointy gadgets also have blinking lights. As the tunnels are dark and SWTOR does not have an ambient light setting, you may want to turn your screen’s brightness and contrast up a bit.
Tap the thumbnail below to see what the beacons look like close-up.
Mission Rewards
As well as credits and XP (or Renown XP) you get:
- THORN Booster Pin: Small Reputation Increase
- Rakghoul DNA Token × 1
All That Remains, A Grim Examination
Apparently Rakghouls have a habit of hoarding skeletons. Your job is to scan 5 × Skeletal Remains. These are all in large baskets around the tunnels. You have to also clear out at least 25 Rakghouls to complete this mission.
What Do They Look Like?
This. Baskets of skulls. Nice.
The map that follows shows a ton of locations you can find Skeletal Remains. I highly doubt I found them all! However:
- You only need 5, not 12
- They “respawn” after only a short delay, so you could hover round a couple of them if you wanted to.
Where Are Skeletal Remains?
Mission Rewards
As well as credits and XP (or Renown XP) you get:
- THORN Booster Pin: Small Reputation Increase
Collecting Raklings, Rounding Up Raklings
This daily is really quick, very close to your faction’s base in the tunnels, and kinda cute too.
‘Shroom Spray
For this mission, your aim is to find and inject three Fungal Flora. It will explode, spraying you in spores. This will attract tiny Rakghouls called Raklings.
Lil’ Rakling Go
From the point you collect little Rak number one, you have 5 minutes to collect three of them. Your current Raklings will keep following you so long as you’re under the 5 minutes.
Lock ‘Em Up
Once you have your posse of Raklings, you can take as much time as you need to escort them to the Specimen Container at the entrance to the tunnels. You have to “use” the cage to complete the mission.
Mission Rewards
As well as credits and XP (or Renown XP), Collecting Raklings rewards:
- THORN Booster Pin: Small Reputation Increase
Dissecting the Plague, Tracking the Plague
Before the Plague turns a once-rational being into a slavering monster, it’s a horrible infection first. The infected roaming the tunnels are too advanced to permit you to try to inoculate them. So apparently the aim is to put them out of their misery, while they still know what’s happening to them. Interesting.
Take Out the Infected
Remember I said earlier about the “interesting mechanic”? Well you’ll encounter it here, if you haven’t already. Although you need 10 Samples, each Infected will spawn anywhere between 2 and 4 other mobs. Then it’s down to RNG how many, if any, yield the biological samples you need.
Harvest Samples × 10
If a defeated, infected being shows a yellow loot line, then you’ve got a sample. Congratulations! You’ll need to hack up more bodies for those scientists sat safely in their labs worlds away. Justice, huh?
Mission Rewards
As well as credits and XP (or Renown XP), Dissecting/Tracking the Plague rewards:
- THORN Booster Pin: Small Reputation Increase
Jeelvic’s Datapad
Mission Rewards
As well as credits and XP (or Renown XP) you get:
- Rakghoul DNA Token × 1
[Heroic 4] Fungal Corruption, Flora and Fauna
Recover Fungal Samples × 3
This sounds pretty inocuous, excuse the pun. Except that these fungal samples must be gathered from three mini-bosses. Beware of these enormous Rakghouls’ channelled abilities and AoE attacks. Use of interrupts may save your lives.
Kill Fungal Rakghouls × 20
These fungal rakghouls are dotted about the Heroic area mostly in singles, but others will spawn to keep you “entertained”. Or something.
Heroic 4, Mission Rewards
As well as greater credits and XP than the Solo dailies, the Heroic 4 rewards:
Engraved Rakghoul Claw: Medium Reputation Increase- Rakghoul DNA Token × 2
Spreading the Infection
You’ll have to excuse me for not doing my own write-up to this one. It’s mostly because I get anxious/annoyed when it happens to me, that I don’t want to do it to others. Spreading the Infection encourages you to get the plague and go infect other players.
If this is your thing (and it does give a Rakghoul DNA Token) then please see Dulfy .
Mission Rewards
As well as credits and XP (or Renown XP) you get:
- Rakghoul DNA Token × 1
- THORN Booster Pin: Small Reputation Increase
SWTOR Rakghoul Event Rewards
Although I keep talking about the barter currency, you can buy a few rewards with credits. What you can acquire depends on your Legacy’s reputation with THORN.
These are the rewards that can be acquired during the Rakghoul Resurgence Event for Tokens/Canisters and Credits. I have not yet added others that can fall as loot, for example.
Rakghoul DNA Canisters?
While the missions during this SWTOR event reward Rakghoul DNA Tokens, most of the vendor rewards require Rakghoul DNA Canisters. No worries, simply exchange your Trokens for Canisters, then get spending.
Other Currencies
Some rewards offered by Jeelvic require other “currencies” too.
- Rakghoul DNA Sample: Can fall, I believe, from any Rak, but based on how many I have, I think it’s a rare drop.
- Symbiotic Fungal Bloom: these drop from the Elite Raks dotted around the tunnels. According to Dulfy it can drop from The Catalyst rare spawn .
- Exotic Plague Specimen: Only drop from the event World Boss on Alderaan. Unless things have changed this item is not tradable. So if you want a reward that requires it, you’d better find a Raid group taking on the World Boss!
- Barnacle of the Eyeless: This drops from the Eyeless Operation as loot. But unless things have changed, not everyone in the Raid group will get one. So you may need to do the Operation more than once to acquire a Barnacle.
Rakghoul Resurgence Rewards
Titles | Relics | Outfits / Armour Sets | Mounts | Pets | Decorations | Companion Customizations
Rakghoul Resurgence Titles
THORN Titles
As you increase your reputation with THORN, you can unlock Legacy titles. These can be applied to all your characters in that Legacy.
- First Responder: Newcomer Rank
- THORN Specialist: Hero Rank
- The Neutralizer: Legend Rank
Achievement Titles
There are other titles available for achievements in the Rakghoul Resurgence section (under Events) of the Legacy panel.
- Rakghoul Ravager
- Cure for the Plague
- Lord of the Raklings
Remember to tick the “Track” box if you want your progress on your screen at all times during the event.
Presence Relics
Available for Level 25, 35, 45 – these relics provide a buff to your Presence rating. Although it isn’t technically one of the SWTOR Combat Stats, Presence helps your companion support you better in combat. It also grants “temporary immunity to the Rakghoul Plague”, handy if you forget to buy Rakghoul vaccines first.
These Antiviral Kits can be purchased for credits. Sadly there are no presence relics available after Level 45.
CelynTheRaven adds:
The relic from the reputation vendor is particularly useful when fighting the world boss outside of the tunnel. They have an ability that neutralizes the vaccine. You’d need several vaccines for the fight but the relic has infinite uses.
Outfits and Armour Sets
THORN Epicenter Armour Set
In terms of token cost this is the cheapest, at 1 Rakghoul DNA Canister per piece. It’s not exactly the same as the Dark Vector set, but it’s pretty close.
THORN Dark Vector Armour Set
This is the pricier of two sets at 4 Rackghoul DNA Canisters per piece.
↑ Rewards Categories
Mounts (from Jeelvic)
These mounts will require you to obtain the rarer event currencies.
Infected Veractyl
Thanks to @Medullah for the in-game shots of the Infected Veractyl!
Cost:
- 25 × Rakghoul DNA Canister
- 2 × Exotic Plague Specimen
- 1 × Symbiotic Fungal Bloom
- 1 × Barnacle of the Eyeless
Infected Dewback
Thank you @kogass_ for the Infected Dewback screenies!
Cost:
- 50 × Rakghoul DNA Canister
- 4 × Exotic Plague Specimen
- 1 × Symbiotic Fungal Bloom
- 1 × Barnacle of the Eyeless
Weapons
You can also acquire the Advanced Black-Green Colour Crystal from Jeelvic. Make sure you get the right one for your combat stats. Some are +16 and some are +41. They cost 4 × Rakghoul DNA Canisters
Pets (from Jeelvic)
There are 3 Pets which you can acquire for barter tokens from Jeelvic. The other pets requires for the Rakghoul Resurgence Achievements seem to drop as loot from various places.
Contaminated Rakling
Cost: 4 × Rakghoul DNA Canister
Irradiated Rakling
Cost: 2 × Rakghoul DNA Canister
Plaguetail Kowakian Monkey-Lizard
Cost:
- 10 × Rakghoul DNA Canister
- 1 × Exotic Plague Specimen
- 1 × Symbiotic Fungal Bloom
- 1 × Barnacle of the Eyeless
Stronghold Decorations
Plants: Environmental (from Jeelvic)
Contagious Plants
Glowing Cave Fern
Glowing Plague Bulbs
All these plants cost: 4 × Rakghoul DNA Canisters.
Artwork
Rakghouls:
Rakghoul Lurkers
Rakghoul Tunnels
My thanks to @rebelrealcanon for provided in-situe screenshots of this SWTOR Rakghoul Event artworks!
All these plants cost: 4 × Rakghoul DNA Canisters. (Price to verify once I get in-game again)
Plaguebearers: Personnel (from Jeelvic)
Better screenshots coming soon, hopefully!
These Civilians cost:
- 10 × Rakghoul DNA Canister
- 1 × Symbiotic Fungal Bloom
Rakghoul Event Companion Customizations
If you’ve always wanted to give your companions a disease, you’re in luck. Now you can give them pre-transformation Rakghoul Plague. Though I’ve often wondered why you would, unless there’s some RP story-writing or you really don’t like one of them!
↑ Rewards Categories
Other Related Content
As well as the main Soloable missions and the Heroic, other things that happen during Rakghoul Resurgence:
- Doctor Lokin can be recruited into the Alliance. Look for the Alliance Alert entitled “A Kindly Old Monster”.
- Eyeless: The Legacy achievement for taking out the Eyeless can be completed by doing the Raid The Lair of the Eyeless.
- Infected World Bosses spawn in a few places. If I’ve remembered what I read correctly, some of these temporarily replace the usual World Bosses you can find.
TL;DR Time to Push Back the Rakghoul Resurgence in SWTOR!
Being a hero usually means doing things others are either unwilling, or simply ill-equipped, to do. There’s nothing glamorous about culling Rakghouls, but the alternative is they break out, free to make more of them. So gather your friends and allies, and head underground. Push back that Rakghoul Resurgence and forge stronger links with THORN, for the Empire/Republic*!
* delete as appropriate. For a limited time, while stocks last, terms and conditions apply, see in-store for details. Death may result. THORN isn’t liable. No one is.
About the Author
I have been playing MMOs for about ten years and began writing guides to The Lord of the Rings Online in 2017. I've only been creating content about Final Fantasy XIV since 2022, but I am glad for the mix. My current games include LOTRO, FFXIV and the occasional Palia session too.
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