Last Revision: Update 4.0
Topics: Getting Started, Sources for Supplies, all about the Skills, Advanced Crafting
Update 4.0 changed the Crafting System a lot. Read about these changes in the
developer blog. This guide is for the new system with changed recommendations and leveling.
Getting Started
Once you finish Chapter One you can learn Crew Skills. The trainers are on the Fleet in the Strongholds & Crew Skills corner on the main level. Each character can learn max. 3 skills*. Crew Skills are divided into Gathering Skills, Mission Skills and Crafting Skills. Materials for crafting items are obtained through the other two skill types. Usually min. 3 Crew Skills (one of each type) are needed. Most Crew Skills are performed by your companions. Therefore it is useful to have a high Influence Rank with them in order to speed up missions and get a higher critical chance. Read more about Influence in
Dulfy's guide. The more companions you have the more you can send on missions**.
* Subscribers get all 3 slots for free. F2P-Players can learn 1 skill per character. Preferred players get 2 crew skill slots per character. F2P and Preferred can buy crew skill slots with CC or on the GTN or divide their skills between different characters of a legacy.** F2P and Preferred players can only send 3 companions at a time on missions.Sources for Supplies
Usually Gathering Skills supply you character with the needed matrials. But there are alternative ways.
Harvesting Nodes also exist as
Stronghold decorations which yield materials. They are rewards for conquests (appart from the free Grade 1 decorations). These special nodes can be harvested by all charcters of your Legacy.
Jawa Scrap Peddlers will sell you
Premium,
Prototype and
Artifact crafting materials for corresponding scrap parts. They can be found in the Cartel Bazaar on the Fleet or bought as Stronghold Decorations from the Personell Agent.
Crew Skill Trade Vendors sell crafting supplements (standard quality crafting materials). You can find them on the fleet and on many planets. The same materials are also sold by your Advanced Field Repair Droid (unlock through Legacy window).
Silas Fleetfire, the
Smuggled Supplies Vendor on Odessen, sells Exotic Isotope Stabilizer for 25 Glowing Data Crystals.
The
GTN is very important for crafting. Not only can you buy mats there, but also missions which yield better results. Of course you can buy Harvesting Nodes and Jawas there, too.
Gathering Skills
Coruscant/Dromund Kaas and higher planets have Harvesting Nodes which yield crafting materials for characters with a Gathering Skill. The nodes for your skill are visible on your map. You can harvest them even when all your companions are busy. From Gathering Missions companions bring back crafting materials, even the standard quality ones. Missions with better yields can be found by slicers and bought on the GTN. In some Flashpoints Gathering Skills are usefull for e.g. shortcuts. To see a complete list visit
SWTOR Strategies. Superfluous mats can be sold on the GTN for profit.
ArcheologyUseful for the following Flashpoints: Athiss, Mando Raiders, Hammer Station, Cademimu, Colicoid Wargames,
Red ReaperYields:
- Power Crystals
- Artifact Fragments
- Color Crystals
- standard quality crafting materials
BioanalysisYou can harvest some killed monsters/animals after fights. Useful for the following Flashpoints: Athiss, Mando Raiders, Hammer Station
Yields:
- Biochemical Samples
- Biochemical Compounds
- standard quality crafting materials
ScavengingYou can harvest some killed droids after fights. Useful for the following Flashpoints: Athiss, Mando Raiders, Hammer Station, Cademimu, Colicoid Wargames, Red Reaper
Yields:
- Scavenged Metals
- Scavenged Compounds
- standard quality crafting materials
SlicingThis is the most important Crew Skill. Sliced Tech Parts are needed to craft
Artifact quality items, augments and Conquest/Stronghold items. It's also the only skill to yield credits directly. Useful for the following Flashpoints: Athiss, Mando Raiders, Hammer Station, Cademimu, Colicoid Wargames
Yields:
- Credits
- Sliced Tech Parts
- Cybertech Schematics
- Missions for all Gathering/Mission Skills
Mission Skills
These skills are performed by your companions. They need a long time and a lot of money to level up. Missions with better yields can be found by slicers and bought on the GTN. All Mission Skills yield Companion Gifts.
DiplomacyThis Skill makes it easy to maintain a neutral alignment for RP pourposes.
Yields:
- Medical Supplies
- Dark Side/Light Side points
- Companion Gifts
InvestigationYields:
- Researched Compounds
- Companion Gifts
Treasure HuntingYields:
- Gemstones
- Lockboxes containing items
- Companion Gifts
Underworld TradingYields:
- Underworld Metals
- Luxury Fabrics
- Companion Gifts
Crafting Skills
Buy
Prototype schematics from your trainer to craft items. To learn the
Artifact version of these items you can Reverse Engineer them. You will get back some of the used mats this way.
ArmormechUseful for: Smuggler/Agent and
Trooper/Bounty Hunter, especially Vanguard/Powertech Tanks and Prefab Crafter
Crafts:
- Resistive Armorings (Endurance)
- Augments: Mastery, Shield, Absorb
- Armor: Medium, Heavy
Recommended Skills
- Scavenging
- Underworld Trading
- Slicing (for Artifact grade items, Augments, Stronghold schematics)
ArmstechUseful for:
Smuggler/Agent and Trooper/Bounty Hunter, especially Scoundel and Agent
Crafts:
- Barrels
- Augments: Mastery, Shield, Absorb
- Shotgun (Scattergun), Vibroblade
- Weapons: Blaster Pistol, Blaster Rifle, Sniper Rifle, Assault Cannon, Electrostaff, Techblade, Techstaff
Recommended Skills
- Scavenging
- Investigation
- Slicing (for Artifact grade items, Augments, Stronghold schematics)
ArtificeUseful for: all classes, especially Jedi Knight/Sith Warrior and Jedi Consular/Sith Inquisitor and Prefab Crafter
For reputation dye schematics a high standing with the Voss, the Imperial Guard on Belsavis/Republic Fifth Assault Battalion (Section X), the Makeb Imperial Forces/Citizens of Makeb and the Ordnance Acquisition Corps/The Adjudicators (CZ-198) is recommended.
Crafts:
- Hilts
- Color Crystals
- Relics
- Offhands: Generator, Focus, Shield
- Dyes
- Weapons: Lightsaber, Doublebladed Lightsaber
Recommended Skills
- Archeology
- Treasure Hunting
- Slicing (for Artifact grade items, Stronghold schematics)
BiochemUseful for: all classes, especially Tanks and PvP
Crafts:
- Implants
- Medpacs
- Stims
- Adrenals
Recommended Skills
- Bioanalysis
- Diplomacy
- Slicing (for Artifact grade items, Stronghold schematics)
CybertechUseful for: all classes
Crafts:
- Mods
- Enhancements
- Earpieces
- Grenades
- Starship items
Recommended Skills
- Scavenging
- Underworld Trading
- Slicing (for Artifact grade items, Stronghold schematics)
SynthweavingUseful for: Jedi Knight/Sith Warrior, Jedi Consular/Sith Inquisitor and Prefab Crafter
Crafts:
- Versatile Armorings (Mastery)
- Augments: Critical, Alacrity, Defense
- Armor: Light, Medium, Heavy
Recommended Skills
- Archeology
- Underworld Trading
- Slicing (for Artifact grade items, Stronghold schematics)
Advanced Crafting
Crew Skills not only allow you to create your own gear. You can help your guild get more Conquest points and craft special items (Prefabs/Dark Projects) you can trade for decoration. To participate in Conquest events all normal Gathering Skills and their corresponding Crafting Skills are useful. All Crafting Skills can craft one of the following Prefabs: Industrial and Synthetic. To craft Universal Prefabs you need at least 2 different Prefab Crafting Skills and Underworld Trading. TOR Decorating has a
full list of items you can get for Prefabs.
In order to craft endgame gear (lvl 64-65) all Crafting Skills need 3 new exotic crafting materials. Exotic Isotope Stabilizer, Dark Matter Catalyst and Strategic Resouce Matrix. The latter are only needed for
Artifact grade items. Dark Projects need the Exotic Isotope Stabilizer too. Exotic Isotope Stabilizer can be bought from a vendor on Odessen or found in Hardmode Flashpoints, Dark Matter Catalyst in Operations and the Strategic Resouce Matrix is rewarded for the completion of your personal conquest goal.
You learn the schematics for these high level items either by Reverse Engineering Modifications acquired from Operations gear or Reverse Engineering gear acquired from your respective Trainer. This gear has a guaranteed Reverse Engineer chance. The highest craftable endgame gear is equivalent to Hard Mode Operations gear.