Cartel coins (CC) - Useful investments & tips

You're not a solo player merely interested in rushing classes and planets stories ?

Don't wanna be a subscriber, yet you're still interested by powerful n' stylish gears and outfits ?

Follow me, then ^^

P.S.: Je suis francophone, n'hésitez pas à poser une question en com'

Sometimes efforts are rewarded - free coins

You won't get alot of coins by playing, though.

8 classes x 4 chapters x 20 coins = 640 totally free CC per server.. As a 'Privilege' player, you can create 12 characters per server. Remember that subclasses aren't taken into account.

Complete the starter space missions : Fondor escort on the Republican side & Jabim escort on the Imperial side = 20 coins per faction = 40 CC per server. The terminal is located on your private ship, not far from the travelling map. ; you can find it aven if you've ignored the tutorial / abandoned it.

Complete the starter flashpoint (FP) [American, English, German] / "zone litigieuse'" (ZL) [French]. You'll encounter this type of instance right after reaching the Fleet, and before reaching the capital-planet (either Coruscant or Dromund Kaas).

Talk to the droid NPC (called NR-02) located to the opposite side of the shuttle, and start the solo mode. I'm not quite sure you get the coins on Veteran/Master modes if you've brung some friends [?]
Either Esseles (Rep) or Black Talon (Imp).



1 instance x 2 factions x 20 coins = 40 CC per server.

TOTAL : 720 FREE CC PER SERVER.
I don't think you're authorized to transfer those between servers.

Your personal data is valuable - 'free' coins

You can go on the official website and add a Security key to your SWTOR account.

Must have a smartphone and some... inspiration.

My SWTOR > My account > (Fill out your) Security questions (5).

American, English (UK), French and German languages & toil free support numbers only, beware of international calls fees !

Then download the app, I guess there's a kinda tutorial included :o

Then you'll get 100 CC every month.

Tip credits @SomeReallyLongNameOf32Characters :
You can download WinAuth and set it up with SWTOR to get the security key, all on PC is possible, and it's quite easy.

Recommended overall expense

I'd say 5 500 CC = 35€ for sure, and about 42$ or 30£ ; especially if you haven't added a Security key.

I'll try being exhaustive in the following sections.

SWTOR sure IS a P2W whenever it comes to PvP and subscriber-only instances and expansions, like most of nowadays MMOs ; concerning PvE, everything is possible with a bit a patience, skill, luck (when it comes to glitches !) and last but not least, a few friends.
Stangers, too ; most players won't even answer [politely], but there are good buddies around.

[French aside]Serveur français The Leviathan, good guys spotted : des membres de "Pas de stress" et "Les Bras cassés" côté Rép, et de First Order côté Emp., m'ont agréablement surprise par leur cordialité, solidarité et bonne humeur[/aparté]



Guess I'm still an optimistic social bird, deeply inside.

About crafts [ACCOUNT]

The thing is, you can't craft on your own without a 3rd crew skill.
1 200 CC for a single character, 2 700 CC for your account (a single server [?]).
Otherwise, you'll be dependent to the Galactic Market (players) prices ; but this will cost you credits only.


You can find the NPC trainers early, either in your affiliated Capital (underground galleries of the Senate Plaza in Coruscant, near the TP point in Kaas City), or the Fleet.
They's represented by a Diamond icon on the map & minimap.



My main advice here is :



Crew skills a.k.a jobs, I mean.
-> Get to 600/600 rank points. Beware : don't buy the 250K-worth Onslaught extra skills ; the button appears, and I didn't dare clicking on it. 'coz I'm CONSTANTLY BROKE x)

Lemme tell you : choosing this option will consume a huuuuge amount of credits ; but I think the results worth it.
A lot of time, in a way ; your companions will do it all, but it still feels quite slow and painful to get mastery rank and crafting blueprints.

Minimalist guide :

1) Gathering skills :rg

• Archaeology [Archéologie/Archäologie]
  
• Bioanalysis [Bioanalyse]
  
• Scavenging [Récupération/Wiederherstellung]
  
• Slicing [Piratage/Hacken]

You can collect ressources on nonmoving things (plants, containers, metal scraps, symbolized by stars and maps and minimaps



There are also sought-after gleaming blue boxes. You'll find those next to elite and champion ranks ennemies and in secret areas.



Those contain small, medium or large bags of materials. Other ways to get some : retrieving connection rewards, completing a conquest objective (killing ennemies, developing crew skills, advancing main, secondary and bonus missions, etc), defeating special (quite well hidden) ennemies and bosses - the stronger the better, of course.


Quality/Rarity ranks :

• Cheap = grey
  
• Standard = white
  
• Premium = green
  
• Prototype = blue
  
• Artfifact = purple
  
• Legendary = deep purple
  
• Modded = orange

2) Mission skills :

• Diplomacy [Diplomatie]
  
• Investigation [Ermittlung]
  
• Treasure hunting [Chasse au trésor/Schatzsuche]
  
• Underworld trading [Contrebande/Unterwelthandel]

You'll have to send your partners on various missions (up to 3 at the same time for non-subscribers).

The higher your influence on the companion, the faster and more efficient (s)he'll be. And enslav... , *cough* entrusting them for a mission always rewards you with Affection points.
Each of them has a peculiar affinity to a job.

• Succeeds : brings you back either a briefcase full of credits, a gift or raw materials. Even the 3-in-1 time when unlocking a single-use special mission (you randomly loot it on ennemies ; see below 'Authorization : Artfifact Equipment')
  
• Smashes it all : brings you back high-quality stuff ;
  
• Screws up : still earns those damn points.

Don't forget unlocking your Legacy options asap :
Press Y (dedicated menu) > Pay the fees for Legacy Altruism and Persuasion.


3) Crafting skills :

• Armors [Armures/Rüstungen] : gears for bounty hunters, smugglers, soldiers and spies ; augments for all
  
• Artifice [Künstlich] : lightsabers and its grips and Force shields for Jedi, and Sith, crystals, dye modules and relics for all
  
• Biochemistry [Biochimie/Biochemie] : adrenals, medicals, stimulants, implants for all
  
• Cybertech [Cybernétique] : bombs and grenades, techshields, headsets
  
• Synthweaving [Synthétissage/Synth-Fertigung]
  
• Weapons [Armes/Waffen] : ranged and melee weapons and barrels, for all excepted Force users
  
  
• Succeeds : done the task just right ;
  
• Smashes it all : created an optimized weapon or armor piece (you can insert an augment), or two

[DISCLAIMER] I've just discovered the following schematics, created and/or published by the SWTOR gamedia website ; this one is perfectly clear, so that I didn't wan't to waste time on my own.


FYI, Big Thx @budisourdog :
If you've previously subscribed to swtor / have preferred status and use a referral code, you get the third crew skill, titles, the final inventory upgrade and something else I forget from the code, and don't need to spend cartel coins on them.

Just keep it up !



Level 10 Jedi Knight example (complete synth armor) :



Level 60 Soldier example (complete tech armor) :



These outrank premium (green) mobs loots and class stories rewards (don't forget that many prototype (blue) gears can be fully upgraded).
Blue-quality Heroic missions rewards have pretty similar stats ; they're just mostly... ugly.

And finally, purchase the Artfifact Equipment Authorization : 1 200 CC for a single character, 2 700 for athe whole account.

Right-click on purple items, and get it :


It will be 'unlocked in your collections', and the golden symbol on the upper left shall diseppear.
This one player probably bought this crystal on the Galactic market without realizing it :



You'll be able to learn Artifact ranked missions and blueprints.

About extra companions [MAIN]

Many KOTOR players are fond of HK-47. Hell yeah. Sadly, this number-one Assassin droid won't be yours.

BUT,

You can still get a HK-51 unit.
(Be wary and don't confuse it with the HK-55 ; this one is bound to an expansion-related chapter !)


Cartel market > Categories > Miscellaneous/Access authorization > Sector X

Unlocking it will cost you 375 CC



And there is Treek. A pricy one, so he doesn't fit in this guide requirements.

About travelling options [MAIN]

Mounts (animals and speeders alike)

First of all, freely unlock level 4 speed mastery :

• level 60 character ability (regular trainer, 20-35K credits, I can't remember it) ;
  
• level 30 legacy, level 35 character, 600k credits (ouch !)

Level 5 costs 300 CC for a single character.


Mostly, you can only ride them outside, except during flashpoint instances.

List of expenses so far

The (not useful at all) bragging part

Not exactly, btw. Bioware and Luc... Disney will invest your money into games, movies, series and goodies. Yet, from a 'myself' point of view !

If you still own some CC, just have a peek on the market.
Mounts, fortress decorations, dyes, outfits and weapons appearances, reusable holograms, consumables...

The cheapest ones cost 80 CC (60 during sales).

You've just made a step closer to a sarlacc money pit, though.

Going further

I highly recommend :

SWTOR fandom community for detailed guides ;

SWTOR gamepedia and Jedipedia , which are the most exhaustive and up-to-date SWTOR databases ; the second one is fully available in English, French and German, and spoiler-free.

Wookiepedia for the lore, extended universe, fandom fever and else.

Thanks for reading it all, and

[Dúna]

Hello there, I'll add this info within a few seconds. Thanks ^^

[SomeReallyLongNameOf32Characters]

You can download WinAuth and set it up with SWTOR to get the free 100cc a month security key, no need for a phone, all on PC is possible, and it's quite easy.

[Dúna]

Didn't know that, I'll update the guide asap, thx =)

[budisourdog]

If you've previously subscribed to swtor / have preferred status and use a referral code, you get the third crew skill, titles, the final inventory upgrade and something else I forget from the code, and don't need to spend cartel coins on them.

[Dúna]

True, though you can't take all of the crafting skills.

[philosophia8]

Actually the material inventory is shared with all the characters on the server so it is possible to craft without unlocking the third crew skill.