Learn about every step you will take from creating your first character all the way to the Endgame in SWTOR. The ultimate resource for a new player or returning veteran.
This Guide is for Beginner players and, perhaps, some returning veterans who want to catch up with what has changed and how. This article is not a strict “You must Follow Me” order due to the vast number of opportunities you have available before you, but you should use it as a frame to build on and move forward.
Integrated into this guide you will find a number of videos as well. You do not need to watch all of them. Consider them as bonus addition to expand and upgrade your knowledge of what you are reading about.
Let’s start!
Use the Table of Contents, located in the left panel (top left button on the mobile menu) to navigate through this long guide more easily and quickly.
Character Creation
Everything starts with choosing the right SWTOR server to start your new character on. There are currently six available servers and they differ mostly by physical location and language.
Luckily for you, the choices you make during the initial character creation process are for the most part editable later on in the game. You can do that via the Design Center.
Initial Character Creation Settings
As any self-respecting MMORPG, Star Wars The Old Republic also offers extensive modifications and customizations to your own character.
Starting from Level 1 or Higher
Based on your account status, you will have a different number of character slots per server available. When you begin the character creation, the first thing you will see are the following options:
- Start a NEW Character – begin your adventure from the very beginning of the game, at level 1 with all stories unlocked (F2P limitations still apply!) and available for you to explore.
- Commander’s Token – a Cartel Market (SWTOR’s InGame store) that allows you to create a new character lvl 70 on a new slot. This token does not grant access to content that you have not yet unlocked. It just gives you the character. Start Onslaught right away with a level 70 character. Some basic default decisions from previous storylines will be made for you.
- Get immediately to lvl 70 via the Master’s Datacron token – allows any existing character between lvl 1 and 69 to be immediately boosted to lvl 70. The token is available for purchase via the InGame Cartel Store for Cartel Coins or the Galactic Trade Network for Credits.
The next step is the actual character creation. The first decision here is whether you want to play for the Sith Empire or The Republic.
Each faction offers 8 unique classes with 3 disciplines each. Some classes have only one role (DPS), while others can be DPS and Heals or DPS and Tanks.
What you choose, depends heavily on your preferred style of play most of all. The classes and roles on both sides are identical in terms of performance, but have different class stories, missions, animations, gear and so on.
Now we arrive at the best part – customizing your appearance and choosing a name for your Star Wars Hero-To-Be.
What Class to Choose
There are 4 basic classes for the Republic and 4 for the Empire. Each one has a personal unique story for you to experience that is 100% free. All Basic classes have 2 advanced classes each. With the release of Game Update 7.0 BioWare renamed the “advanced classes” to “Combat Styles”.
You must choose your Combat Style when you start the game. This choice is permanent. Each Combat Style has 3 different combat proficiency options, the so called Disciplines.
Some classes can do damage and heal, others can do damage and tank, while some classes can only be damage dealers. Disciplines can be switched at any time during gameplay (except while in Combat).
Another innovation from 7.0 is that players are able to choose a second Combat Style now and literally play two characters in one.
I’ve expanded this section into a stand-alone guide: How to create a new character in SWTOR. If you need more details and want to learn which tokens you should use when to boost your characters, I have a lot of helpful tips for you there.
New vs Boosted Character in SWTOR: Everything you should knowWhat is the Appearance Designer
The Appearance designer allows you to modify the appearance of your character in a number of ways, including Species, Body Type, Head, Scars, Skin Color and many more.
It is important to know, though, all of these will cost you real life money to perform. While initial character creation is 100% free, if you want to modify the physical appearance of your character at the Appearance Designer in-game, you will have to pay with Cartel Coins.
The Appearance Designer is available at the Cartel Bazaar on the Fleet. You can also purchase and install one in your own Galactic Stronghold.
You can learn more about how the Appearance Designer works in SWTOR by reading my dedicated guide on that topic.
How to Change Your Character’s Appearance in SWTORHow Outfitter works
From the moment you create your character, you will want it to look cool. This is just inevitable. Looking cool comes not just from your choice of species, hair and complexion, but mostly from the Outfits!
In the Character Sheet you have an opportunity to dress up your character in a number of different outfits and switch them with the click of a button.
On the top of the panel you will see a few tabs – the first one is your actual gear with the stats you want for your character. Next is the Outfitter tab – here you can choose how your character will look like without their appearance to have any effect on their performance in combat. There are a lot of outfit slots you can predefined, but you will have to unlock each additional one if you want multiple choices.
I’ve expanded this topic into a separate guide detailing the Gear vs Outfit differences in SWTOR and explaining how each one of them works in conjunction with the other to allow you to have the perfect-looking and at the same time strongest possible character.
Gear vs Outfit in SWTOR: How to Look Cool and PowerfulUser Interface, Menus and Keybinds
Like any classic MMO game, SWTOR also relies on toolbars, HP bars and various types of windows and menus to provide your character with everything he or she might need to progress and function. Please, keep in mind that this is not an in-depth overview.
It would take a whole another article to describe every little detail about the UI and Keybinds. Instead, I will rely that you have at least the very basic of experience with MMO or MOBA games. This should be enough.
User Interface (UI)
In this section I’ll focus mostly on the UI. The UI are all the menus, toolbars and windows you see and/or open manually on your screen. Te most important parts are the HP Bars with your and your target’s Avatar and the Toolbars with your active abilities. Below you can see a couple of screenshots of the Default UI the game launches with.
Here is what each of the numbers represent:
- Your Character’s Avatar.
- Your Target’s Avatar.
- Your Buffs (same appear on the right side for your target).
- Your Debuffs (same appear on the right side for your target).
- HP and Resource Bars – showing how much life you have left (red one) and what resources you have.
- The + button opens the UI Edit menu, from here you can switch to another design or create your own.
- XP Bar, showing your progress towards the next level (also shows your Legacy XP and Renown XP at lvl cap)
Some classes rely on specific resource that has to be built before they can use some of their special abilities, others deplete and have to recharge. This is what the bar under the red HP bar is for.
An important part of the HUD is the minimap as well as the big overlay map. On the minimap you can see your current position quick and easy together with all kinds of useful information, such as nearby vendors locations, mail boxes, trainers and so on.
You have access to all main windows and tabs via the main menu bar, located by default at the top middle of the screen.
The UI can be customized, all of its parts can be moved, scaled and edited separately. If you are interested to try something more advanced and, Immersive or Endgame- friendly later on, check out the Custom VULKK UIs.
I have expanded this section into a stand-alone article. The massive SWTOR User Interface Guide is designed to help new players and returning veterans flatten the learning curve and get into the loop as fast as possible.
SWTOR User Interface: A Complete Guide for New PlayersKeybinding vs Mouse Clicking
This small segment here is mostly personal opinion and what I suggest, is not 100%% what you might think or want to do while you enjoy your game. Please, take this under consideration, while you read.
Keybinding is a key aspect to mastering the game, even though clicking with the mouse is also perfectly fine if you don’t press yourself to become a hardcore player. Some roles allow for clicking with your mouse, but it is generally more time consuming and provokes proper UI elements placement.
For example, when you heal using only your mouse to activate abilities, you would want all of your main toolbars to be as close to the Group Frame as possible. I suggest using of groups of abilities or clusters. This allows you to have visually easy access and knowledge of what is located where.
If you decide to go for Keybinding, then the more keys on your keyboard (and mouse) you program, the better. Start off lightly with only the main abilities only and keep mapping new abilities and features as you gain experience with the game and progress towards EndGame.
This segment was included here, because I personally believe it is detrimental for your success to learn keybinding as early as possible, provided, of course, you are starting off with a clear mind and don’t come to the game with already established habits from another MMO.
Currencies
There are 2 universal currencies InGame that you will be using all the time, Credits and Cartel Coins. The rest of the Currencies are for the EndGame in SWTOR. You can track all of your currencies from the Currency Tab in your Inventory.
Basic Currencies
There are several in-game currencies that you need to know about from the very beginning. Here are their names along with a short description of which one does what:
Credits
The most basic currency in Star Wars The Old Republic. Earned by looting defeated enemies, as mission rewards and from selling items on the Galactic Trade Network.
Cartel Coins
Cartel Coins are the currency you can purchase with real life money or earn in very scommamall amounts through gameplay (mainly by completing achievements InGame). Cartel Coins are used to purchase items from the InGame Cartel Store or to unlock various Legacy Perks for your characters and Legacy.
EndGame Currencies
The following currencies will be used to gear up your character with EndGame gear and in some cases to outfit them with more expensive and rare clothes, armor and/or weapons. Check out the Vendors section at the end of this guide for more info on that topic.
Tech Fragments
This is the new currency introduced in Update 6.0 Onslaught that you will be using to purchase primarily gear peaces, but a few other things as well. It is an EndGame currency and can be earned by simply playing the game – as reward from missions, tasks, conquest and more.
On the Republic and Empire Fleet (the main hub for each faction) you will find vendors that will be willing to trade you some Spoils of War goodies in exchange for Tech Fragments (and often Credits too).
Iokath Power Shards
Earned and used in the Iokath Daily Area to purchase various items. If you want to learn more, take a look at my in-depth guide to Iokath Daily Missions Guide.
Fleet Commendations
Can be used to purchase reward items from the Fleet Commendations vendor, or upgrades for your personal starship from the Starship Upgrades vendor. Both vendors can be found near the Galactic Trade Market on the Fleet.
Event Currencies
These are special tokens you may earn during a world weekly or seasonal event, such as the Nightlife‘s Casino Chip tokens.
We have an in-depth guide to all currencies in SWTOR. Take a look to learn more about each one of them, how to obtain them and recommendations on how to spend them wisely!
SWTOR Currencies Explained: A Beginner’s GuideLeveling up
There are a number of ways for you to level up your character. It is easiest and quickest during an Double XP Event. The developers usually launch them around special holidays such as Wookiee Life Day and May the 4th.
For regular gameplay activities outside of these events, here are the 3 most popular and productive ways to enjoy the game and level up your character from 1 to level cap.
Leveling Strategies
Today leveling in SWTOR is incredibly easy and fast. If you don’t think so, you probably started your adventure recently and don’t remember “the struggles” players had to endure, such as Sprint at lvl 14, Speeder at lvl 25, No XP Stims, No Legacy Perks, No free Gear, No Level Sync and more and more.
There are a few fast enough ways for you to progress through the levels. I’ll describe below some of them and tell you which are suggested or not and also why.
Subscriber vs Non-Subscriber while Leveling
If you consider yourself a very casual player and don’t care how long it will take you to get to level cap, by all means play the game in its Free to Play (F2P) mode or purchase something small to get your status upgraded to Preferred. F2P has a ton of limitations in the leveling part as well as the EndGame aspect of SWTOR.
Game Update 6.0 allowed Free-to-play players to gain access to SWTOR’s first two expansions for free. Rise of the Hutt Cartel and Shadow of Revan are 100% free for everyone now. This raised the level cap for F2P to 60.
However, while leveling the restrictions aren’t that severe. If you wish to keep playing past level 60, though, you will need to subscribe for 1 month. This will grant you access to all the story content from lvl 51 to the current latest patch.
Check out the extended Guide on How to Level Up in SWTOR to learn more about the different paths that the game offers you.
Leveling via Class Story Missions
Is the best way to go for. It’s not the fastest, but will show you amazing stories told through your own eyes and decisions with tons of cinematic cutscenes. The Character Story is mostly a solo experience.
The game allows you to group up, but for the most part it’s about you doing your missions and your buddy doing theirs. The locations are often different and all mobs you face are easy to take down, bringing a 2nd player doesn’t really speed things up. The stories are also meant to be experienced solo.
Watch all those long cinematics, enjoy your interaction with the rest of the world around and develop your own adventure the way you want it to be (with the obvious choice limitations… this is an MMO after all :P)
(I focus here on a Subscriber player going only after the personal and unique to their class “purple” missions. For non-subscribers planetary story arks would be a requirement to prevent you from falling behind on leveling)
Leveling through Heroics
Is probably the best and most boring way to progress towards level cap. If you have a group of friends, it sure is effective and quick, but may seriously impact the entertainment value of the game. Using the Heroics Terminal on the Fleet will speed up the farming process immensely.
Heroics are 2 or 4-man group quests, but most of them can be soloed. These missions can be picked up on the various planets they occur or via the Activities Window. Based on what level your character is, different missions will be visible in both the Group and Solo Tabs.
Leveling through Flashpoints and/or Warzones
Is very entertaining and interesting, especially if you have a group. It’s fast enough, though slower than farming Heroics. For this method to work nicely, though, you would need up to 3 friends with suitable classes to be able to jump from Flashpoint to the next one.
For Warzones the balance of the group is less important, because the teams are 8v8 or 4v4 and never perfectly balanced anyway, so lacking a tank or a healer is far less important there compared to a Flashpoint.
During the PvP matches, each player will be bolstered, so no need to think about what gear you have.
My personal recommendation is to NOT jump into Warzones as soon as they become available. At the very early levels in the lowest bracket, players are lacking abilities.
I don’t mean that this important skill or that fantastic passive is missing, no. I mean literally lacking abilities to use.
It’s true that you will be stuck with the same abilities in PvE as well, but in PvP the lack of abilities is much more noticeable, especially if you have PvP experience from another game before SWTOR.
Some of the Flashpoints have solo mode. These are the Flashpoints directly related to the story of the game. You can run them with just your companion.
Flashpoints can be soloed or completed with up to 4 players or less + companions. They are available on the Fleet from various NPCs as well as on each planet they are related to. Warzones are 8v8 or 4v4 group PvP instanced events. The easiest way to get to a Flashpoint or Warzone is via the Activities Window.
Leveling with Mixed Activities
By far the best and quickest way to level up. If you have a group, run Flashpoints, if you are playing solo, go for the Story Missioins, if you have a buddy or two, join for a few Warzones. The best productivity and results here is achieved by completing all of your Daily Quests (found on the Fleet) for PvP and Flashpoints and if you still have time left to play the same day, go for your personal story.
Story Progression Order
SWTOR’s rich 14+ years of storytelling has hundreds of hours of gameplay to offer. If you are just starting out now, buckle up, you will be fixing the Galaxy’s problems for a long time.
The game’s origin stories along with the first two expansions are 100% free-to-play. To progress beyond the Shadow of Revan storyline, you will need to subscribe at least for a month.
One month subscription unlocks only the content released up to the point when you subscription expires. After that you will keep your free access to the already released story content to level up any new characters you want to, but you will not have access to newer story content locked behind a subscription.
Another note – not all story content is locked behind a subscription, but the major releases such as expansions and story chapters are.
We have a complete chronologically-ordered guide to SWTOR’s story. Read it to find out what comes after what and what your next mission will take you.
SWTOR Full Story Order, Progression and TimelineGear for Leveling
What are Gear Mods and How to Use Them
During this guide I am mentioning several times the use of Orange Shells and Mods. Here is a brief description of what these things actually do for you and how to get them:
Orange Shells
Orange Shells gear pieces can be rewards from missions, purchased at vendors or from GTN, as well as bought for real-life money from the Cartel Market. These represent gear pieces with 3 or 4 empty slots, where you can put mods to enhance your character stats.
Mods for your Gear
Can be looted as a random drop from kills, rewards from missions, crafted, purchased from vendors or at GTN for credits and more. There are 4 different types of mods, each one giving you different stats bonuses for your character – Armoring, Mod, Enhancement and Augment.
While leveling, stop by the Supplies Section on the Fleet and check out the vendors there. They sell mods cheap and are your best resource for proper gear while you are enjoying the story of the game. You can change the mods in your gear at an Item Modification Station. You can use one for free on the Fleet, in the Supplies Section or you can purchase one ofr your own Stronghold.
Crafting and Augmenting
Don’t ever bother crafting gear while leveling or augmenting any of your armor pieces. It’s expensive for a new player and absolutely pointless. Every 4 or 8 levels stop by the Fleet Mods Vendors and update the mods in your Shells. That’s right.
Get orange empty shells for all of your armor slots (preferably Legacy Bound) and only change the mods from time to time. The stats you are aiming for (only while leveling!) are Crit, Power and Mastery. Don’t bother with Accuracy and never ever go the Endurance way.
In fact, you will usually be far above the quest’s or planet’s original level, which means Level Sync will be applied to you. If this happens, you don’t need to even change mods in your armor and weapons.
Our dedicated guide on how to gear while leveling will provide you with all of the details you need, including armor parts recommendations, mods, stat priorities and a ton of helpful tips.
What Gear to use while Leveling in SWTOR: A New Player’s GuideCharacter Stats and their meaning
There are a lot of different stats your character can improve upon. I believe it is wrong to focus on all of them early on. It is important to learn the base ones first and how they affect your character’s performance.
Mastery
Mastery is an attribute that increases the aptitude in combat and was introduced with Knights of the Fallen Empire. All former primary attributes, Aim, Cunning, Strength, and Willpower, are now Mastery.
Power
The Power attribute increases the strength of all your attacks whether they be force attacks, non-force attacks, or even Melee Attacks. It is a powerful stat but does not appear often.
Crit
Increases your likelihood to get critical hits with every type of ability.
Accuracy
Higher Accuracy Rating increases your chance to hit with attacks. Once you reach the hit cap, accuracy starts reducing enemy armor or resistance.
Alacrity
Alacrity rating is a haste effect. It reduces the length of channeled abilities and reduces the cooldowns of abilities that have activation times longer than 1.5 seconds. It does not affect abilities that utilize the default 1.5 second Global Cool-Down, such as instant abilities.
Armor
Armor Rating (AR) or Armor is a character statistic that reduces Energy Damage and Kinetic Damage from a damage attack that hits a target. This should not be confused with the armor Rating value assigned to an individual item. The Armor Rating is determined by adding up the Armor values, not the Rating value, from all the equipped items on the character.
Absorption
Increases the strength of your shield, allowing it to absorb more damage.
Defense Rating
Increases the strength of your shield, allowing it to absorb more damage.
Shield
Increases the chance for your shield to become active during an attack.
Each item has Rating and quality tier. They are both clearly stated on the very top of the item’s pop-up info window. The higher these are, the best stats this item will provide you with.
Companions
During the original class storylines, a few characters will be able to come aboard and travel with you through the Galaxy. Each of these Companions will have their own individual storylines that you can choose to explore through conversations.
As you explore their background you’ll learn more about where they came from, meet their own friends and family, and even battle together against their own personal enemies. There are also a few special Companions to unlock through various Missions and rewards InGame.
They will be featured in the Companions Tab and you will be able to level up the influence you have on them (a special stat).
Upgrading and Outfitting Companions
After you gather your Companions and begin adventuring around the galaxy, you might find that some Companions could use a new look or need new equipment to match their unique personality and style.
While they are effective and capable fighters in battle no matter the gear, there are a variety of options to change everything from armor and weapons to their physical appearance.
Many Companions will give you the option of choosing their armor and weapons, assuming they have the required skills to do so. To change their equipment, open of the Character Sheet in-game can click on the companion tab. You can then drag and drop any equipment from your inventory into the appropriate equipment slot.
Companion Vendors are scattered throughout the galaxy and will have tokens that will change the physical appearance of certain Companions. These changes could be different paint jobs for droids or even changing the race and hairstyle of humanoid Companions.
You can upgrade your companion’s skills and performance by giving them gifts or sending them on crew skill missions. Gifts can be obtained as random loot, mission rewards or purchased from a special vendor on the Fleet – in the Galactic Trade Market section.
Below is a list of what your companions would LOVE and FAVORITE to have as a gift from you.
Original source for this chart can be found here.
Best Companion for YOU
My personal recommendations are to use a Healing companion if you play a DPS character and DPS companion if you play as a Healer or Tank.
There is no gearing up for companions any more (a note for the returning veterans). They all level up together with you. It may help speed your gameplay if you opt the disable your companion’s CC channel ability (it’s always the last one in their bar).
Guide to the Best Companion for Each Role in SWTORCrew Skills and Crafting Professions
Until you get a small army of alts on your side or good friends to provide you with resources, you can forget about being even remotely close to self sufficient in Crafting and Crew Skills Management. With that said, there are a couple of ways for you to make a good profit from picking the right Crew Skill for the right leveling and EndGame priority.
Below you will find all of the Crew Skills ordered by type and with a brief lore-friendly description.
Gathering Skills Overview
Archaeology
The ability to seek out imbued items like Lightsaber crystals and ancient artifacts and is best combined with Artifice or Synthweaving.
Bioanalysis
The practice of collecting genetic material from creatures and plants and is best combined with Biochem.
Scavenging
The art of recovering useful materials and parts from old or damaged technology, and the items get from Scavenging are very useful for Armormech , Cybertech and Armstech.
Slicing
A skill in accessing secured computer systems and lockboxes to acquire valuable data and rare schematics. And is by far the best money making skill and can be used with Cybertech.
Crafting Skills Overview
Armormech
The ability to work with hard metals and electronic shielding to construct all types of personal armor
Armstech
The skill of constructing blasters, blaster rifles and upgrades
Artifice
The delicate work of constructing Jedi and Sith artifacts
Biochem
The engineering of performance-enhancing chemical serums and biological implants
Cybertech
The technical expertise to construct gadgets and components for Droids and high-tech armors
Synthweaving
The art of creating lighter outfits and armors that are imbued with Force qualities
Mission Skills Overview
Diplomacy
The art of conducting and managing negotiation
Investigation
The skill of examining evidence and following clues to discover valuable secrets
Treasure Hunting
The ability to track down and recover valuable items by investigating a series of clues
Underworld Trading
Expertise in the trading of illegal goods and services
The Best Crew Skills
My personal favorite combination is the Biochem + Bioanalysis + Diplomacy. This combo will grant you decent amount of Stims, Adrenals and even Implants (not that crafting gear is useful these days, but still…).
Another possible approach is to pick up 3 gathering skills. If you want to prepare for the future with crafting materials, go for Bioanalysis, Archeology and Scavenging. I only recommend this if you choose to level via Main Class Story Missoins. Doing Flashpoints and/or PvP exclusively will isolate you from the planets, where these resources can be found.
Deconstructing Items
Deconstructing an item serves 2 purposes:
- To learn a higher tier of a schematic – learning the higher tier schematic for an item is not guaranteed. It depends on the influence of your companion, that is tasked with the job.
- To get materials you need for something else – Some times you will craft more items than you need to use, other times you might need to craft specific items that you want to RE in order to get a special crafting material that cannot be found anywhere else in the game.
In the top left corner of your Inventory there is a little icon/button that looks like a dismantled lightsaber hilt. Clicking it with the left mouse button will open up a new smaller window where you can place all items that you want to Deconstruct.
When you are done, a number of crafting materials and Tech Fragments will be placed in your inventory. If the item you want to Deconstruct can yield a better schematic, it will be written in the pop-up description window.
If the item can be researched, it may yield a higher tier of the schematic (better item of the same type, with higher stats). If not, you will still get the crafting materials, but nothing else.
How Crafting Works in SWTOR: A Guide for New and Returning PlayersGearing up for Endgame
Congratulations! You are done with all the low level content and are “ready to take your first steps into a larger world”. The EndGame is just around the corner. First, there are a few things you have to consider in terms of final preparations.
Preparations
It is important to note that this beginners friendly guide leaves a lot of details untold and unexplained. If I attempt to throw all of the available information at once, you will likely feel completely lost.
Subscriber vs Non-Subscriber in EndGame
On this topic I will be very short and exact. If you want to play the EndGame, you need to be a Subscriber. There is just no way around it. Most of the content is blocked for Preferred and F2P players and the parts that aren’t completely locked, are very severely limited.
Legacy Bound Gear
First, make sure you are using a Legacy Bound “orange” gear shells where you would put all of your mods and augments. If you don’t like the look of whatever Legacy Set is available to you at the moment, you can always correct your appearance with the use of the Appearance Designer Tool.
Augmenting your gear
Augmenting your gear at level cap will grant you the best possible profit at the lowest cost. Augments are also divided by tiers and levels, that is why I suggested you to keep away from augmenting your gear before reaching level cap.
The popular questions “What Augments I need?” and “Which Augments are best for my class?” cannot be answered with a constant. There are far too many variables included, most important of which is your current gear and stats balance.
Consult a Combat Style Guide to find the ideal stats for each tier of gear. You can use these guidelines to prepare yourself for the Endgame.
While striving to reach the recommended values, consider crafting or purchasing more augments of each type. This will allow you to switch them around after you acquire a new piece of gear.
A Complete Guide to Augments in SWTORObtaining EndGame Gear
This is the longest and by far the most fun (or annoying, depends on your own mindset and goals) part for any Endgame player.
Item Rating is an internal game system that determines how powerful a gear piece or a gear mod is compared to the rest of the currently available gear pieces and sets in the game. It attaches a numeric value to each piece, based on its rarity and stats provided by it.
The SWTOR developers made loads of gearing changes over the course of SWTOR 7.0+ in order to streamline the process. This guide will cover the entire endgame gearing process from the perspective of someone who just hit level 80 based on the state of endgame gearing in 7.8.
Each type of endgame content has a dedicated gearing track and an associated currency that drops exclusively from said content. That associated currency is required to purchase and upgrade gear from that specific track.
Different gearing tracks offer different quality gear, so harder content tends to offer better gear and extra currency.
SWTOR Endgame Gearing Guide
