SWTOR Gathering Guide
In this SWTOR Gathering guide, we will be giving you a full overview of all 4 gathering types in Star Wars The Old Republic as well as revealing the top strategies to earn credits via gathering.
SWTOR Gathering Mechanics
Gathering in SWTOR combines more traditional gathering systems (sorry to make the comparison, but just like gathering in WoW) with the Crew Mission system.
Players can get quite a few resources simply by gathering from resource nodes which spawn all over the game-world (even in “city worlds” like Coruscant). These tend to be lower-quality materials, but gathering them is free.
If you want to gather resources around the game world, just make sure you turn on resource tracking (open up the map and make sure “Resources” is checked off on the left-hand menu) so you can see resource nodes on the mini-map. You can get quite a few resources simply doing this as you level up.
Alternatively, you can send your companions on gathering missions at the cost of credits. While it takes your companions some time to gather the materials necessary and it is not free, it can definitely be worth it. We will discuss this more in our section towards the end of the article on making credits through gathering.
SWTOR Gathering Skills List
There are four gathering skills available in SWTOR. Below, you will find a list of these gathering skills along with the crafts they pair best with.
- Archaeology – Archaeologists collect crystals and artifacts. These are used by Artificers and Synthweavers.
- Bioanalysis – Bioanalysis is used to collect biological compounds. These are used by the Biochem crew skill.
- Scavenging – Scavengers collect scrap metal from resource points and especially from destroyed enemy droids. Scavenging is used by Armormech, Armstech, and Cybertech.
- Slicing – Slicers “gather” credits and schematics from lockboxes and safes. This is actually not used for any craft.
In the next part of our SWTOR Gathering guide, we will discuss each of these gathering skills in detail.
SWTOR Gathering Guide – Archaeology
Archaeology can be used to collect color crystals, power crystals, and artifacts found throughout the game world. Artificers and Synthweavers can then make equipment out of these items. Artificers make color crystals, lightsaber hilts, off-hands, lightsabers, and relics, whereas Synthweavers create armor of all types for Jedi and Sith.
Missions involve gathering crystals and artifacts. I have found that you typically get more than enough crystals around the game world and that the best missions involve gathering artifacts, which tend to be more limited in supply.
Archaeology is mandatory for Synthweavers and Artificers, but I would not go out of my way to pick up this gathering skill if you just want to make money.
SWTOR Gathering Guide – Bioanalysis
Bioanalysis is used to collect biological compounds used by the Biochem profession. Biochem players make biological implants (which fill up the “rings” slots from medieval fantasy-based MMORPGs) as well as combat packs (health potions) and stims (buffing potions).
Bioanalysis can gather from resource nodes around the game worlds, from certain types of slain enemies (i.e. animal creatures) and from the mission system.
Just like with Archaeology, I would not go out of my way to use this gathering skill unless you are a Biochem (at which point I would always use this skill). Due to the mission system and low number of Biochem players, I just do not see demand for Biochem ingredients reaching critical levels.
In games like WoW, herbs became pretty valuable because no one felt like going out to get them. Since players will be able to send their companions out everywhere and biological compounds themselves will be a low-demand item, I would stay away unless you are a Biochem.
Star Wars The Old Republic Gathering Guide – Scavenging
Scavenging is by far the most in-demand gathering skill you can get, as scavenged metals are used by Armormech, Armstech, and Cybertech. Additionally, Scavenging lets you harvest from droids, which are everywhere in SWTOR. You end up getting far more harvests in with Scavenging than other gathering professions.
At the same time, scavenging materials are very easy to come by and a lot of players pick this profession. This will keep the price down to an extent (though metals will still always have at least some value).
What I recommend is to pick up Scavenging if you have a craft that uses it or if you have no craft at all. I would not go out of my way to choose Scavenging if you have a craft that does not require it (Artifice, Biochem, Synthweaving).
SWTOR Gathering Guide – Splicing
Splicing is an interesting gathering skill in SWTOR because you do not actually gather crafting materials with it. Rather, you literally “harvest” credits.
When you have splicing, you will find things like safes lying around on the ground. You can crack these open and typically you get credits. It is literally like you are harvesting credit nodes which spawn on the ground. Rarely, you can earn schematics through this process as well, which can be used by other crafts to learn recipes. You can sell these to other players, and if you have a good recipe, it can be quite a bit of money.
Splicing also offers a unique mission system in that you can find “item modifications” through missions. These are used to upgrade armor and weapons. If your companions find good ones, they can be sold for quite a bit of money. You also get lockboxes through missions, which can contain credits or even items if your companions do well.
As a result, Splicing is more like a combo of missions and gathering that does not focus on gathering anything used for crafting but rather just for things that can make you credits. I would consider splicing a good thing to get if you are planning on just earning credits and have no interest in crafting.
SWTOR Gathering Leveling Guide
The cheapest and actually fastest way to level up your gathering skill (at least at the low levels) is via harvesting things in the game world. You can easily come across a node or two a minute, and you often get +2 skills for harvesting something.
If you find yourself in an area where you cannot harvest anything as you are too low in level, use the mission system to earn skill points until you are at an appropriate level. The higher your level, the more crew members you can send out and the faster you will level up.
If you enter a new planet or zone and your gathering skills are behind, you can always queue up for a few rounds of Warzones while your companions gather so you can level up. This way, you are not wasting time or resource nodes. Using the mission system while PvPing is very efficient – each time you die you can check your companion’s progress and assign new missions while you are running back to the action.
If you are already at the max level and are powerleveling up a new gathering skill, you will want to use primarily missions. Low-level missions are really cheap and once you reach the level cap you can send out a lot of companions at once. Once you get near the top-tiers of gathering, you may want to consider harvesting things in person. This way, not only do you not have to pay credits for the materials and skill-ups, but you can also sell those materials or use them yourself
Earning Credits Through Gathering
If you want to craft in SWTOR, your choices are pretty much set in stone – you will need to choose the gathering skill and mission skill which supports your craft.
However, if you just want to earn credits and have no interest in crafting, you have a few more options available to you. I recommend picking up Scavenging, Splicing, and Investigation (a mission skill) for your three skills if this is your plan.
Metals are used by the most professions and as a result can be used sold most easily. You can also gather them with little effort by scavenging droids you fight as you level up. Splicing on the other hand makes easy money by splicing safes, gathering recipes, and using the mission system for mods which you can sell. It is a very simple way to make credits as not having to sell things on the auction house saves plenty of time.
If you want to use the Mission system to earn credits, be sure to select missions which either offer max-level/top tier resources or to select missions way below your level.
When you select missions below your level, they cost the same, but the rewards they provide are much better. This makes it much easier to make a profit from doing them. If you try to pick orange-level difficulty missions when you are not max-level, you will get poor rewards – much worse than other players who will be doing them once they reach a higher level. This makes it hard to profit.
Of course, when you are at max level and picking the hard missions, it might take a bit of luck, but when you get lucky and get top-tier rewards you can make some good money that way too.
SWTOR Gathering Guide – Conclusion
While there are four total gathering professions in Star Wars The Old Republic, it is the recommendation of this SWTOR Gathering guide to stick to whatever gathering profession supports your craft. If you decide not to craft, I recommend Scavenging and Splicing, as Scavenging provides the most in-demand materials and Splicing is an easy way to earn credits as you go through the game.
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