Returning player, need set-up advice

[Deleted]

Played at launch for about 3 months and haven't touched the game since, but, due to a lack of other stuff to play atm i thought i'd give it another go and play through some of the personal stories i never got round too. Currently i have ;

50 Sith Assassin with 350k Credits (and 150k or so in an escrow - i presume there is a cap on credits)
50 Merc with 280k credits
Various low level (<10) alts of both factions
~2k of the store credits

My plan is to level a couple of the republic classes but tbh I am a little overwhelmed with all the changes.
What i'd like to know is:

What should i be doing with the new legacy stuff?
What store items/unlocks are required?
Should i be paying with credits or with store currency?, or are most unlocks character bound not account?

I dont mind dropping some real money to get myself set up (but if i can avoid it that'd be even better.
I'll mostly be playing solo, levelling different classes to see the stories, so i am not really fussed about any end-game stuff.

Thanks for any help

[catcommando]

Welcome back. Store credits are the currency of last resort in your case, drain your in game credits first. I'd not touch the cartel coins unless there are things you want that you can't find at all on the GTN ex. medical probes or section X unlock if you want it. You can buy most unlocks on the GTN...it's just the prices vary from server to server.

If you want to just play out the classes' stories and nothing else, I'd only worry about the account wide inventory unlocks for your lowbies since that's the more immediate pinch they'll feel. And account wide helm unlock unless you don't mind watching your character talk through a bucket, ugly helm etc during all those cutscenes. :P You can buy a credit escrow unlocks to access that extra 150k on your assassin btw. They come in various denominations, but will only unlock what you already have in escrow. They do not extend your credit cap (which is 350k as preferred.) You'll have to check the GTN for the prices on these things on your server. Have one or both of your 50s do dailies to raise money for what you need, or play the GTN if you feel inclined to make money that way.

But if you've got any interest at all in playing the Rise of the Hutts expansion, I'd advise subbing for just for one month to get it ($15). During this month, raise as much money as you can for all the extra nice-to-have account wide unlocks you'd want i.e. section X zone, artifact authorization, unify colors, titles, more inventory slots, extra character slots, xp boosts if you think you'll need them and so on. You won't have a credit cap during this time and have greater purchasing power if the unlocks you want are constantly priced out of your reach as premium. When the month is over, use all the unlocks you've amassed and you'll still retain access to the Hutts expansion content so you can check that out at your leisure. I'd only ever bother with account wide unlocks--especially if you're going to play a couple characters.

Save your CC for things you absolutely cannot find on the GTN. Hope this helps and good luck!

Edit: Not sure what you mean by legacy. I only unlocked the things most useful to me i.e. priority transport to capitol city since I don't have emergency fleet pass as premium, and field respec. The rest are kind of bleh. So someone else will have to advise you here.

[Deleted]

(...) since I don't have emergency fleet pass as premium (...)

You mean you "didn't" have it?
As far as I know, a recent patch made it so that everyone (including F2P and Premium players) have access to the emergency fleet pass.

[Deleted]

That's awesome, thanks for the advice. I've been looking through the GTN / store trying to work out what I'll want/need and it doesn't look as bad as I'd heard. The only things I want to start with are the 'hide head slot' option and maybe some inventory space unlocks (storage space is pretty much my number 1 bugbear in mmos). I suppose the limits on space missions, pvp, instances might get annoying quick when i want to take a break from questing.
Let me get this clear, I subscribe one month and i get access to all the RotH expansion stuff permanently ? Is this account wide ? How much actual content is there ?

[Deleted]

That's awesome, thanks for the advice. I've been looking through the GTN / store trying to work out what I'll want/need and it doesn't look as bad as I'd heard.

People just love to bash on SWTOR's F2P model when it's actually not that bad :')

Let me get this clear, I subscribe one month and i get access to all the RotH expansion stuff permanently ? Is this account wide ? How much actual content is there ?

Yes, subscribing for one month will give you access to the expansion permanently for all of your characters.
Content-wise, the expansion will give you access to Makeb (50-55 planet with storyline / daily hub), CZ-198 (daily hub with story line), Oricon (planet / daily hub with "great" storyline :3 ) and several all new level 55 flashpoints.

[catcommando]

You mean you "didn't" have it?
As far as I know, a recent patch made it so that everyone (including F2P and Premium players) have access to the emergency fleet pass.

Oh nice! Didn't even notice. I got the capitol city transport for a quick port to a less busy GTN on Corusant anyway. :P I did hear they were easing the restrictions on warzone for f2p, but didn't see any changes in the 2.4 patch notes?

@Tannaya: Think they did us a favor restricting space missions. Found them dull and uninspired but ymmv. :X You can run as many normal instances you'd like as f2p for experience. You're just subject to having 3 loot rolls a week or something like that as f2p. Never paid it much mind, I just solo'd them to see what they were like after I've outleveled them. Mostly play solo except for H4 landscape quests. You can get weekly passes for warzones, space missions and operations if you want to do these things. If you're worried about experience you can also buy those experience boosts for your alts as well. Though I have six in my commando's cargo bay that I've gotten from various quests that I never use. I'm constantly outleveling planets.