SWTOR 8.0 gear upgrades will change the way players raise an item’s rating. Instead of repeatedly replacing gear or stripping out augments, the new Item Upgrade System is designed to improve a piece while carrying its slotted extras forward. Broadsword showed the new approach during the sixth phase of Public Test Server testing on 6 November 2026.
If you’ve spent a fortune on augments or regularly move gear between characters, this update is worth reading about before it goes live. Augments and cosmetics are meant to carry across upgrades. The catch is that new gear will be Bind on Pickup, and the familiar Hyde and Zeek modification vendors are going away. Both changes have already prompted concerns from players with several characters.
How SWTOR 8.0 gear upgrades work
Under the announced system, players upgrade gear through a new interface rather than relying on the old mix of upgrade routes. The gear feedback discussion describes buying base Kalikoran equipment from Supplies vendors on the Fleet and improving it through the new item upgrade system using the relevant currencies and materials.
The main changes are fairly easy to grasp: upgrade gear at the new station, keep supported slotted augments and cosmetics, customise tertiary stats at the item-rating ceiling, and use catch-up vendors for alts. The most contentious change is the new Bind on Pickup restriction.
The costs currently shown on the PTS are placeholders, not a final price list. Broadsword confirmed on 11 November that it had already lowered some test costs after player feedback.
Do augments, crystals and tunings carry over with SWTOR 8.0 gear upgrades?
Yes, provided the item supports them. With SWTOR 8.0 gear upgrades, Broadsword says augments, color crystals and tunings carry over as it advances to the next upgrade. The developer’s detailed gearing explanation includes augment kits and dyes alongside augments, crystals and tunings. An item can only transfer things its slots support.
This should mean fewer trips to pull out augments, replace crystals and redo a weapon’s look every time its rating goes up. That is especially welcome for weapons that have a chosen color crystal and tuning attached. The PTS has been designed around retaining those elements where applicable.
Not every piece of gear has the same slots. Broadsword has confirmed that compatible slotted items transfer, but hasn’t provided a complete exception list for every possible piece of equipment.
Can you change stats with SWTOR 8.0 gear upgrades?
Once an item reaches rating 380, the planned ceiling for the release of 8.0, the upgrade system lets you change its tertiary stat. DPS and healing characters can choose between Critical Rating, Alacrity and Accuracy. Tanks can choose Shield or Absorb. Those are the specific choices in Broadsword’s gearing breakdown.
Once a piece of gear reaches the planned 380 rating ceiling, the upgrade system lets you adjust its tertiary stat without starting over with another item. Broadsword expects 380 for the 8.0 release, but the PTS currency caps and upgrade prices are still being tested.
If you’re planning your SWTOR 8.0 gear upgrades, wait for the final 8.0 live patch notes before spending large amounts based on a provisional threshold. SWTOR 8.0 gear upgrades are still undergoing tuning, including feedback from players who maintain several combat styles.
What do SWTOR 8.0 gear upgrades mean for alts?
New 8.0 gear is planned to be Bind on Pickup, so you won’t be able to move a finished new set between alts through your Legacy Bank. Broadsword clarified that it is not retroactively changing the binding rules of older gear. That’s an important distinction for anyone holding onto existing sets.
There’s a catch-up vendor for your other characters. Its available item rating rises as your strongest character improves. Broadsword’s example starts Kalikoran gear at rating 352. Once your main reaches average rating 362, the vendor offers rating-358 gear across your Legacy. That’s helpful for fresh alts, but it doesn’t replace the convenience of sharing one fully augmented set. Vendor prices remain subject to change.
How SWTOR 8.0 gear upgrades affect Hyde and Zeek
Broadsword plans to move away from the existing item-modification system and remove the Fleet modification vendors, including Hyde and Zeek, in Update 8.0. The revised Item Upgrade System handles rating increases and, at the rating ceiling, tertiary-stat changes. Players who rely on modded gear should review this change before the update arrives, especially if they keep several augmented sets for alts.
Should you remove augments before SWTOR 8.0 gear upgrades?
The intended new system transfers eligible modifications, so removing every augment by default is not what Broadsword is asking testers to do. On the PTS, pay attention to what happens when you upgrade a piece with expensive slotted items. If a supported augment, dye, crystal or tuning fails to carry across, report the item and what you did in the official gearing feedback thread.
On live servers, continue using the current gearing rules until the update actually arrives. A PTS change does not rewrite your existing live item overnight. The developer’s gearing feedback thread is where Broadsword is discussing possible changes before the live launch.
What currencies do SWTOR 8.0 gear upgrades use?
Upgrades are planned to use credits and Tech Fragments alongside two new currencies: Force Imbued Fragments and Force Harnessing Shards. The first comes from repeatable content including Heroics, Flashpoints and PvP. It’s the main currency for upgrading. Shards come from weekly activities including Conquest, Heroics, Flashpoints and higher-difficulty Operations and are needed at certain ratings.
Four existing gearing currencies are due to go away with Update 8.0: Conquest Commendations, FP-1 Stabilizers, OP-1 Catalysts and WZ-1 Accelerants. Broadsword recommends spending any you need before the patch. Legendary Implants will remain and can be upgraded at the new station with Tech Fragments and credits.
Will gear drop from bosses when 8.0 launches?
Not under the launch plan. Broadsword wants players to start by using the upgrade system rather than skipping ahead through random gear drops. Equipment drops may be added later, but they aren’t a confirmed 8.0 launch farming method.
Are the SWTOR 8.0 gear upgrade prices final?
No. Players have already raised concerns about Bind on Pickup gear, particularly the cost of supplying expensive augments to several characters. In its 11 November follow-up, Broadsword said it was discussing solutions for the cost of augments on multiple characters and had already lowered some test costs. Final prices have not been published.
The practical advice for SWTOR 8.0 gear upgrades is to watch the final costs, use up older currencies you don’t want to lose, and think about how Bind on Pickup affects your alts. Don’t buy or strip expensive items based on PTS numbers alone.
Related SWTOR Guides
More on SWTOR 8.0 gear upgrades and the other changes coming to the game:
Official source: Broadsword’s official 8.0 gearing breakdown.
