PM me if you want to join a beginners' friendly guild. I came back to the game after a 2-year hiatus and it has changed so much that I feel like a noob too. I would farm Phoenix, because you need them as Rebels to unlock some pretty awesome characters like Emperor Palpatine and Thrawn. Besides, as a team, they work extraordinarily well together. When I started, November 2015, they didn't exist yet. My squads were usually a mismatch of different toons and it hindered progression. Phoenix will get you rolling as soon as you unlock 5 of them.
My guild, the lSunBrosl could really help you, you can get useful gear, credits and other goodies if you join a guild and play the game daily. Good luck!
Edit: Don't spend your crystals in shop packs. The videos you watched probably stated this fact. Crystals are better used for energy refills to farm character shards and gear. or to climb in the arena. Don't use them to refresh timers of any kind.
