The Top Starting Class Specialization in Star Wars Zero Company

Choosing the ideal starting class in Star Wars Zero Company can be a bit tricky if you’re diving in for the first time. Fortunately, you can switch your class specialization once you reach Cycle 3, which happens fairly early in the game. After that, you can also adjust the specialization and talents of your hired operators.

The only aspect you can’t modify is the talents of named characters, such as Hawk’s Fearless Leader. Here’s my take on the best starting specialization in Star Wars Zero Company, along with some alternatives if you prefer not to overlap classes with your initial team members.

The top choice for a starting class is the Scoundrel. This specialization boasts a solid kit that focuses on making enemies vulnerable for guaranteed critical hits, breaking through defenses, and boosting assist damage. This synergizes perfectly with Hawk’s Fearless Leader talent, which enhances assist damage for the entire squad when he’s around. Assists are essentially free attacks that also create advantages, making them incredibly powerful.

While you can respec any character specialization upon reaching Cycle 3, your first three companions will include a Scoundrel (Kabb), a Soldier (Trick), and an Assault (Jae). Having two Scoundrels in your party can be beneficial since Hawk will amplify everyone’s assists, and more assists are always a plus. However, if you want to avoid doubling up or altering existing character specializations, consider these options:

I wouldn’t suggest going with Medic or Scout. Medic tends to be overkill early on, especially when most encounters aren’t particularly challenging (depending on your chosen difficulty), and Scout focuses heavily on generating advantage, which isn’t a major concern during the early missions.

Among the Gunslinger, Sharpshooter, and Heavy, I strongly recommend the Gunslinger. This class is a powerful early choice due to its ability to hit and eliminate multiple enemies, granting you more advantage, along with its overall buffs to ranged attacks. In contrast, Sharpshooter is more geared towards single-target damage, which can feel limiting unless you’re up against bosses or elite foes, while the Heavy adopts a more passive playstyle centered on absorbing damage and retaliating. This specialization shines when paired with operators who have the Taunt or Anticipation talent, allowing them to better mitigate or tank damage.

As you unlock operator recruitment, you’ll notice that many of the best talents for recruitable operators align more effectively with specific classes than with Hawk’s Fearless Leader. Don’t hesitate to frequently change specializations—respecing will refund all your Focus Points (except those tied to your character talent), so experimenting with different party compositions is encouraged.