The Star Wars Zero Company classes are officially called Specializations, and most Operators choose from eight standard roles: Assault, Gunslinger, Heavy, Medic, Scoundrel, Scout, Sharpshooter, and Soldier. Each standard Specialization supplies an Ultimate, a Standard ability, and a Passive, while talents and weapons are selected as separate parts of a build. The four exotic roles are Jedi Padawan, Mandalorian Warrior, Astromech, and Clone Commando. Your first choice matters, but standard Specializations can be changed after the respec system opens, and most Operators later gain a Secondary Specialization for hybrid builds.
How the class system works
“Class” and “Specialization” refer to the same layer of character building, but they do not define an Operator's entire kit. A build also includes a weapon class and a talent, and those choices remain independent enough to support different versions of the same Specialization. Authored story Operators arrive with identity-specific talents, while custom Operators choose from a shared pool. Hawks keeps the unique Fearless Leader talent even after changing standard Specialization.
Operators begin with one Specialization. At Cycle 18, the Secondary Specialization system unlocks across the roster from the Focus Tree in the Personnel facility. For standard roles, the second slot is used to combine two different Specializations rather than duplicate the same standard class. This allows one Operator to mix abilities from two roles and build around combinations such as setup plus finishing power, durability plus support, or mobility plus ranged damage.
Patch 1.1 also confirmed that Secondary Specializations participate in systems beyond the immediate combat loadout. Their passive Cross Trainings now correctly enter the selection pool at Relationship level +8, and Secondary Specializations now count when the game checks Specialization-specific requirements and outcomes during Operations.
All eight standard Specializations
Every standard role has a clear battlefield identity, but none dictates a required weapon in all circumstances. EA's guidance pairs some roles with natural weapon choices while explicitly leaving Scout, Scoundrel, and Medic open to the weapon that best matches positioning. This table summarizes the eight standard classes and their named Ultimates without importing unverified rank values.
| Specialization | Core role | Ultimate |
|---|---|---|
| Assault | Mobile close- to mid-range pressure and displacement | Sweeping Salvo |
| Gunslinger | Fast ranged attacks spread across multiple targets | Open Fire |
| Heavy | Front-line defense, survival, and enemy attention | Bulwark |
| Medic | Healing, injury prevention, and squad buffs | Morale Boost |
| Scoundrel | Opportunistic setup, assists, and defense penetration | Easy Mark |
| Scout | Reconnaissance and generation of tactical opportunities | Ambush |
| Sharpshooter | Precise long-range single-target attacks | Precision Shot |
| Soldier | Flexible offense using melee, blasters, grenades, and rockets | Rocket Strike |
Ultimates spend the squad's shared Advantage rather than normal Action Points. Advantage is earned when the squad successfully damages enemies, which means every Operator contributes to the resource used by these class-defining moves. Scout's Ambush is unusual because its damage scales with the amount of Advantage spent instead of using only a fixed purchase pattern. Exact costs change with ability rank in the supplied data, so a single permanent cost should not be assumed.
What each standard class is best at
Assault is the aggressive movement class, using close pressure and displacement to remove enemies from favorable positions. Soldier is also comfortable at close and medium range, but its identity is broader raw offense through melee, grenades, blaster fire, and Rocket Strike. Gunslinger favors quick ranged sequences and multiple targets, while Sharpshooter concentrates on careful positioning and reliable long-range attacks. Those pairs overlap in range but solve different tactical problems.
Heavy is the clearest defensive anchor, using survivability and taunts to attract attacks that might otherwise hit fragile allies. Medic supports recovery and prevention while also offering Combat Stim, which the supplied examples pair with Gunslinger to raise ranged output. Scout creates Advantage and other openings for the whole team, whereas Scoundrel converts timing, vulnerability, assists, and defense penetration into favorable attacks. A balanced squad does not need one of every role, but it should cover damage, positioning, protection, and resource generation in some combination.
What is the best starting class for Hawks?
There is no objectively best answer across every difficulty and squad plan. PC Gamer recommends Scoundrel because its assist tools pair with Hawks's Fearless Leader talent, while a hands-on YouTube guide favored Heavy or Medic and praised Scout's Advantage support. Those recommendations are opinions based on different play styles, not contradictory game rules. The safest choice is the role that fills the gap left by the Operators you intend to use.
The early authored companions identified in the material begin as Kabb the Scoundrel, Trick the Soldier, and Jae the Assault. Choosing another Scoundrel can still work because Hawks improves squad assist damage, but Gunslinger, Heavy, Medic, Scout, or Sharpshooter avoids immediate duplication. New tactics players can follow EA's official suggestion of Soldier or Assault with a blaster rifle. Players who already know they prefer range, mobility, planning, or support can choose Sharpshooter, Gunslinger, Scout, Scoundrel, or Medic accordingly.
Exotic classes and their limits
Exotic Specializations are tied to the nature of particular Operators and cannot simply be handed to a generic recruit. Jedi Padawan belongs to Tel-Rea Vokoss and centers on Force abilities plus dual-lightsaber combat. Mandalorian Warrior belongs to Cly Kullervo and uses Mandalorian equipment and jet-assisted mobility. Astromech belongs to recruitable droids created through the droid system and emphasizes support, scanning, utility, and team-enabling tools.
The fourth Exotic Specialization is Clone Commando, tied to Trick and obtained through late-campaign story progression. Unlike the pre-release state of this page, this role is no longer an unnamed or unrevealed fourth class. Exotic characters do not all handle the second Specialization slot in exactly the same way: Tel-Rea and Astromechs follow their own exotic progression rules, while Cly and Trick can still combine their unique identity with standard Specialization choices.
Talents, weapons, and class synergy
Talent, weapon class, and Specialization should be evaluated separately. A character can retain a fixed story talent while moving into a different standard class, and a custom Operator can pair a universal talent with the weapon and role that serve a planned position. EA suggests a longarm blaster for Sharpshooter, a pistol for mobile Assault or Gunslinger play, and a repeater for several damage-oriented roles. Those are recommendations rather than equipment locks.
The strongest combinations use one layer to amplify another. The supplied official examples include Medic plus Gunslinger, where Combat Stim improves ranged damage across multiple shots, and Scoundrel plus Sharpshooter, where Identify Weakness makes a target Vulnerable for a critical follow-up. Assault can also push an enemy into a dangerous location or expose it for another attacker. Because the squad shares Advantage, a Scout can indirectly accelerate another class's Ultimate instead of only improving its own turn.
How respecs change team planning
PC Gamer reports that class changes become available at Cycle 3 and refund Focus Points spent outside fixed character talents. Standard Specializations can then be reassigned, including on Hawks and eligible Operators, while authored talents remain attached to their characters. Exotic roles cannot be transferred to custom recruits through this process. The respec system therefore reduces the cost of a weak opening choice without erasing the identity of story characters.
Use the early campaign to learn whether your squad lacks durability, healing, reach, movement, or Advantage. Change a standard class when it solves a demonstrated problem rather than chasing a ranking made for someone else's team. At Cycle 18, plan the Secondary Specialization around interaction instead of selecting two roles that compete for the same job. For concrete companion paths, use the best character builds, then combine those jobs with the best squad composition guide.
Sources
- https://www.ea.com/games/starwars/zero-company/specializations-hub
- https://help.ea.com/en/articles/star-wars/zero-company/specialization-and-weapon-class-guide/
- https://www.ea.com/games/starwars/zero-company/news/patch-notes-1-1
- https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/star-wars-zero-company-best-class-specialization/
- https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/star-wars-zero-company-respec-change-class/
- https://wiki.zerocommand.gg/classes
- https://wiki.zerocommand.gg/classes/exotic-classes
- https://allthings.how/star-wars-zero-company-how-to-get-a-secondary-specialization/