Role comparisonEight standard Specializations · reviewed 26 Aug 2026

Classes by battlefield job

Pick the problem your Operator should solve.

Zero Company calls its classes Specializations. Most Operators use one of eight standard roles, each built around an Ultimate, a Standard Ability and a Passive.

No pre-release tier list8 confirmed rolesOfficial descriptions
Direct answer

The eight standard Specializations are Assault, Gunslinger, Heavy, Medic, Scoundrel, Scout, Sharpshooter and Soldier. Choose by the battlefield job your squad lacks; there is not enough public final-build evidence to call one universally best.

Official STAR WARS Zero Company art showing Hawks and multiple Operator archetypes
Official Specializations artwork. Source: EA’s Specializations hub.

Quick pick by squad need

If your squad needs…Start by reading…Why
Close-range pressure and movementAssaultOfficially framed as a mobile frontline fighter against targets in cover.
Damage spread across several targetsGunslingerBuilt around multi-target blaster attacks and fast strikes.
A durable frontline anchorHeavyFocuses on armor, survivability and drawing enemy attention.
Healing and Injury preventionMedicSupports recovery and boosts teammates.
Flexible opportunity conversionScoundrelA wildcard role designed to capitalize on changing situations.
Reconnaissance and team setupScoutCreates opportunities through planning, timing and reconnaissance.
Long-range single-target removalSharpshooterSpecializes in chosen targets at distance.
Broad close-to-medium offenseSoldierCombines melee, grenades, blaster fire and heavy ordnance.

The table is a navigation aid based on EA’s official role summaries. It does not score power, exact damage, upgrade depth or late-game class combinations.

All eight standard Specializations

Mobile frontline

Assault

Closes distance and attacks enemies in or around cover. This is the most direct fit when movement should become offensive pressure.

Primary job: breach and finish
Multi-target offense

Gunslinger

Spreads fast blaster attacks across multiple targets instead of concentrating entirely on one enemy.

Primary job: distribute damage
Frontline defense

Heavy

Uses armor and toughness to survive in exposed positions and absorb attention that would endanger less durable Operators.

Primary job: anchor the line
Recovery support

Medic

Heals, helps prevent Injuries and provides physical or psychological boosts to the rest of the team.

Primary job: keep the squad functional
Adaptive wildcard

Scoundrel

Turns imperfect or unexpected situations into opportunities. The official description emphasizes flexibility over a narrow formation job.

Primary job: exploit openings
Recon and setup

Scout

Uses reconnaissance, timing and planning to create openings for the whole team rather than only improving personal output.

Primary job: enable the next action
Long-range precision

Sharpshooter

Engages from range and focuses on defeating a selected enemy, making target selection central to the role.

Primary job: remove priority targets
General offense

Soldier

Works at close to medium range with a broad offensive toolkit that EA describes across melee, grenades, blaster fire and a rocket launcher.

Primary job: flexible direct damage
Inline sponsor position · after the full role comparison · inactive

How should you choose Hawks’ starting role?

Start with the responsibility you want the player-character to carry every mission, not a forecasted tier ranking. EA’s Q&A says Hawks is required on story missions, while skirmish missions allow other combinations. That makes consistency and personal decision load reasonable factors:

  • Choose a frontline role if you want Hawks making positioning and pressure decisions.
  • Choose a support or reconnaissance role if you want Hawks enabling the rest of the squad.
  • Choose a ranged damage role if you prefer Hawks working from clearer target priorities.

EA also says the Personnel facility lets you change most Operators’ Specializations at any time. That reduces the need to treat the first choice as a permanent account-level commitment, although exact costs or restrictions should be confirmed in the public build.

Why this page does not publish a “best squad”

Squad recommendations depend on more than the eight role blurbs. Bonds, permanent Operator Talents, Focus upgrades, Utilities, weapons, mission objectives, Injuries and availability can all change what a good four-person group looks like. The official systems prove those layers exist; they do not yet prove one universal composition.

Scope disciplineA useful role comparison can be complete before launch. A durable tier list or optimized build guide cannot—and will be revisited only after final-build evidence.

Sources and version note

Version firewall: reviewed August 26, 2026. Names and broad roles are official; final skill values, class combinations and meta rankings are outside this edition.