The short answer
There is no officially ranked best class in Star Wars Zero Company. EA’s official guide calls the combat-role system Specializations and frames every recommendation around player experience and playstyle instead of a tier list. The eight officially confirmed classes are Assault, Gunslinger, Heavy, Medic, Scoundrel, Scout, Sharpshooter, and Soldier.
For Hawks specifically, EA publishes improvements by goal rather than a winner: Soldier or Assault for players new to turn-based tactics, Gunslinger, Soldier, or Heavy for a damage-first approach, Scout or Scoundrel for planned tactical play, and Medic for support-focused players. Launch editorial guidance adds Scoundrel as a labeled starting preference. The practical answer is therefore conditional — pick the class that fills the missing job in your squad, and keep every third-party pick attributed to its source.
The eight confirmed classes
A Specialization determines an Operator’s combat role, strengths, and unique abilities. Every Operator has one, and EA confirms you can choose or change Specializations for Hawks and any Custom Operators you recruit. The table below maps each confirmed class to EA’s exact official placement; no community nicknames or unverified extra roles have been added.
| Class | EA’s official placement | Squad role to test |
|---|---|---|
| Soldier | Beginner group (with Assault) and damage-first group (with Gunslinger, Heavy) | General-purpose baseline; the safest first campaign pick |
| Assault | Beginner group (with Soldier) | Readable frontline role with melee pressure |
| Gunslinger | Damage-first group (with Soldier, Heavy) | Output-focused option; confirm range and Action Point cost in-game |
| Heavy | Damage-first group (with Gunslinger, Soldier) | High-pressure damage role; check how it spends Action Points |
| Scout | Planning and tactical group (with Scoundrel) | Advantage-focused planning when the next turn matters more than one shot |
| Scoundrel | Planning and tactical group (with Scout) | Setup-oriented tactical role; a labeled editorial starting pick |
| Medic | Support group for players who prefer supporting the squad | Ally recovery and buffs when the squad lacks a stabiliser |
| Sharpshooter | No placement in EA’s playstyle branches in the collected official excerpt | Early long-range coverage is a current editorial suggestion, not an EA claim |
“No placement” for Sharpshooter means the collected EA Help excerpt does not list it inside its beginner, damage, or planning branches — not that the class is unplayable. Exact ability values, cooldowns, unlock requirements, and any respec costs are to be confirmed in the live campaign and are not stated on this page.
Best class for Hawks: the official position
Hawks is the official playable protagonist: EA describes the game as a single-player turn-based tactics title where you play a customizable Hawks, create and recruit Operators, and manage The Den, Galaxy Map Operations, Intel, Bonds, a shared Advantage resource, and optional permadeath. EA also confirms that Hawks’ death in combat causes the mission to fail and restart, and that a standard squad holds up to four Operators.
None of those official statements name one best class for Hawks. EA’s position is that Hawks can be assigned to the same playstyle groups as every other Operator, which makes the “best” answer depend on your experience and the squad gap you need to close. That is a source-backed decision framework, not an official Hawks tier list.
The Best Class for Hawks guide applies this framework with a labeled launch-window Scoundrel recommendation, and the Best Specialization for Hawks guide adds a role-first checklist by squad gap. Both pages keep the EA advice and the editorial advice visually separated.
Best class by playstyle
EA’s official guide is the safest cross-squad starting point because it is first-party and goal-oriented. Use these branches before any community tier list:
| Your situation | EA-recommended classmates | What the branch means |
|---|---|---|
| New to turn-based tactics | Soldier or Assault (with Blaster Rifle) | A clear role makes positioning, target priority, and team resources easier to learn |
| Want maximum damage | Gunslinger, Soldier, or Heavy (with Repeater) | A playstyle shortlist, not a three-way ranking |
| Enjoy planning and tactics | Scout or Scoundrel | Planning-first branches; pick by live kit and squad need |
| Prefer supporting the squad | Medic | Ally health, damage, and recovery focus |
EA stops short of declaring one of these the best overall. The official material does not publish damage-per-turn tables, win rates, or difficulty ratings for any class, so this page deliberately avoids inventing those numbers.
Labeled editorial picks
Launch-window editorial sources add two things EA does not: a named starting favorite and rationale for why Hawks fits it. These are attributed opinions, not official balance data.
PC Gamer (launch guide, P2 editorial source) recommends Scoundrel as the best starting class. Its stated reasoning is a kit focused on making enemies vulnerable, penetrating defenses, and improving assist damage — which the writer says ties into Hawks’ Fearless Leader leadership tools. The same guide notes that the first three companions are a Scoundrel (Kabb), a Soldier (Trick), and an Assault (Jae), and that specializations can be changed after Cycle 3. The Cycle 3 timing is an editorial detail that should be confirmed in the live menu before you plan resources around it.
Epic Games Store operator guide (P1 editorial source) describes Hawks’ official-named unique talent, Fearless Leader, which it says increases the assist damage and defense of other Operators while Hawks is present. It then suggests Medic for ally support and recovery, Scout for generating more Advantage so ultimate abilities activate earlier, and Sharpshooter to cover long-range presence until the other sniper becomes recruitable. Keep each of these suggestions beside its source and re-check the live kit before building around it.
Both editorials agree with EA on the core point: the choice should follow the squad composition and the role Hawks must play. That is why the final answer stays conditional instead of picking a permanent winner.
Before you commit
Use this short check before treating any class as your Hawks or squad default:
- Name the missing capability. Recovery, Advantage generation, long-range coverage, raw damage, or a tactical answer — if you cannot name it, do not commit yet.
- Check the standard four-Operator squad. Duplicating a role needs a reason tied to the objective; otherwise Hawks is usually more valuable covering a missing job.
- Read the mission objective first. A class that shines on an open sightline can be a poor fit for an interaction-heavy or defended position.
- Pair the class with a compatible Weapon Class. EA pairs Blaster Rifle with its beginner branch and Repeater with its damage branch; compare live Action Point costs and range (see the Best Weapon Class guide).
- Use the changing tool. EA confirms Hawks and Custom Operators can change Specializations, so treat the first selection as testable rather than permanently locked.
- Keep source labels. EA’s official groups and third-party starting picks have different evidence tiers; a labeled recommendation has more standing than an unlabeled one, and neither replaces a live in-game check.
Frequently asked questions
Is there one best class in Star Wars Zero Company?
No official source publishes one. EA groups the eight confirmed Specializations by playstyle and experience level, and its material includes no universal ranking, win rates, or permanent tier list.
What is the best class for Hawks?
EA publishes no official best class for Hawks. Its guidance puts Hawks in the same playstyle branches as other Operators. Launch editorial sources add Scoundrel as a labeled starting preference tied to Hawks’ leadership tools; treat it as a dated recommendation and check the live ability text.
Can Hawks change class or specialization?
Yes. EA says you can choose or change Specializations for Hawks and any Custom Operators you recruit. Exact timing and any costs are version-sensitive; confirm them in the live menu.
Is the Scoundrel recommendation official?
No. It comes from PC Gamer’s launch-window guide, which this site records as MEDIUM-confidence editorial guidance. EA’s equivalent branch names Scout or Scoundrel for players who enjoy planning and tactical decisions, without calling either the best.
Sources used for this guide
- EA Help: Specialization and Weapon Class guide — primary source for the eight Specializations, changeable Hawks Specializations, and playstyle groups.
- EA: Answering the biggest questions for Star Wars Zero Company — primary source for Hawks as the customizable protagonist, The Den, Galaxy Map Operations, Intel, Bonds, shared Advantage, permadeath, and the four-Operator standard squad.
- Electronic Arts: Star Wars Zero Company game page — official game positioning.
- PC Gamer: best class / specialization guide — labeled editorial launch-window pick.
- Epic Games Store: best builds for each Operator — labeled editorial source for Fearless Leader and role suggestions.
- Best Class for Hawks, Best Specialization for Hawks, All Specializations, and Best Weapon Class — on-site guides with per-topic evidence boundaries.