STAR WARS Zero Company: Permadeath and Hawks Customization
How permadeath works in STAR WARS Zero Company - Hawks cannot be lost, everyone else can, three Injuries equals permanent death, Medbay priority, Hawks creation and recustomization, and mistakes that get operators killed.
What players actually want: keep favorite operators alive under permadeath, and set up Hawks without locking a bad look or class. Hawks cannot be lost for good. Everyone else can. That split is the whole system.
1How Permadeath Actually Works
2What to Do, In Order
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1
Decide permadeath before you get attached.
Leave it on if you want bonds, memorials, and "this loss actually happened." Turn it off if you refuse to lose a named companion. You can change it, the intended experience is on.
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2
Build Hawks without stressing the first screen.
At creation you pick body type, species (Human, Togruta, Twi'lek, Zabrak, Mirialan, Devaronian), face, colors, outfit, first name, voice, and one of 8 classes (Assault, Gunslinger, Heavy, Medic, Scoundrel, Scout, Sharpshooter, Soldier). Species and outfits are cosmetic, no species is stronger.
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3
You can recustomize Hawks at the character terminal in the Den (species, look, outfit). Class, talents, and weapons can be rebuilt later at Armory or Personnel at no cost. Do not restart the campaign over a look or class.
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4
Treat Hawks as the expendable frontliner.
Hawks is required on every story mission and takes one of four slots. Unique tools: spend Advantage once per turn to refresh 1 AP on a squadmate, plus Fearless Leader (squad hit, defense, and assist bonuses while Hawks is present). If Hawks goes down you only replay the mission. Use that. Put Hawks in the dangerous tile so a story character does not take the Injury.
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5
Heal Injuries before the next drop.
Medbay capacity and credits are limited. Priority: named story characters first (unique kits, cannot be remade), then high-bond operators, then custom mercs last (you can rebuild a lookalike). Do not send someone with 2 Injuries on a hard mission "just this once."
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6
Protect irreplaceable people.
Custom recruits can be replaced with a similar build. Story characters cannot. If you lose Tel-Rea, you lose the Jedi kit for that campaign. Players who treat custom mercs as the extra Injury sponge keep the authored roster alive.
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7
Mid-mission Rally is a trade.
Rallying a Downed operator can save the fight and still give them another Injury. If they already have 2 Injuries, consider finishing without them rather than pushing them to death.
3Decision Points
| Choice | Safer pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Permadeath on or off | On for first "real" run | Designed around loss. Off removes the sting but also the memorial and bond payoff. |
| Hawks class | Scout, Medic, or Heavy | Scout marks and reduces incoming damage. Medic and Heavy keep others off the Injury track. Change later if you hate it. |
| Who takes the risky angle | Hawks | Restart vs permanent loss. |
| Who to heal first | Story operators | Uniques gone forever. |
| Keep someone with 2 Injuries in the field | No, unless mission is trivial | Third Downed is the end. |
Common Mistakes
- Treating Hawks like they can permadie and playing too timid with them.
- Leaving Injuries untreated because "they're only at one."
- Rallying a 2-Injury story character to clutch a fight.
- Stressing Hawks' first species or outfit as if it is locked.
- Assuming custom mercs and story characters have the same replacement cost. They do not.
- Sending injured operators on dangerous HoloTable Operations.