star wars zero company a friend of a friend guide

The direct answer

A Friend of a Friend is a seven-Cycle Operation Chain accessed through The Den’s Holotable. The chain gives Zone Influence in several steps, then asks you to trade Credits, Intel, Capacitors, or health-related rewards for additional value. The best choice depends on the Zone tiers you are pursuing and on whether the Operators assigned to risky steps are healthy.

The chain is not one combat mission. It is a sequence of strategic decisions, and some branches can create injury risk or spend resources that are difficult to replace. The following route lists every available choice and its recorded outcome so you can decide before advancing the next Cycle.

Cycle I

Cycle I gives two ways to handle the contact. Assign her to upgrade a Facility for +3 Zone Jenth Influence and +100 Den Level. Bring her on as a Contact for +3 Zone Jenth Influence and +1 Contact.

The two branches provide the same Jenth Influence, so the choice is about the secondary reward. Den Level supports base development, while an additional Contact can help with targeted Influence later. Choose the result that matches the next Zone reward you are trying to reach.

Cycle II

Cycle II presents three responses to the assassin. Attack first is high risk and gives +3 Zone Besh Influence, with a high chance of Operator injury. Bribe the assassin gives +3 Zone Besh Influence for -1,500 Credits.

Calling the authorities gives +5 Zone Besh Influence for -25 Intel and -500 Credits. This is the largest Besh Influence reward in the step, but it consumes Intel as well as Credits. If the current mission board requires Intel for another Operation, the higher Influence total may not be the best immediate trade.

Cycle III

Cycle III is the Capacitor and equipment decision. Purchasing the Thermal Imploder Grenade costs -1 Capacitor and grants the grenade. Purchasing the Horizon Scope costs -1,750 Credits and grants a Horizon Scope that reduces the Chance-To-Hit penalty on ranged attacks by 15%.

Passing has no cost and gives no reward. Capacitors are rare strategic resources, so spending one here should be compared with the permanent Den upgrades or other Operation branches that may need it. The equipment choice is also a role decision because the Horizon Scope is most relevant to a ranged Operator.

Cycle IV

Cycle IV offers three consumable choices and a decline option. Trying the Nysillin gives +3 Zone Besh Influence, costs 250 Credits, and heals all injuries on participating Operators. Trying the Marcan Herb gives the same Influence and Credit cost, then provides an additional Bond boost to participating Operators.

Trying the Bula Fruit also gives +3 Zone Besh Influence for -250 Credits, and participating Operators receive +4 Max Health. Declining gives no reward. Nysillin is the direct recovery option, Marcan Herb supports relationship progress, and whether the Bula Fruit bonus is permanent in every build is To be confirmed.

Cycle V

Cycle V asks whether to assign an Operator or report Qwiitl. Assigning Kabb gives +3 Zone Esk Influence, with +5 more if the assignment succeeds, for a potential total of +8. It also gives +1,500 Credits.

Reporting Qwiitl gives +1,000 Credits and does not include the Kabb assignment outcome. Kabb is the important preparation point because the successful branch can produce the largest Esk Influence result in the chain. Use a healthy Kabb when possible and weigh the assignment against the risk of losing access to him for another mission.

Cycle VI

Every Cycle VI option gives +4 Zone Besh Influence. Offering a small payoff costs 250 Credits, a medium payoff costs 1,000 Credits, and a big payoff costs 1,500 Credits while adding +1 Contact. The Influence reward does not change with the payoff size.

Choosing no payoff has no extra cost and provides no Contact. The Influence is fixed, so the decision is about how much you value the Contact compared with the Credit cost. The big payoff has the strongest secondary result, while no payoff preserves the company’s budget for equipment, recovery, or another Operation.

Cycle VII

Every Cycle VII option gives +4 Zone Besh Influence and adds a different Operator bonus. Unbroken Concentration gives +2 Focus Points and -2 Max Health. Hand To Hand gives +2 Melee Damage and -1 Ranged Damage.

Keen Eyes gives +3% Ranged Critical Chance and -1 Critical Damage. Compounding Strength gives a +1 meter First Movement Bonus and -5% Ranged Chance-To-Hit. Pick the bonus that matches the Operator’s actual role, since each benefit also carries a drawback.

How to maximize the chain

Many branches feed Zone Besh, while the first and fifth Cycles can also support Jenth or Esk. The useful Influence targets are around the 20, 30, and 50 point Zone tiers, so inspect the Influence screen before choosing a reward. The exact reward attached to every tier is separate from the Operation Chain and should be checked in the current game.

Avoid high-risk choices when the available Operators are already injured. Healthy backup Operators make the chain easier to absorb, especially when the Attack First branch or the Kabb assignment is competing with a time-limited Tactical Mission. A Contact can be more useful than a small amount of Credits when you need a particular Zone Influence result.

Capacitors are rare, which makes Cycle III a meaningful resource decision. Permanent Operator improvements can also be more valuable than ordinary Credits, but that depends on whether the current squad needs equipment, recovery, or a Den upgrade next. The exact availability of every branch in a different campaign state is To be confirmed.

Recommended decision order

Start by checking your current Jenth, Besh, and Esk Influence, then compare the next tier reward with the secondary benefit of each branch. Protect the resources that your next critical Operation requires, and do not spend Intel or a Capacitor simply because the option appears first. If your squad needs recovery, Cycle IV’s Nysillin is easier to value than a generic reward.

For a Zone-focused route, prioritize the fixed Influence gains and use Cycle V with Kabb when a successful Esk result will change the next tier. For a resource-preservation route, take no payoff in Cycle VI and pass in Cycle III when neither equipment option solves an immediate problem. The final best route remains To be confirmed for players whose campaign board and injury state differ from this sequence.