star wars zero company hawks build and role guide

The direct answer

Hawks is the player-controlled protagonist and leader of Zero Company. The character is a former Republic captain who was dismissed after a disastrous defeat and later built an independent covert group on the Ring of Kafrene. Hawks must deploy in story missions, so the most useful build usually supports the other three Operators.

The strongest all-round setup uses Medic as the first Specialization, Scout as the second, and a longarm sniper rifle. Medic keeps the squad healthy, Scout generates Advantage and adds Ambush, while Hawks’ own Talents improve Assist Damage and give an ally an extra Action Point. Gunslinger with a Blaster Pistol remains a good direct-damage alternative.

Hawks’ identity and customization

The default name is Tesh Keff Hawks. Hawks is human, and the published record uses they and them pronouns, while the game lets the player customize the identity used in a campaign. The default promotional depiction is a middle-aged former officer, yet the playable character can be shaped into a different version.

Character creation includes choices for sex, gender, species, appearance, clothing, voice, and combat Specialization. The available species list includes human, Zabrak, Togruta, Twi’lek, and Mirialan. The exact options on a particular character-creation screen are To be confirmed.

Hawks remains the story lead after those choices change. Customization affects the character’s appearance and combat identity, while the former Republic background and leadership role stay at the center of the campaign. That combination makes Hawks different from a custom recruit who enters the roster without a fixed story position.

From Republic captain to Zero Company leader

Hawks served in the Grand Army of the Republic and led the 100th Clone Company during the Clone Wars. The unit operated under Jedi General Pong Krell and suffered a disastrous defeat at the Battle of Antine. Most of Hawks’ clone troopers died, and Hawks took the blame through a court-martial and dismissal from Republic service.

Trick survived Antine, yet the Republic reassigned him toward maintenance work on Kamino. Hawks used the influence that remained from military service to secure Trick’s medical discharge. Trick became the first employee of a new mercenary outfit named Zero Company, which took its name from the former clone unit.

The new company gradually added people with very different histories. The roster included Runa Blask as an advisor, M-3VO as a pilot and medic, Neesh Renark as a merchant of illicit goods, mechanics, and other Operators. The company also accumulated a debt of 80,000 credits to Gorga Desilijic Aarrpo, giving its early contracts a financial pressure beyond the fight itself.

Jae Mordant and Republic intelligence officer Bennic Halloren later hired Zero Company to investigate the Infinite Coil. The contract promised enough payment to erase the debt, while Halloren would advise the group during the work. Hawks accepted reluctantly and became the leader of a team assembled from former Republic personnel, independent operators, and people who had fought on the other side of the war.

Hawks as the fixed squad slot

Hawks is mandatory in story missions. That leaves three open places for authored companions and custom Operators, so a Hawks build should solve problems the other three slots cannot cover. A Medic Hawks can keep the team functioning, while a Gunslinger Hawks can add a reliable finisher when the group already has recovery.

The four-person structure also affects Bond planning. Operators build relationships by fighting together or using certain squad actions, so Hawks can develop Bonds with several companions simply by staying in the regular rotation. Keep a preferred partner in the squad when a Bond or cross-training goal matters, then use the other two slots to answer the mission.

Hawks cannot be treated like an ordinary Operator who can be left behind. A defeat causes a story-mission failure, and the character is the exception to the normal explanation of Operator permadeath. The exact save behavior under an ironman or similar campaign setting is To be confirmed.

Signature talents

Fearless Leader is Hawks’ signature passive. It improves Assist Damage for Operators while Hawks is on the battlefield, and later ranks add more support and defensive value. The exact rank ceiling and numerical bonuses are To be confirmed, yet the purpose is clear because Assist attacks let nearby teammates add damage to an Operator’s action.

Pico-5 is Hawks’ other personal support action in the updated build material. It costs three Advantage and gives an ally an additional Action Point. Use it on an Operator who can finish a target, rescue a downed teammate, reach an objective, or turn a good opening into a complete attack sequence.

Advantage is shared by the squad and also fuels class abilities. Hawks therefore has to choose between helping an ally immediately and saving resources for a larger Ultimate. Fearless Leader improves the value of Assist attacks, while Pico-5 changes the number of actions the team can take in a critical turn.

Medic and Scout support build

Start with Medic when Hawks’ main job is to keep the team active. Life Saving Measures improves Med Packs, Combat Stim raises an ally’s maximum health and combat damage, and Morale Boost gives nearby allies a way to recover health and ignore hit penalties tied to injuries in one build. The exact duration, stacks, and values are To be confirmed.

Scout works well as the second specialization. Tactical Timing can return Advantage after an Operator defeats an enemy, Combat Recon scans a group and generates Advantage, and Ambush turns a large resource pool into a stronger surprise attack. These tools let Hawks support the squad for most turns, then deal heavy damage when one priority target must disappear.

Equip a longarm or sniper rifle that improves accuracy, critical damage, or a useful on-hit effect. The weapon keeps Hawks far enough back to use Medic actions while still contributing Assist fire and priority-target damage. The exact weapon name, mod slots, and best Focus Tree path depend on the current save and are To be confirmed.

This build is strongest when the rest of the squad has specialized jobs. A Heavy can hold enemy attention, a Sharpshooter can control a lane, and a melee Operator can use the extra Action Point to complete a turn.

Gunslinger and pistol alternative

Gunslinger gives Hawks a more active damage role. Quick Draw uses a fast pistol action and can return its Action Point when it defeats a target, Keen Eye improves ranged Critical Chance, and Open Fire attacks twice at a combination of targets for an Advantage cost. Onslaught adds blaster damage across a turn.

The Blaster Pistol keeps Hawks mobile and suits a character who wants to finish weakened enemies. A successful Quick Draw can open another movement or attack, while Open Fire can pressure two targets or focus both shots on one enemy. The exact shot count, Advantage cost, and Focus Tree rank values are To be confirmed.

Gunslinger is a good choice when the other three Operators already provide healing and resource generation. It is also a clean way to play the cinematic pistol-focused version of Hawks. The support build has a higher effect on the whole team, while the pistol build makes Hawks’ own turn easier to feel and evaluate.

How to play Hawks each turn

Begin by checking the objective and the enemy response. A support Hawks should reserve a route to cover, use the rifle for an Assist or priority shot, and spend Pico-5 when an ally’s extra Action Point changes the turn. Medic actions come before the squad’s next risky move, so a damaged Operator enters the fight with the recovery tool already planned.

A Gunslinger Hawks should look for a weakened target that Quick Draw can finish. If the Action Point comes back, use the new space to reach cover or create another Assist opportunity rather than spending every resource on a low-value enemy. Open Fire is most useful when two shots remove a dangerous target or force the enemy formation to change.

Hawks works best as part of a sequence. One Operator exposes a target, Hawks adds the Assist or grants an extra Action Point, and a third Operator turns that opening into a kill or objective move.

Exact character-creation limits, starting specialization, Focus Tree rank values, weapon availability, Bond thresholds, and ironman behavior are To be confirmed. Keep the published name and default depiction separate from the player’s chosen version of Hawks, then check the live menu before committing points or promising a specific numerical bonus.