A droid that never fires a primary weapon and still decides fights
The Astromech is the only class in the game that gives up a primary weapon to do something else: hand out Action Points. Its passive, the built-in Comlink, transfers Action Points to allies each turn, and its remaining tools are utilities such as mines and grenades.
That design is an experiment in tactical economy. Every operator gets 3 AP per turn, and nearly every hard decision in the game reduces to whether you have enough points to do what you need. The Astromech exists to change that answer: instead of adding its own damage, it multiplies everyone else's — and in a 4-operator squad that usually beats one more pistol.
When a transferred Action Point beats a shot
A support droid is not always worth the slot. Action Point transfer pays off most when:
- Your squad has one dominant unit (a Heavy with Bulwark up, a Sharpshooter on high ground, or a Padawan with Harmony banked) that can convert an extra point into a confirmed kill.
- The mission demands repositioning twice in the same turn, which is impossible on 3 base AP.
- An injured operator on the far side of the map needs extraction without abandoning the main firing line.
If your squad spreads damage evenly and rarely has to move, the Astromech contributes less than a fourth offensive unit.
Construction, customization, and role at the Den
Unlike the Padawan or the Mandalorian, this class is not tied to a story character: it is built and upgraded in the Droid Bay, and its chassis is visually customizable. The tactical database lists the available droid bodies and the rest of the command center's facilities.
Getting value in combat
- Stand behind the line. Without a primary weapon, its survival depends on never being a valid target.
- Use mines to close routes, not to kill. Their job is stopping an enemy appearing behind the squad.
- Transfer by turn, not by habit. The ally who receives the point changes with whoever has the best play available.
- Pair with control objectives. A Heavy taunting a whole group needs extra Action Points to exploit the window it opens.
Recommended fireteams
- Astromech + Heavy + Sharpshooter + Medic: the droid sustains the line while the Heavy absorbs and the Sharpshooter executes.
- Astromech + Padawan + Gunslinger + Scout: maximum mobility; transferred points let the Padawan build Harmony and enter on the same turn.
- Astromech + Mandalorian: aerial assault needs to move constantly, and Action Point transfer solves exactly that problem.
Common mistakes
- Treating it as a damage unit. Its contribution is Action Point economy and utility, not direct damage.
- Always transferring to the same operator. The correct recipient depends on the map and the turn.
- Leaving it in the open because it is "just a droid". A destroyed support droid costs the same mission as any other loss, and with permadeath on, the campaign continues without it.