Starting Weapons Comparison

In this article, I'm going to go through every starting weapon in the game and review them. How powerful your starting weapon can shoot affects not only the first couple of missions, but your success, upgrade phases, and play experience. Once, because Shyla Vaard has a powerful starting weapon, I was able to give her a cheap modification to that weapon and take her starting weapon to the finale. Your starting weapon is very important because it determines how long you can go before being forced to invest in a new weapon.

I will rank each weapon on scale of 1 to 10. Hope you enjoy!

Core Set Heroes

First I'm going to start with Jyn Odan's starting weapon - Vintage Blaster. This weapon boasts a green-green combination with surges to +1 damage and +1 accuracy. First off, let me say something - I really like a green-green attack pool. The green dice are solid damage outputs and give a great mix of damage and surges. Unfortunately, Vintage Blaster is impaired by limited range (green-green will usually get 3-4 accuracy). Even though, this is a solid starting weapon and gives Jyn Odan a good punch to combo with her Quick Draw.

Total Score: 8

The Vibro-Ax is Garrkhan's starting weapon. This melee weapon packs one of the biggest maximum damage outputs - I've had Garrkhan obliterate a Probe Droid before. But the weapon is inconsistent. The red die can be a very hard hitter, but this damage often drops to mediocre or just plain bad. Additionally, Vibro-Ax has no surge to damage which makes the yellow die seem quite underpowered. The weapon has surge to cleave - the only starting weapon with that ability, which makes it unique. Overall, it is a strong weapon that sometimes slumps, but still should serve you well.

Total Score: 7

Diala Passil is one of my favorite heroes to play so I have plenty of experience with Plasteel Staff. Overall, I like it. It generates a lot of surges - which is helpful for recovering the insane amount of strain Diala takes. It also has reach - a really helpful ability. But truthfully, unless paired with Diala's Precise Strike, this weapon will often fall flat against a black defense die. The yellow die does not output much damage without great surges - which Plasteel Staff does not have. Nevertheless, reach and stun make this weapon interesting at least.

Total Score: 6

The Longblaster is Mak Eshka'rey's starting weapon. This weapon boasts the only blue-blue combination in the game and this helps Mak take deep shots with plenty of accuracy to spare. The weapon's damage output is lacking, however. Although the surges are solid, the blue dice will often deliver single attack icon results. When not paired with Mak's Ambush ability, the Longblaster can seem quite underwhelming. If you plan to run it into the later stages of the game, make sure to get a Combat Vambrace to reroll the single attack icon results. The Longblaster is solid - but far from extraordinary.

Total Score: 7

The Infantry Rifle belongs to Fenn Signis. This weapon is pretty much a copy of what stormtroopers shoot with - which is okay I guess. The surges are underwhelming and kind of bland, but I guess this weapon gets the job done. When coupled with a Under-barrel HH-4, this weapon becomes far more appealing. First of all, it gains surge to blast, which is really good with Fenn. Additionally, it gains a static +1 accuracy. This is useful because this allows Fenn to take some pot shots on stormtroopers. But, just judging the weapon, it is kind of weak. Truthfully I want something more exciting than this one and it's damage output isn't great.

Total Score: 7

Just because the Holdout Blaster has a underwhelming blue-yellow attack doesn't mean you should count it out - I've actually found it quite useful. I cannot tell you how good surge to pierce 2 is on a starting weapon. This makes Holdout Blaster more than capable of taking down stormtroopers and gives it consistency. However, against white defense dice, the Holdout Blaster slumps. Cancelling surges consistently will make the Holdout Blaster seem subpar compared to the other starting weapons. This is why it is best for Gideon - the owner of this blaster - to just shoot black defense die enemies.

Total Score: 6

Twin Shadows Expansion

The Repeating Blaster is quite an interesting weapon. First of all, it boasts probably the best dice pool out of any starting weapon (it is tied with Drokkatta's MGL-9 Boomber). Although the surges on this weapon are not ideal, the red and blue dice will only generate a surge on 50% of rolls. Meanwhile, the amount of raw damage that this gun can throw out is incredible. However, the Repeating Blaster is one of the most inconsistent weapons I have ever used. This isn't a weapon I would feel comfortable taking into the late game. It's just too inconsistent - even if it can pump out 5 damage.

Total Score: 7

Modified Blaster possesses a green-yellow attack pool and a whole list of surges to back it up. The weapon is moderately consistant with surges to damage and pierce 1. Surge to weaken is a nice ability if you have too many surges or if you are fighting someone with a mean attack (E-Webs for example). The static +1 accuracy makes this weapon a mid ranged weapon, which is just fine for it's owner - Saska Teft. Overall, I think this is one of the more solid starting weapons I have looked at. It is relatively powerful and great at insuring damage will be punched through.

Total Score: 8

Return To Hoth Expansion

The weapon of the only droid or dedicated medic in the game, Sidearm Blaster is one of my least favorite starting weapons. First of all, the blue-yellow combination is quite lacking. This is accentuated by the fact that there is no surge for damage and the pierce is only pierce 1. Although the weapon does have stun on a starting weapon, i feel like I don't hit enough with it to make it matter. If you are planning to run MHD-19, you need to make sure you get an upgrade for your weapon as fast as possible (even a DH-17 will do).

Total Score: 2

The All-Weather Rifle is, for the most part, strictly worse than a regular stormtrooper's attack. It has the same blue-green combination, but instead of surge to damage, it has surge to pierce 1 and surge to weaken. While weaken is cool, it is not particularly good - I would rather have surge to 1 damage. The static +1 accuracy is quite nice and makes this weapon a sniper rifle, but ultimately, the lack of consistent damage output makes this extra range inconsequential. All and all, I think you should get Loku Kanoloa ( the owner of this weapon) a new weapon pretty quickly.

Total Score: 5

Verena Talos, the owner of two starting weapons, is one of my favorite heroes to play. Military Blaster, her ranged starting weapon, is definitely the least interesting of the two, but is probably better. The blue-yellow combination is, I will say it again, underproducing in almost every scenario. However, Military Blaster has a couple of tricks. The first is a double surge for 2 damage. While I have found that this is often useful, it is difficult to trigger against white defense dice. The other surge is for +1 accuracy and Pierce 1. This option is far worse, but by far easier to manufacture. Overall the military blaster is mediocre in most cases and decent in some.

Total Score: 6

To me, Fighting Knife is the most interesting starting weapon in the game. It boasts a couple of firsts. To begin, it is the only starting weapon in the game with just one die. Additionally, it is the only starting weapon in the game with a static +1 damage. These firsts make Fighting Knife an intriguing weapon at least - but is it very good? Not really. When attacking with this weapon, I find that there is a sweet spot where the red dice rolls well and my opponent's die rolls poorly. If one of these doesn't go my way, I could easily see my attack blocked. While I have had Fighting Knife give out damage totals upwards of 3, this is not consistent enough for me.

Total Score: 5

Bespin Gambit Expansion

The Heirloom Dagger is the starting weapon of Davith Elso. Although he can purchase his Shrouded Lightsaber, I think that this weapon can get him quite far. Although the green-yellow combination is less than ideal, those dice will generate plenty of surges. Luckily, this weapon has, in my opinion, the best surges of any starting weapon. It boasts both a surge for 1 damage and a surge for pierce 1 + bleed. The second surge is really interesting and powerful. It not only allows you to put the detrimental Bleed condition on the defender, but it applies Pierce 1 ( which in many cases is just as good as a damage). Overall, I think this weapon is above average in all respects.

Total Score: 7

If I had to give a one word description of Diplomat's Blaster I would say it is interesting. It is not one of my favorite weapons. The damage output is mediocre at best. But the second ability on this weapon is the interesting part. It allows you to move the defender if your weapon hit. Although it's just one space, I can imagine many scenarios in campaigns when this is powerful or borderline broken (In Heart of the Empire's final mission, you could slowly push the Emperor away from the Shard allowing you to interact with it without having to kill him). But the less-than-average damage output and the lack of a modification makes this weapon a tough one to take deep into a campaign.

Total Score: 5

Jabba's Realm Expansion

The Bodyguard Rifle explores a similar design space as many other starting weapons (Gaarkhan's Vibro-Ax, Verena's Fighting Knife) - a weapon that can deal large lumps of damage, but is inconsistent at doing so. The green-red combination make this weapon short ranged (I do not recommend using the printed ability often. Although it increases your range, this weapon could easily be blocked at that range). Overall, I don't like this weapon at all. Although it can deal 5 damage, it has no surges. This makes the green die a weak partner for the volatile red die.

Total Score: 5

Vinto Hreeda's Hair-Trigger Pistol is one of the statistically weaker starting weapons. Although, I still like it. When paired with Rapid Fire ( a almost must-have upgrade for Vinto) you gain an incredible amount of control over the dice. The Blue-Yellow combination is slightly lacking, and the surges are solid but not spectacular. Nevertheless, with a solid modification, I think this weapon is pretty good. Although it's damage output is weak, when you can reroll either your dice or all of the dice, you can make defense dice weak while you perfect yours is powerful.

Total Score: 5

This is the weapon that I talked about at the beginning of the review and I still think it's amazing. The green-yellow combination is bolstered by the competent surges. But the special action at the bottom makes this weapon extraordinary. By replacing the yellow die with a red die, you get a red-green attack with great surges. On the flip side, you could get Vibrogenerator and All-Out attack and cancel the few surges that a green-red attack gives you. Overall, this weapon is the best out of all starting weapons. It gives Shyla Varad a powerful tool for combat.

Total Score: 10

Heart of the Empire Expansion

Jarrod Kelvin is a very powerful hero and the Vibro-Claws compliment him well. I have found that this weapon is one of the most consistant in the game. The pierce 2 allows you to pound your damage through most defense rolls. Although it lacks a standard surge to a damage, it has a surge to a damage power token which is slightly less useful, but an okay replacement. On the downsides, it cannot be sold and lacks the modification. So I guess Jarrod is taking this one to the finale every time and I have to say I'm okay with that. This weapon is quite effective against stormtroopers and other lightly armored units. It will consistently get 1-2 damage through and I think this is fine.

Total Score: 7

Drokotta's starting weapon is really good. The MGL-9 "Boomer" can seriously pump a heap of damage onto the board. The blue-red attack is bolstered by the addition of a mod slot and the surge to blast 1. Although it does not have any surges to damage, the Boomer's dice more than compensate. Overall, I think that this weapon has a really solid attack and I have ran it late into campaigns and it has perform admirably.

Total Score: 8

At first glance, the Service Rifle is underwhelming. The Blue-Green combination is mediocre at best and the lack of surges to damage makes the damage output worse than a stormtrooper. But you cannot underestimate the importance of a reroll. It is not unreasonable to get both dice to a double damage sides with this weapon. Additionally, if you add a solid mod (Plasma Cell?), this weapon could become quite powerful. Overall, it's not great, but Ko-Tun Feralo's Service Rifle isn't as bad as it seems.

Total Score: 5

Tyrants of Lothal Expansion

Tress Hacula's Reinforce Cyberam is truthfully terrible. The blue-greeen combination of dice is underwhelming and what makes this weapon bad is the lack of any surges. Although she can spend her style tokens to apply +1 damage, in reality, she has better ways to spend them. And then, just to make this weapon truly terrible, it can't be sold. I don't see this weapon being remotely decent anywhere past the first few missions.

Total Score: 3

CT-1701's Blaster is fairly solid. I love the green-green combination that this gun has and the automatic +2 accuracy makes it a mid to long range weapon. Although it lacks surges, it has a fairly useful text ability to gain a damage power token after you miss. Overall, if this wepaon just had a surge to a damage, it would be one of the best weapons in the game. Without it , it is simply solid. The modifications slot also gives this weapon some power and makes it a great candidate for Plasma Cell. With this upgrade, you gain an automatic pierce 1 and that surge to a damage that this weapon desperately needs.

Total Score: 6

Thanks for reading. If you have any questions or think I've been unfair in my reviews tell me in the comments.