So, not counting Leia or Boba Fett or any other characters from the film that are guaranteed to appear, what other kind of characters would you like to see as playable characters for the Rebellion campaign? What sort of archetypes haven't been filled by a character that was in the campaign box? I'd especially like input from gamers who have played Descent (I have not), as I'm sure some of the characters and classes in that game would make sense to adapt here.

Thinking about character lineups I've seen in other games, I came up with a few suggestions:

- A "pet" character-- in this case, probably a mechanic and a droid of some kind. I'm thinking of Ramirez from Tannhauser (that whooshing sound you hear is that character going over everyone's heads, cause I'm fairly certain nobody else played that game). The droid sidekick is a popular trope in Star Wars, and a mechanic with a support droid would certainly have its own niche in the game not remotely occupied by current characters. The droid could be built in different ways, either as another damage-dealer on the front lines, or offering up other kinds of support.

- A demolitionist-- one whose primary attack is fairly weak, but who can use thrown or planted explosives to deal massive damage across areas of the board. Maybe the upcoming Rebel Saboteurs are going to fill that role in the skirmish game, but maybe they have a leader that fills the same role in the Rebel campaign.

- A medic-- although generally a pretty boring class to play, having a character that can prop up your allies to last longer, eliminate strain, or bolster their abilities seems like a no-brainer. It's an archetype that shows up in pretty much any team strategy game, so I would be surprised if one didn't find its way into Imperial Assault.

- A controller-- typically a character that can cast area-of-effect spells and abilities or something along those lines, this might be difficult to pull off in the Star Wars universe. Maybe it's another Jedi-in-training that focuses more on mind-control or something that can inflict damage to a group of opponents or tempt an enemy trooper into fighting for the allies, although I'm hoping that don't make too many force-aligned characters in the game for the sake of it losing their novelty. Maybe we can fill the requisite orange-jumpsuit pilot slot by having a character that calls in air support strikes. They would effectively work just like a fireball would in a fantasy game.

In addition to the classes above, there are a few races I still feel must be represented in this game. The rebel strike team still needs at least one droid, and a Mon Cal for sure.

Any responses, suggestions, or critiques?

I played Tannhäuser. As for the pet character, a pilot and astromech would work.

However a character that, like Gideon, can deploy droids for a cheaper cost could be useful.

As for a controller, 'spells' don't really fit Star Wars. But combine that with the demolitionist idea, and it could work. Not to mention. That if you are inside a base, an airstrike can't really thematically work.

The medic could be accomplished with a droid ally as well.

True on several points. I think the demolitionist is the best way to add a control character to the roster, but don't rule out the airstrike idea. The AT-ST seems to have no issues shooting through buildings. Your point is well-taken, however.

Also, I knew some people had to be playing Tannhauser at some point, by folks at my FLGS gave me blank looks when I was getting into it-- 7 months too late.

The controller could be a grenadier.

His starting weapon would have blast as a surge ability and he could have an ability that allows him to add a surge for 1 strain.

His skills should drive up from there:

Stunning, forcing units who took damage to move 1 square, Bleeding.

I'd suggest another force user at some point, but without a lightsaber. I hope they do an expansion with less typical heroic archetypes.

I don't think you need to look much further than the RPG Specilizations.

Gideon is a Tactician

Gahkhaan is a Commando

Mak is a Sharpshooter

Diala is a Force Sensitive Exile

Jyn is a Scoundrel

Fenn is probably a Survivalist?

So plenty of other Specs to choose from for Heroes in this game.

Indeed. The problem is that the 'pilot' types don't translate too well.

You could have a Beast Rider type - a two space base, like the E-web.

Engineer could work, as could a demolitions/saboteur.

A character riding a speederbike or STAP could work. However, I don't think it likely, as there is at least one mission where you start in an enclosed space.

Magnus, I think you're on to something with the Beast Rider concept. Maybe the hero has two figures: one as just the rider, and another as the two-space long full rider. Perhaps he takes a perch as and action as the mission advances.

This concept could work for other heroes, as well. Maybe a heavy-weapons expert who uses a big, E-Web-like tripod gun, but has to take a round to set it up?

Also, Aahzmandius, some of those specializations may have a difficult time translating to a combat-heavy game such as IA. A Diplomat can only do so much persuasion when Jyn and Mak are shooting over their shoulder.

A combat medic could have some intersting play. Not only could you heal, but you could build the class to buff allies and nerf enemies. Give him abilities that grant rerolls, extra dice, etc. Then give him stun abilities, bleed effects, etc for offense. He wouldn't have high direct damage, but he would give the player a lot of options and you wouldn't be stuck with a guy that just does weak attacks and boring heals. Now he has an entire gambit of abilities to draw from.

As for a heavy weapons guy, make him more like roadblock from gijoe. He's just really big and lugs a giant weapon around by hand. Huge attack, but restrict his mobility by lowering his move distance and not allowing him to double move. He's really powerful in combat, but this game focuses a lot on mobility, so it would be a trade off.

A dark force user would be interesting. Dark force powers of choke, lightning and what not. Force attuned individual who lacked the proper training and guidance. He's not as powerful as a jedi, but when his powers manafest, they do so out of anger and rage. He means well, and has good goals, but he needs some anger management courses and the end always justifies the means. More powerful abilities perhaps have extra costs such as health or extra strain.

The problem with going from the RPG specs is that so many of them can basically be built and played the same way when you are focusing mainly on combat. The flavor of those various classes and specs is built more into the RP side of things than the combat.

A Diplomat can only do so much persuasion when Jyn and Mak are shooting over their shoulder.

One could argue that's when a diplomat is most effective.

Peace, through superior firepower.

Aggressive negotiations.

I believe the pilot wouldn't be to bad an idea, they do got weapons training as to be not totally useless, also you could for instance give him a special rule for deployment. Being able to use a specific deployment zone on the map for both sides their pilot figures. Like a "landing zone" as a sort of flanking maneuver. Defensively A-Wing pilots and the likes seem pretty evasive/cunning as they tend to have very good intuition/reflexes. So their defence could do with some tricks.

Adding some matching command cards for the Skirmish game granting pilots something like a "strafing run" ranged attack would be cool. Also maybe a Skirmish Upgrade astromech pet, just for objective tagging and line of sight fun (think strafing run line of sight through the astromech). And you got a pretty package!

The beast rider idea is cool, yet I believe those would fit a big box expansion rather then an ally pack, giving players options for bigger open maps to zip around on. Movement wise they could work giving them a higher speed stat then models on foot, yet less then a foot models double move, limiting them to one move though. Thinking of it as combat speed.

The fact they are on for instance a speederbike giving them better defence and attack die and maybe some surge move abilities. Would make up for that easily.

Just some random thoughts though!

The pilot could call in air support maybe? A blast type attack-- just and idea?

As listed above I would like to see a medic, and more species. Rodian, Arcona, Duros, Gotal etc

Id suggest a different line of thought. Instead of looking for different classes, how about different races which would have slightly different abilities that match the class?

A few examples:

Mon Cal commander type

Trandoshan berserker

Bothan pistol guy

Cerean commando

I hope FFG adds more archetypes like many others have mentioned, but I also hope they add variants of the existing archetypes.

A Nightsister or droid would be cool as well.

Here are a few of my ideas:

A demolitionist: He has a fairly weak starting pistol, probably blue/yellow dice and mediocre surge abilities, or even a vibroknife, green/yellow, but he can plant explosive charges that deal serious damage at the end of a round and he can throw grenades. For his class cards, maybe give him one that can turn his frag grenades into shock grenades, one that lets his explosive charge automatically open any door, one that causes his explosive charges to detonate at the end of his activation instead of the end of the round, etc. Basically an area-of-effect/utility character. I'm thinking a Mon Calamari for the species.

A droid of some kind: I don't care much what it does, but we need a droid hero. Maybe this is where our combat medic could come in. If it takes a rest action, it can allow an adjacent ally to heal for the same amount instead. And maybe it's a hovering medical droid, with mobility. Maybe one of its 4 XP abilities could flip a wounded hero (at full health) back over to healthy, with some amount of health restored. I don't know, just brainstorming here.

A Force user that's more of a caster, with a control focus, than a fighter. Take 2 strain to target an enemy within 3 spaces; roll a yellow die; if you roll at least 1 surge, that enemy is stunned (with an upgrade available to make it also do damage).

I'd also like to see more alien species among heroes. Just off the top of my head, Rodian, Sullustan, Devaronian, and Quarren would be cool to see.

But a campaign box isn't just the heroes and missions. New items would be great. An ion blaster that is great against droids but weak against non-droids would be an excellent choice to carry as a second weapon. A neural implant to add a yellow die to insight tests, or an advanced datapad to add a yellow die to tech tests. A rangefinder helmet that gives a bonus to accuracy (if you want to keep it cheap, make it exhaust to give the bonus, so you can only get it once a round). There are so many possibilities.

I'd also like to see new and different enemies, both run-of-the-mill ones and unique villains. For a scum-centric campaign box, you could get a variety of Nikto/Klatooinian/Weequay/Gammorrean thugs to use as groups, generic bounty hunters as single units, a Rancor as the big monster, a Hutt crime boss as a villain, and some named bounty hunters -- Boba Fett, anyone? -- as villain pack options. I'd love a villain pack that was both 4-LOM and Zuckuss, especially if they got some sort of teamwork bonus together.

Here are a few of my ideas:

Man, there are so many great ideas, here! Okay, so yeah, super into the idea of a Mon Cal demolition's expert and a droid medic... Then realized that both characters have sort of been already made in EOTE;s and AOR's respective beginner boxes.

41-VEX was a badass looking medical droid in the Edge beginner box, and Tendaar was a Mon Cal Engineer working for the Rebellion. I will concede that being an Engineer is not quite the same as being a demolitions expert, but you have to admit he does look pretty cool. The fusion cutter could be used as a unique melee weapon, and he could be used to set satchel charges or turrets to control areas of the battlefield.

I'm sure they are not going to duplicate characters from the rpgs, but if I had photoshop, I would certainly love to put together a customized hero card with these guys in the artwork. Give me some new guys to fool around with til new stuff actually hits the shelves.

I'm all in favor a full "scum and villainy" expansion. I really, really want a miniature Rancor to play around with, for sure, and I love the idea of 4-LOM and Zuckuss coming as a hero two-pack who improve in skill as they work as a team.

As far as other expansions go, as mentioned elsewhere in these forums, I'd really like to see a Empire Strikes Back expansion, with a campaign revolving around the Rebel's time on Hoth and the evacuation, as well as the Rebel's attempts to free Cloud City from Imperial control at Lando's side. An AT-AT mini in this would be great, even if it wasn't fully to scale. I'm thinking along the lines of the Rebel Transport in the X-Wing game. A Shadows of the Empire expansion would be really exciting, too. I think Xizor could make just as good a Scum faction villain as a Hutt miniature would.

Gonk Droid

No Attack

No Defense

can't interact

4 health.

2 speed

any adjacent figures add one damage to their attacks.

ACTION: Self Destruct

Gonk Droid

No Attack

No Defense

can't interact

4 health.

2 speed

any adjacent figures add one damage to their attacks.

ACTION: Self Destruct

I really hope they stay away from EU stuff.... though I've read it all, alot of it is very weak storytelling/characters and the new films will completely disregard their existence.... so, going forward, Thrawn, for example, will have never really existed in the star wars universe.

I want Jabba and his pet rancor. Sure Jabba would be crap in combat and the rancor would cost a ton of squad points. I just want the minis.

I would really enjoy the heroes from the rebels show. I know we don't really know what is gonna happen with them yet but even still it would be fun.

I think a Mandalorian warrior rebel hero would be awesome (yes, its really close to Fett, but still). Instead of dodgy like Jyn, he would be more tanky (like Fen), fast+mobile, and have special action to shoot a flamethrower attack that hits 3 figures in a straight line (not diagonals). Or a missile/thermal detonator, whatever.

Dash and Leebo, as heroes NOT allies. I'd love to play out some of those great moments from Shadows of the Empire!