X-Wing Upgrade Guide - Rebel Crew

Last Updated: 4/11/2018 through Wave 13

X-wing is a game that has been around for a few years now. The number of ships, pilots and upgrades can become a little overwhelming for those that are new or infrequent players. So today we’re going to continue going through all the different upgrade types and giving some quick points on how best to use them. For each we’re going to give the following information:

Ranking– We’re going to rank each card within an upgrade slot. This is an imperfect ranking as the usefulness of any card is mostly determined by how and where you use it. But it’s an easy number to grasp and can serve as a starting point when trying to pick your upgrades.
Combos– What are the best pilots, ships or upgrades to pair with this card. When we look at upgrades that can only be equipped to a limited number of ships we may skip this section.

Other Guides

Crew and Droids
Elite Pilot Talent
Ship Upgrades
- Illicit
- Modification
- System
- Tech
Weapon Upgrades
- Bombs
- Cannons
- Missiles
- Torpedoes
- Turrets

We’re continuing our alphabetical journey through the available upgrade. Next up, with 40% of the total crew, the Rebel Alliance. This is the hardest group to rank because there are so many of them and they do quite a lot of different things.

Note: The suggested combos are not meant to be comprehensive. There are simply too many potential combos in the game.So we’ve focused on the best or most interesting.

Ships with a Crew Slot

Rebel

ARC-170
Attack Shuttle
Auzituck
B-Wing/E2
HWK-290
K-Wing
Scurrg H-6
Sheathipede
Sabine’s Masterpiece TIE Fighter
U-Wing
VCX-100
YT-1300
YT-2400

Ranked List

Kanan Jarrus
Sabine Wren
Hera Syndulla
*Maul
Rey
Nien Numb
Chopper
Kyle Katarn
Jan Ors
C-3PO
Ezra Bridger
Finn
Cassian Andor
Chewbacca
Captain Rex
Baze Malbus
Jyn Erso
Bodhi Rook
Dash Rendar
Wookiee Commandos
Bistan
Han Solo
Zeb Orrelios
Leebo
R2-D2
Luke Skywalker
Lando Calrissian
Leia Organa

Baze Malbus (U-Wing Expansion)

Cost: 3 points

After you perform an attack that does not hit, you may immediately perform a primary weapon attack against a different ship. You cannot perform another attack this round.

Ranking– 16
- Baze is a potential alternative to gunner. He’s cheaper so can, therefore, fit in more places. His restriction on needing to fire on another ship keeps him from being higher though as he becomes useless in the late game or against an opponent with only a few ships.
Combos
- Primary Turret (YT-1300, YT-2400, K-Wing)
  - Since Baze’s bonus shot has to be against a different ship equipping him to a turreted ship gives you the most options for a new target.
- Captain Rex/Operations Specialist (Crew)
  - Both Rex and Operations Specialist give out a focus when you miss which you could then use on your bonus Baze attack.
- Tactician
  - If you have two ships in arc at range two you can give both of them stress.
- Hot-Shot Co-pilot (Crew)
  - HotCop lets you strip tokens from your target. Since Baze allows you to fire on two different targets you can strip focus from multiple ships.

Bistan (U-Wing Expansion)

Cost: 2 points

When attacking Range 1-2, you may change 1 of your Hit results to a Crit result.

Ranking– 21
- Bistan isn’t a bad card persay. He’s much nicer than Mercenary Co-Pilot as he gives you a free crit in two range bands. He just tends to lose the opportunity cost battle.
Combos
- Ten Numb (Pilot)
  - Ten gets free damage on a crit so anything that helps ensure he actually rolls a crit is helpful.
- Mercenary Co-Pilot (Crew)
  - With both of these crew, you are guaranteeing yourself a crit at any range.

Bodhi Rook (U-Wing Expansion)

Cost: 1 points

When you acquire a target lock, you can lock onto an enemy ship at Range 1-3 of any friendly ship.

Ranking– 18
- Bodhi is a nice bonus for a cheap cost. He is situational in his usefulness though. He’s a support ability.
Combos
- Targeting Synchronizer (Tech)
  - There is no current ship that allows both crew and tech on the Rebel side. But when there is, slapping Bodhi onboard with a Targeting Synchronizer would allow that ship to hang back and acquire target locks for the rest of the squadron to fire homing missiles with. So you may never see this combo.
- Captured TIE (Title)
  - If you have a Captured TIE in your squadron you can send that fighter up ahead into range 1-3 without fear of getting shot. Then your other ship can hang back and get a target lock from outside of range.
- Shara Bey (ARC-170 Pilot)
  - Shara gives away her target locks and Bodhi can help her get target locks. If she stays at range 1-2 of her ally, who is at range three of a target, Shara is safe from fire and still helping.
- M9-G8 (Astromech)
  - M9-G8 works from any range so if he’s paired up with Bodhi the droid carrier ship can remain out of the fight causing trouble.

C-3PO (Tantive IV Expansion)

Cost: 3 points

Once per round, before you roll 1 or more defense dice, you may guess aloud a number of results. If you roll that many results (before modifying dice), add 1 Evade result.

Ranking– 10
- Many people swear by C-3PO. He’s a pretty good card, ensuring you negate at least one point of damage each round. Personally, I rarely take him. I always hate guessing 0 evades and then rolling one
Combos
- YT-1300/K-Wing/B-Wing E2/ARC-170/Auzituck (Any Pilots)
  - With one defense dice and crew all of these ships can benefit from C-3PO. If you always guess zero then you are guaranteeing yourself one evade per round. When it becomes necessary you can guess one and potentially receive two evades. When you’re down to one health and facing two incoming damage this can literally win you a game.
  - Of special note is the Auzituck. With Reinforce and C-3PO you negate two damage from one attack. If you’re ever facing a two dice attack you’re indestructible.
- R5-K6 (Astromech)
  - R5-K6 allows you to reacquire your target lock by rolling an evade result. You could use C-3PO to guarantee you get to keep your TL.

Captain Rex (Sabine’s TIE Expansion)

Cost: 2 points

After you perform an attack that does not hit, you may assign 1 focus token to your ship.

Ranking– 15
- Rex is good insurance. You can spend your focus tokens on attack without worry. Either you will hit and do damage, meaning your focus wasn’t wasted, or miss and get the focus back to use for defense.
Combos
- Gunner (Crew) + Fire Control System (System)
  - With this combination, you can miss and then get a fully modified second attack. Works similar to just having Luke Skywalker instead of Gunner, and costs the same, but you get more freedom from having a focus token from Rex than you get from changing a single focus on your attack with Luke.
- Baze Malbus (Crew)
  - A cheaper alternative to the above. You miss, get a focus from Rex and then fire on a new target.
- Ahsoka (TIE pilot)
  - Ahsoka likes to use her focus tokens to give an ally an action. With Rex aboard, after she fires and probably misses since it’s two dice unmodified, she can get a new focus token to use on defense.

Cassian Andor (U-Wing Expansion)

Cost: 2 points

At the end of the Planning phase, you may choose an enemy ship at Range 1-2. Guess aloud that ship’s bearing and speed, then look at its dial. If you are correct, you may rotate your dial to another maneuver.

Ranking– 13
- This can be a very useful card in the right hands. Knowing where your opponent is going to go is always helpful and having a chance to change your maneuver is even better. Best use is to set your dial based on where you think your opponent will go and then guess where ever would cause you the most trouble.
Combos
- Bombs
  - Combining Cassian with a ship with bombs, either on a K-Wing or a ship with Sabine, allows you to know exactly where you need to drop your bombs because you’ll know exactly where the enemy is going and can adjust your maneuver.
- Ion Projector/Anti-Pursuit Lasers (Modification)
  - These upgrades want your enemy to run into you. Being able to adjust your maneuver allows you to force that.
- Heff Tober (U-Wing pilot) + Zeb (Crew)
  - If Hef can force someone to run into him in arc he can get two actions and then with Zeb still shoot them.

Chewbacca (Millenium Falcon Expansion)

Cost: 4 points

When you are dealt a Damage card, you may immediately discard that card and recover 1 shield. Then, discard this Upgrade card.

Ranking– 14
- Chewie is worth his four points. You can use him to eliminate a crippling crit and then get a shield back. He’s effectively two health for four points, and if you discard a Direct Hit, he’s worth three health.
Combos
- Attack Shuttle
  - The attack shuttle is hampered by being so fragile. But Chewbacca onboard can go a long way to countering that.

Chopper (Ghost Expansion)

Cost: 0 points

You may perform actions even while you are stressed.

After you perform an action while you are stressed, suffer 1 damage.

Ranking– 7
- Why is Chopper ranked so highly? Because he’s free. You don’t want to use his ability very often but it can be game changing to get an action when you otherwise wouldn’t. And at zero points he can always be added.
- Unless you have Juke and need to use it for a game-winning blow, never use him to Evade.
Combos
- Any unfilled Crew slot
  - At 0 points, if you aren’t using the crew slot of something you might as well throw Chopper onboard.

Dash Rendar (YT-2400 Expansion)

Cost: 2 points

You may perform attacks while overlapping an obstacle.

Your attacks cannot be obstructed.

Ranking– 19
- Dash is usually underrated. Getting to fire while on a rock and denying your opponent an extra green dice can be quite useful. He does suffer from the Hera Effect, he would be most useful when combined with himself as pilot. And the meta has mostly shifted to debris fields so you don’t get the firing while on a rock effect very often.
- My first thought was what an excellent combo he would make with Trick Shot. Deny your target the obstructed bonus while gaining an attack die yourself, yes please! But then I realized that Dash means you can never trigger Trick Shot because your attack isn’t obstructed. It was a beautiful moment while it lasted.
Combos
- Collision Detector
  - Barrel Rolling onto an asteroid usually isn’t recommended. But if you can still make an unobstructed attack, while gaining a defense dice for yourself, it gives you some extra options.

Ezra Bridger (Ghost Expansion)

Cost: 3 points

When attacking, if you are stressed, you may change 1 of your Focus results to a Crit result.

Ranking– 11
- Gaining dice modification while stressed is pretty nice. Ezra can be good insurance for action economy as you can either get an action or take a red maneuver and still modify some dice. Main drawback is price. He’s worth the price but for three points you usually end up wanting to get more from a card.
- Another sufferer of the Hera Effect. Ezra pilot would love himself as crew as then he could modify focus tokens on attack and defense.
Combos
- Fire Control System (System)
  - With Ezra and FCS you can keep modifying your attacks even when stressed.
- Ibtisam (B-Wing pilot)
  - Ibtisam gives you rerolls while stressed. With Ezra you can also modify focus.
- R3-A2 (Astromech)
  - A ship with R3-A2 is going to stress itself right before firing triggering the Ezra crew card.
- Maul (Crew)
  - Ezra allows you to take Maul. Using Maul gives yourself a stress, allowing yourself to use Ezra. As if it were designed that way...

Finn (Heroes of the Resistance Expansion)

Cost: 5 points

When attacking with a primary weapon or defending, if the enemy ship is inside your firing arc, you may add 1 blank result to your roll.

Ranking– 12
- Finn is a good card. If you have any ability to reroll he effectively gives you an extra attack dice. He is just very expensive and it is very hard to make use of his defensive benefit.
- He’s also a former stormtrooper who adds blank results. Let that sink in.
Combos
- Rey (YT-1300 pilot)
  - The obvious companion since Rey’s rerolls trigger under the same conditions.
- Fire Control System (system)
  - Since Finn adds a blank anything that helps guarantee you have a target lock to use to modify that blank into a hit helps. Putting these two on a VCX can be very nasty.
- Lone Wolf (EPT)
  - Lone Wolf is one of the few ways to reroll a defense die which would allow you to actually make use of Finn’s blank defense result.

Han Solo (Tantive IV Expansion)

Cost: 2 points

When attacking, if you have a target lock on the defender, you may spend that target lock to change all of your Focus results to Hit results.

Ranking– 22
- Han feels like he should be a better card. It’s nice being able to choose to use your target lock as a focus token or for rerolls. Most times nothing is stopping you from rerolling those focus results so it doesn’t give you that much more utility.
- Han is a good one to have when fighting someone with a sensor jammer.
Combos
- Fire Control System (System)
  - Han is a great one on a ship with FCS because it allows you to use your regenerating target lock for whatever is the most advantageous. Roll three focus or three blanks? Either way, you’re covered and can get the target lock back at the end.

Hera Syndulla (Ghost Expansion)

Cost: 1 points

You may reveal and execute red maneuvers even while you are stressed.

Ranking– 3
- The originator of the aforementioned Hera Effect. The biggest mark against Hera pilot is that she can’t take Hera crew which would make her incredibly flexible.
- For only one point this is a really good card. I personally do not like flying a VCX without Hera crew onboard. Back to back 5 speed k-turns is incredibly useful. If you have ways of gaining dice modification outside of actions, Ezra, FCS, you can become immune to stress with Hera onboard.
Combos
- VCX-100/B-Wing/Attack Shuttle (any)
  - These ships have a lot of red maneuvers. Being able to have their full dial available every turn can be very helpful.
- Ibtisam (B-Wing Pilot)
  - While any B-wing pilot is aided by Hera, Ibtisam does particularly well. His ability triggers from being stressed so he can take full advantage of Hera.
- U-Wing (any)
  - While the U-wing does not have a lot of red maneuvers, like the VCX or B-wing, it does have a stop maneuver. With Hera it can remain stopped for as long as is needed and can even turn around.

Jan Ors (Rebel Aces Expansion)

Cost: 2 points

Once per round, when a friendly ship at Range 1-3 performs a focus action or would be assigned a focus token, you may assign it an evade token instead.

Ranking– 9
- Jan Ors is a great way to give out evade tokens to ships that otherwise could never have one. This can help keep more fragile ships alive.
Combos
- Recon Specialist (Crew)/Jyn Erso (Crew)
  - Both of these other crew have the potential to give you two focus tokens. With Jan Ors you can instead receive a focus and an evade token.
- Comm Relay (Tech) + Juke (EPT)
  - Comm Relay allows a ship to keep an evade token. If you have a T-70 X-wing take a focus action and Jan Ors turn it into an Evade, it now has an Evade token until it needs to use it. If the X-wing also has Juke it now has a strong offense.
- Kyle Katarn (HWK-290 pilot)
  - Kyle allows you give out a focus token. With Jan you can give out evades instead.

Jyn Erso (U-Wing Expansion)

Cost: 2 points

Action: Choose 1 friendly ship at Range 1-2. Assign 1 focus token to that ship for each enemy ship inside your firing arc at Range 1-3. You cannot assign more than 3 focus tokens in this way.

Ranking– 17
- Jyn is a great counter to a swarm. Giving out up to three tokens makes for a strong defense. With swarms being pretty uncommon these days it loses some effectiveness. If the enemy only ever has one ship in your arc, because they only have two, she becomes pretty useless.
Combos
- VCX-100/ARC-170/Sheathipede (any)
  - These ships have two firing arcs, doubling the area that could trigger Jyn’s ability.
- Biggs Darklighter (X-Wing pilot)
  - Biggs is always the primary target and the ship with Jyn could give him additional tokens to help defend with.

Kanan Jarrus (Ghost Expansion)

Cost: 3 points

Once per round, after a friendly ship at Range 1-2 executes a white maneuver, you may remove 1 stress token from that ship.

Ranking– 1
- Becoming predictable is a good way to lose a game. If you have abilities or are suffering from your enemy using abilities, that give out stress your maneuvers suddenly become much more predictable. But with Kanan, you have far more options available to clear your stress. Suddenly ships that have pretty poor green options become viable PTL carriers.
Combos
- Push the Limits (EPT)
  - Anything that helps make you less predictable when you clear your stress the next round boosts PTL.
- “Stresshog” (BTL-A4 Y-Wing + R3-A2)
  - The biggest challenge for a Y-wing stresshog build is staying in the fight after it gets stressed. With Kanan nearby, it can clear stress even though it has only two green maneuvers.
- Inspiring Recruit (Crew)
  - With Kanan and an Inspiring Recruit working together you can remove that dreaded double stress and still have good maneuver choices.

Kyle Katarn (Rebel Aces Expansion)

Cost: 3 points

After you remove a stress token from your ship, you may assign a focus token to your ship.

Ranking– 8
- Kyle is a great way to increase action economy.
- A nice example of lore teamwork. Kyle and Jan, with either being the pilot and the other a crew, work really well together.
Combos
- Jan Ors (HWK-290 pilot)
  - Jan stresses herself by using her ability. With Kyle onboard she’ll be more effective with her own attacks as she can now get a target lock and focus.
- Push the Limits (EPT)
  - With Kyle and PTL you can get incredible action economy. After the first round of use, you can end up with focus token plus two actions of your choice, which might include a second focus token.

Lando Calrissian (YT-2400 Expansion)

Cost: 3 points

Action: Roll 2 defense dice. For each result, assign 1 focus token to your ship. For each result, assign 1 evade token to your ship.

Ranking– 27
- This card is a gamble which is appropriate for Lando. But the times it comes up with nothing are a little too high for the cost.
- The rule change that prevented you from spending multiple Evade tokens in a single attack also hurt this card.
Combos
- Experimental Interface (Modification)
  - Since Lando is an action card he’s useful when you can take two actions.
- Hef Tobber (U-Wing)/Thane Kyrell (ARC-170)
  - Both these pilots have a chance to get free actions and do not have very many in their action bar.

Leebo (YT-2400 Expansion)

Cost: 2 points

Action: Perform a free boost action. Then receive 1 ion token.

Ranking– 24
- This makes for a cheaper replacement for Engine Upgrade, especially on big ships which can afford to get one ion token without penalty. The biggest downside is the crew slot is usually more valuable than the modification slot on big ships.
Combos
- Experimental Interface (Modification)
  - Since Leebo is an action card he’s useful when you can take two actions.
- Hef Tobber (U-Wing)/Thane Kyrell (ARC-170)
  - Both these pilots have a chance to get free actions and do not have very many in their action bar.

Leia Organa (Tantive IV Expansion)

Cost: 4 points

At the start of the Activation phase, you may discard this card to allow all friendly ships that reveal a red maneuver to treat that maneuver as a white maneuver until the end of the phase.

Ranking– 28
- This card sounds nice. But it’s way too expensive for what you get due to it being one-time use. How often do you have multiple ships taking a red maneuver on the same turn? With the fall of swarms, it’s not all that often. If it made the maneuver green instead of red or if it was 1-2pts or if it was a single ship once per round it would be a far more valuable card.
Combos
- B-Wings/VCX-100
  - They have a lot of red maneuvers so they have a lot of options to reveal a red.

Luke Skywalker (Millenium Falcon Expansion)

Cost: 7 points

After you perform an attack that does not hit, you may immediately perform a primary weapon attack. You may change 1 Focus result to a Hit result. You cannot perform another attack this round.

Ranking– 26
- This card is nice but just too expensive. Compare to Emperor Palpatine who costs 1 more point and fills both crew slots. But gives you a lot more utility. Luke is 7pts that you may never use if you go against low agility ships and never miss.
Combos
- Fire Control System (System)
  - Gaining a target lock to use on your second shot is nice.
- Hot-Shot Co-pilot (Crew)
  - Stripping a focus with your first shot and then getting a more modified second attack helps get damage through.

Maul (Phantom II Expansion)

Cost: 3 points

Scum only. Ignore this restriction if your squad contains “Ezra Bridger.”

When attacking, If you are not stressed, you may receive any number of stress tokens to reroll that many attack dice.

After performing an attack that hits, you may remove 1 of your stress tokens.

Ranking– 4
- Technically a Scum crew, Maul comes in a Rebel expansion pack. And you can still use him with Rebels. He’s kind of weird.
- He has two fascets to him. Rerolling attack dice. And clearing a stress after scoring a hit. Both can work together or separately.
Combos
- Ezra Bridger (Crew)
  - Ezra allows you to take Maul in the first place. But if you use Maul to reroll dice you then can change a Focus to a Crit with Ezra. Double dice mods.
- Jan Ors (HWK-290 Pilot)
  - If you pair Jan Ors with some two ships, one higher pilot skill, one lower, you can use Maul to get two uses of her ability. Higher PS shoots, Jan uses her ability gets stressed. Jan shoots, hits and uses Maul to clear her stress. Lower PS shoots, Jan triggers again.

Nien Nunb (Millenium Falcon Expansion)

Cost: 1 points

You may treat all straigh maneuvers as green maneuvers.

Ranking– 6
- Gaining green maneuvers is always nice. Nien’s main advantage is being cheap. At one point you can throw him in as a bonus if you have an empty crew slot.
Combos
- B-Wing/ARC-170
  - Both of these ships have red straight maneuvers. Nien turns a liability into an asset.
- Lando Calrissian (YT-1300 pilot)
  - Lando gives out actions on green maneuvers so the more greens he has the better.
- R2-D2 (Astromech)
  - An ARC-170 with Artoo has 6 maneuver choices to recover a shield. With Nien they have 8.

R2-D2 (Tantive IV Expansion)

Cost: 4 points

At the end of the End phase, if you have no shields, you may recover 1 shield and roll 1 attack die. On a Hit result, randomly flip 1 of your facedown Damage cards faceup and resolve it.

Ranking– 25
- If timing were different this would be a great combo with R5-P9 but unfortunately, R5-P9 triggers first preventing you from triggering R2-D2.
- This R2 costs the same as the astromech version. Both recover shields but the other one has no penalty and keeps giving you shields even if you have one. The downsides for the crew weigh it down to being not worth the cost.
Combos
- Miranda Doni (K-Wing pilot)
  - Miranda gains shields from her attack. So if she has shields down at the end of a round she can use R2-D2 to gain a shield and then get another one during her attack next round. That is a potential two shields recovered a round.

Rey (Heroes of the Resistance Expansion)

Cost: 2 points

At the start of the End phase, you may place 1 of your ship’s focus tokens on this card. At the start of the Combat phase, you may assign 1 of those tokens to your ship.

Ranking– 5
- A cheaper more universal version of Moldy Crow. Great for building up a supply early to use later.
Combos
- Kanan Jarrus (VCX-100 Pilot)
  - Kanan spends focus tokens to reduce incoming attacks. The more tokens he can get the better. The VCX also has a lot of red maneuvers. If he can built up a supply on Rey early then he’ll have some to use on rounds he needs two (or three if he has Recon Specialist too) and can get at least one when taking reds.
- R5-P9 (Astromech)
  - Build up a supply of focus early to use later in the game to recover shields.

Sabine Wren (Ghost Expansion)

Cost: 2 points

Your upgrade bar gains the bomb upgrade icon. Once per round, before a friendly bomb token is removed, choose 1 enemy ship at Range 1 of that token. That ship suffers 1 damage.

Ranking– 2
- Sabine is one of the most common crew cards in use by the Rebellion. Extra, unblockable, damage off of bombs turns them from middling to super effective. And not only does she make bombs more effective but she also can give ships without the slot the chance to become bomb carriers. Very worth the points.
Combos
- K-wing (all)
  - They have bomb slots and crew. The perfect combo.
- Extra Munitions (Torpedo)
  - Any ship with a crew and torpedo slot can suddenly gain two uses of bombs with Sabine.
- Scavenger Crane (Illicit)
  - Just like Extra Munitions, Scavenger Crane can give you multiple uses out of your bombs.A modified TIE with Sabine onboard or either of the YT series freighters can do this.

Zeb Orrelios (Ghost Expansion)

Cost: 1 points

Enemy ships inside your firing arc that you are touching are not considered to be touching you when either you or they activate during the Combat phase.

Ranking– 23
- In some cases, it is nice to be able to fire on a ship you are touching. But most times you want to force a bump, it’s to prevent that ship from firing on you. This makes Zeb a little less appealing. Still, he’s nice and cheap.
Combos
- Hef Tobber (U-Wing pilot)
  - You want to force bumps with Hef. Denies your opponent actions and gives you free actions. With Zeb onboard you can still shoot.
- Ion Projector (Modification)
  - With ion projector you can potentially force your opponent to keep bumping into you and you can still attack them.
- Intimidation (EPT)
  - If you can force a bump on an enemy, reduce their agility and then still fire on them you can be quite effective.