Tags: Tank, Droid, Hutt Cartel, Mercenary
Inspired by the B1-series mercenary droids seen in Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, Mercenary Guard Droid (B1) brings the familiar battle droid chassis into the world of bounty hunting. Worn down but still standing, this droid is less concerned with being the hero and more concerned with making sure the rest of the crew survives long enough to finish the job.
Mercenary Guard Droid is a new Dark Side Tank designed for Bounty Hunter Mercenary teams, acting as the crew’s sacrificial protector. Its kit revolves around drawing enemy fire, building strength through Mercenary Battalion and Soldier of Fortune, and turning the punishment it takes into advantages for the rest of the team.
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Basic Ability: Modified E-10 Blaster Rifle
Final Text: Deal Physical damage to target enemy. Bounty Hunter Mercenary allies gain Offense Up for 1 turn. If there is any version of Embo present in the allied Leader slot, he assists and gains Speed Up for 1 turn.
Synergies: Embo & Keibu cleanses on his basic if all allies are Bounty Hunter Mercenaries. This assist also applies Bleed to the target enemy to set up for the bonus turn on Embo & Keibu’s turn.
Inspiration: The assist was designed to make B1 feel like more than a standalone droid, creating a direct connection to Embo when he leads the team. Granting Embo Speed Up after the assist reinforces the idea of B1 creating an opening for Embo to capitalize on, while the Offense Up for Bounty Hunter Mercenary allies helps the entire team turn that opening into momentum.
FAQ/Clarity: The bonus turn clause won’t trigger from this assist since it’s not Embo & Keibu’s turn. Mercenary Guard Droid (B1) will also gain the Offense Up since they get the Bounty Hunter tag from Droid Mercenary
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Special 1: Overhead Smash
Final Text: Deal Physical damage to target enemy and Blind them for 1 turn. Bounty Hunter Mercenary allies gain Protection Up (40%) for 2 turns. If the ally in the Leader slot is Embo & Keibu, Bounty Hunter Mercenary allies gain 25% Offense (stacking, max 100%) until the end of battle and stagger all enemies for 2 turns.
Synergies: The two best scenarios for using this ability are when the team needs recovery or to scale the team's offense. Stagger helps to keep that momentum going and build an advantage over the course of the battle.
Inspiration: We wanted this ability to capture the coordinated and opportunistic nature of Bounty Hunter Mercenaries working together under Embo & Keibu. The Blind and Stagger effects represent B1, creating openings for the team, while the Protection Up gives the Mercenaries the durability to stay in the fight. The stacking Offense was inspired by the idea of the team becoming more dangerous as they successfully create and capitalize on those openings throughout the battle.
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Unique 1: Mercenary Gotra (ZETA)
Final Text: Mercenary Guard Droid (B1) has no Protection, 1 Health, 25 stacks of Mercenary Battalion, and can't be defeated or destroyed while they have Mercenary Battalion. If the ally in the Leader slot is Embo & Keibu, Mercenary Guard Droid has 50 stacks of Mercenary Battalion instead. At the start of battle, if Embo & Keibu is the ally in the Leader slot, the first time Mercenary Battalion stacks reach 20 or lower, Mercenary Guard Droid gains 100 stacks of Mercenary Battalion.
When all stacks of Mercenary Battalion expire, Mercenary Guard Droid is immediately destroyed. Mercenary Guard Droid is immune to Damage Over Time and their Max Health and Max Protection can't be increased. When Mercenary Guard Droid takes damage, they dispel all debuffs on themselves and lose 6 stacks of Mercenary Battalion (max 18 per turn). If they are Taunting, lose 3 stacks instead. At the start of Mercenary Guard Droid's turn, they gain 3 stacks of Mercenary Battalion. Mercenary Guard Droid has +5 stacks of Mercenary Battalion for each Relic Amplifier level they have. Mercenary Guard Droid can't gain Spare Parts and can't be revived.
Mercenary Battalion: Each stack grants Mercenary Guard Droid +0.5% Potency and all Mercenary allies +0.5% Critical Avoidance and Defense
Synergies: Mercenary Guard Droid (B1) is designed to function as a persistent battlefield presence that becomes increasingly valuable as its Mercenary Battalion stacks are maintained. This creates a natural synergy with Embo & Keibu, whose presence as Leader gives B1 additional Battalion and a chance to recover a large number of stacks when they become depleted.
Inspiration: The original B1 Battle Droid was built around the idea that one droid was insignificant on its own, but overwhelming when backed by an entire battalion. For Mercenary Guard Droid, we wanted to revisit that same idea through the lens of Bounty Hunter Mercenaries. Mercenary Battalion represents the idea that B1 is constantly being replaced and reinforced, allowing it to remain on the battlefield even as individual units are taken out. We also wanted each remaining stack to continue benefiting the entire team, carrying over the original B1’s theme of the battalion’s strength extending beyond the droid itself. Embo & Keibu’s interaction with the Battalion gives us a way to reinforce that connection while making B1 feel like an essential part of the Mercenary crew rather than simply another combatant.
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Unique 2: Droid Mercenary (OMICRON)
Final Text: At the start of battle, if there are no Galactic Legends and the ally in the Leader slot is Embo & Keibu, Mercenary Guard Droid Taunts for 1 turn, which can't be dispelled or prevented. If the ally in the Leader slot is Embo & Keibu, Mercenary Guard Droid gains the Bounty Hunter tag for the rest of the battle. All other Bounty Hunter Mercenary allies gain 120% Defense until the end of battle. Whenever a Bounty Hunter Mercenary ally gains a bonus turn, Mercenary Guard Droid gains 3 stacks of Mercenary Battalion and Taunts for 1 turn, which can't be dispelled or prevented. Whenever Mercenary Guard Droid uses an ability, they Taunt for 1 turn. If they are Taunting, they gain 2 stacks of Mercenary Battalion instead.
While in 3v3 Grand Arenas: All other Bounty Hunter Mercenary allies gain 100% Defense until the end of battle. The first time a Bounty Hunter Mercenary ally falls below 25% Health, they recover 100% Health and gain Damage Immunity for 1 turn.
Synergies: Mercenary Guard Droid (B1) is designed to complement the aggressive, turn-driven playstyle of Embo & Keibu and the Bounty Hunter Mercenary faction. Embo & Keibu’s ability to generate bonus turns creates opportunities for B1 to gain Mercenary Battalion and repeatedly step in front of the team, reinforcing its role as a protector. The Defense granted to other Bounty Hunter Mercenary allies also allows B1 to turn its own presence into protection for the entire squad.
Inspiration: We wanted the Mercenary Guard Droid to capture the same sacrificial-protector idea as the original B1 Battle Droid, but in a way that fits the Bounty Hunter Mercenary team. Rather than simply being difficult to defeat, B1 is meant to actively put itself between danger and the rest of the crew. Their Taunt mechanics and Battalion system reinforce the idea that B1 is expendable, continually stepping forward to absorb attacks while the Bounty Hunter Mercenaries become stronger and more resilient around it.
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Unique 3: Soldier of Fortune
Final Text: At the start of battle, Mercenary Guard Droid gains 1 stack of Soldier of Fortune for each Relic Amplifier level they have. Whenever Mercenary Guard Droid is damaged while Taunting, they gain 1 stack of Soldier of Fortune. Whenever Mercenary Guard Droid takes damage while they are not Taunting, they lose 5 stacks of Soldier of Fortune. At the start of each Bounty Hunter Mercenary ally's turn, they gain 5% Defense Penetration (stacking) and 5% Tenacity (stacking) per stack of Soldier of Fortune Mercenary Guard Droid have until the start of their next turn.
Synergies: As B1 continues to absorb attacks while Taunting, it builds up Soldier of Fortune and passes that momentum to the rest of the team through increased Defense Penetration and Tenacity. This creates a natural synergy with teams that can keep B1 in the line of fire, while the loss of stacks when B1 is attacked outside of Taunt reinforces the importance of managing when and how B1 protects the crew.
Inspiration: B1 is at its most valuable when it is actively drawing fire, so we wanted that sacrifice to translate into greater opportunities for the rest of the Mercenaries. The mechanic also builds on the original B1’s identity of being expendable but useful as part of a larger force, with B1’s willingness to take the hit becoming a source of strength for the entire crew.
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Closing Thoughts: Designing Mercenary Guard Droid gave us an opportunity to revisit B1 Battle Droid’s core design while exploring a very different role within the game. We wanted B1 to feel expendable without feeling disposable, rewarding players for actively using them to protect the rest of the team. Building their kit around Embo & Keibu also gave us a strong foundation for connecting the character to the broader Bounty Hunter Mercenary playstyle while keeping B1’s identity distinct from the original B1 Battle Droid. I’m excited to see how players experiment with B1’s unique mechanics and find new ways to leverage its role as the team’s Tank.
Capital Games Team
