A Few Questions From A REALLY New Player

"Rakkasan;d-243087" wrote:
1. Can you ever get to a point in the game where you have 6 characters in your squad, without using an ally? (Seems a shame if not, because there are 6 members of Phoenix Squadron.)

No

2. Are there ever Phase 2 Clone Troopers, apart from the named characters like Fives?

No

3. If I have plenty of regular energy but am stuck waiting for a reset on the character shards I want (i.e., Sabine), should I just wait, or should I continue working on completing light/dark side battles?

I guess that depends. When I am farming from a hard node I usually refresh to do 10 or 15 attempts per day. But that only works if you have crystal income. If you aren't doing that, just farm a different node with your energy so you don't waste any.

4. When looking for a fight in the arena, what is the main thing I should consider in a potential opponent? I learned the hard way that it's NOT power. I tried a squad that had roughly 2k less power, and got wrecked! Now I'm paying more attention to their character levels, stars, synergy (like an entire squad from Phoenix Squadron), and particularly dangerous characters (like Mando).
Any input would be most welcome.

You basically answered it. Fight teams that you know you can beat. Honestly until you figure out your roster it will just be trial and error, and it will change a lot over time.