Date Joined:
Sep 18, 2006
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The following are my opinions on which characters are the best in each faction. I'm sure everyone will find something in here they disagree with or something they think I left out. But I think this list is a good starting point.
Old Republic
Juggernaut War Droid (16) - Won't hit much with +7 Attack, but Shatter Beam and Sonic Stunner are all you really need. One of the best door control minis in the game.
Wookiee Elite Warrior (19) - Really good damage output for their cost, and they have better survivability than most Wookiees. They still tend to die after one charge oftentimes, but they still help take the heat off of more fragile shooters. A squad consisting entirely of WEWs is actually pretty good.
Atton Rand (26) - Tons of damage potential for his cost. He really needs a bodyguard most of the time to be effective--but even getting off one round of Double Cunning +20 Jedi Hunter shots (80 Damage) is possibly worth his cost in a squad. He also combos well with a Czerka Scientist for Twin Attack.
*NEW* Nomi Sunrider (41) - There aren't many characters with Block, Deflect, and Renewal, which is an awesome combo for survivability. Sever Force can be game changing, potentially. Her CE can help all the OR and Fringe Force users hit better or help when the reroll Evade/Block/Deflect saves. It works especially well with Lucien and Zayne.
Mira (47) - Very reliable ranged damage output. Splash 10 with Accurate Shot can be very useful. Force Sense is a nice counter to Super Stealth (Mira wastes Storm Commandos easily).
Master Lucien Draay (48) - Not a lot of damage output, but very good survivability for his cost. When he has some FP built up, he can last a looong time.
Sith
Darth Sidious Hologram (11) - Extra Force points for everyone is always helpful. He's so cheap you can fit him in most squads. In my experience, he seems to work just as well (or better) give FPs to Ugnaughts and other cheap stuff as he does giving to some of the bigger Sith who lack Renewal (like Sion).
Sith Marauder (22) - Work best with Malak DLotS. They're pretty survivable for their cost (80 HP, 18 Defense, Lightsaber Deflect). You can play several of them, because they're pretty cheap.
Dark Jedi Master (29) - Only really viable with Sidious Hologram (otherwise you're better off with Marauders). But with multiple Sith Lightnings, they can be very potent.
Darth Malak, Dark Lord of the Sith (49) - Great commander effect and really good stats. His biggest weakness is his lack of defensive Force powers (like most Sith). I tend to use his Lightning more often than attacking.
Sith Heavy Assault Droid (49) - 110 HP with Shields 2 tends to last awhile. +10 Attack is low, but with 4 shots a round, some are going to connect. These are currently tough to fit in Sith squads, because you'll probably want to play Malak, and he doesn't boost them at all. They can work really well with Revan, getting a big boost from both his CEs, but that's a very expensive combo. Still, these are the best shooters the Sith have currently.
Lumiya, the Dark Lady (53) - Stealth and Evade make her kind of a headache for shooters to deal with. Self-Destruct 40 can be huge, either as damage output or as a deterrent to killing her. +12 Attack is low, so she works well with Malak. Force Push 2 is kind of a dumb Force power--consequently, she's not really helped that much by Sidious.
Darth Talon (56) - Once she gains enough Force points, Force Bubble can be really useful. Mobile Attack and either Twin Attack or Lightning is a good combo as well. If she gets Loner, she has a respectable Attack rating, but pairing her with Malak doesn't hurt either.
Ulic Qel-Droma (61) - Monsterous stats, Lightsaber Block and Master Speed are great. He can also bring Mandos into Sith squads (usually Scouts or Boba MC, since the Sith need good shooters). He's expensive, but he's powerful. He's one of the Unique Sith who benefits the most from Sidious. A common mistake with him is to charge out in front of the rest of your squad with Master Speed and hope that his 160 HP, 23 Defense, and Block will keep you alive. It won't. Just take it slowly like a normal melee piece and he's great.
Darth Bane (82) - The master of damage output against Jedi. He's really expensive, so he's tough to use. 200 HP is huge, but 20 Defense is low for his cost. Still, if you advance carefully, he can really wreak havoc when he gets close to the enemy. I've seen him work pretty well with a Bodyguard to take the shooter damage as he crosses the board, then he can still be at or near full health when he gets into the action. He's tough to combo with anything too useful, because he costs so much. Again, just remember he's not invincible and play him cautiously.
Exar Kun (84) - Best stats in the game. He's played for his Transfer Essence ability most of the time. It's one of the better movement breakers in the game, and helps both his damage potentially and his survivability. He's also the only reason to ever play most Savage minis.
Mandalorians
*NEW* Mandalorian Gunslinger (17) - Generally Scouts are better, but with Cunning, Gunslingers can be a nice complement to Scouts. They're a little cheaper, and they also have access to Double Twin Attacks with the Mando Captain or Czerka, but they lose Greater Mobile Attack and trade Cloaked for Evade (generally not a good trade).
Mandalorian Scout (19) - Cloaked is ridiculously good. Greater Mobile Double Opportunist is also a good combo. They pair well with a Mandalorian Captain or Czerka Scientist for Twin Attack. Also Boba MC for Accurate Shot.
Mandalorian Captain (23) - Decent attacker who can help out other Mandalorians with an awesome CE. These guys will keep getting better as more sets are released.
Mandalorian Quartermaster (26) - They can go toe-to-toe with JWMs pretty well, and they have a pretty good CE. I think with their Twin Attack they pair best with Mandalore the Ultimate for Charging Fire, although Momentum from Mandalore the Indomitable could be really good too.
Boba Fett, Mercenary Commander (57) - Possibly the best shooter in the game. He's a good counter to Luke's Snowspeeder with Penetration 10, also. And he has a killer CE. He's pretty expensive, but usually worth it.
Mandalore the Ultimate (75) - He's so expensive, that he's probably only viable in 200 points or higher. Charging Twins for 30 Damage each is really powerful. Flurry Attack means he essentially has Disintegration. If he rolls a crit, that's 150 Damage for the round. Conscription is cool, and it makes it so the Mandos get decent help from any new Fringe characters, even if we don't get more Mandos for the next few sets. His CE can be very helpful to some minis, but it's not that useful for minis with Mobile or Greater Mobile (like Scouts and Boba MC).
Republic
Mas Amedda (8) - Booming Voice is great. 8 points is cheap.
R2-D2, Astromech Droid (9) - Override and Tow Cable is a potent combo on such a cheap mini. He ends up in most Republic squads. Works well when paired with shooters or melee pieces. Towing a character with Strafe Attack or Galloping Attack is especially powerful.
Gungan Artillerist (11) - Cesta 20 is a great ability. Good commanders for them are Queen Amidala for Rapport and Mobile Attack, and Captain Tarpals for Double Cestas.
Elite Clone Trooper Commander (15) - The highest Defense of any Order 66 character, and a CE that boosts other Clones' Defenses.
Star Corps Trooper (15) - Definitely one of the best non-Unique Order 66 followers. Can benefit from a lot of good CEs to really become strong: Commander Gree, Rex, Aayla.
Queen Amidala (16) - Really good stats for her cost, plus very useful Rapport and an awesome CE.
Republic Commando - Sev (16) - Probably the best Republic Accurate shooter (which isn't saying much). ARC Trooper Snipers are also nearly identical for the same cost. Sevs really need a boost to their +9 Attack from a CE. They also work well with Republic Commando - Boss for a cannon effect. Also, Bacara for Super Stealth.
Clone Commander Gree (18) - Can bring the good Wookiees from other factions (Wookiee Elite Warriors, Wookiee Freedom Fighters) into Republic squads.
Gungan Shieldbearer (18) - Kind of situational in usage, but they can be really helpful for protecting your minis from shooters for a few rounds. Energy Shield is an ability that often works well just as a threat.
Jar Jar Binks (18) - Works best when paired with Yoda CS and a Bodyguard or two for when he fails his Bombad Gungan save. One of the most annoying minis in the game to play against. Since everything useful he does is based on saves, he can end up being really good or really bad in a given skirmish. Yoda CS helps increase the odds in your favor.
*NEW* Captain Tarpals (20) - A pure commander with essentially zero combat ability. But his CE (allowing followers to use 2 replaces attacks abilities each turn) can be really, really good. Gungan Artillerists, and anything with Grenades 30+, Flamethrower 20+, or Missiles 20+ all make good pairings with him.
Commander Gree (20) - A pretty good attacker with a great CE for a cheap cost. He can help out almost every Republic squad he's in.
Captain Panaka (23) - A decent attacker and Bodyguard, with one of the most useful CEs in the game. Almost all of the top Republic squads incorporate him now, because swapping is just really useful. Popular swappers include: Yoda on Kybuck and Master Kota.
Clone Commander Bacara (23) - He's a pretty good attacker, but he's played for his Super Stealth CE.
Padme Amidala, Senator (23) - Another great commander with decent stats as well. The "Cannon" CE that grants immediate attacks is one of the best CEs. She works best with Twin Attackers (Anakin on STAP, Anakin Champion of Nelvaan, Boba BH, etc.).
Clone Trooper on Gelagrub (23) - The only non-Unique clone that can survive a few hits. With a few CEs to boost them, these guys can pack a punch. They aren't too popular right now, because swapping medium base minis is all the rage, but they are good.
*NEW* Roron Corobb (24) - He's a little cheaper than a JWM, and his stats are almost as good (although he's missing some nice Force powers). The reason to play him though, is his Force Repulse 3. Because it replaces turn, he works best with a movement breaker like R2 towing or Panaka swapping.
Jedi Weapon Master (26) - Really cheap for the stats and abilities these guys have. As non-Uniques, they benefit from a lot of CEs as well. Still one of the best minis in the game.
Captain Rex (33) - He has a pretty good CE, but mostly he's great as a shooter. He's the best shooter in the Republic faction.
Quinlan Vos, Infiltrator (34) - Powerful, but cheap Jedi with some useful abilities (like Recon). Momentum Sweeps are great once a Unique dies.
Qui-Gon Jinn, Jedi Master (35) - The only way for Republic Jedi to get more Force. Also, Anticipation and Master Speed are useful Force powers (and his stats are good for his cost too). He sees a lot of play. Master Speed is good for setting up swaps and for getting him killed so you get Force Spirit.
*NEW* General Kenobi (36) - One of the original movement breaking CEs is still incredibly useful (probably more useful now than it was when he came out). His HP is a little low, but he's not a bad beatstick.
Shaak Ti, Jedi Master (47) - A solid melee Jedi that gets better as the meta shifts more to melee damage. She suffers against Accurate shooters, but she's cheap enough that you can afford some other threats in the same squad with her that can potentially draw some fire away from her.
Anakin Skywalker, Champion of Nelvaan (49) - Excellent against melee, but weak against shooters. Situationally good.
Yoda on Kybuck (51) - A lot of HP, the ability to make deep strikes against enemy commanders, and a great fodder killer. He's usually played with R2 for Towed Gallops and Panaka to swap out after he's done charging.
General Obi-Wan Kenobi (55) - Possibly the best CE in the game, plus Mettle, Master of the Force 2, and Soresu Style Mastery (basically Parry).
Yoda (55) - Not a lot of damage output, but he's a pain to kill and his CE helps a lot of minis (Jar Jar, JWMs, Boba BH, etc.).
Mace Windu (63) - The biggest, baddest Jedi in the Republic. He gets boosted to crazy levels with General Obi-Wan. Triple Attack is most useful with R2 for towing or Panaka for swapping.
Separatists
Battle Droid (4) - Cheap piece for combining fire that can be boosted with all the Droid CEs.
Battle Droid Officer (9) - Auto-include in any non-Unique Droid squads. Cheap mini that grants non-Disruptable +4 Attack board-wide.
San Hill (10) - His (double-edged) CE granting tempo control lets you wait until your opponent has activated all his pieces then make your move. His Reserves that trigger on a 1 are a great counter to the Muun Tactics Broker.
Geonosian Overseer (16) - Grants Droids Double Attack, which can be especially potent when combined with Grievous' Twin Attack CE.
*NEW* IG-100 MagnaGuard (16) - They have the same stats and abilities as the Bodyguard Droid, except that instead of having Bodyguard they have Electrostaff +10. With Grievous, they're excellent for having two chances to activate an enemy.
Neimoidian Warrior (16) - Pretty good Accurate shooter, for half the price of a Homing Spider Droid.
Bodyguard Droid (20) - One of the better Bodyguards in the game. Can be brought in by Droid Reinforcements or Separatist Reserves. Qualifies for Droid boosting CEs and SAs.
Crab Droid (23) - A non-melee Droid with good Defense and HP. Twin Momentums (with Grievous) are great.
Chameleon Droid (26) - Invisibility and Mines 20 is a really good combo. Great for gaining gambit.
IG Lancer Droid (31) - Twin Strafe Attack (with Grievous) is deadly. They probably won't last through more than 1 Strafe though, so you have to make sure it counts.
Commerce Guild Homing Spider Droid (32) - Best Accurate Shooter for the Seps. These are hindered by a Huge base and low Defense (although Defense is better with Grievous).
Wat Tambor (35) - He's pretty cheap for Repair 20 and Droid Mark after you take Reinforcements into account. Droid Mark works well with the X-1 Viper Droid.
Darth Sidious (36) - Can be used multiple ways. He's decent just for his Lightning and high HP to cost ratio. Pawn of the Dark Side is an excellent Force Power that has a multitude of uses, although Twin Attacking Droids with Damage Reduction are a popular choice of targets. Dark Master helps out all the Sep Force users with low Force points and no Renewal. His CE is terrible.
Huge Crab Droid (39) - A ton of HP for its cost and good damage output (especially with Grievous).
Aurra Sing, Jedi Hunter (41) - As her name suggests, she excels against Force users, especially when using Blaster Barrage against several adjacent Jedi. She's an okay shooter, but mostly works best at close range.
Darth Tyranus, Legacy of the Dark Side (49) - Basically useful for Force Lightning 4. Pairing him with either Sidious gives him more Force points so he can Lightning more often.
Count Dooku of Serenno (51) - All of the Dooku's are pretty similar (good against melee, bad against shooters). Because of Makashi Style Mastery (basically a slightly better Parry), I give the edge to this Dooku over the other ones when you need a good melee beatstick on your Sep squad.
Darth Maul on Speeder (57) - Probably the best Maul, despite only having Double Attack. Sith Rage Charging Assault +10 with Cleave is really good. Just don't charge him out in front of the rest of your squad, because he won't last by himself. Save the Assault(s) for the Opportune moment.
General Grievous, Droid Army Commander (57) - The one mini that single-handedly makes Separatists playable. He boosts so many different Droids a ton. His 100 HP and 19 Defense are pretty low, so he needs to stay in the back, most of the time (which Blaster 20 helps with). But if a Jedi bases him, he can hit them hard with Triple and Jedi Hunter.
Rebel
Mon Calamari Tech Specialist (4) - Cheap shooter for combining fire. They work especially well with a Rebel Leader granting them Spotter +20.
Leia Organa, Senator (7) - Surprisingly useful mini for her cost. She's good for more than just collecting gambit (although that's nice too). I like to pair her with Obi-Wan Jedi Spirit for Force Renewal and Mettle rerolls on her attacks (he also makes her harder to target). You can force your opponent to consistently draw +11 attacks of opportunity from her which is nice. If they find line of sight to her, and actually deal 40 damage to her, you're only out 7 points (15 with Obi-Wan). Should be in any Rebel squad that isn't using a different Leia.
Twi'lek Scout (7) - Good stats for cost (especially with Stealth), and Rangefinder is a really useful ability that stacks with other abilities and CEs.
Juno Eclipse (8) - The cheapest Disruptive in the game, and a so-so scrub killer with her Accurate Shot. 40 HP is pretty good too.
Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Spirit (8) - A really nice support piece (although a little slow). Any Force user that doesn't already have Renewal can benefit from more Force points and especially Mettle for rerolling attacks and saves. He tends to work best with shooters because he can't keep up with melee minis.
R2-D2 (8) - A great mini since day 1. Override is an essential ability, and he provides it for only 8 points.
General Dodonna (9) - The ability to choose to activate 1 or 2 characters each phase is incredibly useful in a lot of squads. When he's so cheap it's hard not to include him. He works well with Opportunist attackers like Lando DS and Han Smuggler. His only downside is that he can become addictive...
Ithorian Commander (11) - Makes your Ugnaughts and other little guys hit harder. He's popular in swarm squads with Han in Stormtrooper Armor and a bunch of Aqualish Assassins or other hard hitting cheap melee pieces. These kinds of swarms aren't as useful lately, but he also boosts some stronger pieces like Jarael and Ayy Vida.
Rebel Vanguard (11) - Missiles 30 is great. If he hits once or twice, he's probably worth his cost. You can pair them with Lando Hero of Taanab for Mobile Attack to help them last a little longer.
Princess Leia, Senator (13) - Doesn't see much play anymore, because of some other Leias, but her CE granting 2 squares of movement at the end of a turn is still great.
Rebel Trooper on Tauntaun (13) - Cheap Recon for a faction that often relies on Cunning Attacks from Han. Although, with Han Smuggler gaining popularity, these aren't as useful.
Wookiee Freedom Fighter (14) - A lot of HP and Damage output for their cost make these guys great filler or screeners for a squad. You can combine them with a Czerka for Twin charges (if you can set up correctly). And/or you can play them with a Rebel Leader so they can be Spotters after they've charged.
Elite Rebel Commando (16) - These guys are decent even without Override, but Override pushes them over the top. They work well with other minis that boost their Attack bonus so they can hit more often. They can also get Grenades 20 and Super Stealth from the Rebel Commando Strike Leader.
Bothan Noble (17) - They're fragile, but they have a great CE that can affect any Follower. Some people like to play a lot of them with one big shooter. For Rebel followers, Princess Leia is the better commander. But for Fringe followers, or if you want multiples, these guys are great.
C-3PO and R2-D2 (18) - Override, Disruptive, and Draw Fire in one package makes this piece a great include in any Rebel squad. If you combine them with a bodyguard, their Disruptive becomes even harder to get rid of.
Rebel Leader (18) - She has good stats for her cost. Her CE that grants Spotter +20 to all Rebels is useful in almost any Rebel squad. The damage can really add up quickly even if you don't build around her.
K-3PO (20) - Droid Coordinator doesn't help many Droids that much, but swapping, even with a 6 square range, is still an excellent CE.
Princess Leia (20) - Awesome CE that many squads are built around. She's the reason the other good Leias don't see play.
Admiral Ackbar (21) - A lot of HP, It's a Trap!, Recon, and a great CE. Since his CE works against activated enemies, Ackbar pairs well with Dodonna (so you can outactive your opponent more easily).
Han Solo in Stormtrooper Armor (25) - He's mostly used in Ithorian Commander swarm squads now, but his CE is still awesome for other squads as well. Charging Fire helps you get the jump on your opponent, as it's hard to plan for 12 square attacks a lot of the time. He's also fun with Prince Xizor for Accurate Furious Assault on your opponent's entire squad.
*NEW* Golan Arms DF.9 Anti-Infantry Battery (26) - Guaranteed first round gambit (probably first 3 or 4 rounds of gambit) on most maps. 120 HP and Damage Reduction generally let this thing stick around for a while. It's a decent shooter, and Splash damage can be really useful.
Han Solo on Tauntaun (27) - The best cheap, Cunning Han. Mobile Attack with Speed 8 and 90 HP really help his survivabiliy. He can make a decent cannon with Princess Leia, although then you lose some of the benefit of Mobile Attack.
Han Solo, Smuggler (27) - He sacrifices a lot of the survivability of other Han's in this point range for more damage output. Also, Opportunist is generally more useful than Cunning Attack. He works really well with Princess Leia, or on a New Republic team (via Jaina) with Wedge for Mobile and Evade.
Luke Skywalker, Hoth Pilot Unleashed (28) - A pretty good attacker. Deflect (or Evade through Wedge Antilles) gives him some survivability. But really he's played for Force Push 4, which can be devastating in the right circumstances. He works well with Yoda of Dagobah as a Force battery so he can Push 3 out of 4 rounds.
Luke Skywalker, Jedi (29) - Renewal with Block and Deflect is always great for survivability. Djem So Style is a nice counter to a the current melee meta squads. His +10 Attack is really low for a melee Jedi, so something that boosts that would really help him (like Ackbar).
Chewbacca, Rebel Hero (30) - The best Bodyguard in the game, and a decent attacker as well with Momentum and Cleave. He works well paired with C-3PO and R2-D2 because he can Bodyguard for them and Repair them.
Han Solo, Rogue (30) - His stats are pretty bad, but he does have Evade, so he has better survivability than Han Smuggler (even if he has less damage output). The reason to play him is for Never Tell Me the Odds, to counter Master Tactician or Tactics Broker, if you expect to see that.
Han Solo, Rebel Hero (35) - This is the Han with the best stats, although he only puts out 30 Damage/round. As a commander, he isn't eligible for Leia's CE either. However, his CE can be very useful, especially for other shooters with multiple attacks. It stacks with Cunning Attack, so Boba Merc can be Double Attacking for 40 Damage when within 6 of Han RH. Other good CE receivers are Luke's Snowspeeder, Luke's Landspeeder, and Boba BH.
Yoda of Dagobah (36) - The best Force battery in the game, and a useful interference piece with Stun, Alter, and Force Defense. It's hard to work a 36 point mini that doesn't do any damage into a squad, but he's usually worth it.
Luke Skywalker, Legacy of the Light Side (39) - The only Rebel shooter than can hold a candle to the various Han Solo's. If you aren't already playing another Luke, he can be a good choice in any Rebel squad. He works well with Ackbar for an Attack boost, K-3PO for swapping so he can use Careful Shot +4 on his Double Attack, or a Bith Black Sun Vigo so he gains Evade.
Obi-Wan Kenobi, Unleashed (44) - Good stats and a nice set of Force powers (including Renewal and Heal 20). He's mostly played because of Force Spirit 8.
Luke's Snowspeeder (45) - Good stats and crazy range make this a very useful mini. Can work well paired with Leia for extra attacks, Ackbar for an Attack bonus, or Chewbacca of Hoth for Industrial Repair (which is especially nice with Damage Reduction). The Snowspeeder is good as a main attacker, or as backup/support/screening for another shooter.
Han Solo, Scoundrel (46) - When he hits, he hits hard. Most squads play him with Princess Leia for extra attacks and Obi-Wan Jedi Spirit for Mettle. With that combo, he can put out 130 damage per round with a pretty good chance to hit most things. Mobile and Evade (especially with Mettle), help him survive pretty well. Han Scoundrel squads generally use some kind of melee or hard to kill mini (like WFFs or Luke's Snowspeeder) to run interference in front of Han and Leia, because Han can go down quickly once he gets based.
Luke's Landspeeder (47) - Less range than Luke's Snowspeeder, but better HP and Force powers. Depending on how much Penetration you're facing, the Landspeeder can be a better choice than the Snowspeeder.
Vader's Apprentice, Redeemed (48) - Force Push 4 is great. He has a lot more survivability than Luke HPU, but he doesn't have a ranged attack and he costs a lot more. You can play them both together though, to really rack up the Pushes. Like Luke, VAR works best with Yoda providing extra Force points.
*NEW* Luke Skywalker, Champion of the Force (49) - Use the Force with Flurry Attack and 20 base damage is a great combo. Even still, he's not really at his best until he gets the ability to spend Force multiple times per turn (from Obi or Yoda dying). At that point, he becomes a one-man army with unparalleled damage output. He also works well with Princess Leia, because he can Use the Force again on the extra attack, even if he doesn't have a Force Spirit yet. Some people like to pair him with the Chagrian Mercenary Commander to make his crits even more damaging, but it difficult to position that correctly, and ends up being kind of gimmicky and fragile.
Master Kota (55) - He has the highest Defense of any Rebel or Republic mini and a lot of HP, but he lacks any defensive Force powers. Force Repulse 5 can be a game winner a lot of times, but because it replaces turn, it can be hard to get off sometimes. His commander effect is really good (although eclipsed by General Obi-Wan's for the same cost), but it's only range 6. He tends to work best in Republic squads where he has Mas to extend his CE and R2 and Panaka to help him get his Repulse off in the ideal location.
Luke Skywalker and Yoda (70) - So many Force point and Force powers. Their damage output is really low, so you usually only see them played with Princess Leia. They work best against shooters, because of Lightsaber Reflect, and because shooters usually have lower HP so Loda can kill them faster. With Master of the Force 3 and Leia's CE, Loda can run 12 squares and put out 90 damage in a round. That's very useful.
Imperial
*NEW* Raxus Prime Trooper (5) - If you think your Stormtroopers might be shooting, or that they might want to move past enemies near walls, then RPTs are a good choice. They trade 1 Defense for +1 Attack and Wall Climber. Generally, Defense is at more of a premium in SWM than Attack, which is why you see more Stormtroopers. But Wall Climber can really help set up swaps in the right situation.
Stormtrooper (5) - Still the best 5 point piece in the game and subject to a lot of CEs.
Probe Droid (8) - The cheapest form of initiative control in the game.
Admiral Ozzel (11) - Tempo control for the Imps. He doesn't synergize well with some Thrawn swaps, because you can't swap and attack in the same phase unless your opponent is done activating, so he doesn't see as much play as he would otherwise. He works well with Admiral Piett Opportunist trooper swarms.
Grand Moff Tarkin (11) - He has a really cool CE that lets you choose to activate 1, 2, or 3 characters in a phase, but he has to have line of sight to an enemy to use it. Certain Thrawn swap squads use Tarkin so they can attack, swap, then attack again at the beginning of a round.
Evo Trooper (13) - They're pretty good by themselves, but get deadly with Opportunist from Piett.
Imperial Officer (14) - Cheap, Imperial "Cannon" CE that only works on non-Uniques. The only decent targets with Twin Attack are the Uggernaught and the TIE Crawler. Also works pretty well with AT-STs.
General Veers, Hologram (17) - Fire Support Mission can be really deadly against a lot of squads, depending on how well they roll their saves.
Storm Commando (17) - Probably the best shooter that can gain Super Stealth on the Imps. With Thrawn's CE, their stats aren't bad (although 40 HP is low). If they get off a Double Cunning Deadeye Attack, that's a lot of damage output from a 17 point mini.
Moff Nyna Calixte (18) - Just being a Super Stealth form of Recon is nice, but granting Super Stealth and +10 Damage vs. Stealth board-wide is awesome.
Admiral Piett (20) - Yet another Imp with Recon. His CE is really good and it can make even regular Stormtroopers have good damage output. He works well with Ozzel, so that you have a better chance of using Opportunist.
General Veers (21) - A lot of HP and a great CE make sure this old Rebel Storm mini still sees play. There are some really big shooters that can get his CE like AT-STs and the Uggernaught (for Accurate Furious Assault), but it works well with smaller trooper types too.
Noghri Commando (23) - These are kind of a staple for Super Stealth swap squads. They have a ton of damage output for their cost.
Grand Admiral Thrawn (37) - Probably the most played Imperial mini. Master Tactician, Ysalamiri, and two great CEs make sure he has a place in just about any squad. Usually used with Mas Amedda.
Emperor Palpatine (40) - The original Force battery is still useful for his cost today. Vader Unleashed gets a nice boost from having more Force. Palpatine is really pretty good just by himself though.
Darth Vader, Unleashed (50) - Two awesomely damaging Force powers on top of great stats and Dark Armor.
Darth Vader, Imperial Commander (53) - Great stats again, with a few more defensive Force powers. This Vader also has a great CE giving all troopers +6 Defense.
Blizzard Scout 1 (54) - This thing is just a beastly shooter for the Imps. I'm not sure if AT-STs are worth playing with this, even at 10 points cheaper, though.
Darth Vader, Scourge of the Jedi (55) - Excellent against melee minis, and a nice counter to Yoda on Kybuck. Not so good against shooters though.
Emperor Palpatine, Sith Lord (62) - Kind of overpriced, but he lets you bring Order 66 characters into Imp squads, and he can't be targetted by Order 66 characters. So the more clones get played, the better he is.
Lord Vader (71) - Almost totally offensively minded Vader, with only Dark Armor for defense. But he can really pack a punch (120 damage/round from 6 squares away). Overwhelming Force is a very useful Force power that is only on this mini.
New Republic
Luke Skywalker, Force Spirit (10) - Useful for granting Force Renewal and Mettle (and he can actually keep up with melee attackers). He's usually used with Corran Horn, Mara Jade Jedi or Kyle JBM.
General Wedge Antilles (23) - Decent attacker with an incredible CE (Evade and Mobile to all followers). Works well with pretty much anyone...
Talon Karrde (24) - Disruptive, Recon, and Reserves make for a nice support mini. With Wedge, he survives a little better.
Jaina Solo (25) - No bad for her cost, but she's usually played to bring a Rebel Han into a New Republic squad. Evade helps her survivability, and Han RH helps her damage output.
Garm Bel Iblis (45) - Useful for his Reinforcements and his CE that helps people Double and Triple Attack more easily.
Mara Jade, Jedi (45) - Kind of fragile, but tons of damage output (120/round in the right situation). She's kind of a New Republic staple.
Shado Vao (48) - A lot of survivability and decent damage output make him a nice choice for a beatstick.
Han Solo, Galactic Hero (50) - So many great abilities on a single mini. +14 Attack (with Cunning) tends to still miss sometimes, but that's about his only weakness. He sees less play now, because he doesn't benefit from Wedge's CE at all, and Wedge is in most NR squads.
Kyle Katarn, Jedi Battlemaster (54) - The strongest Disruptive mini in the game. He really needs Evade from Wedge to help him survive. Grenades 40 can be killer, and a lot of times, I end up using that more than just attacking.
Yuuzhan Vong
*NEW* Advance Scout (6) - Force Immune Thud Bugs have a 50/50 shot of shutting down even Darth Bane or Luke and Yoda every round (provided you activate before them). You can't ask for much more in a 6 point piece that's eligible for Super Stealth.
Yomin Carr (19) - Eligible for Super Stealth, and he grants some nice extra damage output to other Vong.
Yuuzhan Vong Jedi Hunter (20) - Can be really hard to kill for their cost with 70 HP and Crab Armor 6. They are devastating to Jedi, especially when you start layering on CEs. These are the meat of a lot of Vong squads. They do poorly against shooters and Droids, though.
Yuuzhan Vong Shaper (21) - She can be super useful for all the 10 base damage Vong, but she's pretty fragile and she has to stay within 6. You can give her Super Stealth with Nom Anor to help her survive better.
Nom Anor (34) - The original Super Stealth commander is still pretty good. Ooglith Masquer is a cool ability that let's you end up with a Super Stealth Shaper, Felucian Rancor, Czerka Scientist, etc. Many people play Nom with all cheap Stealth pieces and hope for Self-Destruct damage to help them win the skirmish (a Nom bomb squad).
Warmaster Tsavong Lah (63) - 200 HP and Crab Armor 6 is a whole lot of survivability (although shooters will still tear him up if they get enough shots). With the Shaper, he's capable of some decent damage output. His CE works best for boosting Jedi Hunters (giving them Momentum).
Fringe
Ugnaught Demolitionist (3) - Door control for every squad.
Gran Raider (4) - If you have 4 points, and you already have enough door control, this Stealth piece is a nice addition. Also works well for Super Stealth squads.
Caamasi Noble (5) - You don't realize how useful it is to have a mostly untargettable piece on your squad until you play with one (or against one). Good for opening doors and collecting gambit. Also good for moving adjacent and making an opponent move so they can actually target something.
Aqualish Assassin (7) - Good damage output from such a cheap piece. Fits well in Super Stealth and Ithorian Commander squads.
Muun Tactics Broker (8) - Gives you almost guaranteed initiative, as long as you have enough minis to sacrifice to it every round. It's usually played with Lobot (so you don't bring it in when you don't want to), a ton of Ugnaughts, and something with Self-Destruct to destroy it before it destroys your squad. A lot of people have come to the conclusion that the costs of using the MTB actually outweight it's usefulness, but it's still a viable or even necessary option for some squads.
Wicket (8) - Universally useful 8 point mini. Traps helps all your attackers hit. Sure, he'll die in one shot, but Stealth helps him survive a little. He works well in Super Stealth squads, as well.
Wookiee Commando (9) - A little tougher fodder for Ithorian Commander swarms. They can survive a hit from Yoda on Kybuck, and Quick Reactions means they're more likely to hit on the Attack of Opportunity.
Dark Hellion Marauder on Swoop Bike (10) - Mostly played in Exar Kun transfer squads, because on most maps it can get first round gambit, and get Exar into base with the enemy on the second round.
Jawa Scout (10) - Cheap stealthy Spotter +20 for any faction.
Human Bodyguard (11) - The current go-to Bodyguard. 40 HP and the ability combine fire are great.
Garindan (12) - Only character with Spotter +30. Stealth means access to Super Stealth and increased survivability in general. He's still pretty fragile though.
Gha Nachkt (12) - With his Rapport, he can be free or very cheap in a lot of Droid squads. That's good, because he doesn't do much except Repair 10.
Czerka Scientist (13) - Granting Twin Attack to weaker shooters and Jolt to stronger shooters is awesome. Needing to be within 6 and only having 10 HP isn't. Still, with carefully positioning, the Czerka can be a huge asset for a lot of squads.
Kel Dor Bounty Hunter (13) - For some reason these guys have the highest base Attack bonus of any shooter in the game, except 1, and they have Self Destruct 40 and Stealth. They have pretty low damage output until they blow up though.
Rakghoul (16) - Rakghouls can be really good, if you're lucky. They have to survive until they get close enough to Ambush or Triple Attack, then they have to actually hit and kill things. But if all that happens, you get more and more free Rakghouls. They work well with Exar.
IG-86 Assassin Droid (17) - Very good stats for a Droid. With Grievous, these guys get really tough.
T3-M4 (17) - The cheapest Override option for most factions. Also, his Flamethrower 20 is really useful.
Lando Calrissian, Dashing Scoundrel (18) - Excellent mini for his cost. He's the main backup shooter for squads from any faction.
Bith Black Sun Vigo (20) - Pretty good attacker with good survivability and an awesome CE granting Evade to people with Stealth.
4-LOM (21) - Pretty good by himself, but excellent for his cost with Grievous.
GenoHaradan Assassin (21) - Cloaked is awesome, as is 20 Defense. With Cunning Attack and Poisoned Blade they have pretty good damage output.
T1 Series Bulk Loader Droid (21) - I don't care what kind of squad you have, any squad can benefit from having one of these in it. The ability to move people around without activating them or provoking attacks of opportunity is incredibly handy. The fact that these things hit for 40 Damage and have a ton of HP is a nice bonus.
Boma (22) - My current favorite Savage to use with Exar, because Charging Assault +10 not only stacks well with Momentum, it also helps negate the penalty of Savage. 100 HP is a lot to chew through for only 22 points.
Jarael (23) - Very aggressively costed support attacker. She's a pain to kill with Evade and Parry, and with Triple and Shockstaff, she can put out some nice damage too.
Jolee Bindo (23) - He's not bad for his cost, although +9 Attack is pretty low. But the reason to play him is for Force Valor for any faction for only 23 points. He works best in Imp or Republic squads, because then he can hide and let Mas extend his CE.
*NEW* Lando Calrissian, Hero of Tanaab (23) - He's a decent Opportunist shooter who can either Mobile Attack or Double Attack. He gets really good with the Czerka for Double/Mobile Twin Attacks. But the real reason he sees play is for his CE granting Mobile Attack to Non-Unique followers. It's mostly useful for Imperial squads, because he kind of needs Mas, and Republic already has access to Queen Amidala and Rex to provide board-wide Mobile.
*NEW* Zayne Carrick (24) - Besides just being really fun to play (with Karmic Luck), Zayne can actually be really useful against opposing Melee. When he's lucky, he only needs to roll a 14 on a Block save to trigger Cortosis Gauntlet. Jedi Mind Trick with Renewal is nice for such a cheap Jedi. Karmic Mettle lets him hit more often. If you give him Mettle from Nomi or Obi/Luke Force Spirit, it stacks with Karmic Mettle for an 8 point bonus to rerolled attacks and saves. Also, it's probably not worth it most situations, but if he manages to get a Force Spirit from Obi, Yoda, or Qui-Gon, he can reroll his Block save with Karmic Mettle and only need a 10 to trigger Cortosis Gauntlet (or a 6 if he also has Mettle from another source).
*NEW* Bossk, Bounty Hunter (25) - He's pretty fragile, and doesn't usually have a lot of damage output, but Bossk BH synergizes really well with a lot of commanders. You can use him with Garm for Momentum Double Claw Rend attacks. Or with Tarpals for double Flamethrower 20.
Juhani (25) - +9 Attack is really low, but the ability to Cloak and the fact that she hits really hard on a 19 or a 20 make he see some play. Usually she's played with a CE that boosts her Attack bonus.
ASN Assassin Droid (27) - Relatively cheap Kouhun Infestation can wreak havoc on an opponent with poor save rolls. These are also nice Accurate shooting Droids to use with Grievous.
Lobot (27) - Cheap Override, and the ability to customize a small portion of your squad every match keep Lobot seeing a lot of play.
Deliah Blue (33) - Nice cheap Mobile Accurate shooter that can actually hit things and does 30 damage. Industrial Repair 30 can be substantial, depending on the squad.
Aurra Sing (37) - Ridiculously high stats for her cost make sure this Accurate Shooter still has a place in tons of competitive squads.
Boba Fett, Enforcer (38) - He has Accurate Shot, but people tend to use his Missiles 30 more. Evade and Mobile are a great combo on this fig.
*NEW* Telosian Tank Droid (38) - They aren't currently as popular, because they already have Twin Attack, so they don't work really well with the new Grievous, but TTDs are still really good. They have great survivability (with DR10) and damage output (with Twin and Splash) that is even better if you give them Double Attack with an old Grievous or the Geonosian Overseer. You can then use Pawn of the Dark Side from Darth Sidious to let them attack 8 times in a turn (that's 160 damage +Splash damage).
X-1 Viper Droid (46) - Molecular Shielding is a powerful defensive ability. This thing is absolutely vicious with Grievous.
Felucian Warrior on Rancor (52) - Really good stats and Parry make this thing a very nice melee Force user for any faction. As a non-Unique, it is eligible for a lot of CEs to boost it even further.
Boba Fett, Mercenary (58) - The combo of Intuition with Flight make it so the Boba can never be Double or Triple Attacked by a melee piece. The Double Cunning Attack makes for a lot of Accurate damage output.
Boba Fett, Bounty Hunter (62) - Evade and Mobile Attack with 120 HP and 20 Defense make this Boba very hard to kill. He provides very reliable damage output against Uniques. People like to play him with Bothan Nobles or Padme Senator to give him extra attacks (although that does leave him exposed, and Evade doesn't work every time).
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Please let me know if you disagree with anything on the list, or you think something else should be added.
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Characters removed from the list:
Rebel - Deena Shan (12)
Rebel - Princess Leia, Hoth Commander (19)
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