Choose Story for the most forgiving story-focused run, Normal for the intended middle ground, Hard for more tactical pressure, or Expert for the highest listed difficulty. Permadeath is a separate toggle: with it on, an Operator who reaches three injuries becomes Killed in Action. Beskar Mode is also separate and restricts the Campaign to one save with no manual saves. EA says these Campaign choices cannot be changed after you start, so a different setup requires a new Campaign.
Difficulty levels, Permadeath and Beskar Mode compared
| Choice | Current official rule | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Story | The most forgiving of EA's four listed difficulty levels | The story matters more than tactical punishment |
| Normal | The middle starting point between Story and Hard | You want a first run without choosing either extreme |
| Hard | A higher-pressure option below Expert | You already understand turn-based tactics and want mistakes to matter more |
| Expert | The highest difficulty level listed by EA | You deliberately want the hardest named ruleset |
| Permadeath on | Three injuries can make an Operator Killed in Action and permanently remove them | Roster loss is part of the run you want |
| Beskar Mode on | One game save and no manual saving; consequences are permanent | A no-save-scumming challenge is the point of the Campaign |
EA lists the four difficulty names but does not publish a complete numeric modifier table. Permadeath and Beskar Mode are separate switches, not automatic parts of a named level.
Choose the right first-Campaign setup
- 1
Choose New Campaign, then pick Story, Normal, Hard or Expert. If this is your first tactics game, start with Story or Normal rather than using permanent-loss settings to prove a point.
- 2
Decide on Permadeath separately. Leave it off if losing an authored Operator would make you stop playing; turn it on only if adapting to roster loss is part of the experience you want.
- 3
Decide on Beskar Mode separately. Leave it off if you want manual saves; turn it on only when a one-save run with permanent consequences is intentional.
- 4
Read the final Difficulty Settings screen before selecting Start Campaign. EA says the choices cannot be changed after the Campaign begins.
- 5
If the combination feels wrong later, keep the existing Campaign and create another one with different settings. There is no confirmed mid-Campaign switch.
How Permadeath actually works
Downed is not automatically dead
A Downed Operator cannot act, but a teammate can Rally them back into the mission. Being Downed also causes an Injury.
Three injuries can become permanent
With Permadeath on, an Operator who suffers three injuries becomes Killed in Action and is permanently removed from the squad.
Hawks follows a different rule
Hawks cannot be permanently removed. If Hawks is defeated, the mission fails and must be restarted whether Permadeath is on or off.
Beskar Mode controls saves, not the injury counter
Beskar Mode's confirmed effect is the one-save, no-manual-save restriction. Permadeath determines permanent Operator loss.
Avoid the four expensive setup mistakes
- Do not confuse Expert with Permadeath; the difficulty level and permanent-loss toggle are separate choices.
- Do not enable Beskar Mode for a first run unless a one-save challenge is the point of that run.
- Do not assume Permadeath can be disabled after an important Operator is injured; the setting is Campaign-locked.
- Create a second Campaign when testing different difficulty or Permadeath rules.
- Do not trust a table of exact enemy modifiers unless the values can be checked in the current build or official notes.
- Check the live mode description after a major patch because difficulty and save behavior are version-sensitive.
Frequently asked questions
How many difficulty levels are in STAR WARS Zero Company?
EA lists four levels: Story, Normal, Hard and Expert. Permadeath and Beskar Mode are separate Campaign options.
What difficulty should I choose in STAR WARS Zero Company?
Use Story for the most forgiving story-first run, Normal for a balanced first choice, Hard if you already understand tactics games, and Expert only when you deliberately want the highest listed difficulty.
How does Permadeath work in STAR WARS Zero Company?
With Permadeath on, an Operator who suffers three injuries becomes Killed in Action and is permanently removed. A Downed Operator can first be Rallied; Hawks follows a mission-failure rule instead.
Can you turn Permadeath off mid-Campaign?
No. Permadeath remains on or off for the entire Campaign. A different setting requires a new Campaign.
Can you manually save in Beskar Mode?
No. EA describes Beskar Mode as one game save with no manual saving. The setting cannot be turned off after the Campaign starts.
Does a Downed Operator die immediately?
No. A teammate can Rally a Downed Operator. With Permadeath on, the permanent-loss rule applies after three injuries; Hawks instead causes an immediate mission failure when defeated.
Sources
What this answer is based on
Official EA and Steam material establishes the current rules and support status. Independent performance tests are labeled and never presented as developer guarantees.
- Official EA accessibility resources EA lists the four difficulty levels as Story, Normal, Hard and Expert and confirms that Permadeath can be toggled before a Campaign.
- Official EA campaign and combat guide EA defines a Campaign as a game save and explains the permanent Permadeath and Beskar Mode choices.
- Official STAR WARS Zero Company launch FAQ Bit Reactor's launch FAQ covers PC targets, CPU-bound performance, upscalers, Steam Deck status, ultrawide support and Permadeath.
- Official STAR WARS Zero Company game page EA's official overview confirms the developer, single-player tactics format, platforms and August 27, 2026 launch.
Checked August 30, 2026. Updates, support ratings and game rules can change.