Updated August 31, 2026
If you're treating Star Wars Zero Company like XCOM, you're probably missing one of the game's strongest progression systems: Bonds.
A high Bond does far more than unlock dialogue. It grants Focus Points, permanent Cross Training bonuses shared between two operators, and eventually powerful passive abilities that can dramatically improve your squad's damage, survivability, and positioning. The system is one of the biggest reasons veteran players can clear difficult missions while using seemingly average operators.
This guide explains exactly how Bonds work, the fastest ways to level them, how Focus Points fit into the progression loop, and which Cross Training rewards are worth taking early.
Star Wars Zero Company is a single-player turn-based tactics game where developing relationships between operators can unlock new combat synergies.
How the Bond System Works
Every pair of operators has their own relationship meter. Raising Hawks and Trick does not increase Trick's relationship with Cab or Padmé.
As Bond increases, you'll unlock three major rewards:
- Focus Points — Used to upgrade talents, abilities, and passive skills in each operator's Focus Tree.
- Cross Training — Permanent bonuses that apply to both operators in the bonded pair. Cross Training is selected when a relationship reaches the required milestone, and the chosen training applies to both operators. The game presents a choice rather than assigning one completely at random.
- Maximum Bond Passive — The final Bond milestone unlocks a special passive ability, making it the strongest relationship reward in the game.
Bond tiers
The relationship meter progresses through named tiers rather than simple friendship levels. The game internally uses numbered sub-levels such as Low 1, Neutral 3, and High 2, while the major relationship categories progress through Low, Neutral, High, and Very High. Very High is the highest named Bond tier.
Your Bond progress is pair-specific, so building one relationship does not automatically improve another operator pairing.
Every Way to Increase Bond
Bond growth happens across three layers of gameplay.
1. Hub activities (The Den)
Simply talking to squad members is worthwhile. Story conversations and personal interactions can award Bond depending on your dialogue choices.
More importantly, upgrading the Lounge lets operators who stay behind at The Den earn passive Bond XP while your active squad is away. The Lounge is one of the best long-term investments because it keeps unused recruits progressing instead of falling behind. The Improved Lounge upgrade specifically adds +5 Bond XP for operators remaining at the Den during a mission.
2. Holotable operations
Operations aren't just for Credits and Influence. Sending compatible operators on the same operation can increase their Bond, while narrative dilemmas may strengthen or weaken relationships depending on the choices you make.
3. Tactical combat
This is where most Bond XP comes from.
The biggest repeatable source is Backup, since it's completely free.
Bond Farming (Up to 70 XP per Mission)
If your goal is reaching High or Very High Bond quickly, this is the most efficient routine.
Step 1 — Use Backup twice
Every pair of operators can gain:
- +10 Bond
- +10 Bond
That's 20 Bond total, and the gain is capped at two Backup activations per mission for the pair. Additional uses don't award more Bond for that pair.
Step 2 — Trigger minor combat actions
Healing, Combat Stim, AP support abilities, and similar teamwork actions can award +4 Bond. The available evidence indicates that these qualifying actions are capped at five per mission, giving another 20 Bond. Mission-result screens showing five +4 entries support treating this as a mission-wide cap rather than a cap that resets every turn.
Step 3 — Finish together
Simply surviving and completing the mission awards +30 Bond.
Maximum repeatable Bond gain
So 70 Bond XP is the practical maximum repeatable combat/mission package shown by the currently documented mechanics, rather than a universal guarantee that every mission will always produce exactly 70.
That's enough to level relationships surprisingly quickly if you keep the same core squad deployed.
Why Backup is the strongest combat mechanic
Backup is a Free Action, meaning it costs 0 AP. When activated:
- Choose any teammate.
- That teammate provides Backup.
- The ally assists the operator's next attack.
The game specifically highlights Backup as a way to increase Bond, while stronger relationships improve the effectiveness of Assist attacks. Because it costs nothing, there's almost never a reason not to use Backup before attacking when the tactical situation allows it. It improves both your damage output and long-term progression.
Focus Points Explained
Focus Points are the currency used inside each operator's Focus Tree. You primarily earn them by:
- Raising Bond tiers
- Choosing Freeform Training
- Story and campaign progression rewards
Bonds are one of the main sources of Focus Points, which is why squad composition directly affects character progression.
Planning your Focus Point spending? Once respec becomes available, eligible Operators can refund Focus investments and change Specializations without spending Credits. For a full breakdown of how the system works, including which Talents are permanent and which Operators can change class, see our Star Wars Zero Company Respec Guide — How to Change Class & Refund Focus Points.
What should you spend them on?
For Hawks, one of the strongest early talents is Fearless Leader, which increases Assist damage for the entire squad whenever Hawks is deployed.
For Medics, upgrading Combat Stim provides enormous value because it boosts:
- Max Health
- Melee Damage
- Ranged Damage
This synergizes nicely with Bond progression since support actions can also contribute to Bond growth.
Best Cross Training Rewards
Every time a Bond reaches a milestone that provides Cross Training, you'll choose one permanent reward for both operators.
S-tier — take almost every time
- Combined Fire Games — +1 Assist Damage. The safest and most universally useful option because Assist attacks are an important part of coordinated squad damage.
- Ranged Combat Drills — +1 Ranged Damage. Excellent for clone-heavy or sniper squads.
- Close Combat Drills — +1 Melee Damage. Best for Cab, Trick, and melee-focused builds.
A-tier
- Timing Exercises: +3–5% Critical Chance
- Precision Shooting Games: +1 Critical Damage
- Reflex Fire Training: +1 Overwatch Damage
These are fantastic, but they're more build-dependent.
The exact Cross Training choices available can vary by Bond milestone. Other documented options include bonuses involving health, movement, grenade damage, ranged performance, and other combat statistics.
When should you choose Freeform Training?
Freeform Training grants +2 Focus Points to both operators.
Choose it when:
- Both characters still need core talents.
- The other stat bonuses don't fit either build.
- You're rushing Medic or Leader upgrades.
- You want immediate access to another Focus Tree upgrade.
Since Focus can be refunded or redistributed in many circumstances, while Cross Training bonuses are permanent once selected, permanent stat bonuses can provide better long-term value when they fit both characters.
Can You Respec Cross Training?
No — treat Cross Training selections as permanent.
Cross Training is designed as the lasting payoff for building a relationship between two operators. The selected training applies to both characters in the pair.
This is different from normal Focus Tree investment. Specializations and many Focus Point allocations can be changed later, making Cross Training choices something you should consider more carefully before confirming them.
If you're choosing between a useful permanent combat bonus and Freeform Training, consider what both operators actually need rather than optimizing only one character.
The Lounge Upgrade
One Crew upgrade stands out immediately.
Lounge effect
The currently documented facility data confirms the +5 Bond XP bonus from the Improved Lounge upgrade.
This only affects operators not deployed, making it ideal for growing reserve recruits while your main squad tackles story missions.
If you are regularly rotating your roster, the Lounge becomes particularly valuable because reserve operators can continue developing relationships instead of being completely left behind.
Best Operator Pairings
Rather than spreading Bond across everyone, focus on two consistent pairs.
Ranged support pair
- Hawks + Trick
- Combined Fire Games
- Fearless Leader
- Combat Stim
- Ranged damage bonuses
This creates constant Assist damage with excellent survivability.
Aggressive melee pair
- Cab + Trick
- Close Combat Drills
- Timing Exercises
- Overwatch positioning
- Melee-focused bonuses
The extra melee damage helps secure one-hit knockouts while benefiting from coordinated Assist follow-ups.
The most important point is not that these are the only strong pairings. The best Bond pair is usually the pair whose builds naturally benefit from the same Cross Training bonuses.
Can Bond Decrease?
Yes.
Combat itself won't normally reduce Bond, but Operations, Dilemmas, disagreements, and certain narrative decisions can negatively affect relationships between operators. Current campaign data specifically lists dilemmas and other relationship events as sources of Bond movement in both directions.
This matters because losing enough Bond XP can actually push a relationship back below a previously reached level.
If you're pursuing Very High Bond, read the outcomes before committing to major strategic choices.
Permanent Cross Training you've already selected is not something you should treat as a temporary buff that disappears simply because the relationship later moves backward.
FAQ
What is the fastest way to raise Bond?
Use Call for Backup twice between the same pair, perform five qualifying teamwork actions, and finish the mission together. That's up to 70 repeatable Bond XP from those sources.
Do Backup assists cost Action Points?
No. Backup is a Free Action, so it does not consume AP.
What do Focus Points do?
They unlock talents, passive abilities, specialization upgrades, and stronger class skills inside the Focus Tree.
Are Cross Training rewards permanent?
Yes. Once selected, the Cross Training bonus is a permanent benefit for both operators in that Bond pair.
What is the highest Bond level?
The highest named relationship tier is Very High. Reaching maximum Bond also unlocks a special Cross Training reward that grants a Passive Ability.
Can Bond go down?
Yes. Certain Operations, dilemmas, disagreements, and narrative choices can alter relationships negatively.
Should I always choose Freeform Training?
Not necessarily. Freeform Training gives +2 Focus Points to both operators, making it excellent when you need specific Focus Tree upgrades. But if both operators can benefit from a permanent damage, critical, movement, health, or Overwatch bonus, that Cross Training choice can be stronger in the long run.
Final Tips
If you're only optimizing one system in Star Wars Zero Company, make it Bonds.
A squad with strong relationships deals more reliable Assist damage, earns more Focus Points, unlocks permanent stat boosts, and scales much better into the late campaign than a team built purely around gear.
For most players, the best early priority is simple:
- Upgrade the Lounge.
- Keep the same two operators together.
- Use Backup twice every mission.
- Trigger qualifying teamwork actions whenever they naturally fit the battle.
- Take Combined Fire Games unless another bonus clearly fits both builds.
- Save Freeform Training for situations where the extra Focus Points are more valuable than the available permanent combat bonuses.
- Pay attention to narrative choices that can damage relationships.
That progression creates one of the strongest foundations for the rest of the campaign.
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