11 Tips for Dominating Star Wars Battlefront 2

When you first fire up Star Wars Battlefront 2, you might find yourself getting destroyed by Stormtroopers, TIE Fighters, and a weirdly obtuse progression system. Fret not — we're here to rescue you.

Battlefront 2's accessible multiplayer action has a surprising amount of hidden quirks, and you'll need to master movement, reloading, space combat and a whole lot more if you want to dominate the battlefield. Here are 11 essential tips that will turn you from a scruffy nerf-herder to a master of the Force in no time.

Image Credit: EA

Battlefront 2's roughly 4-hour campaign isn't just an entertaining Star Wars story -- it also yields lots of useful multiplayer rewards. The campaign will let you test drive many of the game's key heroes and abilities, and playing through it will unlock a variety of Star Cards for your heroes and troopers as well as a healthy amount of credits.

Progression in Battlefront 2 is tied to Star Cards, which give your characters new and enhanced abilities and can be earned in randomized loot crates or purchased directly with crafting parts. Be sure to experiment with different Star Card loadouts, and don't forget that you can can change out your equipped cards mid-match at the character select screen.

Battlefront 2 maps crouching and rolling to the same button (B on Xbox; Circle on PlayStation by default), which can be confusing if you're used to other shooters. Tap the crouch button to roll, and hold it if you want to crouch. Mastering this mechanic will mean the difference between dodging that Thermal Detonator and getting caught in a nasty explosion.

Battlefront 2 lets you switch between first- and third-person view by holding down on the d-pad, and you should get comfortable with weaving between the two depending on the situation. First-person view allows for more precise aiming, while third-person is ideal for when you're running around the battlefield and want a better view of your surroundings. Also, when in third-person, be sure to swap your character's left/right orientation often by tapping the d-pad instead of holding. This will allow you to get the best vantage point and cover possible based on your location.

Your blasters might not run out of ammo, but that doesn't mean you can just fire them off recklessly. Pay attention to the white cooldown meter that fills up as you fire, and be sure to vent your weapon with the X or Square button when it gets too high. Or, if you're feeling brave, you can max out the cooldown meter and trigger a mini-game that lets you briefly fire away with no overheating if you pull the trigger just at the right time. Just know that you'll jam your weapon and become vulnerable if you mess up.

In most of Battlefront 2's multiplayer modes, you'll spawn into battle as part of a four-person squad. Not only is sticking with your squad ideal for survival, it'll also double the amount of Battle Points you earn, which will allow you to access heroes, special troopers and powerful vehicles even faster. You can easily identify your squadmates by the yellow markings above their heads.

Battlefront 2's space combat has been completely revamped, so here are some quick pointers. Moving the left stick up and down adjusts your speed, while moving it left and right allows you to rotate your ship for performing barrel rolls and squeezing into tight areas. The right stick is strictly for steering. If an enemy has locked onto you, try creating your own evasive maneuvers by adjusting your speed, performing barrel rolls, and steering your way around asteroids and large ships for cover.