All 10 Clone Wars Battle Droids Ranked By Threat Level (2024)

The Star Wars battle droids are the stuff of legend, each posing a threat to Galactic Republic forces, but some of them packed a bigger punch than others. The Clone Wars were mentioned by Obi-Wan Kenobi in the very first Star Wars movie, but most viewers assumed the clones were the bad guys. In reality, George Lucas' prequel trilogy revealed the clones were the heroes - soldiers of the Republic, battling against a vast army of battle droids.

The Separatists had years to prepare their battle droid army, and they improved them throughout the Clone Wars timeline. Battle-droids could be mass-produced, upgraded to adapt to new technology, and programmed to carry out certain tasks - plus, they don't require food and sleep the way organics do. As such, they formed a formidable army. However, some droids were significantly more dangerous than others, be it because of superior intelligence and adaptability or special armor and weaponry. Here's a list of 10 of these droids ranked from least to most dangerous.

10 B1 Battle Droid

B1 Battle Droids Were Unintelligent And Easy To Kill

The B1 battle droids made up the bulk of the Separatist army's infantry unit, and were, therefore, the most common battle droids. As shown in both Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the prequel trilogy, B1 battle droids were extremely ineffective. While they could speak, they were generally unintelligent and thus often served as comic relief. Their commonly mocked trademark phrase, “Roger, Roger,” emphasized their purpose for nothing other than to follow orders.

Carrying a single blaster and possessing little capacity for strategic thinking, the B-1 battle droids were no match for the Jedi and the clone army. However, they could be easily mass-produced, and their strength lay in numbers. If there were enough of them, they could still overwhelm the enemy. The Battle of Naboo showcased this, with B1 battle droids swarming entire fields after pouring out of tanks by the hundreds.

9 B2 Super Battle Droid

B2 Super Battle Droids Were A Significant Improvement From The B1 Series

B2 battle droids were equipped with wrist blasters and had better armor than the B1s. Unlike the B1 series, their heads were attached directly to their bodies rather than to their necks, making them less vulnerable to decapitation. Their bulkiness slowed them down significantly, but it made them sturdier than the previous generation. They were produced in smaller numbers than their predecessors but made a bigger impact in the fight.

Beyond being an all-around bigger model than the B1 droids, the B2 battle droids were also generally more intelligent. They could react more efficiently to their surroundings, which made it harder to simply cut them down. Despite this, they were still no match for opponents with self-awareness. They were unable to strategize on their own, leaving them at the mercy of the clone troopers or Jedi they were up against.

8 BX Droid Commandos

BX Droids Were A Deadly Improvement To Their B1 And B2 Counterparts

BX droid commandos were dangerous infantry droids that were a step above the standard previously set by the earlier models. Unlike the B1s and the B2s, BX commandos were very acrobatic, making them difficult to hit. They were capable of adapting to battle conditions, unlike their predecessors, making them more effective soldiers and much better security teams. Groups of this type of battle droid were often stationed around high-profile officers for protection throughout the Clone Wars.

Another thing that distinguished them from the previous B1s and B2s was the ability of the BX battle droids to use a variety of weapons. This made them more diverse and adaptable than earlier droid models. Their capacity for strategy in combat made them lethal, proving to be quite the match for even skilled clone troopers on occasion.

7 Aquatic (AQ) Battle Droids

AQ Battle Droids Wreaked Havoc On Water Worlds

AQ battle droids were unique in their ability to operate underwater. Battle droids had been confined to the dry land until this new update, but the Aqua Droids could be just as deadly while fully submerged. This made them especially dangerous on water worlds, which made them invaluable to the Separatists throughout the Clone Wars. This amphibious model changed the game for battle droids, giving them a whole new terrain to fight on.

During the Clone Wars, the Separatist army was able to launch a full-scale assault on Mon Cala using these droids. Their bodies could retract into their armor, and their right arm was replaced with a laser canon. While they were exceptionally fast underwater, they were much slower on land. This made them easier targets for enemy snipers whenever they were outside the water.

6 D1 Aerial Battle Droid

Aerial Droids Were Created & Used By The Techno Union

D1 aerial battle droids were variants of the B-series droid line and sported wings that allowed them to fly up and shoot enemies from the sky. They looked rather strange, being bipedal with four claw-like hands, cylindrical heads, and a mohawk. D1 wings were first seen in the Clone Wars on Keeradak and were manufactured by the Techno Union, a member of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, as security droids.

The first battle droid incarnations were at a disadvantage when clones and Jedi were able to attack from the sky. While they weren't necessarily more dangerous than B-series droids, their ability to fly gave them an advantage. When used in tandem with other models of battle droids, the D1 aerial battle droids could make a big difference in a large-scale battle.

5 IG Droids

A Modified IG Droid Protected Grogu in The Mandalorian

The IG droids were very dangerous and were marketed to the galaxy’s wealthier citizens as personal bodyguards and security teams. Among other deadly updates that separate this model of battle droid from the others, the IG droids were equipped with multiple laser shooters on their heads. They could rotate these lasers rapidly, allowing them to shoot out blaster bolts in all directions at once. In a large battle fought on land, the IG droids would have a devastating effect on any opposing living matter that tried to move in on their position.

Their increased intelligence and agility made the IG Droids some of the most deadly battle droids in the galaxy. Their capability to strategize on their own and react to oncoming threats made them effective assassins as well as soldiers and guardians. With the ability to excel as soldiers as well as tactical agents, these droids were among the best additions to the Separatist forces.

4 Tactical Droid

Tactical Droids Were Some Of The Most Intelligent Separatist Droids

These droids led the droid army's standard infantry units. During the Clone Wars, tactical droids were used to command battleships and command centers where they would take charge of other lower classes of battle droids. True to their name, they were primarily used to strategize and plan out the battles ahead. During the Empire’s reign, however, these droids were pulled from the official military and decommissioned.

Despite their status as battle droids, the tactical droids were not actually very effective in battle, but that's because they weren't designed to be. These droids' true strength lay in their intelligence. Tactical droids could essentially learn from their past battle experience. They were much smarter and more independent than previous infantry droids, a far cry from the silliness of the B1 battle droids. Their ability to think strategically made them formidable enemies.

3 Droidekas (Destroyer Droids)

Droidekas Were Harder To Hit Than Other Droids

Droidekas were incredibly dangerous due to their ability to play both offense and defense. Unlike other droids, they actually came equipped with deflector shields. They had a blaster cannon on each arm. They moved by curling up into a ball and rolling along the ground at speeds of up to 46.6 miles an hour, making their movements hard to attack, despite being easy enough to predict.

While they were in movement, they were unable to use their deflector shields, making them more vulnerable. However, their immense speed and curled-up position still made it difficult to hit their internal structures. There were ways to get around their clever defenses, though. In Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Ahsoka taught Saw and Steela Gerrera how to blow up droidekas by slowly rolling grenades under their deflector shields.

2 Dwarf Spider Droid

Dwarf Spider Droids Were Ideal For Rough Terrain

Like the droideka sharpshooter, this battle droid possessed a single laser cannon as its main weapon, but that isn’t what set it apart from its fellow battle droids. The dwarf spider droid got its name for its clear spider-like appearance. Stout with a large, round body and 4 legs, this droid was very stable. It was well-armored and designed for heavy combat on difficult terrain, even including cliffsides. This was particularly effective when the fight took things underground, like on mining worlds.

The laser canon attached to the droid was nimble and could fire rapid shots at its enemies. The thick armor and evasive maneuvers made it a difficult droid to take down. Should the droid find itself out of options in the middle of a battle, the dwarf spider droid could self-destruct, effectively turning into a grenade. This made is even more dangerous, earning it just one place shy of the top spot.

1 Crab Droid

Crab Droids Could Destroy Armored Vehicles

The crab droid, often known as the Muckraker, was perhaps the most dangerous battle droid that the Seperatist forces had at their disposal. The crab droid was a four-legged, sometimes even six-legged, battle droid that came in multiple sizes for different battles. With two blaster cannons mounted on its underside, it was well-protected and could deliver a powerful blast toward its enemies.

This was an incredibly dangerous battle droid to run into. It got its name from the fact that it resembles a crab, and each of its many legs was strong enough to break through armor. Its ability to break through armored vehicles made it a dangerous opponent. Clone troopers and even Jedi had a hard time fighting through these droids. The Star Wars series might be known for its aliens and Jedi, but its wars couldn’t be fought without its powerful battle droids.

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