Shadow trooper Shadow troopers were elite and highly trained stormtrooper s that served the Galactic Empire during the Galactic Civil War against the Rebel Alliance . The trooper s wore distinguishing black suits of experimental armor coupled with portable cloaking device s , rendering them almost completely invisible and highly suited for stealth missions . They were known to overwhelm their enemies by attacking in hordes , and using T - 21 heavy blasters along with flash grenade s . Description . Shadow trooper s were highly trained , elite , and fanatically loyal stormtrooper s that served the Galactic Empire . Although their armor looked similar in design to the traditional stormtrooper armor , it was specialized , experimental stealth armor made from stygian - triprismatic polymer , enhancing the shadow troopers ' stealth capability and allowing them to avoid sensor s . The armor was entirely black in color , with the exception of the Imperial crest adorning the left side of the chest section , and gray - colored visors . Like the standard stormtrooper helmet s , the armored helmets worn by shadow troopers featured heat dispersion vent s , blue - colored exhaust filter s placed near the rim , a direct speaker placed between two induction filter s located on the chin section , and audio pickups on the sides . Shadow troopers were equipped with portable cloaking device s that rendered them almost completely invisible as they moved around . They also carried N - 20 Baradium - core thermal detonator s in matching black color on the back of their utility belt . Outfitted with a wide range of survival equipment , the troopers mainly wielded T - 21 heavy blasters and flash grenade s . Application . Shadow troopers ' stealth equipment made them highly suitable for missions requiring cunning rather than brute force . They were able to appear out of thin air and surprise their enemies . With their T - 21 heavy blaster s capable of delivering massive damage at long ranges , and flash grenade s capable of disorienting their enemies , the elite shock troop s attacked in hordes to overwhelm their opponents . History . Shadow troopers served the Galactic Empire during the Galactic Civil War , a major galactic conflict fought between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance . They were based off of their clone shadow trooper predecessors , a variant of the clone trooper s that served the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars . According to Admiral Gial Ackbar of the Rebel Alliance , shadow troopers were elite soldiers who were to be taken into account . Behind the scenes . Introduction into canon in " Star Wars Battlefront " . Shadow troopers first appeared in " Star Wars " canon in " Star Wars Battlefront " , a 2015 video game developed by EA DICE . The cards representing shadow troopers in " " , a 2013 digital card game based on the canonical continuity , were initially labeled " Shadow Stormtrooper , " but they were later changed to " Shadow Trooper . " Besides being an unlockable appearance customization in the multiplayer mode of " Star Wars Battlefront " , the shadow troopers only appear in the survival mode , where the player can play as one of the two rebel trooper s stranded in an area surrounded by Imperial forces . In the mode , shadow troopers are part of the incoming enemy waves whom the rebels need to hold off until their extraction . The same scenario can be played in various locations on the planet s Hoth , Sullust , Tatooine , or the Forest Moon of Endor . Although the promotional image for shadow troopers on the official " Star Wars Battlefront " website depicts a shadow trooper wielding a DLT - 19 heavy blaster rifle , the description of the image as well as the game itself explicitly state that they carried T - 21 heavy blasters . According to Dennis Brännvall , associate design director for " Star Wars Battlefront II " , it is unlikely that the shadow troopers will be included in the sequel game due to the addition of another black - colored stormtrooper — the death trooper . Origins in " Star Wars " Legends . All - black stormtroopers equipped with cloaking devices were originally introduced in the " Star Wars " Legends continuity , where they were known as " shadow stormtrooper s " or " Blackhole stormtroopers " and first appeared in the 1979 comic strip " Gambler ' s World " by Russ Manning . Additionally , the 2008 Legends video game " " introduced gray - colored stormtroopers with blue - lit plating who also possessed cloaking devices , identified as " Shadow Trooper s . "