HD-series assassin droid

The **HD-series assassin droid**, also known as the HD series protocol droid, was a series of combination of assassin droids and protocol droids. They are the successors to the ancient HK-series assassin droids that were prevalent during the Jedi Civil War and especially the First Jedi Purge. The series designation stands for “Hunter Destroyer,” befitting their primary functions as assassins.

The HD-series assassin droid was manufactured in 1002 ABY by the Sith Dominion shortly after their resurgence, the HD-series was based on the ancient HK-51 series assassin droid design.

The HD-series was optimized to be just as deadly in direct combat as in assassination, it is also specifically built to counter and kill Jedi and Imperial Knights although like their creator they recognize no difference between the two.

## Characteristics

HD-series assassin droids are designed to be lethally efficient assassins and to take great enjoyment and pride in their duties, they also excelled in direct combat and were ruthless fighters. Unlike their predecessors, they are programmed to be polite, cheerful, and friendly to their master and allies. HD-series assassin droids also lacked their predecessor model speech trait and generally did not vocally prefix their sentences with a word conditional describing the type of sentence that it was.

While capable of both precision assassinations and mass murders, HD-series assassin droids much preferred to assassinate singular targets who were difficult to hunt. They were foremost programmed for efficiency. They often referred to targets as “undesirables” or “troublemakers,” assassination/murder as “liquidation” or “deletion,” and those who would be alarmed if they discovered his true purpose as “polite company.”

## Abilities

HD-series assassin droids featured several improvements and upgrades over their HK predecessor models. Besides being more armoured and accurate than previous models, HD-series assassin droids were far more mobile and manoeuvrable. They are capable of faster and more fluid motions, almost able to replicate those of organic humanoids, perform leaps and combat roles.

HD-series assassin droid also had built-in weapons and equipment: wrist mounted micro-missile launchers, railguns, wrist blasters and a whipcord launcher, hidden smoke grenades, and a stealth field generator. They also carried a sniper rifle and a disruptor rifle, which was generally their weapon of choice.

Otherwise, they were armed with sonic screamers, plasma charges and gas mines that were mainly used against force-users, their plating featured military issue energy shields capable of resisting lightsaber strikes, they also had an integrated datapad and holocommunicator. Most HD-series assassin droids also carried a hidden vibroknife, but sometimes were seen with cortosis nano-weave vibroswords, but only when it was ensured that the droid would face off against a Jedi or an Imperial Knight.

A unique feature of the HD-series assassin droids were their feet, that were replaced with running blades, drastically increasing their top running speed and agility. Various combat droid programs and martial arts videos, were uploaded to the HD-series assassin droids that taught the HD-series assassin droids to better defend themselves. They were also outfitted with Self-repair systems, a type of sophisticated modification that allowed a droid to repair itself and remain functional even under great duress.

If all other options failed, HD-series assassin droid were implanted with a powerful explosive, which they could activate in a kamikaze attack to complete their missions. They could and would also use this explosive device if they were captured to erase any trace of themselves.

## Trivia

* The HD-series were originally created for the Enclave Canon, but were adapted for the Galactic Legends continuity.