Part of an advanced droid series, BX-series commando droids were advanced, sturdier versions of B1-series battle droids. They were programmed with improved combat tactics and battlefield awareness and equipped with glowing white photoreceptors. Captains and other high-ranking commando droids bore white identifiers on their heads and chests.

Due to a more compact head than the B1, commando droids could don Phase I clone trooper armor for infiltration missions. Their heavy armor improved durability and allowed them to withstand several direct hits from a DC-15A blaster carbine, though a point-blank headshot with an ELG-3A blaster pistol was capable of destroying one instantly. Additionally, commando droids were extremely agile and acrobatic, and were able to move and react much faster than a standard battle droid. They were even able to continue fighting after sustaining significant damage such as having their legs sliced off with a lightsaber, in contrast to standard B1 battle droids that could be defeated simply by knocking them over. For improved infiltration capabilities, commando droids were able to alter their vocabulators in order to imitate clone troopers. However, their awkward movements in the armor and atypical responses to orders (usually «roger, roger,» a common battle-droid response) meant that observant individuals could see through the ruse. Commando droids were also quite strong, as one was able to lift Clone Captain CT-7567 «Rex» up by his neck.Commando droids were skilled in melee combat, using vibroswords in close quarters as well as being very agile, able to leap and contort their bodies to avoid blasterfire and surprise enemies.

While they had numerous improvements over rank-and-file B1 battle droids, their production costs proved to be much higher, causing the B1 to continue to remain the standard infantry for the Confederacy.