The Outer Worlds Companions Guide | The Best Companions Ranked

Companions and their related quests are some of the best parts of The Outer Worlds. Besides providing company, helping you finish specific quests, or assisting in combat, these NPCs come with unique perks, skills, abilities, and other benefits, such as enlarging your inventory space.

However, not all The Outer Worlds companions are made equal. You cannot romance any of them, but some are still more likable or useful than others. At the end of the day, your favorite companion might come down to personal choice, but this The Outer Worlds companion guide ranks your potential sidekicks based on all general aspects—usefulness, stories, personality, skills, and similar criteria.

6 SAM

We’re not discriminating based on the fact that SAM is the only non-human companion, but compared to the rest, this robot has a personality that is somewhat… too robotic. Still, if you want raw power and the most efficient combat assistance, you can count on SAM and his Decontaminate ability. Even though SAM stands for Sanitation and Maintenance, this machine can do some serious damage before cleaning it all up.

5 Nyoka

Nyoka Ramnarim-Wentworth III. With a name like that, you would expect a bit more than a drunk huntress. Okay, that might be a bit too harsh, but the writing for her character feels lacking at times, especially when compared to companions like Vicar Max or Parvati.

She comes with the skills Lie, Medical, and Sneak. She also has a special ability called Barrage that allows her to use her LMG and deal some significant damage to the target, setting the foes nearby on fire.

4 Ellie

A child of wealthy socialites turned adventurer—what’s not to like? Her specific background gives her a cold, disillusioned feeling, but that also provides for some of the best dialogue exchanges in the game. She’s the cool chick, constantly on the run from anything too touchy-feely, which makes her that much more endearing. Even though her skills don’t rank so well against those of other companions, she’s a fine pick.

3 Felix

There are two main reasons why Felix ranks rather high on our list—his lovable personality (despite his evident lack of reason and proclivity for trouble) and his Dropkick ability, which provides some comic relief during intense fights.

His skills go hand in hand with his stowaway reputation. Be brings Persuade, Sneak, and Lockpick to the table and an additional 20% damage to Corporate Military because he hates the establishment.

2 Vicar Max

Maximillian DeSotto is a man of faith, but he’s not your typical empathetic vicar. He has a prickly personality and can be quite arrogant, but the power of his special ability Trickshot is undeniable.

It might be somewhat controversial placing him so high on this list, as he may seem rather unlikable. But as you get acquainted with his backstory more and see how useful he is, you might change your opinion.

1 Parvati

Parvati Holcomb provides some rare and long overdue representation for asexual people in video games, but representation is not the only reason why she takes first place on our list. Her personality is super sweet and likable because she’s useful yet modest, shy even.

If you want to focus on the practical side, Parvati’s Overload ability is something that can come in handy in so many different situations. Through this skill, she shocks enemies and automechanicals, even the big ones. And her Persuade, Lockpick, and Engineering skills don’t hurt either.

There you have it—our ranking of all available companions in The Outer Worlds. Let us know in the comments who your favorite sidekick is, and check out our other related guides, including How to Start The Outer Worlds — Peril on Gorgon DLC and our guide to the endings of the Peril on Gorgon DLC.