Outer Worlds Companions - Locations, Perks, Side Quests, Romance

Companions are a central part of Outer Worlds. They’re your sidekicks, your friends and your family. There are five of them, each with a distinct personality, and they all contribute in different ways, both with their combat styles and their perks. Every one has a side quest of their own as well, which will allow you to get to know them better if you complete it. Our Outer Worlds companions guide will show you where to find them, which perks and bonuses they offer, and how to start their side quests.

How to romance companions?

You can’t. Games of this kind usually allow you to start romantic relationships with the people closest to you, but not the Outer Worlds. It’s all work and no fun here. You’ll have to look for gratification of that kind elsewhere.

Parvati

Parvati is the first companion you’ll get. You’ll find her at the Saltuna Cannery in Edgewater – just follow the main quest until the game lets you recruit her. Her companion quest is called Drinking Sapphire Wine, and it includes introducing her to another character who she’ll fall in love with. Here’s what you get when you take her out with you:

• Ability: Overload (slams the ground with her hammer and deals AoE damage, shocks and stuns enemies)
• Skills:
  • Persuade
  • Lockpick
  • Engineering
• Perks:
  • Bonus Support Engineering (+10 Engineering when she’s in the party)
  • Mod Finder (+10% chance to extract mods when she’s in the party)
  • Synchronicity (get 25% of your Time Dilation gauge back when she uses Overload)

Vicar Max

You’ll find the padre in the church in Edgewater. You’ll have to complete The Illustrated Manual side quest to get him on board. His personal quest is called The Empty Man, and it’ll take you on a ride across the system in pursuit of someone who can translate the mysterious text. Here are the benefits of dragging him around:

• Ability: Spiritual Blast (he lowers the target’s resistances, shoots them and knocks them down)
• Skills:
  • Intimidate
  • Hack
  • Science
• Perks:
  • Bonus Support Hack (+10 Hack when he’s along for the ride)
  • Sermon (+20% Dialog Combat Effect Duration when he’s present)
  • Mad Max (+20% Science weapon damage for everyone when he’s around)

Ellie

Ellie is a medic, and she can be recruited from the medbay at the Groundbreaker. You’ll need to complete the Worst Contact side quest first. Her own personal quest (The Low Crusade) involves listening in on a conversation between her and her mum and dad. On the upside, she contributes the following:

• Ability: Quick Draw (she draws her pistol and starts fanning, precisely hitting a number of targets)
• Skills:
  • Lie
  • Medical
  • Engineering
• Perks:
  • Bonus Support Medical (+10 Medical when you take her with you)
  • First Responder (+20% Inhaler heals when she’s in the party)
  • CPR (fatal damage instead heals you for 25% of your health, but there’s a 5 minute cooldown)

SAM

SAM is a robo-janitor. He’s going to be present on the Unreliable from the start, gathering dust near the crew quarters. You’ll need to fix him up before he can join you. Complete The Cleaning Machine and he’ll join the roster.

• Ability: Decontaminate (he jumps and slams the ground, dealing AoE damage and spraying everyone with acid)
• Skills:
  • Intimidate
  • Hack
  • Science
• Perks:
  • Bonus Support Intimidate (+10 Intimidate)
  • Cleaner (-20% negative reputation for killing people)
  • Bad Samaritan (he does +20% damage to Automechanicals)

Felix

Felix can be found on the Groundbreaker – he’ll approach you the first time you try to leave. He’s a bit desperate, so you don’t have to do anything to recruit him. His personal quest is called Friendship’s Due, and involves a letter from an old friend, which seems to be luring Felix into a trap. Here are his bonuses:

• Ability: Dropkick (he jumps into the air and slams the target with both feet)
• Skills:
  • Persuade
  • Lockpick
  • Sneak
• Perks:
  • Bonus Support Persuade (+10 Persuade skill when Felix is in your party)
  • Bootlickers! (he deals +20% damage to cowering enemies)
  • Rebellion (all of you deal +20% damage to corporate military)

Nyoka

You’ll find Nyoka in Stellar Bay during the main story, and you’ll have to sober her up using either persuade or a caffeine pill. Her story involves completing a side quest called Star-Crossed Troopers, in which you track down what remains of her old crew. Here’s what she can offer you:

• Ability: Barrage (she shoots her LMG and sets a bunch of folks on fire)
• Skills:
  • Lie
  • Medical
  • Sneak
• Perks:
  • Bonus Support Lie (+10 Lie when she’s present)
  • Hunter (-20% footstep sound radius)
  • Exterminator (she deals +20% damage to creatures)