Fallout 4 is, like most Fallout games, a game that is more defined by its companions than its main character. This entry in the series boasts a fairly large cast of potential allies, some of whom are more interesting than others. Because the game rewards you for building your relationships as you go, it’s tough to find time to unlock everything for every companion. As such, you can use this list to determine the Fallout 4 best companion for your playstyle.
Nick Valentine
Nick Valentine, synth sleuth extraordinaire, isn’t statistically the best companion in the game. Sure, he can hold his own in combat and he can help you out with hacking, but he’s totally middle of the road when it comes to the numbers. In terms of personality, though, he’s fantastic. He’s got the best backstory in the game and he’s absolutely vital for the best of the game’s DLC. As a bonus, you encounter him relatively early in the game, so you can actually keep Nick around through most of your adventures.
Curie
Curie’s a good candidate for Fallout 4 best companion if you find yourself low on health. This flying robot is less of a combat companion and more of a personal doctor, healing you and distributing precious stimpaks from time to time. If you level up your relationship enough, you’ll even get the benefit of being given 100 HP when you fall below 10% of your health. Even better, she’s got an awesome story. The only downside to Curie is that she’s got a flat amount of HP that doesn’t scale, which means that many players will find her a liability by the time they can actually make her a companion.
Macready
In all honestly, Macready is kind of a jerk. He’s your jerk, though, and that’s what makes him worthwhile. He’s incredibly good at scrounging, giving you ammo and even the occasional fusion core to power up your power armor. He also gives you a huge bonus to headshots in VATS, which makes him an incredibly efficient companion. He’s also one of the few that really works with an ‘evil’ character run, so you won’t have to watch your morality when you tote Macready around. If you can get past his personality, he’s a great asset.
Piper
Piper is one of the best options for leveling up a character. She gives a huge XP bonus to succeeding in charisma conversation checks and to exploring – exactly the kind of things that new players are going to find themselves doing early on. She’s got a great personality, a fun quest chain, and she doesn’t get on your nerves. While she’s probably not the best companion for combat, she’s certainly a lot of fun to keep around. Pick Piper if you want to explore what’s left of the Commonwealth without being annoyed by your companion.
Strong
The Super Mutant named Strong is a strong contender for best pure combat companion. With the highest HP and most of his SPECIAL stats in Strength and Agility, he’s a good companion for characters who tend to specialize in the more intellectual skills. He’s also got the highest carry capacity of any companion in the game, making him perfect for lugging around your spare power cores and heavy weapons. While he might only be able to use melee weapons himself, he’s a wrecking ball once he gets into close combat. He might not have much utility outside fighting, but he makes for a great bodyguard.
Danse
Danse is a Brotherhood of Steel Paladin, clad in powered armor and carrying a fantastic laser gun. He has great damage resistance that makes up for his so-so stats and even grants a perk that will give you a permanent damage boost to some of the Commonwealth’s toughest foes. What makes Danse so great, though, is his story. It’s hard to talk about him too much without spoiling a great part of the game, but suffice to say that Danse is much more than he seems on the surface. If you’re looking for ranged support, you simply won’t do better.
Dogmeat
Dogmeat isn’t a great companion by the numbers. In fact, he is statistically the worst companion in the game. He is, however, an awesome dog. He’s the best because he’s always loyal to the player character. Be good, be bad – whatever, he’s still your dog. Dogmeat also has the distinction of not counting as a companion when you use the Sole Survivor perk, allowing you to make use of some great bonuses without giving up a companion.