Top 10 Fallout 4 Companions
Fallout 4 will never get old. After the launch in 2015, the game is still on the rise. If you are also still booting up for the Commonwealth, who is scavenging for funk and blasting mutants, then you will enjoy our new guide about the best Fallout 4 companions. They make endless hours of grinding and surviving in Wasteland easier. Quirky and useful, these AI-powered sidekicks are not just pack mules for your gear. They are the heart of the game with killer perks and can even steal the show when it comes to major plotlines.
The following guide will cover the top 10 companions in Fallout 4, no DLC included. This post is spoiler-free, with detailed and unbiased reviews of perks, too. Gran your Pip-Boy – the YaninaGames is rolling out.
Preston Garvey
Preston Garvey will strike you right in the heart at the very beginning. You fall into Concord, marauders all around, and this laser-musket-wielding pioneer pleads with you. Get that musket, get that inner minuteman, and he is yours forever. Preston is the perfect do-gooder, who never stops talking about another settlement that requires your assistance. It gets tiresome on the 50th time, but it makes you feel like a wasteland hero.
His perk, United We Stand, activates at full affinity and hits the enemy with additional damage based on the number of enemies nearby. You can call it a crowd-control booster – just the thing in those raider camps when you are outnumbered.
Try taking him on settlement tours; his commentary is priceless, as a sour tour guide pointing out your leaky roofs.
Romance? No, he’s all business. However, when you are into role-playing the noble survivor, Preston is your jam. Simply shut him up on long walks, or you will find yourself on the side of the Institute, to quiet him down.
MacCready
Robert Joseph MacCready is your man when you want a sniping legend with a heart. Being an ex-mayor of Little Lamplight, who is a battle-scarred mercenary with a child he is taking care of. Take him to the Memory Den in Goodneighbor by paying 250 caps. In return, you will receive non-stop jokes about your fashion or your need to sleep. Fallout classic – he has a hard shell and soft core.
Killshot is his affinity perk. It inflates headshot hits by 20-40% depending on your level with him. Sniper constructions make him a ghost – sniping heads without even raising a sweat.
He is also romanceable, which is entertaining if you are into charismatic wandering men.
A tip – he can pick locks like a boss to raise his affinity, being a man of shady dealings. In case you like friends who turn into jerks and then become bros, MacCready is a solid ten.
Dogmeat
Yes, Dogmeat is not a human being, but in a game where everybody is a synth and a ghoul, who the hell cares? You bump into this raggedy German Shepherd whining around the Red Rocket Truck Stop early on, and it is as easy as blowing a whistle to get him aboard. No dialogue trees, no affinity grind, he is just there, tail wagging, to bring you your fusion cores.
His perk is Search and Retrieve, which allows this good boy to pick things off corpses without you having to dig through radiated intestines. The final boost of morale, Dogmeat is the ultimate – there is no better way to spend the time than watching him tear a mole rat as you drink Nuka-Cola.
Unlimited fidelity is what this companion is all about. Among chatterers, Dogmeat is the silent hero that will make you remember why Fallout has soul.
Paladin Danse
Paladin Danse is the Brotherhood of Steel in the flesh. He is stoic, armored, laser-obsessed with the mission of cleansing mutants. Get him during the quest at the Cambridge Police Station, where he is already fighting ferals. All about duty and honor, he drops lines that make you stand a little higher.
Know Your Enemy is his perk – 20-30% more damage to humans, synths, super mutants, and beasts. Any build, melee, or guns are good for them. He is flexible as hell. Max affinity opens a chat that is capable of bending your playthrough, particularly when you are BOS-aligned.
Female Sole Survivors can be romanced, and it has the forbidden-soldier feel.
Drawback? He is judgmental of crimes. If you are into pickpocketing, you get an instant disapproval. However, when it comes to organized workouts, the tank you didn’t know you needed is Danse.
Deacon
Deacon is like a king of deception. During the Railroad intro, you bump into him in the Old North Church while he is wearing a disguise of a random ghoul (classic). And there he is, your darker guide on synth hunts and safehouse tours. He is a walking conspiracy theory personality-wise, with his sunglasses and fake beards, and endless tall tales. It is as though you had a friend who moonlights as a spy novelist.
At full affinity leveled up, the Cloak and Dagger perk increases sneak attack damage by 20%. The sneak buildings are happy – it makes you a ghost killer.
Romance? No, but the bromance is at its highest point. If you follow a train of cars with him sometimes, you will hear him rave away for hours.
The professional tip – speak like a carpet and veracity wearies his verse. Deacon is the friend who makes any shadow a suspect, and fun, if Fallout 4 lore is your catnip.
Cait
In Combat Zone, a raider cage fight, Cait enters the scene in the wrong way. Drag her out, and you have an Irish brawler, foul-mouthed and a thrill-seeker and a trainwreck all in one. She has no filter, too – she will name you a chemistry addict or hype your VATS murders like a hype man at a cage match. The act of recruiting her turns the story of the hard facade around. Behind the machismo is a survivor fighting to redeem himself.
Cranks that harm human males 5-20 times more than normal, but her actual advantage is Thick-Skinned: +25% unarmed and melee damage protection when she is with you.
Combine that with power fists, and you are a walking blender. Love her, and it sinks deep into the addiction themes, the dirty, life-stuff that sticks.
She has a chaotic good heart. Cait is gritty glory to players.
Curie
In Vault 81, Curie begins as a robot, Miss Nanny, who spends her time in a lab working on irradiated goo. Take off that pod, and she replaces her French-accented robo-chassis with a synth body – talk about a glow-up. She is nothing but innocent curiosity, fawning over any radstorm or deathclaw as though it were a Nobel discovery. Curie is an optimist in a cynical world.
Her perk, Combat Medic, heals you 100 HP when you are low on health. A real game-changer in rough scrabbles. Affinity reaches the limit of science-based conversations and assisting people, opening up an emotional adventure. Kissable, and it is so cute and clumsy – she is a robot learning to hug.
In the case of builder or explorer types, Curie is the friend who makes the deserted place look… optimistic.
Hancock
John Hancock – named after the Declaration dude, but so much cooler. He is the mayor of Goodneighbor, a chem-head ghoul with a tricorn hat, preaching liberty on his balcony. Get him hooked by striking the Third Rail, talk him up, and he will go along.
His personality is like a charisma bomb. He is dropping historical zingers, raging against the Man (or the Institute), and even going out there now and then to get high.
Hancock has your back in VATS: +20% damage to limbs. Break the arms of those raiders before they strike, and you will see battles turn your way.
Max Affinity is immersed in his pre-ghoul history – an intense, identity-shattering stuff. Make him fall in love with that rockstar rebel attitude, it is electric.
He is judgmental about settling down, and therefore, in case you are a raider type, he will bail out. But Hancock, the vibe curator, makes every dive bar a revolution.
Nick Valentine
It is Nick who makes most of us play Fallout 4 over and over again in single-player mode. You save this trench-coated synth detective of the Triggermen of Vault 114, and he becomes an instant film noir buddy. He has that smoky voice, fedora tilt, and a backlog of 200-year-old cases that make the mean streets of Diamond City poetic. He will philosophize and hot-wire a turret.
Close to Metal is his perk – +10% damage and +10% XP against synths. Institute runs are a breeze thanks to his perk. The development of affection is based on detective investigation and anti-prejudice atmosphere – it results in a gut-punch quest.
There is no romance (he is engaged, sort of), but the fidelity is indestructible. Nick is a for story chaser, he makes quests epic.
Piper Wright
No contest to Piper Wright. You find her in Publick Occurrences, in Diamond City, pounding out stories on her typewriter as her sister Nat evades truancy cops. Get her by playing along with her expose antics. She is tough, ink-streaked, and puts BS on everybody, including you. She calls you Blue, and you are headlining with her next.
Piper’s perk is Operator: +10% XP from persuasion checks. But the real gold is her companion bonus: +1 Charisma and +10% XP from speeches. It’s subtle, but important – better barters, smoother quests, faster levels.
Max affinity unlocks “Story of the Century”, a Diamond City deep-dive that’s tense as hell. Romance her for witty pillow talk and family feels – it’s the healthiest “love” option in the game.
She’s judgmental about lies, but generous with truth. Piper embodies Fallout’s spirit – question authority, chase truth, print it loud.
Piper definitely shines among all FO4 companions. For example, watch this video to see her positive sides compared to other available sidekicks.
The Best Fallout 4 Companions – Perks in Comparison
To help you squad up smart, here’s a table breaking down the essential perks of Fallout 4 companions. Focused on base game for purity – DLC adds like Ada or Gage are bonuses, but we’ll touch on them some other time.
| Companion in FO4 | Where to Find | Max Affinity Perk | Perk Benefit | Romance Option |
| Preston Garvey | Concord | United We Stand | +20-50% damage vs groups | No |
| MacCready | Goodneighbor | Killshot | +10-40% headshot critical damage | Yes |
| Dogmeat | Red Rocket | Search & Retrieve | Fetches items from bodies | NO! |
| Paladin Danse | Cambridge Police Station | Know Your Enemy | +20-30% damage vs specific enemies | Yes (Female Only) |
| Deacon | Old North Church | Cloak & Dagger | +20% sneak attack damage | No |
| Cait | Combat Zone | Black Widow | +5-20% damage vs males; melee resist | Yes |
| Curie | Vault 81 | Combat Medic | Auto-heal 100HP when health is low | Yes |
| Hancock | Goodneighbor | Personal quest | No unique combat perk | Yes |
| Nick Valentine | Vault 114 | Close to Metal | +10% damage & XP vs synths | No |
| Piper Wright | Diamond City | Operator | +10% XP from persuasion/speeches | Yes |
If you want to get a better glimpse at Fallout 4 companions in comparison, check this Reddit thread with interesting thoughts and discussions among passionate fans.
Fallout 4 Companions and The Best Builds
Surely, finding a companion in FO4 is mostly about getting extra active and passive perks in addition to your character’s build in Fallout. Most of the companions we’ve reviewed shine for a certain build due to the set of perks:
- Piper Wright is the best for charisma/dialogue build.
- Nick Valentine is better for anti-Institute runs.
- Deacon will do for stealth/sneak builds.
- MacCready is a great headshot specialist and sniper.
- Cait is picked for melee brawler builds.
- Curie stands out for survival/tank builds.
- Preston Garvey shines in a group combat.
Top 5 Fallout 4 Companion Perks That’ll Change Your Game
These aren’t just bonuses. They’re the reason you grind affinity instead of fast-traveling everywhere. Here’s our picks for the most OP:
- Operator (Piper). That extra XP from charming your way out of fights? Levels you up faster than chugging Mentats. Dialogue queens, this is your secret sauce.
- Killshot (MacCready). Headshots hitting crits 40% more? Turns any rifle into a laser beam. Sniper nests will never be the same.
- Combat Medic (Curie). Do you have low health? Free heal. It’s like having a pocket doc – survival mode lifesaver, no cap.
- Cloak & Dagger (Deacon). Sneak attacks are 20% deadlier. Stealth runs go from tense to Terminator.
- Know Your Enemy (Danse). Do you need to add up to 30% more damage to mutants and synths? BOS power fantasy unlocked. Every enemy type feels squishier.
FAQ
Can you have more than one companion at a time?
No, the base game limits you to one humanoid sidekick and Dogmeat. Mods of Fallout 4 fix that, letting you run a full posse. Handy for settlement hauls without the solo slog – it is a total game-changer for builders.
What’s the fastest way to max affinity?
Spam their likes – help settlers for Preston, lie for Deacon. Equip any preferred gear to hit 1000 points quickly. Avoid hates like murder for do-gooders. Perks unlock fast, and they are worth the role-play tweak.
Are there consequences for dismissing Fallout 4 companions?
Affinity sticks, so no reset worries. But ignore quests too long, and they might bail permanently – like Cait if you’re too clean. Keep chats flowing; wasteland bonds break easily.
Which companion is best for combat?
Danse for tanky power armor support, Cait for melee frenzy. The best sniper is MacCready. They all shine with the right perks, turning scraps into cakewalks. Experiment to find what suits you best!
Can you romance multiple companions in FO4?
One at a time, but switching resets the meter. Piper’s chill, Cait’s jealous – drama queens for sure. Fun for soap opera runs, but stick to one for clean affinity gains.
Do DLC companions work with base game perks?
Yep, Ada from Automatron slots in with her own hackable perks. While Longfellow brings shotgun swagger. They mix seamlessly, expanding your crew without breaking the Commonwealth flow.
Conclusion
There you have it – our top 10 Fallout 4 companions – from loyal pups to truth-bomb reporters. They turn a post-apoc shooter into a buddy-cop epic, and with mods or next-gen updates keeping the engine humming, they’re timeless. Don’t sleep on DLC ones like Old Longfellow for Far Harbor’s foggy vibes or Porter Gage for Nuka-World’s raider rush. Ultimately, the “best” is your playstyle: sneak with Deacon, brawl with Cait, or philosophize with Nick. It is up to you to decide.
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