Since the original Fallout launched in 1997, companions have been an integral part of the series’ gameplay and story. While not all of them are hits (we’re looking at you, Myron), many companions have become fan favorites, especially as the developers have fleshed out their storylines with personal quests.
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There have been nearly 50 companions across all of the Fallout games, but we’re only interested in ranking the best of the best. Here are the ten best companions in the Fallout series.
Honorable Mention: Dogmeat
A version of Dogmeat has been in almost every Fallout game. It’s always a different dog, making it hard to rank him on the list, but it’s worth noting that it’s almost not a Fallout game if Dogmeat isn’t involved. He’s undeniably important. We just didn’t want to do the mental math of ranking several different versions.
10) Tycho – Fallout 1
Some might want Ian on this list as the first companion you can recruit in the original Fallout, but Tycho is the better character. His grandfather was a Texas Ranger, and he’s learned everything there is to know about survival, weapons, and combat from his family. With his vast knowledge of vaults and pre-War military bases, he is an important source of info for the Vault Dweller. Tycho was a great way to show Fallout fans what companions would become across the series’ long history.
9) Curie – Fallout 4
When you first meet Curie, she’s a Miss Nanny robot, but you can help her put her consciousness into a synth body to help her with her medical pursuits. It’s a touching story that represents some of the best character work in Fallout 4, but it’s worth noting that she’s a great partner in the field, especially if you max out her affinity to get her Combat Medic perk that instantly heals you once per day when your health falls below 10%.
8) Lily Bowen – Fallout: New Vegas
There have been several memorable super mutant companions over the years, but Lily is near the top of that list. Technically, she is a Nightkin, which is a group of elite super mutants created by the Master. However, Lily is a bit different because she was 75 years old when she was given FEV and turned into a nightkin.
When you meet her, she’s taking anti-psychotic drugs that help block out the voice of “Leo,” who tells her to do “terrible things.” However, when she takes the medication, her long-term memory goes away. She doesn’t want to lose the memories of her grandchildren, and stops taking the full dose. You have to help her decide if she’s going to continue with the meds or not, making for one of the more gut-wrenching decisions of New Vegas.
7) Goris – Fallout 2
When most players first see a Deathclaw, they run away in abject terror. Which is a fair response, unless that Deathclaw is Goris. In Fallout 2, you can meet up with an intelligent Deathclaw who is a budding scholar. He wears large, brown robes to disguise his appearance, though he’s not afraid to toss them off when joining a battle. While other companions have much more affecting stories, you can’t get a more powerful ally than a Deathclaw.
6) MacCready – Fallout 4
We love a redemption story. You first meet MacCready as the 12-year-old mayor of Little Lamplight in Fallout 3. By the time you meet him in Fallout 4, he’s grown up from being a foul-mouthed rascal into a young father. During your journey together, you can help him find the cure for his son Duncan, earning MacCready’s forever trust.
5) Marcus – Fallout 2
Marcus was a dedicated follower of the Master in the original Fallout, though you never see him in the original game. By Fallout 2, he’s working as the sheriff of Broken Hills alongside his friend Jacob, a knight of the Brotherhood of Steel. He joins the Chosen One’s party to help end the threat of the Enclave. Marcus later moves to the Mojave Wasteland and establishes Jacobstown, where players can meet up with him again in Fallout: New Vegas.
4) Fawkes – Fallout 3
When you meet Fawkes in Fallout 3, you’ll quickly note how smart he is compared to the rest of the super mutants in the Capital Wasteland. He quickly becomes one of the best companions, thanks in no small part to how great he is in combat. While the number of weapons you can give him is limited, if he can use it, he’ll use it well.
On top of all that, he also plays an important part in Fallout 3‘s endgame. As a radiation-resistant companion, he can safely start the purifier (as long as you have the Broken Steel DLC installed). Rightfully, the game brands him as a “True Hero” for this act.
3) Veronica – Fallout: New Vegas
Veronica was born into the Brotherhood and has been groomed to become a scribe since her earliest days. However, when you take her on as a companion, she begins to see another life for herself. She even remembers her love for Christine Royce, which was stopped by Elijah in the name of “reproduction.”
She proves to be one of the most well-written and rounded characters in Fallout’s history. Her story is filled with nuance and demonstrates the difficulties of living under the Brotherhood of Steel’s rules. And, she does it all with her trademark sharp humor and upbeat attitude.
2) Nick Valentine – Fallout 4
Nick Valentine is, in many ways, the main companion of Fallout 4. That means he has a ton of character development through his questline, including his starring role in the Far Harbor DLC.
During your travels with Nick, you slowly learn that he is one of two prototype Gen 2 synths who implanted himself with an artificial personality based on recordings of pre-war humans. His “brother,” DiMA, was allowed to develop his own personality, which caused Nick much distress upon uncovering the truth about his origin.
Even without the intriguing backstory that helps develop Nick as a character, he’s a great companion. It was such a good choice to add a film noir-like detective into the post-apocalypse, and Nick has easily become a fan favorite.
1) Craig Boone – Fallout: New Vegas
When you meet Boone, he quickly proves himself to be an adept marksman who excels at combat. That, on its own, isn’t enough to catapult him to the top of this list, but he’s one of the strongest companions to have at your back when things get hairy.
However, the reason we have Boone at the top of his list is that he’s one of the most tortured companions you meet and still able to find the good in the Wasteland. The Bitter Springs Massacre was deeply affecting for Boone and eventually led him into the arms of his wife, Carla.
Unfortunately, Legion slavers took Carla from under Boone’s nose. His pregnant wife was sent to be sold by the group, but Boone decided to end her life with a bullet before she had to endure what was coming.
Thankfully, you’re able to help him get some level of revenge through his personal quest, but Boone’s story remains one of the most memorable tales the Fallout series has ever given us.
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Image courtesy of Netflix
