15 Most Memorable NPC Companions (Not Villains)

NPC companions can greatly enhance your gaming experience, whether it’s by helping you solve puzzles, assisting in battles, or adding depth to the game’s story and side quests. This list focuses on helpful characters who join you on your journey, offer practical in-game benefits, and enrich quests – all while remaining allies. For each companion, we’ll detail their role, how they complement your playstyle, and where they truly shine within the game’s systems and missions.

Alyx Vance

Throughout the game, Alyx fights alongside Gordon, using intelligent AI to take cover and fire accurately. She can also hack into Combine technology to unlock new paths, activate equipment, and advance the story. In the first chapter, teamwork is key, with Alyx and Gordon relying on flashlights and coordinated attacks. Alyx isn’t a burden – she’s a valuable partner who also provides important story details and helpful clues to guide you.

Garrus Vakarian

Garrus is a skilled Turian ally who excels with sniper rifles and tech abilities, helping to control enemies and weaken their defenses. Completing his personal mission unlocks new skills and makes him a better fighter. Throughout the games, you can customize his abilities and equipment to focus on dealing damage from a distance or providing tech support. He also provides valuable information and helps with planning missions through his connections with C-Sec.

Dogmeat

Dogmeat uses his sense of smell to locate targets and hidden objects, and he can even bring you weapons or healing items when you’re in a fight. Thanks to certain perks, he doesn’t take up a companion slot, making him a useful addition to almost any character build. You can give him specific commands to position him, search areas, or highlight enemies. Having Dogmeat around also unlocks special crafting options and perks that are great for finding more loot.

Lydia

After completing the main quest in Whiterun, Lydia becomes your housecarl – a loyal companion who can carry extra items and fight alongside you in close combat. You can direct her to interact with the environment, like using objects or pulling levers, and position her strategically during battles. As you level up, Lydia grows stronger and you can equip her with improved gear to match your playstyle. When you don’t need her, you can easily dismiss her or send her back home.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth is a helpful companion who doesn’t need protecting. She provides ammo, health, and salts when you’re running low, and can open Tears to create cover, deploy turrets, or give you a better view of the battlefield, changing things up during fights. She can also pick locks to open up extra areas with useful upgrades and story items. While you explore, she subtly points out hidden loot, Voxophones, and important details in the environment.

Ellie

Ellie is a sneaky and resourceful teammate who uses thrown objects like bricks and bottles to distract enemies or create opportunities. She can quickly eliminate threats and alert you to dangers you might not notice. While exploring, she’ll highlight optional dialogue and hidden collectibles that reveal more about the game’s world. Unlike other close-combat weapons, her knife doesn’t wear down, making stealth missions easier and more reliable.

Atreus

Atreus assists in combat by shooting special arrows that can stun, shock, or inflict magical effects, allowing for powerful attack combinations. He also deciphers ancient runes and writings, offering clues to solve puzzles and discover secret areas. As you progress, you can unlock new abilities for Atreus, like summoning allies or controlling groups of enemies, which work well with Kratos’s fighting style. During boss battles, Atreus can interrupt enemy attacks and apply status effects, making it easier to defeat additional enemies and create openings for powerful attacks.

Midna

Midna gives Link the power to transform into a wolf and use special abilities like a heightened sense of smell to find hidden items. She also lets him quickly travel across Hyrule by warping between locations he’s discovered. During battles, Midna allows Wolf Link to powerfully leap onto multiple enemies at once. Plus, she offers helpful hints to solve puzzles in dungeons and progress the story.

Navi

Navi helps players focus on enemies or objects, making both fighting and navigating easier by keeping the camera centered. She provides helpful tips about enemy weaknesses and how to solve puzzles within each dungeon. Navi also points out important items and areas, guiding new players through the game. Finally, her targeting system makes it easier to understand and react to boss attacks.

Minsc and Boo

Minsc is a ranger who joins your party, skilled with two-handed weapons and having a strong connection with animals. He’s tough in combat and excels at close-range fighting, following the rules of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. You can control Minsc’s actions – telling him where to stand, when to use spells, and what items to use. His conversations and reactions can also influence how different groups see you and even change the course of quests.

Varric Tethras

Varric is a ranged damage dealer who fights with a crossbow, consistently dealing damage and weakening enemies. You can set up his behavior – where he stands, who he attacks, and what skills he uses – to work well with your tanks and mages. Completing his personal quests will improve his abilities and affect how the story unfolds based on your relationship with him. He also acts as a storyteller and investigator, uncovering clues and providing background information that adds depth to the game’s main and side stories.

Parvati Holcomb

Okay, so Parvati is seriously useful. Because she’s an engineer, she lets me pass skill checks when talking to people on my ship and at settlements – which is awesome because I can often talk my way out of fights or get better deals. In a firefight, her abilities are great for stunning enemies, giving me time to reload or get my team into better cover. Plus, if you do her loyalty missions, you get perks that help both her and me out. And honestly, just chatting with her on the ship often gives me hints about crafting and ship upgrades I’ll need for the next mission – super helpful!

Piper Wright

Piper offers a perk called Gift of Gab, which rewards you with extra experience points for successful conversations and finding new places. She prefers to use pistols and can be equipped to fight at any range you like. Because she’s a reporter, talking to her will uncover rumors about settlements and hints for new missions. Building a strong relationship with Piper unlocks special perks and allows her to help improve how you gather resources in your settlements.

Palico

Palicoes are AI companions that help you on hunts by healing you, setting traps, and distracting monsters with gadgets. You can customize how they help by equipping them with different tools like health sprays, flash bombs, or even a miniature volcano! They also automatically collect materials during hunts and find monster tracks, making investigations faster. Whether you’re playing with friends or by yourself, Palicoes consistently provide support, which is especially helpful since you don’t have much time to use items during a hunt.

Boomer

Boomer automatically marks enemies while scouting, displaying their location on your screen so your team can attack together. He can also quickly grab weapons from enemies, giving you a temporary break from their attacks. As a mercenary, Boomer works well with other hired team members, letting you create complex strategies. While you’re exploring, he provides constant benefits, helping you find and plan attacks on outposts and during random encounters.

Tell us about your favorite companions who aren’t villains! Share in the comments what made them so memorable – was it their special skills, or a particular quest you shared?

2025-11-19 01:18