Fallout 4 Best Companion Rankings for 2026!

Latest Update: August 9, 2026 – Categories: Fallout 4

Whether you’re a Fallout 4 Veteran or starting the game for the first time, picking the right companion is essential to unlocking the best playthrough possible. In this updated list, we rank all companions for Fallout 4 and explain which companions are best for your build!

Fallout 4 Companion Overview

Fallout 4 offers a fantastic lineup of companions, each with their own strengths, weaknesses, unique abilities and personal story. Whether you prefer the brute force of Paladin Danse in heated combat situations or the scientific support of Curie, there’s a favorite companion to match every playstyle. The game’s vanilla companions, like Dogmeat and Cait, are known for their distinct personalities and the fresh challenges they bring to the table. Some companions, such as those from the Institute or Brotherhood, offer specialized perks that can turn the tide in battle or provide valuable utility. For example, pairing up with Dogmeat allows you to benefit from the Lone Wanderer perk, giving you extra carry weight and combat bonuses without sacrificing companionship.

Each companion’s storyline and ability add a new dimension to the game, ensuring that every playthrough of Fallout 4 feels unique and rewarding.

Fallout 4 Best Companion Rankings

If you’re looking for the best companion in Fallout 4 without wading through hours of gameplay testing, here’s the straightforward answer: Paladin Danse, Nick Valentine, and MacCready consistently rank at the top for their combination of combat effectiveness, useful perks, and genuine personality. That said, the “best” choice is arguably dependent on your character build and what you value most in a wasteland partner.

Rank	Companion	Role	Key Affinity Perk
1	Paladin Danse	Tank/Heavy DPS	+20% damage vs Ghouls, Super Mutants, Synths
2	Nick Valentine	Utility/Hacker	Faster terminal hacking, extra guesses
3	Robert MacCready	Sniper	+20% V.A.T.S. headshot accuracy
4	Deacon	Stealth	+20% sneak attack damage, +40% Stealth Boy duration
5	Curie	Support/Healer	Emergency heal when health drops below 10%
6	Dogmeat	Utility / Distraction	None, but player can still use Lone Wanderer perk
7	Piper Wright	XP Farming	Double XP from speech checks and new locations
8	X6-88	Combat/Institute	+20 energy resistance
9	Cait	Aggressive DPS	Faster AP regeneration at low health

These rankings weigh combat strength, perk utility, quest synergy, and personality depth. DLC companions like Old Longfellow and Porter Gage offer specialized benefits covered in later sections, but won’t outperform the core roster for most playthroughs.

How Companion Affinity & Perks Work In Fallout 4

Building a relationship between the player character and your companion in Fallout 4 isn’t just about having someone to boost your carrying capacity or shoot raiders. Affinity increases over time based on your dialogue choices and actions, and hitting maximum affinity unlocks each companion’s unique perk – a permanent bonus that sticks with you even after you dismiss them.

Here’s how affinity works in practice:

Piper likes generosity, honest dialogue, and helping the underdog
Paladin Danse likes Brotherhood-aligned actions and fighting synths
X6-88 likes ruthless efficiency and siding with the Institute
Cait likes selfish choices, lockpicking, and bold decisions
Strong likes cannibalism and violent solutions but dislikes chem use
Nick Valentine likes helping others and showing compassion to synths

Committing murder can anger companions and drop affinity by 10%.

You can only travel with one human or robot companion at a time, though Dogmeat operates separately and can sometimes accompany you alongside another ally (especially useful for players who want to stack the lone wanderer perk benefits). When you’re done with a companion, you can send them to specific settlements where they’ll act as guards or settlers.

Romance options exist for several companions including Piper, Curie, Cait, MacCready, Danse, John Hancock, and Preston Garvey. Romancing requires reaching maximum affinity and selecting the right dialogue options when prompted.

Companions can also use power armor without consuming a fusion core.

Fallout 4 Best Combat Companions Ranked

For players tackling higher difficulties or Survival mode, raw damage output and durability matter more than clever perks. This section covers the ultimate combat companions for Fallout 4 who can stand toe-to-toe with enemy hordes and actually survive the experience!

1. Paladin Danse – The Brotherhood’s Walking Tank

You’ll first meet Danse at the Cambridge Police Station early in the main questline, where he’s defending against a ghoul attack. After completing “Call to Arms” and progressing with the Brotherhood of Steel, you can formally recruit him as a companion. Danse’s personal quest involves a major story twist about his origins that many players find genuinely compelling. Without spoilers, it adds significant emotional depth and replay value. He pairs exceptionally well with stealth sniper builds where you need a frontline distraction, or alongside Brotherhood-aligned power armor characters who want a squad-style battle experience.

Paladin Danse Combat Role:

Default loadout: Modified laser rifle with heavy combat armor
Excels at mid-to-long range energy weapon combat
Putting him in power armor transforms him into one of the most durable companions in the game
Rarely goes down, even against Legendary enemies

Paladin Danse Affinity Perk – Know Your Enemy:

+20% damage against Feral Ghouls, Super Mutants, and Synths
These three enemy types dominate late-game encounters, making this perk incredibly valuable
Stacks with other damage bonuses for devastating effect

Paladin Danse Pros and Cons

Has heavy armor by default, and if you put him in power armor he becomes a walking tank.
Consistent Ranged Damage machine: perfect if you need a reliable frontline distraction.
Brotherhood commitment required: you have to engage the BOS questline to recruit and keep him, which doesn’t fit every playthrough

2. X6-88 – Institute Enforcer For Ruthless Builds

X6-88 becomes available only after gaining access to the Institute and completing “Mankind – Redefined.” This means siding with the Institute deep into the main quest, limiting his availability to specific playthroughs.

X6-88 Combat Strengths:

Precise ranged support with a powerful Institute laser rifle
Strong default armor and aggressive AI
Functions as a surgical, no-nonsense bodyguard
Ideal for players who want efficient, clean kills

X6-88 Affinity Perk – Shield Harmonics:

Shield Harmonics Perk: +20 energy resistance at max affinity
Synergizes well against Institute synths, Brotherhood energy weapons, and late-game laser turrets

X6-88 Pros and Cons:

Pro: Extremely combat-effective with minimal micromanagement needed
Pro: Energy resistance perk is universally useful
Con: No personal quest to speak of
Con: Emotionally distant personality—described by many players as “a cold killing machine”
Con: Dislikes kindness and charity, which can conflict with quest rewards

X6-88 suits players roleplaying as a cold pragmatist or Institute loyalist. He’s not your best friend material, but he gets the job done.

3. Dogmeat – FO4’s Best Combat Distraction

Dogmeat is available early (found at the Red Rocket Truck Stop) and stays useful longer than most players expect, especially on Survival mode where fights often go sideways fast. As your faithful dog companion, he won’t melt enemies like Danse, and he doesn’t come with an affinity perk, but he does something that matters just as much in real combat: he creates a distraction!

Dogmeat Combat Role:

Closes distance quickly and harasses targets, pulling aggro off you
Can grab and pin enemies, buying you time to land shots or heal
Great for chaotic fights where you need a moment to reload or reposition
Doesn’t require special gear management to be effective

Dogmeat Pros and Cons

Dogmeat is less about raw damage and more about control. He turns 2v1 and 3v1 situations into something manageable by keeping at least one enemy “busy” while you focus down priority targets. If you’re playing a squishier build, he’s basically an emergency brake. Plus he can fetch items that might be useful.

Note: Unlike other companions, Dogmeat doesn’t have an affinity perk, so if your ranking heavily rewards perks, that’s the tradeoff. In exchange, he’s one of the most reliable early-game combat companions you can grab. And yes, he’s a very good boy!

4. Strong – Super Mutant Bruiser For Melee Chaos

Strong is found in the quest “Curtain Call” at Trinity Tower, where you’ll rescue him along with Rex Goodman from super mutant captors. He immediately joins you afterward.

Strong’s Combat Role:

Pure melee juggernaut using boards, sledgehammers, or the Super Sledge
Massive HP pool makes him an excellent bullet sponge
Rushes enemies aggressively, drawing fire away from you

Strong’s Affinity Perk – Berserk:

+20% weapon damage when your health drops below 25%
Encourages reckless, aggressive gameplay
Pairs well with builds that can quickly restore health after risky encounters

Strong Pros and Cons

Strong will absolutely destroy any stealth approach—he charges in regardless
Best suited for players who embrace loud, chaotic combat
His dialogue is unintentionally hilarious (“Strong tired of this. Strong want to find milk of human kindness.”)
He dislikes chem use but appreciates cannibalism and ruthless decisions—a strange moral compass indeed

4. Custom Automatron & Ada – Build-Them-Yourself War Machines

The Automatron DLC introduces robot building, starting with the quest “Mechanical Menace” and the companion Ada. At the Robot Workbench, the game lets you create your automatron companion.

Building Your War Machine:

Combine parts from destroyed robots to create custom companions
You can customize every component, including the robot’s head, at the Robot Workbench
Available weapons include Gatling lasers, missile launchers, and devastating melee attachments
Heavy armor plating and sentry bot frames create near-unkillable tanks

Recommended Perks for Advanced Builds:

Robotics Expert
Science!
Gun Nut
Armorer

Pros and Cons

Robot companions have no affinity system or romance options
You’re trading stories and commentary from other companions for peak battle efficiency
Minimal banter means quieter exploration

A heavily armored sentry-bot frame paired with a sniper rifle build makes for devastating synergy—you drop enemies at range while your robot absorbs everything that gets close.

Best Companions For Stealth & Sniper Builds

Stealth or sniper characters face a unique challenge in Fallout 4: companions who charge into combat can ruin everything. The companions below won’t just rush in, and also offer perks that genuinely enhance sneak attack damage or V.A.T.S. accuracy.

Outfit these companions with suppressed weapons and light armor to minimize detection. The difference in gameplay is significant.

1. Deacon – Master Of Disguise For Stealth Players

Deacon becomes available after completing the Railroad quest “Tradecraft” and formally joining the faction. You’ll meet him at the Old North Church in Boston. Deacon frequently changes his appearance including his outfits, hair, glasses, etc, and lies constantly about his backstory. This provides some fun and mysterious banter during quests. Take him on Railroad missions, Institute infiltrations, and any high-sneak assassination runs for maximum thematic consistency.

Deacon Combat Strengths

Prefers suppressed rifles and pipe weapons
Stays at range rather than rushing enemies
Complements sneaky Sole Survivor builds perfectly

Deacon Affinity Perk – Cloak & Dagger:

+20% sneak attack damage
+40% Stealth Boy duration
One of the best perks in the game for stealth assassins

Deacon Pros and Cons

Best stealth perk for most builds: +20% sneak attack damage is always relevant, and +40% Stealth Boy duration is huge!
Great for “spy” playthroughs: Railroad missions, Institute infiltration, and any sneaky roleplay run feel more on-theme with Deacon than almost anyone else.
Easy to gear correctly: suppressed rifle + light armor
Can be inconsistent if you play super strict stealth: he’s better than most companions, but any companion can still do something dumb once combat starts.
If you hate his constant lying and act, he can get annoying fast, even if the perk is elite.

2. MacCready – The Wasteland’s Deadliest Sniper

Robert MacCready can be hired at The Third Rail in Goodneighbor for 250 caps (or 200 with a successful speech check). He’s a returning character from Fallout 3, the previous mayor of Little Lamplight, now all grown up. MacCready’s personal quest involves finding a cure for his son Duncan, adding genuine emotional weight to his recruitment. He prefers selfish but practical decisions, dislikes needless cruelty, and appreciates accurate shooting. Worth exploring if you want a companion who matches a mercenary playstyle.

MacCready Combat Strengths

Starts with a scoped rifle and excels at long range
Give him a suppressed sniper rifle or Gauss rifle and watch him work
Stays back and picks off targets methodically

MacCready Affinity Perk – Killshot:

Killshot Perk: +20% V.A.T.S. headshot accuracy
Dramatically increases kill potential for sniper builds
Makes one-shot kills far more consistent

MacCready Pros and Cons

Top-tier V.A.T.S. sniper perk: +20% headshot accuracy is one of the strongest Companion perks in the game.
Scales insanely well with the right gun: suppressed sniper rifle early, Gauss rifle late, and he stays relevant basically your entire playthrough.
Costs caps to recruit: so can be problematic if you don’t have enough money early on

Best Companions For Utility, Hacking & Lockpicking

Some companions shine not through damage output but through practical utility. If you hate investing perk points into Locksmith or Hacker, these allies bypass security throughout mid- and late-game locations.

1. Nick Valentine – The Detective Who Opens Every Door

Nick Valentine is first encountered during “Unlikely Valentine” at Park Street Station and Vault 114. After rescuing him and returning to Diamond City, he becomes a permanent companion option. Nick, an experienced detective and an old synth prototype, is also central to the main story, tracking down Kellogg and uncovering clues about your son. His noir-style dialogue and detective personality make any quest more interesting.

Nick Valentine Overview

Can hack terminals up to Expert level
Capable of picking locks depending on difficulty
Saves countless perk points for other builds

Nick Valentine Affinity Perk – Close to Metal:

–50% terminal lockout cooldown
+1 extra guess when hacking
Makes high-difficulty terminals significantly easier

Nick Valentine Pros and Cons

Great companion vibe: his dialogue makes random wandering feel like you’re in a Fallout noir spinoff.
Not as strong as combat companions like Danse or a custom Automatron when the bullets start flying.
Utility is situational – if you already run high Intelligence and take Hacker anyway, his biggest value drops.

2. Piper – XP Farming And Charisma-Focused Playthroughs

Piper Wright is met at the gates of Diamond City during “Story of the Century.” She becomes a companion after you agree to an interview for her newspaper, Publick Occurrences. Piper’s moral compass adds weight to your choices, she likes compassionate, honest decisions and supports synth rights. This aligns well with Minutemen or Railroad endings. She’s romanceable and taking her on early quests accelerates leveling dramatically.

Piper Combat Capability:

Mid-range fighter with rifles or pistols
Aggressive in battle but manageable for stealth hybrid builds with suppressed gear
Won’t break stealth as badly as Strong or Danse

Piper Affinity Perk – Gift of Gab:

Double Experience from successful speech checks
Double Experience from discovering new locations
Ideal for exploration-heavy or dialogue-focused runs

Piper Pros and Cons

Gift of Gab is one of the best “overall progression” perks in the game: double XP from speech and new locations is basically free levels just for playing normally.
Strong narrative fit for “good guy” runs: Minutemen/Railroad style choices feel natural with her, and the romance option is there if you want it.
Morality can be restrictive: if you’re doing an evil or selfish run, you’ll be fighting her likes and dislikes constantly.
Her perk is less exciting late game: once you’re high level it matters less than combat or damage perks.

3. Codsworth – Early-Game Helper With Solid Resistances

Codsworth is the first companion many players encounter, found near your house in Sanctuary Hills right after exiting Vault 111 during “Out of Time.” Codsworth prefers generous, law-abiding choices and dislikes addiction. He’s useful early in the game when you have barely anything, but lacks endgame viability. Consider him an excellent first companion before unlocking Danse, Deacon, or Nick, then reassign him to settlement defense duty.

Codsworth Combat Capabilities:

Built-in buzz-saw and flamer for close combat
Good durability against low-level raiders, ghouls, and bugs
Helps immensely when you’re under-geared at the beginning

Codsworth Affinity Perk – Robot Sympathy:

+10 damage resistance against robot energy weapons
Modest but useful against mechanist robots and certain late-game threats

Codsworth Pros and Cons

Great early-game body guard right out of Vault 111.
Solid “settlement buddy” long-term: even after you outgrow him as a field companion, he’s great to keep around Sanctuary as a guard.
Falls off hard later: once enemies scale up, his damage and durability stop feeling special compared to Danse, robots, or late-game companions.

Best Story-Driven & Romanceable Companions

For many players, story, personality, and romance matter more than raw DPS. Fallout 4 offers several standout narrative companions whose personal quests and emotional arcs rival content from games like Mass Effect in terms of character development.

Curie – From Robot Nurse To Synth Scientist

Curie is found in Vault 81, behind a secret area accessed during the quest “Hole in the Wall.” She begins as a Miss Nanny medical robot who has been conducting long-term research in isolation for centuries. Curie loves scientific curiosity, selfless acts, and helping others. She’s ideal for compassionate, intellectual playthroughs where you want a companion who shares your wonder at the world with a charming French accent.

Curie’s Transformation Arc:

Her consciousness can be transferred into a synth body at the Memory Den in Goodneighbor
This unlocks romance potential and deepens her character significantly
The emotional journey from naive robot to self-aware synth grappling with humanity is genuinely moving

Curie Affinity Perk – Combat Medic:

Once every 24 in-game hours, if your health falls below 10%, she instantly restores 100 HP
Acts as a lifesaving emergency heal for Survival mode or tough encounters

Curie Pros and Cons

Combat Medic is a great survival mode perk
Great fit for “good” and thoughtful playthroughs: she likes helping people, curiosity, and generally not being a wasteland menace.
Gated behind multiple steps: Vault 81 access, the quest path, and the Memory Den portion can make her feel “late” compared to early companions.

Cait – Raider Survivor With A Redemption Arc

Cait is found at the Combat Zone in downtown Boston, fighting in a cage match. Recruiting her involves clearing the area of hostile raiders and agreeing to travel together. Her personal quest involves curing her chem addiction at Vault 95, which significantly changes her outlook and dialogue afterward. Cait appreciates selfish, bold choices and lockpicking. She can be romanced after reaching high affinity and completing her quest.

Cait Personality:

Abrasive, sarcastic, and initially raider-like
Vulnerable side revealed through her drug addiction and tragic upbringing
One of the more complex character arcs in the game

Cait Affinity Perk – Trigger Rush:

Faster Action Point regeneration when your health drops below 25%
Ideal for aggressive, V.A.T.S.-heavy combat builds

Cait Pros and Cons

Trigger Rush perk is excellent for aggressive builds: AP regen at low health is perfect for V.A.T.S. brawlers
Affinity can be annoying if you play too “heroic”: she likes selfish and bold choices, so a pure good-guy run may clash.
One of the only companions that uses Melee Weapons well.
You’ll want to complete her quest for the full experience, otherwise she can feel unfinished.

Hancock – Goodneighbor’s Charismatic Ghoul Mayor

John Hancock becomes recruitable after completing “The Big Dig” in Goodneighbor at The Old State House. Hancock admires freedom, anti-authoritarian behavior, and standing up for the oppressed. His backstory of deliberately taking chems to become a ghoul gives depth to his revolutionary persona. He’s romanceable and provides entertaining commentary throughout the Commonwealth.

Hancock Combat Style:

Versatile close-to-mid-range fighter
Effective with shotguns or melee weapons
Decent survivability in most encounters

Hancock Affinity Perk – Isodoped:

+20% damage when you have 250 or more rads
Perfect for radioactive, high-risk builds or “Children of Atom” style characters

Hancock Pros and Cons

Isodoped perk is unique and powerful if you’re running high-rads or a Children of Atom style character, it’s basically free damage.
Big personality and replay value: he makes wandering the Commonwealth more entertaining.
Not great for combat – he’s solid, but he won’t outclass Danse, a robot build, or a tuned sniper companion.

Preston Garvey – Minutemen Leader

Preston is first met at the Museum of Freedom in Concord during “When Freedom Calls,” where he’s defending settlers from raiders. Despite the “Another settlement needs your help” meme that became a running joke in the Fallout series, Preston has a genuinely earnest, hopeful personality. He appeals to heroic player roles and can be romanced. He likes helping settlements, generosity, and siding with the Minutemen over authoritarian factions.

Preston Garvey’s Role:

Face of the Minutemen faction
Offers radiant settlement defense quests
Encourages rebuilding the Commonwealth

Preston Garvey Affinity Perk – United We Stand:

+20% damage and +20 damage resistance when facing three or more enemies
Highly useful during large-scale firefights and settlement attacks

Preston Garvey Pros and Cons

Best companion for a “rebuild the Commonwealth” run: if you’re doing Minutemen, settlements, and playing the hero, he fits perfectly.
Great for big chaotic fights: settlement attacks, open-world firefights, anything where enemies swarm.
If you don’t care about settlements, he loses a lot of relevance: his identity is tightly tied to that system.

Fallout 4 Best DLC Companions

Far Harbor and Nuka World each add a unique companion with a distinct personality and situational perks. These DLC companions offer specialized gameplay experiences that differ significantly from base-game allies.

Old Longfellow – Far Harbor’s Weathered Guide

Old Longfellow is first met in the Far Harbor DLC after arriving at the island. He guides you through the radioactive fog to Acadia during “Walk in the Park.” Longfellow appreciates self-reliance, direct solutions, and pragmatism. He dislikes excessive chem abuse despite his own reliance on alcohol. His character fits the harsh, melancholic tone of Far Harbor’s main narrative perfectly.

Old Longfellow Overview

Grumpy, world-weary, and fond of drinking
Deeply familiar with the island’s dangers and factions
Tragic backstory involving lost loved ones

Old Longfellow Affinity Perk – Hunter’s Wisdom:

Reduces damage from animals and sea creatures
Increases damage and energy resistances against Mirelurks, Fog Crawlers, and other wildlife
Essential for Far Harbor’s hostile environment

Old Longfellow Pros and Cons

Perfect fit for Far Harbor DLC with less damage from wildlife and better resistance versus Mirelurks and Fog Crawlers
Not a top combat carry outside his niche: he’s fine, but he’s not the answer if you’re looking for the strongest overall companion.
DLC gated: if you don’t own Far Harbor, he’s obviously not part of the conversation.

Porter Gage – Raider Strategist From Nuka-World

Porter Gage becomes available in the Nuka World DLC after surviving the Gauntlet and assuming control of the raider gangs in the park. Gage likes raider-aligned actions, intimidation, and profit-driven decisions. He’s ideal for evil characters or those exploring the Nuka World raider path. There’s a clear moral tradeoff when using him—you’re embracing the raider lifestyle rather than protecting settlements like the Minutemen would.

Porter Gage Role:

Seasoned raider advisor
Helps navigate internal gang politics
Guides settlement raiding mechanics

Porter Gage Affinity Perk – Lessons in Blood Perk:

Increased XP for kills
Extra damage after killing an enemy
Benefits aggressive, combat-heavy raider playthroughs

Porter Gage Pros and Cons

Lessons in Blood rewards aggressive play: more XP for kills plus extra damage after a kill.
great for raiders, awkward for players who want more dialogue, stealth, or non-lethal roleplay.
DLC gate plus timing: you have to commit to the Gauntlet and raider leadership path before he’s even available.

Fallout 4 Best Companion Overall Ranking By Playstyle

Rather than declaring a single winner, here’s how to match companions to your specific build and preferences:

Stealth/Sniper Builds:

Deacon for maximum sneak attack damage and Stealth Boy duration
MacCready for V.A.T.S. headshot accuracy
Outfit both with suppressed weapons for minimal detection

Power Armor/Heavy Gunner Builds:

Paladin Danse as a frontline tank with energy weapon synergy
Strong for melee chaos and damage absorption
Custom Automatrons for peak combat efficiency without personality

Pacifist/Utility Runs:

Nick Valentine to bypass security without perk investment
Piper for accelerated leveling through exploration
Curie for emergency healing in Survival mode

Evil/Raider/Institute Runs:

X6-88 for ruthless efficiency and energy resistance
Porter Gage for raider faction synergy
Cait and John Hancock for morally flexible playthroughs

Flex Spot/Any Build

Dogmeat for synergy with Lone Wanderer Perk

Choosing the Right Companion

Selecting the right companion in Fallout 4 is a key decision that can shape your entire gameplay experience. With each companion offering a different mix of combat prowess, perk benefits, and personal questlines, it’s important to consider what matters most to you. If you’re drawn to rich storylines, companions like Piper and Nick Valentine deliver engaging personal quests and memorable dialogue. For those who prioritize raw power in combat, Strong and Paladin Danse are hard to beat. The game’s world is vast, with new allies waiting in places like Far Harbor and even the legendary Little Lamplight, each bringing their own flavor to your journey. As you explore, remember that Fallout 4’s security service—much like a good companion—protects your experience from malicious bots, ensuring your verification successful message after performing security verification. Ultimately, the best companion in Fallout 4 is the one who complements your playstyle, enhances your quests, and makes every moment in the wasteland more exciting.

The Final Word

Rotate companions to unlock multiple companion perks, then dismiss them to settlements while keeping their passive ability bonuses permanently active. This lets you stack advantages from several allies simultaneously.

The “best” companion in Fallout 4 ultimately comes down to what matters most to you, whether that’s raw combat power, useful utility, compelling narrative, or simply having fun traveling the wasteland with someone whose personality you enjoy. Don’t be afraid to experiment and judge each companion by how they fit your playstyle!

Fallout 4 Best Companions FAQ

1. Do companion affinity perks stay active after you dismiss them?

Yes. Once you unlock a companion’s affinity perk it is permanent, even after you dismiss them to a settlement. This means you can cycle through multiple companions to unlock all their perks and keep every bonus simultaneously.

2. Can you use the Lone Wanderer perk with Dogmeat?

Yes, and this is one of the most powerful combinations in the game. Dogmeat does not count as a companion for the Lone Wanderer perk, so you keep the full bonus of extra carry weight and increased damage while still having him in the field with you.

3. How many companions can you have at once?

You can only have one human or robot companion active at a time. Dogmeat is the exception, as he can travel with you alongside another companion in certain situations.

4. Do companions need ammo for the weapons you give them?

Companions have unlimited ammo for their default weapon only. If you equip them with a different weapon you will need to supply ammo for it yourself, so stick to upgrading their default loadout rather than switching weapon types entirely.

5. Can companions die permanently in Fallout 4?

Most companions are flagged as essential and cannot be killed, only knocked down. On Survival mode this changes for some companions, and a downed companion who is left behind will eventually make their way back to the last settlement you dismissed them to.

6. Which companions can you romance in Fallout 4?

Piper, Curie, Cait, MacCready, Paladin Danse, John Hancock, and Preston Garvey are all romanceable. Reaching maximum affinity and selecting the right dialogue option when prompted unlocks romance for each of them.

7. What is the best companion for Survival mode?

Curie is the strongest Survival mode pick thanks to her Combat Medic perk, which automatically restores 100 HP once per 24 in-game hours when your health drops below 10%. Paladin Danse in power armor is the top choice if you need raw durability, since he becomes nearly impossible to kill and rarely goes down even against Legendary enemies.