The Outer Worlds 2 VALERIE Companion Guide

Discover VALERIE (or Val), the Outer Worlds 2 companion as we dive into How to Recruit, Perks, Quest, Best Builds, equipment and weapons!

VALERIE Companion Introduction

Val is an advanced automech drone that works alongside Niles, representing the Earth Directorate’s technological edge. Though not a humanoid companion, Val offers unique technical support and combat capabilities. Like all companions in The Outer Worlds 2, Val comes with her own unique abilities, background, equipment preferences, and faction alignment. As the player, you’ll shape Val’s story through combat, dialogue, and key choices.

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How to Recruit VALERIE

There is no need to recruit VALERIE as this robot ally comes with your starting party which also includes Niles. Though VAL will be in your party at the start of the game you can choose to send her back to your ship at any time. You cannot remove VAL from your party as you can with the other 5 Companions as she is crucial to some developing plots and game mechanics throughout the game such as Advanced Lockboxes.

VALERIE Abilities

VALERIE’s unique Companion Ability is called Emergency Protocols which can apply healing effects and defensive bonuses to the player.

They also have two unique traits: Life Inject Module, which can heal a low health party member, and Integrated Bypass Repair, which gives the player a chance to preserve bypass shunts when hacking.

Emergency Protocols (Companion Ability)

VALERIE fires a volley of syringes with healing drugs at you, applying a strong heal-over-time effect and granting massive damage reduction for a short duration.

VALERIE’s ability must be fully charged for it to be activated.

Life Inject Module (Companion Trait)

When a party member gets low on health, VALERIE fires a syringe of healing drugs that heals on impact. Has a cooldown between uses.

Integrated Bypass Repair (Companion Trait)

While VALERIE is in the party, they have a chance to preserve your bypass shunts when hacking.

VALERIE Perks

Companions can choose one of two perks every five levels, up to level 30. This gives Companions a total of 6 perks which define their build and playstyle.

VALERIE can choose from the following perks in The Outer Worlds 2:

Level	Perks
5	Armor Operation Party members affected by VALERIE’s Life Injection Module trait receive a moderate amount of armor bonus for a moderate duration. Armor Rating +10	Restoration Operation Whenever VALERIE uses her Life Injection Module trait, all other party members (including herself) are also healed for a moderate amount. Heals 20% Health instantly
10	Integrated Mag-Pick Repair VALERIE grants your mag-picks a chance to be preserved on use, letting you use them again.	Salvaging Tools Gain a chance to gain additional crafting resources when breaking down items with VALERIE in the party. 20% chance to double items on Breakdown
15	Strength Supplement Module VALERIE will fire a syringe containing a powerful stimulant at you when in melee range of an enemy, healing you for a small amount and temporarily increasing your melee damage and movement speed. Has a cooldown between uses. +20% Melee Damage and Movement Speed for 8s Heals 10% Health instantly Cooldown: 15s	Fortitude Supplement Module VALERIE will fire a syringe containing a powerful drug at you when suffering a hostile effect, immediately clearing all hostile status effects and healing you a small amount. Has a cooldown between uses. Clear all active hostile status effects Heals 10% Health instantly Cooldown: 15s
20	Enhanced Emergency Protocols After being healed by VALERIE’s companion ability, you are immune to all damage for the duration, rather than gaining a bonus to damage reduction.	Preparation Protocols While you are at full health, VALERIE’s companion ability recharges significantly faster.
25	Vitality Catalyst While VALERIE is in the party, any over-healing you receive is converted into temporary health that degrades slowly. This includes healing from VALERIE, your medical inhaler, and any other source of healing.	Preservation Catalyst While VALERIE is in the party, you and your companions will automatically heal, regenerating up to 50% of their max health.
30	Prolonged Defenses When the player is healed by VALERIE’s companion ability, the player also gains a buff to armor for the remainder of combat. (Does not stack if applied multiple times). Armor Rating +20	Prolonged Restoration When the player is healed by VALERIE’s companion ability, the player also gains a regeneration effect for the remainder of combat. (Does not stack if applied multiple times). 1% Health per second

Val’s Quest & Rewards

While Val might not have a traditional “companion quest,” it could feature as a sub-plot in Niles’ story. Rewards might include improved drone upgrades or unique tech perks. Val’s companion quest will likely test her loyalty to her outlaw roots and how far she’s willing to go to rebel against authority. The quest may force you to choose between enabling her independence or pulling her closer to your cause. Rewards are not yet confirmed, but could include a unique offensive perk, faction standing changes, and long-term loyalty depending on your choices.

In The Outer Worlds 2, every companion has a personal side quest that strengthens their bond with the player and unlocks signature abilities. Completing these quests is often the difference between keeping them loyal or watching them walk away when things get messy.

Obsidian has confirmed that companion quests will return in the sequel, so be sure to check back for updates on Val’s full storyline and potential perks.

Best Builds & Companion Synergies

Recommended Builds for Val in The Outer Worlds 2 include:

Excellent for players focusing on science or hacking builds.
Pairs well with Niles to create a Directorate-themed team.
Complements combat medics like Inez for tech-heavy squads.

Our Val build is a work in progress and will be updated at launch. However, you are likely able to bring two companions into missions. Therefore, it could be advantageous for players to form a Directorate themed team with protagonist, Niles, and Val as a hit squad. Most likely, Val won’t be effective for stealth builds and players will likely bring her to compliment or enhance science and tech based builds.

VALERIE Weapon and Armor Upgrades

Val’s primary weapon is the Blaster and she uses Medium Armor for defense. Both Val’s weapon and armor have multiple upgrade options you can choose from throughout the game.

Val’s weapon and armor have both basic and advanced upgrade options. You must choose from one basic and one advanced upgrade, though you can change these upgrades freely throughout the game via the Party Upgrades menu at a Workbench.

Val’s Personality & Lore

As a drone, Val lacks the deep personality arcs of other companions, but it may provide unique quips or programmed directives reflecting Directorate philosophy. Moreover, we don’t know if Val’s background and story are completely tied to Niles and the Directorate or she is unambiguous towards factions.

FAQs About Val in the Outer Worlds 2

Can Val be customized?

This remains unconfirmed—there may be tech mods or upgrades.

Is Val missable?

Likely tied to Niles, so if you lose Niles, Val may be inaccessible.

Best synergy?

Science and tech builds, especially those using hacking or engineering perks.

More Companion Guides For The Outer Worlds 2

Looking for more information on Companions in The Outer Worlds 2? Check out our dedicated TOW2 Companion Guides below!