• Guide

Unlock all companions in The Outer Worlds

Learn how to unlock each of the six companions available to players in The Outer Worlds.

Bill Lavoy

October 24, 2019 10:10 PM

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The Outer Worlds has one of the better companion systems in the game. There are only six, but players can bring two at a time as they adventure throughout the stars. In this guide, I’ll show you how to unlock each of the six companions, including Parvati, Vicar Max, Felix, Ellie, Nyoka, and SAM. Try to get them all in the early stages of your game so you can enjoy their company for many hours.

All Companion unlocks

There are six companions to unlock in The Outer Worlds, and each can be found within the first few hours of the game. Before you go diving too far into the late game missions and areas, it's a good idea to round up your companions and learn about them. Not only do they bring powerful abilities to combat, they also have various side quests. As we all know, side quests are a great source of XP and bits!

Parvati

Players can unlock Parvati by following the main quest line early in the game. This could show up as either Stranger in a Strange Land or Comes Now the Power. Both deal with diverting power to Edgewater or the Botanical Laboratory. Simply head to the Saltuna Cannery in Edgewater and take the elevator up. Talk to Reed Tobson and you can unlock Parvati as a companion. Parvati can perform the Overload Companion Ability, jumping into the air and smashing to the ground with a powerful melee strike.

Vicar Max

Unlock Vicar Max by speaking with him during the Comes Now the Power main quest. If you go through all his dialogue options, he’ll give you a quest called the Illustrated Manual. When you are asked to return to Vicar Max, he’ll offer to join your crew in order to get out of Edgewater. His Companion Ability is to whip out a shotgun and blast an enemy from close range with a devastating Trickshot. It will kill quite a few of your foes in a single use and, like most Companion Abilities, can be upgraded.

Felix

There is no quest to recruit Felix. Instead, head to the Groundbreaker and leave your ship. As you are on your way to Customs, stop and list to Felix having a conversation. When he’s done, talk to him and explore all dialogue options. Felix will be waiting for you at your ship when you return from questing. You can let him join your crew right away, or even interview him. His Companion Ability is a Dropkick. Mad respect to anyone willing to bring a dropkick to a gunfight.

Ellie

Ellie can be recruited inside the Medical Bay aboard the Groundbreaker. Head in and talk to her. You must accept a quest called Worst Contact, then complete it. This quest isn’t too bad and intersects with a few others aboard the Groundbreaker. Once you’re done, Ellie will agree to join your crew and head out on adventures with you. Her Companion Ability is called Quick Draw, which involves her pulling out a pistol and firing several rounds in quick succession.

Nyoka

Players can find Nyoka at The Yacht Club on Monarch. Once you meet her, she’ll send you on a quest called Passion Pills, which involves getting her something to cure her drunken state. It’s a very easy quest made easier with Hacking or Lockpicking skills. Giver her the drugs she seeks, and she’ll agree to join your crew. Her Companion Ability is called Barrage, and it’s one of my favorites. She pulls out a machine gun and obliterates enemies with burning ammunition, screaming as she goes.

SAM

SAM is a robot aboard the Unreliable. Once you gain access to your crew quarters, browse the ship to find him in his pod on the upper level. You can talk to ADA, your ship’s AI, and ask about SAM. You can also use your personal terminal and search for SAM. This will give you a quest called The Cleaning Machine that will take you to Roseway. Inside the Storage Facility on Roseway is the Acid Steeper. Collect it, install it in SAM, then enjoy his Companion Ability, Decontaminate. He basically squishes things with it.

Now that you’ve unlocked all the companions in The Outer Worlds, don’t forget to browse their details and see what each brings to the table. They can be equipped with weapons and armor, provide bonuses to complement your style of play, and offer interesting quests and dialogue. When you’re done, head to The Outer Worlds guide and walkthrough for more help with your journey.

Bill Lavoy

Managing Editor

Bill, who is also known as Rumpo, is a lifelong gamer and Toronto Maple Leafs fan. He made his mark early in his career through guide writing and a deep understanding of editorial SEO. He enjoys putting in the work to create a great content, be it a wild feature or grinding out an in-depth collectible guide. Tweet him @RumpoPlays if you have a question or comment about one of his articles.