Pillars of Eternity Best Companion - Who To Choose

pillars of eternity, pillars of eternity companions, best companions

Updated:

11 Nov 2021

Who are the best companions in Pillars of Eternity? What are they the best at?

In Pillars of Eternity you will come across several NPCs that may aid you in your quest, each of them having their own strengths and weaknesses. They excel in different areas while not outshining other characters completely. Here is a guide of each of these companions you can find in the game.

11. Devil of Caroc

A mechanical construct built to house the soul of a murderer, the Devil of Caroc is one of the companions introduced in The White March - Part I. The player comes across her during the expansion’s main quest, though recruiting her is completely optional. Being a mechanical construct, the “armor” she wears is just her chassis. Thankfully, its stats are decent but it ultimately limits her upgradability. Unlike other companions who are mostly morally good or neutral, the Devil of Caroc favors more aggressive and cruel actions, which can be nice for evil playthroughs. However, besides being an excellent sidekick for evil characters she unfortunately only shines at the end of the White March - Part 2. Remaining spoiler-free, she can make the last quest in the second expansion easier and safer for your party.

What is Great About Devil of Caroc

High Perception ensures she will hit her targets often
Comes already equipped with a decent piece of armor

Pick Devil of Caroc If

You want a more vicious companion
You are about to finish The White March - Part II

10. Grieving Mother

The mysterious cipher that hides her true identity to all but the main character, the woman known as the Grieving Mother is one of the last companions the player will encounter. She uses her cipher powers to disguise herself - making others perceive her as a random peasant woman - even the game’s main villain. While an extremely unique idea, it almost feels as though she’s a generic adventurer with a couple of unique lines of dialogue. Were she not a cipher - arguably the game’s best playable class, she would be lower on this list. That and the fact that she has good stats makes her great in combat, but subpar in the dialogue and story sections.

What is Great About Grieving Mother

High Intelligence allows her spells to have greater area of effects
High Dexterity allows her to attack often

Pick Grieving Mother If

You want the excellent spells the Cipher class can offer
You want a mysterious companion to join you on your adventure

9. Maneha

The only companion to worship Ondra, Menha is a coastal aumaua with a lot to say and a desire to fight - and forget. She can be recruited during the White March - Part II, but you need both Parts I and II for her to appear. If you are the kind of player who is okay with waiting a long time to get your favorite party members, then Maneha might be for you. Like other White March characters, she doesn’t have much to say during the main game’s story, but her combat abilities are great, albeit potentially overshadowed by previously acquired companions. The best part about her character is the flirting between her, Pallegina, and Kana.

What is Great About Maneha

Has the highest Might of any companion in the game
Has a decent Constitution score, allowing her to be an offtank if needed

Pick Maneha If

You want a pure damage dealer that isn’t afraid of getting hurt
You want to experience spicy dialogue between her and other companions

8. Sagani

A boreal dwarf on the hunt for a village leader’s soul, Sagani roams the Dyrwood with her arctic fox Itumaak. While her stats are great, the ranger class, unfortunately, isn’t as great if played wrong, and if she isn’t given the right build, she can end up being the inverse of Grieving Mother - great for dialogue but subpar in combat.

What is Great About Sagani

High Perception and Might ensures her attacks will hit often and will deal a lot of damage
She has a unique polar fox animal companion that excels at harassing foes
One of the first companions you can recruit

Pick Sagani If

You want an adorable and awesome fox to help you on your adventure
You want a dedicated ranged attacker in your party to fight from afar

7. Zahua

The last of his tribe - Zahua is a Tacan monk the player can find in the White March - Part I. His companion quest and involvement are mostly limited to the expansion but his combat potential certainly is not. The monk is a strong class and can be extremely deadly when built correctly. While Zahua is not extremely relevant in the main story, he has some of the best dialogue within the White March. He has a long history and interesting philosophy that he will impart to the player.

What is Great About Zahua

Very high Might allows him to deal a lot of damage
Very high Constitution allows him to take a lot of hits

Pick Zahua If

You want to experience his interesting wisdom and philosophy
You need a powerful offtank and attacker for your party

6. Pallegina

The ducs’ champion, Pallegina is a passionate and fiery Paladin with birdlike features given to her by the goddess Hylea. With unique abilities for her race and class, Pallegina can do it all decently - heal, damage, and take hits. She is one of the later companions the player comes across in the game, but assuming the player isn’t a paladin themselves, she often finds a home in party competitions.

What is Great About Pallegina

Balanced stats and a mix of attacker, tank, and support abilities make her decent at all tasks
Has unique racial and class abilities

Pick Pallegina If

You want an excellent support character for your party
You want a companion whose destiny you can alter the most

5. Durance

The goddess Margran’s faithful priest, Durance, is something, to say the least. You either love him, or you hate him. On one hand, he is the only priest companion in the game, excluding generic adventurers, and priests are very valuable characters. While characters like Edér or Hiravias know a lot about the gods they worship, Durance offers a lot of insight into the other gods of Eora, which can be valuable. On the other hand, Durance often makes rather misogynistic remarks toward the woman you encounter, mostly Magran, and is generally a creepy person.

What is Great About Durance

High Resolve makes him more durable and able to cast spells without being interrupted
Decent Intelligence gives his spells a greater area of effect

Pick Durance If

You want a companion that impacts the main story with an interesting perspective on the world
You need a support character in your party and can’t afford a generic adventurer

4. Kana Rua

A scholar, explorer, and musician, Kana is a chanter from Rauatai that you come across during one of the main quests of the game. Being a chanter, he has access to amazing spells and abilities that he can use to help his team and harm the enemy. Additionally, he is one of few spellcaster companions that also has a high Might stat, allowing him to competently fight on the frontlines where his passive effects will have the greatest potency.

What is Great About Kana

High Intelligence makes his spells cover larger area of effects
High Might allows his weapons and spells to deal high amounts of damage
One of the few spellcasters with a high Might stat

Pick Kana If

You want an excellent passive support character who can hold his own
You want a light-hearted companion to join you on your adventure

3. Hiravias

The only Orlan companion in the game, Hiravias offers a unique perspective on the world and its politics, as well as offering humorous dialogue while adventuring. Being a druid, he has access to very powerful spells as well as a unique wild shape form. He is also one of the only characters in the game who worships two gods equally, giving the player the choice to join him on his quest of figuring out who he aligns most with.

What is Great About Hiravias

Balanced stats and a mix of attacker and support abilities make him decent at many tasks
Has funny dialogue and companion interactions
Has a unique Druid wild shape

Pick Hiravias If

You love great banter between party members
You want a powerful spellcaster that can deal tremendous amounts of damage while also supporting the party

2. Aloth

The first permanent companion you can recruit, Aloth is a soft-spoken and intelligent elf hailing from the Aedyr Empire that holds a dark secret or two. He has a bigger part in the main story than most companions, though saying the exact details on how would mean entering spoiler territory. While not the best damage-dealing character in the game, Aloth excels at controlling large areas with his high Intelligence, allowing him to Paralyze entire groups of enemies so the rest of the party can take them out.

What is Great About Aloth

High Dexterity and Intelligence stats allows him to cast spells with larger areas of effect and more often
Has an interesting backstory and connection to the main quest and villain
The first permanent companion you can recruit

Pick Aloth If

You just arrived at Gilded Vale and need companions
You need an excellent control spell wizard
You want a companion that impacts the main story

1. Edér

Edér: a faithful companion and good friend, he is one of the first companions you can recruit in this game and its sequel. Native to the playable area, he offers a lot of insight about it and his god Eothas, a major character in the world’s recent history. Here for a good time, he often acts as comic relief for the game, commenting on cute animals and keeping the tone light. Regardless of whether you want to use Edér as a tank or an attacker, his high Might and Constitution make him a solid choice for either role. Edér is often considered a must-pick companion because of how soon you get him and because of how useful he is.

What is Great About Edér