There are just so many personable and beloved companion personalities in Star Wars: The Old Republic, that it makes it ridiculously hard to pinpoint one that is “the best”. Really, it all depends on what you as the player find the most agreeable, or who you identify with the most. There’s someone for everyone! Of course, the best is always up to a matter of opinion, so for the purpose of this article, below is the general consensus about which companion is most suited for each class and their unique storylines:
Sith Warrior - Vette
She runs, she guns, she gets things done. While Vette comes up against some rather tough competition in the form of Jaesa Willsaam, the Warrior doesn’t have another companion that is as fun-loving and optimistic in the face of danger as Vette.
- Sporting two blaster pistols, Vette is a ranged companion. While all companions have the ability to be a healer, DPS or tank, not all have the same weaponry – in Vette’s case, this allows her to be a part of the fight from far away
- Vette is quick to make light of dark situations, adding depth to the Warrior’s story as they travel along with her. This is not to say she is reduced to comic relief at all, many of her quips are clever and hit the mark just right
How to acquire: Vette is the first companion you come across as the Sith Warrior, and becomes part of your crew on Korriban. All you have to do is progress your class story.
Sith Inquisitor - Khem Val
A rare creature called a Dashade, this companion is known to consume Force-users. For the sarcastic and potentially (well, let’s just go with definitely) psychotic Inquisitor, this makes Khem the perfect sidekick for their dark deeds.
- While Khem begins his journey with you as a hostile entity who is merely waiting for your guard to come down before he strikes, as the story progresses the two of you come into an understanding of one another. Believe it or not, he becomes a rather loyal crewmember!
- Khem comes from ancient Sith history, once serving under Tulak Hord. Thousands of years later, he comes into the service of you, the Inquisitor! With Khem by your side, it is easy to catch a glimpse into the old workings of the Sith, and fascinating to see his take on the current state of the galaxy
- Khem is a melee companion, and will engage in fights right in the thick of things
How to acquire: Khem Val, like Vette, is the first companion you encounter as the Inquisitor. He becomes part of your entourage on Korriban.
Imperial Agent - Kaliyo Djannis
You can’t trust her to be a team player all the time, but you can definitely trust her to be in on creating some chaos together. While she might not be the perfect choice for an undercover agent, she certainly has the skills to warrant her a place by your side.
- Kaliyo is an in-your-face, explosive (literally, sometimes) personality. She pulls no punches when making her opinion clear and will stoop to levels most decent people wouldn’t to get the most out of a situation
- While she’s big on talking and tends to follow through on that talk, an endearing quality of Kaliyo is her willingness to begrudgingly listen to the Agent’s decisions regarding such matters
- For all her dishonesty, it becomes apparent that she really does care about the Agent and their missions as the story moves along. For male players, Kaliyo is romanceable
How to acquire: Kaliyo is the first companion the Imperial Agent comes across, and is acquired on Hutta through the class story.
Bounty Hunter - Blizz
Who hasn’t wanted a jawa sidekick before? They’re cute, they say funny things, and most of the time they’re pretty handy with machinery. This is all true of Blizz, one of the Bounty Hunter’s companions.
- Blizz has one of the most endearing personalities of all the companions: he is excitable, engaged and eager to help the Bounty Hunter in any endeavor. It’s not too shabby being called “Boss” all the time, either
- He may be shorter than all other companions, but that doesn’t mean he can’t fight just as well as the rest of them. Blizz is a ranged companion
- Blizz also has a sense of humor and brings an element of comic relief to the Bounty Hunter’s adventures
How to acquire: Blizz joins the Bounty Hunter’s crew at the end of the Hoth story arc.
Jedi Knight - Kira Carsen
She has a will of steel and isn’t afraid to be outspoken. Maybe she isn’t the perfect Jedi at all times, but Kira undoubtedly does her best for what she believes is right.
- A long-time fan favorite among SWTOR companions, Kira is undoubtedly one of the most mentioned names when the subject is brought up. She’s cute, has a saberstaff and of course, is romanceable for male Jedi Knights
- Coming from a mysterious past, Kira is full of surprises and even fuller of herself. She’s extremely confident when it comes to her abilities, which gives her an edge in any one-on-one conversation with the Knight
- Kira is of course, a melee companion
How to acquire: Kira is the second companion the Jedi Knight meets, and joins your crew at the end of the Coruscant missions (the second planet for the Knight).
Jedi Consular - Nadia Grell
She’s striking, powerful, and loyal beyond measure. As one of the only Sarkhai we ever see in the Star Wars universe, Nadia is unique in her cultural outlook on life as well as her appearance.
- The daughter of a senator, Nadia comes into the Counsular’s story as a naive, curious young woman. Everything she encounters alongside you is new for her, which drives her to become rather eager to absorb any and all knowledge the two of you come across together
- Nadia is extremely strong in the Force, and doesn’t fully understand her capabilities, bringing a fascinating concept into Star Wars Legends lore and creating an interesting situation for Nadia herself to navigate
- For male Consulars, Nadia is fully romanceable. Both genders are able to take her on as their Padawan
How to acquire: Nadia is encountered naturally through the Consular’s storyline, and becomes part of your crew around the end of the Belsavis story arc.
Smuggler - Risha
Mysterious, flirtatious and refined, Risha is a potent mix of traits. Though she hides her inner-self from most people she meets and masks her intentions with rampant sarcasm and a dash of selfishness, the Smuggler is sure to figure out who she really is through the power of friendship!
- Though she can be brash and rude at the best of times, Risha’s charm is undeniable: quick with words, and even quicker about coming out on top
- Her experiences leading up to her first encounter with the Smuggler craft Risha’s outlook on life, and gives the player a cool glimpse into another side of Star Wars that isn’t completely focused on Force mysticism
- For male characters Risha is romanceable, and is probably the closest you can get to a Han Solo / Princess Leia type love story in SWTOR
How to acquire: Risha is first met in the Smuggler’s ship, but doesn’t become a full-fledged companion until the end of Chapter 1.
Trooper - Elara Dorne
Let’s be real, Elara starts off as a rather cold companion for the Trooper. She’s extremely focused, strict about regulations and is practically flawless on execution of orders. Rest assured, this fan-favorite companion warms up to the player character rather quickly.
- Coming from an Imperial background has made Elara rather uptight regarding her adherence to Republic law – understandably. After leaving the Empire and defecting to the Republic with vital information, Elara is eager to prove herself to her commanding officers and do the right thing above all else
- Dependable and trustworthy, Elara is sure to never let you down, whether it’s in combat or in a conversation
- Elara is the romance option for the male Trooper, and exists as another ranged companion
How to acquire: Elara is the second companion the Trooper acquires, and becomes part of the squad at the end of the Taris storyline.
