This article will show you the best group of characters to play in This War of Mine. If you’re wondering why you keep losing, you might think “am I playing the wrong way?” Well, most likely, the group that you chose just doesn’t fit your playing style. We believe every group has its own strength and weakness, but some are just more versatile and functional than others. That’s why we rank the group based on how well they cater to all kinds of players.

5. Bruno + Roman + Arica

Being the last in this list doesn’t make this group the last overall. In fact, if we’re talking about physical strength, this group might even come first. 

Roman is an ex-militia who’s trained in combat. That makes him the strongest of all characters in combat and guarding. Having him will guarantee you to instantly kill an enemy in an ambush, even without any weapon.

Arica’s combat and guarding skills also come close to Roman’s. Furthermore, her ability to sneak quietly makes her the perfect character to stealth kill. You’d want to use her to scavenge an area without needing to fight.

Meanwhile, Bruno’s ability is kind of unique. If we compare his combat and guarding skills to all characters in the game, he’s not that bad. He’s actually above average. The two others in this group just make him look weak, even though he’s not. 

But his most outstanding ability lies in his “good cook” trait. He can cook with less fuel than the default requirement. This is pretty useful when you remember fuel gets scarce during winter. 

This group seems to be centered on combat, so it’s perfect if you don’t mind killing. Except for Arica, they have relatively stable moods and are less likely to be affected by moral choices. 

What this team excels in:

• Melee combat
• Stealth
• Guarding
• Cooking

4. Roman + Katia

We can’t ask for a more perfect pair than these two! We know that Roman is an excellent combatant, but how about Katia? 

She’s the best at trading. She gets stuff at lower prices and will save you up to 20% value every time she trades. Since her backpack capacity is bigger than Roman’s, she ideally carries the scavenger role while Roman carries the guard role. 

Fun fact: they both can play guitar. Even though they might not be the best at comforting each other, they can lighten up the mood with their music.

Having only two people in a group might sound intimidating, though, but if you think about the benefit, it’s not bad at all. They need less food and resources than a group of three or four does. So stack up on supplies as much as you want because Katia will acquire them easily and Roman will guard your shelter really well so your supplies won’t be stolen.

What this team excels in:

• Bargaining
• Melee Combat
• Guarding
• Scavenging
• Playing guitar

3. Pavle + Bruno + Marko

We have talked about how amazing Bruno is as a cook, but Pavle and Marko are just as unique. They’re both all-rounders who make decent combatants and guards. They’re calm and have medium reactions to moral choices. Both of them also have no addictions.

Marko and Pavle are two peas in a pod who share the same level of ability in almost everything, except for two: scavenging and running. 

Marko has more backpack capacity than Pavle with 15 slots, and Pavle can run faster than Marko. But even with that difference, it doesn’t make Marko a slow runner and Pavle a bad scavenger. In fact, Marko is second to Pavle in speed, and Pavle has more than average backpack capacity compared to other characters. 

This group is the jack of all trades in the game. They’re all good at everything, but might not be the best. Still, having all-rounders in one group would surely benefit you so much.

What this team excels in:

• Cooking
• Scavenging
• Guarding

2. Boris + Emilia + Marin

Boris’ trait is “strong but slow”. His combat and guarding skills may rank after Roman, but his backpack capacity is second to none. He has 17 slots, while Marko who’s specifically a “skilled scavenger” only has 15. He’s amazing as a guard, yet his low speed makes him really bad for stealth, 

Marin is every craftsman's dream. His “handyman” trait will save you tons of resources when crafting. Not to mention he’s also a decent guard. 

With Boris who can gather a great deal of supplies in one go and Marin who can save plenty of resources, you’ll likely have a good living quality with the combination of these two. 

But what about Emilia? Although her lawyer background doesn’t make her as exceptional as Boris and Marin in this situation, she’s a great addition to balance the mood in the house. 

Boris can be easily affected by moral choices, while Marin’s mood stability is relatively higher than Boris’. But Emilia is a literal stone. She hardly shows any emotion or gets saddened by negative moral choices. That makes her the least likely person to be depressed. 

What this team excels in:

• Combat
• Guarding
• Crafting

1. Katia + Bruno + Pavle

We have talked about what Katia, Bruno, and Pavle can do. Individually, each one of them is already fantastic. But the three of them combined would make the most powerful group throughout the entire game.

Want to get plenty of stuff from scavenging? Pavle or Katia can do it. But want to clear a hostile area and escape fast? Choose Pavle. 

You definitely want to always use Katia to bargain and Bruno to cook. And if you want extra protection, Pavle and Bruno can guard at the same time.

There are so many things this group is good at. Moreover, this group’s skills are not centered on one specialty. Everyone can play this group however they’d like.

What this team excels in:

• Bargaining
• Guarding
• Scavenging
• Playing guitar
• Cooking    

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