Best Avowed Companions, Ranked by Helpfulness

In *Avowed*, companions aren't just for conversation; they're vital for exploration and combat. Their abilities range from path-clearing to devastating attacks. Let's rank them from least to most helpful.

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4. Marius

My experience with Marius proved his playstyle didn't mesh well with mine. While his early-game exploration skills are useful for finding items and plants, he's quickly outmatched in combat by other companions. Here's a breakdown of his abilities and upgrades:

Blinding Roots: Roots enemies for 8 seconds. Upgrades include stunning, trapping multiple enemies, and inflicting Bleed. Heart Seeker: A piercing shot that always hits. Upgrades add a second target, increased damage to low-health enemies, and cooldown reduction. Shadow Step: Marius vanishes and strikes an enemy (up to three times). Upgrades allow instant kills on stunned enemies, increased damage to low-health enemies, and increased strike targets. Wounding Shots: Inflicts Bleed. Upgrades reduce enemy damage reduction, slow enemies, and further reduce enemy damage.

Marius' abilities primarily focus on crowd control and weakening enemies. Effective against certain enemy types, especially when paired with a melee-focused Envoy, his overall power is limited for most of the Avowed journey.

3. Giatta

Giatta, a support-focused Animancer, uses magic for healing, shielding, and buffs. While lacking in direct damage, her utility is invaluable. Her ability to protect the Envoy and party health is crucial during challenging encounters. Her abilities include:

Purification: Heals allies (upgradable to 50% health, enemy interruption, and increased ally damage reduction). Barrier: Provides temporary health to allies (upgradable to increased temporary health, healing on expiration, and protection from melee attacks). Acceleration: Increases ally movement and attack speed (upgradable to damage reduction, extended duration, and cooldown reduction). Reconstruction: Heals allies with attacks (upgradable to increased healing for low-health allies, temporary health at max health, and ally revival on enemy kill).

Giatta can also activate Essence Generators, unlocking late-game areas. She's a strong choice for Envoys using magic-focused builds.

2. Kai

Kai, an early companion, remains helpful throughout the game. A tank capable of dealing significant damage with minimal player input, his abilities are:

Fire and Ire: High-stun attack from his blunderbuss, taunting for 10 seconds (upgradable to ignite target, increased stun, and cooldown reduction). Unbending Defense: Regenerates health and increases damage reduction (upgradable to 50% damage reduction, increased regeneration, and a damaging shockwave on expiration). Leap of Daring: Stunning, taunting area-of-effect attack (upgradable to increased area, temporary health per hit, and bonus attack damage per hit). Second Wind: Self-revival (upgradable to increased health restoration, attack speed boost, and ability cooldown reset).

Kai excels against both single strong enemies and groups, offering self-revival and requiring minimal micromanagement. He can even use fire to clear obstacles.

1. Yatzli

Yatzli, a powerful Wizard, brings high-damage attacks and excellent crowd control. Considered the game's "air support," her abilities include:

Essence Explosion: Explosive arcane damage (upgradable to larger blast, fire accumulation, and cooldown reduction). Minoletta’s Missile Battery: Volley of enemy-seeking missiles (upgradable to increased fire rate, range, and shock accumulation). Arduos Delay of Motion: Slows enemies (upgradable to increased slow, area-of-effect, and frost accumulation). Blast: Area-of-effect damage on enemy hits (upgradable to explosive damage for breaking blocks, destroying walls, shattering frozen enemies, increased stun, and status effect chances).

Yatzli's powerful abilities and obstacle-clearing capabilities make her a top choice, even though she's recruited late in the game.

Avowed releases on PC and Xbox on February 18.