In Fallout 4, survival isn’t just about the firepower you wield or how many stimpaks you hoard. It’s also about the relationships you build along the way. The game’s companions aren’t just bullet sponges — they’re living, breathing extensions of your story. Each brings their own skills, perks, backstories, and quirks into the Wasteland, helping you shape your journey as the Sole Survivor .

From sarcastic detectives to morally complex mercenaries, companions can influence everything from your XP gains to how NPCs react to your choices. And yes, romance is absolutely on the table — sometimes with surprising results.

Before diving into rankings and strategy, let’s ground the basics of how companions work:

• You can only travel with one companion at a time (Dogmeat is a slight exception).

• Companion affinity affects their dialogue, perks, and romance options.

• Some companions have personal quests , like Lessons in Blood or Hole in the Wall .

• You can equip many of them with custom weapons, armor, or power armor.

• Companions cannot die under normal difficulty — but they can be downed.

• Want to know how many companions are in Fallout 4? The answer is 13 main companions, with a few added in DLCs.

If you’re wondering how to switch companions, just speak to a new recruitable character. Your previous companion will head to their assigned settlement.

And no, you can’t have multiple companions — unless you count Dogmeat , who allows you to technically benefit from Lone Wanderer perks while having a follower.

1. Piper Wright

• Perk : Gift of Gab – Earn double XP for speech checks and location discovery.

• Strengths : Excellent for exploration and dialogue-heavy playthroughs.

• Where to Find : Outside Diamond City .

Piper is an ideal first companion. Her perk fast-tracks your leveling, and her moral compass adds weight to your choices. Plus, she’s romanceable.

2. Paladin Danse

• Perk : Know Your Enemy – +20% damage against Synths, Super Mutants, and Ghouls.

• Strengths : Heavy hitter, power armor synergy.

• Where to Find : Cambridge Police Station .

Danse is a tank with a compelling arc — especially if you align or rebel against the Brotherhood of Steel.

3. Nick Valentine

• Perk : Close to Metal – Extra guess on terminals, shorter cooldowns.

• Strengths : Lore-rich detective with hacking utility.

• Where to Find : Vault 114 , Park Street Station.

Nick is not only a skilled hacker but also central to many Institute-related stories.

4. Curie

• Perk : Combat Medic – Automatically heals you once per day when HP is low.

• Strengths : Utility, especially for new players.

• Where to Find : Vault 81 , via Hole in the Wall quest.

Curie evolves over time and eventually can be transformed into a synth — unlocking full romance and dialogue trees.

5. Dogmeat

• Perk : Works passively with Attack Dog perk.

• Strengths : Doesn’t block Lone Wanderer perks.

• Where to Find : Red Rocket Truck Stop .

Dogmeat’s biggest strength is flexibility — and not requiring affinity management.

Mid-Tier But Strong Allies

6. MacCready

• Perk : Killshot – Increased VATS headshot accuracy.

• Where to Find : The Third Rail in Goodneighbor .

• Real Name : Robert MacCready (yup, the same from Fallout 3).

Ideal for snipers, especially those with AP-heavy builds. He has some great one-liners too.

7. Cait

• Perk : Trigger Rush – Faster AP regen when below 25% HP.

• Where to Find : Combat Zone , Boston.

Cait is layered — sarcastic, wounded, yet driven. Her Lessons in Blood quest covers her personal demons and redemption arc.

8. Deacon

• Perk : Cloak & Dagger – +20% sneak attack damage, longer Stealth Boy duration.

• Where to Find : Old North Church (Railroad HQ).

Stealth lovers, rejoice. Just don’t expect consistency in Deacon’s stories — he’s a master of disguise and deception.

9. Strong

• Perk : Berserk – +20% melee damage at low HP.

• Where to Find : Trinity Tower .

A melee powerhouse, Strong disapproves of most diplomatic actions. Choose wisely.

10. Codsworth

• Perk : Robot Sympathy – +10 damage resistance against robot enemies.

• Where to Find : Sanctuary Hills .

Great early-game companion but lacks endgame viability.

Fallout 4 DLC Companions

11. Porter Gage

• Perk : Lessons in Blood – +5% XP for kills, +10 damage resistance.

• Where to Find : Fizztop Grille , Nuka-World DLC.

Ideal for raider builds. Not romanceable, but effective in combat.

12. Old Longfellow

• Perk : Hunter’s Wisdom – Lowers resistance of animal and sea creatures.

• Where to Find : Far Harbor .

Great for that specific zone but falls off outside DLC areas.

13. X6-88

• Perk : Shield Harmonics – +20 energy resistance.

• Where to Find : Institute .

Efficient, loyal, and combat-ready — though emotionally bland.

You’ll find most through story progression, factions, and side quests. Notable locations include:

• Vault 81 (Curie)

• Diamond City (Piper)

• Goodneighbor (MacCready)

• Cambridge Police Station (Danse)

• Institute (X6-88)

To find lost companions , fast-travel to their last assigned settlement or ring a bell at your base to summon them.

A hot topic. Here’s how it works:

• Companions have unlimited ammo for their default weapons.

• If you give them a custom gun, you’ll need to supply matching ammo — yes, companions in Fallout 4 do need ammo for non-default loadouts.

• Snipers like MacCready thrive when properly geared, so it's often worth investing.

Not in normal mode. They can be downed and will recover post-combat. In Survival Mode , however, yes, companions can die. Choose carefully.

Absolutely. Fallout 4 doesn’t lock you to one romance path. You can:

• Romance Piper, Cait, Curie, Danse, and MacCready — sometimes simultaneously.

• Only one will be your “current partner,” but you can romance others over time.

• Yes — you can have multiple romances in Fallout 4, and no, the game doesn’t penalize you for it.

• How to get companions out of power armor : Speak to them, or just remove the fusion core.

• Do companions use ammo Fallout 4 : See above — only if you give them new weapons.

• How to change companions Fallout 4 : Speak to another companion and choose "Let’s travel together."

• Can you have two companions in Fallout 4? Not officially — only Dogmeat and one other.

If you're rolling with a sniper build, MacCready is a natural ally. Melee tanks pair well with Strong . Diplomats and explorers will benefit most from Piper or Nick Valentine .

Curie and Danse offer survival perks that complement high-difficulty modes, especially when your action points and power level need an extra buffer.

• Use Vault 81 and Diamond City as hubs to recruit and gear up companions.

• For those into lore, complete quests like Hole in the Wall (Curie) and Lessons in Blood (Porter Gage).

• Companion perks remain active even when they’re not traveling with you — once affinity maxes out.

• Keep an eye on their personal quests — finishing them often unlocks full affinity and bonus storylines.

Your companion in Fallout 4 isn’t just a backpack with a gun. They're co-authors of your story. They react to your decisions, fight at your side, and sometimes even fall in love with you. Whether you're storming Vault 81 , building settlements, or chasing down Synths, the right companion can turn a hard-fought victory into something personal.

Explore, experiment, and don’t be afraid to switch often. After all, in a Wasteland full of dangers, it helps to have a friend.