Who are The Outer Worlds 2 companions? You’re in luck, because six brand new companions are waiting to join your adventure! Each comes with a unique backstory and personality, ready to fight by your side. But choose wisely, because a single wrong decision could send them packing!
The highly anticipated sci-fi adventure, The Outer Worlds 2, has arrived, and we’ve been eagerly seeking out new allies! While you can only actively explore with two companions, those remaining on your ship, the Incognito, can still contribute – some perks even allow them to gather valuable materials. Just like in the first game, you’ll discover and recruit these fascinating characters across the world. Here, we provide comprehensive details on all The Outer Worlds 2 companions, including their unique abilities, how to recruit them, and more. Be aware that some companion quest spoilers lie ahead!
The Outer Worlds 2 companions are:
- Niles
- Valerie
- Inez
- Tristan
- Marisol
- Aza
Image: The Outer Worlds 2 companions: Niles wearing green armor
Niles
Location: The Incognito (your ship)
How to unlock: Niles joins you automatically right after you create your character.
Ability: Spread Out, I’ll Hold ’em! – Niles strategically draws enemy attention, taunting all foes in his vicinity, then unleashes three powerful, damage-boosted shots at your chosen target.
Mod kits: Earned by completing his personal quest, ‘Pressing Cares’, located in Westport, Eden (Basic)
Niles, an Earth Directorate agent, was once your subordinate before your unexpected journey into space. He’s an ideal companion for stealth-focused players, offering perks that provide camouflage and effective enemy taunts.
He’s also a potent early-game ally if you need extra offensive power, with an ability that unleashes three strong shots at a single target. Even for those who prefer a more direct approach, Niles offers valuable utility. His Self-Repairing Armor Mod is particularly useful, providing regenerating armor plates that function much like shields in popular shooters, restoring themselves quickly out of combat.
Niles perks
| Level | Option A | Option B |
| 5 | I Got ‘Em – Enemies are more likely to target Niles, and he will occasionally fire at enemies not targeting him, taunting them. | I’m Taking ‘Em Down – Niles gains 25% Armor Penetration and will target enemy weakpoints. |
| 10 | Scrap Engineering – Containers have a small chance to contain a large cache of Scrap Metal when Niles is in the party. | Spotter – Niles occasionally calls out enemies he spots, revealing them on the mini-map. NPCs now have a -20% awareness detection rate, making you harder to spot. |
| 15 | Self Repairing Armor – Niles gains self-repairing armor players that are destroyed after taking moderate damage, but repair every few seconds while he’s out of combat. These grant Niles +9 Armor Rating. | Ghost Array – Niles becomes camouflaged at half health. Niles’s attacks deal double damage while camouflaged. (30s Cooldown) |
| 20 | Self Repairing Armor Mod – Grants a one-time use mod version of Self Repairing Armor that you can use on your own gear. | Ghost Array Mod – Grants a one-time use mod version of Ghost Array that you can use on your own gear. |
| 25 | Dumb Aggression – Niles’ companion ability now goads instead of taunts. Goaded enemies have reduced attack speed, step out of cover, and will not seek cover for the effect’s duration. | Full Cylinder – Niles’ companion ability now fires six shots instead of three, doubling its damage. Enemies killed by this ability now explode, damaging nearby foes. |
| 30 | Force Emitter – Niles activates a sonic shockwave in an area around himself when an enemy gets within melee range, damaging and knocking down enemies hit. Force Emitter also slows incoming attacks down, granting Niles +10% damage resistance. | Smokescreen Emitter – Niles releases a smoke cloud that camouflages party members. The party deals bonus sneak attack damage while camouflaged. |
Niles mods
| Weapon | Armor | |
| Basic |
Superheated Acceleration Barrel – Niles’ weapon deals slightly increased damage, and now deals plasma damage OR Rail Revolver Barrel – Niles’ weapon deals slightly increased damage, and now deals shock damage |
Rubberized Joint Seals – Niles’ armor effectiveness is increased, and he gains immunity to shock side effects. OR Acid-Proof Joint Seals – Niles’ armor effectiveness is increased, and he gains immunity to corrosive side effects. |
| Advanced |
Ricochet Shrapnel Shots – Niles’ shots ricochet off targets, damaging a second nearby enemy. Increases weapon damage. OR High-Density Shots – Niles’ shots occasionally knock down targets. Increases weapon damage. |
Reflex Amplifier Reflection Module – Niles’ Reflex Amplifier now reflects a portion of attacks back to the attacker. Slightly increases armor effectiveness. OR Reflex Amplifier Caster – Niles’ Reflex Amplifier now works across an area, increasing your evasion when standing near him. Greatly increases armor effectiveness. |
Pressing Cares (Basic)
While on Paradise Island, Niles will ask to check up on an old friend of his, Zebulon, over near Westport. This starts the Pressing Cares companion quest, which yields Niles’ basic mod kit. During the quest, we opted to help Audra and prevent her from sacrificing herself, before letting Niles sabotage the Protectorate transport. Whether or not your choices affect the outcome of the quest, and the ability to get the kit from Zeb remains to be seen. However, seeing as Zeb is initially cynical of your crew, it’s probably best to stay in his good graces.
Image: The Outer Worlds 2 companions: Valerie the robot
Valerie
Location: The Incognito
How to unlock: Valerie joins you automatically right after you create your character.
Ability: Emergency Protocols – Valerie fires a healing syringe volley at you, granting a strong heal over time alongside massive damage reduction for a short time.
Mod kits: Complete A Healthy Improvement, The Incognito (Basic)
Val is The Outer Worlds 2’s dedicated medic companion, providing huge amounts of both active and passive healing with the right perks. If you’re going for a big bonky melee build, Val’s Strength Supplement Module buff will come in handy, juicing your damage while keeping you topped up on health.
As Valerie won’t be dealing much damage themselves, they’re best paired with a companion that can make up the difference. Alternatively, if you are going all-out on melee DPS, Niles is a perfect complimentary choice, as he’ll open up opportunities for huge sneak attack damage while taking the heat from your crew.
Valerie perks
| Level | Option A | Option B |
| 5 | Armor Operation – Allies affected by Val’s Life Injection Module trait gain a moderate armor bonus for a moderate time. | Restoration Operation – Whenever Val uses her Life Injection Module trait, all party members are also instantly healed 20% health. |
| 10 | Integerated Mag-Pick Repair – Val grants a chance to preserve mag-picks on use. | Salvaging Tools – Gain a 20% chance to double crafting resources gained when breaking down items with Val in the party. |
| 15 | Strength Supplement Module – Val uses a powerful stimulant on you, granting +20% melee damage and movement speed for eight seconds. This also instantly heals 10% of your health. (15 second cooldown) | Fortitude Supplement Module –Â Val uses a powerful stimulant on you, instantly clearing all hostile status effects. This also instantly heals 10% of your health. (15 second cooldown) |
| 20 | Enhanced Emergency Protocols – Grants you full damage immunity for the duration of Val’s companion ability after you’ve been healed, rather than gaining bonus damage reduction. | Preparation Protocols – Val’s companion ability charges significantly faster while you’re at full health. |
| 25 | Vitality Catalyst – All over-healing you receive is converted into temporary health that degrades slowly while Val’s in your party. This includes Val healing, your inhaler, and any other source of healing. | Preservation Catalyst – Party members automatically heal up to 50% of their max health while Val’s in the party. |
| 30 | Prolonged Defenses – The player gains +20 armor rating for the remainder of combat after being healed by Val’s companion ability. This effect does not stack on multiple applications. | Prolonged Restoration – The player regenerates 1% health per second for the remainder of combat after being healed by Val’s companion ability. This effect does not stack on multiple applications. |
Valerie mods
| Weapon | Armor | |
| Basic |
Superheating Coils – Val’s weapon deals slightly increased damage and applies more stacks of burn. OR Supercooling Coils – Val’s weapon deals slightly increased damage and now deals frost damage. |
Acid-Proof Plating – Val’s armor effectiveness is increased, and grants immunity to corrosive side-effects. OR Static-Resistant Plating – Val’s armor effectiveness is increased, and grants immunity to shock side-effects. |
| Advanced |
Burst Charger – Val’s weapon deals slightly increased damage and now fires in a short burst that damages in an AoE. OR Energy Accelerator – Val’s weapon deals slightly increased damage and now periodically fires a large beam that deals massive damage. |
Enhanced Generator – Val’s armor effectiveness is slightly increased, and their companion ability charges quicker. OR Self-Repairing Module – Val’s armor effectiveness is slightly increased, and they constantly regenerate health. |
A Healthy Improvement (Basic)
To get Valerie’s basic mod kit, you’ll have to track down four Advanced Decryption Keys and use them on the revolving lockbox machine located in The Incognito. These can be snapped up from various locales within Arcadia, and bought from certain vendors.
Image: The Outer Worlds 2 companions: the dark-haired Inez
Inez
Location: Ministry of Accuracy, Eden
How to unlock: Encourage Inez to leave Minister Milverstreet’s employ after completing ‘A Refreshing Bit of News’ in Fairfield, Eden.
Ability: The Magic Bullet – [Raptidon graft] Inez cloaks and retreats to your position, throwing down a healing mist when she arrives. [Crabble graft] Inez launches a volley of hot plasma at the target, dealing heavy damage.
Mod kits: Better Than Nature (Graft)
Inez is a combat medic who survived Auntie’s Choice human experiments, where animal parts were grafted onto humans. You first meet her while out on a job for Minister Milverstreet, before later working together to fix her graft. Interestingly, there are two possible graft parts you can use that completely alter her ability and perks.
Inez is best utilized as a mobile medic, who provides potent buffs to your ranged weapons the deeper into her perk upgrades you get. If you often find yourself reaching for your inhaler, Inez can help keep your charges topped up. If she has the Raptidon graft, she can provide party-wide buffs with her mist, while the Crabble graft-only perks can, for example, up the plasmatic potency of her ability. Solid damage, solid healing, regardless of which graft you opt for, Inez is a phenomenal early game companion.
Inez perks
| Level | Option A | Option B |
| 5 | Surgical Strike – Inez’s ranged weapon spread is reduced by 50% and she actively targets enemy weak spots. Her weapons will also periodically stun her target. | Field Medicine – Inez occasionally throws medicine packs near you. Walking over them reduces toxicity build-up or crash duration. Med packs break apart naturally after a moderate period. |
| 10 | Experimental Drug Conversion – Consuming food or drink grants a small amount of inhaler charge in addition to normal healing while Inez is in the party. | Experimental Biomass Conversion – Consuming food or drink has a chance to yield a Crude Biomass while Inez is in the party. |
| 15 | Lethal Graft Research – Inez’s companion ability lethality is increased, with the effect depending on her graft.
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Medical Graft Research – Inez’s companion ability’s restorative properties are increased, with the effect depending on her graft.
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| 20 | Potent Biomass – Inez always deals a small amount of corrosive damage. Your corrosive damage is increased by 20% and 10% more stacks of vulnerable apply when dealing corrosive damage. | Experimental Primer Research – Inez crafts a custom primer for you. Equipping it to your inhaler and using it provides a long-lasting buff. While it’s active, party kills heal you for a small amount. The primer has very low toxicity. |
| 25 | Extra-Strength Injector – Inez’s drug buff lasts twice as long. | Self Betterment – Your inhaler heals 25% more and prevents the party from taking damage for three seconds while Inez is in the party. |
| 30 | Drug Diffusion Modification – Activating Inez’s companion ability refreshes and re-applies her drugs, the bonus of which applies to the entire party. Grants +25% rate of fire, +25% ranged weapon reload speed, and reduces ranged weapon spread by 50%. | Emergency Procedures – Inez’s companion ability immediately clears your toxicity and crash. The party heals 400 health over ten seconds. |
Inez mod kits
| Weapon | Armor | |
| Basic |
Medical Bio-Barrel – Inez’s weapon deals slightly increased damage, and now deals corrosive damage. OR Silenced Barrel – Inez’s weapon deals significantly increased damage, and is much quieter so enemies are less likely to attack her. |
Acid-Resistant Materials – Inez’s armor effectiveness is slightly increased, and she gains immunity to corrosive side effects. OR Stunning Mist Dispersers – Inez’s armor effectiveness is slightly increased, and her armor releases a stunning spray when damaged by melee, dazing nearby enemies temporarily. |
| Advanced |
Medical Pack Dispenser – A medicine pack drops near a human or creature Inez kills. Walking over it reduces toxicity build-up and crash duration. Med packs break apart naturally after a moderate period. Increases Inez’s weapon damage. OR Auto-Loader – Inez’s weapon automatically reloads, granting her continuous fire. Significantly increases Inez’s weapon damage. |
Durability Drug Enhancement – Inez’s armor effectiveness is slightly increased, and her combat drug auto-injectors grant her damage resistance temporarily. OR Accuracy Drug Enhancements – Inez’s armor effectiveness is slightly increased, and her combat drug auto-injectors grant her bonus damage temporarily. |
Better Than Nature (Graft)
Unlike the others, Inez’s first companion quest doesn’t yield her mod kit. Instead, it allows her to lock in one of the two aforementioned grafts. Better Than Nature begins after Inez propositions you outside Fairfield town hall, once she’s out of Milverstreet’s contract. Here, you must head to Ethel Tinsley, who’ll offer up two potential candidates for the graft: a Skeleton Crabble or Raptidon Matriarch.
Both creatures are much larger, and considerably deadlier than the members of their species you’ve fought so far, so prepare properly. To get to the Raptidon Matriarch, you’ll have to either cross the Protectorate bridge that leads north from Fairfield, or navigate the hazardous zyranium gas to cross the western bridge.
Image: The Outer Worlds 2 companions: Tristan wearing thick protectorate armor
Tristan
Location: The 2nd Choice, Free Market Station
How to unlock: Complete ‘Arbitrary Measures’, Free Market Station
Ability: Judgement – Tristan charges at the target, landing a powerful blow. All enemies nearby take massive damage and are sent flying. Furthermore, all enemies within a moderate range of Tristan are taunted.
Mod kits: To Be Confirmed
Tristan is a Protectorate arbiter, aptly described as “judge, jury, and executioner.” His formidable appearance and grenade-lined sleeve strongly hint at what to expect from his kit, not to mention the giant hammer he wields.
Indeed, Tristan operates as a heavy-hitting brawler with explosive power. Similar to Niles, he can also taunt enemies into attacking him, serving as an excellent frontline sentinel. This also makes it easier for him to round up melee-based enemies and smash them into the ground. The real highlight in Tristan’s perk list is ‘Frenzied Charge’, which transforms him into a true berserker – it’s incredibly satisfying to watch him in action.
Tristan perks
| Level | Option A | Option B |
| 5 | Juggernaut – Tristan is more likely to be targeted by enemies and his harmful status effect duration is reduced by 50% | Explosive Strikes – Tristan activates his hammer’s grenade every three melee attacks, dealing 45 AoE physical damage. |
| 10 | Shield of the Law – Tristan taunts enemies in addition to any other speech attack effects when you choose to begin a fight with dialog. | Beg For Mercy – Tristan frightens enemies in addition to any other speech attack effects when you choose to begin a fight with dialog. |
| 15 | Zyranium Regeneration – Tristan heals 2.5% of his health every 0.5 seconds while exposed to zyranium. | Zyranium Energy – Tristan’s companion ability charges considerably faster while exposed to zyranium. |
| 20 | Aggressive Challenge – Enemies taunted by Tristan’s companion ability are goaded instead. Goaded enemies don’t take cover and take additional damage. | Frenzied Charge – Tristan becomes frenzied after using his companion ability, granting him +25% melee weapon attack speed and damage, as well as +20% movement speed. |
| 25 | Steel Wall – Tristan temporarily doubles his total health at the start of combat. | Demoralizing Entry – Tristan frightens humans and creatures around him after killing an enemy. While frightened, enemies flee for eight seconds. (30 second cooldown) |
| 30 | Groundshaker – Tristan slams the ground, dealing damage and knocking everyone in an area down, rather than knocking a single target down, with his companion ability. | Propulsion Rocket – Tristan’s grenade launcher attachment gains rocket propulsion, sending him forward. Tristan’s companion ability now deals considerably more damage, and knocks his target down for longer. |
Tristan mods
| Weapon | Armor | |
| Basic |
Plasma Grenades – Tristan’s weapon deals slightly increased damage, and now deals plasma damage. OR Shock Grenades – Tristan’s weapon deals slightly increased damage, and now deals shock damage. |
Flamethrower Gauntlet – Tristan’s gauntlet deals significantly increased damage, and gains a flamethrower attachment that continuously deals plasma damage around him. OR Shock Emitter Gauntlet – Tristan’s gauntlet deals increased damage, and gains a shock emitter that continuously deals shock damage around him. |
| Advanced |
Grounding Plates – Tristan’s armor effectiveness is greatly increased, and grants immunity to shock side-effects. OR Acid-Proof Plates – Tristan’s armor effectiveness is greatly increased, and grants immunity to corrosive side-effects. |
Powered Armor – Tristan’s armor effectiveness is increased, and he gains a damage bonus based on his armor value. OR Shrapnel Resistor – Tristan’s armor effectiveness is greatly increased, and he gains immunity to all AoE damage. |
Image: The Outer Worlds 2 companions: the grey-haired Marisol
Marisol
Location: Zyranium Manufactory VII, Dorado
How to unlock: Side with Initiate Alva (Marisol) throughout ‘Beginning at the Endpoint’, Dorado
Ability: Torpifying Blast – Marisol shoots energy at a target, stunning them. The target cannot move for the ability’s duration, and all attacks against them are critical hits.
Mod kits: To Be Confirmed
Marisol is an immensely intelligent assassin and a dedicated member of the Order of the Ascendant. She can be considered a saboteur in the classic RPG sense, skillfully utilizing her powerful ability to crowd control multiple targets when upgraded with the ‘Dispersed Glare’ and ‘Chain Paralysis’ perks. Her perks also introduce new functionalities to your gadgets, effectively transforming your N-Ray Scanner into a versatile data device.
Marisol perks
| Level | Option A | Option B |
| 5 | Portable Capacitor Distributor – Marisol occasionally tosses portable capacitors near you. Walking over them restores gadget energy. Attacking them makes them explode, dealing AoE shock damage. Has a cooldown between uses. | Combatant Analyzer – Marisol analyzes and enemy during combat, applying the following effects when you hit them:
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| 10 | Recharge Paralysis – 10% of your damage dealt against enemies affected by Marisol’s companion ability is restored as gadget energy. | Dispersed Glare – Marisol’s companion ability is now applied to all enemies in an area around the target. |
| 15 | Elemental Weapon Specialist – Marisol has a small chance to recover your used shock rods, plasma cells, and biomass ammo. | Automech Scrapper – Automechanicals have a small chance to provide additional crafting materials while Marisol is in the party. |
| 20 | Shield Generator Reflector – Your Gas-Energy Deflection Apparatus reflects a portion of damage taken by it back to the attacker while Marisol’s in the party. | N-Ray Scanner Analyzer – Your N-Ray Scanner automatically analyzes enemies, applying the following effects when you hit them.
|
| 25 | Linked Charge – A portion of Marisol’s companion ability charges when you expend gadget energy in combat. | Chain Paralysis – If an enemy affected by Marisol’s companion ability dies, the effect spreads to all enemies in a moderate range. The effect can spread multiple times. |
| 30 | Energy Relay – Marisol throws a gadget that electrifies the party’s weapons within its radius, dealing bonus shock damage and gradually charging your gadget energy. | Mind Discombobulator – Marisol occasionally throws a gadget near you that confuses enemies in an area around it. Enemies wander aimlessly while confused. |
Marisol mods
| Weapon | Armor | |
| Basic |
Blast Barrel – Marisol’s pistol deals slightly more damage, and now deals damage in an area. OR Superheating Barrel – Marisol’s pistol deals slightly more damage, and now applies plasma side-effects much more effectively. |
Plasma Absorber – Marisol’s armor effectiveness is slightly increased, and she gains immunity to plasma side-effects. OR Shock Absorber – Marisol’s armor effectiveness is slightly increased, and she gains immunity to shock side-effects. |
| Advanced |
Isomorphic Charger – Marisol’s pistol deals slightly more damage, and now charges her companion ability. OR Homotopic Extension Module – Marisol’s pistol deals slightly more damage, and now extends the duration of hostile effects on her target. |
Shield Battery – Marisol’s armor effectiveness is slightly increased, and she gains a shield whenever you expend gadget energy. OR Kinetic Charging Relay – Marisol’s armor effectiveness is slightly increased, and she gains companion ability whenever she takes damage. |
Image: The Outer Worlds 2 companions: the shawled Aza
Aza
Location: Decommissioned Autonomous Extractorium, Dorado
How to unlock: Rescue Aza from the traitorous cultists in the Extractorium
Ability: Spread the Message – Aza fires an explosive charge in a cone towards the target location, dealing heavy physical damage and staggering enemies hit.
Mod kits: Loot Hierarch Ziegler during ‘The Dawn of Glorious Betrayal’, Eden (Basic)
Aza is a violent cultist and definitely one of the more dangerous companions you can bring on board. She’s involved in a sub-faction that worships The Rifts, making her an intriguing addition to your team.
With a penchant for swift takedowns, Aza ensures her knife is never clean. Though she’s not an assassin in the traditional sense, she’s a brilliant addition if you prefer a stealthy approach, thanks to the +50% sneak attack damage that ‘Assisted Takedowns’ provides. Bring Niles along for the ultimate sneaky, stabby, glorious experience!
Aza perks
| Level | Option A | Option B |
| 5 | Relentless – Aza automatically inflicts stagger and deals bonus damage every third melee attack. | From The Shadows – Aza attempts to flank weak targets in combat. |
| 10 | Volatile Bombs – Aza’s companion ability explosion covers a larger area, hitting more enemies. | Strike From Smoke – Aza deals +25% bonus damage for 20 seconds after using her companion ability. |
| 15 | Explosive Recycling – Disabling mines gives you crafting materials while Aza is in the party. | Assisted Takedowns – Gain 50% sneak attack damage while Aza’s in the party. |
| 20 | Stunning Explosion – Aza’s companion ability now stuns rather than staggers. | Shorten The Fuse – Aza automatically gains one charge of her companion ability at the start of combat. |
| 25 | Mine Layer – Your mines and explosives deal 25% more damage and knock down enemies when triggered while Aza’s in the party. | Flurry of Blades – Aza occasionally performs a knife flurry, dealing +400% melee damage and stunning the target. |
| 30 | Frost Charge – Aza’s companion ability now deals frost damage and leaves a chill-inflicting hazard. | N-Ray Charge – Aza’s companion ability now deals N-Ray instead, dealing significantly increased damage. |
Aza mods
| Weapon | Armor | |
| Basic |
Zap Coils – Aza’s weapon has significantly increased damage, and now deals shock damage OR Serrated Edge – Aza’s weapon has slightly increased damage, and now inflicts bleed |
Heat-Resistant Cloth – Aza’s armor effectiveness is increased, and she’s now immune to plasma side-effects. OR Shock-Resistant Cloth – Aza’s armor effectiveness is slightly increased, and she’s now immune to shock side-effects. |
| Advanced |
Pommel Sap – Aza’s weapon has increased damage, and now stuns enemies that aren’t targeting her. This effect can only occur once per enemy. OR Vitals-Finding Design – Aza’s weapon has significantly increased damage, and deals even more damage to enemies not targeting her directly. |
Emergency Adrenaline Injector – Aza’s armor effectiveness is increased, and she now heals to full the first time she’d go down each combat. OR Shadow Melding Fabrics – armor effectiveness is increased, and she’ll camouflage herself when not attacking a target, preventing enemies from attacking her and granting her a damage bonus. |
The Dawn of Glorious Betrayal (Basic)
After Aza joins the team, she’ll enlist you to hunt down Renegade Glorious Dawn cultists at the N-Ray Range in Dorado. This is best done during the ‘Discrete Mathematics’ main quest to kill two cultists with one stone. After clearing out the range, she’ll then task you to hunt down the renegade cell’s leader, Hierarch Ziegler, who’s stationed out of Eden.
That wraps up our detailed look at all the companions in The Outer Worlds 2! Now that you’ve got a better idea of who you’ll be adventuring with, why not check out some of the best open-world games or see what other upcoming PC games we’re excited about this year?
Additional guiding by Gina Lees.