Best Avowed Companions, Ranked by Helpfulness

Beyond their compelling stories and engaging dialogue, *Avowed*'s Companions offer invaluable practical benefits, from navigating tricky pathways to delivering devastating blows in combat. Let's rank them, from least to most helpful.

4. Marius

My experience with Marius (pictured above) revealed limited synergy with my playstyle. While his early-game exploration abilities, such as locating items and plants, prove useful, he's quickly outmatched by other Companions. His combat prowess leaves much to be desired. Here's a breakdown of his abilities and upgrades:

Blinding Roots: Roots enemies for 8 seconds. Upgrades include stunning enemies, trapping multiple targets, and inflicting Bleed Accumulation. Heart Seeker: A piercing shot that always hits the target, regardless of obstacles. Upgrades include hitting two enemies, increased damage against low-health foes, and cooldown reduction. Shadow Step: Marius vanishes and reappears near an enemy for a slashing attack (up to three times). Upgrades include instant kills against stunned enemies, increased damage against low-health targets, and increased attack count. Wounding Shots: Marius' attacks inflict Bleed Accumulation. Upgrades include reducing enemy damage reduction, slowing enemies, and further reducing 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 falls short for most of the Avowed journey.

3. Giatta

Giatta, a support-focused Animancer, excels at healing, shielding, and buffing the party. While lacking in raw damage, her utility shines in high-pressure situations like boss fights. Here are her abilities:

Purification: Heals allies for 25% of their maximum health. Upgrades increase healing, interrupt enemies, and boost ally damage reduction. Barrier: Grants allies a temporary health shield. Upgrades increase shield strength, heal on barrier expiration, and provide protection for Giatta. Acceleration: Increases ally movement and attack speed. Upgrades add damage reduction, extend duration, and reduce ability cooldowns. Reconstruction: Giatta's attacks heal allies slightly. Upgrades enhance healing for low-health allies, grant temporary health at maximum health, and revive incapacitated allies upon enemy kills.

Giatta can also activate Essence Generators, unlocking late-game areas and loot. While not the strongest damage dealer, she's a perfect complement to magic-focused Envoy builds.

2. Kai

Encountered early in Avowed, Kai remains a valuable companion throughout. This tank deals significant damage with minimal player intervention. His abilities include:

Fire and Ire: A blunderbuss shot that stuns and taunts a single enemy. Upgrades include igniting the target, increased stun, and cooldown reduction. Unbending Defense: Regenerates health and increases damage reduction. Upgrades increase damage reduction, enhance health regeneration, and unleash a damaging shockwave. Leap of Daring: Kai crashes down, stunning and taunting nearby enemies. Upgrades expand area of effect, grant temporary health per hit, and boost attack damage. Second Wind: Revives Kai, restoring a percentage of his health. Upgrades increase health restoration, grant a temporary attack speed boost, and reset ability cooldowns.

Kai’s abilities excel against various enemy types, offering both single-target damage and crowd control. His self-revival further enhances his effectiveness, making him a low-maintenance, high-impact combat partner. He can also use fire to clear obstacles.

1. Yatzli

Yatzli, a powerful Wizard, delivers high-damage attacks and excellent crowd control. She's the closest thing to air support in the Living Lands. Her abilities are:

Essence Explosion: Arcane explosion dealing damage. Upgrades include increased blast radius, fire accumulation, and cooldown reduction. Minoletta’s Missile Battery: A volley of homing missiles. Upgrades increase fire rate, range, and add shock accumulation. Arduos Delay of Motion: Slows enemies. Upgrades intensify slowing, create an area of effect, and inflict frost accumulation. Blast: Area-of-effect damage on enemy hits. Upgrades add explosive damage to break blocks and shatter frozen enemies, along with increased stun and status effect chances.

Yatzli's potent abilities and obstacle-clearing capabilities make her an invaluable asset, despite being recruited late in the game.

*Avowed releases on PC and Xbox on February 18.*