All Companions

How Recruitment Works

Companions join after Hills completes a recruitment arc — usually a chain of map events, one combat trial, and a final dialogue check keyed to stats or prior flags. Arcs cost action points and often require district access from Unlock Order. The How to Get guide mirrors this page with day-by-day scheduling advice.

Once recruited, companions appear in the party menu, gain EXP from battles, and unlock heart events at affinity thresholds. Bench companions still earn partial EXP and may contribute passives listed on Companion Abilities.

Companion Roster Overview

The table below summarizes the core roster. Names reflect in-game localization; roles link to tactical usage.

• Renna — Frontline guard recruited in the Market District; needs Hills Resolve ≥ 12 and a successful escort fight. Mitigation and taunt focus.
• Kael — Ranged striker from the Slums; join by mediating a gang dispute without raising exposure. Bleed and aim skills.
• Suri — Support healer tied to the clinic chain; requires Medical Registry key item. Cleanse and regen.
• Dorian — Noble quarter mage; invitation-only after Presence checks. Debuffs and shield breaks.
• Pike — Engineer scavenger; craft quests plus workshop upgrade. Gadget traps and AP refund on kills.
• Vessa — Informant rogue; stealth sequences in Hidden Locations. Crit and evasion.
• Orin — Late-game paladin analog; requires high Justice conviction and two companion loyalty checks. Burst damage and party buff.

Additional background allies appear in scenes but are not full companions. Do not confuse them with bench-eligible roster members when chasing achievements.

Missable Windows and Cutoffs

Several companions silently lock if you advance chapter flags too early:

• Kael — Fails if Slums riot event triggers before mediation (typically Day 8–12).
• Dorian — Requires noble infiltration prep; locking out the auction in Micoco arc removes invitation.
• Vessa — Needs three stealth successes before mid-game curfew; see How to Find.
• Orin — Only appears if at least four companions are already loyal and Justice track ≥ 60.

When in doubt, save before sleeping and consult Save Points. New Game Plus carries over encyclopedia entries but not roster state until recruited again.

Party Composition Tips

Ideal teams vary by chapter. Early game: Renna + Kael gives a stable front/back line. Mid game: add Suri for sustain or Dorian for shield break against elite nobles. Late game: Pike's AP refunds help turn economy; Orin replaces Renna if you need burst over raw guard.

Synergy tags matter — "Band" skills activate when specific pairs share the field. Check pair bonuses on the abilities page before respecing Hills builds.

Affinity, Loyalty, and Endings

Affinity (hearts) unlocks personal scenes and combo upgrades. Loyalty (hidden) gates whether a companion testifies during crisis hearings for the True Ending. Raising affinity without aligning convictions can still fail loyalty checks — read each companion's preferred dialogue themes in their heart events.

Bad endings tied to betrayal are rare but documented in Bad Ending. Keeping at least three loyal companions through the final week stabilizes most routes.

Farming EXP and Gear

Bench companions gain 50% EXP from battles. Rotate benched members into easy skirmishes in unlocked districts to prevent level gaps. Gear upgrades come from shops and schematics; Pike reduces craft costs. Prioritize weapons that match each companion's scaling stat listed in Companion Abilities.

Companion Quest Chains by Character

Renna: Escort failures block tier-two heart events; complete three successful escorts before her loyalty check. Kael: Mediation then marksmanship trial; failure raises riot meter. Suri: Clinic supply runs; bring Herb Bundles from Slums. Dorian: Ballroom introduction plus library study sessions — Presence gates. Pike: Workshop repair and schematic fetches in Hidden Locations. Vessa: Three stealth tutorials without raising Exposure. Orin: Justice conviction quests after four loyal companions secured.

Each chain lists gold markers; gray markers indicate prerequisites missing — hover for tooltip hints added in patch 1.0.2.

Party Archetypes for Common Problems

Under-healing: Add Suri, bench glass cannons. Cannot break shields: Dorian or Pike gadgets. Add overwhelm: Pike traps + Kael bleed. Boss enrage timers: Orin burst + delay from Kael. High Exposure districts: Renna taunt plus items from Items Hub — not a companion issue but team stress rises without guard.

Rotate archetypes rather than forcing one roster all game; chapter four expects shield break, chapter five expects cleanse and burst within same fight.

Recruitment Order Suggestions

Recommended first-run order: Renna (stability) → Kael (damage) → Suri (sustain) → Dorian or Pike depending on whether you struggle with nobles or adds → Vessa before mid-game stealth gates → Orin last. This order is not mandatory — speedrunners skip Dorian entirely with gear checks — but it minimizes reloads on Standard difficulty while learning systems from How to Play.