In addition to the weapon or weapon type you select to progress the game’s story, certain NPCs help you out in this journey. Our Fallout New Vegas best companions guide entails a list of NPCs that can be taken into battle for assistance.
Here are our Best Companions and what they offer:
- Raul Tejada: Improves revolver rate of fire by 33% and reduces weapon decay by 75%.
- Veronica Santangelo: Enables crafting workbench items without a workbench.
- Craig Boone: Marks enemies when aiming down weapons.
- Lily Bowen: Increases Stealth Boys duration by 2 minutes and boosts Sneak Critical Attack damage by 10%.
- Joshua Graham: Reduces .45 weapons recoil spread by 0.4 and doubles critical chance.
- Dean Domino: Regenerates health by 1%.
Fallout New Vegas Best Companions Picks
Here’s a quick look at the comparison between each of the best companions you can get in Fallout New Vegas:
Companion | Strength | Perception | Endurance | Charisma | Intelligence | Agility | Luck |
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Raul Tejada | 6.0 | 6.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 5.0 |
Veronica Santangelo | 7.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 3.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 3.0 |
Craig Boone | 7.0 | 8.0 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 7.0 | 6.0 |
Lily Bowen | 9.0 | 3.0 | 8.0 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 10.0 | 6.0 |
Joshua Graham | 6.0 | 7.0 | 10.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 5.0 |
Dean Domino | 6.0 | 3.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 8.0 | 5.0 |
Companions or Followers are NPCs that fight alongside the player and assist them in battle, using their perks. They may vary from purely offensive ones, with their builds dealing a ton of damage, to purely defensive ones, focusing on tanking or maximizing health.
There are also builds that focus on replenishing lost hit points in battle; they all rely on the perks the companions provide.
Raul Tejada
Health | Level | Tag Skills | Perks | Role |
280 – 320 | 14 – 22 |
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Raul Tejada is, without a doubt, the best companion. His perk, Old Vaquero, improves the rate of fire of revolvers and lever-action firearms by 33%. His other perk, Full maintenance, is a buffed version of the regular maintenance perk. Full maintenance reduces the decay of weapons or firearms by 75%.
His other skills include; Guns, Repair, and Science. Raul Tejada is overall a great choice for builds that use pistols as their primary weapon. Raul Tejada’s experience, combined with his Old Vaquero perk, makes him the best companion you can get in Fallout New Vegas.
Veronica Santangelo
Health | Level | Tag Skills | Perks | Role |
235 | 5 – 40 |
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Veronica Santangelo ranks second best on our list, boasting a total of five perks. Her standout perk, Scribe Assistant, allows players to craft workbench items directly through her dialogue, a unique feature among character perks. Notably, it enables the recycling of energy weapon ammunition in combat, conserving resources.
Additionally, her perks Causeless Rebel and Bonds of Steel offer bonuses to her abilities, while Elijah’s Last Words enhances her melee capabilities significantly, boosting attack speed by 150% and granting a 25% chance to knock down enemies.
At level 5, Veronica possesses 235 Health points, increasing to 395 by level 37. Her other stats include a 3% critical chance, 2.90 to 5.50 unarmed damage, 10% radiation resistance, 25% poison resistance, and a carrying capacity of 220 weight. With proficiency in unarmed combat, Veronica’s elevated Strength contributes to her effectiveness in hand-to-hand combat.
Craig Boone
Health | Level | Tag Skills | Perks | Role |
230 – 405 | 5 – 40 |
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Craig Boone, a former NCR First Recon marksman, stands out as one of Fallout New Vegas’ premier companions. His perk, Spotter, crucially marks all hostile enemies in red when players hard-scope or aim down iron sights, enhancing visibility in low light or long-distance scenarios.
Boone’s progression from level 5 to 37 sees his health rise from 230 to 315, with Tag skills in Guns, Melee Weapons, and Sneak improving from 48 to 100. His proficiency in these skills, particularly in Guns and Sneak, complements his role as a sniper-based companion.
With his unparalleled ability to detect and engage enemies at range, Boone excels as the ideal companion for players focusing on sniper or marksman builds, cementing his status as one of the game’s top NPCs.
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Lily Bowen
Health | Level | Tag Skills | Perks | Role |
240 – 528 – 888 | 10 – 22 – 37 |
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Lily Bowen, a first-generation mutant Nightkin, brings unique strengths to the table as a Fallout New Vegas companion. Her perk, Stealth Girl, extends the duration of Stealth Boys by an additional 2 minutes and boosts Sneak Critical Attack damage by 10%.
Starting at level 10 and capping at level 37, Lily exhibits exceptional durability, with her health ranging from 240 to 888, making her an unparalleled tanking companion. She possesses six tag skills—Energy Weapons, Explosives, Guns, Melee Weapons, Sneak, and Unarmed—reflecting her versatility in combat.
Additionally, Lily boasts a 6% critical chance, deals 3.50 unarmed damage, and demonstrates significant resistances to poison (35%) and radiation (14%). With super strength, she excels in melee combat and is adept at utilizing knives and unarmed techniques, making her an invaluable asset in close-quarters engagements.
Joshua Graham
Health | Level | Tag Skills | Perks | Role |
240 – 440 | 10 – 50 |
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The way of the Canaanite |
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Joshua Graham is the Co-founder of Caesar’s Legion and the first of its Legate. Joshua Graham’s perk, The Way of the Canaanite, reduces recoil spread by 0.4 and boosts the critical chance of .45 by x2. This perk doubles its effect if you get your hand on the “A Light Shining in the Darkness” pistol.
You get x4 crit chance and a recoil spread of only 0.275. Joshua Graham can be upgraded from level 10 to 50. His hit points vary from 240 to 440, with 440 at level 50 and 240 at level 10. Joshua Graham’s tag skills include; Barter, Guns, and repair.
Dean Domino
Health | Level | Tag Skills | Perks | Role |
105 – 255 | 5 – 35 |
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Health regeneration (1%) |
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Dean Domino, a ghoul akin to Raul Tejada, boasts a unique trait of 1% health regeneration, providing a steady health boost during combat and downtime. While lacking a specific perk, his enduring presence on the battlefield makes him a reliable companion.
Dean’s proficiency in Explosives and Guns, with skill levels ranging from 45 to 100 and 53 to 100 respectively, solidifies his position as one of Fallout New Vegas’ top companions. His level can be increased from 5 to 35, and up to 50 with DLC.
With attributes including six Strength, four Perception, eight Endurance, seven Charisma, six Intelligence, eight Agility, and five Luck, Dean Domino offers a balanced combination of skills and stats for varied combat situations.
So that is pretty much everything that you need to know about Fallout New Vegas’s best companions. Which companion is your favorite so far in the game? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Next: Fallout New Vegas Level Cap
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