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Fallout 4 has a lot of companions on offer – so many that there’s an achievement for finding at least five of them – and while the cute little dog has been getting the most attention the others all have their advantages. We’ve broken down where you can find them all, what they can bring to the team if you pick them, and how to get them to hero worship you (which is what you really came here for, eh?). Just remember, if you’re ever not sure if your companion will like a decision you can always try asking them: if you’re in the middle of a quest they’ll usually offer up an opinion about it.
Cait Guide – Fallout 4 Companion
Where To Find Cait:
You’ll find Cait in The Combat Zone, a little North East of Diamond City
Who is Cait:
Living proof that Irish stereotypes persist even centuries into the future, Cait is a pit fighter probably described as ‘feisty’ by several outlets. She goes in hard with a baseball bat or shotgun, and is addicted to performance-enhancing chems (which triggers a nice little personal quest with her if you get her approval high enough). Cait can pick locks that are above your ability, and she’ll probably accuse you of eyeing her up on at least one occasion.
Cait’s Approval Perk:
If your health falls below 25% your AP will regenerate faster.
Cait’s Likes and Dislikes:
There’s no really easy way to say this, but Cait is kind of a dick and rewards you for being one too. She enjoys you being mean, sarcastic, and threatening, and likes you squeezing people for extra rewards on quests. She’s a bit contradictory at times: she likes actions that help the Brotherhood of Steel, but also illegal activities like pickpocketing and stealing. She doesn’t like the Minutemen, or the Institute – synths in general, actually, so no helping the railroad in front of her.
Is Cait Romanceable?
Yes, Cait is romanceable.
Codsworth Guide – Fallout 4 Companion
Where To Find Codsworth
Codsworth is waiting for you in Sanctuary.
Who is Codsworth:
Your robot butler from the past is one of the first things you meet out of the vault, and he demonstrates a psychotic streak in battle. Codsworth charges in as a melee attacker with what appears to be a really deadly pizza cutter, but also has a handy flamethrower attachment. He shouts things about how he doesn’t feel pain as he does it. It’s… it’s very unnerving. Then again, he dispenses purified water to you while you’re wandering around together, so swings and roundabouts.
Codsworth’s Approval Perk:
A +10 to damage resistance against robot energy attacks.
Codsworth’s Likes and Dislikes:
As a Mr Handy robot Codsworth probably has some strictly programmed parameters of behaviour, so he likes you obeying the law and being generally responsible. He also enjoys generosity and helpfulness – just basically being nice to people. Codsworth loves it when you craft on your weapons and armour, and likes you referencing your family and past because he, like you, is apparently unable to let go of events from 200 years ago. Codsworth hates things like pickpocketing, stealing, and drug use. Somewhat adorably, we’ve noticed that he sometimes doesn’t like you dropping things from your inventory and leaving them. Littering is bad, everyone.
Is Codsworth romanceable?
No, Codsworth is not romanceable.
Curie Guide – Fallout 4 Companion
Where To Find Curie:
Curie is working on research in Vault 81, West of Diamond City
Who is Curie:
Curie is a science and research robot. We’re not going to say too much about her beyond that, because her personal quest is an absolute cracker. Suffice to say it’s worth your while to get her approval up. Curie has a French accent and occasionally provides delicious, life giving stimpaks.
Curie’s Approval Perk:
Heal 100 HP when you fall below 10% health – but this can only be done once per day.
Curie’s Likes and Dislikes:
Curie likes demonstrations of unselfishness and kindness in deed and word, sympathetic behaviour towards robots and sometimes synths, and being generally supportive and nice to other people. Bartering for more reward, stealing, violence, and killing neutral robots are looked upon unfavourably. Slightly inexplicably, Curie doesn’t like you completing missions for or helping the Railroad. Women, eh?
Is Curie Romanceable?
Yes, Curie is romanceable… eventually.
Danse Guide – Fallout 4 Companion
Where To Find Danse:
Danse has fortified Cambridge Police Station, about halfway between Sanctuary and Diamond City
Who is Danse:
A big moody Brotherhood of Steel Paladin wearing Power Armour and a permanently serious expression, Danse is essentially a tank style companion. You can meet him early on at the Cambridge Police Station, but he won’t become available as a Companion until you join the Brotherhood of Steel as a Knight later in the game. His voice is extremely monotone in all situations.
Danse’s Approval Perk:
A nice 20% damage buff against androids, ghouls, and mutants.
Danse’s Likes and Dislikes:
Danse is a simple, potato faced soldier at heart. He loves it when you craft upgrades on your weapons and armour, and likes you getting into a power armour suit that’s painted up for the Brotherhood of Steel. He also likes you helping settlers and any dialogue that’s reasonable rather than emotional, as well as referencing making the Commonwealth a better place. Being mean to and about synths, mutants and ghouls is also a winner. Basically, don’t be nice to anyone that isn’t a human, don’t take any drugs in front of him, don’t attack any non hostile NPCs, and never become an enemy of the Brotherhood.
Is Danse romanceable?
Danse is romanceable, but also quite boring.
Deacon Guide – Fallout 4 Companion
Where To Find Deacon:
Deacon is in the catacombs under The Old North Church, North East of Diamond City
Who is Deacon:
Deacon is a spy working for the Railroad – an organisation helping to smuggle synths to safety and away from the Institute. He’s pretty laid back, and you can tell that because he wears sunglasses even when he’s indoors, unless he’s in one of his weird disguises (he changes outfits a lot, which is somewhat unhelpful in combat situations when you’ve forgotten what he looks like). Deacon is a stealth character; he uses a hunting rifle to kill people, and flippant humour as an obvious coping mechanism. He will also lie to you. A lot.
Deacon’s Approval Perk:
A 20% buff to damage on sneak attacks, and 40% increase to the duration of Stealth Boys.
Deacon’s Likes and Dislikes:
Deacon is pro-synth, so he likes you helping them out and helping the Railroad. He also likes you lockpicking, hacking, and avoiding direct combat in dialogues (you know, sneaky stuff). Don’t be too hard lined against synths, the Railroad, or refuse to help people, and avoid using chems where possible.
Is Deacon Romanceable?
Nope, Deacon isn’t romanceable.
Dogmeat Guide – Fallout 4 Companion
Where To Find Dogmeat:
Dogmeat is at the Red Rocket Truck Stop, straight out of Sanctuary.
Who is Dogmeat:
He’s an adorable dog! He can wear sunglasses and stuff!
Dogmeat’s Approval Perk:
None, but there is a canine specific perk you can level up called Attack Dog which gives Dogmeat the ability to grab hold of enemies, making them easier to hit in V.A.T.S. and dealing more damage as you level it higher.
Dogmeat’s Likes and Dislikes:
None. Dogmeat loves you unconditionally. Don’t betray his trust, you filthy wastelander.
Is Dogmeat Romanceable?
Dogmeat is not romanceable, and there are laws against that kind of thing.
Hancock Guide – Fallout 4 Companion
Where To Find Hancock:
Hancock welcomes you to Goodneighbour, East and then a little North from Diamond City.
Who is Hancock:
John Hancock is definitely not his real name, but he’s the self appointed mayor of Goodneighbour, a somewhat lawless district in Boston. Hancock is a ghoul (and got that way by chasing an extremely strong radioactive high, which may be why he gives you chems every so often) with a strong sense of self and a Libertarian approach to justice that he backs up with a shotgun – he demonstrates this in your very first encounter.
Hancock’s Approval Perk:
Your critical metre will fill 20% faster – but only as long as your rads are higher than 250.
Hancock’s Likes and Dislikes:
As a confirmed drug addict Hancock likes you taking chems, as well as giving them to others. As for the rest, he doesn’t have any particular allegiances, but likes you treating people as they deserve. Punish the wicked and spare the innocent. He’s a pretty uncomplicated guy.
Is Hancock Romanceable?
Yes, Hancock is romanceable.
MacCready Guide – Fallout 4 Companion
Where To Find MacCready:
MacCready’s in Goodneighbour, in the basement of The Third Rail.
Who is MacCready:
There’s always got to be at least one shady mercenary, right? You might remember MacCready if you played Fallout 3 – though he was a lot shorter back then. MacCready is a dab hand with a rifle, and has lead an interesting (if tragic) life since we last saw him 2277. MacCready will charge you for his services to the tune of 250 caps, although you can barter him down to 200 if your Charisma is good enough.
MacCready’s Approval Perk:
A 20% buff to accuracy when taking headshots in V.A.T.S.
MacCready’s Likes and Dislikes:
As a mercenary, MacCready likes it when you ask people for more money for quests, and criminal activity like picking owned locks. Due to his backstory, which we’re not going to spoil for you here, he also likes you helping out children and parents, and throwing in a bit of sarcasm here and there also helps. He doesn’t like you being too generous or trying to persuade others by making an appeal to their better nature – and, to be fair to him, at this point he probably doesn’t think people have one.
Is MacCready Romanceable?
Yes, MacCready is romanceable.
Nick Valentine
Where To Find Nick Valentine:
He’s being held hostage in Vault 114, which you can reach by going through Park Street Station, North East of Diamond City.
Who is Nick Valentine:
Nick is an old school, smooth talking private detective synth that you rescue as part of a the main questline. He has a revolver pistol and is pretty handy at both dispensing folksy neo-noir opinions and hacking computer terminals. Just try not to be put off by the fact that one of his hands is a metal skeleton.
Nick Valentine’s Approval Perk:
You get one extra attempt when hacking terminals, and if you get locked out the time is reduced by half.
Nick Valentine’s Likes and Dislikes:
Nick likes generosity, kindness, and compassion. He’ll generally like you being nice, helping people out, and expressing opinions that match that. He’s also pro-synth so keep that in mind when making decisions. He dislikes you being mean, selfish, or threatening, and doesn’t approve of you joining the Brotherhood of Steel, or taking items and picking locks that don’t belong to you. He’s a pretty decent fella, see?
Is Nick Valentine Romanceable?
Nick is not romanceable (probably had his heart broken by a dame with legs all the way up to here).
Piper Guide – Fallout 4 Companion
Where To Find Piper:
Diamond City. Depending on when you arrive she’ll either be locked out or arguing with the mayor.
Who is Piper:
She’s a reporter who runs her own paper out of Diamond City, which is part conspiracy theory, part interview with yourself as a person of interest in the Commonwealth. She wears a newsies flat cap and her weapons of choice are pistols. Piper can offer you little snacks while you’re adventuring together to help keep your strength up, and persists in calling you ‘Blue’ as a reference to the yellow and blue uniform of a Vault Dweller.
Piper’s Approval Perk:
Double experience from finding new locations on the map and successful persuasion checks.
Piper’s Likes and Dislikes:
Piper approves of you joining the Minutemen and the Railroad, and, by extension, helping the down-on-their-luck and the innocent. She’s also impressed if you try and avoid violence when the option comes up in dialogue. Conversely, she doesn’t like the Brotherhood of Steel, or any of the more dishonest actions like lying, bribing or intimidating. Stealing is also out (although she likes you picking the odd lock or two).
Is Piper Romanceable?
Yes, Piper is romanceable.
Preston Guide – Fallout 4 Companion
Where To Find Preston:
You first encounter him in The Museum of Freedom in Concord, before he moves in at Sanctuary.
Who is Preston:
Preston Garvey is the leader of the Minutemen and is another companion that you meet early on in the game. He has a suitably tragic backstory, but is pretty effective with his laser musket, and he has a cool hat going for him.
Preston’s Approval Perk:
An added 20% damage and 20 points of damage resistance when fighting three or more enemies at the same time.
Preston’s Likes and Dislikes:
Preston loves you helping the ordinary folk of the Commonwealth, so getting his approval rating up is pretty easy because he generates an inexhaustible list of those kinds of missions for you. He also likes you adding mods to weapons. Don’t take him on any Brotherhood of Steel missions, steal, or use any chems that you’re addicted to (bizarrely he’s fine with you using them up until you actually get addicted, which makes him part of the problem, frankly).
Is Preston Romanceable?
Yes, Preston is romanceable.
Strong Guide – Fallout 4 Companion
Where To Find Strong:
Locked up at the top of Trinity Tower, almost directly East of Diamond City
Who is Strong:
Strong is a super mutant who interpreted the “milk of human kindness” referenced in Shakespeare incredibly literally; he thinks it’s an actual milk that he can drink, and thus super mutants can become as strong as humans. You can pick up Strong by listening to the Trinity Tower Radio signal near Diamond City, and completing the Curtain Call mission attached to it. No two ways about it: strong is a massive tank who favours melee weapons, but he’s not too bad with big guns either.
Strong’s Approval Perk:
You deal 20% extra melee damage when the target’s health is at 25% or less.
Strong’s Likes and Dislikes:
Strong is probably the most uncomplicated companion so far as his tastes run: Strong enjoys demonstrations of murder, stealing, and cannibalism (although he does like it when you use Charisma in conversation, for some reason). Don’t do anything too subtle around Strong – lockpicking and hacking aren’t skills a super mutant needs. He doesn’t like you using power armour either. He probably thinks that’s cheating.
Is Strong Romanceable?
No, Strong is not romanceable, and the concept is quite worrying.
X6-88 Guide – Fallout 4 Companion
Where To Find X6-88:
X6-88 is at the mysterious Institute (technically he assists you with a quest you’re given when you reach The Institute, but it amounts to the same thing).
Who is X6-88:
X6-88 is a very advanced Synth, and talks and acts as if Microsoft Sam was given a body so he could star in a Arnold Schwarzenegger film. He works well at range as well as in closer combat, and is generally terrifying to be around.
X6-88’s Approval Perk:
A 20% buff to energy resistence when hit with an energy weapon.
X6-88’s Likes and Dislikes:
Helping the Institute scientists and hacking terminals go down well. X6 approves of rational behaviour, rather than helping everyone that asks you whether it benefits you or not. He’s a synth, but Institute born and bred (or produced and designed, anyway). As such he doesn’t have much sympathy for the synths that think they’re human – to be honest the jury’s out on whether X6 has any emotions whatsoever.
Is X6-88 romanceable?
No, X6-88 is not romanceable.
