Companions

Overview

Companions are members of the Greymanes who fight alongside Kliff during story missions and open-world activities. After the Black Bears shatter the mercenary band, Kliff's early journey involves tracking down his scattered comrades across Pywel. Each companion found returns to the Greymane Camp and becomes available for combat support and dispatch missions.

Companions are not directly controllable. During joint missions, they fight independently using their own weapons and abilities. Players can issue basic tactical commands, but companions make their own combat decisions. Defeated companions recover after the encounter -- they cannot permanently die.

How the roster grows

The Greymane roster grows through three channels:

Core companions

Yann

Yann is the Greymanes' diplomat and strategist. Pearl Abyss describes him as "resourceful and cunning," with a talent for reading people and working political angles. Where Kliff leads through loyalty and combat, Yann keeps the Greymanes alive through negotiation.

Pywel has dozens of factions. Yann provides strategic counsel on which to approach, which to avoid, and how to play them against each other. His work ties directly into the faction reputation system -- the kind of maneuvering that opens access to better vendors, supply lines, and allied support.

Naira

Naira is the group's most versatile fighter. Pearl Abyss describes her as someone who adapts to any situation rather than relying on a single weapon style.

Naira also carries authority within the group. The wizard Alustin delivers a critical instruction directly to her: "Gather all of the Greymanes." Alustin addresses this to Naira rather than Kliff, which suggests she has the trust and leadership ability to rally the scattered members on her own.

Oongka

Oongka is the group's heavy hitter and one of the three playable characters. Pearl Abyss describes his combat as beginner-friendly with straightforward combos. He carries three weapons:

Kliff arrives in Calphade searching for Oongka, tying his recruitment into the faction quest storyline there.

Damiane

Damiane is recruited later in the story and becomes the third playable character. She fights with a claymore, rapier and buckler, flintlock pistol, and musket. Her propeller gadget allows powered flight rather than just gliding, making her traversal unique among the three playable characters. See the full Damiane article.

Additional members

Unnamed fighters, scouts, and support members appear in camp scenes and group combat encounters. The Dropped Frames interview confirmed there are "tons of factions" and characters in the game, but the full companion roster has not been revealed before launch. Additional Greymanes are recruited through story progression, word of mouth, and random encounters throughout the game.

Boss gear rewards

Defeating bosses throughout Pywel yields exclusive equipment. Equipping a defeated boss's gear grants access to that boss's signature skill. For example, defeating Fontaine the Cursed Knight grants the player his cursed shield, which summons a spectral knight. This system applies to bosses like Cassius Morten, the Reed Devil, and others. The game has an estimated 20 to 40 total bosses, each with their own equipment drop. See Boss Battles.

Companion dispatch system

The dispatch system is accessed through the Steinfell Fortress management interface at the Greymane Camp. It lets players send teams of companions -- called Freeswords -- on off-screen missions while Kliff handles other business.

Companion stats

Each Freesword has individual combat stats:

• Health, Attack, Defense

• Attack Speed, Movement Speed, Critical Hit Chance

Matching companion strengths to mission requirements improves success rates and rewards.

Mission parameters

A Mission List tab shows countdown timers for active missions. Completed missions yield currency, materials, or unlock new areas.

Mission types

Companion camp roles

Beyond dispatch missions, companions can be assigned to camp roles that improve facility output at the Greymane Camp. The roster available for camp roles expands as the camp is upgraded. More companions means more productive facilities and more dispatch options.

Combat

Each companion has unique abilities that trigger during combat. These are AI-driven and activate based on combat conditions rather than player input. Oongka hits hard and slow with ground slams and spinning axe sweeps. Naira adapts to the situation with versatile weapon switching.

Relationships

Interactions outside combat -- campfire conversations, dialogue choices during quests, time at camp -- build relationship levels. Higher levels unlock additional dialogue, backstory, and companion-specific side quests. Pearl Abyss has confirmed each core companion has their own story about what happened between the Black Bears' ambush and their reunion with Kliff.

Gian's legacy

The wizard Alustin reveals that stopping the chaos threatening the Abyss was once Gian's mission. This burden now falls on the surviving Greymanes. For many companions, reuniting is not just about rebuilding the mercenary band -- it is about finishing what Gian started.

See also