All Avowed Companions, and how to get them

There are a total of four permanent companions you can get in Avowed: Kai, Marius, Giatta, and Yatzli. This game has no enemy-to-friend conversion shenanigans like in Dragon Age: Origins, meaning there are no secret companions beyond this quartet. At any given time, you can only take two companions to go adventuring alongside you, but not all of them are unlocked from the beginning.

If you're wondering at what point in the game you'll get your Avowed companions, that's what we will explain in this guide.

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When do you unlock each companion in Avowed?

Each companion is eventually found through the main quest (Image via Xbox Game Studios)

You start Avowed in a tutorial island off the mainland, and in this place, an Orlan called Garryck (as well as a Paradisian smuggler called Ilora, if you choose to save her) accompanies you. However, they leave right after you reach Dawnshore, and you can't recruit them afterward.

Broadly speaking, all of the companions in Avowed are picked up as part of the main quest, so you don't have to go out of your way to find them.

Kai is the first companion you unlock in Avowed, and he is a staple buddy that tags along from the docks of Dawnshore. Kai acts as an aggro-drawing tank of sorts, making him the obvious pick for glass-cannon builds like bowmen or wizards.

Marius is unlocked not long after you reach Dawnshore after a spoiler event sends you to a rather spooky place. When you come back from there, Marius is picked up from a potential tavern brawl as part of the main story quest, An Untimely End. Marius fulfills a ranger/tracker role in your party, and his best utility is the ability to highlight nearby loot — even through walls.

Giatta is the third companion you unlock in Avowed, and arguably the best one. She's the only healer you can get in your party. You meet Giatta during a heated argument in the middle of Fior Mes Iverno bazaar, the town hub in the game's second area (Emerald Stairs), but she doesn't join your party till you progress The Animancy Method, meaning you'll get her halfway into the Emerald Stairs.

Yatzli is the raunchy Orlan mage that you first encounter right at the beginning of Emerald Stairs. However, you don't get her as a party companion till the third area, Shatterscarp. Yatzli is the DPS mage of the bunch but has some soft crowd control on the side.

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Companions can train you in Avowed

After you've talked to them for a bit and taken them on a few combat encounters, companions in Avowed can give you permanent Attribute points. Although these are only two extra points to some select stats, they are still freebies that give you some minor power-ramps.

• Kai can give you +2 Might, +2 Constitution, OR +1 to to both.
• Marius can give you +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, OR +1 to both.
• Giatta can give you +2 Intellect, +2 Resolve, OR +1 to both.
• Yatzli can give you +2 Intellect, +2 Perception, OR +1 to both.

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Can you play as companions in Avowed?

You cannot. Avowed takes the Dragon Age Veilguard route of only being able to command companions through their abilities. These abilities are all cooldown-based rather than Essence-gated, making the system even simpler. On the whole, they still provide a great deal of utility in combat.

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Best companions to pick in Avowed

The dynamic duo (Image via Xbox Game Studios)

As you can only take two companions into the open world of Avowed at a time, you often need to pick only what works best for you. Aside from some companion quests and Ryngrim's Domain, the best buddies to pick for combat are easily Kai and Giatta.

Giatta can give you healing and action speed, which is far more useful for combat encounters than the meager amount of damage companions tend to deal. Kai, on the other hand, is quite durable, and holds the line as an aggro-control unit, allowing you more freedom in encounters.

An argument can also be made for Marius solely for his loot-finding shenanigan. This, of course, is down to preference and build synergy. Ultimately, you'll need to cycle out all the companions throughout the game at various points, and this also provides some much-needed change of flavor at times.

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Check out our Avowed guides:

• Avowed: All missions list
• How does Second Wind work?
• How to find the Ring of Slow Essence in Avowed
• Avowed: How to get Anextli's Grimoire (and Pyromancer's Key)