Now that you’re set up with an awesome PC ready to lay some hurt on the big nasties of Pillars of Eternity, you’re probably going to want some companions. The game gives you the opportunity to create your own allies at the inn, which can be helpful if you’re going for a hardcore playthrough, but you’ll be missing out on all of the banter, side-quests, and unique gear that the Pillars of Eternity NPCs have to offer.
For your first go around, you’ll almost certainly want to put together a party of Obsidian’s pre-made NPCs to take advantage of their rich lore and flavor. It can also be prudent to try to pick them up quickly, so you can guide their character growth in a direction that suits your party’s needs, so here’s a spoiler-free guide to where they’re all hanging out, how to find them, and how to recruit them:
Aloth
Wood Elf Wizard
Stats:
- Might: 12
- Constitution: 10
- Dexterity: 15
- Perception: 12
- Intellect: 16
- Resolve: 13
Unless you’ve done something really wacky, Aloth is the first companion you’re going to meet in Pillars of Eternity. A wizard with pretty good stats, Aloth makes a great sidekick for any PC, especially ones that might benefit from the control spells he can lay down, like rogues. He also comes with a unique set of leather armor that has the Overseeing quality, giving his AoEs a slightly larger radius, so even if you don’t plan on using Aloth you should grab him and ‘borrow’ his gear.
Where is Aloth?
Aloth is hanging out in Gilded Vale in front of the Black Hound Inn, where he has gotten himself in trouble with the locals. You can try to talk them down or just fight them, but either way Aloth with be grateful and offer to join your party.
Durance
Meadow Human Priest of Magran
Stats:
- Might: 14
- Constitution: 13
- Dexterity: 9
- Perception: 9
- Intellect: 15
- Resolve: 19
Durance is also very easy to pick up early in the game, and a great companion for any PC. As a Priest, he brings a lot of support, healing, and control, and his stats are decent enough for you to place him on the front line or in the back. He also comes with a unique staff that has a Burning Lash enchantment on it, which packs a pretty hefty punch in the early parts of the game.
Where is Durance?
Durance is hanging out in Magran’s Fork, where he’s standing by a statue of Magran. When you approach, he’ll speak to you, and the statue will light on fire — it’s pretty hard to miss. He has a lot to say, and there are some unique Watcher interactions, but in the end, Durance won’t take no for an answer. It’s harder to keep him out of your party than in.
Edér
Meadow Human Fighter
Stats:
- Might: 16
- Constitution: 16
- Dexterity: 11
- Perception: 12
- Intellect: 10
- Resolve: 13
Edér is another companion you can recruit right out of the gate, and probably the most important if your PC is not a tank. Edér’s stats are good enough that he can stand up to just about anything, and you’ll need him to. He also comes with a unique set of scale armor called Saint’s War Armor that has the property Second Chance, allowing him to get up after being knocked out in battle. It’s a pretty handy piece of equipment that can last you all the way through the last battle, even if you don’t keep Edér around.
Where is Eder?
Edér is in Gilded Vale, hanging out beneath the Hanging Tree. The main quest will take you there almost immediately, and Edér will make a little quip to get your attention. He doesn’t offer to travel with you right away, but if you keep talking the option will come up and he’s happy to tag along.
Grieving Mother
Human Cipher
Stats:
- Might: 11
- Constitution: 12
- Dexterity: 16
- Perception: 17
- Intellect: 12
- Resolve: 10
Grieving Mother is one of the most interesting characters in Pillars of Eternity — only visible to you because you’re a Watcher, other people seem to not notice her, even your companions. This cuts down on banter, but she has a lot of unique and interesting interactions and a deep, involved backstory. Her stats are pretty poorly distributed, but Ciphers are so powerful that it almost doesn’t matter. She can be challenging to recruit early, but if you want the best selection of Cipher powers, you should make meeting her a priority.
Where is Grieving Mother?
Grieving Mother is in the southeast corner of Dyrford Village, which you can access as soon as the Eastern Barbican of the Watcher’s Keep is repaired. She’s doing something inscrutable in the corner of the village, and you will be prompted when you approach. Just follow the conversation and watch for opportunities in the dialog to use your Watcher powers, and she’ll happily tag along.
Hiravias
Hearth Orlan Druid
Stats:
- Might: 14
- Constitution: 13
- Dexterity: 12
- Perception: 13
- Intellect: 15
- Resolve: 10
Hiravias is easy to miss if you’re not looking for him, but he’s one of the few NPCs that you don’t need to pick up early if you don’t want to. Talents and abilities aren’t as crucial to Druids, especially if you focus on casting, so you don’t need to worry about him making bad class choices as much. Foul-mouthed and full of banter, Hiravias can be fun to have along, and Druids can play almost any role, making him an easy fit for just about any party.
Where is Hiravias?
Hiravias is waiting in Stormwall Gorge, but he’s easy to miss if you’re just hurrying through on your way to Dyrford Village. He’s south along the main path, just above where the road dips down into the gorge. He’s standing next to a bloody deer carcass, so he’s easy to spot. Hiravias is pretty keen to join your party, so as long as you’re not a jerk you’ll have no trouble recruiting him.
Kana Rua
Island Aumaua Chanter
Stats:
- Might: 16
- Constitution: 12
- Dexterity: 9
- Perception: 14
- Intellect: 17
- Resolve: 10
Kana Rua is almost impossible to miss and a great addition to any party. As Chanter, he doesn’t require a lot of micromanagement but gives passive buffs to your allies. He also is loaded out with a Fine Estoc and an Arquebus, which is pretty impressive in the early stages of the game, so make sure to grab his gear even if he doesn’t merit a spot on your team. He also has headgear with a +1 Intellect bonus — nothing to write home about, but early on it can be a big help.
It’s probably harder to keep Kana Rua out of your party than to recruit him. He’s standing outside the entrance to Caed Nua, which you have to pass through to pursue the main quest, and is humming (loudly) to himself. Strike up a conversation and you’ll find that you have common cause and he’ll ask to travel with you.
Sagani
Boreal Dwarf Ranger
Stats:
- Might: 15
- Constitution: 12
- Dexterity: 15
- Perception: 13
- Intellect: 13
- Resolve: 10
Sagani is another companion that’s possible to miss, but she can be picked up early on if you know where to look. Before patch 1.3, Sagani was a little lackluster, but since then she and her pet fox, Itumaak, have had their stats tweaked and are much more competent in combat. As a Ranger, she doesn’t bring anything unique to a party, but she has good damage and Itumaak can help pin down or flank foes.
Where is Sagani?
Sagani is waiting at a crossroads in Woodend Plains — just follow the road to the middle of the map. She’s waiting for someone, and is more than happy to talk — she won’t offer to join up until you use your Watcher mojo though, so follow the conversation until you have a chance to help her out. As long as you’re not needlessly rude, she’ll be happy to join with you.
Pallegina
Avian Godlike Paladin
Stats:
- Might: 12
- Constitution: 13
- Dexterity: 11
- Perception: 14
- Intellect: 13
- Resolve: 15
Pallegina is the companion that shows up the latest in the game and is the only one who requires a quest to be recruited, but she can be a very useful addition to the party. As an Avian Godlike, she has a unique racial ability, Elusive Quarry, which provides defensive bonuses against ranged attacks and when below 50% endurance. She also has a unique breastplate with the Defiance ability, boosting her DR when she has less than half her endurance. Be warned — if you wait too long to pick her up, she will choose some very sub-optimal abilities, so if you’re planning to make use of her, especially on a high difficulty, you might want to make getting to Pallegina a priority.
Where is Pallegina?
Pallegina is standing outside the Vailian Trading Company in Ondra’s Gift, the southwest district of Defiance Bay. Since you can’t get to Defiance Bay without progressing the main quest a bit, you can’t pick her up before level four. When you first meet her, she’ll be ranting about the state of the trading company and its master, but won’t stick around to talk — go inside and talk to the man in charge. He will give you a short delivery quest back to Copperlane, and when you return there is a confrontation with an optional fight. No matter what you choose, Pallegina is happy that you took care of her problem and will offer to travel with you.
Published: Apr 17, 2015 06:47 am