While the title of Sole Survivor may sound a bit lonely, the hero can recruit a rich array of allies that provide not only valuable company but also some pretty helpful perks.

Bethesda’s Fallout 4 follows the Sole Survivor traversing a post-nuclear reality in search of a missing son. This risky adventure unravels all remains of a once thriving human civilization – greed, desperation, violence, a ruined world, and other survivors.

Who, by the way, can join our hero on this grand journey to aid them with unique follower perks. There are 15 Fallout 4 companion perks available, but how can you unlock them? This guide answers that question!

Fallout 4: All Companion Perks (& How to Unlock Them)

Perks and Affinity Tips for Beginners

Let’s start with the basics – there are seventeen companions in the game, fifteen of whom offer unique perks. Companions are NPCs (non-playable characters) available for recruitment as allies. You can find them in various locations, but getting them to join you on an adventure often requires fulfilling certain conditions (like completing a quest, joining a faction, or participating in a chat).

Once they join you, your job is to develop an affinity to earn their trust. When you max out this factor, the companion unlocks a perk granting various bonuses. What kind of bonus it is depends on the companion you choose. Allies differ in appearance, beliefs, and personality, but each can prove helpful on your adventure. Important note – once you unlock the perk, you can enjoy it even when your affinity level changes.

Now, let’s get down to all the companions, their locations, recruitment tips, related quests, and descriptions of these priceless perks!

All Companions and their Perks

Porter Gage

  • Perk – Lessons in Blood ( 10 Damage Resistance, 5% extra experience per kill)
  • Companion Location – Fizztop Grille
  • How to recruit – Complete An Ambitious Plan quest

How to get Porter Gage’s perk:

  • Kill Synths and Railroad
  • Build settlements
  • Pick locks
  • Choose violence
  • Steal
  • Modify weapons
  • Don’t use chems
  • Be sarcastic

Old Longfellow

  • Perk – Hunter’s Wisdom (Reduces all sea creatures’ energy resistance and damage resistance by 25%)
  • Companion Location – The Last Plank on the Island
  • How to recruit – Complete Walk in the Park quest

How to get Old Longfellow’s perk:

  • Engage in good deeds
  • Kill Raiders
  • Heal Dogmeat
  • Be sarcastic
  • Drink booze (except for beer)
  • Don’t use chems
  • Complete Minutemen quests to help settlers

Cait

  • Perk – Trigger Rush (Regenerates Action Points faster if health drops below 25%)
  • Companion Location – Combat Zone
  • How to recruit – Clear the Combat Zone

How to get Cait’s perk:

  • Choose violence
  • Do drugs and booze
  • Be mean
  • Threaten people
  • Heal Dogmeat
  • Be sarcastic

Codsworth

  • Perk – Robotic Symphony ( 10 damage resistance against robotic energy weapons)
  • Companion Location – Sanctuary Hills
  • How to recruit – Visit Concord in the Out of Time quest

How to get Codsworth’s perk:

  • Help others
  • Obey the law
  • Heal Dogmeat
  • Be empathetic
  • Choose kindness
  • Modify items at the workshop

Deacon

  • Perk – Blind Betrayal ( 20% stealth damage and Stealth Boy effects increased by 40%)
  • Companion Location – The Railroad HQ
  • How to recruit – Complete the Tradecraft quest

How to get Deacon’s perk:

  • Hack terminals
  • Pick locks
  • Bribe
  • Help others
  • Heal Dogmeat
  • Help Synths
  • Join the Railroad
  • Find peaceful solutions

Curie

  • Perk – Combat Medic (Restores 100 health once every 24 hours if player’s health falls below 10%)
  • Companion Location – Vault 81
  • How to recruit – Complete the Hole in the Wall quest

How to get Curie’s perk:

  • Help others
  • Heal Dogmeat
  • Be honest
  • Protect human settlements
  • Find peaceful solutions
  • Be kind

John Hancock

  • Perk – Isodoped ( 20% more damage dealt when your Radiation Points are 250 or higher)
  • Companion Location – The Old State House in Goodneighbor
  • How to recruit – Complete The Big Dig quest

How to get John Hancock’s perk:

  • Get addicted to chems
  • Join the Minutemen
  • Be naked
  • Help innocent
  • Help ghouls
  • Don’t approve of slavery
  • Harm bad people

Dogmeat

  • Perk – Attack Dog (Holds an enemy down while the player attacks)
  • Companion Location – Red Rocket Truck Stop
  • How to recruit – None

How to get Dogmeat’s perk:

  • Level up

Nick Valentine

  • Perk – Close to Metal (Gain an extra guess when hacking terminals and 50% less time for resets when you’ve failed)
  • Companion Location – Vault 114/Diamond City
  • How to recruit – Complete the Getting a Clue quest

How to get Nick Valentine’s perk:

  • Hack terminals
  • Heal Dogmeat
  • Support the Railroad
  • Don’t choose the Institute
  • Kill super mutants
  • Be empathetic
  • Refuse bribe
  • Be kind

Piper Wright

  • Perk – Gift of Gab (Doubles the experience earned when the player discovers new locations and successfully persuades people)
  • Companion Location – Diamond City
  • How to recruit – Complete the Story of the Century quest and start the Dangerous Minds quest

How to get Piper’s perk:

  • Help innocent
  • Join the Railroad
  • Pick locks
  • Be sarcastic
  • Kill super mutants
  • Join the Minutemen

Paladin Danse

  • Perk – Know Your Enemy ( 20% damage against Ghouls and Super Mutants)
  • Companion Location – Cambridge Police Station/The Prydwen
  • How to recruit – Complete the Tour of Duty quest

How to get Paladin Danse perk:

  • Support the Brotherhood of Steel
  • Help innocent
  • Modify weapons and armor
  • Complete quests from the Brotherhood of Steel

Robert MacCready

  • Perk – Killshot ( 20% accuracy when using V.A.T.S. to slow down time)
  • Companion Location – The Third Rail in Goodneighbor
  • How to recruit – Hire him for 250 caps (200 if you invested more in Charisma)

How to get Robert MacCready’s perk:

  • Pick locks
  • Be sarcastic
  • Agree to bribe
  • Threaten others and lie
  • Work for money
  • Steal

Preston Garvey

  • Perk – United We Stand ( 20% damage and 20 damage resistance when fighting three or more enemies)
  • Companion Location – Museum of Freedom/Sanctuary Hills
  • How to recruit – Complete The First Step quest

How to get Preston Garvey’s perk:

  • Help innocent
  • Be sarcastic
  • Support Minutemen
  • Modify weapons
  • Find peaceful solutions
  • Don’t steal
  • Refuse bribe
  • Let Virgil live

X6-88

  • Perk – Shield Harmonics ( 20 energy resistance)
  • Companion Location – The Institute
  • How to recruit – Complete the Mankind – Redefined quest

How to get the X6-88 perk:

  • Complete quests from the Institute
  • Hack terminals
  • Help the Institute
  • Threaten others
  • Let Virgil live
  • Don’t use chems
  • Use power armor

Strong

  • Perk – Berserk ( 20% melee damage when Hit Points are at 25% or less)
  • Companion Location – Trinity Tower
  • How to recruit – Complete the Curtain Call quest

How to get Strong’s perk:

  • Eat corpses
  • Threaten people
  • Kill the Railroad
  • Don’t steal
  • Don’t use power armor
  • Choose violence

Conclusion

You can now venture into the Wasteland to find and recruit your dream companion! Remember, however, to avoid that if you plan on developing the Sole Survivor’s Lone Wanderer perk, as their presence will turn off its bonuses (except for Dogmeat). Otherwise, memorize what potential allies say, as many companions express contrasting views, so learning their opinions can help you unlock the best perks.