You’re trekking across the Mojave, sun-baked and probably carrying about 400 pounds of scrap metal you’re never actually going to use. It’s lonely. Then you see a guy in a red beret standing inside a giant dinosaur’s mouth. Suddenly, you’ve got a sniper covering your six, and the game feels completely different.
Fallout New Vegas followers aren't just pack mules with guns. They’re the emotional backbone of the game. Honestly, if you’re playing without them, you’re missing half the story. Obsidian didn't just give these characters stats; they gave them trauma, political agendas, and some of the best writing in RPG history.
But there is a lot of bad info out there. People treat them like simple buffs, but if you don't understand their "point" systems or how their perks actually scale, you’re gimping your Courier.
The "Two-Follower" Rule and Why It Matters
Basically, you can have one humanoid companion and one non-humanoid (the "critters") at the same time. This is non-negotiable unless you're using mods.
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Think of it as a squad. You want a balance. If you're a melee tank, taking Lily Bowen and Rex might seem fun, but you’re going to be constantly tripping over each other in narrow vaults. A better play? Bring Ed-E for the long-range sensor buffs and let a sniper like Boone pick off the Cazadores before they even touch you.
Humanoid Companions: More Than Just Firepower
- Craig Boone: The fan favorite. You find him in Novac. He hates the Legion with a burning passion. If you even look at a Legionary funny, he’s probably already shot them. His Spotter perk makes enemies glow red when you aim, which is a lifesaver in the dark.
- Veronica Santangelo: A Brotherhood of Steel Scribe with a power fist and a dream of finding a nice dress. She’s at the 188 Trading Post. Her Scribe Assistant perk lets you craft items anywhere. No workbench needed. It’s incredibly handy for energy weapon builds.
- Arcade Gannon: The sarcastic doctor in Freeside. He’s picky. He won’t join you if you’re too cozy with Caesar. His Better Healing perk is exactly what it sounds like—more health from stimpaks.
- Rose of Sharon Cassidy (Cass): You’ll find her drinking her sorrows away at the Mojave Outpost. She gives you the Whiskey Rose perk. Basically, you can drink all the whiskey you want without the negative side effects, and it actually boosts your Damage Threshold.
- Raul Tejada: A ghoul mechanic found at Black Mountain. His Regular Maintenance perk slows down weapon and armor degradation by 50%. This is arguably the most "useful" perk in the long run, especially if you use rare weapons like the Anti-Materiel Rifle.
- Lily Bowen: A Nightkin grandmother who’s a bit... unstable. She’s in Jacobstown. Her Stealth Girl perk makes your Stealth Boys last longer and boosts sneak attack criticals.
The Non-Humans: Metal and Teeth
- ED-E: A broken eyebot in Primm. Fix him up and you get Enhanced Sensors. You’ll see enemies on your radar from a mile away.
- Rex: The King’s cyberdog in Freeside. He’s old and needs a new brain. His Search and Mark perk highlights loot when you zoom in.
The Mystery of the "Point" System
Most people think companion quests just happen. They don't. Characters like Boone and Arcade operate on a "history point" system. You have to take them to specific locations or make specific dialogue choices to trigger their personal stories.
Take Boone. To start "I Forgot to Remember to Forget," you need 5 points. You get these by doing things like killing Vulpes Inculta or liberating the hostages at Nelson. If you do these things before recruiting him, you can actually lock yourself out of his quest. It’s annoying, but it forces you to actually travel with these people.
Arcade Gannon is even more finicky. He’s looking for a leader he can trust. If you side with Mr. House or Caesar too early, he might just walk away. To trigger "For Auld Lang Syne"—the quest that reunites the Enclave Remnants—you usually have to progress the main story significantly and have him present for "intellectual" moments, like talking to the scientists at Camp McCarran.
How Your Stats Affect Your Squad
There’s a common misconception that Charisma is a "dump stat" in New Vegas. While you can leave it at 1, it actually has a massive impact on your fallout new vegas followers.
Every point of Charisma increases your companions' damage and armor (DT) by 5%. At Charisma 10, your followers are 50% tougher than they are at Charisma 1. If you're doing a "commander" style playthrough where you let your squad do the heavy lifting, Charisma is actually vital.
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Also, Intelligence matters—but for you. If you have an Intelligence of 3 or lower, you get "stupid" dialogue options. Arcade Gannon actually feels sorry for you and will join your party much easier because he thinks you need a babysitter. It's hilarious and genuinely useful if your Speech skill is low.
The Tragedy of Choice: Hard Decisions
Obsidian didn't make these quests easy. In Veronica's quest, "I Could Make You Care," you have to decide if she stays with the Brotherhood or leaves. There is no "perfect" happy ending here. If she stays, she’s stuck in a dying culture. If she leaves, the Brotherhood Paladins might hunt down her new friends.
Raul's quest is similar. You talk to him about his past as a gunslinger. You can encourage him to pick up his pistols again (making him faster in combat) or embrace his life as a mechanic (making your gear last even longer). You're literally shaping their old age.
Survival and Gear
In Hardcore Mode, your followers can die permanently. This changes everything. You can't just send Rex charging into a group of Deathclaws and hope for the best.
You need to gear them up.
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Followers will use the best armor and weapons you give them, provided they have the ammo. But remember: they don't have infinite ammo for weapons you give them. They only have infinite ammo for their "default" weapon. If you give Boone an Anti-Materiel Rifle, you better be ready to supply the .50 MG rounds.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Playthrough
If you're jumping back into the Mojave, here is how you should handle your squad to get the most out of the experience:
- Recruit ED-E early. You can find the parts to fix him in the Lone Wolf Radio trailer or just buy them from Nash in Primm. His sensor perk is too good to pass up in the early game.
- Don't "save" quests. If you want to see Boone's story, take him to Nelson and Cottonwood Cove as soon as you can. Points don't count retroactively.
- Check your reputation. Most followers have a faction they hate. If you become "Idolized" by the Legion, don't expect Arcade or Boone to stick around.
- Use the Companion Wheel. It’s not just for show. Setting your followers to "Passive" until you're ready to engage prevents them from sprinting into a nest of Cazadores and getting themselves killed.
- Give Veronica a dress. Seriously. If you find "Formal Wear" or a "White Glove Society Dress," put it in her inventory. She’ll teach you a unique unarmed move called the Scribe Counter.
The depth of fallout new vegas followers is what keeps people coming back sixteen years later. They aren't just NPCs; they're the lens through which you see the wasteland. Treat them like people, and they'll make you the most dangerous person in the Mojave.