Look, let’s be real for a second. If you’re trying to track down South Park the Stick of Truth all friends, you’re probably doing it for that sweet "More Popular than John Lennon" achievement. It sounds easy, right? It’s South Park. You just walk around, talk to people, and they add you on Facebook. Except it's never that simple with Obsidian. One missed dialogue choice or a failed quest in the first hour can completely wreck a 15-hour completionist run. I’ve been there. It sucks.
The game has 121 friends. 121. That is a massive number for a map that's basically just two horizontal streets and a few side paths. You have to realize that this game isn't just a crude RPG; it’s a giant, interactive checklist designed to punish anyone who isn't paying attention. Some friends are gated behind specific story beats. Others? They’re tucked away in drawers or literally require you to shrink down and hide in a vent.
Why You'll Probably Miss Half of the Friends on Your First Try
Most people play through the first time and end up with maybe 80 or 90 friends. They think they’ve explored everything. They haven’t. The biggest hurdle to finding South Park the Stick of Truth all friends is the "missables." If you don’t grab Clyde at the very beginning of the game—literally within the first three minutes—you are locked out. He unfriends you almost immediately as part of the plot. If you didn't click on him before talking to Cartman? Restart the game.
It’s brutal.
Then you have the animals. Did you know the animals in the Lost Forest count? You have to follow a specific path—up, right, down, right, up—to find the Christmas Critters. If you don't talk to them, you're missing a huge chunk of your friend list. It’s these weird, obscure requirements that make the 100% run such a headache. You aren't just playing a game; you're conducting a forensic investigation of a cartoon town.
The Problem With Bill and Fosse
Take Bill and Fosse, for example. You save them during the attack on the school. Simple, right? Most players just run past them after the fight because the game is pushing you toward the next boss. But if you don't stop and manually interact with them right then and there, they might not count.
The game’s logic is inconsistent. Some characters add you automatically because you finished a quest. Others require you to stand in front of them and press a button while they insult you. It’s classic South Park humor, but it’s an absolute nightmare for completionists.
Tracking Down the Hidden Factions
You've got the Goth kids, the Elves, the Humans, and then the weird stuff. To get South Park the Stick of Truth all friends, you have to navigate the social hierarchy of a fourth-grade playground. The Goth kids are the worst. You have to fetch them coffee, get them cigarettes, and perform a dance mini-game that is surprisingly difficult if you have zero rhythm.
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And don't forget the Girls. The whole "Recruit the Girls" questline is mandatory, but there are sub-characters within that arc that only become friends if you finish their specific side requests. Monica is a prime example. You have to finish the "Abortion Clinic" mission (yes, that one) before she’ll even look at you.
Don't Forget the Chinpokomon
Actually, wait. Chinpokomon are different. But collecting them often leads you to the people who do count as friends. For instance, the Toy Store owner or the guy at the Post Office. There’s a synergy to the exploration. If you’re hunting for collectibles, you’re usually in the right zip code for a missing friend.
But be careful in the Sewers.
The Sewers are home to Mr. Hankey and his family. To get Cornwallis, Simon, and Amber, you have to complete the "Dropping the Ball" quest. It’s gross. It involves a lot of platforming on pipes. But if you skip it because you hate the sewer level (we all do), you can kiss that achievement goodbye. You need the whole family. Even the weird corn-kernel kid.
The Missables That Break Everyone's Spirit
Let’s talk about the points of no return. This is where most "all friends" guides fail to emphasize the danger. There are three major instances where the world state changes:
- The School Attack: Once you finish this, the school changes. If you didn't find Lemmiwinks in the fifth-grade classroom? He's gone.
- The Alien Abduction: There are logs and items here, but the friends are mostly planet-side. Still, keep your eyes peeled.
- Clyde's Fortress: The endgame. Once you enter that tower, you’re on a rail.
If you’re at 110 friends and you’re heading to the final battle, you’re probably missing the animals or some obscure shopkeeper like Mr. Adler. He's the shop teacher. He’s in the school. He has a quest. People forget him because he's tucked away in a wing of the building you rarely have to visit for the main plot.
Sergeant Yates and the Manbearpig Factor
Al Gore is a pain. Not just because his Manbearpig quest is annoying, but because he spams your feed with messages. A lot of players actually "Unfriend" him because he's irritating. Do not do this. If you want the total count, you have to endure the spam.
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Then there’s Sergeant Yates. He won’t friend you until the very end of the game, and only after you’ve collected a bunch of Nazi Zombie rings. It’s a grind. But he’s the law, sort of.
Nuance in the Canadian Border
When you go to Canada—which is just a 16-bit top-down map—you have to be thorough. The Minister of Montreal, the Duke of Vancouver, the Prince of Canada... they all count. It’s easy to zip through Canada because the music is catchy and the jokes are fast, but if you miss one of those 8-bit avatars, your list is incomplete.
I remember spending an hour wondering why I was at 120/121. It was the Bishop of Banff. I had talked to him, but I hadn't finished his specific dialogue tree after the main quest event. Always talk to NPCs twice. That’s the golden rule.
How to Actually Get the 100% Completion
If you want to be efficient, you need to play the game in chunks. Stop trying to find everyone at once.
First, handle the "instant missables." Get Clyde at the start. Get the kids in the school during the first infiltration. Second, do every single side quest as soon as it pops up. Don't wait until the end of the game. Some characters move or become unavailable as the plot thickens. For example, some of the kids playing in the park might disappear once the "war" escalates.
The Final Checklist Mindset
Honestly, the best way to manage South Park the Stick of Truth all friends is to treat the Facebook menu as your primary UI. Check it after every major fight. If the number didn't go up, you missed someone in that room.
- Check the closets. Seriously, some kids are hiding in closets in their houses.
- Beat up the bullies. Sometimes saving a kid from a beating is the only way to get their handle.
- Shrink down. Use the gnome dust. There are characters in the walls.
It’s a lot of work for a game that literally mocks you for caring about digital friends. But that’s the charm, isn't it? It’s a perfect recreation of the show’s cynicism.
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Actionable Steps for Your Next Run
If you’re starting a new save file to finally get this done, follow these specific beats.
Start by talking to everyone in Kupa Keep before you even leave the yard. That’s your foundation. From there, head to the Post Office and the City Hall. These are "safe" zones where friends aren't missable, so get them out of the way early.
When you hit the school for the first time, stop. Slow down. Look in every classroom. If there is a nameplate on a desk, there is probably a friend associated with it. Use a guide for the "Lost Forest" animals because that logic is purposely broken to annoy you.
Finally, before you go to the "Endgame" (the game will warn you), do a lap of the entire town. Check every house. Check the U-Stor-It. Check the Sewers one last time. If you do that, you’ll hit 121 without having to restart for the fifth time.
Go get that achievement. It’s a badge of honor in a town full of idiots.
Next Steps for Success:
- Manual Save Often: Create a new save slot before the School, the Abortion Clinic, and Clyde’s Fortress. If you miss a friend, you can jump back without losing 10 hours of progress.
- Prioritize the "Clyde" Interaction: Remember, he is only available for the first few minutes of the game. If you miss him, your run is dead.
- Complete the "Find the Animals" Quest Early: The Christmas Critters are some of the easiest to miss because the forest is a maze. Map it out or follow a specific directional guide to lock them in early.