You’re wandering the Mojave. It’s hot, your canteen is mostly backwash, and a pack of Deathclaws just spotted you near Quarry Junction. This is usually the part where everything goes wrong. But then, a loud crack echoes from the ridge behind you. One Deathclaw’s head disappears in a red mist. You aren’t dead. Why? Because you actually took the time to recruit the right Fallout New Vegas partners to watch your back.
Honestly, the companion system in New Vegas is lightyears ahead of what we got in the earlier titles or even the later ones. Obsidian didn't just give us pack mules. They gave us broken people with heavy baggage and specific combat niches. If you’re just running with whoever you found first, you’re playing the game wrong. You need a squad that actually compliments your playstyle.
The Big Two: Why Everyone Recruits Boone and ED-E
Let’s be real. If you look at any forum or subreddit, the conversation usually starts and ends with Craig Boone and ED-E. It’s the "meta" choice. Boone is a former NCR First Recon sniper who hangs out in a giant dinosaur in Novac. He’s grumpy, traumatized, and carries a grudge against Caesar’s Legion that is literally his only personality trait. But man, can he shoot.
His perk, Spotter, highlights enemies in red whenever you’re aiming. It’s basically cheating. If you pair him with ED-E, the little eyebot from Primm, you become an unstoppable long-range god. ED-E provides the Enhanced Sensors perk. This lets you see enemies on your compass from miles away, even when they’re cloaked.
Together? You see them on the map. You see them through your scope. They die before they even know you’re in the same zip code. It's the most efficient way to play, but is it the most fun? Maybe not.
🔗 Read more: P-Words for Word Games: Why 4 Letter Words That Begin With P Are Your Secret Weapon
The Problem With Efficiency
The issue with the Boone/ED-E combo is that it makes the game a point-and-click adventure. There’s no tension. You’re just walking through a graveyard of things Boone already killed. If you want a bit more flavor or some actual dialogue that isn't just "My wife is dead," you have to look elsewhere.
The Power of the Heavy Hitters
If you aren't into sniping, you probably want someone who can take a punch. This is where Lily Bowen and Raul Tejada come in.
Lily is a Nightkin. She’s a blue, elderly Super Mutant with schizophrenia who thinks she’s your grandmother. It sounds ridiculous because it is. But she’s also a powerhouse with a Vertibird blade. Her perk, Stealth Girl, makes your Stealth Boys last longer and gives you a critical hit bonus while sneaking. It’s a weirdly specific perk for a giant blue monster, but it works perfectly for melee builds.
Then there’s Raul. You find him in Black Mountain being held captive by a crazy AI. He’s a ghoul mechanic from before the war. His perk, Full Maintenance, is a godsend if you use weapons that break easily (looking at you, Plasma Caster). It slows down the decay of your gear by 50%. Honestly, in a hardcore playthrough, Raul is arguably more valuable than Boone because he saves you thousands of caps in repair costs. He's also voiced by Danny Trejo. That’s a win.
Arcade Gannon: The Intellectual’s Choice
Arcade is complicated. He’s a doctor with the Followers of the Apocalypse in Freeside. He’s snarky, highly educated, and incredibly picky about who he travels with. If you start sucking up to Caesar’s Legion, he’s gone.
His perk, Better Healing, makes all your recovery items like Stimpaks and RadAway much more effective. If you’re playing on a high difficulty where every hit counts, Arcade is your best friend. But the real reason people pick him is the quest For Auld Lang Syne. It’s the only way to get the Gannon Family Tesla Armor, which is arguably the best Power Armor in the game for Energy Weapon builds.
You have to play the long game with Arcade. You can't just talk to him once and get the goods. You have to earn his trust by visiting specific locations like HELIOS One or the Crashed Vertibird. It’s one of the most rewarding narrative arcs in the entire Fallout franchise.
The "Human" Element: Veronica and Cass
If you want a companion who actually feels like a person, go find Veronica Santangelo at the 188 Trading Post. She’s a Scribe for the Brotherhood of Steel who just wants a nice dress and for her family to stop being so stubborn. She’s a melee specialist. Give her a Power Fist or a Displacement Glove and watch her turn enemies into paste.
Her perk, Scribe Assistant, lets you craft items anywhere. No workbench needed. It’s incredibly convenient. Plus, her personal quest is heartbreaking. It deals with the slow decay of the Brotherhood and her doomed relationship with a girl who (spoiler alert) turns out to be Christine from the Dead Money DLC.
📖 Related: Why the Half-Life 2 Stalker Still Haunts Our Nightmares Two Decades Later
Rose of Sharon Cassidy (Cass) is the other "grounded" option. She’s at the Mojave Outpost, drinking away her sorrows because her caravan got wiped out. Her perk, Whiskey Rose, is hilarious. It removes the negative effects of drinking whiskey and actually boosts your Damage Threshold when you’re drunk. If you’re playing a "cowboy" build with revolvers and lever-action rifles, Cass is the perfect thematic fit.
A Quick Note on Karma
One thing to remember is that these Fallout New Vegas partners have moral compasses.
- Cass will leave you if your Karma gets too low (Evil).
- Boone will shoot you if you side with the Legion.
- Arcade will ditch you if you become a tyrant.
- Veronica will stay loyal unless you literally blow up the Brotherhood's hidden bunker.
Don't Forget the Non-Humans
You get two slots for companions: one "humanoid" and one "non-humanoid." This means you should always have a robot or an animal with you.
We talked about ED-E, but there’s also Rex. Rex is a cyber-dog you find in Freeside. He’s over 200 years old and his brain is literally rotting. You have to find him a new brain to save him. Depending on which brain you choose (from a Raider dog, an NCR dog, or a Legion dog), he gets different stat boosts.
Rex is great for finding loot. His perk, Search and Mark, highlights unlooted containers and items when you zoom in. It’s less combat-focused than ED-E, but if you’re a loot goblin who needs to find every scrap of lead in the Mojave, Rex is your guy.
The Secret To Maximizing Companion Damage
Most players just give their companions any random gun and hope for the best. Big mistake. You need to match the weapon to their stats.
- Boone has high Perception and Agility. Give him the All-American or an Anti-Materiel Rifle.
- Veronica has high Strength. Give her Two-Step Goodbye (if you have the caps) or a Super Sledge.
- Raul is amazing with revolvers. Hand him a .44 Magnum or Ranger Sequoia.
- Cass excels with shotguns. Give her the Dinner Bell.
Also, remember that companions have "infinite" ammo for their default weapon, but if you give them a custom gun, you have to provide the ammo yourself. This is why many people keep them on default settings—it’s cheaper. But if you’re hitting the endgame, you need to gear them up or they’ll just be a distraction for the Legates.
How to Trigger Personal Quests (The Easy Way)
The biggest frustration with Fallout New Vegas partners is that their personal quests are "locked" behind invisible points. You don't just talk to them; you have to take them to specific places or have specific conversations.
For example, to get Boone’s quest I Forgot to Remember to Forget, you need to earn "history points" by killing Legion members or completing tasks that hurt the Legion. You need 5 points. Killing Caesar is worth 2. Killing the leaders at Nelson is worth 1. Once you hit the threshold, he’ll finally open up about what happened at Bitter Springs.
For Arcade Gannon, it’s even more finicky. You need to trigger specific dialogue "flags" by visiting the Fort or talking to the scientists at Camp McCarran. If you miss these opportunities, you might get locked out of his quest entirely. My advice? Keep a separate save file before you do major faction missions.
Making Your Final Choice
You can't have everyone. Well, you can recruit them all, but you can only travel with two at a time.
🔗 Read more: NYT Connections Clues Mashable: Why Everyone Is Using Them
If you're doing a Hardcore Mode run, take Raul and ED-E. The weapon durability and sensor perks are literally life-saving. If you're doing a Legion run, you're mostly stuck with Lily, Raul, and Rex, because everyone else hates Caesar. If you're playing for the Story, take Veronica and Arcade. Their connection to the world’s lore is much deeper than the others.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Playthrough:
- Check your Karma: If you plan on being a villain, recruit Raul or Lily early, as they don't care about your soul.
- Visit the 188 Trading Post: Even if you don't want Veronica, there is a merchant there who sells some of the best mid-game gear.
- Fix ED-E immediately: You only need a Repair skill of 65 (or 35 if you have some scrap metal and electronics). It makes the early game significantly easier.
- Complete "I Meant To Do That": This is Cass's quest. Siding with her against the Van Graffs gives her a massive damage boost that makes her viable in the late game.
The Mojave is a lonely place, but it doesn't have to be. Just make sure whoever you bring along is worth the extra water.