The Great Hunt is a lonely business if you’re doing it right, but BioWare didn’t want you to be lonely. They wanted you to have a crew. If you’re playing a Bounty Hunter in Star Wars: The Old Republic, your ship fills up with a motley collection of killers, techies, and whatever the hell Blizz is. Honestly, the dynamic on the Mantellian Shadow (or the D5-Mantis, depending on how much of a lore stickler you are) is one of the weirdest in the game. You aren’t a military commander like the Trooper. You aren't a cult leader like the Inquisitor. You’re a boss.
Some of these SWTOR Bounty Hunter companions are icons. Others? Well, they’re basically just there to look at the sensors while you do the actual work.
Mako: The Moral Compass You Didn't Ask For
You get Mako right away on Hutta. She’s the heart of the story, a slicer with a mysterious past that involves a lot of clones and corporate espionage. She’s also the biggest hurdle for players who want to play a "Dark Side" Hunter. If you go around murdering people for fun, Mako is going to complain. A lot. She wants you to be the professional with a heart of gold, the Boba Fett who has a code, rather than the monster who kills for a nickel.
It’s an interesting friction. Most RPGs give you a "yes-man" first. Mako isn't that. She’s your business partner. If you treat the job like a professional contract, she loves it. If you start acting like a chaotic psychopath, her influence points will tank. From a gameplay perspective, she used to be the mandatory healer, but since the 4.0 expansion (and the subsequent 7.0 updates), she can fill any role. Still, seeing her with a blaster pistol feels right. Her backstory quest involves the "Red 0" project, which is one of the more grounded, gritty side-plots in the game. It’s not about the Force; it’s about data and identity.
Why Gault Rennow is Actually the Best Written Character
Gault is a liar. He’s a cheat. He’s a snob. And he is easily the most entertaining person on your ship. You find him on Tatooine during the Great Hunt, but instead of killing him, you end up faking his death and hiring him. It’s a classic "enemy to reluctant employee" pipeline.
Gault Rennow provides a perspective that the other SWTOR Bounty Hunter companions lack: the perspective of the grifter. While Skadge is busy being a brute and Torian is talking about honor, Gault is looking for the angle. His dialogue is sharp. It’s cynical.
"I don't like to think of it as 'running away.' I prefer 'tactical repositioning' ... or 'saving my own skin.'"
If you’re playing a light-leaning Hunter, Gault is a headache. If you’re playing a credits-first Hunter, he’s your best friend. He’s voiced by Daran Norris, who brings this oily, charming sophistication to the role that makes it impossible to hate him, even when he’s clearly trying to scam you.
Torian Cadera and the Mandalorian Fantasy
For a lot of people, the Bounty Hunter class is just a "Mandalorian Simulator." If that’s why you’re playing, Torian is your guy. He’s young, he’s stoic, and he’s obsessed with Mando'ade culture. He’s the romance option for female Hunters, and it’s actually one of the better-written romances in the game because it’s built on mutual respect and combat prowess.
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Torian isn't just a soldier. He’s a bridge to the wider Mandalorian lore that dominates the later expansions like Onslaught and Legacy of the Sith. When the game first launched, he used a staff, which was a weird choice for a hunter, but now he can be customized to fit your tactical needs. His personal journey involves redeeming his family name after his father’s treason, a classic Star Wars trope that hits all the right beats. He’s the "straight man" to the rest of the crew’s insanity.
The Blizz Factor
Let’s talk about the Jawa. Blizz is a fan favorite for a reason. He’s a tinkerer who somehow ended up on Hoth working for a pirate gang. He doesn't really understand "bounty hunting" in the traditional sense; he just likes fixing things and being part of a "boss-man's" crew.
Blizz is pure chaos. He brings you "gifts" that are usually just junk he found in a vent. But in combat? He’s surprisingly effective. There is something inherently hilarious about a three-foot-tall Jawa pulling out a rocket launcher that is literally bigger than he is. He represents the "found family" aspect of the Bounty Hunter story. You’re a group of outcasts, and nothing says "outcast" like a Jawa who left his sandcrawler because he wanted to see the galaxy.
We Have to Talk About Skadge (Unfortunately)
Every class has a companion that the fanbase collectively dislikes. For the Consular, it’s Zenith (sometimes). For the Hunter, it is 100% Skadge.
Skadge is a bully. He’s a Houk you meet on Belsavis who basically forces his way onto your ship. There is no option to say "no" to him in the original class story, which has frustrated players for over a decade. He’s rude, he’s ugly, and he doesn't fit the "professional" vibe of a high-end bounty hunter. He’s just a thug.
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However, from a narrative standpoint, he represents the "Dark Side" of the underworld. He’s the guy who enjoys the pain. While he’s widely hated, he does serve as a foil to Mako’s morality and Torian’s honor. If you want to play the meanest, nastiest Hunter in the Outer Rim, Skadge is the only one who will cheer you on when you do something truly terrible.
Mechanical Reality: Who Should You Actually Use?
Since the major overhauls to the companion system, every companion can technically do everything. You can set Blizz to heal, Mako to tank, and Skadge to damage. But they aren't all equal.
- Influence Levels Matter: Your companion’s effectiveness is tied to their Influence level (max 50). A level 50 Skadge will always out-perform a level 10 Mako.
- The "Z0-0M" Outlier: If you have access to the Shroud of Memory chapter, the droid Z0-0M is technically the best healer in the game due to her unique area-of-effect abilities.
- Shae Vizla: As a Bounty Hunter, you might have unlocked Shae Vizla (Mandalore the Avenger) through galactic seasons or tokens. She is widely considered the best DPS companion in the game because of her "Aerial Onslaught" ability. If you want to clear mobs fast, Shae is the choice.
The Evolution of the Crew
One of the best things about the SWTOR Bounty Hunter companions is how they react to the later expansions. In Knights of the Fallen Empire (KotFE) and Knights of the Eternal Throne (KotET), your crew is scattered. The reunion scenes for the Hunter are particularly poignant.
Meeting Gault again during the Vette heist is a highlight of the expansion. Seeing Torian become a pivotal leader in the Mandalorian resistance gives him a gravitas he lacked in the base game. These characters grow. They aren't just static NPCs waiting for you on your ship; they have lives.
How to Maximize Your Crew's Potential
If you want to get the most out of your team, stop buying cheap gifts. Use the Fleet's companion gift vendor to get "Legendary" (purple) or "Artifact" (gold) gifts.
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- Mako loves Technology and Underworld Goods.
- Torian is all about Trophy and Military Gear.
- Gault wants Luxury and Underworld Goods (obviously).
- Blizz loves Technology and... well, mostly Technology.
- Skadge likes Weapons and Underworld Goods.
Don't just stick with one. Even though it's tempting to just run with Mako forever, cycling through them for different missions reveals different dialogue "barks." Gault has some of the best unique lines when entering new areas or finishing combat.
Actionable Strategy for New Bounty Hunters
If you're just starting out or returning to the game, focus your credits on one "main" companion. Don't spread your gifts thin. Pick the one that matches your playstyle—Torian for the Mando vibes, Mako for the classic feel, or Blizz for the laughs—and get them to Influence level 50 as fast as possible. This makes Heroic missions and soloing Flashpoints significantly easier.
Also, pay attention to the "Companion Alacrity" stat. High influence levels decrease the time it takes for them to complete Crew Skills (crafting and gathering). A level 50 companion is a beast in combat, but they are also a gold-mine for your Galactic Trade Market (GTM) earnings because they rarely fail missions and return with critical successes more often.
The Bounty Hunter story is about building a reputation. Your companions are the witnesses to that reputation. Choose the ones that reflect the kind of Hunter you want to be known as across the galaxy.