In Avowed, the Companions are more than just narrative elements; they play crucial roles in gameplay, from unlocking new areas to enhancing combat effectiveness. Here's a detailed ranking of every Avowed Companion, from the least to the most impactful:

4. Marius

In my experience with Avowed, Marius (depicted above on the right) didn't quite mesh well with my preferred play style. Although his passive abilities are beneficial for early-game exploration by helping to locate items and plants, he quickly becomes overshadowed by other Companions. Marius' combat prowess is limited, making him less ideal for prolonged engagements. His abilities include:

• Blinding Roots: This ability roots enemies for 8 seconds and can be upgraded to stun, trap multiple enemies, and cause Bleed Accumulation.
• Heart Seeker: A piercing shot that always hits, with upgrades allowing it to target two enemies, increase damage against those below 50% health, and reduce its cooldown.
• Shadow Step: Marius teleports near an enemy to attack with daggers up to three times, upgradable to instantly kill stunned enemies, increase damage against low-health foes, and strike up to six enemies.
• Wounding Shots: His attacks cause Bleed Accumulation, with upgrades that reduce enemy damage reduction, slow them, and further reduce their damage.

Marius excels in specific scenarios, particularly against melee-focused enemies with low health, but his niche abilities don't make him a versatile choice for the broader adventure in the Living Lands.

3. Giatta

Giatta, a support-focused Animancer, leverages magic to bolster the party's survivability. While not a powerhouse in terms of damage, her utility in healing, shielding, and buffing is invaluable, especially during Avowed's challenging boss encounters. Her abilities are:

• Purification: Heals allies by 25% of their maximum health, upgradable to 50%, with additional effects like interrupting and knocking back enemies, and increasing allies' damage reduction.
• Barrier: Provides a temporary health shield to all allies, with upgrades that enhance the shield, heal enemies upon its expiration, and protect Giatta from melee attacks.
• Acceleration: Boosts allies' move and attack speed, with upgrades providing damage reduction, extended duration, and reduced cooldowns.
• Reconstruction: Her attacks heal allies, with upgrades that increase healing for critically low-health allies, grant temporary health, and revive incapacitated allies upon enemy kills.

Giatta's unique ability to activate Essence Generators also helps in accessing late-game areas. Her support capabilities shine when paired with Wizard-focused Envoys.

2. Kai

Kai, the first Companion you'll meet in Avowed, remains a reliable ally throughout your journey. As a tank, he can absorb damage and deal significant blows without much player intervention. His abilities include:

• Fire and Ire: Fires a stun-inducing shot from his Blunderbuss, upgradable to ignite targets, increase stun, and reduce cooldown.
• Unbending Defense: Regenerates health and increases damage reduction, with upgrades further reducing incoming damage, enhancing health regeneration, and emitting a damaging shockwave.
• Leap of Daring: A stunning and taunting leap, upgradable to affect a larger area, grant temporary health per enemy hit, and boost attack damage.
• Second Wind: Revives himself to 50% health, upgradable to 75%, with additional attack speed and ability cooldown resets.

Kai's versatility in handling both single targets and crowds, combined with his self-revive capability, makes him an excellent combat partner. He also aids in exploring by clearing obstacles like spider webs and roots.

1. Yatzli

Yatzli, a formidable Wizard, brings devastating fire-based attacks and excellent crowd control to the party. Her abilities make her akin to having air support in the Living Lands. They include:

• Essence Explosion: An arcane explosion that releases essence and deals damage, with upgrades for a larger blast, fire accumulation, and reduced cooldown.
• Minoletta’s Missile Battery: Fires a barrage of arcane missiles, upgradable to increase fire rate, range, and cause shock accumulation.
• Arduos Delay of Motion: Slows enemies, upgradable to enhance slowing, create an area effect, and cause frost accumulation.
• Blast: Her attacks cause small area effects, upgradable to deal explosive damage, break blocks, destroy walls, shatter frozen enemies, increase stun, and occasionally inflict Frozen, Ignited, or Shocked statuses.

Yatzli's powerful and versatile abilities, along with her capacity to clear obstacles, make her an invaluable addition to your party, despite being the last Companion you recruit in Avowed.

Avowed releases on PC and Xbox on February 18.