Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader - Ultimate Companions Ranking

Best Companions for Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader are those who are reliable in combat and exploration. Choosing the right teammates is crucial. Our tier list identifies the top characters for your squad in the campaign.

A-tier: Yrliet

A-tier: Sister Argenta

B-tier: Pasqal

B-tier: Abelard

B-tier: Other companions - Idira, Heinrix, Ulfar, and Marazhai

C-tier: Jae

Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader companion tier list - The best companions for the campaign

Before we proceed with our Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader companion tier list, we recommend referring to our companion recruitment guide to learn how to recruit all 10 potential allies. Our ranking system takes into account each follower's combat and exploration abilities. A character might excel in dealing damage, but if they can't assist in other aspects such as unlocking containers, their overall effectiveness may be limited. Keep in mind that you can have a maximum of six members in your squad, including the Rogue Trader main character and five teammates.

S-tier: Cassia

Origin: Navigator (unique)

Basic archetype: Officer

Suggested advanced archetype: Grand Strategist

Combat role: Support

Attributes: Fellowship and Willpower

Cassia stands out as the top companion in Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader, with unique Navigator abilities that make her invaluable to your team. She excels in gaining extra movement points and bonus wounds/HP, and her Point of Curiosity skill is particularly impressive, drawing in a large number of enemies to cluster together. This sets them up for powerful attacks like the Lidless Stare, a frontal cone blast that can potentially stun opponents, or attacks from Yrliet or Sister Argenta due to the clustered enemies.

Cassia's ability to act before other units makes her incredibly valuable in setting up the rest of the fight. Pairing her with the Officer class can provide additional action points (AP) to teammates, and transforming her into a Grand Strategist allows for casting more area-wide buffs and debuffs, solidifying her as a standout character.

Grouping enemies together, granting extra turns to allies, self-healing, increasing movement, and offering other perks, Cassia is arguably the most crucial companion in the entire game.

A-tier: Yrliet

Origin: Aeldari (unique)

Basic archetype: Operative

Suggested advanced archetype: Bounty Hunter

Combat role: Sniper DPS

Attributes: Perception and Ballistic Skill

Skills: Awareness and Knowledge (Xenos)

Yrliet, an Aeldari (Eldar or space elf) companion, possesses the ability to swiftly eliminate all enemies from the board. Her formidable strength on the battlefield lies in the skill In My Sights, which allows her to choose a target for her next attack (this can also be activated by abilities or effects that provide additional turns).

Yrliet excels at sniping enemies and delivering critical hits, allowing her to eliminate countless foes with ease. When paired with Cassia, she becomes a formidable teammate who can take down enemies swiftly, making her one of the best companions in Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader.

A-tier: Sister Argenta

Origin: Ministorum Priest

Basic archetype: Soldier

Suggested advanced archetype: Bounty Hunter

Combat role: Frontline/burst-fire DPS

Attributes: Agility and Ballistic Skill

Demolition Skills:

In the early stages of the game, Sister Argenta will probably be your most effective DPS character. However, as you progress and focus on maximizing your abilities, you will likely find other characters that outperform her. Despite this, we believe that Sister Argenta still deserves a high ranking in our Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader companion tier list, as she consistently racks up the most kills.

With an automatic weapon boasting a high rate-of-fire, equipped with abilities like Piercing Shot and Claim the Bounty (also possessed by Yrliet as a Bounty Hunter), Sister Argenta becomes a formidable force, capable of tearing apart entire packs of enemies. Additionally, her Soldier ability, Run and Gun, allows her to unleash another burst of fire to effectively thin out hordes.

Sister Argenta, originating as an AdMech Tech-Priest (Part-Machine), possesses the capability to mow down dozens of hostiles with ease.

B-tier: Pasqal

Basic archetype: Operative

Suggested advanced archetype: Bounty Hunter or Assassin

Combat role: Sniper DPS and debuffer

Attributes: Ballistic Skill, Intelligence, and Perception

Pasqal's Tech-Use and Logic skills, along with his knowledge of Lore (Imperium/Warp/Xenos) if he has high Intelligence, make him invaluable when it comes to unlocking containers and hacking computers. As a Tech-Priest, his Machine Spirit Communion not only buffs the dodge of allies, but also debuffs opponents' stats. Paired with his Operative quirks like Analyze Enemies and inflicting exploits on hostiles, Pasqal is able to readily cause debilitating effects.

Pasqal's Machine Spirit Communion affects allies and enemies.

B-tier: Abelard

Origin: Navy Officer

Basic archetype: Warrior

Suggested advanced archetype: Vanguard

Combat role: Tank

Attributes: Toughness, Weapon Skill, and Strength

Abelard is an essential part of your squad throughout the campaign. As a tank, his focus should be on stacking Toughness and talents that enhance his survival and melee damage. Equipping him with Taunting Scream will help him draw aggro, while additional defensive skills will further increase his survivability. For optimal performance, give him a Thunder Hammer to effectively take out enemies around him. However, Abelard is ranked at B-tier because characters like Yrliet, Sister Argenta, and Ulfar are able to eliminate most enemies before he even gets a turn.

Improve Abelard's durability to withstand heavy damage.

B-tier: Other companions - Idira, Heinrix, Ulfar, and Marazhai

In this section of our Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader companion tier list, we have a selection of teammates who fulfill specific roles. While not inefficient, they may be overshadowed by others. For instance, Cassia, Yrliet, Sister Argenta, and Abelard cover nine out of 13 skill checks, leaving just one open slot for the remaining members. Here's a quick summary:

Idira is a Sanctioned Psyker, a more advanced origin type requiring multiple talents to fully unlock her potential. Her psychic spells also contribute to Warp Degradation, adding to the management of powers alongside Cassia's.

Heinrix, like Idira, is a Sanctioned Psyker, but he is tankier due to his Warrior archetype. Unlike Abelard, who is better suited for tanking, Heinrix requires careful attention to buffs. With the right build, Heinrix can be a powerhouse.

On the other hand, Ulfar is a hybrid of Soldier and Arch-Militant in the Space Wolf. While the Soldier role is simple, the Arch-Militant requires using various attacks each round to increase its buffs, making it significantly more complex.

Having a Space Marine like Ulfar in your squad is a dream come true.

C-tier: Jae

However, bringing Jae along may not be the best move, unless the mission specifically requires her. She falls under the Officer archetype, allowing her to grant extra turns to teammates. While this may seem beneficial, it becomes redundant when considering Cassia also possesses this ability, in addition to her own Navigator powers.

We recommend that the Rogue Trader also take on a support role as an Officer. This allows you to build their character accordingly during creation, unlike Jae who already has a mix of default perks, placing her in the lower tier with less to offer the squad.

That concludes our Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader best companions tier list. If you discover other synergies or ways to maximize your team's capabilities, please share them with us. And remember, you can respec your characters, but be cautious of potential bugs.

There are certainly more discoveries to be made as you continue your journey in the Koronus Expanse, so don't forget to visit our Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader guides hub.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z netizen, I'm thrilled about the release of Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader and the in-depth analysis of the companions' abilities. The tier list provided in the article offers valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of each character, helping players make informed decisions when building their squads.

Cassia, Yrliet, and Sister Argenta stand out as exceptional companions, each bringing unique skills and abilities to the table. Cassia's Navigator abilities, Yrliet's sniping prowess, and Sister Argenta's frontline DPS capabilities make them formidable assets in combat. The detailed descriptions of their skills and combat roles provide a clear understanding of how they can contribute to the team's success.