Video game companions can help to make the journey less lonely. Besides that obvious plus, they also aid the player in kicking an enemy's butt. In Far Cry 5, there are nine unique characters in the game that can help the player with his adventures. Each Far Cry 5 companion has their own unique personality, player interactions, abilities, and effective situations, making them pretty engaging in their own right. It can be pretty hard to choose a favorite from all these companions because of how memorable each character is in the game.

As a mute protagonist, much of the experience relies on companion dialogue to make the game feel more colorful and alive. Of course, getting some dynamic tag-team action against brainwashed Peggy zombies adds excitement to the game too. Regardless, there's no denying that players have no reason to roam around without a companion unless they want to explore and fight solo.

Updated on December 11, 2023, by Ritwik Mitra: Far Cry 5 was a surprisingly great game that helped the Ubisoft open-world formula finally evolve after years of the same formula being copy-pasted over and over again. Sure, the game came with its fair share of caveats, but no one could deny that Ubisoft had created another classic Far Cry title that fans could get lost in for hours on end as they cleared outposts and hunted down the members of the Seed family before gunning for the big bad himself. In their attempts to liberate Hope County, players can enlist the help of several companions to make things easier for them.

Things To Keep In Mind About Far Cry 5's Companions

The first thing that players should know about companions in Far Cry 5 is that there are more than just the nine specialists that players can enroll in their ranks to make combat easier. Along with these specialists, there are several warrior NPCs that players can recruit at any time to help them out during their exploration of the open world.

However, keep in mind that these NPCs are significantly weaker than the unique specialists present all over the game's map. This makes it important to attain the favor of a mainstay Far Cry 5 companion sooner rather than later so that players can embark on a trail of destruction all over the game world without having to worry about their backup dying on them more often than not.

Generally, the player can only take one specialist or soldier with them into battle. However, with the Leadership perk, this limit can be increased to two. The sheer increase in destructive power with this single perk makes it well worth the price of admission and a must-have perk for players who prefer some company during their travels across Hope County.

Of course, Far Cry 5's companions aren't completely invulnerable. After taking enough damage, these specialists will be down for the count unless the player manages to reach them and heal them up. If this action takes too long, then the specialist will be knocked out for good, and will take quite some time before they can be used once again.

9 Grace Armstrong

Provides Sniper Support From Elevated Positions

• Relevant Quest: Grace Under Fire
• Abilities: Boom Boom, Friendly Sight

Grace is a war veteran and an all-American sniper. Her shots are anything but quiet, making stealth plays impossible with her. However, the loud bangs of her scoped rifle pack a punch. They scare away enemies like a tiger's roar, making her a great option to pick off enemies from afar while players engage with enemies up close and personal.

Grace's sniper support may not harmonize with a sneaky approach, but it does supplement a guns-blazing assault. With the flick of her finger, she sends the opposition running scared with their tails tucked in between their legs. Despite her accuracy, other companions with more blazing personalities outshine her.

How to Recruit Grace Armstrong in Far Cry 5

Grace is recruited once the mission 'Grace Under Fire' is completed. The mission is located in Holland Valley at the Lamb of God church and will require the player to defend the church against Peggies.

8 Cheeseburger

A Bear Who Developed Diabetes After Eating Too Many Cheeseburgers

• Relevant Quest: A Right to Bear Arms
• Abilities: Bear Arms, Cross To Bear

Cheeseburger is a big, furry, gentle whopper. He's a huggable giant, but if he's threatened, he can claw and gnash at the throats of those who provoke him. He's a furry tank that can take a generous amount of firepower. The fact that players can summon a huge bear to completely obliterate enemies is more than enough for players who want to mess around with a unique companion in the world of Far Cry 5.

Being the bear that he is, he mauls enemies, and can probably hurl them into the windshields of vehicles. The sight of a huge grizzly bear sends enemies into a frenzy, unloading all their magazines into the terrifying beast. Cheeseburger can also topple vehicles over by smashing headfirst into them. But sometimes, this bear's overpowered nature makes it more of a one-bear-army than a dynamic tag-team duo.

How to Recruit Cheeseburger in Far Cry 5

To recruit the grizzly bear, players need to liberate the F.A.N.G. Centre in Whitetail Mountains. Once this is done, speak to Wade and accept the mission 'Personal Combat Bear', which will require the player to tame Cheeseburger with a fish.

7 Peaches

A Mountain Lion Perfect For Stealth Encounters

• Relevant Quest: Here Kitty, Kitty
• Abilities: Pounce, Stalk

Peaches is a silent and deadly mountain lion that pounces on her enemies without making a peep. As adorable and clingy as she is, she's also kind to chew on enemy insides. She makes quick work of them, and silently, too. She's tailored to a stealthy approach and is always ready to strike.

Surprisingly, enemies won't be aware of a huge mountain lion lurking about their outpost until it makes kitty nibble out of them. However, as friendly as this wildcat can be, there are a lot more Far Cry 5 companions that have more situational use than this sneaky feline. That being said, players who have a weakness for purring death dealers will love using Peaches to take out enemies silently in the game.

How to Recruit Peaches in Far Cry 5

Peaches is recruited once the player completes the mission 'Here, Kitty, Kitty'. The mission is given to the player by Miss Mable, who is located at Peaches Taxidermy in Henbane River.

6 Adelaide

Uses Her Chopper To Provide Air Support

• Relevant Quest: Friendly Skies
• Abilities: Call a Chopper, Less Reload

This Far Cry 5 companion is a true American patriot, businesswoman, and Hurk's mama. Adelaide and her gunner chopper are a set meal, like fries and burgers. An assertive soul who doesn't like being bossed around, she takes her chopper out for gunning runs to shoot down the opposition.

Her larger-than-life magazine clip ensures that the firepower she delivers is non-stop. She also takes down vehicles with ease when she's piloting her gunner chopper. She's a tough eye in the sky with a strong independent personality, but she doesn't have her son Hurk's lovable recklessness.

How to Recruit Adelaide in Far Cry 5

Head to Drubman Marina in Henbane River and liberate the area. Then, talk to Adelaide and complete the mission 'Friendly Skies', which will require the player to retrieve Adelaide's chopper.

5 Jess Black

A Master Of Stealth Archery

• Relevant Quest: A Dish Served Cold
• Abilities: Concealment, Feral Friendly

Jess Black is as sneaky as she is intimidating. She walks about with silent footsteps like Caveira from Rainbow Six: Siege, and enemies have a harder time seeing or hearing her. Her weapon of choice is a silent bow and arrow, so taking someone out makes no noise at all. This makes Jess the perfect companion for a stealthy no-alarms-triggered approach.

Jess also doesn't attract unwanted attention from animals that may collaterally interfere with the undercover mission. She's the only stealthy human companion, making her a compatible pick for a lot of players. That being said, a huge part of Far Cry 5's combat is blasting through enemies guns-blazing, and Jess Black isn't really a great fit for players who prefer that approach.

How to Recruit Jess Black in Far Cry 5

To recruit Jess Black, head to the Baron Lumber Mill, which is southwest of Fort Drubman. Liberate the outpost, then find Jess and complete the mission 'A Dish Best Served Cold'.

4 Sharky Boshaw

An Entertaining Pyromaniac

• Relevant Quest: Burn, Baby, Burn!
• Abilities: Fire it Up, Shatterproof

If Jackass' Steve-O was a video game character, it would be Sharky. He's a fiery soul with an even more fiery flamethrower, and watching enemies be burnt to a crisp by this weapon is pretty impressive, showing just how powerful Sharky is in battle.

Sharky is Hurk's cousin, which explains the wild personality and the head-on collision attitude. This guy's really fun to be around, making him one of the best companions in Far Cry 5. Sharky's defense is something else, too. He can take the blast of explosives, ragdoll off a cliff, and still be alive to say "Again! Again!"

How to Recruit Sharky in Far Cry 5

To recruit Sharky, head to the Moonflower Trailer Park in the Henbane River region. Sharky won't be too tough to find, as he will be on top of a roof shooting his flamethrower in the air. Speak to him, and complete the mission 'Burn, Baby Burn'.

3 Nick Rye

Provides Air Support With His Modified Crop Duster

• Relevant Quest: Wingman
• Abilities: Bomb's Away, Light 'em Up

Nick is the friendliest and most likable character in the game. He's cool and probably fun to drink with. As a gun for hire, Nick and his plane Carmina come as a package deal. When raiding Peggy's outposts, Nick Rye can swoop down on them with his plane, wreaking havoc like a fly-by. Nick's plane is equipped with guns and bombs, so having him as a gun-for-hire is basically free air support.

With Nick on the player's side, aerial assaults can be called in on demand. Nick's bombs effortlessly take out groups of enemies and key vehicles. His guns harass enemies, making it easier to finish the scraps off. Taking personality and effectiveness into account, this guy aces them both.

How to Recruit Nick Rye in Far Cry 5

To find Nick, head to Rye & Sons Aviation in Holland Valley. Then, speak to Nick, who will offer the mission 'Wingman'. The mission will require the player to find and retrieve Nick's plane.

2 Boomer

The Game's Best Boy Who's Perfect For Marking And Taking Out Targets

• Relevant Quest: Man's Best Friend
• Abilities: Pointer, Retriever

After this good boy's family is killed by Peggies, he comes back to bite them — literally. However, this companion's loyalty knows no bounds. With his heightened dog senses, Boomer knows where all the enemies are, and tags them on the player's hud. He also retrieves the Peggies' weapons and hands them to the player, as if playing fetch.

Boomer caters to a flexible approach, whether stealthy or guns blazing. Whatever the player does, Boomer will follow like the good boy he is. He is man's best friend and an amazing one too.

How to Recruit Boomer in Far Cry 5

Boomer is the first recruitable Far Cry 5 companion and can be found in Rae-Rae's pumpkin farm within Holland Valley. Upon reaching the farm, complete the mission 'Man's Best Friend' to unlock the four-legged companion.

1 Hurk Drubman, Jr.

A Reckless Gun-For-Hire Who Uses A Rocket Launcher In Battle

• Relevant Quest: The Prodigal Son
• Abilities: Heat Seeker, Junk It

The constant across the Far Cry games is back! Hurk's explosiveness makes for some fun interactions with the player. This outgoing nature isn't the only explosive thing about Hurk either. As a gun for hire, Hurk shoots seeking missiles from his rocket launcher that destroy any vehicle, be it on land, or in the air. If he sees a helicopter or a plane, it won't be flying any more seconds later.

Hurk's always ready to blow stuff up, and send outposts crashing down. He has accompanied the player through some explosive journeys back on the Rook Islands in Far Cry 3 and Kyrat in Far Cry 4, making him the ultimate tag-team partner. Out of all the guns-for-hire, Hurk is one of the few that goes full blast into danger — all while wearing American flag underpants.

How to Recruit Hurk in Far Cry 5

To recruit Hurk, head to the Whitetail Mountains in Fort Drubman. Speak to the character's dad, Hurk Drubman Sr, and complete the mission 'The Prodigal Son' to unlock the companion.