The base game offers 13 unique permanent companions, each with their own quirks and storyline. Add-ons introduce four additional companions; Automatron adds two fully customizable robot companions; Far Harbor and Nuka-World introduce a single, narrative-focused companion each.
With all add-ons installed, the total number of permanent companions in the game is Unlike Fallout 3 , companions in Fallout 4 are marked as "essential" when serving as the active companion, meaning they cannot be killed no matter how much damage they incur. If incapacitated, they will automatically heal to full HP after combat ends.
Unlike Fallout: New Vegas , if one has at least one stimpak in their inventory , it can be used to immediately rejuvenate an incapacitated companion instead of them being rendered unconscious and forced to wait until they wake up after combat has ended. However, if one is playing in Survival mode , the companion must be healed when incapacitated, even after combat.
If they're not healed within a set period of time, or when the player travels beyond a certain distance, they will leave and return to their last used home base. Some companions lose their essential status when dismissed. They do, however, remain protected like other settlers and cannot be killed by NPC attacks only by the player or their active companion or related action. Some companions also lose their essential status upon reaching the lowest level of affinity and leaving the player character permanently.
Unlike Fallout: New Vegas , but similar to Fallout 3 , enemies killed by companions in Fallout 4 do not automatically reward Experience Points to the player character.
