Summoned Companion, the Companion Enchantment and Bolster

With increasing Item Level and more and more stat sources, Striker Companions are again the preferred choice. Nonetheless, let’s look at the possible options: There are two types of summoned companions: The Combat Companions (sometimes called Striker Companions) which are fighting next to any player and the Augments that do not participate in the fights:

1. Combat Companions have the advantage of dealing additional damage and providing some strong buffs or debuffs. The Celestial Companion Enchantment increases the companions' damage by up to 180%!

2. Augment Companions provide up to 2 250 in three stats (mythic with 100% bolster). With a Celestial Companion Enchantment, the same three stats get another boost of 9 000! Thus an Augment Companion provides 33 750 Stat Points and is in training runs a viable option!

Every companion - regardless of its type - has a bunch of basic ratings in all 15 stats (offensive, defensive, utility) and an Item Level score attached. These stats and Item Level are not only owned by the companion but also directly added to your toon. The rarity (color) of the companion defines its Item Level, its stats and the unlocked powers. A mythic companion has ratings of 1 275 Stat Points in each of the 15 stats. These stats and the Item Level of the companion can be increased further by the following features:

• The Companion Bolster. The Companion Bolster increases the stats the companion has regardless of its type. Bolster can double the basic stats (1 275 → 2 550) and the Item Level (1 500 → 3 000).

• The already presented Companion Enchantment.

• and by the companions equipment presented in a later section.

All of those additional stats and Item Level are transferred to your toon too!

Damage dealers tend to take a Striker Companion. Tanks usually take a supporter companion.

A list of noticeable companions of both types is presented below.

Also, Aragon created an overview over all companions and their bonuses. Thus only the interesting choices for Vanguard Fighters are presented here. For additional information see the link. Campaign currency increasing companions are not listed here.

Combat Companions

The Combat Companions are no longer split into two categories, because the best bonuses are also applied to allies! Bonuses to allies do not stack.

Combat Companion	Notes
Angel of Protection	+3% Defense to allies (very good and cheap beginner)
Black Death Scorpion	The scorpion has the ability to provide combat advantage. Useful against Tiamat and teleporting bosses. ~100% uptime.
Bruenor Battlehammer	-3% incoming damage to allies
Captain Elaina Sartell	+5% AP Gain to party (and great damage)
Cyclops War Drummer	-3% incoming damage to allies once in a while and good damage
Deva Champion	Shield of 5% Maximum Hit Points every 15 seconds to allies
Diana the Acrobat	+10% Movement Speed to allies
Drizzt Do’Urden	+3% outgoing damage of allies. The 3% is provided by an additional multiplier unlike the usual bonuses to the outgoing damage multiplier!
Flapjack	+5% Combat Advantage to allies (stacks with Tutor)
Intellect Devourer	Great Stunning ability once in a while
Portobello DaVinci	In Group: +3.5% Power and Combat Advantage to allies
Regis	+3% Recharge Speed and great AoE damage
Riotous Rothè	-10% damage of Bosses
Spined Devil	+10% incoming damage to the enemy once in a while
Stalwart Golden Lion	Intercepts sometimes 10% damage, +2% outgoing damage of allies
Stronghold’s Cleric	Shield of 5% Maximum Hit Points to allies
Tutor	In Group: +5% Combat Advantage to allies
Vistani Wanderer	+5% Movement Speed to allies

Some lesser valuable but mentionable companions are also listed in the table below.

Combat Companion	Notes
Acolyte of Kelemvor	Its ability to reduce the incoming damage by 10% is quite promising but there are currently no thoughtful tests.
Blaspheme Assassin	-2% enemy Deflect, +1% Damage taken
Blink dog	The companion has the ability to provide combat advantage. Useful against Tiamat and teleporting bosses. ~50% uptime.
Cantankerous Mage	The companion has the ability to provide combat advantage. Useful against Tiamat and teleporting bosses. ~50% uptime.
Catti-Brie	+3% Movement Speed to allies
Dancing Blade	The companion has the ability to provide combat advantage. Useful against Tiamat and teleporting bosses. ~50% uptime.
Dread Warrior	+5000 Power and 5% Critical Severity to allies once in a while
Minsc	+3% Combat Advantage to allies but with low uptime
Neverwinter Knight	+2% Defense to allies
Panther	The Panther has the ability to provide combat advantage. Useful against Tiamat and teleporting bosses.
Pseudodragon	The companion has the ability to provide combat advantage. Useful against Tiamat and teleporting bosses. ~50% uptime.
Shadow Elemental	+1.5% Critical Avoidance and 2% Movement Speed for allies
Siege Master	+3% Defense to allies
Succusbus / Incubus	+10% incoming damage to the enemy but with low uptime
Swashbuckler	The companion has the ability to provide combat advantage. Useful against Tiamat and teleporting bosses. ~50% uptime.
Wulfgar	+3% AP Gain for allies
Yeth Hound	The companion has the ability to provide combat advantage. Useful against Tiamat and teleporting bosses. ~50% uptime.

Augments

There are only a few full defensive augments available. However, there are some good options for hybrid builds too! The next two tables show the members of both categories. Worth noting is that the Enhancement Bonus scales with companion level and bolster.

3x Defensive Companions	Notes
Black Dragon Ioun Stone	Enhancement Bonus to Hit Points, Critical Avoidance and Defense (Very useful defensive companion)
Butterfly	Enhancement Bonus to Defense, Deflect and Awareness (not so useful because of an abundance of Defense-Awareness ratings)
Cat	Enhancement Bonus to Deflect , Awareness and Deflect Severity (only for truly invested Deflect builds)
Golden Deep Crow Egg	Enhancement Bonus to Awareness (all 29250 ratings go into Awareness which is too much Awareness to be useful)
Golden Goat	Enhancement Bonus to Forte (all 29250 ratings go into Forte which is too much Forte to be useful!)
Infant Gorilla	Enhancement Bonus to Hit Points, Deflect and Defense (another useful companion)
Ioun Stone of Might	Enhancement Bonus to Hit Points, Deflect and Defense (another useful companion)

Hybrid Companions	Notes
Bulette Pup	Enhancement Bonus to Combat Advantage, Power and Defense
Chicken	Enhancement Bonus to Combat Advantage, Critical Avoidance and Defense
Ioun Stone of Radiance	Enhancement Bonus to Combat Advantage, Critical Avoidance and Deflect
Mini Apparatus of Gond	Enhancement Bonus to Deflect, Combat Advantage and Awareness
Ox Stot	Enhancement Bonus to Hit Points, Defense and Power
Rat Pup	Enhancement Bonus to Hit Points, Combat Advantage and Power
Star of Simril	Enhancement Bonus to Critical Avoidance, Awareness and Power
Watler	Enhancement Bonus to Combat Advantage, Awareness and Defense
Winter Fox	Enhancement Bonus to Hit Points, Forte and Power