Companions & Taming
| Companions & Taming | |
|---|---|
| Type | System |
| Location | World map encounters |
| Requirements | Rancher perk, Rope, target below 50% health |
Overview
Players with the Rancher perk can tame wild creatures found in world map encounters, turning them into loyal companions. A tamed companion follows its owner, fights alongside them, and can be directed with pings. Only one companion can be active at a time.
Tameable Creatures
Seven creature types can be tamed, each with distinct combat stats:
| Creature | Max Life | Melee Damage | Special Trait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dog | 80 | 12 | Fast runner |
| Rat | 60 | 10 | High dodge chance (50%) |
| Mole Rat | 90 | 15 | Well-rounded |
| Brahmin | 120 | 10 | High durability |
| Radscorpion | 80 | 10 | Poisonous attacks |
| Gecko | 80 | 12 | Standard melee |
| Mantis | 50 | 15 | Causes bleeding |
How to Tame
Taming requires several conditions to be met:
- You must have the Rancher perk
- You must be in a world map encounter — taming does not work in towns, dungeons, or other locations
- The target creature must be below 50% of its maximum health — the lower its health, the higher the chance
- You must have a Rope in your inventory (consumed on success)
- The target must not already be owned by another player
Use the rope on the weakened creature to attempt taming. The base success chance starts at 20% and increases as the target's health drops below half. If successful, the rope is consumed and the creature becomes your companion.
Companion Behavior
Following
The companion follows its owner at a distance. If the owner moves to a different map — including towns, dungeons, quest locations, and bases — the companion teleports to follow. When the owner logs out, the companion returns to the world map to wait.
Combat
Companions automatically attack hostile creatures on sight. They also defend themselves when attacked by any NPC or player. Companions will never attack their owner, the owner's party members, or other creatures owned by the same player.
Ping Commands
You can direct your companion using the ping system:
- Attack ping — order the companion to attack a specific target
- Move ping — order the companion to move to a specific location
Dismissing
A companion can be dismissed at any time through the companion menu. Dismissing permanently removes the companion. Companions are also automatically dismissed if you lose the Rancher perk.
Rancher Perk Scaling
The Rancher perk has multiple levels that improve the companion's stats. Each level beyond the first grants a 20% bonus to Max Life and Melee Damage, up to 80% at maximum level. With the Rancher implant chip, this can reach a 100% bonus.
Companion Death
What happens when a companion dies depends on your traits:
- Without a respawn trait: The companion is permanently lost and must be replaced by taming a new creature.
- With the respawn trait: The companion respawns automatically after 5 minutes at 20% of its maximum health.
After a server restart, companions with the respawn trait will reappear at reduced health.
Requirements
- Rancher perk (required to tame and maintain a companion)
- Rope item (consumed on successful tame)
- Target must be in a world map encounter
- Target must be below 50% health and belong to a tameable species
- Only one companion at a time