Best Companions In Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is an epic CPRG where players explore a large region of space and fight various xenos, heretics, and daemons. To aid the player in combating these threats is a selection of companions that can be taken on missions. Each companion has a slightly different set of skills and abilities, ready to deal with whatever obstacle is in the player’s way.

Players choose from a selection of ten companions, each with personal motives and alignments. A maximum of five companions can be taken on missions, and choosing which to take largely depends on the player’s mission and preferred playstyle. Combat in Rogue Trader is more about strategy than brute force, and deciding which companions to take can be the difference between success and death.

Updated 4th October 2024 by Andy Chapman: Warhammer 40k is enjoying a surge in popularity and is slowly changing from a niche hobby to a mainstream IP. With the release of the critically acclaimed video game Space Marine 2, more people are discovering the grimdark sci-fi setting than ever before. This increase in popularity has only helped other 40k video games. With the recent release of Rogue Trader’s new DLC, Void Shadows, this fun CRPG has seen an increase in new and returning players. This article has been updated with additional entries which include secret companions from the base game and a new companion featured in the DLC.

14 Incendia Bastaal-Chorda

Dogmatic and Devout

• Homeworld: Imperial World
• Origin: Ministorum Priest
• Archetype: Solder/Master Tactician

Incendia Chorda is one of two other Rogue Traders that vie for power in the Koronus Expanse. She rules with an iron will and is a devout follower of the God-Emperor. She is dogmatic in her beliefs and ruthless in the execution of her duties. She is a strong ally for players and is one of three secret recruitable companions.

To recruit Incendia to the Rogue Trader’s retinue, players must not send food to Footfall in the early game. In addition, during The Great Judgment quest, players must either side with Incendia or side Vladaym Tocara and be Iconoclast-fanatic, which will allow players to convert Chorda.

13 Heinrix Van Calox

Interrogator of the Inquisition

• Homeworld – Imperial World
• Origin – Sanctioned Psyker/Biomancer
• Archetype – Warrior

Heinrix Van Calox, an inquisition interrogator, can be recruited quite early in the game during the quest Looking For Trouble. The Inquisition is the secret police of the imperium and is tasked with rooting out all heresy and xenos threats from within.

Heinrix is a powerful psyker and loyal believer in the Imperium. His archetype of Warrior makes him a useful member to take on missions, and he can be used effectively together with Abelard as a front-line attack. His role in the Inquisition means he does not approve when the Rogue Trader moves into heretical actions or sides with xenos.

12 Marazhai Aezyrraesh

Dracon of the Kabel of the Reaving Tempest

• Homeworld – Unknown
• Origin – Unknown
• Archetype – Warrior/Assassin

Marazhai is a member of the Aeldari race known as the Drukhari, a savage and depraved people who take great pleasure in the pain and suffering of others. From their city deep within the webway, known as Commorragh, they raid into real space to find more victims for their dark pleasures.

Marazhai can be recruited during Act 3 of the game when the player finds themselves in the dangerous city of the Drukhari. As a companion, Marazhai is a fun addition to the retinue as he is opposite to almost all other companions, being essentially an evil character.

11 Calligos Winterscale

Strong-willed and Bloodthirsty

• Homeworld: Imperial World
• Origin: Noble
• Archetype: Warrior/Arch-Militant

Calligos Winterscale is one of two other Rogue Traders who call the Koronus Expanse home. He is the opposite of Incendia Chorda and is loud, brash, and an enthusiastic hunter. He lives life to the full and has a legendary reputation as a warrior; quick to battle and quicker to boast. He rules as the undisputed head of the Winterscale dynasty.

Calligos Winterscale is also one of three secret recruitable companions. To bring Winterscale into the Rogue Trader’s retinue, players must choose the Heretical dialogue choices in their first meeting and later during an encounter with Eldar.

10 Yrliet Lanaevyss

Aeldari Outcast

• Homeworld – Voidborn
• Origin – Aeldari
• Archetype – Operative

Rogue Traders are a rare type of people within the imperium. Created to be a vanguard in the time of the Great Crusade, their role was to discover new bastions of humanity and be the first point of contact. Within this role, they are given special allowances few others have in the Imperium. This includes working with xenos.

Yrliet is an Aeldari sharpshooter that the player meets on Janus, one of the sovereign worlds. As a companion, she is ideal for backline defense, taking out enemies no other companion can reach. Yrliet’s unique ability, In My Sights, can be extremely useful when an enemy absolutely needs to be hit.

9 Jae Heydari

Black Market Trader of Xenos Tech

• Homeworld – Imperial World
• Origin – Cold Trader
• Archetype – Officer

First met in Footfall, Jae Heydari fulfills the rogue-type of companion in the game. She can be used much like Cassia if she is equipped with the Bring it Down! Talent, which gives an ally an extra turn. Mix this with the Move Move Move! Talent, which gives an ally additional movement points, and she is a vital part of combat strategy.

Jae Heydari is a seductive and cocky companion that is loyal to profit rather than the Imperium. She will often let the Rogue Trader know when there is a chance of financial gain in a situation.

8 Uralon the Cruel

Warrior of the Ruinous Powers

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• Homeworld: Unknown
• Origin: Unknown
• Archetype: Officer/Master Tactician

Uralon the Cruel is a Chaos Space Marine and Dark Apostle of the traitorous Word Bearers legion. As the first Astartes legion to fall to ruinous powers, the Word Bearers are famed for their fanatical following of Chaos Undivided. The Dark Apostles act as the priests of the heretical legions and are some of the most devout beings in the galaxy.

Uralon the Cruel is also one of three secret recruitable companions available to players. To recruit the Chaos Space Marine into the Rogue Trader’s retinue, players must complete the Call of the Edge quest.

7 Ulfar

Space Wolf and Skald

• Homeworld – Deathworld
• Origin – Space Marine
• Archetype – Soldier/Arch-Militant

This companion is met later in the game in Act 3. Ulfar is a powerful member of the Adeptus Astartes or Space Marines, the elite fighting force of the Imperium of Mankind. When the player first encounters Ulfar during the mission, Fury in Chains, he is being held captive by the Drukhari. It is up to the player whether to free him or not.

As a companion, Ulfar is good as a backline form of defense, much in the same way as Sister Argenta is, and could work well as a duo with Cassia or Yrliet. At this point in the game, most players will include the Sister of Battle in the group, unless they want a Space Marine in the retinue.

6 Idira Tlass

Psyker Diviner in Service to House Valancius

• Homeworld – Forsaken World
• Origin – Unsanctioned Psyker
• Archetype – Operative

Idira Tlass is the main psyker companion in Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader and can be a useful heavy-hitting choice for players to include. Her Psychic Shriek can make short work of lower-level enemies, while her Lightning Arc attack from the Psychic Staff chain hits enemies within close range of each other.

As a psyker, she is susceptible to daemonic influence, and her outlook on situations can often move to a more heretical side. If a heretical playthrough is preferred, Idira is a perfect companion.

5 Pasqal Haneumann

Magos of the Adeptus Mechanicus

• Homeworld – Forge World
• Origin – Tech-Priest
• Archetype – Operative

Tech-Priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus are the main source of technology in the 41st millennium and work to maintain and discover ancient human technology from the golden age. They are an independent faction in the Imperium and are essential for the continued running of the galactic empire.

Pasqal Haneumann is the tech companion for the Rogue Trader and is met quite early in the game. He can be useful for debuffing groups of enemies and can be surprisingly effective in combat against single enemies. He is best used though to boost lore or tech knowledge when interacting with the world or NPCs.

4 Kibellah

The Rogue Traders Shadow and Blade

• Homeworld: Voidborn
• Origin: Death Cult Assassin
• Archetype: Bladedancer/Assassin

Added to Rogue Trader in the DLC Void Shadows, Kibellah is the top assassin in the Bloodspun Web death cult. These mysterious assassins, living within the bowels of the starship, are guided by the Emperor’s Tarot, which reveals their targets through divination. As a powerful melee warrior, Kibellah offers strong close-range attacks and can deal great damage to multiple enemies at once.

Kibellah is recruited into the Rogue Trader’s retinue soon after starting the Void Shadows DLC. She offers unique abilities and attacks and works well with Abelard as a frontal attack character.

3 Sister Argenta

Sister of Battle of the Adepta Sororitas

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• Homeworld – Imperial World
• Origin – Ministorum Priest
• Archetype – Soldier

The Adepta Sororitas, also known as the Sisters of Battle, are a religious sect of warrior nuns, who are dedicated to the eradication of heresy throughout the imperium. They battle with such zealous passion that their faith can manifest miracles, like running into enemy fire and surviving unharmed.

Sister Argenta is a strong addition to the companions in Rogue Trader. With her powerful ranged attacks, she is better placed in positions where she can take out enemies before they have a chance to push forward. She works well with Cassia as a dual backline form of defense.

2 Abelard Werserian

Seneschal to the Rogue Trader

• Homeworld – Imperial World
• Origin – Navy Officer
• Archetype: Warrior

Abelard is the first companion players will meet during the opening section of the game. He can be one of the most useful to include throughout a playthrough due to his varied attacks, especially in melee. Abelard is a front-line companion and is ideal for blocking out enemies and attacking head-on.

He acts as the Rogue Trader’s seneschal or right-hand man and is very set in his ways. He introduces the player to the world of the Rogue Trader and the ship’s various inhabitants. He is also extremely loyal to the Von Valancius Rogue Trader dynasty that the player leads.

1 Cassia Orsellio

Heiress of a Navis Nobilite House

• Homeworld – Unknown
• Origin – Navigator
• Archetype – Officer

Cassia is a companion who is met early in the game and acts as the Rogue Trader’s Navigator. Navigators are powerful psykers who are essential for long-distance travel in the galaxy. They can navigate the dangerous tides of warp space, helped by the light of the Astronomican on Holy Terra.

As a companion, Cassia is one of the best. She can be used as an excellent sniper and has use of various psyker abilities, but her main use is with the Bring it Down! Talent, which gives an ally an immediate extra turn. This can be vital when a single enemy needs to be brought down or when a companion is close to death and needs to defend themselves.