Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader companions and where to recruit each

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Take your pick of the deadliest fighters and most powerful psykers the Koronus Expanse has to offer.

Rogue Trader companions - A hall with lots of people gathered
(Image credit: Owlcat Games)
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Recruiting capable Rogue Trader companions is a big part of the 40k CRPG, as you bolster your retinue with chainsword-wielding weirdos and mutant psykers from across the wild frontier of the Koronus Expanse. You'll gather a fair few allies during the initial prologue, but there are more to find as you venture out into realspace. 

Most of the time in Rogue Trader, you're fighting at a numerical disadvantage, so the five allies you choose to bring with you have to be capable fighters and offer support in battle. If you somehow manage to kill one of your allies through narrative means—there are a few ways—you can also recruit custom companions to fill the void. 

All that covered, here are the Rogue Trader companions I've found so far, plus how to recruit them.

Abelard Werserian

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Recruited: During the Prologue 

This ex-Imperial Navy officer and Seneschal to the late Lady Theodora now acts as your second in command, running the ship and handling all of the daily business he deems too inconsequential to bother the Rogue Trader with. Abelard is a gruff yet by-the-book warrior who'll likely form the backbone of your melee core early in the game.

Idira Tlass

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Recruited: During the Prologue

Lady Theodora's psyker and diviner may seem a bit unstable—I imagine I'd be unhinged, too, if I had to stare into Hell on a daily basis—but she's a potent force on the battlefield. You can equip Psykers with different staffs to change their available spells, but Idira will absolutely clean house with her lightning abilities early on, taking out large groups of enemies all at once. Just be careful not to put allies in her way.

Sister Argenta

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Recruited: During the Prologue

Depending on what class you choose, this Sister of Battle may be your first Soldier. These combatants specialise in ranged weaponry with abilities that allow for free reloads, extra attacks, and more effective use of cover. If you really want Argenta to shine early on, replace her meaty bolter with the first sniper rifle you find for superior ranged support. That, or you can stick with her Adeptas Sororitas theme and hand her a flamer. 

Cassia Orsellio

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Recruited: During Chapter One on the Eurac V Navis Nobilite station.

One of your first priorities in Chapter One is finding a new Navigator for your ship so you can travel between systems via the warp. This search will lead you to the House Orsellio space station, where you'll meet a scion of the dynasty, Cassia Orsellio. This mutant noble is part-psyker, part-officer, combining potent psychic abilities with buffs to other members of your squad.

Pasqal Haneumann

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Recruited: During Chapter One on Rykad Minoris after you fight through the initial section of the Starport.

This red-robed servant of the Adeptus Mechanicus is a bit of a swiss army knife; capable of both smashing people around with his Omnissiah Axe, or melting foes from range with any Plasma or Melta Weapons you happen to find lying around. As an Operator, Pasqal can also mark enemies for extra damage and reduce their dodge and armour.

Henrix Van Calox

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Recruited: During Chapter One on Rykad Minoris when you visit the Electrodynamic Cenobium.

Van Calox is an Interrogator with the Imperial Inquisition investigating the heretic cults on Rykad Minoris. He's kind of a battle psyker; as with Abelard, he can run into the fray and swing about his power sword, but he can also swap to a psyker staff and throw out some abilities when you need him to.

Jae Heydari

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Recruited: During Chapter Two on Footfall station. After you encounter Jae while meeting the Liege, find her in the bar in the Shadow Quarters as part of the Persona Non Grata quest, and agree to help her retrieve her cargo.

This aspiring robber baron specialises in the Cold Trade—the illegal exchange of Xenotech—but she's being muscled out of Footfall by the station's liege. If you choose to help her, you'll get an officer ally who can support your squad and use Xenos weapons. She'll also give you a big rep bump with a faction of your choosing via her merchant connections.

Yrliet Lanaevyss

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Recruited: During Chapter Two on Janus. After you meet with the planetary governor, you'll have to find and talk to Yrliet.

This Eldar Ranger is posing as a mutant on the Agri World of Janus when you arrive to inspect what's going on. While there are some choices involving her and her Aeldari Kin while you're on the planet, it's fairly easy to discern which path will lead to you recruiting her. Yrliet is unique in that she can wear Eldar armour and use their guns. She's also a capable sharpshooter with a special ability that lets her mark a target, end her turn, and hit it 100% at the start of her next turn.

Ulfar

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Recruited: During Chapter Three in Commorragh's Anatomical Opera. Talk to Ulfar in his cage and then convince Tervantias Archmachinator to let you free the Space Marine.

While it might seem a little unbelievable that an Adeptus Astartes would join a Rogue Trader's retinue, Ulfar is in a somewhat unique position when you find him in the fighting pits of the Dark Eldar capital of Commorragh. As you'd expect from a Space Wolf, Ulfar is a fearsome warrior who specialises in close-quarters melee and hacking enemies into lil bits. 

Rogue Trader custom companions

You can recruit custom companions on your ship (Image credit: Owlcat Games)

If you ever feel like you're lacking something in terms of your squad's capabilities, you can always recruit a custom companion. As the Rogue Trader, you have thousands of potentially capable hands onboard your flagship with you. Simply talk to High Factotum Janis Danrok on the bridge of your ship and tell him "I wish to bolster my retinue with skilled fighters". 

This takes you to the character creation page where you can make your own ally. Of course, they won't have any dialogue, but they'll do in a pinch if you somehow kill almost everyone else.

Sean Martin
Sean Martin
Senior Guides Writer

Sean's first PC games were Full Throttle and Total Annihilation and his taste has stayed much the same since. When not scouring games for secrets or bashing his head against puzzles, you'll find him revisiting old Total War campaigns, agonizing over his Destiny 2 fit, or still trying to finish the Horus Heresy. Sean has also written for EDGE, Eurogamer, PCGamesN, Wireframe, EGMNOW, and Inverse.

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