RPG Companions So Overpowered They Practically Play The Game For You

Video game companions can be hit or miss. Some, like Ashley from Resident Evil 4, can be annoying, while others, such as Ellie in The Last of Us, enrich the story but don’t offer much practical help during gameplay—though Ellie deserves credit for occasionally providing useful items like ladders.

Many RPGs feature companions who join you on your journey. These characters add depth to the story and offer unique abilities in battles. Sometimes, you’ll encounter a companion who is incredibly powerful. You can choose to use them for an easier experience, or switch them out to keep the game challenging. However, these companions are often far stronger than typical party members – they can essentially handle most fights and make the game much easier.

Wakka (Final Fantasy 10)

That’s Blitzball, Baby!

Wakka might seem like a relaxed and easygoing character, just looking to enjoy himself. But don’t let that fool you – he’s incredibly powerful! He can actually make some of the hardest bosses in Final Fantasy 10 surprisingly easy with a single attack.

Wakka’s Overdrive, Attack Reels, normally hits multiple random enemies with powerful attacks. But when he’s facing a single enemy, like during a boss fight, all of those attacks focus on that one target. If you’re skilled with the controls and have a strong weapon – like the World Champion – Wakka can surprisingly easily defeat even tough late-game bosses, demonstrating the incredible power gained from mastering blitzball.

Maelle (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)

Get Out Of This Canvas

Image via Sandfall Interactive

While Maelle could be seen as the main character in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, she joins Gustave and Lune as a third member, so we’ll classify her as a companion. From the start, Maelle is incredibly powerful, easily defeating enemies by stacking the Burn effect and using her Virtuose stance. But her true potential is unlocked later in the game.

Maelle can often defeat even the toughest bosses in a single turn by combining special enhancements – called Pictos – with her strongest skills. These Pictos boost her damage when she’s low on health, fighting alone, or after being defeated. If a second turn is needed, having Sciel in the group lets Maelle attack again right away. Though Sciel can be very powerful on her own, many players primarily use her to give Maelle extra opportunities to strike.

Nidoking (Pokemon Red, Blue & Yellow)

The Speedrun King

With 151 different Pokémon to choose from, some are naturally more powerful than others. While many Pokémon are used by speedrunners attempting to complete the original Generation 1 games quickly, Nidoking has emerged as the clear top choice for players trying to beat Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow as fast as possible.

Nidoking is a powerhouse in the original Pokemon games for a few key reasons. It’s relatively easy to catch a male Nidoran early on, and it evolves quickly – first into Nidorino at level 16, and then into Nidoking with a Moon Stone. This means you can have a powerful Nidoking on your team before even reaching Cerulean City. Beyond its quick evolution, Nidoking learns a diverse range of moves, allowing it to easily overcome tricky opponents like Psychic, Dragon, and Rock-types. Most importantly, it can learn Horn Drill, a devastatingly powerful move. When paired with the Accuracy-X item, Horn Drill can instantly defeat almost any opponent, making Nidoking the strongest Pokemon in Generation 1.

Cidolfus Orlandeau (Final Fantasy Tactics)

All Hail The Thunder God

When it comes to incredibly powerful RPG companions, Cidolfus Orlandeau from Final Fantasy Tactics is a prime example. You unlock him fairly early in the game, in Chapter 4, and after that, he can almost single-handedly win battles. His powerful abilities allow him to defeat multiple enemies at once, making him the only character you sometimes need to even bring to a fight.

Cidolfus is remarkably powerful without needing any special setup or strategy – he’s just naturally strong. Many players choose not to include him in their parties because he makes the game’s battles too easy. And it’s not just at the beginning of the game; Cidolfus is capable of carrying a player all the way to the end if they let him.

Viola (Eternal Sonata)

You Look Like A Good Target

Many Japanese role-playing games can be easily broken by characters with overpowered ranged attacks. A prime example is Viola from Eternal Sonata. She can inflict massive damage with just her bow in any combat scenario. What makes her particularly strong is that her damage actually increases the farther away she is from enemies, rewarding players for keeping her safe while simultaneously making her more effective.

Viola is incredibly durable thanks to her ability to stay mobile and deal high damage from a distance without taking much damage herself. What’s even better is that she can also heal the entire team with a powerful area-of-effect ability. This means she not only survives easily, but keeps everyone else alive too.

Idrial (The Lord Of The Rings: The Third Age)

Brave Elf Of Lothlorien

The role-playing game The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age is well-known for being easily exploited, despite not being hugely popular. The most overpowered character is Idrial, the healer. Her ability, Aura of the Elves, instantly revives any ally and gives them another turn. Idrial can use this on herself, and then immediately use it again on the revived self, making her practically invincible.

Idrail has an ability called Haste of the Elves that lets her move a teammate to the front of the turn order. By repeatedly using it on herself, she can effectively skip enemy turns while gradually defeating them. This strategy is so powerful that Idrail can win most battles even if she’s the only one actively taking turns.

T3-M4 (Star Wars Knights Of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords)

Let The Droid Handle It

T3-M4 is a helpful droid you can get in Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2. He’s actually quite simple to acquire – you can just purchase him in the Taris Undercity. While he’s needed to open one specific door later in the game, he’s easy to miss otherwise. However, it’s worth noting that he’s also notoriously glitchy.

While not entirely unbeatable, his shock arm is incredibly strong. You can use it constantly and it always connects. The damage isn’t massive, but because it’s so easy to spam and consistently hits, you can often complete regular fights with T3-M4 by himself. Giving him some healing items beforehand helps if he takes a lot of damage.

Deadpool (Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2)

It Helps That He Knows He’s In A Video Game

While Green Goblin is arguably the most powerful character in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, you unlock him so late in the game that he’s not very helpful for most of your playthrough. A much better choice for a strong starting character is Deadpool, who’s available from the very beginning. His ‘Best One Ever’ ability boosts his stats, making him stronger, and it becomes incredibly powerful once upgraded.

This power dramatically increases Deadpool’s strength, allowing him to instantly defeat weaker enemies and inflict massive damage on stronger ones, all while barely taking any damage himself. It’s fitting that a character who breaks the fourth wall seems to be ‘seeing how the game works’ and taking advantage of it. However, this ability makes him incredibly powerful, bordering on god-like, which is remarkable considering he fights alongside actual gods.

Lydia (The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim)

I Don’t Have To Know What You Are To Kill You

Most Skyrim players know Lydia is a powerful companion, but she’s helpful in more ways than just fighting. She can carry a lot of items for you, preventing your inventory from becoming overloaded. Having her carry extra loot gives you more options, more money, and helps you be ready for any enemy – though you might not even need to prepare with Lydia by your side.

Lydia is incredibly durable and acts as a frontline fighter in battles. She fearlessly rushes into combat and can withstand a lot of damage. With good equipment, she’s capable of winning most fights independently. You can either support her from a distance, letting her weaken enemies before you deliver the final attack, or simply allow her to handle everything herself – she’s more than capable and eager to do so.

Eduardo Carnela (Stygian: Reign Of The Old Ones)

Did You See That Eldritch Monstrosity’s Face When It Saw The Gat?

To be honest, the fighting in Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones isn’t very good. It’s poorly explained when you start, and feels slow and unrewarding. Fortunately, you can largely skip combat, or make it much easier, by recruiting Eduardo Carnela to your team.

There’s no promise of safety in this world, and Eduardo’s methods can be unsettling – but everything is unsettling here. When you meet this powerfully built, dark-skinned man and he asks to join your group, accept him. Eduardo carries an automatic pistol, and it’s incredibly powerful. This weapon alone will make most of the game’s combat easy. It deals massive damage and has a very high chance of landing critical hits. He’ll handle the majority of the fighting, allowing you to focus on and enjoy the immersive writing, detailed world, and captivating story of Stygian, rather than struggling with its difficult battles.

2025-12-19 14:41