Tears of Metal Companions Guide

What Companions Do

Companions are named battle allies distinct from battalion soldiers. They fight alongside your hero with unique ability kits, contribute damage or support during roguelike map nodes, and provide persistent bonuses tied to village progression tracks. Unlike soldiers, companions follow separate unlock and upgrade rules—companion halls, story milestones, currency types—and they typically persist across campaigns once unlocked even if soldiers fall permanently in a given run.

Companion AI behavior varies by ally: some anchor on your hero, others intercept adds targeting soldiers, and some activate reactive shields during Hazard spikes. Learning companion cadence matters for boss fights cataloged in boss guide and for elite routes in Act 2. Mis-timed companion abilities waste cooldowns during harmless phases and leave you exposed during burst windows.

Companions complement—not replace—soldier battalions. Emblem auras still key off troop counts; companions add utility slots for crowd control, cleansing, or stagger extensions soldiers cannot provide. Budget village currency between companion halls, Training Grounds, and Scout Tent upgrades using village hub priorities so one system does not starve the others.

Unlocks and Progression Tracks

Companion slots unlock through settlement upgrades and campaign milestones—Act clears, boss first-kills, or specific village hall tiers. Early accounts may run with zero or one companion; endgame accounts juggle multiple allies with overlapping cooldowns. Each companion has a progression track consuming dedicated currency earned from dailies, bosses, and events. See daily challenges for efficient currency farming when main runs stall.

Upgrade companions before attempting content spikes. Act 3 Mother Stone phases assume you can assign at least one companion to add control or battalion protection. Under-leveled companions become liability sponges that die briefly or sit idle during critical telegraphs. Progression tracks often branch: offensive nodes increase companion DPS; defensive nodes grant shields that stack with Training Grounds soldier buffs from settlement upgrades.

Hero choice interacts with companion picks. Wallace pairs with balanced companions that cover his gaps; Ruadh Stonecrusher may prefer companions that add stagger or range rather than redundant healing. Third hero rosters from third hero guide may shift optimal companion sets—experiment in Act 1 before committing expensive upgrade paths.

Synergies with Soldiers, Emblems, and Co-op

Companions shine when their abilities align with Emblem families and soldier specializations. An Emblem build that slows enemies pairs with companions that capitalize on CC chains; burst Emblem setups want companions that break shields or expose rear weak points. Soldiers still anchor formation; companions rotate around flanks. Permanent soldier death does not remove companions, which is why strong companion investment partially stabilizes runs after battalion casualties—partially, not completely.

In co-op multiplayer from co-op guide, companions may defer to human players or fill AI gaps depending on party size. Communicate companion ability timing to avoid doubling ultimates with player cooldowns. Solo players rely more heavily on companion cadence; treat companion abilities as shared cooldown resources mapped to Threat spikes, similar to Emblem cooldown planning in best Emblem synergies.

Between campaigns, review companion tracks alongside soldier recruitment needs. If soldiers died heavily, prioritize Training Grounds and barracks before companion luxury tiers unless a companion unlock directly solves your Act 3 wall—cleanse for Mother Stone resonance, for example. Return to soldiers guide to balance roster rebuilding with companion growth, and use Act 3 walkthrough to time companion upgrades before final pushes.