Role-playing games are full of companions who test your patience. Some are rude, some are dangerous, and others seem determined to criticise every decision you make. Yet the best-written difficult companions often become essential members of the party once their motives and vulnerabilities emerge.
This ranking moves from relatively manageable irritants to the companion most likely to demand that you become just as ruthless as they are. Expect character spoilers for several classic and modern RPGs.
9. Wrex — Mass Effect
Red flag: A cynical krogan mercenary who looks permanently ready for a fight.
Wrex begins as a gruff, reluctant ally in BioWare’s science-fiction RPG, where Commander Shepard pursues a rogue agent across the galaxy. His anger has a painful foundation: the krogan population is dying, and a plague prevents most pregnancies from surviving. During one mission, Wrex can turn against Shepard, forcing you to talk him down or take drastic action. If he survives, he becomes one of Shepard’s most dependable allies by Mass Effect 3. He may complain constantly, but his loyalty runs deep.
8. Jade Curtiss — Tales of the Abyss
Red flag: He responds to serious problems with another cutting remark.
Tales of the Abyss follows sheltered noble Luke fon Fabre after he is drawn into war. Jade Curtiss, a colonel from rival Malkuth, joins the party as its oldest member and its most accomplished scientist. His sarcasm often becomes cruel, with much of his dialogue aimed at mocking the rest of the group. Jade insists he is “always serious”, even when joking, but the frustrating part is that the adult in the room is usually correct. His insight makes him too useful to leave behind.
7. The Red Prince — Divinity: Original Sin 2
Red flag: He reminds everyone that he is royalty at every opportunity.
Larian’s fantasy RPG lets you play as, or recruit, the Red Prince: an exiled lizard crown prince who considers himself superior to the party. His arrogance makes him unpopular, but it also supports one of the game’s strongest personalities and a memorable quest to reunite him with the love of his life. Travel with him long enough and he begins to respect you, although his royal bearing never disappears. Beneath the entitlement, he becomes surprisingly good company.
6. Debora — Dragon Quest 5
Red flag: The game asks repeatedly whether you are certain you want to marry her.
Dragon Quest 5 follows its hero from childhood to marriage, with the chosen bride becoming a permanent party member. The 2008 Nintendo DS remake introduces Debora, the elder sister of one of the original brides. She is snide, proud and so unpleasant that the game confirms your decision three times, with her father asking once more before the wedding. Her creator, Yuji Horii, has described her as a choice nobody in their right mind would pick. Choose her anyway and she proves to be an excellent party member and a loving wife, even when her affection sounds more like an insult.
5. Morrigan — Dragon Age: Origins
Red flag: Helping strangers earns a disapproving look rather than praise.
As a shapeshifting human mage raised in a bog, Morrigan brings a sharp tongue and bleak worldview to the fight against the Blight. She is openly unimpressed by cheerful companions such as Alistair and regularly objects when the player stops to help others. That attitude makes pursuing a romance while playing a kind-hearted hero particularly difficult. Her complaints are not a reason to ignore side quests, however. Give her the golden mirror she wants and, perhaps, the relationship will improve.
4. Hiravias — Pillars of Eternity
Red flag: Your first meeting finds him eating a deer carcass.
In Obsidian’s 2015 fantasy RPG, the player controls the Watcher, a person capable of seeing souls. Hiravias can join the party as a druid, provided you can overlook his introduction and his enthusiastic use of profanity. His clan exiled him because they considered his spirit-shifting ability a bad omen, and his rough manner may function as emotional armour. For many players, his crude observations and quick replies provide much-needed gaming discussion and character analysis. The deer is only the beginning.
3. HK-47 — Knights of the Old Republic
Red flag: He calls every living creature a “meatbag”.
HK-47 is the assassin droid to recruit in BioWare’s 2003 Star Wars RPG. His lines often begin with “Statement” or “Translation”, followed by an alarming suggestion to solve negotiations with blaster fire. He is aggressive, literal-minded and entirely comfortable discussing murder, but that blunt delivery produces some of the game’s most memorable humour. For a dark-side playthrough, pairing HK-47 with Canderous is especially fitting. Query: should you recruit him? Answer: yes.
2. Lae’zel — Baldur’s Gate 3
Red flag: She disapproves of your choices so consistently that some players kill her immediately.
At the beginning of Baldur’s Gate 3, Lae’zel and the player character are both infected with mind flayer tadpoles. The githyanki warrior has a firm plan for survival and makes her displeasure obvious whenever the party follows another path. Her constant judgement can become exhausting, but it hides a fear familiar to anyone who has struggled to meet society’s expectations. Over time she becomes warmer, and earning her trust through romance can be remarkably rewarding. Some players still eliminate her at the start of every new game, which tells you plenty about her first impression.
1. Wenduag — Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
Red flag: She abandons you when your strength no longer impresses her.
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous sends the player into a crusade against a demonic invasion. Wenduag, a mongrel fighter with a neutral evil alignment, respects power above everything else and antagonises much of the party. She considers love and loyalty lies, while kindness does little to secure her allegiance. To retain her, you may need to stage a brutal display of authority, ordering her to kneel before her own followers during an obedience lesson. Other difficult companions can be won over with patience; Wenduag demands that you outmatch her cruelty.
Why difficult companions work
These characters are memorable because their unpleasant behaviour is not merely decoration. Wrex’s bitterness comes from his people’s suffering, Morrigan’s contempt protects her worldview, and Lae’zel’s severity reflects fear of failure. Others, including HK-47 and the Red Prince, turn arrogance into comedy, while Wenduag tests how far the player is willing to compromise.
Whether you prefer story-heavy RPGs, classic consoles or arcade-inspired gaming, strong character writing remains a major part of the experience. Explore RETROCADE’s Arcade Blog, browse the Arcade Videos, or use the Arcade Machine Buying Guide when planning a home gaming setup.
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