Like the Felynes or Lynians in mainline games, Buddies in Monster Hunter Outlanders do more than accompany you on hunts. They help dish out additional damage, healing, buffs, and even crowd-control effects. However, not every Buddy works with every Adventurer, and some bonuses require specific moves to activate. For that reason, we have ranked our Monster Hunter Outlanders Buddy tier list, based on their passives, Ultimates, and overall utility.
Best Buddies Tier List in Monster Hunter Outlanders
Similar to the Adventurers, Buddies are also divided into three types and limitations. Assault Adventurers can only equip Palicoes, Disruptors can only use Rutacos, and Support Adventurers can only bring Trillans. The rankings below prioritize teamwide damage bonuses, ease of activating passive effects, and the usefulness of each Buddy’s Ultimate.
| Tier | Buddy | Rarity | Type/Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| S Tier | Kojiro | SSR | Palico (Assault) |
| Daisho | SSR | Palico (Assault) | |
| Pipa | SSR | Palico (Assault) | |
| Ro | SSR | Palico (Assault) | |
| Devu | SSR | Rutaco (Disruptor) | |
| Hoppy | SSR | Rutaco (Disruptor) | |
| Barim | SR | Rutaco (Disruptor) | |
| Nailu | SSR | Trillan (Support) | |
| Pheasant | SSR | Trillan (Support) | |
| Ravinge | SR | Trillan (Support) | |
| Nako | SR | Rutaco (Disruptor) | |
| A Tier | Icarus | SR | Palico (Assault) |
| Sand Velvet | SR | Palico (Assault) | |
| Fortie | SR | Palico (Assault) | |
| Falee Hendsom | SR | Rutaco (Disruptor) | |
| Reefcore | SR | Rutaco (Disruptor) | |
| Blademaster | SR | Trillan (Support) | |
| Golden Bell | SR | Trillan (Support) | |
| Ario | SR | Trillan (Support) | |
| B Tier | Tidal Claw | SR | Palico (Assault) |
| Banak | SR | Palico (Assault) | |
| Sand Echo | SR | Rutaco (Disruptor) | |
| Tidal Sound | SR | Trillan (Support) | |
| Mith | R | Trillan (Support) | |
| Viper | R | Trillan (Support) | |
| C Tier | Ron | R | Palico (Assault) |
| Alon | R | Palico (Assault) | |
| Zira | R | Palico (Assault) | |
| Shadow | R | Palico (Assault) | |
| Aloo | R | Palico (Assault) | |
| Mac | R | Rutaco (Disruptor) | |
| Pupo | R | Rutaco (Disruptor) | |
| Wolfe | R | Rutaco (Disruptor) | |
| Aku | R | Rutaco (Disruptor) | |
| Boomie | R | Rutaco (Disruptor) | |
| Horn | R | Trillan (Support) | |
| Bladey | R | Trillan (Support) | |
| Lido | R | Trillan (Support) |
Best Buddy for Each Monster Hunter Outlanders Adventurer
Choosing the right Buddy is more important than simply equipping the highest-rarity one available. After all, SSR Buddies do provide powerful bonuses, but they only activate when their assigned Adventurer performs specific actions.
| Adventurer | Recommended Buddy | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Fated Adventurer (Assault) | Icarus, Kojiro, Daisho, Pipa, Ro | Depends on weapon and element |
| Midori (Assault) | Kojiro, Fortie | Kojiro for compatible Fire/Rupture builds, Fortie for general damage |
| Pyro (Assault) | Daisho, Fortie | Daisho for Dragon damage if Parry or Ferocity can be triggered |
| Luka (Assault) | Pipa, Sand Velvet | Reliable elemental damage bonuses |
| Rhodes (Assault) | Ro | Ice damage bonus with Charge attacks |
| Freya (Disruptor) | Barim, Nako | Longer Suppression windows and extra damage against suppressed monsters |
| Pepper (Disruptor) | Hoppy, Barim | Hoppy for compatible aerial Water builds, Barim for Suppression |
| Haze (Disruptor) | Barim, Nako | Improves Suppression-focused team damage |
| Keres (Disruptor) | Devu, Barim | Dragon damage and additional Suppression utility |
| Raya (Disruptor) | Barim, Nako | Consistent Suppression support |
| Arkaya (Support) | Nailu, Ravinge | Nailu’s Dragon damage bonus synergizes well with shielding |
| Madelyn (Support) | Ravinge, Blademaster, Pheasant | Teamwide damage buffs and healing |
| Ryunosuke (Support) | Ravinge, Pheasant | General team buffs, or Pheasant if you can consistently trigger Parry |
For general use, Fortie, Barim, and Ravinge are among the decent ones for their respective types if you can’t roll the SSRs. Their useful teamwide effects make them flexible choices even when you switch Adventurers. For most SSR Buddies, meanwhile, you will want to prioritize them so their bonuses align with your Adventurer’s movesets or status activations. Nako and Pheasant, on the other hand, are very versatile thanks to their Paralysis-dealing Ultimates.
