Days at Sea Companions Tier List
This page ranks the companions available in the roguelike deck-builder Days at Sea from best to worst, based on their overall utility, synergy potential, and impact on win rate. You’ll find a clear tier list, explanations for each placement, and practical advice on how to build around your strongest companions.
How Companion Tiers Work in Days at Sea
Companions in Days at Sea are passive modifiers that you unlock as you progress. Each companion provides a unique effect that can alter your deck’s performance, from granting extra resources to changing how combat works. The tier list below ranks them from S-tier (game-changing) to C-tier (situational or weak). This ranking assumes a standard playthrough with a balanced deck and considers how often a companion’s effect is useful across different runs.
S-Tier: Must-Have Companions
- Milo the Navigator – Reduces the cost of the first card played each turn by 1. This is universally strong, allowing you to play more cards per turn and enabling powerful combos earlier. It’s effective in every deck archetype.
- Captain Cora – At the start of each combat, gain 1 extra energy. Simple but incredibly powerful. Extra energy every fight accelerates your entire game plan, making it a top pick for any run.
A-Tier: Strong and Reliable
- Old Salt – Whenever you draw a card, there’s a 20% chance to draw an additional card. This provides consistent card advantage, which is valuable in most decks, though it can be less impactful in decks that already have heavy draw.
- Ship’s Cat – At the end of each turn, heal 2 HP. This is excellent for sustaining through longer fights and reducing the need for healing cards, freeing up deck space for offense.
- Bosun Bill – Your first attack each turn deals double damage. This rewards aggressive play and is especially strong with high-damage single hits. It falls off slightly if your deck relies on many small attacks.
B-Tier: Situational but Useful
- Ship’s Cook – At the start of each turn, gain 1 block. This is decent for defensive decks, but the block is small and may not matter in fast-paced fights. It’s better when you can stack block effects.
- Lookout – Whenever you shuffle your draw pile, gain 1 energy. This can be strong with cards that shuffle frequently, but otherwise it triggers rarely and provides inconsistent value.
- Quartermaster – At the start of combat, add a random card to your hand. This can be helpful for flexibility, but the card is random and might not fit your strategy, making it less reliable.
C-Tier: Weak or Too Niche
- Ship’s Rat – Whenever you discard a card, gain 1 gold. This is only useful if you have many discard effects, and even then, gold is not a primary win condition. It’s a low-impact companion.
- Davy Jones – At the start of each turn, lose 1 HP and gain 1 energy. This is a risky trade-off that can kill you in longer fights. It’s only viable with strong healing, but even then, the downside often outweighs the benefit.
How to Choose the Right Companion
Your choice should depend on your current deck and playstyle. If you’re building a combo deck that needs lots of cards, Milo or Old Salt are excellent. For a defensive, sustain-focused deck, Ship’s Cat is a safe pick. If you’re going for a fast, aggressive run, Bosun Bill or Captain Cora will serve you well. Avoid C-tier companions unless you have a very specific synergy in mind.
Common Misconceptions
Many players believe that Davy Jones is a good risk-reward pick, but in practice, the HP loss is too punishing for most decks. Another misconception is that Ship’s Rat is useful for economy builds, but gold is rarely a bottleneck in the game. Focus on companions that directly improve your combat effectiveness rather than those that offer marginal resource gains.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which companion is the best overall?
Milo the Navigator is widely considered the best because his cost reduction is useful in every situation and enables powerful plays from the very first turn.
Can I change companions mid-run?
Yes, you can swap companions between battles, but not during a battle. You’ll find opportunities to change them at rest sites and certain events.
Do companions stack if I get duplicates?
No, duplicates of the same companion do not stack. You can only have one of each companion active at a time.
Are any companions better for the final boss?
For the final boss, defensive companions like Ship’s Cat or Bosun Bill (if you can deal high damage quickly) tend to perform well, as the boss has high HP and deals consistent damage.
How do I unlock all companions?
Companions are unlocked by completing specific achievements and milestones, such as winning runs with certain characters or reaching particular depths. Check the in-game compendium for exact requirements.
Is there a companion that works with every deck?
Captain Cora is the most universally useful, as extra energy benefits every deck archetype without requiring any specific synergy.
Related
Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.