Companions in Fallout 4 can make the life of the player much easier and bring a number of benefits to the table. Some companions are better suited for fighting, some are great for stealthy activities, and some bring a little color to the game.
It could be argued that Cait, the Irish pit fighter, is one of the more interesting characters in the game while still retaining quite a bit of usefulness. She’s certainly not going to be everyone’s first pick given some of her downsides, but there are some benefits that shouldn't be ignored.
10 Best: Skilled Locksmith
Fallout 4 is all about the loot, whether its finding better weapons, power cores, ammo, or stimpacks you will be wanting every valuable item you can get your hands on. As a result, you will frequently come across areas and storage containers locked tight to keep thieves like you from getting their hands on the valuables inside.
Cait shines as a companion for her excellent skills in locksmithing that allow her to open practically anything you find. If you have a character who’s not skilled towards opening what isn’t meant to be opened then you’ll definitely want Cait at your side.
9 Worst: No Self-Awareness
Admittedly this is more of a complaint against Fallout 4 companions in general, but there’s nothing worse than stalking quietly around an enemy camp only to have Cait go running into battle or tripping over a mine.
You’ll find yourself frequently pumping her full of stimpaks as she triggers traps, charges into heavy crossfire, or even steps into your line of sight as you take a shot. Even with all the perks of companionship, you’ll find yourself occasionally wishing you were alone after picking her up off the ground for the hundredth time.
8 Best: One Of The Best (Albeit Sad) Backstories
Cait’s had a hard life, her parents were abusive her entire childhood leading to multiple attempts to run away with her parents breaking one of her legs to stop her from trying. At 18 her parents sold her into slavery where she struggled desperately to save up enough bottlecaps to buy her freedom. After escaping slavery, she went back and exacted her revenge on her horrible parents.
When the player finds her she’s developed an addiction to Psycho and makes a living fighting as a pit fighter for a raider gang’s amusement. It’s a tragic story, but by far one of the more interesting and fitting for those surviving the wasteland.
7 Worst: Wild-Child
This nightmare of an existence has given Cait some warped views on life and what pleases her. Players will find she’s upset with the typical hero route and disapprove of the player acting in a decent manner. She’s a borderline sociopath who’d rather spend her day stealing things, getting drunk, making threats, and pressuring quest givers to fork over extra bottle caps.
For player’s wanting to be the standard hero-type Cait isn’t the best companion to have as she’ll disapprove of things like compassion, mercy, and nobility even if it works in her favor. Cait likes the rough life and that causes problems for players trying to make life better in the wasteland.
6 Best: Easiest To Please
The one upside to Cait being a wild and free soul is that she’s the easiest to please of all the companions. Players who wish to max her affinity have a few techniques and ways of living that’ll appease her.
Getting drunk, being violent, using chems, picking locks, and surprisingly building settlements can get her in a good mood. Amusingly the single-best way to quickly raise her affinity is to embrace the nudist lifestyle and run around the wasteland naked. It might not be the most flattering way to win someone’s favor, but it’s hard to be picky choosing who your friends are after the apocalypse.
5 Worst: Chem Addict
Cait’s hard life has led her to shooting up with Psycho, though she doesn’t seem particularly picky about what substance runs through her veins. Any chem you give her should be considered lost forever as she’ll more than likely use it before the day is done.
Some may consider this beneficial as she’ll be stronger in a fight, but it can be annoying to trust a handful of expensive chems to your companion only to have her shoot them up before you have a chance to pawn them for a couple thousand caps at the shop.
4 Best: Best Character Progression
Fortunately for you and Cait it’s possible to get her off the chems for good by progressing her questline. It’s possible to get Cait to detox and completely swear off the stuff, which also has the effect of tempering her wildness a little and she begins to tolerate things she once hated.
Watching Cait go from a tortured soul looking for the next strong hit of Psycho to forget her miserable life, to a reformed addict with a heart for the misfit souls of the wasteland is a powerful story arc in the game and feels very satisfying to be a part of.
3 Worst: Chem Snob
That being said, reforming Cait of her chem addiction can be a bit annoying if you find yourself dipping into the chems during tough fights. Any time the player uses chems after detoxing Cait will be subjected to her judgment and criticism for using the chems you convinced her to swear off.
Admittedly she has a good point, it is hypocritical to use them after convincing her they were evil, and they are addictive and harmful substances after all. But you’d think she’d be a little more understanding about the occasional hit of Radaway after getting struck by a Gamma gun.
2 Best: Strong Fighter With A Great Perk
One of Cait’s greatest benefits as a companion is her prowess in melee battle. Her years as a slave and a pit fighter for the raiders has made her a deadly fighter and a powerful companion to have by your side in combat.
Her affinity perk can also save a player from death when a fight’s going badly. Called Trigger Rush, the perk regenerates Actions Points 25% faster when the player’s health is below 25%. Those regenerated points for V.A.T.S. when your life is low can easily turn the tide of battle and keep death at bay.
1 Worst: Factionless
Because of her upbringing and rough lifestyle Cait is understandably wary of most people and groups of any kind. This presents a problem for players who wish to join one of the powerful factions in the game that grant the player with interesting quests, armor, weapons, and other perks.
Her distrust of Synths makes the Railroad a no go, same problem with the Institute, and she has a major problem with the authority and belligerence of the Brotherhood of Steel. The only one she doesn’t outright oppose is Minutemen, but she’ll be annoyed by your effort to help the various settlers which is primarily what you’ll be doing in that faction. Your only hope to please her is to roam the wastes as a pariah of society, not beholden to any faction and all of their membership benefits.