Choosing the right Buddy in Monster Hunter Outlanders is just as important as selecting the right Adventurers for your team. Buddies provide additional bonuses that can improve your damage, increase elemental damage, boost Affinity, improve stamina recovery, and even make it easier to break monster parts.
However, not every Buddy provides the same value. Some SSR Buddies offer powerful elemental bonuses that can significantly improve your Main DPS, while others provide squad-wide damage increases that benefit every Adventurer. There are also SR and R Buddies worth considering, especially if you haven’t collected many SSR options yet.
In this guide, I’ve ranked the available Buddies based on their abilities, damage bonuses, and overall usefulness in different team compositions. I’ll also explain which Buddies I recommend for Fire, Water, Thunder, Dragon, and Ice teams so you can make better decisions when assigning them.
There are currently 42 Buddies across three classes: Assault, Disruptor, and Support, including 10 SSR, 15 SR, and 17 R Buddies. I’ll cover their abilities and explain which ones I would prioritize when building a stronger squad.
Monster Hunter Outlanders Best Buddies Tier List 2026
Before looking at individual Buddies, here’s my overall ranking based on the bonuses they provide and how useful they are for different team compositions.
| Tier | Buddies | Rarity |
|---|---|---|
| S Tier | Kojiro, Pipa, Daisho, Ro, Hoppy, Devu, Aryo, Nailu, Pheasant, Elwin | SSR |
| A Tier | Icarus, Tidal Claw, Sand Velvet, Falee Hendsom, Barim, Nako, Reefcore, Ravinge, Ario, Blademaster | SR |
| B Tier | Fortie, Banako, Sand Echo, Tidal Sound, Golden Bell | SR |
| C Tier | Aloo, Shadow, Zira, Alon, Ron, Aku, Wolfe, Pupo, Boomie, Wrench, Mac, Lido, Viper, Horn, Bladey, Mith, Lynn | R |
These rankings are based on the provided Buddy abilities and their potential usefulness in combat. The best choice will still depend on your Adventurer, weapon, element, and team composition.
One important thing to understand is that SSR doesn’t automatically mean a Buddy is the best choice for every character. Some SSR Buddies provide bonuses that only activate under specific conditions, while certain SR Buddies offer more consistent squad-wide benefits.
How I Ranked the Buddies
I considered four main factors when putting together this tier list.
- Damage Bonuses: Buddies that increase overall damage or provide powerful elemental damage bonuses receive higher priority.
- Team Benefits: I gave additional consideration to Buddies whose abilities affect every Adventurer in the squad.
- Activation Conditions: Some bonuses require specific attacks, weapons, or combat mechanics. I considered how practical these conditions are during normal hunts.
- Versatility: Buddies that work with different Adventurers and team compositions are generally more useful than those that depend on a very specific setup.
S Tier – Best Buddies in Monster Hunter Outlanders
These are the Buddies I would prioritize if you want to maximize your team’s damage potential. Most of them provide a 3.5% squad-wide damage bonus alongside another powerful effect for the Adventurer carrying them.
Assault Buddies
Assault Buddies are particularly useful when you want to improve your team’s offensive performance. Their abilities focus on damage increases, elemental bonuses, and other offensive benefits.
1. Kojiro
Rarity: SSR | Class: Assault | Tier: S
Kojiro is one of my top recommendations for Fire-focused teams. His ability activates when the Adventurer carrying him deals Rupture damage, increasing their Fire damage by 40% for 10 seconds.
This makes him particularly valuable when you’re using Midori, whose kit revolves around Rupture mechanics and powerful Fire damage.
On top of that, Kojiro provides a 3.5% damage increase for every Adventurer in the squad. This means the Buddy doesn’t just benefit the character carrying him; the entire team receives an additional offensive bonus.
Ability:
- Rupture damage increases Fire damage by 40% for 10 seconds.
- All Adventurers in the squad deal 3.5% more damage.
My verdict: Kojiro is my first choice for Midori and other Rupture-focused Fire damage dealers. If you’re building a Fire team, he’s one of the Buddies I would prioritize.
2. Pipa
Rarity: SSR | Class: Assault | Tier: S
Pipa is an excellent choice for Thunder-focused teams. Whenever the Adventurer carrying Pipa deals Piercing damage, their Thunder damage increases by 32%.
This makes Pipa particularly interesting for characters like Luka, who uses a Bow and deals Piercing damage.
The 10-second duration gives you a useful window to take advantage of the elemental damage increase. Pipa also provides the standard 3.5% squad-wide damage bonus.
Ability:
- Piercing damage increases Thunder damage by 32% for 10 seconds.
- All Adventurers in the squad deal 3.5% more damage.
My verdict: If Luka is your Main DPS, Pipa is one of the first Buddies I would consider. The combination of Piercing damage and Thunder bonuses makes this a strong offensive pairing.
3. Daisho
Rarity: SSR | Class: Assault | Tier: S
Daisho is designed for Dragon-focused Adventurers who frequently use parries or trigger Ferocity.
Whenever the Adventurer carrying Daisho triggers either of these mechanics, their Dragon damage increases by 28% for 10 seconds.
This makes him a strong option for characters who rely on aggressive combat and well-timed defensive actions.
The additional 3.5% squad-wide damage bonus also makes Daisho useful beyond his individual elemental effect.
Ability:
- Triggering Parry or Ferocity increases Dragon damage by 28% for 10 seconds.
- All Adventurers in the squad deal 3.5% more damage.
My verdict: I recommend Daisho for Dragon-focused teams, especially when your Main DPS frequently triggers parries. He can provide excellent value when his bonus is activated consistently.
4. Ro
Rarity: SSR | Class: Assault | Tier: S
Ro is an excellent option for Ice damage dealers. His ability activates whenever the Adventurer carrying him deals Charge damage, increasing their Ice damage by 20% for 10 seconds.
This makes him particularly useful for characters who rely on charged attacks to deal damage.
He also provides the standard 3.5% damage bonus to the entire squad, making him a useful offensive Buddy even outside his personal elemental effect.
Ability:
- Charge damage increases Ice damage by 20% for 10 seconds.
- All Adventurers in the squad deal 3.5% more damage.
My verdict: Ro is worth using if you’re building an Ice team around charged attacks. His bonus is more specialized than some other SSR effects, but he can still provide excellent value with the right weapon.
Disruptor Buddies
Disruptor Buddies offer a combination of offensive bonuses and effects that activate through specific combat actions. These are particularly useful when you’re building around aerial attacks, combos, or weapon-specific mechanics.
5. Hoppy
Rarity: SSR | Class: Disruptor | Tier: S
Hoppy is a strong choice for Water-focused teams, especially when you’re using an Adventurer who frequently fights while airborne.
His ability increases Water damage by 28% whenever the carrying Adventurer is airborne.
This makes him particularly interesting for Pepper because her combat style revolves around aerial combos.
Hoppy also provides a 3.5% damage increase to every Adventurer in the squad.
Ability:
- Airborne combat increases Water damage by 28%.
- All Adventurers in the squad deal 3.5% more damage.
My verdict: I would pair Hoppy with Pepper in a Water team. Her airborne playstyle makes it easier to take advantage of his elemental damage bonus.
6. Devu
Rarity: SSR | Class: Disruptor | Tier: S
Devu is another strong Buddy for Dragon-focused teams. Whenever the carrying Adventurer deals combo damage, their Dragon damage increases by 20% for 10 seconds.
This is particularly useful for characters who rely on maintaining offensive combos rather than using individual heavy attacks.
Devu also provides the standard 3.5% squad-wide damage bonus.
Ability:
- Combo damage increases Dragon damage by 20% for 10 seconds.
- All Adventurers in the squad deal 3.5% more damage.
My verdict: Devu is a good alternative for Dragon teams when your Adventurer can consistently maintain combos. I would prioritize him for combo-focused builds.
7. Aryo
Rarity: SSR | Class: Disruptor | Tier: S
Aryo is a great choice for Fire-focused Adventurers, especially if they frequently use Draw Weapon attacks.
Whenever the carrying Adventurer lands a Draw Weapon attack, their Fire damage increases by 4.8% for 15 seconds. This bonus can stack up to five times, and each activation refreshes the duration.
At maximum stacks, the Fire damage bonus reaches 24%.
This makes Aryo a useful option for characters who can consistently trigger Draw Weapon attacks throughout combat.
Ability:
- Draw Weapon attacks increase Fire damage by 4.8% for 15 seconds.
- Stacks up to five times.
- Each trigger refreshes the duration.
- All Adventurers in the squad deal 3.5% more damage.
My verdict: Aryo is an excellent Fire Buddy, particularly if you can maintain all five stacks. Kojiro offers a larger immediate bonus for Rupture-focused builds, but Aryo provides a different option for Draw Weapon-focused gameplay.
Support Buddies
Support Buddies aren’t limited to healing or defensive effects. Some of them provide excellent offensive bonuses that can make them valuable even when your main goal is dealing damage.
8. Nailu
Rarity: SSR | Class: Support | Tier: S
Nailu is an interesting Buddy because his Dragon damage bonus activates when the carrying Adventurer applies a Shield to an ally.
Whenever this happens, the Adventurer deals 40% more Dragon damage for 10 seconds.
This makes Nailu particularly useful for Dragon-focused characters who can regularly provide shields to teammates.
The squad-wide 3.5% damage increase is another reason to consider him.
Ability:
- Applying a Shield to an ally increases Dragon damage by 40% for 10 seconds.
- All Adventurers in the squad deal 3.5% more damage.
My verdict: Nailu has an excellent Dragon damage bonus, but you’ll need to make sure your carrying Adventurer can consistently apply shields. His effectiveness depends heavily on the team composition.
9. Pheasant
Rarity: SSR | Class: Support | Tier: S
Pheasant is another Thunder-focused Buddy, but his ability revolves around Parry rather than Piercing damage.
Whenever the carrying Adventurer triggers Parry, their Thunder damage increases by 20% for 10 seconds.
This makes him a useful choice for characters who frequently rely on counterattacks and defensive timing.
He also provides the standard 3.5% squad-wide damage bonus.
Ability:
- Triggering Parry increases Thunder damage by 20% for 10 seconds.
- All Adventurers in the squad deal 3.5% more damage.
My verdict: Pheasant is a solid alternative to Pipa for Thunder teams. If your Adventurer frequently triggers Parry but doesn’t rely heavily on Piercing damage, Pheasant may be the better option.
10. Elwin
Rarity: SSR | Class: Support | Tier: S
Elwin is designed for Bow users who can consistently land attacks at the highest charge level.
When the carrying Adventurer uses a Bow and lands an attack at maximum charge, their Ice damage increases by 20% for 10 seconds.
This makes him a specialized option for Ice-focused Bow builds.
He also provides a 3.5% damage bonus to every Adventurer in the squad.
Ability:
- Maximum-charge Bow attacks increase Ice damage by 20% for 10 seconds.
- All Adventurers in the squad deal 3.5% more damage.
My verdict: Elwin is worth considering if you’re using a Bow with an Ice-focused build. However, his effectiveness depends on using the correct weapon and consistently landing maximum-charge attacks.
A Tier – Strong SR Buddies Worth Using
You don’t necessarily need SSR Buddies to build a strong squad. Several SR options provide useful bonuses that can improve your team’s overall performance.
I particularly like the SR Buddies that provide elemental damage or general offensive bonuses to every Adventurer.
Assault Buddies
11. Icarus
Rarity: SR | Class: Assault | Tier: A
Icarus increases elemental damage by 3% for every Adventurer in the squad.
This is a straightforward bonus that doesn’t require you to trigger a particular attack or maintain a specific combat condition.
I particularly like this Buddy for elemental-focused teams because the effect benefits all squad members.
Ability: All Adventurers in the squad deal 3% more elemental damage.
My verdict: Icarus is one of the SR Buddies I would prioritize, especially if you don’t have the right SSR Buddy for your elemental team.
12. Tidal Claw
Rarity: SR | Class: Assault | Tier: A
Tidal Claw focuses on improving Part Break Efficiency.
All Adventurers in the squad receive a 4% increase in Part Break Efficiency, making it useful when your goal is to break monster parts during hunts.
This can be particularly helpful for teams built around breaking specific monster parts rather than focusing entirely on direct damage.
Ability: Increases Part Break Efficiency by 4% for all Adventurers in the squad.
My verdict: Tidal Claw is a good situational option. I would consider using him when Part Break Efficiency is more important than a small general damage increase.
13. Sand Velvet
Rarity: SR | Class: Assault | Tier: A
Sand Velvet increases elemental critical damage by 1.6% for every Adventurer in the squad.
This makes the Buddy useful for teams that focus on elemental damage and critical hits.
Although the bonus isn’t particularly large, it provides a consistent benefit without requiring a specific combat action.
Ability: Increases elemental critical damage by 1.6% for all Adventurers in the squad.
My verdict: Sand Velvet is worth considering for elemental-focused builds, especially when you already have a team that benefits from critical damage.
Disruptor Buddies
14. Falee Hendsom
Rarity: SR | Class: Disruptor | Tier: A
Falee Hendsom improves Part Break Efficiency against suppressed monsters.
All Adventurers receive an 8% increase in Part Break Efficiency when attacking suppressed enemies.
This makes him particularly useful for teams that regularly use traps, Daze, or other suppression abilities.
Ability: Increases Part Break Efficiency against suppressed monsters by 8% for all Adventurers.
My verdict: Falee Hendsom is a strong situational Buddy for teams built around monster suppression. Pairing him with characters like Raya can help you take advantage of his bonus.
15. Barim
Rarity: SR | Class: Disruptor | Tier: A
Barim focuses on extending monster suppression duration.
Whenever an Adventurer in the squad suppresses a monster, the suppression duration is extended by 10%.
This is useful because longer suppression windows give your team more time to attack without worrying about the monster’s normal movements.
Ability: Extends monster suppression duration by 10%.
My verdict: I like Barim for teams that rely heavily on controlling monsters. He’s a useful support option when you want to create longer attack opportunities.
16. Nako
Rarity: SR | Class: Disruptor | Tier: A
Nako increases the damage all Adventurers deal to suppressed monsters by 2.6%.
This is a straightforward offensive bonus that works particularly well with characters who can regularly control enemies.
Ability: All Adventurers in the squad deal 2.6% more damage to suppressed monsters.
My verdict: Nako is a useful choice for suppression-focused teams. I would consider pairing him with Barim if your composition frequently keeps monsters under control.
17. Reefcore
Rarity: SR | Class: Disruptor | Tier: A
Reefcore provides stamina recovery whenever an Adventurer in the squad suppresses a monster.
When suppression is triggered, all Adventurers recover 10 stamina.
This can be helpful for characters who rely heavily on stamina-consuming attacks, combos, or dodging.
Ability: Whenever an Adventurer suppresses a monster, all Adventurers recover 10 stamina.
My verdict: Reefcore is a useful utility Buddy, especially for teams that frequently trigger suppression. I wouldn’t choose him over a strong damage bonus in every situation, but he can make combat more comfortable.
Support Buddies
18. Ravinge
Rarity: SR | Class: Support | Tier: A
Ravinge increases elemental damage by 3% for all Adventurers in the squad.
This is one of the most straightforward support effects because it doesn’t depend on a specific weapon, character, or combat condition.
Ability: All Adventurers in the squad deal 3% more elemental damage.
My verdict: Ravinge is an excellent general-purpose Buddy for elemental teams. I would definitely consider using him when you don’t have an SSR option that better matches your Main DPS.
19. Ario
Rarity: SR | Class: Support | Tier: A
Ario increases Affinity for every Adventurer in the squad by 0.8%.
Affinity can provide additional offensive value, making this a useful bonus for teams that benefit from it.
Ability: All Adventurers in the squad gain 0.8% Affinity.
My verdict: Ario is a decent offensive support option. His bonus is small, but it works across the entire squad without requiring any special conditions.
20. Blademaster
Rarity: SR | Class: Support | Tier: A
Blademaster increases the damage dealt by all Adventurers in the squad by 1.3%.
This is a simple bonus that doesn’t require specific attacks or elemental conditions.
Ability: All Adventurers in the squad deal 1.3% more damage.
My verdict: Blademaster is a useful general-purpose option if you don’t have better SR or SSR Buddies available.
B Tier – Situational SR Buddies
These Buddies can still be useful, but their bonuses are either relatively small or more dependent on your preferred playstyle.
Assault Buddies
21. Fortie
Rarity: SR | Class: Assault | Tier: B
Fortie increases the damage of every Adventurer in the squad by 1.3%.
It’s a straightforward bonus that works in almost any team composition.
Ability: All Adventurers in the squad deal 1.3% more damage.
My verdict: Fortie is a decent early-game option, but I would replace him with Icarus or another Buddy offering a stronger bonus when possible.
22. Banako
Rarity: SR | Class: Assault | Tier: B
Banako increases Affinity for every Adventurer in the squad by 0.8%.
This provides a small offensive benefit without requiring specific combat conditions.
Ability: All Adventurers in the squad gain 0.8% Affinity.
My verdict: Banako is useful if you need an additional Affinity bonus, but I would generally prioritize stronger elemental or damage bonuses.
Disruptor Buddies
23. Sand Echo
Rarity: SR | Class: Disruptor | Tier: B
Sand Echo improves stamina recovery for every Adventurer in the squad by 2.5%.
This can make stamina management a little easier, particularly for characters who frequently dodge or use stamina-consuming attacks.
Ability: All Adventurers in the squad gain 2.5% increased stamina recovery rate.
My verdict: Sand Echo is a comfortable utility option, but I wouldn’t prioritize it over a damage-focused Buddy for most teams.
Support Buddies
24. Tidal Sound
Rarity: SR | Class: Support | Tier: B
Tidal Sound provides 5% damage reduction for every Adventurer in the squad.
This is a defensive bonus that can help you survive longer encounters.
Ability: All Adventurers in the squad gain 5% damage reduction.
My verdict: Tidal Sound is useful when you’re struggling with survivability. If you’re already comfortable avoiding monster attacks, I would choose a more offensive Buddy instead.
25. Golden Bell
Rarity: SR | Class: Support | Tier: B
Golden Bell increases stamina recovery for all Adventurers in the squad by 2.5%.
This makes it similar to Sand Echo, offering additional stamina management rather than direct damage.
Ability: All Adventurers in the squad gain 2.5% increased stamina recovery rate.
My verdict: Golden Bell is a decent alternative when you need better stamina recovery, but it isn’t my first choice for maximizing damage.
C Tier – Rarity-Based General Buddies
The remaining Buddies currently have a simple ability that increases the damage of every Adventurer in the squad by 0.8%.
They aren’t completely useless, especially if you’re just starting out and haven’t collected better options. However, their bonuses are relatively small compared to the more specialized SR and SSR Buddies.
Here are all the R-rarity Buddies currently available.
| Buddy | Class | Rarity | Ability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aloo | Assault | R | 0.8% squad damage |
| Shadow | Assault | R | 0.8% squad damage |
| Zira | Assault | R | 0.8% squad damage |
| Alon | Assault | R | 0.8% squad damage |
| Ron | Assault | R | 0.8% squad damage |
| Aku | Disruptor | R | 0.8% squad damage |
| Wolfe | Disruptor | R | 0.8% squad damage |
| Pupo | Disruptor | R | 0.8% squad damage |
| Boomie | Disruptor | R | 0.8% squad damage |
| Wrench | Disruptor | R | 0.8% squad damage |
| Mac | Disruptor | R | 0.8% squad damage |
| Lido | Support | R | 0.8% squad damage |
| Viper | Support | R | 0.8% squad damage |
| Horn | Support | R | 0.8% squad damage |
| Bladey | Support | R | 0.8% squad damage |
| Mith | Support | R | 0.8% squad damage |
| Lynn | Support | R | 0.8% squad damage |
My verdict: Use these Buddies while you’re progressing through the game, but don’t spend too many resources prioritizing them. Once you obtain SR or SSR Buddies with stronger effects, I recommend switching to those.
Best Buddies for Each Element
Now that we’ve covered the individual Buddies, let’s look at which ones I would prioritize for different elemental teams.
The best Buddy depends on how your Main DPS deals damage, so you should always consider the activation condition before equipping one.
| Element | Recommended Buddy | Main Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Fire | Kojiro | 40% Fire damage after Rupture |
| Fire | Aryo | Up to 24% Fire damage through Draw Weapon stacks |
| Thunder | Pipa | 32% Thunder damage after Piercing damage |
| Thunder | Pheasant | 20% Thunder damage after Parry |
| Dragon | Daisho | 28% Dragon damage after Parry or Ferocity |
| Dragon | Devu | 20% Dragon damage after combo damage |
| Dragon | Nailu | 40% Dragon damage after applying a Shield |
| Water | Hoppy | 28% Water damage while airborne |
| Ice | Ro | 20% Ice damage after Charge damage |
| Ice | Elwin | 20% Ice damage after maximum-charge Bow attacks |
Best Buddy for Midori
For Midori, I recommend Kojiro because her Rupture mechanics can activate his 40% Fire damage bonus.
Aryo is another option if you’re consistently landing Draw Weapon attacks and can maintain his five stacks.
Best Buddy for Luka
Pipa is my first choice for Luka because his Bow attacks can activate the Piercing damage condition.
If you’re using a build that relies more heavily on Parry, Pheasant is another option worth considering.
Best Buddy for Pepper
Hoppy is the obvious choice for Pepper’s Water-focused airborne playstyle.
His 28% Water damage bonus activates while the carrying Adventurer is airborne, making him a natural fit for her combat mechanics.
Best Buddy for Pyro
For Pyro, I would consider Daisho if you’re consistently triggering Parry or Ferocity.
Devu is another option if your build focuses more on combo damage.
Best Buddy for Rhodes
Ro is a good option for Rhodes if you’re consistently dealing Charge damage.
However, if you’re using an Ice Bow setup with the Fated Adventurer, Elwin is another strong choice because his bonus activates through maximum-charge Bow attacks.
Choosing the right Buddy in Monster Hunter Outlanders can make a noticeable difference in your team’s overall performance. While SSR Buddies generally offer the strongest individual effects, you shouldn’t ignore SR options that provide useful bonuses to your entire squad.
My top recommendations are Kojiro for Midori, Pipa for Luka, Hoppy for Pepper, and Daisho for Dragon-focused characters. These Buddies have strong elemental bonuses that can significantly improve the damage potential of the right Adventurers.
However, always pay attention to how their abilities activate. A powerful damage bonus won’t help much if your character rarely triggers its required condition.
I recommend building around your Main DPS first and then choosing Buddies that complement their weapon, element, and combat style. Once you understand how these effects work together, you’ll have a much easier time getting the most out of your squad.