Lootbound Companion System: Recruiting, AI, and Inventories

How do companions work in Lootbound?

Lootbound begins each expedition with one hero and lets the party grow through companion recruitment. ArtDock describes party growth as one of the game’s core systems, alongside loot, synergies, and tactical choices. Current public gameplay footage adds three important operating rules:

• companions are controlled by AI in combat;
• each companion has a separate inventory that can receive equipment;
• companions cannot use consumables.

You therefore control a companion indirectly. The meaningful choices happen when you recruit a role, unlock its abilities, and assign items before combat—not by selecting every action during the fight.

How are companions recruited?

The gameplay demonstration shows potential companions presented as a group and the player selecting one recruit, with the party built up over the course of the expedition rather than received all at once. This makes recruitment both an immediate survival decision and a long-term party decision.

Ask these questions before choosing:

1. What is causing the current party to lose health or time?
2. Which candidate contributes without requiring several future items?
3. Does the party need durability, damage, or more consistent ability coverage?
4. Can the available equipment support the recruit immediately?

A theoretically perfect final composition is not useful if the next encounter defeats the current party. Prefer the recruit that solves a visible bottleneck now unless the run is already stable enough to invest in a slower plan.

How should AI control change party building?

Because companions choose their own combat actions, avoid plans that depend on a precise manual sequence the player cannot command. Evaluate a companion by repeatable behavior:

Question	What to observe
Role	Does the companion usually protect, damage, or support?
Ability timing	Which conditions cause each unlocked ability to be used?
Targeting	Does the AI target itself, an ally, or an enemy?
Survival	Does the assigned inventory keep it alive through the expected fight?
Party value	Does the full party perform better than before recruitment?

One unusual turn is not enough to define an AI rule. Record several combats under the same game version before claiming a guaranteed priority or trigger.

How should companion inventories be built?

Treat each inventory as an active build board, not a passive backpack. Items placed there should strengthen the companion’s current combat role. Move equipment between party members when the receiving character gains more useful value or when the transfer completes a stronger shape or amulet cluster.

Use this rebuild order:

1. Identify the companion’s most reliable ability or party job.
2. Place the items that directly support that job.
3. Arrange eligible items around any relevant amulet.
4. Add compact defensive or offensive pieces that fit the remaining cells.
5. Compare the party before and after the transfer rather than checking one inventory alone.

The inventory grid guide explains why active inventory items add stats, how reserve storage differs, and why irregular shapes can make a nominal upgrade worse.

When is a companion only acting as extra storage?

Items can be moved into companion inventories, which makes a companion capable of carrying equipment that does not fit elsewhere. That can preserve a future option, but it should be a fallback rather than the main party plan.

An item is probably being stored rather than used when it does not support the companion’s abilities, does not improve a relevant stat, and occupies cells needed by a better piece. Move it to reserve storage or discard it when the opportunity cost becomes larger than the chance of using it later.

Which achievements involve companions?

Steam currently lists five achievements directly connected to companion play:

Achievement	Requirement
No One Left Behind	Complete a run without any companion deaths
Master of Sword	Unlock all abilities for the Warrior companion
Spark of Inspiration	Unlock all abilities for the Bard companion
Wisdom of Chaos	Unlock all abilities for the Witch companion
Fury of Faith	Unlock all abilities for the Paladin companion

These entries confirm four named companion class lines: Warrior, Bard, Witch, and Paladin. Steam does not explain the full ability-unlock route on the global achievements page, so this guide does not invent purchase costs or hidden prerequisites. The achievement guide tracks all 20 current Steam entries and separates confirmed requirements from platform-specific hints.

How do you prepare for No One Left Behind?

Attempt the no-death clear after the party can already finish runs consistently. Before each major encounter, check every companion’s health, defensive contribution, and whether its inventory still supports the role for which it was recruited. Replacing one weak or irrelevant item can be more valuable than maximizing the hero while leaving an AI party member exposed.

If a companion dies, review the preceding turns: whether it entered the fight under-equipped, whether the route added avoidable risk, and whether its AI behavior was misunderstood. That creates a specific improvement for the next attempt instead of blaming an outcome without identifying a controllable cause.

Sources

• ArtDock — Lootbound
• Steam Global Achievements — Lootbound
• Game Design Library — Five Lootbound mechanics — companion recruitment and AI at 1:42; inventories and consumable limitation at 2:15