The 9 Biggest RPG Jerk Companions, Ranked From Worst to Even Worse
News Source
β’Thu, 15 Oct 2026 18:00:19 GMT
π° What Happened
Polygon published a list of nine role-playing game companions who make a bad first impression, ranked from mildly irritating to the worst. The list includes Wrex from Mass Effect, Jade Curtiss from Tales of the Abyss, the Red Prince from Divinity: Original Sin 2, Debora from Dragon Quest 5, Morrigan from Dragon Age: Origins, Hiravias from Pillars of Eternity, HK-47 from Knights of the Old Republic and Lae'zel from Baldur's Gate 3.
π The Backstory
Role-playing games are built around parties of characters who travel with the player. Writers often make one companion rude, cold or arrogant at the start, then slowly reveal a warmer or more sympathetic side over many hours.
Wrex, for example, grumbles constantly but only wants to save his dying species. HK-47 calls every living thing a "meatbag" but is a useful ally. The list notes that some players grow to love these characters, and others just avoid them.
π― Why It Matters
This kind of writing is part of why long games make players feel something. A character who starts out annoying can become a favourite, and that slow change takes many hours to build. It is one of the things games can do that films and books find much harder to manage. It also gives players something to argue about, which is half the fun of a big role-playing game.
Polygon published a list of nine role-playing game companions who make a bad first impression, ranked from mildly irritating to the worst. The list includes Wrex from Mass Effect, Jade Curtiss from Tales of the Abyss, the Red Prince from Divinity: Original Sin 2, Debora from Dragon Quest 5, Morrigan from Dragon Age: Origins, Hiravias from Pillars of Eternity, HK-47 from Knights of the Old Republic and Lae'zel from Baldur's Gate 3.
Role-playing games are built around parties of characters who travel with the player. Writers often make one companion rude, cold or arrogant at the start, then slowly reveal a warmer or more sympathetic side over many hours.
Wrex, for example, grumbles constantly but only wants to save his dying species. HK-47 calls every living thing a "meatbag" but is a useful ally. The list notes that some players grow to love these characters, and others just avoid them.
This kind of writing is part of why long games make players feel something. A character who starts out annoying can become a favourite, and that slow change takes many hours to build. It is one of the things games can do that films and books find much harder to manage. It also gives players something to argue about, which is half the fun of a big role-playing game.