Companion Tier List

[x_equals_speed]

Just on the mechanics, not on their personality or anything that they can be respecced out of or have given away to another character:

Astarion
Minthara
Minsc
Karlach
Wyll
Jaheria
Shadowheart
Lae'zel
Halsin
Gale

Notes:

There's almost nothing between Jaheria and Shadowheart. They're both high half elves who don't seem to be able to get any unique character bonuses. I've put Jaheria higher on the somewhat shakey reasoning that her background seems better (More characters want athletics proficiency than insight or religion).

There is a unique bonus Lae'zel can get that would make her the best companion, but this bonus is only available to Lae'zel and the main character, only one of you gets it and it's much harder to get on Lae'zel so I'd anticipate most people giving it to the main character. If she gets it she's top of the list.

[victorvnv]

Astarion #1 due to being able to make him into a killer rogue/ gloom stalker/ war that can do 8-9 hits round 1 and has the extra 1-6 necrotic damage every hit from his reward from ascension on top of the extra hit bonus from being happy

Minthara close 2, paladin 6 into sorc 6 makes her a killing mashine with double haste for support

Laezel and Karlah as pure fighter/ barb can smash their way , Laezel with the Misty’s step racial can easily get into position to kill anyone plus the silver sword legendary reward makes her slaughter stuff even easier

The rest are meh, I respeced Shadowheart into paladin/ sorc my last game as I didn’t get Minthara and found out that cleric is useless end game- most enemies just dies well before I need any heals

Minsk is also great as my second sniper when I have enough gear for 2 snipers

[x_equals_speed]

Companions aren't locked to classes. Anyone can be a paladin 6 sorcerer 6 and bring double haste. What Minthara has to offer that the others don't is that she comes with a couple of tadpole powers, so is always a bit ahead of the curve on those. She's also marked by the absolute, which one or two bits of equipment care about and has an infinite-use bonus action which adds speed and damage for one round.

I can see the argument that Lae'zel's racial bonuse are better than Jaheria and Shadowhearts. I put a fair premium on being able to add shield proficiency to classes that don't have it, but misty step is nice and there are a few swords that give extra bonuses to Gith scattered around.