Where to Find and Recruit Companions in Caves of Lore

To build a full six-character party in Caves of Lore, you must recruit five companions across the underground zones to join your main character. Start by securing Grim the hound in the Murky Fissure immediately after the opening collapse, then push toward the Fungal Shelf borders to recruit a frontline defender before exploring deeper ruins and settlements for specialized casters and ranged support.

Recruiting companions as early as possible is critical because Caves of Lore relies on a skill-by-use progression system. Characters develop weapon proficiencies, passive bonuses, stat increases, and ability masteries by taking actions in battle and exploration. Bringing companions into your party early ensures they accumulate combat experience organically rather than joining later with underdeveloped skills.

Companion Locations and Recruitment Requirements

Each companion occupies a distinct underground zone and requires completing a specific local objective, combat encounter, or puzzle before they agree to join.

How to Recruit Grim the Hound

Grim is the first companion available and requires no prerequisite quests beyond clearing the opening area.

1. Navigate through the Murky Fissure until you locate a secluded rocky hollow branching off the main cavern path.
2. Defeat the pack of hostile cave vermin cornering the injured beast.
3. Interact gently with the hound using calm dialogue choices.
4. Offer food to complete the interaction and add Grim to your roster.

Grim's Combat Strengths and Gear Limits

Grim operates as a dedicated disruptor rather than a standard brawler:

• Turn-One Flanking: High base Movement Points let Grim bypass narrow chokepoints immediately to harass rear-rank archers and spellcasters.
• Target Disruption: Innate bite attacks trigger knockdown or bleed effects against soft targets, exposing them to follow-up physical hits.
• Stat Debuffs: Barking abilities lower adjacent enemy morale and physical combat attributes.
• Equipment Rules: Grim cannot wear metal armor, carry shields, or wield manufactured weapons. His survivability and damage output scale exclusively through beast collars, harnesses, enchanted trophies, and natural combat traits.

Assembling the Full Party

Once Grim is recruited, head toward the Fungal Shelf borders. Securing the vanguard defender should be your immediate priority; this provides the heavy armor and shield presence needed to hold corridors and protect fragile party members.

With a frontline established, search the Subterranean Outpost to recruit the scout for physical ranged damage and trap utility, then explore the Ancient Sunken Ruins and Forgotten Catacombs to acquire your offensive and restorative spellcasters. Mid-to-late game casters bypass the heavy physical damage reduction found on late subterranean monsters with fire, lightning, and necrotic spells while reducing resting downtime through party healing.

Tactical Formation and Camp Management

After filling your roster slots, organize your combat grid and camp routine to maintain efficiency:

• Grid Placement: Place your vanguard defender in forward hexes to block natural cavern chokepoints. Station Grim on the outer flanks to maintain unobstructed sprint lanes, and place ranged strikers and spellcasters directly behind your frontline wall.
• Gear Distribution: Equip defensive rings, reinforced bucklers, and upgraded armor onto secondary party members rather than hoarding enchanted equipment on your protagonist. Undergeared companions risk immediate defeat during ambush encounters.
• Camp Rests: Rest at camp periodically to replenish party health and mana. Resting also triggers situational dialogue bonuses, stat perks, and skill advancement opportunities across your active party.