There are various critical story choices in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Some of them will affect your standing with various factions. Others will unlock a bunch of territory upgrades and other items. In this guide we’re going to start by focusing on companion choices only. Each territory has a handful of story-critical choices that can grant you companions based on your choices. There is a much more robust companion system this time around, it’s much more important.
These companions are all Jomsviking (clan members) and will offer various options for both story progression and settlement options. Each one operates as part of a storyline, so it’s important to keep these in mind.
Sigurd
Sigurd is a key NPC in the game. He has a unique 3 Strikes system that will see whether he remains with the player at the end of the game. Here are each of the five choices you can make which can give you one of those Strikes. Getting 3 Strikes means that he will leave.
- Prologue – After you wrap up the Prologue you will have a choice to take the cargo or not. Do not take the Cargo unless you want to get hit with a Strike early in the game. Leaving the cargo behind is the best option here.
- When you encounter Randvi at your settlement, around the Alliance Map, you can take her on a unique quest. Depending on the choice here, you could earn a Strike. At the end of the quest she will show up as a romance option if you choose to “Stay Friends” you will avoid the romance option and you will not be hit with a Sigurd Strike.
- Oxenefordscire – Main Quest “Blood from a Stone”: This quest involves an argument between Sigurd and Basim. you have a few options: “Take Breath”, “Punch Basim”, “Enough of This”, “Punch Sigurd”. If you punch Sigurd and Basim it will count as a Sigurd Strike. Choose to peacefully end the argument, you will not get one.
- Ravensthorpe – Main Quest “A Brewing Storm”: After you have progressed in this story, you will be challenged by Dag to a duel in your camp. You have the choice between giving him his axe back or not after beating him. Give him his axe back to avoid a Strike.
- Essexe Story Arc – After you’ve finished the Essexe story arc, You will be sent back to Ravensthorpe. From there a cutscene will trigger revealing some internal conflict. Sigurd is arguing against you to take your place as a leader and you will be presented with some dialogue options. If you say “This Judgment isn’t fair” it will give you a Sigurd Strike.
Grantebridgescire
Main Quest “The Stench of Treachery”: You will have to choose who is the traitor (Birna, Lif, Galinn). The real traitor is Galinn. Choose them to have Birna join your clan and adventure with you. Birna won’t join your crew if you choose anyone else.
East Anglia
There is the Main Quest “A Fury from the Sea” that involves fighting Rued. You can choose “Rued will die” or “Rued will live”. Choose to let him live, and he will show up later in this part of the story. When he shows up at the wedding asking for a duel, you have an option to intervene. Choose to fight Rued here and beat him, Finnr will join your clan as a result.
Snotinghamscire
You can choose “Snotinghamscire can’t lose another” to prevent it directly, or you can pick Do as you must, Trygve” if you want to let him die. Depending on the choice you make here, you may be able to pick him. Assuming you let Trygve live he will stand aside Vili as one of two choices for Earldorman. To pick Vili, choose “I see a jarl in you”. The other option will choose Trygve. You can only get Trygve to join if you give him the position and don’t let him burn.
Lincolnscire
If you choose Bishop Herefrith as Ealdorman, the storyline will end immediately. Herefrith’s identity will be revealed later in the game. Additionally, if you choose Vili as Ealdorman he will not be joining your crew.
Essexe
When doing the main Quest “Old Wounds” you will have a choice between two traitors – Gerhild or Lork. If you choose the wrong traitor Estrid will get injured. To avoid this, Gerhild is the correct choice. Choosing differently will cause Estrid to get injured later in the story. Regardless of what choice you make, Rollo will join your clan.