Weird West: How to recruit main characters from previous chapters

So, you’ve managed to find mercenaries/friends for life, and you’ve buddied up with unique companions, too. But, did you know that you can still bring along your beefed-up heroes from earlier acts? Here’s our Weird West guide to help you recruit the main characters from the previous chapters or journeys.

Note: For more information, check out our Weird West guides and features hub. Likewise, please be reminded that this guide contains minor spoilers.

Weird West guide – How to recruit main characters from previous chapters or journeys

While you’re playing as the Bounty Hunter at the start of the game, you’ll practically ignore this concept. However, once you reach Act 2 as the Pigman, that’s when things get interesting. First, just do the initial tasks in Cedar Flats. Once you’re done, you should have a random encounter the next time that you travel on the world map.

You’ll meet none other than Essex Mast, and you can talk to him about the strange visions that you’re having. At this stage, you’ll be able to recruit the main character from the previous chapter.

All you need to do is go to Bell Stead in the southwestern section of the map. There, Pigman Cl’erns Qui’g can speak to the Bounty Hunter, Jane Bell.

Tell her about the brand and the visions, and a prompt to have her join you should appear.

Here are a few more tidbits if you wish to recruit one of the former main characters in Weird West:

• Ideally, you’ll want to recruit the main character from the immediate arc (i.e., Pigman recruits Bounty Hunter, Protector recruits Pigman, and so on). This will transfer all the Nimp Relics, Golden Aces of Spades, and keys that you’ve amassed beforehand.
• Companion homes will have a gold marker underneath a location’s icon on the world map. Here are some examples:
  • Bounty Hunter – Bell Stead (as mentioned earlier).
  • Pigman – Dread Slough
  • Protector – Thriving Place
  • Werewolf – Absolution Hall

• Similar to regular companions, you may only check their inventory and assign a weapon that they’ll equip.
• The abilities/skills that the hero had before you finished their chapter will be locked in. As such, it’s better to just spend points on a couple of skills for a specific weapon.
• As for perks, you’ll still gain the benefits since they’re carried over. I’m guessing that Healthy and Posse Leader are additive, which means previous main characters tend to have a ton of HP.
• Permadeath is still in effect. If a hero dies as a companion, they’re gone for good.
• Things are slightly different much later when you play as the Oneirist. Also, you won’t be able to reacquire unused Nimp Relics and Golden Aces anymore.

Weird West is available via Steam and the Xbox Game Pass for PC. For more information, check out our guides and features hub.