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With over 100 Pals to catch, it’ll take you a while to snag every creature in Palworld. Just like in Pokemon, the Pals you meet early in the game aren’t the most powerful, but they’re vital for getting your first base going and making exploration easier. Whether you’re using them as a mount, enlisting their help in fights, or just putting them in a Ranch, these Pals can be game-changing. You can butcher them later or keep them in your party forever, but recruiting these creatures at the beginning will make your life much easier. Here are the best Pals to catch first in Palworld, ranked from decent to fantastic.
10. Chikipi
Chikipi is weak, so you won’t be using this adorable chicken on the frontlines of battle unless you’re desperate. That doesn’t stop Chikipi from helping out, though. A good idea when starting off is to build a Ranch and toss a few Chikipi in to generate a steady egg supply, keeping you and your Pals fed for free. That’s one less thing to worry about when you’re just starting off.
9. Lamball
Lamball ranks up there with Chikipi for least helpful Pals in a fight, but for other purposes, they’re some of the best in Palworld. They’re a great source of Wool, and you’ll need that if you don’t want to freeze to death. Helping you get your first set of clothes is nice, and when Lamball outlives its welcome, you can research the Meat Cleaver on the tech tree to butcher it. Mean? Yes. Tasty? Also yes.
8. Lifmunk
The Lifmunk Recoil ability allows this leafy chipmunk to ride around on your head shooting enemies with a submachine gun. Considering how early you can get this Pal and its ability, Lifmunk Recoil will be most players’ first taste of gunplay in Palworld. Though its not the strongest weapon, Lifmunk’s SMG beats using a bow, making it one of the best Pals to catch early in Palworld.
7. Cattiva
Tanzee and Lifmunk are suitable for more kinds of work, but you might not get your hands on them right away. Cattiva is a great early-game worker, capable of Handiwork, Transporting, Gathering, and Mining. When mining Stone and lugging resources are two of your biggest concerns, Cattiva is a simple and helpful solution. It’s also just nice to have a pink Meowth-wannabe running around base.
6. Foxparks
As far as early-game weapons go, the Club and Stone Spear are pretty disappointing. The bow is great but still limited. That’s where Foxparks comes in. Grab some Leather, Paldium Fragments, and a Flame Organ, and craft yourself a harness for this fire-belching fox. Now just hug it close during battle and you’ve got yourself an adorable and deadly flamethrowable. Crowd control has never looked cuter, making this one of the best early Pals in Palworld. Like Pokemon types, Pal types matter, so just keep an eye on the elements before spraying fire.
5. Tanzee
There’s so much to like about this Grass-type Pal that it’s easy to recommend. Tanzee excels in Planting, Handiwork, Lumbering, Gathering, and Transporting, which makes it easy to find a spot for it in any camp. That’s not why we keep this monkey around, however. Once you’ve crafted Tanzee’s assault Rifle at your Pal Gear Workbench, you can spray hot lead at anything (or anyone) in your way.
4. Celaray
Most Pals are valuable either for the work they do at your base or the powers they provide in combat, but not Celaray. You can use this flying mantaray as a substitute Glider, and it’s actually an improvement over the first version you can craft. With Celaray in your party, you can move quickly for long periods, making cross-country journeys a breeze as long as you start from a hill and don’t run out of stamina.
3. Killamari
Killamari’s gimmick is similar to Celaray’s. Instead of gliding quicker, you float in the air for longer. That means more time to scope out your surroundings or plan your angle of attack on a Syndicate outpost. It’s not the speediest method of travel, but it’s incredibly convenient in the early game when you’re still working on uncovering the map. Exploration isn’t just about speed, and Killamari easily proves itself as one of the best Pals to catch early in Palworld.
2. Daedream
A Pal as spooky as Misdreavus, this Dark-type has an incredible ability unlocked by using Daedream’s Necklace. Once you’ve crafted this collar at the Pal Gear Workbench and added Daedream to your team, this Pal will remain by your side and help you in battle even if you have another Pal summoned. That’s right: you can ride a mount, glide on Killmari, or use Tanzee in battle without Daedream disappearing. Fighting Pals 3v1 is fantastic, making this one of the best Pals in Palworld‘s early game.
1. Direhowl
Direhowl is your first true mount in the game. Once you’ve crafted Direhowl’s Saddled Harness you’ll be able to ride this Pal around. Riding Pals as you explore isn’t just efficient, it’s also one of the most fun things you can do in Palworld, making Direhowl one of the best Pals to catch early. Since there’s a good chance you caught your first Direhowl when it tried to raid your base, it’s also satisfying seeing this wolf working with you for once.
Palworld is available for PC in early access.
