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The best Palworld 1.0 pals for running your base like a well-oiled machine
We all have our favorites, but my strategy of 'use the cutest little guys' doesn't guarantee I've always got the best Palworld pals in 1.0. After my adventures in early access, I think I've learned my lesson, and finally have some actual recommendations for the best Palworld pals for suitabilities like Kindling, Handiwork, Medicine Production, and more.
Before you begin your hunt for the best pals
Handbooks make "best pal" lists far more subjective, so don't sweat it if you don't see your favorite companions here. This list mostly prioritizes base suitability levels first, but the occasional partner skill or pal availability may shake things up.
- You can use the Pal Condenser to improve a pal's rank, then use handbooks until they've reached level 10 in the selected work suitability.
- Check pal partner skills when searching for pals yourself. Some pals have base buffs that make them preferable over raw work suitability levels.
- Early Palworld players may recall pathing issues around their bases that prevented pals from working, but now they'll start working even if they can't reach an assigned station. That said, crowding furniture around the Palbox seems to cause occasional issues, so don't place it in tight spaces.
- It's not much of a problem after the pathing fixes, but I prefer smaller or medium-sized base pals if there's a negligible difference in their stats. They just get in my way sometimes, and I can't see what I'm doing with an Alpha Jourmuntide sitting on me.
Best pals for Cooling ❄️
Bastigor (No. 191)
Details
Found in the World Tree
Ice-type pal
Work Suitability:
❄️8 🪵6 ⛏️5
Bastigor has the highest starting base suitability for Cooling in Palworld, and while I haven't tried popping this guy into the Pal Condenser just yet myself, I don't think I'll need to. My Bastigor stays assigned to Cooling tasks only, but it could be handy for Lumbering or Mining in a pinch.
Honorable Mention
Wumpo
No. 134
Wumpo is a very competitive second pick for Cooling thanks to its passive, which increases all of your base pals' Transporting suitability level by +1. Pop Wumpo into the condenser for a couple of levels, and it's the better pick.
Best pals for Gathering 🌿
Venusa (No. 178)
Details
Found in the World Tree
Dark-type pal
Work Suitability:
🌿6 🤚6 💊5 📦2
Jetdragon has the highest starting Gathering in Palworld, but Venusa is just such a strong jack-of-all-trades that it's my top recommendation. Gathering isn't a suitability I struggled to maintain, so I invested my time into Venusa's four suitabilities over Jetdragon's single talent.
Honorable Mention
Verdash
No. 152
Jetdragon isn't even my second choice. I would go with a more versatile pal like Verdash, or even one with low base levels like Vaelet, before prioritizing a pal with only high base Gathering.
Best pals for Generating Electricity ⚡
Oserk (No. 187)
Details
Found in the World Tree
Dragon/Electric-type pal
Work Suitability:
⚡8 🤚3 📦4
I seemed miserably cursed when it came to Electricity Handbook drops, so stocking up on an army of Oserks made sustaining power at multiple bases a breeze. The only bummer is that you'll have to wait until you enter the World Tree to score one, but hey, at least it's not another boss pick.
Honorable Mention
Grizzbolt
No. 185
Grizzbolt's dramatic entrance with Zoey isn't the only thing that makes it so beloved—it's an excellent workhorse, too. I used two Grizzbolts at my base for ages, but if you don't have handbooks, it can't compete with Oserk.
Best pals for Handiwork 🤚
Solenne (No. 182)
Details
Found in the World Tree
Dark/Neutral-type pal
Work Suitability:
🤚8 ⛏️3 📦2
Solene has the highest starting Handiwork suitability in Palworld, and boy did I need it when I finally stumbled upon one. The deeper into the late game I got, the more I dreaded most crafting tasks thanks to higher Handiwork demands. Solene is sequestered off in the World Tree, so you'll have to wait a while before capturing one, but I was more than happy to see it.
Honorable Mention
Sekhmet
No. 140
If you have Anubis at your base, then Sekhmet is a must. Its passive gives Anubis a work speed boost when they're both deployed, but even if Sekhmet is alone, assignments at the workbench and other production facilities give it a personal buff.
Best pals for Kindling 🔥
Dupin (No. 174)
Details
Found in the World Tree, Palpagos Islands
Fire-type pal
Work Suitability:
🔥7 🤚5 💊4 📦2
Dupin doesn't start with the highest Kindling level—that honor goes to Renjishi—but adding the joker pal to your roster may be a deal too good to pass up. They're abundant in the World Tree, but you can actually find Dupin lurking around one spawn point on every island in Palpagos. Plus Dupin has more Handiwork and Medicine Production. Those are two stats I'll never pass up.
Honorable Mention
Renjishi
No. 183
It was between Flaracle and Renjishi, but the latter just has the edge with higher Kindling and an extra suitability. Losing its Gathering suitability isn't a big deal though, if you're like me and prefer using smaller pals when possible.
Best pals for Lumbering 🪵
Celesdir Noct (No. 157b)
Details
Found in the World Tree
Dark-type pal
Work Suitability:
🪵8 🌿4
A good Knocklem Ignis could pull double-duty if you don't mind splitting its attention between Lumbering and Mining, though Celesdir Noct was a nice upgrade since I seem to be perpetually out of wood. It's an overworld boss in the World Tree, so I've delayed upgrading its base suitability, but that's absolutely my next project.
Honorable Mention
Cryolinx Terra
No. 132b
Hartalis would be a good pick if it wasn't a boss you had to summon at the altar, so Cryolinx Terra gets my vote for its high Lumbering and extra suitabilities. Though truth be told, I used Bushi Noct for ages.
Best pals for Mining ⛏️
Knocklem Ignis (No. 159b)
Details
Found in Bicornis Islet, World Tree
Fire-type pal
Work Suitability:
⛏️7 📦7 🔥5
Aegidron starts with level 8 mining suitability, but I can't justify picking it for a single speciality when Knocklem Ignis is good for three. Its affinities make the hulking suit of armor good for mining, transporting its haul, and cooking up a quick snack.
Honorable Mention
Anubis
No.139
It's not the best pal in any of its specialties, but Anubis is still a solid pick for mining, handiwork, and transporting. It also receives a workspeed buff when Sekhmet is present.
Best pals for Medicine Production 💊
Silvance (No. 193)
Details
Found in the World Tree
Grass-type pal
Work Suitability:
💊8 🤚6 🌱6 🌿4 📦2
Silvance has the highest starting work suitability for Medicine Production in the game, but it's only available as a boss in the World Tree, so it's a very endgame pal. Higher level crafts lean heavily into Medicine Production, and since Silvance has four other specialties it can lend a hand with, it's absolutely worth the hassle. Weird moth guy is definitely one of my favorite new pals in Palworld 1.0.
Honorable Mention
Lyleen Noct
No. 186b
Lyleen Noct ranks right below Silvance for highest starting suitability, but skipping the variant for normal Lyleen isn't a bad choice if you have a few handbooks lying around.
Best pals for Planting 🌱
Dandilord (No. 194)
Details
Found in the World Tree
Grass/Dark-type pal
Work Suitability:
🌱8 🤚6 💊6🌿5 📦3
Like Silvance, Dandilord is another World Tree boss that's well worth the investment. Not only is it fantastic as a base pal for Planting (and several other tasks), but it's also a real lifesaver when exploring the World Tree thanks to its poison immunity passive. Anything with high Medicine Production and Handiwork is a win, having the best Planting stats is a bonus.
Honorable Mention
Ophydia
No. 175
I love keeping Ophydia on Planting Duties since it has a pretty good Watering suitability level too. You can assign it to both tasks and watch the fiery serpent (almost) handle garden duty all by itself. Add a Gathering pal to the mix, and you're set.
Best pals for Transporting 📦
Mimog (No. 144)
Details
Found all throughout Palpagos Islands
Neutral-type pal
Work Suitability:
📦2 🌿1
Mimog doesn't have the highest Transporting base suitability by far, but the little guy is so stinkin' fast that it more than makes up for it. If you've got a Wumpo managing your Cooling stations, it gives Mimog a little capacity boost, too. I let a few other suitability pals occasionally help out here, but pairing that with Mimog and a few handbooks was more than enough to keep things tidy.
Honorable Mention
Eidrolon
No. 171
If you've got Anubis assigned to Mining stations, I'd say use that as your second pal for Transporting. Otherwise, I'm going with Eidrolon since it carries more with the highest base level.
Andrea has been covering games for nearly a decade, picking up bylines at IGN, USA Today, Fanbyte, and Destructoid before joining the PC Gamer team in 2025. She's got a soft spot for older RPGs and is willing to try just about anything with a lovey-dovey "I can fix them" romance element. Her weekly to-do always includes a bit of MMO time, endlessly achievement hunting and raiding in Final Fantasy 14. Outside of those staples, she's often got a few survival-crafting games on rotation and loves a good scare in co-op horror games.