Followers & the keyword system

What decides whether a follower joins?

The developer’s 21 October Squad System feature describes keywords attached to characters, weapons and some items. When your champion acquires a weapon their keywords do not allow them to use, an ally able to wield it joins instead.

The follower then attacks on your behalf. This is the explanation for another champion appearing with a weapon; it is not proof that you have permanently unlocked that character for selection between runs.

Can followers lose health or collect items?

The official post explicitly says followers cannot take damage or collect items. Their attacks extend the player’s effective area of effect. The source does not publish a complete follower-count cap or a per-follower damage formula.

That distinction matters when reading advice about protecting a squad. The documented system does not describe a separate health bar you must keep filled for each follower.

Which squad interactions are documented?

The developer describes Lorai pulling enemies into Bastian Carthalos’s close-range damage patterns. It also describes The Castellan gaining attack power with followers, paired with Kozlowski’s Lasgun adding troopers as it is upgraded.

These examples show why keywords and squad composition can matter. They are developer-selected examples, not a current strength ranking or a tested best build for every character.

Is finding a rescue the same as selecting a weapon?

No. The collected achievements describe rescue scenarios on named maps, while the keyword explanation describes what happens when a weapon is acquired during a run. An ally appearing through that mechanic does not, by itself, establish a completed rescue condition.

For character-specific unlock evidence, use characters and unlocks. For the passive that pairs with the weapon, use the evolution lookup.