Here's which SR (low-rarity) Buddies to upgrade first in Monster Hunter Outlanders when you play free-to-play, whether SR Buddies are worth upgrading at all, and which adventurers each one suits.
SR Buddy Upgrade Priority
| Buddy | Rating and why |
|---|---|
 RavingeSupport |
|
 Tidal SoundSupport |
|
 Tidal ClawAssault |
|
 Falee HendsomDisruptor |
|
 NakoDisruptor |
|
These are the SR Buddies worth upgrading first. All five can be picked from the SR Buddy Selector Box, which is another reason they're easy to recommend.
Ravinge
Ravinge heals, and its Ultimate can raise elemental damage and Affinity, which makes it a highly versatile Buddy. It reliably adds both damage and healing to any party, so it's the first one to pick when a Support adventurer needs a Buddy.
Tidal Sound
Tidal Sound's Ultimate and support effect cut the damage your squad takes, and it can cure status ailments. Raise it as a counter for hard content and monsters that inflict lots of status ailments.
Tidal Claw
Tidal Claw's support effect gives the whole party better part-breaking efficiency, which is especially handy when farming monster materials. The bonus starts small, so you'll want to Ascend it a few times.
Falee Hendsom
Falee Hendsom has a part-breaking support effect like Tidal Claw's, but it only applies while the monster is suppressed. It's best with weapon types that benefit from an incapacitated monster, such as the Hammer and the Charge Blade.
Nako
Nako raises the damage the whole squad deals to suppressed monsters. Its Ultimate can incapacitate monsters, but it doesn't suit every weapon type, so check before bringing it.
Should You Upgrade SR Buddies?
Upgrade Versatile SR Buddies
One advantage of SR Buddies is that they're more versatile than SSR Buddies and easier to get. Leveling one up also strengthens its Ultimate and raises its Adventurer Boost values, so it stays useful on your other adventurers even after you get SSR Buddies.
Leveling Up vs. Ascension
| Upgrade | Importance | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Level up |
| |
| Ascension |
|
Leveling a Buddy strengthens its Ultimate and its Adventurer Boost values, and some Buddies' Ultimates really need the levels to be useful. Ascension also strengthens its support effect and, for most Buddies, its Ultimate. Make maxing out a Buddy's level your priority, especially early in the game. SR Buddies are relatively easy to get duplicate copies of, so Ascend one once you have spare copies of it.
Ascension strengthens a Buddy's support effect. Here's how the support effect changes for the five Buddies above: all of them reach their maximum by Stage 2.
| Buddy | Support Effect | Stage 0 | Stage 2 (max) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ravinge | Whole squad's elemental damage | +1.8% | +4% |
| Tidal Sound | Damage taken by the whole squad | -3.5% | -6% |
| Tidal Claw | Whole squad's part-breaking efficiency | +2% | +6% |
| Falee Hendsom | Whole squad's part-breaking efficiency against suppressed monsters | +4% | +12% |
| Nako | Damage the whole squad deals to suppressed monsters | +2% | +3.6% |
SSR Buddies Are Specialists
Most SSR Buddies are built to support one specific adventurer, and they're harder to get than SR Buddies. Upgrade SR Buddies to tide you over until you get the Buddy made for each of your adventurers.
Buddies That Heal Are a High Priority
Monster Hunter Outlanders has few ways to heal, so SR Buddies that can heal whenever needed are valuable. Apart from cooldowns and charging their Ultimate, nothing limits how often they heal, so upgrade SR Buddies that can heal.
Of the five Buddies above, Ravinge and Tidal Sound can heal with Trillan's Healing Bug.
Best Adventurers for Each SR Buddy
Except for the Fated Adventurer, adventurers can only bring Buddies of their own Ultimate type.
Support SR Buddies
| Buddy | Recommended adventurers |
|---|---|
| Ravinge | |
| Tidal Sound |
Among SR Buddies, Trillan Buddies heal and buff the whole party, so they suit the adventurers you aren't controlling. They're very versatile, so any Support adventurer should bring one.
Assault SR Buddies
| Buddy | Recommended adventurers |
|---|---|
| Tidal Claw |
Palico Buddies like Tidal Claw are pure attackers, so the only buffs they give adventurers are their support effect and Adventurer Boost. Among them, Tidal Claw stands out for its unusual support effect.
Disruptor SR Buddies
| Buddy | Recommended adventurers |
|---|---|
| Falee Hendsom | |
| Nako |
Disruptor Rutaco Buddies have many skills and Ultimates that inflict status ailments or incapacitate monsters. Pair them with adventurers whose weapons benefit from an incapacitated monster, such as the Hammer and the Great Sword.