Let me tell ya, surviving the Stardust-polluted nightmare that is 2025's Earth in Once Human ain't exactly a walk in the park. Unless that park is filled with mutated horrors called Deviants, that is! 😱 Thankfully, we survivors aren't completely defenseless. We've got Cradles, and inside those Cradles? Our best pals: Combat Deviants! These aren't your average pets. Oh no. These funky, sometimes terrifying, sometimes adorable monstrosities pack serious punches, deflect bullets, heal boo-boos, and generally make sure I don't end up as some oversized bug's lunch. After two years scrapping in this wasteland, I've gotten cozy with a few standouts. Let me introduce you to my top-tier, battle-ready buddies who've saved my bacon more times than I can count!
- Zeno-Purifier: The Teleporting Samurai Weeb
Bro literally brought a sword to a gunfight... and won! 
If you dig the idea of watching a Deviant teleport behind some poor, unsuspecting mutant and slice-n-dice it samurai-style, the 
Zeno-Purifier is your spirit animal. Seriously, this guy's combat style is beautifully simple: poof -> SLASH -> repeat. It's like watching a particularly violent magic trick. The best part? I don't even have to aim! He just zips around, dealing with threats while I maybe... uh... admire the scenery? Or loot the bodies he leaves behind. Plus, getting him was a breeze – just a reward for hitting a Season Goal. Easy mode activated!
- Mini Wonder: My Personal Bulletproof Blankie
Dodging bullets? Nah, we just eat 'em. 
Heading into a settlement crawling with trigger-happy goons? Pack the 
Mini Wonder. This little fella is wonder-ful indeed! It throws up this bubble around me that just sucks in incoming bullets. Pew pew pew... gone! It's like having my own personal Matrix field. Standing there surrounded, watching bullets vanish inches from my face? Pure, unadulterated bliss (and a massive relief for my sanity meter). It can also buff up an ally if I point it at them. Limited skills? Sure. But when the lead starts flying, specialization beats variety every single time. My go-to for any gunfight!
- Butterfly's Emissary: Pretty, Deadly, and Points Out the Weak Spots!
First Deviant, Best Deviant? Often yes! 
Don't let the pretty name fool you. The 
Butterfly's Emissary was my first captured Deviant, and honestly? It's still one of the absolute best. It zooms across the battlefield like a vengeful butterfly of doom to slam into enemies. Cool, right? But the real magic? It marks weak spots. Big, glowing, "SHOOT HERE, IDIOT!" markers on the baddest bosses and elites. Hitting those spots already hurts them extra. The Emissary makes those hits hurt way, way more. Tearing down a towering monstrosity in record time? Priceless. Essential gear for boss fights!
- Mini Feaster: Tentacle Mayhem & Damage Boosts Galore
Small package, HUGE chaotic energy. 
Got a soft spot for wacky, flailing tentacles? Running a Bounce build? Then you need the 
Mini Feaster! This little bundle of... whatever it is... is pure chaos on the battlefield. It marks enemies, making my shots hit harder. Then it summons tentacles that whip around, smacking multiple foes at once. And if you're rocking a Bounce build? Triggering Bounce makes even more tentacles pop up! The cherry on top? My weapon damage jumps by a whopping 17% for every single tentacle writhing on the field. More tentacles = more pain for them, more fun for me! Found mine during a spooky Mist Event – totally worth the scare.
- Voodoo Doll: Sharing is Caring (Especially the Pain)
Why take all the damage yourself? 
Sometimes you need a Deviant that can both dish it out and help you not get dished. Enter the 
Voodoo Doll. This creepy-cute little guy is all about damage redistribution. Point it at an enemy? It absorbs some of the damage I take. Point it at an ally? It soaks up the damage they take. Team player! But the real lifesaver is its Doppelganger ability. It just constantly takes half the damage I receive. Boss winding up for a mega-hit that would turn me into paste? Thanks to Voodoo, I just get turned into... slightly chunky salsa? Survivable salsa! Essential for those "oh-crap" moments.
- Polar Jelly: The Ultimate Crowd Control Slushie Machine
Freezing enemies is just cool. 
Getting swarmed? Feeling the heat? Chill out with the 
Polar Jelly! This frosty blob is the king (queen? thing?) of crowd control, especially if you're specced into Frost Vortex. Its Frostlash ability smacks enemies back like annoying flies. Its auto-attack? Deals frosty damage and then yoinks nearby enemies towards me – perfect for grouping them up for a big AoE smackdown! It also amps up Frost damage on everything it touches. And if you trigger a Frost Vortex? Bonus Ice Spikes! It's like having a mobile snow-cone machine that hates your enemies. Deliciously deadly.
- Festering Gel: The Cute Blob That Keeps You Alive
Not all heroes wear capes. Some are just... blobs. 
Never underestimate the power of a dedicated support blob! The 
Festering Gel is pure, unadulterated, squishy support, and it's fantastic in any fight. Need breathing room? Toss out Flawless Fortification – it knocks enemies back like bowling pins. Getting hammered? Use Build Fortification. This glorious skill plops down a shelter you can duck behind that blocks all attacks. Hiding inside? You and your pals get healed and recover sanity. It's a mobile safe zone, a med-bay, and a sanity spa all rolled into one adorable, jiggly package. My emotional support gelatin!
- Lonewolf's Whisper: Release the Hounds (and Their Clones)!
The ultimate aggro magnet and damage dealer. 
Saving the best (or at least the most chaotic) for last: the 
Lonewolf's Whisper. This Deviant isn't just in the fight; it becomes the fight. It charges in, attacks like a beast, and most importantly, grabs all the aggro. Enemies forget I exist! I can even point it at a specific target for a focused beatdown, which also makes my weapon hit that target harder. But the real party trick? Cloning. When its target dies, it spawns a copy of itself. Up to two copies! Suddenly, it's not one wolf tearing things apart; it's three. Watching them rip through a pack of mutants is pure, unhinged carnage. The ultimate combat companion for when you just want everything dead. Now.
So there you have it, fellow wasteland wanderers! My personal lineup of weird, wonderful, and weaponized friends who make surviving 2025's Stardust hellscape not just possible, but occasionally... kinda fun? 😉 Choose your Deviant wisely, keep your Cradle charged, and maybe, just maybe, we'll make it through another day without becoming Deviant chow!