Hallowmas (Guide)/Item Comparison

Early MYN Content and Onwards

This content is only available during Hallowmas! For the history of this holiday see Hallowmas (historical)

This is to help players determine how to spend their FATE and Confessions during Hallowmas.

A Note about Rankings

The nature of Hallowmas as a festival is that only some items are available for free any given year. It also has the largest inventory of any of the festivals. These two combined make it especially difficult to rank items, as Hallowmas equipment will often outclass other Hallowmas equipment, but it's likely neither will be free at the same time.

For the sake of my Nightmares and yours, I'm making the assumption that you're paying FATE for these companions for ease of making comparisons. This does result in fairly crowded "low tiers", but as a rule of thumb, you can consider any equipment that's free one tier higher than it normally is.

Several Hallowmas companions can also be married; for simplicity's sake, these are given their own section.

Items Sorted by Stats

Note that these tables follow the following format: strict BIS is bold, shared BIS is italic, and stats which are neither will be in regular case.

Best In Slot

These items are the strict best in slot for one or more stats.

Item	Slot	Acquisition	Stats	Notes
The Ephebe, Manifold	Hat	Spend 30 FATE to make The Infant permanent, in years where Wounds can be submitted to the Fool's Apostate.	Persuasive +6 Respectable -2 Bizarre +4 Shapeling Arts +1 Captured by Innocence +1	Shared BIS for BDR with several other items, of which the Anonymous White Mask, Zee-Stained and Mildewy is the most accessible, from the Sacroboscan Calendar. The only peer Shapeling Arts item is its temporary counterpart.
The Gant Moth	Hat	Spend 30 FATE to make The Moth permanent, in years where Nightmares can be submitted to the Fool's Apostate.	Shadowy +6 Dreaded -2 Bizarre +4 Glasswork +1 Moth-Winged +1	Shared BIS for BDR with several other items, of which the Anonymous White Mask, Zee-Stained and Mildewy is the most accessible, from the Sacroboscan Calendar. The only peer Glasswork items are its temporary counterpart and the possibly-RETIRED, Advent Calendar-exclusive Commander's Oneironautical Helm.
Private Debating Lessons with the Jovial Contrarian	Weapon	40 FATE (former ELECTION item)	Persuasive +20 Dreaded +2	Offers ten(!) points of Persuasive over the freely-available Unexploded Mine. Several other +2 BDR weapons, the most accessible of which is likely Iron Republic Journal. The Golden Spiked Rosary is one of the few better BDR weapons, only available during FEAST OF THE ROSE. The other two are exclusive to Ambition: Bag a Legend! and SMEN. Arguably the funniest item in the game.
Feducci's Lance (Replica)	Weapon	40 FATE (former ELECTION item)	Dangerous +20 Dreaded +2	Offers nine(!) points of Dangerous over the freely-available Honest Butcher's Tool, and eight(!) points over the technically-free-but-only-for-Hellworm-owners Vial of Cantigaster Venom. Several other +2 BDR weapons, the most accessible of which is likely Iron Republic Journal. The Golden Spiked Rosary is one of the few better BDR weapons, only available during FEAST OF THE ROSE. The other two are exclusive to Ambition: Bag a Legend! and SMEN.
Celebrated Weasel	Companion	Upgrade Lucky Weasel or spend 10 FATE	Bizarre +1 Greatly increases Plagued by a Popular Song build up.?	This is the only item in the game that increases gain for Plagued by a Popular Song! How fun! Though if your stats are high, there are other weasels that might be more useful to you. There is, of course, no good reason why you should ever want more Plagued by a Popular Song. But perhaps you want to detonate 400,000 weasels at once for an art project.
The Scuttering Palace Guard	Companion	Upgrade Scuttering Squad or pay 20 FATE	Persuasive +10 Dangerous +10 Watchful +10	Individually, these stats are tied for best-in-slot for with multiple other companions, but being able to have multiple BIS at once can be useful in situations where outfits are locked, such as Hearts' Game (Guide)
Ursine Honey Connoisseur	Companion	Upgrade Honey-Mazed Bear or pay 15 FATE	Respectable +1 Glasswork +2	Other companions, including its base item, give +1 Glasswork. Peer BIS is also a HALLOWMAS companion, Silver-Eyed Scoundrel.
The Pirate-Poet, Inscribed Anew	Companion	Upgrade FEAST OF THE ROSE companion The Pirate-Poet or pay 20 FATE	Persuasive +10 Zeefaring +2	Other companions, including Almost-Tame Blue Prophet, give +1 Zeefaring.
Relict Catapult	Weapon	Upgrade Grubby Urchin or pay 20 FATE	Watchful +9 Shadowy +9	This is not BIS in either stat, but only just. Useful in situations where outfits are locked, such as Hearts' Game (Guide)
Prescient Automatist	Companion	Upgrade FEAST OF THE ROSE companion Genre Painter	Watchful +9 Persuasive +5 Bizarre +1 Glasswork +1 Mithridacy +1	There are better companions for both Mithridacy and Glasswork, though notably not all at once. There is not currently any situation where you would need both Mithridacy and Glasswork in one outfit, though that could change with new content.
Recalcitrant Sculptress	Companion	Upgrade Misplaced Ring or pay 30 FATE	Watchful +6 Dreaded +3 Monstrous Anatomy +1 Artisan of the Red Science +1	There are better companions for all the stats she provides, though notably not all at once. There is not currently any situation where you would need both Monstrous Anatomy and Artisan of the Red Science in one outfit, though that could change with new content. Other +3 BDR companions available at various festivals, and the only +4 BDR companions are Übergoat and Bifurcated Owl, which involve both FATE and significant grinds.
Feline Pariah	Companion	Upgrade FRUITS OF THE ZEE companion Inquisitive Lamp-cat or pay 20 FATE	Shadowy +10 Dreaded +1 Monstrous Anatomy +2	Several +1 Monstrous Anatomy companions are available at other festivals.
Efficient Plenipotentiary	Companion	Upgrade Efficient Commissioner from FEAST OF THE ROSE (for 50 FATE(!)) or pay 30 FATE	Watchful +10 Shadowy +10 Dangerous +10 Respectable +1 A Player of Chess +2	Several +1 A Player of Chess companions are available at other festivals. Individually, the highway stats are tied for best-in-slot for with multiple other companions, but being able to have multiple BIS at once can be useful in situations where outfits are locked, such as Hearts' Game (Guide)
The Eagle, Ascendant	Companion	Upgrade Hallowmas companion The Precocious Engineer (Companion)	Watchful +8 Dangerous +5 Artisan of the Red Science +2	Similar companion available for 12 x Memory of a Tale, Illuminating Futurist. Oddly, the Engineer themself was a companion from a previous Hallowmas as well, making them currently the only companion with sequential upgrades over multiple years.
Clay Corroborator	Companion	Upgrade HALLOWMAS companion Acerbic Clay Man	Shadowy +7 Persuasive +3 Bizarre +1 Reduces Suspicion build up.?	Currently the only Supsicion-mitigating companion
Gravel-Voiced Gossip	Companion	Upgrade HALLOWMAS companion Acerbic Clay Man	Shadowy +3 Persuasive +7 Respectable +1 Reduces Scandal build up.?	Currently the only Scandal-reducing companion
Silver-Eyed Scoundrel	Companion	Upgrade Starry-Eyed Scoundrel	Shadowy +6 Glasswork +2	Other companions give +1 Glasswork. Peer BIS is also a HALLOWMAS companion, Ursine Honey Connoisseur.

Situational Best in Slot

For a subset of players, these items are the best available options for their slot. This may be because the alternatives are only available at other festivals, are only obtainable with certain Ambitions, cost FATE, etc.

Item	Slot	Acquisition	Stats	Notes
The Violant Demon	Hat	Spend 30 FATE to make The Demon permanent, in years where Scandal can be submitted to the Fool's Apostate.	Dangerous +6 Respectable -2 Dreaded +4 Artisan of the Red Science +1 Demon-Horned +1	Shared BIS for BDR with several other items, of which the Anonymous White Mask, Zee-Stained and Mildewy is the most accessible, from the Sacroboscan Calendar. Peer Artisan of the Red Science items are A Dream of Truth-Strangling for Ambition: Heart's Desire! players, or The Forsaken Crown of a Grand Devil from FRUITS OF THE ZEE.
The Cosmogone Crown	Hat	Spend 30 FATE to make The Crown permanent, in years where Suspicion can be submitted to the Fool's Apostate.	Persuasive +6 Respectable +4 Bizarre -2 Mithridacy +1 Radiant-Crowned +1	Shared BIS for BDR with several other items, of which the Anonymous White Mask, Zee-Stained and Mildewy is the most accessible, from the Sacroboscan Calendar. Peer Mithridacy items include Diogenes from the FATE story The Mushroom's Dream and Tuneful Hat from WHITSUN.
Midnight Matriarch of the Menagerie of Roses	Companion	Upgrade Midnight Matriarch or pay 25 FATE	Watchful +12 Shadowy +8 Respectable +2	This is the best Watchful companion in the game that isn't an Overgoat or Übergoat. Does not trigger the undesirable Like rats and cats card.
The Scuttering Scoundrels	Companion	Upgrade Scuttering Squad or pay 20 FATE	Shadowy +10 Dangerous +10 Watchful +10	Boosts the same stats as Efficient Plenipotentiary, so is strictly worse than her, but is available without completing The Efficient Commissioner's Tale and paying FATE. Does not trigger the undesirable Like rats and cats card.
Roseate Antagonist	Companion	Upgrade Countess of Thorns from FEAST OF THE ROSE or pay 15 FATE	Dreaded +3 Kataleptic Toxicology +1	Better Kataleptic Toxicology companion is July, available for 12 x Memory of a Tale. Another non-BIS Toxicology companion, Transfixing Squirrel, available for free from WHITSUN. Other +3 BDR companions available at various festivals, and the only +4 BDR companions are Übergoat and Bifurcated Owl, which involve both FATE and significant grinds.
Regretful Sceptic	Companion	Upgrade Dashing Debunker, available with certain choices from the FATE story Noises from Upstairs, or pay 30 FATE	Watchful +7 Persuasive +4 Respectable +1 A Player of Chess +2	Mechanically inferior to his competition for A Player of Chess BIS, the Efficient Plenipotentiary, but is available without completing The Efficient Commissioner's Tale.
Winged Creature of Considerable Speed	Companion	Upgrade Storm-bird or pay 20 FATE	Watchful +6 Dangerous +4 Bizarre +3	Other +3 BDR companions available at various festivals, and the only +4 BDR companions are Übergoat and Bifurcated Owl, which involve both FATE and significant grinds.
Portable Fingerking Moot	Companion	Upgrade Forty-Nine-Voiced Warbler or pay 30 FATE	Persuasive +8 Mithridacy +2	Shared BIS for Mithridacy with Bohemian Sculptress from FEAST OF THE ROSE.
Liquid Debutante	Companion	Upgrade HALLOWMAS companion Rubbery Newcomer or pay 20 FATE	Watchful +7 Bizarre +1 Shapeling Arts +1	Other Shapeling Arts +1 companions available at HALLOWMAS and WHITSUN. Note that a +2 Shapeling Arts companion is available at FEAST OF THE ROSE, The Abbot-Commander.
Squirming Reprobate	Companion	Upgrade HALLOWMAS companion Rubbery Newcomer or pay 20 FATE	Dangerous +7 Bizarre +1 Monstrous Anatomy +1	Outclassed by other companions, including the Feline Pariah and Recalcitrant Sculptress available at this festival, but is easier to acquire since it doesn't require having a FRUITS OF THE ZEE companion or access to the Upper River.
The Captivating Princess' Third-Best Tiara	Hat	Upgrade FEAST OF THE ROSE companion Incognito Princess or pay 20 FATE	Shadowy -6 Persuasive +6 Respectable +2 A Player of Chess +1	Peer item is only available during SUMMER, Fourth City Eyeball.
Stormy-Eyed Scoundrel	Companion	Upgrade Starry-Eyed Scoundrel or pay 20 FATE	Watchful +10 Shadowy +10 Bizarre +3	Other +3 BDR companions available at various festivals, and the only +4 BDR companions are Übergoat and Bifurcated Owl, which involve both FATE and significant grinds.
Epistemological Mapmaker	Companion	Upgrade HALLOWMAS companion Weary Wayfinder or pay 20 FATE	Shadowy +7 Respectable +1 Mithridacy +1	Outclassed by Prescient Automatist and Portable Fingerking Moot.
Navigator-Elect of the Sea of Spines	Companion	Upgrade HALLOWMAS companion Weary Wayfinder or pay 20 FATE	Shadowy +7 Bizarre +1 Shapeling Arts +1	Other Shapeling Arts +1 companions available at HALLOWMAS and WHITSUN. Note that a +2 Shapeling Arts companion is available at FEAST OF THE ROSE, The Abbot-Commander.
Verity of the Savage Lily	Companion	Upgrade FEAST OF THE ROSE companion Verity	Dangerous +10 Dreaded +1 Kataleptic Toxicology +1	Peer Dangerous with The Minister of War, peer Kataleptic Toxicology is Transfixing Squirrel from WHITSUN, though Roseate Antagonist from this festival gives more KT. See also the companions in the higher tiers which give +10 to multiple stats.
Vial of Cantigaster Venom	Weapon	Investigate Mr Sacks with the Duchess during CHRISTMAS Attend a lecture on 'spiritual hygeine' during HALLOWMAS Technically also freely available, but only to Hellworm owners.	Dangerous +12 Kataleptic Toxicology +1	Honest Butcher's Tool from Hearts' Game is an equivalent for Toxicology. Feducci's Lance (Replica) from HALLOWMAS is quite a bit more Dangerous.

Perennial Peer Items

These items have peer items freely available at all times of year, though they may be difficult to acquire or require completion of a lengthy storyline.

Item	Slot	Acquisition	Stats	Notes
A Very Lenient Judge	Companion	Upgrade Unassuming Judge or pay 20 FATE	Persuasive +10 Respectable +2	Equivalent perennial items include The Minister of Culture for Persuasive. See also the companions in the higher tiers which give +10 to multiple stats.
Buccaneering Palaeontologist	Companion	Upgrade FEAST OF THE ROSE companion Debonair Palaeontologist or pay 20 FATE	Dangerous +10 Bizarre +2	Equivalent perennial items include The Minister of War. See also the companions in the higher tiers which give +10 to multiple stats. This companion can also be married, see below.
Rodentine Panegyrist	Companion	Upgrade Metaphysically Educated Rattus Faber or pay 15 FATE	Persuasive +10 Respectable +2	Equivalent perennial items include The Minister of Culture for Persuasive. See also the companions in the higher tiers which give +10 to multiple stats

Early-Game Utility

These items are strictly outclassed for endgame players, but may be useful options for those who do not yet have access to a more lategame alternative.

Item	Slot	Acquisition	Stats	Notes
A Member of the Order of Those Who Will Not Be Caught Red-Handed	Affiliation	Submit Nightmares more than any other Menace to the Fool's Apostate, and receive this when the festival ends.	Watchful +1 Bizarre +1 Noticed by the Queen of Air and Darkness +1	Better Affiliations are available quickly after becoming a A Person of Some Importance -, but early-game players may not have access to any at all. Matched by Newspaper and eventually surpassed by Seven of St Eligius' Very Own Beard Hairs and the Renown: The Great Game 40 item, The Great Game (Affiliation)
A Seat at the Bishop's Table	Affiliation	Submit Scandal more than any other Menace to the Fool's Apostate, and receive this when the festival ends.	Persuasive +1 Respectable +1 Noticed by the Saturnine Duke +1	Better Affiliations are available quickly after becoming a A Person of Some Importance -, but early-game players may not have access to any at all. Outclassed by A Salon and Membership of God's Editors.
Inducted into the Inverted Stalactite Society	Affiliation	Submit Wounds more than any other Menace to the Fool's Apostate, and receive this when the festival ends.	Dangerous +1 Bizarre +1 Witnessed by the Silent Shame +1	Dangerous Affiliations are a bit more difficult to come by, so this one lasts a bit longer than its competition. Eventually outclassed by The Crew of the HMS Ramillies.
A Member of the Crew of the St Elmo	Affiliation	Submit Suspicion more than any other Menace to the Fool's Apostate, and receive this when the festival ends.	Shadowy +1 Dreaded +1 Noticed by the Merry Captain +1	Better Affiliations are available quickly after becoming a A Person of Some Importance -, but early-game players may not have access to any at all. Outclassed by Gang of Hoodlums and Lowell's Locks and Cages.

No Stats

These items are difficult to recommend based on stats, even for earlygame players.

Note that if they are free, many of these are actually quite good in the earlygame and should be considered part of that tier, but if paying FATE, you should instead choose one of the options above which give +10 in multiple stats.

Item	Slot	Acquisition	Stats	Notes
Haunted Goldfish	Companion	Upgrade Cheerful Goldfish or pay 10 FATE	Dreaded +2	Many +2 BDR options available, the easiest being Unfinished Hat from a story in Polythreme. +3 BDR is available from this very festival and +4 with FATE.
Weeping Doll	Companion	Upgrade the FATE-companion Watchful Doll or pay 10 FATE	Watchful +3 Dangerous +3 Dreaded +1 Bizarre +1	Many +2 BDR options available, the easiest being Unfinished Hat from a story in Polythreme. +3 BDR is available from this very festival and +4 with FATE.
Rubbery Campanologist	Companion	Upgrade Rubbery Bellringer or pay 15 FATE	Persuasive +8 Bizarre +1 Dreaded +1	Many +2 BDR options available, the easiest being Unfinished Hat from a story in Polythreme. +3 BDR is available from this very festival and +4 with FATE. Persuasive stat is decent for early and midgame but eventually outclassed by The Minister of Culture
Extravagantly-Titled Tigress	Companion	Upgrade Bengal Tigress or pay 25 FATE	Dangerous +9 Persuasive +7 Dreaded +1 Respectable +1	Many +2 BDR options available, the easiest being Unfinished Hat from a story in Polythreme. +3 BDR is available from this very festival and +4 with FATE. Dangerous and Persuasive stats are decent for early and midgame but eventually outclassed by The Minister of Culture and The Minister of War
Rubbery Herald	Companion	Upgrade Rubbery Bellringer or pay 20 FATE	Persuasive +8 Watchful +3 Dreaded +1	Outclassed by its own alternate, the Rubbery Campanologist, who is 5 FATE cheaper to boot.
Well-Scrubbed Urchin	Companion	Upgrade Grubby Urchin or pay 20 FATE	Watchful +7 Persuasive +5	Strictly worse than the free Blemmigan Tourist.
Skullduggerous Urchin	Companion	Upgrade Grubby Urchin or pay 20 FATE	Dangerous +7 Shadowy +5 Dreaded +1	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Pious Henchman	Companion	Upgrade Devious Henchman or pay 20 FATE	Dangerous +7 Persuasive +5	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Faustian Henchman	Companion	Upgrade Devious Henchman or pay 20 FATE	Shadowy +7 Dangerous +5 Respectable +1	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Esoteric Accomplice	Companion	Upgrade Alluring Accomplice or pay 20 FATE	Watchful +7 Shadowy +5 Bizarre +1	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Fabulous Accomplice	Companion	Upgrade Alluring Accomplice or pay 20 FATE	Persuasive +7 Dangerous +5	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items. This companion is also marriageable, see below for details.
Utterly Livid Bat	Companion	Upgrade Sulky Bat or pay 15 FATE	Dangerous +9 Persuasive -10	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Sister Lydia, At Peace With Herself	Companion	Upgrade Sister Lydia from FEAST OF THE ROSE or pay 20 FATE	Persuasive +7 Shadowy +9 Respectable +1	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Minacious Union-Rat	Companion	Upgrade Working Rat or pay 20 FATE	Dangerous +7 Shadowy +5	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Illuminated Rat	Companion	Upgrade Working Rat or pay 20 FATE	Watchful +7 Persuasive +5 Respectable +1	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Meticulous Henchman	Companion	Upgrade Ruthless Henchman or pay 20 FATE	Dangerous +8 Watchful +4	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Suave Henchman	Companion	Upgrade Ruthless Henchman or pay 20 FATE	Persuasive +8 Dangerous +4 Dreaded +1	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Pernicious Primate	Companion	Upgrade Malevolent Monkey or pay 20 FATE	Watchful +8 Dangerous +5	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Murderous Monkey	Companion	Upgrade Malevolent Monkey or pay 20 FATE	Dangerous +8 Watchful +5 Bizarre +1	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Protective Mandrake	Companion	Upgrade Deshrieked Mandrake or pay 20 FATE	Dangerous +4 Shadowy +2 Dreaded +1	Just outclassed in general.
Senatorial Spider	Companion	Upgrade Fairly Tame Sorrow-Spider or pay 15 FATE	Persuasive +7 Watchful +5	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
An Assuming Judge	Companion	Upgrade Unassuming Judge or pay 20 FATE}	Watchful +10 Dreaded +2	Many +2 BDR options available, the easiest being Unfinished Hat from a story in Polythreme. +3 BDR is available from this very festival and +4 with FATE. Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
August Feline	Companion	Upgrade Wretched Mog or pay 15 FATE	Dangerous +8 Persuasive +4	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Princeling of the Wakeful Court	Companion	Upgrade Wretched Mog or pay 15 FATE	Watchful +8 Shadowy +4	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Spider of Silken Marvels	Companion	Upgrade Fairly Tame Sorrow-Spider or pay 15 FATE	Dangerous +7 Shadowy +5	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Iconoclastic Cryptanalyst	Companion	Upgrade HALLOWMAS-only companion Sedulous Cryptanalyst or pay 20 FATE	Dreaded +2 Watchful +8	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Morally and Physically Flexible Rubbery Cat	Companion	Upgrade HALLOWMAS-only companion Rubbery Feline or pay 20 FATE	Shadowy +8 Bizarre +2	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items
Ex-Privateer Illuminator	Companion	Upgrade Ex-Privateer Charter Clerk or pay 15 FATE	Watchful +5 Shadowy +8	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items. This companion can also be married, see below.
Only-Semi-Retired Privateer Charter Clerk	Companion	Upgrade Ex-Privateer Charter Clerk or pay 15 FATE	Watchful +6 Dangerous +7	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items. This companion can also be married, see below.
Nimble-fingered Intelligencer	Companion	Upgrade The Chap on the Corner or pay 20 FATE	Watchful +6 Bizarre +1 Dreaded +1	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items. This companion can also be married, see below.
Consummate Wallflower	Companion	Upgrade The Chap on the Corner or pay 20 FATE	Watchful +6 Bizarre +1 Respectable +1	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items. This companion can also be married, see below.
Dutiful Orphan	Companion	Upgrade Winsome Dispossessed Orphan or pay 20 FATE	Persuasive +4 Watchful +4 Bizarre +1	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Unforgiving Urchin	Companion	Upgrade Winsome Dispossessed Orphan or pay 20 FATE	Dangerous +5 Persuasive +5 Watchful +2	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Melancholy Monkey	Companion	Upgrade Malevolent Monkey or pay 15 FATE	Dangerous +5 Watchful +2 Shadowy +5	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Condolent Monkey	Companion	Upgrade Malevolent Monkey or pay 20 FATE	Persuasive +5 Watchful +5 Bizarre +1	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
A Venomous Caricaturist	Companion	Pay 20 FATE (former ELECTION item)	Watchful +6 Dangerous +3	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items
An Enfranchised Anchoress	Companion	Pay 30 FATE at HALLOWMAS (former ELECTION item) Also available in Burrow-infra-Mump year-round for only 20 FATE.	Dreaded +1 Dangerous +8	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items
A Redoubtable Dame-Harbinger	Companion	Pay 30 FATE (former ELECTION item)	Respectable +1 Watchful +8	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
A Reactionary Tomb-Colonist	Companion	Pay 30 FATE (former ELECTION item)	Bizarre +1 Persuasive +8	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Cryptographic Chiropteran	Companion	Upgrade Sulky Bat or pay 20 FATE	Watchful +7 Bizarre +1 Reduces Nightmares build up.?	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Nocturnal Tracklayer	Companion	Upgrade HALLOWMAS-only companion Untried Tracklayer or pay 20 FATE	Watchful +4 Shadowy +8 Dangerous +5	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Tough Tracklayer	Companion	Upgrade HALLOWMAS-only companion Untried Tracklayer or pay 20 FATE	Watchful +5 Dangerous +8 Persuasive +4	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Obstinate Tracklayer	Companion	Upgrade HALLOWMAS-only companion Untried Tracklayer or pay 20 FATE	Watchful +5 Dangerous +4 Persuasive +8	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Rubbery Yes-Man	Companion	Upgrade Rubbery Bellringer or pay 20 FATE	Persuasive +7 Bizarre +1	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items
Formerly Talkative Bearer of the Sausage About Which Nobody Complains	Companion	Upgrade Talkative Rattus Faber with a Sausage About Which No One Complains, or pay 20 FATE. You monster.	Watchful +7 Dangerous +4 Dreaded +2	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items.
Reptilian Darling of the Beau Monde	Companion	Upgrade Reprehensible Lizard or pay 20 FATE	Persuasive +8 Respectable +2	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items
Monastic Diatomist	Companion	Upgrade FEAST OF THE ROSE companion Cloistered Diatomist or pay 20 FATE	Watchful +10 Shadowy +6 Respectable +2	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items
Ermine Assassin	Companion	Upgrade Araby Fighting-Weasel	Watchful +7 Dangerous +4 Dreaded +1	Outclassed by other HALLOWMAS items

Items Sorted by Use

Efficient Repeatable

These items unlock repeatable options that are much better than their evergreen alternatives.

Item	Acquisition	Unlocks	Notes
A Member of the Order of Those Who Will Not Be Caught Red-Handed	Submit Nightmares more than any other Menace to the Fool's Apostate, and receive this when the festival ends.	Equipping it allows you to draw A Shrouded Soiree with the Order of Those Who Will Not Be Caught Red-Handed in London, and unlocks an easter egg in The Dome of Scales, Adorned with Rubies.	Opportunity card allows you to generate Favours: Bohemian.
Inducted into the Inverted Stalactite Society	Submit Wounds more than any other Menace to the Fool's Apostate, and receive this when the festival ends.	Equipping it allows you to draw Meetings of the Initiates of the Society of the Inverted Stalactite in London.	Opportunity card allows you to generate Favours: Rubbery Men.
A Seat at the Bishop's Table	Submit Scandal more than any other Menace to the Fool's Apostate, and receive this when the festival ends.	Equipping it allows you to draw A Seat at the Bishop's Table in London.	Opportunity card allows you to generate Favours: The Church. A mechanically similar affiliation, Cross of Southwark, is available from playing the FATE story The Brass Grail.
A Member of the Crew of the St Elmo	Submit Suspicion more than any other Menace to the Fool's Apostate, and receive this when the festival ends.	Equipping it allows you to draw Drink with the Crew of the St Elmo in London.	Opportunity card allows you to generate Favours: Criminals. A mechanically similar affiliation, The Thief-Oath of Tristram Bagley, is available for those who make certain choices during Ambition: Heart's Desire!.
A Very Lenient Judge	Upgrade Unassuming Judge or pay 20 FATE apiece.	Various options on Respectable Passengers in the Upper River Having both of the Hallowmas upgrades and the base item unlocks Snoop on a legal argument. Niche use for Contrive an exchange of judges while Barristering at Evenlode	Snooping on the argument is a cheap way to train Mithridacy on a fairly common card. The barristering option lowers the prestige of a case, reducing difficulty reducing rewards.
Assuming Judge	Upgrade Unassuming Judge or pay 20 FATE apiece.	Various options on Respectable Passengers in the Upper River. Having both of the Hallowmas upgrades and the base item unlocks Snoop on a legal argument. Option for Bring on the most rigorous judge while Barristering at Evenlode	Snooping on the argument is a cheap way to train Mithridacy on a fairly common card. The barristering option increases prestige of a case, increasing difficulty and rewards.
Buccaneering Palaeontologist	Upgrade FEAST OF THE ROSE companion Debonair Palaeontologist or pay 20 FATE	Ask the Debonair Palaeontologist when gathering Rumours for Palaeontological Editions of the Newspaper Have her chat with the Carpenter's Granddaughter on her card	The option for Palaeontological Editions is shared with her base form, but is quite powerful, as it gives an extra 13 x Survey of the Neath's Bones and 3 x Fin Bones, Collected for each completed Palaeontological Edition. This companion can also be married, see below.
Rubbery Yes-Man	Upgrade Rubbery Bellringer or pay 20 FATE	Can serve on the Board of the Great Hellbound Railway.	He is highly useful as he loves to say yes to almost every proposal which doesn't negatively affect Rubbery Interests. The only regular board action this affects is removing the Tentacled Entrepreneur.
The Pirate-Poet, Inscribed Anew	Upgrade FEAST OF THE ROSE companion The Pirate-Poet or pay 20 FATE	Unlocks a monograph option in Moulin Help with research in the Jericho Library One time option to advance Ambition: Light Fingers!	The monograph option is shared with her base form, and can also be unlocked by playing My Kingdom for a Pig. The Light Fingers option is also shared with the base form, and is a one-time savings of 575.00.
Recalcitrant Sculptress	Upgrade Misplaced Ring or pay 30 FATE	Enlist expert assistance in the Jericho Library	The Jericho Library is fairly niche, however, it's notable that failing her option gives a Live Specimen, which can otherwise be fairly annoying to obtain. The check is difficult to fail with endgame stats, but there are ways around that.
Clay Corroborator	Upgrade HALLOWMAS companion Acerbic Clay Man	An option on The Law's Long Arm that costs 1 and reduces Suspicion by 7 CP.	Does not affect and is not affected by Counting the Days, and is significantly better than Official incompetence. In terms of the other options, this is more than twice as effective as Lay a false trail, and as effective on average as Unleash Baseborn & Fowlingpiece and Make sure nobody is telling tales, though those options require specific levels of Counting the Days and either 10 x Infernal Contract or the right Closest To -, respectively. Infernal Contract are hard to come by and throwing your weight around in the underworld also gives 1 CP of Wounds, so this option is likely overall the best. Note also that 7 CP of Suspicion reduction is 1 CP more than you get from Dupe a friend into covering for you. This is certainly a better CP per echo ratio than sending Name Written in Gant and doesn't require knowing a Licentiate, albeit it is card based and the letter also reduces 6 CP of Scandal.
Gravel-Voiced Gossip}}	Upgrade HALLOWMAS companion Acerbic Clay Man	An option on An Afternoon of Good Deeds? that reduces Scandal by 7 CP and gives 2 x Incendiary Gossip.	Does not affect and is not affected by Counting the Days. Strictly better than any of the other (free) options on that card, and a better EPA to boot unless you really want the Favours from CtD. Note also that 7 CP of Suspicion reduction is 1 CP more than you get from Use someone as your dupe. This is also a larger Scandal reduction than sending Name Written in Gant and doesn't require knowing a Licentiate, albeit it is card based and the letter also reduces 6 CP of Suspicion.
Ermine Assassin	Upgrade Araby Fighting-Weasel	Attend with your Ermine Assassin on City Vices: a tournament of weasels!	Valuing Someone is Coming CP at 2 when cashing out with Raw material, this gives a fairly respectable 5.5 EPA on an otherwise terrible card. That jumps to 5.8 EPA if you redeem with A bag of jangling coins and you're willing to occasionally trek to Irem to redeem the Justificandes either at Of the Pillars or The Futures Market and trade the result in the Rat-Market. This card can also be avoided entirely with A Remote Address.

Efficient Single-Use

These items unlock a one-time option that saves the player significant resources compared to the free alternatives.

Item	Acquisition	Unlocks	Notes
Pious Henchman	Upgrade Devious Henchman or pay 20 FATE, either at Hallowmas or in Burrow-infra-Mump	One of several options for Appointing a Parish Clerk in Burrow-infra-Mump	All the options for Parish Clerk are seasonal companions. See A Church in the Wild (Guide) for more details.
An Enfranchised Anchoress	Pay 30 FATE at HALLOWMAS (former ELECTION item) Also available in Burrow-infra-Mump year-round for only 20 FATE.	Can be used to progress Parabolan Defences in your Base-Camp, a one-time savings of 687.50. One of several options for Appointing a Parish Clerk in Burrow-infra-Mump	All the options for Parish Clerk are seasonal companions. See A Church in the Wild (Guide) for more details.
Roseate Antagonist	Upgrade Countess of Thorns from FEAST OF THE ROSE or pay 15 FATE	Can be used to progress Parabolan Defences in your Base-Camp, a one-time savings of 687.50	None.
Vial of Cantigaster Venom	Investigate Mr Sacks with the Duchess during CHRISTMAS Attend a lecture on 'spiritual hygeine' during HALLOWMAS Technically also freely available, but only to Hellworm owners.	Skip a heist during the Last Constable and Cheery Man story	Saves somewhere around 10-15 actions, depending on your playstyle.

Niche Repeatable

These items unlock repeatable options that are either equivalent to or outclassed by their evergreen alternatives.

Item	Acquisition	Unlocks	Notes
The Violant Demon The Ephebe, Manifold The Gant Moth The Cosmogone Crown	Pay 30 FATE during years where the relevant Menace can be submitted	Lets you access the relevant Masques during HALLOWMAS without needing to get the free version.	There's nothing preventing you from also grabbing a free mask if you have the permanent one.
Rubbery Campanologist Rubbery Herald	Upgrade Rubbery Bellringer or pay 15 FATE for the Campanologist, 20 FATE for the Herald	With both companions, unlocks a unique option in The South Parlour of Helicon House that gives 3 Fitting In.	Several other options that give +3 Fitting In, the most accessible of which requires Rubbery Euphonium.
Esoteric Accomplice	Upgrade Alluring Accomplice or pay 20 FATE	Gain +5 Investigating... when brought as as a companion to Helicon House	Investigating has very finite uses in the endgame, and if you need a large amount, it's better to just use Oneiropompery
Fabulous Accomplice	Upgrade Alluring Accomplice or pay 20 FATE	Gain +5 Fascinating... when brought as as a companion to Helicon House	Fascinating can eventually be cashed out with Attract a companion for the rest of the evening. This companion is also marriageable; see below for details.
Minacious Union-Rat	Upgrade Working Rat or pay 20 FATE	Introduce him to Furnace Ancona	Just a text-only easter egg. Doesn't even cost an action!
Morally and Physically Flexible Rubbery Cat	Upgrade HALLOWMAS-only companion Rubbery Feline or pay 20 FATE	Can be used to gain Casing... in Helicon House. Both the upgrade and base item can be introduced separately for A Cub's Education (Guide)	The Rubbery Casing grind was once a fairly good way to earn scrip, but there are now better options even for players without a very advanced Railway.
A Venomous Caricaturist	Pay 20 FATE (former ELECTION item)	An option when shaping dreams for the Sculptress (see Oneiropomp (Guide)	Economically equivalent to the free options, but can be a decent midgame source An Identity Uncovered! and Venom-Ruby
Ursine Honey Connoisseur	Upgrade Honey-Mazed Bear or pay 15 FATE	With Honey-Mazed Bear and A Gazebo! from SUMMER, Design a bear show on the Theme of the Surface Navy in Ealing Gardens	The card is bad and you will generally want to avoid Ealing's cluttered deck anyway.
Regretful Sceptic	Upgrade Dashing Debunker, available with certain choices from the FATE story Noises from Upstairs, or pay 30 FATE	Invite a Regretful Sceptic to test some handcuffs on Lowell's Locks and Cages (Card)	The option is not that good, and you likely don't want to draw the card anyway. Mechanically identical to the option provided by the base form.
Portable Fingerking Moot	Upgrade Forty-Nine-Voiced Warbler or pay 30 FATE	Give the Jovial Contrarian a worthy debating partner in the Railway Board	The Contrarian's vote is not difficult to obtain anyway, but this can be helpful in situations where some board members automatically cast their votes, such as The Viscountess when you Propose you deploy your train in the Parabolan War.
The Stormy-Eyed Scoundrel	Upgrade Starry-Eyed Scoundrel or pay 20 FATE	Bring him with you to Helicon House	Provides no special benefits whatsoever when invited to Helicon, though he does have his own unique text variants.
The Prescient Automatist	Upgrade FEAST OF THE ROSE companion Genre Painter or pay 20 FATE	Bring him with you to Helicon House	Gives +1 Fitting in at Helicon House.
Vial of Cantigaster Venom	Investigate Mr Sacks with the Duchess during CHRISTMAS Attend a lecture on 'spiritual hygeine' during HALLOWMAS Technically also freely available, but only to Hellworm owners.	Use it to gain both Research and Wounds on Lab projects with Toxicological Focus.	This option is slightly more efficient than the others on that card, although the Wounds likely even it out. Several one-time story research projects have Toxicological Focus, along with the repeatable Study the properties of Attar, which is one of the cheaper ways to raise Kataleptic Toxicology that doesn't require social actions.

Niche Single-Use

These items unlock a one-time option that is either equivalent to or outclassed by the evergreen alternatives.

Item	Acquisition	Unlocks	Notes
Haunted Goldfish	Upgrade Cheerful Goldfish or 10 FATE	Can be used to gain Piscine Research during one non-repeatable lab experiment.	The option isn't as good as the other Airs-dependent ones. You can also spend non-seasonal fishy items like Live Specimen or Deep-zee Catch for progress, in addition to other seasonal fish.
August Feline Princeling of the Wakeful Court	Upgrade Wretched Mog or pay 20 FATE apiece	Can all be introduced separately for A Cub's Education (Guide)	None.
Midnight Matriarch of the Menagerie of Roses	Upgrade Midnight Matriarch or 25 FATE	Can be introduced in the Dome of Scales separately from its base form (see A Cub's Education (Guide) An option to gain research when finding a route to Parabola During Ambition: Light Fingers!, a terrible option that loses you the upgraded companion	Several of its uses are shared with the unupgraded version. Do not waste the Hallowmas companion on the Light Fingers option, use the Bazaar-buyable one instead. Does not trigger the undesirable Like rats and cats card.
Feline Pariah	Upgrade FRUITS OF THE ZEE companion Inquisitive Lamp-cat or pay 20 FATE	Can be introduced for A Cub's Education (Guide)	None.
Sister Lydia, At Peace With Herself	Upgrade Sister Lydia from FEAST OF THE ROSE or pay 20 FATE	One of several options for Choosing a Lay Minister in Burrow-infra-Mump	Her base form is mechanically identical as far as Burrow is concerned, and also available during that part of the story for 15 FATE regardless of the time of year. The other two options are both free and non-seasonal, though one does require Renown: Bohemians 25. See A Church in the Wild (Guide) for more details.

No Uses

These items do not unlock any additional actions.

Item	Acquisition
Private Debating Lessons with the Jovial Contrarian	40 FATE (former ELECTION item)
Feducci's Lance (Replica)	40 FATE (former ELECTION item)
Weeping Doll	Upgrade FATE companion Watchful Doll or 10 FATE
Extravagantly-Titled Tigress	Upgrade Bengal Tigress or 25 FATE
Well-Scrubbed Urchin Skullduggerous Urchin Relict Catapult	Upgrade Grubby Urchin or 20 FATE apiece
Celebrated Weasel	Upgrade Lucky Weasel or pay 10 FATE
Utterly Livid Bat Cryptographic Chiropteran	Upgrade Sulky Bat or pay 15 FATE for the Livid, 20 FATE for the Cryptographic
Illuminated Rat	Upgrade Working Rat or pay 20 FATE
Faustian Henchman Meticulous Henchman	Upgrade Devious Henchman or pay 20 FATE apiece
Pernicious Primate Murderous Monkey Melancholy Monkey Condolent Monkey	Upgrade Malevolent Monkey or pay 20 FATE apiece, except for the Melancholy, which is 15 for some reason.
Protective Mandrake Mandrake Who Sings Haunting Lamentations Very Well-Behaved Mandrake	Upgrade Deshrieked Mandrake or pay 20 FATE apiece
Senatorial Spider Spider of Silken Marvels	Upgrade Fairly Tame Sorrow-Spider or pay 15 FATE apiece
The Scuttering Palace Guard The Scuttering Scoundrels	Upgrade Scuttering Squad or pay 20 FATE apiece. These do not trigger the undesirable Like rats and cats card.
Iconoclastic Cryptanalyst	Upgrade HALLOWMAS-only companion Sedulous Cryptanalyst or pay 20 FATE
Ex-Privateer Illuminator Only-Semi-Retired Privateer Charter Clerk	Upgrade Ex-Privateer Charter Clerk or pay 15 FATE apiece Both of these companions can also be married, see below.
Nimble-fingered Intelligencer Consummate Wallflower	Upgrade The Chap on the Corner or pay 20 FATE apiece Both of these companions can laso be married, see below.
Dutiful Orphan Unforgiving Urchin	Upgrade Winsome Dispossessed Orphan or pay 15 FATE apiece.
A Redoubtable Dame-Harbinger	Pay 30 FATE (former ELECTION item)
A Reactionary Tomb-Colonist	Pay 30 FATE (former ELECTION item)
Nocturnal Tracklayer Tough Tracklayer Obstinate Tracklayer	Upgrade HALLOWMAS-only companion Untried Tracklayer or pay 20 FATE apiece.
Formerly Talkative Bearer of the Sausage About Which Nobody Complains	Upgrade Talkative Rattus Faber with a Sausage About Which No One Complains, or pay 20 FATE. You monster.
Winged Creature of Considerable Speed	Upgrade Storm-bird or pay 20 FATE.
Liquid Debutante Squirming Reprobate	Upgrade HALLOWMAS-only companion Rubbery Newcomer or pay 20 FATE apiece.
The Captivating Princess' Third-Best Tiara	Upgrade FEAST OF THE ROSE companion Incognito Princess or pay 20 FATE
Rodentine Panegyrist	Upgrade FEAST OF THE ROSE companion Metaphysically Educated Rattus Faber or pay 15 FATE
Epistemological Mapmaker Navigator-Elect of the Sea of Spines	Upgrade HALLOWMAS companion Weary Wayfinder or pay 20 FATE
Reptilian Darling of the Beau Monde	Upgrade Reprehensible Lizard or pay 20 FATE
Monastic Diatomist	Upgrade FEAST OF THE ROSE companion Cloistered Diatomist or pay 20 FATE
Efficient Plenipotentiary	Upgrade FEAST OF THE ROSE companion Efficient Commissioner or pay 30 FATE
The Eagle, Ascendant	Upgrade previous HALLOWMAS companion The Precocious Engineer (Companion)
Silver-Eyed Scoundrel	Upgrade Starry-Eyed Scoundrel
Verity of the Savage Lily	Upgrade FEAST OF THE ROSE companion Verity

Hallowmas Spouses

Several Hallowmas companions can be married, and the final quest upgrades to these are often quite powerful. As each player can only have one Spouse, most of these options are not of interest to most players, and so are discussed here instead.

Hallowmas Companion	Upgrade Path	Final Upgrade Stats	Opportunity Card	Helicon House Bonus
Fabulous Accomplice	First upgrade: Platonic Partner in Crime Second upgrade: Platonic Eminence Grise	Shadowy +1 Persuasive +1 Committed: +1 A Player of Chess +1	None.	+2 Casing....
Ex-Privateer Illuminator	Joyful Illuminator	Committed: +1 A Player of Chess +1	Share in Your Wife's Passions, which can be played for a large boost of Inspired....	1 x Fitting In
Only-Semi-Retired Privateer Charter Clerk	Joyful Charter Clerk	Committed: +1 A Player of Chess +1	Down by the Docks with your Wife, which lets you gain Favours: The Docks.	1 x Fitting In
Nimble-fingered Intelligencer	Flexible Intelligencer	Committed: +1 A Player of Chess +1	Indulge the Flexible Intelligencer, which can be played for Great Game items	1 x Fitting In
Consummate Wallflower	Blooming Wallflower	Committed: +1 A Player of Chess +1	An Evening with your Beloved, which can be played for 1 x Favours: Society	1 x Fitting In.
Buccaneering Palaeontologist	Soothing Palaeontologist	Watchful +1 Dangerous +1 Committed: +1	Spend an Evening with the Soothing Palaeontologist, which can be played for several bones	1 x Fitting In.