A List of All MGSV: TPP Buddies and What They Do

Diamond Horse

Diamond Horse (or D-Horse if you’re fancy) is the first buddy you’ll acquire in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. She is loyal and fast, can get you from point A to point B with little to no issues, is upgradeable (by way of armor) and is just pretty to look at.

Unlocking D-Horse in MGSV is as simple as just completing that insane prologue at the beginning of the game. Afterwards, Ocelot will come rescue you on horseback and some time will pass, eventually leading to you sitting on a beautiful white mare. After Ocelot finishes explaining everything in Troy Baker’s soothing voice, you’re free to go anywhere you want and the horse is yours.

Use D-Horse for stealth (by hanging on the side), moving quickly while shooting, an easier means to traverse mountains, or as practice for dropping supply drops on soldiers. You can also have her poop on the road to cause enemy vehicles to lose control (we shit you not). Whatever purpose you choose for her, D-Horse is an invaluable addition to any soldier. 

Diamond Dog (DD, the Most Important MGSV Buddy)

Diamond Dog is probably the cutest member of the Diamond Dogs as a whole and is found relatively early in the game, as well. The thing is, you can’t exactly use him yet seeing as how he is just a scraggly little puppy. But, if you give him some time, Diamond Dog grows into one of the best buddies in MGSV: TPP.

Once full grown, he can be taken out on Ops as your buddy. Since he has the ability to sniff out all living things in an area, he is perfect for stealth infiltration. This means soldiers will be marked even if you haven’t made a direct line of sight on them. Diamond Dog can also be used as a distraction in order to lure soldiers away from a point you just have to get to. Diamond Dog can also be really vicious with his ability to tear the throat out of an enemy.

But, please do be careful if you decide to take Diamond Dog as your buddy. If he dies, he’s gone for good, and nobody wants to deal with the vet bill. It’s outrageous.  

Quiet

Quiet is more than just her controversy, she is also a solid buddy that can really help out  when the situation calls for it. She’s a highly skilled sniper (one of the best in the world), and her stealth abilities are unparalleled (she can instantly turn invisible).

To get Quiet to join your ranks you’re going to have to put in a bit of leg work, as well as take her down in battle (safely, of course). She’s a highly skilled assassin, so just walking up and putting her in your helicopter won’t cut it. But, once you do have her, she can be used out on the field using the iDroid Buddy deployment menu. You can have her scope out a location from a safe distance, or set her to pick people off. Either way, it’s a good way to get things done without having to thrust yourself into danger, something that happens often enough in MGSV already.

Keep in mind that her presence on Mother Base lowers your soldiers’ morale, so visit often to provide a bit of balance. Also, when taking her out into the field, make sure it isn’t raining (water is one of her main weaknesses). 

D-Walker

The last of the buddies isn’t your typical companion in MGSV. Most would say it’s a vehicle, but after seeing its ridiculous amount of capabilities, it’s safe to say that the D-Walker will definitely be a buddy to many. The D-Walker is pretty much a miniature walking tank that can move at high speeds and has arms for hilariously violent melee action.

The D-Walker can be used similarly to D-Horse, only with a lot more firing power. You won’t start with all of that firepower though, upgrading D-Walker is very expensive and will take quite a bit of time. But once fully decked out you will be able to battle gunships head to head and storm even the most fortified bases. It isn’t the most stealthy option in the game, but sometimes you need blow things up, right?

Those are the four buddies you can find during your travels in MGSV. They each have their own strengths and weakness and will prove useful throughout the campaign. No one buddy is better than any other so make sure to utilize and invest in them all.