Ember Hollow: which companion quests to do first

Ember Hollow doesn't tell you this, but the order you clear companion quests quietly reshapes your late game. Some of those personal stories unlock party abilities that make later fights dramatically easier, and doing them out of order can leave you underpowered for a spike around chapter five.

My advice: prioritise the healer's arc early. It hands you a party-wide revive that turns the mid-game boss gauntlet from a wall into a speed bump. I ignored it my first run and paid for it dearly.

After that, chase whichever companion's personality you like most, because the writing is where this game shines. The grumpy scout's questline in particular has a twist I did not see coming, and it recontextualises a lot of the early dialogue.

Save the mage's arc for last if you can. It assumes you've already met certain characters, and doing it early flattens a couple of really nice payoff moments. The game won't stop you, it just quietly robs you.

Combat stays fair throughout if you keep gear current, so don't over-grind. Ember Hollow respects your time more than most RPGs its size.