hello, what determines the abilities wolves and companions have? for example, do all rodills have the same set of abilities, also do all for example characters with two shield affinities have the same specials/abilities?
All Rodills do have the same abilities. Models (the site name for companions and wolf breeds) have the same abilities, no matter where you get them or what their level is. If you breed change a wolf into a different breed, their abilities will also change.
Synergies (the 3 symbols each model has) are different from their abilities. You can read more about Synergies here.
You can also see the abilities and synergies of each model here. If you're on a PC, you can use CTRL+F to search for specific models.
EDIT: Forgot to add this guide, which tells you what each ability does - passive, auto, and special.