Do you bring a companion or are you a lone wolf?

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mett1982

New Member
I read a lot about people that bring their companions everywhere they go. They can be useful in a tough fight but I find companions to being quite annoying. Especially when you are exploring a dungeon and they stand in front of the doorway, blocking you from entering a room! It's like "Move Aela!!" That's why I am more of a lone wolf when it comes to exploring.

How about you guys? Do you like having a companion with you or would you rather brave the wildness alone?
 

SuperiorCallz

New Member
When I have a companion ready to take with me on quests or wherever I'm going, I usually just have them come with me, but I never go out of my way to get a companion to come with me. They can be kind of useful when you need to fight.
 

Hollie

New Member
I usually have a companion (my husband) with me, even when I'm just browsing the local marketplace. My biggest problem though, aside from him blocking doorways and generally getting in the way, is when I am sneaking around, Sam Fishering my way through the level when my companion decides to suddenly go in all guns blazing and attract the attention of every bad guy and creature within the place!
 

sticky runes

Well-Known Member
I like followers. They have their dumb moments, but as AI controlled partners go in most video games, the ones in Skyrim are very good. And marriage plays a big part in how I design my character's story, so I spend a lot of time doing quests with my spouse as a follower. I imagine them having conversations while they're traveling together, and I like to imagine what the partner might say and react to certain events.
It's also handy to have an extra pair of hands to carry stuff when I'm on a long trek.
 
I tend to use followers at the start of the game when I'm all weak and feeble!

Later on I go it alone because they slow me down in levelling up.

If, as I did this time through, I decide to try my hand at something completely new half way through the game, I get one to keep me alive long enough to acquire my new skills...then I ditch them again.

I'd make an awful boss. I'm a real hire and fire type, I'm afraid.
 

Landon_

New Member
Unless I'm just beginning a character, I will always go solo. In the beginning I can actually use their help, but once I'm strong enough I ditch the companion. They tend to get lost and waste my time. Also they are rubbish at sneaking.
 

shadowkitty

Mistress of Shadows
I tend to use followers at the start of the game when I'm all weak and feeble!

Later on I go it alone because they slow me down in levelling up.

If, as I did this time through, I decide to try my hand at something completely new half way through the game, I get one to keep me alive long enough to acquire my new skills...then I ditch them again.

I'd make an awful boss. I'm a real hire and fire type, I'm afraid.
^This. Is pretty much what I do.

Only exception is when I get Serana and I have my follower still with me. I do all the really difficult quests (eg: Forelhost) with both in tow. Poor Serana gets dragged around the countryside before I finally take her home.

As I level up, I usually go it alone. Or when I am playing the Thieves Guild or Dark Brotherhood quests lines. It's always a little awkward when you are pinching something or assassinating someone, with a follower behind you shaking their head disapprovingly.
 

sticky runes

Well-Known Member
If you're playing a thief or assassin those are the kinds of things you'd do alone anyway, to avoid attracting unwanted attention to yourself. Most of the followers you meet in the game come across as law abiding citizens so it would seem out of character for a lot of them to aid you in your crimes.

Most of my characters appreciate having a bodyguard or sidekick. And the Black Reach is way too dreary and tedious to wander through alone. I need someone to cheer me up. Another reason I dumped Dawnguard is because of those long tedious levels where the only company you have is that miserable c#nt Serana.
 
Lon wolf all the way! I like to sneak a lot, and with a companion in tow, it doesn't only become hard, it becomes almost impossible! Oh! LOOK! A pressure plate! I wonder what'd happen if I stepped on it! :ashstab:

And the doors. WHY DO YOU BLOCK THE DAMN DOORS LYDIA? WHY? WHYYYY?:mad:
 

Reaper24

Member
I always have companions with me. In my opinion as big as Skyrim is, it doesn't make sense not to have a party with you. So I have one true companion, Vorstag, my two dead thralls Reaver lord (Reaper) and my forsworn briarheart Rudolph. Plus Serana, Brother verules, a Riekling warrior, I named running bear, and Barbas. Together, we are the protectors of Skyrim. But yeah my party is just a tiny op. But it makes things seem real, when I have a bunch of people with me. How could just two people, or one take on an entire dungeon? Dragonborn or not they would die. So I have seven people with me, and we are all blood brothers. Minus Serana she does not count.
 

Hollie

New Member
For those of you who don't like travelling with companions for the most part, you've never lived until you've experienced what it's like to try a raid dungeon whilst followed by 12 followers at once. (Yeah, we really do need to sit down and have a chat with some of these mod creators!) Needless to say though, once you tried that, going back to only having to deal with Lydia's nonsense is a joyful experience. :D
 

Pete

Well-Known Member
As for the companion blocking you, there is a mod for that: Longer Durations and Annoyance Fixes -- if you can use mods.

My vampire characters always have 'followers' but I will have them wait when i'm clearing out a dungeon or something.

When I'm out doors, I need them esp when a fire dragon appears :beermug:
 

The Honorable Gidian Diva of Sass

Sahrot Vahlok Spaan. Bahnahgaar. Minion #88!
Staff member
Smh. Companions rarely ever get in my way, and when they do all I got to do is walk into them for a second and they'll move. I have no idea how this ridiculous stereotypical misconception started, but on the latest patched version of the game (and many before it) it is absolutely false with the exception of animal companions.

As for their usefulness in combat, they are absolutely invaluable if you are doing a challenge run (playing on a high difficulty without powerful skills or equipment). They only really get in your way in that they tend to draw aggro first when you are trying to sneak, but even then it isn't difficult to simply adjust and use that your advantage. Besides which in most stages of stealth play you'll really only get one or two attacks off before you're detected anyways, making a follower all the more useful to attract attention so that you can retreat and re stealth. If you're annoyed that they keep you from getting melee sneak attacks, well you're not going to get those anyways until you're very decently leveled. And even then they serve as a good distraction if you allow them to charge ahead so that you can out maneuver your opponent so that the low stealth level isn't such a big deal.

They can even carry more loot for you. I'm all for individual play style and no way necessarily being the end all be all, but the benefits of a companion objectively far outweigh the negatives.
 

The Honorable Gidian Diva of Sass

Sahrot Vahlok Spaan. Bahnahgaar. Minion #88!
Staff member
The only time I elect not to take a companion is when I want to give myself an extra challenge, as companions can easily turn the game into easy mode on any difficulty.
 

Kohlar the Unkilled

Time for some ale
I travel with a companion always. The glories of battle, the thrill of discovery, ale, mead... certain things in life are just better when shared. Sometimes the follower is incorporated into the backstory of a particular character, such as with Kohlar's wife Jordis the Swordmaiden who is in actuality the reincarnation of St. Alessia, Kohlar being the reincarnation of Morihaus. Beyond that, I enjoy watching followers interact with enemies, and I enjoy giving them equipment to use. They amuse me. Give your follower Sanguine's Rose, and she'll be sure to use it for every skeever and mud crab encounter. :beermug:
 

sticky runes

Well-Known Member
I love it when followers shout insults and curses at the enemy! I was with Janessa one time and she called a hagraven some sort of dunmer insult and i nearly dropped the controller and pissed myself laughing!
 

Papoy

DON'T EXPECT SPOILER WARNINGS FROM ME
I probably wont say anything new, but here i go.
Mostly depends on what im playing. Mages in practicular need to have 2-legged dmg absorbtion.
Warriors, however, mostly depends on your role play. Either you are social enough and need brother/sister in arms, or youre badass lone wolf.

Me? Follower all the way. Not in singular by mistake. Only one follower.

Wait for it.

Calder! Thats one hell of a nord! In later lvls, I enjoy watching him fight 1on1 versus draugur deathlord. Badass fight!

As mentioned above, thiefs & assassins have no use of follower. MAYBE, Cicero, but ONLY after lvl 50, when his sneak lvl is 100
 

CemeteryGates23

New Member
I mainly use companions as packing mules, I have a tendency to bring a lot of stuff "just in case" and travel heavy, so it's nice to still be able to loot dungeons with the help of my follower.
That said, my favorite follow is actually Lydia.
 

Daelon DuLac

How do you backstab a Dragon?
Smh. Companions rarely ever get in my way, and when they do all I got to do is walk into them for a second and they'll move. I have no idea how this ridiculous stereotypical misconception started, but on the latest patched version of the game (and many before it) it is absolutely false with the exception of animal companions.

As for their usefulness in combat, they are absolutely invaluable if you are doing a challenge run (playing on a high difficulty without powerful skills or equipment). They only really get in your way in that they tend to draw aggro first when you are trying to sneak, but even then it isn't difficult to simply adjust and use that your advantage. Besides which in most stages of stealth play you'll really only get one or two attacks off before you're detected anyways, making a follower all the more useful to attract attention so that you can retreat and re stealth. If you're annoyed that they keep you from getting melee sneak attacks, well you're not going to get those anyways until you're very decently leveled. And even then they serve as a good distraction if you allow them to charge ahead so that you can out maneuver your opponent so that the low stealth level isn't such a big deal.

They can even carry more loot for you. I'm all for individual play style and no way necessarily being the end all be all, but the benefits of a companion objectively far outweigh the negatives.
While all true, how do you get around how annoying they are, repeating the same thing over and over and over and doing the same things repeatedly.

I do believe you are wrong about their getting in the way, attracting unwanted attention when using stealth and their arbitrarily disappearing and not returning to the point of origin. Blocking doorways, hallways and any other sort of movement is classic, especially for those of us on console. It may be better than at initial release, but it is a fact and it is insulting that you are calling the many hundreds of posters that have stated it liars.

Because you experience differs from that of most other forum members does not make you the authority on the subject. Perhaps you play on PC and make use of any number of mods. That may mitigate your experience.

While I agree that companions can be very helpful when you are at an extremely low level, can serve as trainers and can act as damage sponges at higher difficulties - IMHO, followers/companions are far more trouble than they are worth.

As to you supposition that you can use them as pack-mules - while that may be true, how on earth do you justify it in an RPG sense and why, oh why do you even need them? I usually stop collecting most everything before level 20 as it is completely unneeded. Even with a minimum of enchanting skills, you can create an sell items of far higher value than anything you might find by then.
 

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