Are housecarls, especially Lydia, the best tanks in skyrim?

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Are housecarls the BEST warrior/tank followers?


  • Total voters
    31

Perkless in Skyrim

Bad to the Dragonbone.
What's with all the followers? Can't you just do it yourself (unless quest related). I never use followers and am kind of grateful I don't. I have so much crap I can't sell now. Why would I want to bring even more home and put up with the snotty attitudes of the Carls? As I've said before, Khajit followers I can deal with. They know how to sneak and I just luv their voices (confusing as their conversations are sometimes).

I have discovered a use for followers that only they can perform: Picking up skill books. If I pick it up, I automatically read it. There are times that I don't want to do this, either for role-play reasons (no Destruction levelling on my illusionist) or I'm at a low level and would be wasting the skill book when I could gain the level easily myself. I feel that skill books are most useful at the higher levels when it takes forever to improve a skill.

They can also be instructed to pick things up even when they are at their max carrying capacity. I was exploring a Dwemer ruin and both myself and Stenvar were carrying our limits. I had him pick up all those heavy dwemer struts and solid dwemer metal on the way out which I then smelted down when it was convenient. The catch is that items they pick up when over their limit may end up with a stolen flag on them so I try to limit it to things I can alter into another form (like dwarven ingots or ingredients into potions, etc.)

Followers are also useful for low level mages or others that don't deal with close combat easily and need something (or someone) to hide behind.

Sometimes I want one with me, sometimes I don't. There have been many occasions that I was grateful I had one with me though.
 

Daelon DuLac

How do you backstab a Dragon?
I have discovered a use for followers that only they can perform: Picking up skill books. If I pick it up, I automatically read it. There are times that I don't want to do this, either for role-play reasons (no Destruction levelling on my illusionist) or I'm at a low level and would be wasting the skill book when I could gain the level easily myself. I feel that skill books are most useful at the higher levels when it takes forever to improve a skill.

They can also be instructed to pick things up even when they are at their max carrying capacity. I was exploring a Dwemer ruin and both myself and Stenvar were carrying our limits. I had him pick up all those heavy dwemer struts and solid dwemer metal on the way out which I then smelted down when it was convenient. The catch is that items they pick up when over their limit may end up with a stolen flag on them so I try to limit it to things I can alter into another form (like dwarven ingots or ingredients into potions, etc.)

Followers are also useful for low level mages or others that don't deal with close combat easily and need something (or someone) to hide behind.

Sometimes I want one with me, sometimes I don't. There have been many occasions that I was grateful I had one with me though.
Since I have so much crap to sell now, I really don't need any packmules. I can see you thing about leveling (at least in an RP capacity), but that's not a concern for me.

Since I'm both a warrior and a mage (killer that can use spells too), I rarely use followers and never seem to have any with me anyhow, even when I need 'em. I am going to give the two new Khajits a try though (the one from the caravan is a goodly level warrior that can sneak too! and the one from the Mage College - mainly because his fire cloak scrolls are AWESOME! plus he's always happy to see me. apparently I make his day brighter with my very presence. smarmy, but it works).

With the dwemer levels, I almost never take the scrap metal. I have no use for it. Just too heavy and, as I said, I've got too much stuff now. I do like that the fallmer apparently do a lot of shopping. almost all of them have gold on them! I do like to get the soul gems and oil from the automotons though.
 

Ai Poisonleaf

Article Writer
Housecarls are not the best warriors in the game. They can be formidable in some situations, but they lack the deep reservoir of hitpoints needed to absorb serious damage and be of real assistance.

I have found that Moll the Lioness and Serana are the best followers in the game. They can be getting throttled and still talk crap to the enemy. I absolutely adore that quality about Mjoll. An example: Once I was with Mjoll at the Shrine of Boethiah, and I attacked the primary Orc female who is there for you to ask about the Shrine. Anyway, I started attacking her and suddenly I got gang-beaten. It was not my shining moment in combat, but I literally had to run around to stay alive. I was able to break away from combat, and I turned around to see Mjoll battling like six or seven followers from the Shrine. The gang of followers had her reduced to one knee and I could hear Mjoll saying "C'mon, is that all you got!"...it was awesome. Somehow she gained composure and wiped out the crew, then she came over to aid me...at this point I was running around trying not to die, and she cleared out the whole posse. That single instance should serve as a snapshot of why there are better followers/meat shields other than housecarls.

I conclude by saying this : do not get me wrong, I love Lydia. Lydia is my homie in the game and I even made her my spouse, so I have respect for her-- however, if I am going to go into a real fight, then I get Mjoll or Serana.
 

Dagmar

Defender of the Bunnies of Skyrim
Housecarls are not the best warriors in the game. They can be formidable in some situations, but they lack the deep reservoir of hitpoints needed to absorb serious damage and be of real assistance.
Housecarls have health that caps out at 671. That is greater than any of the vanilla followers in the game other than Jzargo, and only because his level cap is 81. Mjoll level caps at 40 so her health caps at 580. The only reason she can take a greater beating is because she is marked as essential and therefore cannot die, but she will take a knee faster than any of the housecarls as result. She also has less stamina and her archery skill is inferior to the Housecarls. The numbers don't lie. If your housecarls can't be of real assistance in your game that is simply reflective of your play style. If you give then the best gear in the game they can solo pretty much everything in the vanilla game. If you give them inferior gear your experience is going to vary.

Serana didn't even exist in game when this thread was created. It's pointless opinion poll about the vanilla followers because the ability to tank is based on coding and stats, not how players feel about one follower or another.

This thread was also created when the leveling mechanics for followers was completely broken so that they didn't level with you and were level locked to the level at which you first met them/entered their cell unless you used one of the workarounds I posted earlier in the thread. For most players that meant Lydia was always low level and quickly became fodder very early into the game.

In other words this thread is extremely outdated and now a cautionary tale on why it's poor netiquette to necropost obsolete discussions.
 

Ai Poisonleaf

Article Writer
Dagmar,

Oh, my, gosh...I could spend hours pointing out how angry and narrow-minded you are. But I will touch on the basics, because frankly, you are worth very little time and effort. To start with, I am extremely disappointed with your retort, as you seemed to miss the overall idea of the post. Mjoll and Serana cannot be killed so they would be superior as a follower, because they cannot die.

I was also disappointed that you chose a numerical comparison for your basis, because again, the two examples that were introduced were immortals-- so in essence you were comparing apples to carburetors.

Additionally, attempting to insult a persons style of play does nothing. You cannot qualify nor can you quantify your comment because style of play is not within your control. Nor is the data empirical...it's 100% subjective.

And finally, speaking on "nettiquette", it's not poor "nettiquette " to post on a thread that is outdated if a person just recently picked the game up and began playing. There are forty two of us from the office, who recently began playing the game, so you may have other "outdated" comments that follow mine. You are aware that just because the thread was initially introduced nearly four years ago, that does not mean that a new poster who sees it for the first time cannot comment. Right? You do get that? Threads get reactivated all the time on boards across a wide range of forums on the Internet, so you are not bringing attention to a new crime or issue.

So, in conclusion and to come to point: quit being an angry poster. And quit trying to be aggressive with new posters. Try and be polite and informative versus surly and hateful and maybe then other posters will like you and actually give credence to what you say. Because as it stands you are more of an nuisance than a resource.

Toodles!
 

Daelon DuLac

How do you backstab a Dragon?
Grabs the popcorn and awaits the fireworks...

Don't, and I cannot stress this enough... Do Not cross Dagmar.

Dagmar knows more than all of us combined and will reduce any who cross her to puddles on the floor with statistical, lore, numerical and/or logic.

Please Dagmar. Don't hurt me. I know the pain of your wrath.
 
I've tried Lydia and other housecarls but for tanking it my vote goes to Frea from the Skaal village. The only reason I dismiss her from service is that she's too darned lethal and prevents me from levelling up. I saw a good video of a duel between Frea and Serana once, but I can't find it now...Frea won.

I also like the way she demolishes an army and says something like: "I'm sorry it had to end this way but you gave me no other choice."

She's scary!

P.S. I've just read all of the posts above. I didn't realise that this was such a sensitive issue. I tend to research my followers stats and equip them with the best I have available. I should add that I equip Frea with Stahlrim armour tempered to the armour cap (and beyond, though that makes no difference). I also give her similarly tempered stahlrim weapons. Then again, I did that with Lydia too. I'm level 78 at the moment and sort of biding my time to get to level 80 and tackle a certain black-clad warrior in a way I haven't tried before. I feel a follower experiment looming...I can take both of them as followers. It should put in a couple of fun hours.
 
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Daelon DuLac

How do you backstab a Dragon?
I've tried Lydia and other housecarls but for tanking it my vote goes to Frea from the Skaal village. The only reason I dismiss her from service is that she's too darned lethal and prevents me from levelling up. I saw a good video of a duel between Frea and Serana once, but I can't find it now...Frea won.

I also like the way she demolishes an army and says something like: "I'm sorry it had to end this way but you gave me no other choice."

She's scary!

P.S. I've just read all of the posts above. I didn't realise that this was such a sensitive issue. I tend to research my followers stats and equip them with the best I have available. I should add that I equip Frea with Stahlrim armour tempered to the armour cap (and beyond, though that makes no difference). I also give her similarly tempered stahlrim weapons. Then again, I did that with Lydia too. I'm level 78 at the moment and sort of biding my time to get to level 80 and tackle a certain black-clad warrior in a way I haven't tried before. I feel a follower experiment looming...I can take both of them as followers. It should put in a couple of fun hours.
Since Frea, apparently, has no upper level limit, I rarely use her (I've seen her take down ancient dragons all by herself). I have to admit, that, when I'm playing a pure mage though, there really is no better bodyguard. Team her with a couple of Dremora Lords and nothing (absolutely nothing) ever touches you.
 
Daelon, I know where you're coming from.

Your comment about the Dremora lords I now understand. I'd played twice as a warrior and thought magicka was useless. This time, halfway through I changed tack and used my enchanting skills to reduce spell cost to zero. I have experimented with this format since and have settled on destruction and conjuration. The first time I summoned two dremora lords and swapped over to dual casting incinerate, I was hooked!

I still wouldn't take a follower in normal game-play because I want to get through it on my own but this combination and Frea would be some team.
 

DrunkenMage

Intoxicated Arch-Mage
Dagmar,
Mjoll and Serana cannot be killed so they would be superior as a follower, because they cannot die.

Not really, once a companion "goes down" an enemy will ignore them and then go to attack the player. What is superior is that a follower stays in the fight longer before going down.

I was also disappointed that you chose a numerical comparison for your basis, because again, the two examples that were introduced were immortals-- so in essence you were comparing apples to carburetors.

All followers are near immortal in combat, only that you can't accidently kill Mjoll. Housecarls out level Mjoll so they can remain in the fight longer.

Mjoll never dying sounds good, but once you realize companions don't die all that often it becomes redundant.

Though you should just pick who want instead, be it personal or RP reasons.

Team her with a couple of Dremora Lords and nothing (absolutely nothing) ever touches you.

Throw in a Riekling Hunter equipped in Daedric armor and wielding an enchanted Daedric Greatsword. Looks adorable cause they use the greatsword as a spear, and it kills everything.
 
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Kohlar the Unkilled

Time for some ale
Dagmar,
Mjoll and Serana cannot be killed so they would be superior as a follower, because they cannot die.

Not really, once a companion "goes down" an enemy will ignore them and then go to attack the player. What is superior is that a follower stays in the fight longer before going down.

I was also disappointed that you chose a numerical comparison for your basis, because again, the two examples that were introduced were immortals-- so in essence you were comparing apples to carburetors.

All followers are near immortal in combat, only that you can't accidently kill Mjoll. Housecarls out level Mjoll so they can remain in the fight longer.

Mjoll never dying sounds good, but once you realize companions don't die all that often it becomes redundant.

Though you should just pick who want instead, be it personal or RP reasons.

Team her with a couple of Dremora Lords and nothing (absolutely nothing) ever touches you.

Throw in a Riekling Hunter equipped in Daedric armor and wielding an enchanted Daedric Greatsword. Looks adorable cause they use the greatsword as a spear, and it kills everything.
Indeed?! I had no idea that one could give equipment to those little blue cretins... I've never bothered to use them.
 

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