Nocte Aeterna
Sir Not-Appearing-in-This-Film
Only if you use the term "sentient" loosely.
This is very, very true.
Only if you use the term "sentient" loosely.
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).
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.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.
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.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.
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.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.
Dagmar,
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.
Team her with a couple of Dremora Lords and nothing (absolutely nothing) ever touches you.
Indeed?! I had no idea that one could give equipment to those little blue cretins... I've never bothered to use them.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.