The Lydia Manual

[Medea]

There is no 'best follower', because much of it comes down to personal experience and opinion. If you want to get technical, the best followers can be the ones who do not die. At all.

I know, I agree with you. That's why I put "best" in quotations. But this video does show which followers have the highest natural stats per level, and what level each follower maxes out at. It doesn't mean they will be the best for your character/play-through, but I would still rather have a follower that maxes-out at level 51, or 81, over one that maxes-out at 25.

 

[Start Dale]

Ah Lydia...

I've found her to be extremely useful in certain situation and a life saver (eventually once i stopped getting my punk ass handed to me by me first ever Draugr Death overlord) at least once. She battled on against him while i ran off to whiterun picked up Wabbajack ran back and sweet rolled him to death, Lydia on her own having taken about half his health off him all be herself. Moral of the story always bring a Wabbajack, a big axe and a Lydia.

This all happened before i got all my two handed perks and Ebony Mail...

I've got her pimped out in some enchanted armour big damage enchanted weaponry and enchanted bows and arrows. My Housecarls get all the best armour and toys when they roll with me ( they'll need them to survive ).

 

[SaveVsBedWet]

The best thing to do for people who are having a problem with Lydia's personality is to dismiss her, become Thane of Solitude, and have Jordis the Sword Maiden follow you. All the fighting ability of Lydia with none of the attitude and should I even say, "eagerness" and "humor"?

Lydia's travels with Dr. D'Irsei ended very shortly after a major dispute over a denture relining with several vampires. Around level 5. Since about level 13 or so Jordis has been handling the assistant role, quite well I might add. And once the Dr. picked up her Nightingale Armor, graduated up to the new Daedric dental tools, and gifted Jordis with some of her own plus the Ebony Armour, they've been unstoppable.

Jordis actually held off almost the entire functional occupancy of the Blue Palace down in a lower hall largely by herself after a "misunderstanding" with one of them about the best way to floss. Left the Dr. plenty of time upstairs to chat with the Jarl about payment plans and such.

 

[Start Dale]

The best thing to do for people who are having a problem with Lydia's personality is to dismiss her, become Thane of Solitude, and have Jordis the Sword Maiden follow you. All the fighting ability of Lydia with none of the attitude and should I even say, "eagerness" and "humor"?

Lydia's travels with Dr. D'Irsei ended very shortly after a major dispute over a denture relining with several vampires. Around level 5. Since about level 13 or so Jordis has been handling the assistant role, quite well I might add. And once the Dr. picked up her Nightingale Armor, graduated up to the new Daedric dental tools, and gifted Jordis with some of her own plus the Ebony Armour, they've been unstoppable.

Jordis actually held off almost the entire functional occupancy of the Blue Palace down in a lower hall largely by herself after a "misunderstanding" with one of them about the best way to floss. Left the Dr. plenty of time upstairs to chat with the Jarl about payment plans and such.

See thats the thing for me Jordis is just too Chipper... Hell i just married Lydia what does that say about me?

 

[Kairee Blackblade]

Mmm, can't stand my oh-so-sarcastic housecarl. It is super-creepy to wake up and find her in your bedroom when you shut the door in her face the night before. Especially disconcerting when you've got a sexy husband you'll be leaving alone in the house with her.

All my previous characters have found amusing ways to kill her, but my current one hasn't made up her mind how to off the bitch. I'm considering killing her with my newly-acquired Ebony Blade, but wasn't sure if housecarls count toward the upgrade. Anyone know?

 

[Dagmar]

I'm considering killing her with my newly-acquired Ebony Blade, but wasn't sure if housecarls count toward the upgrade. Anyone know?

Housecarls are considered to be your close friends so killing them will count towards increasing the Absorb Health enchantment on the Ebony Blade.

 

[Kairee Blackblade]

Housecarls are considered to be your close friends so killing them will count towards increasing the Absorb Health enchantment on the Ebony Blade.

Woohoo! Thanks for the confirmation. Lydia dies tonight!!!

 

[Vinz]

I'm sorry for OT but Dagmar I've been meaning to ask you. If that is an unedited pic in your sign, then is it some mod for improving facial textures?

 

[Dagmar]

I'm sorry for OT but Dagmar I've been meaning to ask you. If that is an unedited pic in your sign, then is it some mod for improving facial textures?

Yes, it's the Better Females by Bella mod. I've since switched to the Coverwomen mod because it's customized to be seamless with a body mod I use.

 

[Loserbaby]

I don't have the option to get Lydia to carry things for me. I believe it should say something like "I want to trade something with you". What gives? I only just completed the Quest that "gives" Lydia to me. Do I have to have her longer for her to carry stuff for me?

 

[Adam Warlock]

I don't have the option to get Lydia to carry things for me. I believe it should say something like "I want to trade something with you". What gives? I only just completed the Quest that "gives" Lydia to me. Do I have to have her longer for her to carry stuff for me?

Did you purchase Breezehome ?

 

[Twiffle]

this looked a good and fun thread, , untill i noticed that the BULLY is posting so i will now stop watching, , , pity

 

[Loserbaby]

Did you purchase Breezehome ?

No

 

[Grob]

Followers have levels and stats? That's news to me.

 

[-Mir-]

heheh, as much as I also hate Lydia (for standing in the way and rarely moving [shame on me for not knowing "dah" yet lol] and for her "attitude" that is NOT only evident from being sworn to carry my burdens but from her rude, racist remarks while in combat and from the tone of her voice when she says "Oh!" or "Hey, watch it!" when she finally does move, and from her calling my dogs stupid and saying "You lost?!" in a rude tone over 50% of the time when I enter MY OWN HOUSE; most of which instances I had experienced before I ever even asked her to trade and heard the more notably sarcastic line...), she can be very useful in the game early on. She was a great help to me doing some of my first dungeons, but now that I have made more friends and have a larger pool of followers to choose from, I prefer to switch it up and use other people, or just go it alone with the truly BEST (imo) follower, Barbas. Although Barbas has Lyd's super-annoying-no-sneak-close-proximity-path-blocker traits nearly tripled, he makes up for it by being adorable...and invulnerable, so I don't really need another human. :3
But anyway, I just received the Wabbajack today, so I'm eager to go use it on her and see if it'll do anything.
Though really, my biggest issue with her as I've grown in level isn't really her stats or ability in combat, but the fact that she seems to be able to carry less and less as I get stronger. Maybe it's just me, since my carry weight is dynamic and constantly increasing, but it still seems like she can barely hold anything now, and it's not like the items have gotten heavier. She used to be able to carry like 9 dragon bones with some other stuff and now it seems like the last time I used her she was full carrying only 2 or 3, even with only her default equipment and boots that increase her carrying capacity by 30! I'm thinking maybe she has a crapload of hidden items on her somewhere, but I use poopy old PS3 so I can't really check. But maybe the Wabbajack can help me sort this out.

 

[ambiiientz]

heheh, as much as I also hate Lydia (for standing in the way and rarely moving [shame on me for not knowing "dah" yet lol] and for her "attitude" that is NOT only evident from being sworn to carry my burdens but from her rude, racist remarks while in combat and from the tone of her voice when she says "Oh!" or "Hey, watch it!" when she finally does move, and from her calling my dogs stupid and saying "You lost?!" in a rude tone over 50% of the time when I enter MY OWN HOUSE; most of which instances I had experienced before I ever even asked her to trade and heard the more notably sarcastic line...), she can be very useful in the game early on. She was a great help to me doing some of my first dungeons, but now that I have made more friends and have a larger pool of followers to choose from, I prefer to switch it up and use other people, or just go it alone with the truly BEST (imo) follower, Barbas. Although Barbas has Lyd's super-annoying-no-sneak-close-proximity-path-blocker traits nearly tripled, he makes up for it by being adorable...and invulnerable, so I don't really need another human. :3
But anyway, I just received the Wabbajack today, so I'm eager to go use it on her and see if it'll do anything.
Though really, my biggest issue with her as I've grown in level isn't really her stats or ability in combat, but the fact that she seems to be able to carry less and less as I get stronger. Maybe it's just me, since my carry weight is dynamic and constantly increasing, but it still seems like she can barely hold anything now, and it's not like the items have gotten heavier. She used to be able to carry like 9 dragon bones with some other stuff and now it seems like the last time I used her she was full carrying only 2 or 3, even with only her default equipment and boots that increase her carrying capacity by 30! I'm thinking maybe she has a crapload of hidden items on her somewhere, but I use poopy old PS3 so I can't really check. But maybe the Wabbajack can help me sort this out.

Her carry weight issue is a "bug".

When you dismiss and rehire/acquire multiple times some followers get extra invisible copies of their loadout.
With Lydia, I think she stacks infinite Hunting Bows, making her carry weight decrease.

Not sure if the Wabbajack fixes this (I rarely use followers).

Apparently this will be fixed in the 1.9 patch do out soon for consoles.

 

[Inquisitor Saken]

Isn't there a console command to teleport to your follower? I remember needing to use it when I told Lydia to wait and forgot where I left her.

 

[Adam Warlock]

Follow Me!: The Best Followers in Skyrim with TrendKiLLv01 (Skyrim Gameplay/Commentary) - YouTube

I already posted this on the essential followers thread, but felt it needed to be posted here too, to put to rest any arguments over who the "best" followers actually are.

Just got around to watching this and it was quite informative.
The crucial point made there is that Lydia and the housecarls are at a comparative disadvantage to lower capped followers in the early game as far as total stats.
Much has changed since followers now level with the Dragonborn but that part should remain valid.
At level 25 , Lydia will only be halfway to her max #s when Cosnach , Benor , Aranea , etc will be close to reaching their greatest strength.

The Dawnguard and Dragonborn DLC add seven more followers who could be better than any of the ones from the vanilla game , particularily Frea and Serana who are both incredibly powerful AND essential.
Still a matter of taste , playstyle , and the stage of the game as to who is "best" for any particular player imho

Meanwhile , my Lydia has new trading dialogue added to her characteristic "carry your burdens" line which helps to show that she`s serious about doing her job.
The 1st time I heard her say , " I am at your command !" , I responded , "Well , it`s about time you got with the program , Lydia ! Here , have a Sweet Roll ."

 

[Dagmar]

...The crucial point made there is that Lydia and the housecarls are at a comparative disadvantage to lower capped followers in the early game as far as total stats...

While I like the video series, he's simply wrong in this claim. In the Creation Kit you can do a side by side comparison of a Housecarl with other lower capped followers on a level for level basis and their stats are equal to or greater than any other melee combat follower at the same level.

 

[Adam Warlock]

Gosh , I wish the Creation Kit was accessible via Xbox.
Thanks for the info.

I read a lot about followers like Lydia dying but I never had problems wiith her or the housecarls myself.
I had chalked it up to the fact that I didn`t acquire them until level 40 and after.
Several level 25 followers have died however.