Lydia RIP. Who's the next best follower.?

[Vaga8ond]

I play as a warrior character so i will use Lydia at times for fun and joy cause i like her. But if i need to use some magical brute force i will bring along: Aranea Ienith. She is a magical juggernaut you have to complete Azura's Star Quest keeping the star and bringing it back to her to be fixed, that part is a bitch to complete. But sfter she will follow you. Put her in some Glass Armour and watch her go

I like her as well, although she conjures flame atronarchs a lot and if you conjure one they will sometimes attack each other if they get to close to one another. Other than that if you like conjuration mages she is perfect fit.

 

[Vaga8ond]

For destruction, you might hire Marcurio in Riften, or one of the new mages at the college. I think you have to do the Saarthal quest for them, though. Marcurio is pretty hardcore with destruction, but he uses chain lightning, which may become a problem with nearby NPCs. I have given him swords, but I never paid enough attention to whether he was using them.

There's a spellsword hireling in Solitude, but he seems just to want to conjure familiars left and right, even though he's listed as a destruction-heavy NPC. You may have better luck with him, but the down side is that he's already got his own iron armor, so giving him something decent will decrease his carry weight.

There's also the dark elf up at Azura's shrine. I've never used her, but she does give follower dialog and I know she's a mage. Very few, it seems, can do both magic and weapons.

Here's the UESP, which may give you a better look at their individual talents. It's funny to note how many are light armor specialists, but come with heavy armor, etc.

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Followers

I hired the hireling in Solitude and I noticed that he doesn't use much destruction magic at all just conjuration, restoration, and alteration. He will use one handed attacks and will switch over to bows for ranged attacks. The Dark Elf at Azura's shrine uses conjuration and destruction magic, she's not bad either.

 

[JoeReese]

I hired the hireling in Solitude and I noticed that he doesn't use much destruction magic at all just conjuration, restoration, and alteration. He will use one handed attacks and will switch over to bows for ranged attacks. The Dark Elf at Azura's shrine uses conjuration and destruction magic, she's not bad either.

Side note on that topic: If you're a serial upsmither/enchanter, like me, your follower can dish out worlds more damage with a good bow than with even a high level destruction spell.

 

[Start Dale]

I hired the hireling in Solitude and I noticed that he doesn't use much destruction magic at all just conjuration, restoration, and alteration. He will use one handed attacks and will switch over to bows for ranged attacks. The Dark Elf at Azura's shrine uses conjuration and destruction magic, she's not bad either.

Side note on that topic: If you're a serial upsmither/enchanter, like me, your follower can dish out worlds more damage with a good bow than with even a high level destruction spell.

All my favourite followers get this treatment. As i am a serial crafter and armourer myself. So yeah armour for everyone. Only used one sell sword and sacrificed him to Boethiah. Heh.

Well honestly Lydia as been upgraded so much she is far removed from her original status. Now capable of taking out Draugr DeathLords on her own with ease. Full Deadric armour enchanted, Deadric two handed weapons also enchanted and Deadric Bow enchanted as well. Everything is upgraded to legendary. Makes her pretty hard core. Though you could do this to any of your followers.

I play vanilla so all is within the game restraints.

 

[HappyTroll]

I had Faendal in the very beginning and really liked him. Does a follower reflect your skill and experience level.?

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[JoeReese]

Most of them do level up with you, to some extent. This shows you their skills and their level caps, though if you arm/armor him well, Faendal can still rock the house well into the 70s.

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Followers

 

[DRTBAG]

Followers Lvl up to you're Lvl & will keep leveling till their individual Lvl cap. So(in my understanding) if you're Lvl2 when you met him he'll be as well & continue to Lvl til his cap. * edit * Each one has their own particular skill set, warrior, ranger, mage & so on.

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[JoeReese]

Followers Lvl up to you're Lvl & will keep leveling till their individual Lvl cap. So(in my understanding) if you're Lvl2 when you met him he'll be as well & continue to Lvl til his cap. * edit * Each one has their own particular skill set, warrior, ranger, mage & so on.

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Dude! It...is...aliiiiive.

 

[DRTBAG]

Uhhhh......what??

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[LuChao]

I personally would use the DB initiate since they level up till lvl 80 with the player they dont die and they relatively quiet

 

[Tryn]

I Lost Lydia a few weeks ago in the Honningbrew cellar. I was actually sad about it but I wasn't going back because she was sacrificed killing that crazy magician. And it took quite a few tries to finish him off.
So I have hired Stenvarr of Windhelm. He complains more than Lydia did! Who is a decent follower that has some magicka skills but can still wield a blade and isn't a huge wuss..?

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

I decided to try Serena as a follower, and have been truly impressed. Not only does she have some kick-butt spells but she's immortal. Because it's Lydia's job to to protect you, she's always jumping in front of you and getting herself shot in the back by friendly fire.

Funny side note: As an experiment, I took Serena up on the Throat of the World and blew her off a cliff. I then fast traveled to my next destination and there she was... about 50% down on her health... looking at me a little askance... but otherwise not a hair out of place. Her one flaw is that you can't tell her to do things like pick something up, so eventually because of the weight glitch she gets to a point where she can't carry anything for you any more. Between butlers and boots, though, I really don't need her for that. One other thing makes Serena a bit more fun is she interacts more with the world around her than Lydia. For example, Serena will wander around your house, sit in chairs, stir the stew, etc.

 

[Start Dale]

I Lost Lydia a few weeks ago in the Honningbrew cellar. I was actually sad about it but I wasn't going back because she was sacrificed killing that crazy magician. And it took quite a few tries to finish him off.
So I have hired Stenvarr of Windhelm. He complains more than Lydia did! Who is a decent follower that has some magicka skills but can still wield a blade and isn't a huge wuss..?

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

I decided to try Serena as a follower, and have been truly impressed. Not only does she have some kick-butt spells but she's immortal. Because it's Lydia's job to to protect you, she's always jumping in front of you and getting herself shot in the back by friendly fire.

Funny side note: As an experiment, I took Serena up on the Throat of the World and blew her off a cliff. I then fast traveled to my next destination and there she was... about 50% down on her health... looking at me a little askance... but otherwise not a hair out of place. Her one flaw is that you can't tell her to do things like pick something up, so eventually because of the weight glitch she gets to a point where she can't carry anything for you any more. Between butlers and boots, though, I really don't need her for that. One other thing makes Serena a bit more fun is she interacts more with the world around her than Lydia. For example, Serena will wander around your house, sit in chairs, stir the stew, etc.

I've noticed Lydia doing all that stuff especially if you make her the boss of one of the Hearthfire properties.

However Serena changed me into a Vampire during one fight with a dragon on accident. Immediately sent her away... I ain't no vamp

 

[Tryn]

I Lost Lydia a few weeks ago in the Honningbrew cellar. I was actually sad about it but I wasn't going back because she was sacrificed killing that crazy magician. And it took quite a few tries to finish him off.
So I have hired Stenvarr of Windhelm. He complains more than Lydia did! Who is a decent follower that has some magicka skills but can still wield a blade and isn't a huge wuss..?

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

I decided to try Serena as a follower, and have been truly impressed. Not only does she have some kick-butt spells but she's immortal. Because it's Lydia's job to to protect you, she's always jumping in front of you and getting herself shot in the back by friendly fire.

Funny side note: As an experiment, I took Serena up on the Throat of the World and blew her off a cliff. I then fast traveled to my next destination and there she was... about 50% down on her health... looking at me a little askance... but otherwise not a hair out of place. Her one flaw is that you can't tell her to do things like pick something up, so eventually because of the weight glitch she gets to a point where she can't carry anything for you any more. Between butlers and boots, though, I really don't need her for that. One other thing makes Serena a bit more fun is she interacts more with the world around her than Lydia. For example, Serena will wander around your house, sit in chairs, stir the stew, etc.

I've noticed Lydia doing all that stuff especially if you make her the boss of one of the Hearthfire properties.

However Serena changed me into a Vampire during one fight with a dragon on accident. Immediately sent her away... I ain't no vamp

Seriously? Serena turned you into a vampire? That's a hoot! She doesn't take kindly to friendly fire sometimes, that's a fact.

As for Lydia, I was referring to her in her bodyguard/follower role, wherein she seems opposed to distractions or wandering far from your side.

 

[chizzbot]

I like Lydia... she can swing a giant's club like nobody's business!

 

[Tryn]

Yes. Yes she can and she's got some critical hit moves that would make the toughest adversaries clench their cheeks.

 

[DRTBAG]

One of my characters liked Lydia so much she married her & turned her into a vampyr.

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