Dog...is it worth it
- Thread starter blackieox
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Annageckos
Well-Known Member
I love having a dog with me. They are fun to have fighting by your side. They can also help to distract enemies. But they can get in the way, and make sure to save often because they are easy to kill by accident. That said I had the perfect fighting style with Meeko. I used my bow and hung back while he mauled the enemy. I found that using magic or a melee weapon doesn't mix well with a dog. They always end up getting hit and getting killed.
Mewness
Trans-Neptunian Object
They're sort of fun if you can fight without accidentally hitting them--they have a bigger hit-area that they appear to, so it's easy to hit them accidentally. They're terrible if you're a stealthy character. They don't sneak, they'll run up and attack things you're trying to sneak up on, etc.
I've also had problems with a dog getting aggressive toward my follower. It's especially bad if the follower is a spellcaster and uses any sort of area effect, but it can also happen with non-spellcasters. It's a major nuisance, as the dog just doesn't seem to quit attacking once it starts.
Also, most dogs are kind of fragile relative to high level characters. Vigilance is the strongest, capped at level 50. Meeko and random stray dogs are capped at level 25. I'm not sure how good the dogs in Dawnguard are--haven't tried them.
I've also had problems with a dog getting aggressive toward my follower. It's especially bad if the follower is a spellcaster and uses any sort of area effect, but it can also happen with non-spellcasters. It's a major nuisance, as the dog just doesn't seem to quit attacking once it starts.
Also, most dogs are kind of fragile relative to high level characters. Vigilance is the strongest, capped at level 50. Meeko and random stray dogs are capped at level 25. I'm not sure how good the dogs in Dawnguard are--haven't tried them.
DEADxOFxKNIGHT
Sewing-Life Alchemist
the death hounds used by the volkihar vampires suck pretty bad though they have frost damage when thet bite you but the huskys used by the dawngaurd are ok if you dont accidentaly kill them they are decent meat sheilds at best the only enemy they can really take down alone are skeletons and wolves
Dagmar
Defender of the Bunnies of Skyrim
They tend to make a mess of things inside the house constantly knocking things over (kind of like real dogs 
). They have no ranged attacks so unless you're proficient at aiming they can get in the way when you want to use ranged attacks.
Lydia doesn't like them. When I had a Stray Dog as a house pet she could be heard saying "Stupid dog!" on more than one occasion when it barked.
). They have no ranged attacks so unless you're proficient at aiming they can get in the way when you want to use ranged attacks.Lydia doesn't like them. When I had a Stray Dog as a house pet she could be heard saying "Stupid dog!" on more than one occasion when it barked.
Rimfaxe96
Well-Known Member
When I tried to sneak up on a bunch of Thalmor soldiers at the Abandoned Shack in Solstheim, the dog that just kept following me did a piss poor job staying low. Instead he ran forth and mauled them all while I was standing a few meters behind, watching.
Guess they'll have to educate their soldiers on how to deal with dogs.
Guess they'll have to educate their soldiers on how to deal with dogs.
Wildroses
Well-Known Member
Die gloriously in battle unless you are on PC and have an essential dogs mod installed.
Annageckos
Well-Known Member
Guess I must have gotten lucky. Meeko was great for me, he attacked while I used my bow, rarely hit him. He wouldn't attack until I did, rarely gave me away when sneaking. But I had to leave him at home for now because I wanted to use magic and melee, and I hit him too much. Him and Marcurio did get into it twice. I think Marcurio must have hit him with a spell. I had Meeko with me for over 200 hours.
The Phoenician
Shiney, let's be bad guys.
I like having Meeko with my hunter builds. Especially at early levels when I cant one hit an elk yet. But with combat cenetered characters I leave the dogs at home.
ColleenG
When in doubt, follow the fox.
Bran (Dawnguard) is an armored husky who is awesome in battle and just simply doesn't die, although his lil lifeline gets microscopic at times. That's fine, I get points for restoration all the time! Meeko dies EASY and is a pain in the ass. Well, both dogs are a pain in the ass, because THEY TOO reside in doorways, blocking your way. I recently lost Meeko--don't know where he went. I've looked everywhere. And now I am sad. It seems like I start caring about all my menagerie too much. My dwarven spider, my dogs, my armored troll, my follower. I feel like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.
Daelon DuLac
How do you backstab a Dragon?
I agree with ColleenG. I like Bran. Actually I like all the huskies (except, of course, for the ones that attack me on one of the quests - and I always feel bad when I have to kill them, but, apparently, they, like their owners are ensorceled). Meeko or the strays - meh... useful against wolves but get killed by almost anything else and have a tendency to fall off of cliffs.
Dagmar
Defender of the Bunnies of Skyrim
I always raise Meeko's level cap to 50 which makes him more durable. If you're on a console version of the game the most effective way to keep Meeko alive is to have a regular follower as well. That way enemies are less likely to focus on him, especially if you upgrade the regular followers gear to do more damage and attract more attention. You should drop Meeko as a follower once you're around level 25 or so because that's his vanilla game level cap and you'll start generating enemies that outlevel him after that increasing the chance of him getting killed with just a few hits.
Barbas, while technically no more a dog than Shadowmere is a horse, is a supernatural being that manifests as a dog on Nirn. He is completely invulnerable to harm. You can get him by starting the Dadric Quest for Clavicus Vile (A Daedra's Best Friend) and then delaying completing it indefinitely. You can dismiss him and recruit him at Haemar's Shame later as long as you don't complete the quest.
Barbas, while technically no more a dog than Shadowmere is a horse, is a supernatural being that manifests as a dog on Nirn. He is completely invulnerable to harm. You can get him by starting the Dadric Quest for Clavicus Vile (A Daedra's Best Friend) and then delaying completing it indefinitely. You can dismiss him and recruit him at Haemar's Shame later as long as you don't complete the quest.
Annageckos
Well-Known Member
I didn't think Meeko could be killed by enemies, only if you or a follower kill him. I have never had him die from an enemy, only when I accidentally hit him.
Dagmar
Defender of the Bunnies of Skyrim
He can die. I know it's just a game and he's only a pixel dog but I felt really bad the first time I looked around for him after a battle and saw his lifeless corpse lying there. I reloaded my last save and retired my live Meeko after that until I decided to raise his level cap. It's enough that between me, my Housecarl kitted out in full Daedric enchanted gear (sans helmet) and Meeko's higher health, he never draws enemy attacks long enough for him to die.
Dagmar
Defender of the Bunnies of Skyrim
Barbas isn't essential, he's invulnerable, like Brynjolf is before completing the first quest of the Thieves Guild. An essential NPC can be dropped to one knee which is the equivalent of stunning them. An invulnerable NPC cannot be dropped to one knee no matter how much damage is inflicted on them.
I forgot to mention a unique annoying trait regarding Barbas and that is that his pathing is bugged. Most NPC's will path to a spot near you when you stop moving. Barbas however tries to path to where you're standing which effectively means he's constantly pushing you when you aren't moving. He has been known to push many player characters to their deaths this way when they are standing by a cliffside or the edge of a tower (including me). Exercise caution accordingly regarding where you stop or you'll be like me the first time you're near a cliff, falling to your death shouting "STUPID DOOoog!" [splat]
Benthos
Proud Mer
Yes, invulnerable, that's exactly what I meant, he can be killed at the end of his quest where you have a choice to either kill him and keep the Rueful Axe or spare him for the Masque. I know the pain in his pathing, he also tends to have a constant battle with gravity as well from time to time due to interacting with beds and walls. WARNING: Do NOT fast travel to Bard's Leap Summit with Barbas and someone else, as soon as you're there, you have no reaction time, you appear being shoved off and having to travel back the long way if you need to get up there.
Annageckos
Well-Known Member
Odd, I have never had an enemy kill him, ever. In my current game I have had him with me for over 200 hours and only recently left him at home. He was with me til level 45ish. I had killed him many times, until we figured out a fighting style. He has taken on both mammoths and giants and not died, even after taking multiple hits from both.
