Thank you!!! Agree with all you said in return =)

I enjoy using the summon familiar wolf, but not sure how much longer it will be viable (I assume it doesn't scale).

My invisible friend arthur - he doesn't throw his body between me and my target in a seemingly desperate attempt to save the enemies life and gain a reason to scream at me. He also doesn't give me away by pre-engaging enemies we cant even see, causing me to rush in blind to stop him from getting himself killed. He also doesn't make me want to tear his face off by saying the same things over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over... he doesn't carry anything, in fact, he doesn't help out at all. But the companionship and the rest of the aforementioned positives make up for this. He's the bestest adventuring buddy ever, since my mums old cat that insisted on falling asleep on me if I should so much as glance at a controller.

I switch between Aranea and Onmund. Onmund is a wicked battle mage. He has skills in Destruction, Heavy Armor, and One Hand. I put enchanted ebony on him and a paralyze enchanted sword for when his magicka is low. I give Aranea two staffs and she will dual wield them when her magicka is low. Just don't give her a chain lightning staff anymore. O.o

Certainly not Mjoll the Lioness, she just can't shut her pipehole. She talks too much, even during dialogues.

I'm using Aranea and I'm curious why shouldn't I give her the lightning staff..? lol

Anyways, to answer OP's question, I think any companion is good enough if his/her skill complements yours. So for mine, I'm playing a 2-handed, heavy armor warrior, (no magic at all, just sometimes for restoration) so I'm using Aranea as my follower cuz she's fully magic-based and she can summon atronachs, so when I'm doing close-combat, she can strike the enemy from range with frost spikes or something. : )

Jordis the Sword Maiden.

She's better than Lydia in combat, she sounds earnest when saying "...carry your burdens", she doesn't get in my way or die all the time.

I'm on my first run-through, and so far I've only used Lydia or Marcurio, the mage from Riften. Since I'm primarily a fighter, he gives me some added help. And Lydia is a major stalker chick: I can't keep her out of my bedroom, even when I'm supposed to be getting some "Lovers Comfort" from my spouse!

Been with Cosnach for many hours now, he's a great guy, we've been through a lot.

Can't see myself getting another companion.

Stenvar. While Lydia, Dog and Anneke died on the easiest adventures, Stenvar kicks everyone's ass. We have history. From Vampires to Dwarfs, Stenvar beats everything.

Magic User followers are [censored] kickers. Give them a staff of lightning, a decent robe and a gnarly dagger and they explode baddies.

I picked up a dude who betrayed his old ex cult companions, a dark elf like my character. He doesnt muck around.

I dont use fellow College members, cos if they die in your service, you've gotta jump through hoops to get back on the colleges' good side. I didnt explore this quest line however.

I love Eola from Markarth's hall of the dead. She's brilliant. Plus points for calling me "champion" and not pouting like Lydia when asked to carry items.

Anyone tried out the executioner from solitude? He seems badass.
And only mjoll got some real dialogue lines? I like it when she tells
about hunting cliff racers in morrowind

how can I use aela

Illia for me...most pretty mage on skyrim..great skill on frost gave her staff of hag's (firewall) and boom!!she rocks!!but then again,companion sometimes gave to much assist but sometimes we need those assist..LOL

too bad everytime we parted ways i had to "setrelationshiprank player 1" just to get her to be able to communicate with me,hahahahaha

Aneke has lots going for her. The hottest thing out there in forswear armor being number 1!
She carriers a tom weraing about as much material as one fur bracer.
Good at sneak, good archer, funny dialogue. Gladly carries whatever I give her. Great at dual wield and sword and board. She will even jump off 20' drops to follow me.
Did I say she is the hottest thing ever in Vaniall ES in forsworn armor yet?
Even the headress looks cool on her.
When I first got her we were sneaking up on a herd of mammoths and she says " I have a bad feeling about this"
Ha!

Ugh... she even says the same sentences as Lydia?

=) They all say the same generalizations, just not all sourpuss like her

Lydia is annoying, and I wish there was a way to fire her. So far every character I've rolled has killed her off instead, freaky creepy stalker that she is.

Farkas is where it's at, strong, handsome, not too bright and doesn't talk too much.

I like Aela too, she stays out of the way and provides good support from the back.

I'm going to try one of the casters on my paladin, perhaps the dude from Dawnstar, he seems nice.

Really? I thought there was at least a little bit differences.

I like Anneke Crag-Jumper. To bad you can't marry her, but you can marry her daughter. However, I'm not really down to bring my mother-in-law on my adventures.

Hehe... Chain lighting staff specifically. One time I was in a battle, and it was nearing the end and I was still being attacked by lightning... couldn't figure out where it was coming from. It was Aranea using the chain lightning staff! She was attacking the bad guy, but the lightning effect was leaping to me!! "Hey, watch it with that thing!!". Yikes!

Also, gave Aranea some enchanted robes and a helmet once. She put the helmet on but not the robes (I have only seen her put the robes on once). It was like those guards in Sheogoraths place back in Oblivion Shivering Isles. She apparently favors gold colored skivies.

Lydia is terrible after higher levels, I found her her pretty much gone in 3 hits so I hired a mercenary and boy are they much better. I used Vortag from Markath mostly.

Sven my personal Bard. He's only so-so, but he is composing my legend damnit!