I hear Cait has some good ones.

Companions are tanks and the U Haul at the same time. Just like in FO3 NV but that was way overpowered especially with Ed-E and Raul.

You can put a bowler hat on Codsworth. I just felt you needed to know this vital piece of information.

On topic: Don't use companions solely for the combat advantage if you don't enjoy their company. It will just get annoying. I love companions though, I'm never without one in any Fallout or TES title.

Yup, give them a version of the same gun you are using and they will do more damage. Give Piper or Nick an advanced 44 and they will will slaughter stuff.

I had one tagging along through almost the entirety of my first playthrough, eventually I dropped them because it just felt like my PC should be doing some of this stuff solo and Mary, Jesus and Joseph was that a weight off my shoulders. I like the companions, I like their dialogue and their quests. But maaan did I not realize how much it was annoying me that they constantly ruin my stealth or dictate my dialogue options (though they don't really, that's more of a me issue) to avoid the disapproval. I'm going to use some companions some of the time but it's definitely back to lone wandering for me.

I like them for story reasons. There's also a perk somewhere that makes it so you and your companion don't damage each other.

pointless taking a companion along if you've got a stealth/sniper character. Sneaks up to the guardpost. Takes aim with my long-scope. Comp *always* runs in the way of the scope. EVERY. TIME.

It's gotten to the stage where I just tell them to stay before I go anywhere, and just grab them afterwards to hold my loot. Their perks aren't worth the hassle. (And once I get a backpack mod I won't even need them for carrying loot)

(and it's not like they run in front of the scope in the heat of battle. you could be fighting on a football field and they'd STILL run directly in front of where you're aiming. Comp code must be like "go wherever the PC is aiming")

Hi!

Killshot would like a word with you

um yeah but I don't have that perk and I can still one-headshot most things, aside from a Deathclaw that takes about 3 shots. Do I *need* that perk? really?

Bethesda has had Oblivion, FO3, and Skyrim to figure out followers.

I have come to the conclusion that they have created annoying followers for no other reason than to screw with us. I mean that's the only possible reason why they've left followers in such a sorry state (if not even worse).

granted, FO4 followers at least will try to stay stealthy (unlike Serana "what WAS That??? killkillkill" lol). But the whole follower system needs a reboot/recode.

MacCready is my favourite, me and him sniping together and he packs a fair punch.

Dogmeat less so, but I like the dialogue and company the other companions provide.

They're also good meatshields for when my stealth attempts fail - they'll advance and draw enemy fire while I'm still in [ Caution ], enabling me to continue getting sneak crits even when everything's hit the fan.

They also have perks of varying effectiveness (Preston and MacCready very yes, Strong and Hancock nah)... and several of them will grant you free stuff regularly!

Codsworth -> purified Water

Piper -> random food item

Hancock -> random drug

Curie -> random med (iirc. or always stimpack..?)

MacCready -> random ammo

...and I don't know about Danse or 88 yet - I haven't travelled with them.

I think companions are a great help. They carry stuff and act as a distraction for enemies. For me on Survival that's gold quite often. I restrict myself from giving them too effective armor or weapons because they would be too strong. They also add flavour to your journey. Currently I'm with MacCready and trying to get him in bed but to no avail yet. Lately the boring guy even talked about his wife and child...

I love having companions, in Morrowind I massed an army of 76 and had a great war with Dagoth Ur.

I realize that the computer plays faster than the player, so I always travel with four 'autonomous weapon systems'. If followers want to fight, let them. After all they are doing their job so that you can do yours. Whether in FO or TES, I beef up followers' stats/AI/spell/inventory of their respective plugins before starting a game, as a result I get wonderful chaos and mayhem where ever I go. My PC/follower/npcs regularly end being casualties of friendly fire. In Oblivion, my seven followers have 'self-frenzy' swords with a 30' radius, the carnage is breath taking. To avoid being a casualty of of a teleported companion, it is wise to stand with your back to a drop off.

you are never going to get clever a.i companions. game requires enemy a.i. to be stupider than the player at all times and companion a.i. must be even stupider than that. if it were not so, the game could essentially just play itself. you are always going to have to carry them, it's just how it has to be.

They're more trouble than they're worth because the AI behind them is so stupid... I mean you'd think even the stupidest AI would know walking in front of someone firing a gun is a bad idea. I swear I've probably shot mine as much as the bad guys.

They start gun fights before you're ready - they really shouldn't shoot until you do.

They're constantly getting in the way, especially annoying if you're in a confined space, doorways etc, or trying to make a speedy retreat.

They nudge you out of cover in to the line of fire.

They start their dialogue chats anywhere... I had Piper start one up during a gun fight, lol. They should restrict those to only happen in safe zones.

They do so many stupid and annoying things, I only use one now for the extra inventory space. They really do need to look at improving the AI.

Codsworth drives me batty. He never has enough sense to get out of machine gun fire. And he has a knack of running up to the bad guys to attack them right after I've thrown a grenade.

I've heard he's supposedly immortal but in my experience he's managed to get himself killed quite often.

Usually I utter "Dammit Codsworth!" before reloading the game.

I have an allmost fully upgraded "neverending" laser rifle which, even in companion hands, melts enemies quite quite well...

BUT... It still uses ammo on them!!! -..-

Mainly just use them for story reasons although Dogmeat can be very helpful for low level characters. Piper's personality in particular makes me smile.

-facepalms-

Why must I be blind to the complete obvious? That'll help solve the whole 'my companions keep getting their butts kicked' issue for me.

Silly question.... can one use crafting to upgrade their default needs-no-ammo weapons?

(hmm, or can you not take it out of their inventory. I could see that happening.)

edit: no, I haven't used companions on my first character.

I give mine Remnant power armor and a Gatling laser, she hasn't gone down at all since, nice cause it uses those dumb power cores I keep finding (I don't like that power armor takes up my HUD)

I think this guy just explained it better then i could. And i completely agree.

pack mule, and nothing more. I use dogmeat, because you still get the lone wanderer perk with him as a companion. He never gets in my way, and when he does, he just gets shot with the rest of the enemies. To be honest, i really don't even notice he is there until i need to give him some crap. I am a hoarder, and pick up everything. With dogmeat, i dont think i have ever needed to go back home to dump crap in the middle of what i am doing. Valuable asset