Hey community,

So far from what we know, there will be a large variety of companions (more than what one would expect in a BioWare game). At the same time, these companions will be less in-depth in terms of content, but should still play an important role in the game.

Do you really want to see companions in Skyrim? Do you believe it is something BGS should focus on and that it could contribute to the series? If so, what ideas do you have in mind that would make them more viable?

Companions were completely useless and frustrating in Oblivion. Companions in Fallout 3 were decent, and at least added some support in tough situations.

I personally would obviously like to see improvements in companion survivability. I would also hope that the Radiant AI would help companions become smarter and use their strengths to their advantage (whether they are a mage, a thief, or a warrior). If there are a wide variety of companions, I also wouldn't mind them actually dying, instead of just becoming unconscious. Also having more control over what a companion does and whether to engage or not would be nice.

Falcons!

Seriously, I want a Wolfhound and Falcon. Then bring on the Dragons . . . and the spiders!

~ Dani ~

Now those two would make for interesting companions. Perhaps they could survey the area and find hidden locations. I don't believe they would be very viable in combat though. We already know we have a dragon shout that allows us to command a dragon to some extent, and the spider may was well just be a summon.

Even thought I want the adoring fan to return, I've never been interested in companions. As a stealth character, they've yet to be introduced in a way where they are more helpful than annoying. Even New Vegas (yes I know it wasn't a Beth developed game), which put a huge focus on companions, didn't get it right. For me, it just ends up feeling like one long escourt mission.

Well, we should get to have a doggy of some sort. I'm hoping for a really cranky Dunmer with the Morrowind scratchy voice!

Companions don't even necessarily have to be limited to the human/elf/beast classes. Perhaps they could be animals as GothGirl Danielle suggested. For a stealth character, having a companion that could survey areas undetected would be very useful. For example, if you had a companion that was a dog, it could perhaps distract an enemy while you get behind them and finish them off with a killing blow.

@TheCheshireKhajiit - I would only want the chain-smoker dunmers back if they were just as ethnocentric as they were in Morrowind. I could just imagine the dunmer companion now complaining about being in Skyrim and how he is surrounded by these primitive people (Nords) with their "false" gods.

True.

I hated companions in Oblivion, even Bethesda's included companions, for the reasons you stated. About half they time, they were yelling: "I'm on your side!" while I mutter apologies under my breath.

~ Dani ~

I approve of the dog idea. Actually I was going to post the suggestion after my search of this thread yielded nothing when I searched for "dog"....luckily I saw you said doggy in your post

This doesn't sound half bad in concept, and I'd be on-board if it was implemented properly...as would I be with most companions (having a snarky bosmer who skulks in the shadows with me, picking off enemies with a bow and getting in close for stealth kills would warm even my cold heart). However, nothing about Beth's history gives me confidence they'll get the companion thing right here.

That said, they can put 100 companions in the next game. As long as they keep them optional at all times, I don't care.

*edit*: actually, I'm changing my vote. I'm okay with them as long as they are optional cause I have to give Beth a chance to surprise me. Bring em on.

Honestly I'm hoping for a wolf! That would be sick!

I actually never got the dog companion in Fallout 3, but I have a feeling he/she wasn't all that useful (I ended up getting the super mutant). As long as BGS can find a unique and clever way to use dogs, I'm fine with them. I don't want them to merely be a creature that occasionally will bite to add in some damage.

One time I triggered the event that drops the Alien Blaster (bad ass energy weapon). I couldn't find the damn thing any where. I went to my house and got Dogmeat to come with me and he found it right away. Pretty useful on other occasions as well.

Lets just hope that companions are more than extra DPS. I think BGS is capable of doing some incredible things for companions to help the player. Whether it's a companion enchanting weapons to help the warrior, or a companion offering potions to help the mage, or even a companion offering insight on the local area to give the thief/assassin the best vantage points for attack, the possibilities are really limitless. But, ultimately it will depend on how much BGS wants companions to actually be part of the Skyrim experience. I'm personally under the impression if they add anything, it will likely be of the highest quality they can make it.

@TheCheshireKhajiit - Ah cool. I found an Alien Blaster randomly off a raider within my first hour of playing. It was actually really funny watching this low level raider try to use such a high level weapon. Companions collecting/finding items from corpses would be helpful, as well as perhaps even being a inventory. Anyone else use Shadowmere as a portal chest? I know I did...

Assuming i can bring up Human NPC companions, i would prefer that if it is a random NPC io wish to bring along, their abilities would be tailored to mine slightly so they dont blow my cover in the case that i must use stealth. thats all i ask.

Oh I'm spoiled now. I love my companions in Fallout New Vegas and we're not going to get ones like that in Skyrim. It's ok though; not every game should be the same. What would I like? I don't want them to die. It's a lot of work to keep some NPCs alive but part of my character's talents invclude healing skills so she'll heal them when they get hurt. This time, I'm hoping they'll sneak and follow her lead like they do in FNV instead of just charging ahead and attacking. That would be nice this time.

Yeah. I'm really hoping that BGS increases the intelligence and variety in what companions can do this time around. In Oblivion, if they agroed anything, they would just blatantly attack, until either the enemy died or they died (the adoring fan would just scream with a torch running around). Companions should be self-aware of their own health and use more tactics. I don't need them to have complete backgrounds and companion quests, but actually making them useful instead of liabilities would be great. A worthless meat bag will only last you so long.

Really? A Raider using an alien blaster? Too funny!

Companions being a second inventory would be sweet. Especially if we can kit them out any way we want, within their personal style.

Yeah. That is part of the reason why I liked the Fallout 3 level scaling so much more than Oblivion, because loot and items NPCs had could actually be random (I'm glad it's coming to Skyrim). Don't even ask me how the raider got a hold of that weapon...

That would be nice if we could offer them certain weapons and equipment that is viable for their skill set. What would really be nice is if we could command our companion to set up camp, so we wouldn't have to run to some random village/cave or find a random bedroll.

The main thing i want is for them to use their skills (like pick a lock for you, if you're not really the lock-picking type).

That would definitely be nice. Perhaps players could even have companions with high speech craft, allowing them to unlock more dialogue to make learning information easier.

Yes that would be awesome. It's like in some games (baldur's gate 2, Kotor), having certain character's on your "team" at certain times opened up extra dialogue, the same could happen in TES if you have a companion with especially high speechraft... I would imagine it be pretty hard to implement though.

Well all BGS would really have to do is give the stat boost to the player right? Depending on the companion he/she has depends on what stat boosts he/she gets. Perhaps we can even have companions do jobs for us, like repairing my armor for free. They would really just make up for what the player would lack in, depending on how they have developed their character.

I might feel it might be weird that My companion's high speechcraft opens up more options for me (by boosting my stat), like he's whispering in my ear what to say... but maybe I'm overthinking it. It's a good idea in theory, BGS should be able to implement it in a decent way.

I don't think beth has ever been that great in getting compaions "right". it seems they are always too good and make the game too easy even on the harder settings, or they are worthless and a complete liability.

This is a really good question, though.

Personally, since i think the beth will end up in one of the above situations again, I'd rather my compansions just have interesting stories and quest lines, kind like Obsisian did in FNV (FO3 had a couple too, I guess). that way I will feel compelled enough to at least work with them until I've completed their storyline quests. Then I can ditch them in the next rad scorpion nest or whatever. So my aswer is : don't care about tweaking them in combat, just make them interesting with an interesting storyline(s).

The presence of companions in game doesn't matter much to me. I don't like them, though, and will only have one with me if I absolutely must.

If I could directly control them, their inventories, and choose their attacks and spells, then I would consider them useful.

I hate accidently killing or wounding some uncontrollable imbecile because they chose the exact moment I let go an attack to get in front of me.

I also hate how they disrupt the 3rd person camera when we are moving through the environment.

I believe that they are poorly implemented and utterly useless.

Oh, and wildly overpowered at times.