I am making the game more difficult by not using companions? : V

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 2:05 pm

I am making the game more difficult by not using companions? Or is it better to not use them

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 6:35 pm

The game is more difficult without companions yes. Companions effectively lower your difficulty by one setting.

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 9:47 am

I think that depends entirely on your play style. For example, my archer does a lot of sneaking and companions tend to muck that up, so I leave them at home. So to an extent, not having a companion makes my game easier.

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 6:49 am

I had to use companions at least part time the first 20 levels or so to survive some dungeons.

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 5:48 pm

The companions themselves aren't supposed to level with you after you first find them and having a low level one tagging behind you won't really make the game easier. Give him or her an iron bow and arrows and he will stay out the way mostly and just tag along to carry your junk.

Having a tougher fighting companion around though is handy if you want to slow down your levelling from combat.

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 10:09 am

They're human shields in really tough dungeon situations. Outside just wandering about, they're more useful imo. Breylina from the mage college summons a flame atronach, so if you had a dog companion you'd effectively have 3 different team members which I would assume helps quite a bit even though I haven't gone that route.

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 6:44 pm

It makes it easier and harder. They can tote stuff for you (their most useful function, IMO). You can tell them to wait anywhere if you need to do some sneaking. But you have to be careful of their pathing - if they have to run around to get to you, they ususally run into trouble along the way. And it seems you spend half your time protecting/healing them. They're a bit of a pain really, but the difficulty balances out.

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 12:27 pm

I play without companions as I find they get in my way, get lost, get stuck, etc a lot and so it's just easier to play without them for me.

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 8:12 am

for me they don't make a difference... yeah they help in combat but when faced with a hard opponent (the time u actually need them) they become a liability...

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 6:58 pm

Use them at the start and then ditch them once your string enough on your own!

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 8:43 am

i got 2 storm attonachs, a dog and a mage companion...all i do is watch them gank all the mobs...they do all bloody job for me while i stay back and look bore hehehe.

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 10:24 am

I tried using companions with my mage, and they always ended up dying because they'd run right in front of my spells. *facepalm* So, no companions for me as long as I play a mage...

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 1:35 pm

I play without companions as I find they get in my way, get lost, get stuck, etc a lot and so it's just easier to play without them for me.

THIS! for me they're just a nuisance.

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 1:57 pm

I don't use them, though I may start having one follow me and stand by the entrance to the dungeon so I can offload loot. The AI in this game loves to run out in front of your spells, arrows and melee weapons. They also largely fail at sneaking. Even the 'stealthy' ones blow your cover and charge into battle. Other than as pack mules, I find them more trouble than they're worth.

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 6:50 pm

Depends on your play-style. I never used them, but I play using primarily stealth, so they just mess that up.

I don't think it makes it more difficult, but using them does make the game easier.

Edit: Though I must mention they seem to have taken up doing the same annoying thing they did in Fallout: NV, where if you're partially detected but still hidden, they'll charge out and attack with makes them unbearably annoying when you're saddled with them during quests.

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 10:50 pm

Companions make the game much easier, unless you're trying to play a stealth character.

Or a summoner, now that I think about it.

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 11:57 am

Companions are great but not necessarily easier, they can blow your cover really quickly, and Im currently adventuring with Aranea as Lydia died, and she gets a mite excitable at times.

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 11:05 pm

They're human shields in really tough dungeon situations. Outside just wandering about, they're more useful imo. Breylina from the mage college summons a flame atronach, so if you had a dog companion you'd effectively have 3 different team members which I would assume helps quite a bit even though I haven't gone that route.

Also, if you were a conjurer who could summon 2 permanent atronachs then you would have 5 companions! MUAHAHA, unstoppable! :ahhh:

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 8:34 pm

]removed[

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 12:05 pm

I'm still at level 26, playing on Expert, and never used a companion yet. The only time I had a "companion", was when I had to escort a normal guy to a dungeon. I had to load the game around 10 times because he was getting killed all the time.

I play using a sneaky archer so I guess that makes things more easy. Anyway, each dungeon is a challenge for me, and for now I don't plan on using companions for two reasons: 1) I like the challenge of killing all by myself, and 2) I have enough worrying about me.

If there is a moment where I find myself unable to do something, I may think about it, but not for now.

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 1:26 pm

I think that depends entirely on your play style. For example, my archer does a lot of sneaking and companions tend to muck that up, so I leave them at home. So to an extent, not having a companion makes my game easier.

This.

They do tend to be distant cousins of Leroy Jenkins.

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 10:05 am

I had Lydia on my back for a while until she died, don't remember which lvl now, but even since I haven't been using companions so much, just two, but they died in the first battle...

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 6:42 am

The game is more difficult without companions yes. Companions effectively lower your difficulty by one setting.

Not in my experience, they get in the way, trigger traps and go all out leeroy jenkins when I try to take people out stealthily (wich is all the time)

So it depends on your playstyle.

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 3:05 pm

They just get in my way. Plus they are just a meatshield with a name if they had more character to them...perhaps; but as it stands, I see no need to use them. That's not what TES series are about, anyway.

» Fri Dec 16, 2011 4:32 pm

If you are a mage then yes If you are melee then no. Because the companions have the stupidest AI ever. They will just get in your way in melee. You HAVE to make them essential NPCs so they won't get killed. Its the first thign I do now. Set them to essential.