As the title suggests, I want to know how Followers level.

According to the Official Guide (which is an awesome sourcebook that everyone needs to get - even if you never read the spoilers there is a wealth of lore and other information in there, and the translations of the Dragon Walls alone are worth it), each Follower has 3-5 Skills. While a lot of them have similar Skills, many have them listed in a different order. For example, one might have Archery, Light Armour, One-Handed and Block, but another will have One-Handed, Block, Heavy Armour and Archery. This, to me, suggests that they prioritise their leveling. Of course, I am assuming that they take all the Perks from those skills, too. They certainly do seem to be getting some Perks, since I have given a Housecarl some Light Armour that should have been better than the Heavy they were wearing, but they refused to equip it which suggests they take Juggernaut.

Then again, some Followers have a really weird selection of skills...

Any ideas? Theories? Speculation?

I believe that the followers do not equip armor you give them if it is filled with their default armor, this does not apply to shields though.

Based on previous Bethesda games, I'd be very surprised if the followers gained in skill at all except by level scaling.

It could have changed for Skyrim, but seems a bit unlikely. However, you can command your followers to read books, so maybe it is possible for them to learn.

Based on previous Bethesda games, I'd be very surprised if the followers gained in skill at all except by level scaling.

It could have changed for Skyrim, but seems a bit unlikely. However, you can command your followers to read books, so maybe it is possible for them to learn.

My Housecarl started out with a one handed sword and shield... I gave them my two handed "Thane award" axe to carry... and they immediately switched to using my axe as their primary weapon.

This makes me wonder what if their skills are actually "dynamic".

The weapon is quite clearly a case of them using whichever does the most damage, it doesn't make a difference if it is one- or two-handed. While Lydia had a sword that, at the time, did 20 Damage, I gave her a Moon Sword because I was encumbered and couldn't travel. The Moon Sword does 11 base damage and 10 Fire damage at night, but she immediately equipped it. Most 2h weapons do more damage than any 1h ones so they will almost always equip a 2h over 1h.

As far as the armour goes, they most certainly do equip armour if they already have something in that slot. Lydia's default equipment is all Steel (Armour, Boots, Gloves, Shield, Sword she doesn't have a helm). If you give her any kind of Steel armour (ie, Superior Steel) she will not equip it, but if you give her any other type of armour she will equip it so long as it has higher armour rating than basic Steel. I currently have Lydia in Superior Steel Plate (this is a different armour type to Steel), Superior Orcish Boots, Dwarven Gloves (with 30% One-Handed bonus), Superior Imperial Steel Helmet, Superior Dwarven Shield, Exquisite Elven Bow and an Amulet with 10% improved Block. They will also use Potions, Healing Potions at least, if they have them in their inventory.

They almost certainly level up by level scaling (I.E. they level when you level).

In Oblivion, what they did was give each character 7 skills that were their "class" skills. All their skills would go up by .1 or .5 ranks per level, but their class skills would go up something like 1 or 1.5 per level, based on Specialization. Specialization means "Mage" or "Warrior" or "Rogue", and would give a bonus to those skills. This generally meant NPCs had far lower skills than the player did.

When you made your own custom NPCs for companions, you would want to set those 7 skills to the ones you would want them to use in battle, obviously, and they would all rank their skills up evenly across all their class skills.

Lydia has gone crazy today. Where before she was always using the Exquisite Elven Bow, now she is using her default Hunter's Bow. But that's nothing. She somehow managed to find, I don't know where, a Fire Staff which she has several times used in conjunction with her sword (which is fine by me), but what makes it weird is that she has also been dual-wielding that staff, on occasion, with a crappy one that raises dead that I gave her to reduce my encumberance. She has also been equipping a Honed Nord Sword which is nowhere near as good as her Superior Elven Sword. Thinking about it now, this might have started after coming into contact with a Draugr that used a disarm shout. She also, at one point, decided that a crappy pair of boots were better than the Orcish ones she was in.

I think the skills have to mean something and Skyrim Followers certainly do have specialisations:

HIRELINGS

Belrand
Solitude (Haafingar)
Spellsword: One-Handed, Light Armour, Destruction, Restoration

Vorstag
Markath (The Reach)
Warrior: One-Handed, Heavy Armour, Archery, Block

Jenassa
Whiterun (Whiterun Hold)
Archer: Archery, Light Armour, One-Handed, Block, Sneak

Stenvar
Windhelm (Eastmarch)
Knight: Two-Handed, Heavy Armour, Archery, Block (odd for someone with 2-handed)

Marcurio
Riften (The Rift)
Mage: Destruction, Restoration, Alteration, Conjuration, Sneak

Erik the Slayer
Rorikstead (Whiterun Hold)
Barbarian: Two-Handed, Light Armour, Archery, Block
Must complete Misc. Objective: Eric the Slayer

HOUSECARLS

There are five housecarls, all listed as having the "class" Housecarl, and their skills are all the same:
One-Handed, Heavy Armour, Archery, Block

THE COMPANIONS

Must complete their quest line. I can't remember (and not going to look right now), but I thinik most, of not all, of the Companions can be married.

Aela the Huntress
Archer: Archery, Light Armour, Sneak, Speech, One-Handed
Expert Trainer: Archery*

Athis
Warrior: One-Handed, Block, Archery, Light Armour
Expert Trainer: One-Handed*

Farkas
Warrior: One-Handed, Heavy Armour, Smithing, Speech
Master Trainer: Heavy Armour*

Njada Stonearm
Warrior: One-Handed, Block, Speech
Expert Trainer: Block*

Ria
Warrior: One-Handed, Heavy Armour, Archery, Block

Torvar
Warrior: One-Handed, Heavy Armour, Archery, Block

Vilkas
Knight: Two-Handed, Heavy Armour, Archery, Block
Master Trainer: Two-Handed

THE COLLEGE OF WINTERHOLD

Your fellow students will join youonce you are a member of the College and complete their specific Radiant Quest.

Onmund
Sorceror: Destruction, Illusion, One-Handed, Heavy Armour

J'Zargo
Sorceror: Destruction, Illusion, One-Handed, Heavy Armour

Brelyna Maryon
Mage: Alteration, Illusion, Conjuration, Sneak

DARK BROTHERHOOD ASSASSINS

After the questline is complete, a variety of Assassins (all the same, Male and Female, unnamed) and Cicero will offer their services

Dark Brotherhood Initiate
Assassin: Sneak, One-Handed, Archery, Light Armour

Cicero
Assassin: Sneak, One-Handed, Archery, Light Armour

QUEST-RELATED FOLLOWERS

The following citizens of Skyrim will be willing to join you after you complete the quests they are inbvolved in, assuming they survive.

Adelaisa Vendicci
Side Quest: Rise in the East
Townsperson: Alchemy, Enchanting, Smithing, Speech

Aranea
Daedric Quest: The Black Star
Mage: Destruction, Restoration, Conjuration, Alteration

Eola
Daedric Quest: The Taste of Death
Nightblade: Destruction, One-Handed, Alteration, Sneak

Erandur
Daedric Quest: Waking Nightmare
Healer: Restoration, Conjuration, Speech, Alchemy

Lob
Daedric Quest: The Cursed Tribe
Archer: Archery, Light Armour, One-Handed, Block, Sneak

Ogol
Daedric Quest: The Cursed tribe
Warrior: One-Handed, Heavy Armour, Archery, Sneak

Ugor
Daedric Quest: The Cursed Tribe
Archer: Archery, Light Armour, One-Handed, Block, Sneak

DUNGEON-RELATED FOLLOWERS

The following will join you assuming they survive the dungeon you find them in and after you've cleared it.

Illia
Darklight Tower (The Rift)
Mage: Destruction, Restoration, Conjuration, Alteration

Golldir
Hillgrund's Tomb (Whiterun Hold)
Warrior: One-Handed, Heavy Armour, Archery, Block

FAVOUR FOLLOWERS

Complete a Task or favour and the follwing will be willing to join you

Ahtar the Jailer
Solitude's Castle Dour (Haafingar)
Knight: Two-Handed, Heavy Armour, Archery, Block

Benor
Guard Lieutenant of Morthal (Hjaalmarch)
Knight: Two-Handed, Heavy Armour, Archery, Block

Cosnach
Drunkard in Morkath (The Reach)
Warrior: One-Handed, Heavy Armour, Archery, Block

Borgakh
Daughter of Bagrak in Mor Khazgur (The Reach
Warrior: One-Handed, Heavy Armour, Archery, Sneak

Ghorbash
Brother of Orc Chief in Dushnikh Yal (The Reach)
Archer: Archery, Light Armour, One-Handed, Block, Sneak

Uthgerd the Unbroken
Brawling Warrior of Whiterun (Whiterun Hold)
Warrior: One-Handed, Heavy Armour, Archery, Block

Sven
Minstrel and Lumberjack of Riverwood (Whiterun Hold)
Townsperson: Alchemy, Enchanting, Smithing, Archery

Faendal
Hunter and Lumberjack of Riverwood (Whiterun Hold)
Archer: Archery, Light Armour, One-Handed, Sneak
Journeyman Trainer: Archery*

Roggi Knot-Beard
Nord Miner of Kynesgrove (Eastmarch)
Townsperson: Alchemy, Enchanting, Smithing, One-Handed

Derkeethus
Kidnapped Fisherman in Darkhold Pass (Eastmarch)
Archer: Archery, Light Armour, One-Handed, Block, Sneak

Annekke Crag-Jumper
Adventuress of Darkwater Crossing (Eastmarch)
Archer: Archery, Light Armour, One-Handed, Block, Sneak

Mjoll the Lioness
Adventuress, Riften (The Rift)
Knight: Two-Handed, Heavy Armour, Archery, Block

Kharjo
Bodyguard for Ahkari's Caravan (Khajit Caravans)
Warrior: One-Handed, Heavy Armour, Archery, Block

*Trainers will train you at any time and in any place.

Official Game Guide pp. 64-66.

(This is a self-quote from another forum. I paraphrased the introductions to the sections, but the listed skills are exactly what it says in the book.)

Do these companions level up in skill like we do? Is it possible for us to view their skills? Lydia uses 2 handed weapons I give her... Does she level up in 2 hand when she fights with it? Do they get perks? This is all very vague in game.

I can't confirm anything about follower skill level up or anything BUT Lydia surprised me when she cast a rez magic (not sure if it's zombie one or stronger), I checked her inventory and she doesn't have any item that give her conjuration spell, so it had to be her skill... that was the first time I've ever seen her do that (she did it again at the next corpse she found btw)... it's nifty, my companion can have minion

They don't level up their skills like we do - they do not gain skill through use, they gain skill by leveling up, and they level up when we level up. Lydia likely has low skill in 2 handed weapons, but will equip them, anyway, if they deal more damage.



Some followers are specifically conjurers. It's probably a bug that she got that spell, but it's not unusual to use it, even without much skill in it, if she has it.