Am I the only one unable to keep followers alive in HC?

Probably not the only one! High Charisma gives them a boost, but you can also give them better weapons/ armour. Or just tell them to wait - as I didn't before taking Cass into the Tribal Village. They're susceptible to poison, as I found out!

I've had that problem as well. Just lost Walking Cloud a little while ago in Honest Hearts, because I was dumb enough to pick an unnecessary fight with a group of White Legs.

In general I have them wait for me in the Lucky 38, unless there is a specific quest-related reason to bring them along.

If you get ED-E upgraded by the BoS, he will be more survivable, the little guy makes a good mule.

It does make you change how you play the game. It makes the Mojave much more dangerous.

I never really like playing with followers that could not die.

Too many time I sen't them in know they would attract all the fire and I could just pick off the bad guys one by one from a distance.

They would wake up and all would be fine. After a while it just felt like cheating.

Some of them nearly always die. ( looking at you especially Rex ) but I've found if given good enough armour and really good weapons it's not such a problem now.

The only time I've had a problem keeping them alive was when they get stung by cazadores. You can't give them the antidote so you have to just stand there and watch their health slowly drain away.

I think at least the Datura Antivenom works.

For a better companion experience (true passive mode so rex won't run into his certain death anymore among other nice extras) I recommend the JIP Companions mod. It integrates naturally into the base game imo.

Yeah if your gonna want to keep the companions gotta not be a 1 charisma monster;) Keep them armored and armed and plan ahead for fights if possible, and good luck! hardcoe is the way to play.

Yes, Rex is an idiot. That's why I never let him tag along. He's in my party just long enough to do his personal quest then he gets sent back to Freeside. Lily isn't much better, she also has a tendency of running off and getting herself into trouble. As Wasteland Shadow mentions, about the only time I really have a problem with my companions is when I'm fighting Cazadores, or maybe Deathclaws. But now that I'm using a mod that allows me to use Antivenom on them, poison isn't an issue either.