Companions - When is it enough?

SilverBride · July 21

I often wait for a double experience event then use a 150% experience scroll and do an arena, or the Infinite Archive now that we have that, or even a public dungeon with a fast respawn. But in the meantime I do actively play all of my characters so it benefits me to have them out leveling on all of them.

katanagirl1 · July 21

Being able to skip the intro quest and unlock companions on more characters would make leveling them up easier.

It takes forever when only on one or two toons.

Stafford197 · July 21

My main complaint for Companions is the gear.
Why can’t they just use Player Gear? There’s like 400+ sets now right?

We could have them slot all sorts of cool stuff to buff their damage, healing, let them buff us in new ways, let them activate cool proc abilities, etc. Some sets would be useless (like resource recovery sets etc) but most sets would work fine. Literally hundreds of viable options, but instead we got a whole array of the most boring possible new items “Companion Gear” to clutter inventory.

They could have even made new sets specifically for Companions which could give stuff like Cooldown Reductions too.

Pelanora · July 21

SilverBride wrote: »

Pelanora wrote: »

SilverBride wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

...to me they still need to do something, or the companions will end up unused and discarded because people arent going to want to bother with their quests anymore if they are forced to constantly repeat the intro ones

I am very quickly approaching that point. Instead of looking forward to seeing who the new Companions are I find myself dreading it. Depending on how long the quests are I may actually skip unlocking them for the first time.

If the quests were as short as Bastian's and Mirri's it would still feel like a chore, but at least it would be quick. But Azandar's and Sharp's were so long, through confusing Public Dungeons and back and forth all over the place, that I wasn't paying any attention to the story at all.

If you don't like them, don't use them.

I have never once said I don't like the Companions. (Other than Mirri who I find completely unpleasant to have around.) I even said this in my opening post: "I have found the Companions useful and feel the newer ones have gotten much more likable than the previous."

I do use them which is why I keep unlocking them. But it is reaching the point that it's just not worth going through these long quests multiple times to unlock any more of them.

That's what I said. If you don't like them, their quests, don't use them.

You want a whole game dynamic to change because you do everything multiple multiple times.

Don't do everything multiple times. Problem solved.

SilverBride · July 21

Stafford197 wrote: »

My main complaint for Companions is the gear. Why can’t they just use Player Gear?

I don't think they should wear our gear but I do think we should be able to upgrade their gear, and maybe add enchantments.

Pelanora · July 21

SilverBride wrote: »

joseayalac wrote: »

You don't have to unlock them in every character if you don't want to...

It has nothing to do with new companions coming out.

If we want to use them on all our characters then yes we do have to unlock them on every character. That is why we want to be able to skip the unlocking quest on our alts.

Here's the problem.

You unlock everyone for every character??? Aaaand you don't think that is a tad excessive?

Edit- <snipped>
Levelling up horses, we know, is irritating and annoying.

<snip>

<snipped for Trolling/Baiting and Discussing Disciplinary Actions>

SilverBride · July 21

I only have 7 characters and I play them all. I don't find it unreasonable to want them to have the use of all the Companions.

katanagirl1 · July 22

Stafford197 wrote: »

My main complaint for Companions is the gear.
Why can’t they just use Player Gear? There’s like 400+ sets now right?

We could have them slot all sorts of cool stuff to buff their damage, healing, let them buff us in new ways, let them activate cool proc abilities, etc. Some sets would be useless (like resource recovery sets etc) but most sets would work fine. Literally hundreds of viable options, but instead we got a whole array of the most boring possible new items “Companion Gear” to clutter inventory.

They could have even made new sets specifically for Companions which could give stuff like Cooldown Reductions too.

I was disappointed that we could not craft gear for them, but limiting their gear choices may have lessened the impact that they have on game performance.

Araneae6537 · July 22

To directly address the question in the thread title, it is enough when ZOS has no more ideas for interesting companions and stories — so hopefully never!

I don’t expect that I or anyone shall like all of them, but hopefully we may find most interesting and hopefully everyone will see one or more introduced that suit their preferences.

As to other aspects, I’d be happy for the system to be added on, so long as we don’t lose options that we currently have, including seeing each of our characters as separate individuals. But if an option for faster unlocks becomes available, that’s fine so long as I still get an enjoyable quest story each of my characters can do. Additional options and quests and letters or other items as actual furnishings from every character would be welcome too.

Necrotech_Master · July 22

SilverBride wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

...to me they still need to do something, or the companions will end up unused and discarded because people arent going to want to bother with their quests anymore if they are forced to constantly repeat the intro ones

I am very quickly approaching that point. Instead of looking forward to seeing who the new Companions are I find myself dreading it. Depending on how long the quests are I may actually skip unlocking them for the first time.

If the quests were as short as Bastian's and Mirri's it would still feel like a chore, but at least it would be quick. But Azandar's and Sharp's were so long, through confusing Public Dungeons and back and forth all over the place, that I wasn't paying any attention to the story at all.

i wont skip them, because i still want the keepsake bonus, i just wont bother unlocking them on more than 2 characters (my main for story, and a dps alt for powerleveling)

Mathius_Mordred · July 22

I want a werewolf companion!
Also yes, once unlocked please unlock for the account.

Erickson9610 · August 26

Mathius_Mordred wrote: »

I want a werewolf companion!
Also yes, once unlocked please unlock for the account.

I'd also like a werewolf Companion. Specifically, I'd like one who was written to be (or become) one in their storyline. It just wouldn't carry the same weight if we could bite our existing Companions and they have nothing to say about it.

mayasunrising · August 28

I'm still waiting for Alfiq, Ogrim, and Crow companions! LOL

lardvader · August 29

I really like Sharp and Azandar but it's a feature I never asked for and feels a bit off in a online game tbh.

I rather have more content like dlc dungeons and pvp related updates.

Kelenan7368 · August 30

Everyone is not like minded as you, I say keep giving them out so people can chose witch personalities suit their play style and preference.
Release the original characters of the game as companions i feel is a fantastic idea!

I'd love Cadwell as a sidekick!

Vaqual · August 30

If they stop before bringing out the archetypical Vampire Goth Waifu Serana 2.0 character they are shooting themselves in the foot.

peacenote · August 31

Personally, if dev time is limited, I'd prefer a break from new companions and instead improvements on the old ones (so they are as good as the newer ones) and improvements to the system in general (better logic for getting out of ground damage, ability to hold their own gear, ability to re-trait gear, etc.) before getting any more. Because part of the fun is finding companion personalities that you like, it's a bummer that the newer ones are so much "better" from a combat perspective.

I also think that companions should be available for all alts to use after they have been unlocked, and that their abilities and combat level can then level on any alt, but that the reputation shouldn't advance when used on the alt unless you re-do the quest. This way, people who like re-doing the quest stories, can, while people who find it tedious can use them without doing so. It's just a guess (and I could be wrong) but I am guessing that there's a pretty strong overlap between people who want to play the reputation game on all characters and people who want to re-do the quests.

I am fine with more companions, though, and I personally would enjoy some "pet" ones (like a dog and a cat with creative stories that get told by animal body language and notes that get left behind and stuff) after they finish all the classes.

BlueRaven · August 31

"Companions - When is it enough?"

Never, that is the answer. Never will there be enough.

TaSheen · August 31

peacenote wrote: »

I am fine with more companions, though, and I personally would enjoy some "pet" ones (like a dog and a cat with creative stories that get told by animal body language and notes that get left behind and stuff) after they finish all the classes.

Cat.... if there was a cat with "animal body language and notes".... YES. I would be on that in a hot minute!

ArchMikem · August 31

BretonMage wrote: »

Garrus/Sharp Can't wait for a Sharp romance.

This just makes me think people are in love with the voice, not the character.

I_killed_Vivec · August 31

peacenote wrote: »

it's a bummer that the newer ones are so much "better" from a combat perspective

As with new classes, if they weren't better you wouldn't "need" to get the latest chapter.

katanagirl1 · August 31

ArchMikem wrote: »

BretonMage wrote: »

Garrus/Sharp Can't wait for a Sharp romance.

This just makes me think people are in love with the voice, not the character.

He was the only character interesting enough to romance in Mass Effect if you went with femShep.

Not that I am interested in doing that here.

MotherOfMoss · August 31

Heartily agree with unlocking them for all characters. The intro quests are interesting and an important part of getting to know your new NPC friend, but they get old pretty quickly when you do them time and again on different characters. (And seen how companions have gear and skills account-wide... I'd say they were designed to be used on multiple characters and not just one. So why make the acquisition part so time-consuming and, eventually, tedious.)

But I'm at the same time always looking forward to new companions! (And new houseguests who I've previously encountered during major quests, while we're at it.)