PTS Update 30 - Feedback Thread for Companions

aipex8_ESO

Lord Harkon out looking for his castle with a thrall in tow.

Colecovision

General
Which areas or zones were you in with your companion?
I tried a couple dlc world bosses, nFG1 and vBH.

What types of gameplay were you doing with your companion?
I tried them as tank and healer with fully maxed stats in situations I can solo.

Interaction
Was it clear how to access the Companions interface?
Yes

Was the Companion ability system clear and intuitive to use?
Yes

Did your companion use the slotted abilities as you expected them to?
Yes - not always at the best times. Taunting the first trash mob and leaving the rest for me is not ideal.

Did you feel the companion talked too much or too little in various circumstances?
N/A (I wasn't listening and don't care at all)

Combat
What did you think of the Companion combat abilities in general? Were there any that felt too powerful or not powerful enough?

Not powerful enough with the best gear. The companions need to be as good as the player using them. My wife and I already duo the DLCs on normal and we would like to them on vet with companions. If the companions can legit fill the other 2 slots then great! If they can't, there is no point. Any noob can be handed a resto staff and fort brass and be more helpful than a companion who gets knocked off the deck (and killed) in blackheart heaven because she can't block a standard mechanic. I even tried the healer in heavy soothing armor and she still died. Basically, I can't do anything with the companions that I can't do without, so why bother at all? I'm certainly nor buying a chapter and wasting time grinding for these.

Were you able to configure your companion to perform the role you wished?
Yes - both for tanking and healing. Skills and gear was easy to use, after having access to all of it.

Were you able to effectively utilize keyboard/gamepad shortcuts to direct companion target behavior? (Hold Y and left click to attack vs Hold Y and right click to hold off)

No. This looks like another example where the Zos team makes a system by and for keyboard players and not by and for gamepad users. The AI just needs to be better and these guys need to know some mechanics. Gamepad isn't made for this kind of stuff. At the same time, I really just wanted them for dungeon bosses and there was mostly just one target most of the time. I had to clear adds up asap or the companions die.

Customization/Progression
How did the companion progression feel in terms of time to level up, advance skills, unlock abilities, improve rapport, or acquire equipment? Was the progress clear in terms of how to access everything?

I can't imagine going through a full grind for these guys. I used the PTS tools and don't have any interest in repeating the whole game for them so that they can level up. I won't be doing any of this live. The fact that I've unlocked mages guild on a character should unlock it for the companion.

Was the companion cosmetic customization experience clear and function as expected?
I just gave them one of my costumes and moved on. It was easy and I liked the way the companion stayed that way on different alts. Well done.

Rapport
Did you understand how to influence your companion through the rapport system?
I cheated and used the PTS tool. If companions become good enough to fill roles in vet dlc dungeons, then I'll deal with that for whatever burden it is. There's no part of me that thinks it will be fun at all. I don't need an Elder Scrolls Tamaguchi.

Was it clear when rapport was being adjusted and why?
Yes, even with the pts cheat method, the improvement showed on screen and was visible in the overview.

Do you have any other general feedback?
Please ask yourself why people want companions. For me it was to do things with our companions that we couldn't do without them. These guys aren't that at all. I can't figure out who they will help. Also, a new inventory burden for these guys? Really!? Companions need to carry the companion gear. They should be able to change to all three roles without touching my inventory. So they need at least 3 spaces for each piece and we need to be able to recreate the gear.

I was so excited about the announcement of companions! Unfortunately, I doubt I'll even buy the chapter. Are you leaving OP gaze of sithis? I'll buy it for that.

Thannazzar

I'm with you, this feature would have been so much better as:

1. Recruitible House guests who give you quests, conversations and passive bonuses (like better potions and chest loot) as you develop reputation with them.

2. A skill line that allows you to turn a cosmetic pet into a larger combat pet version along the same lines as a Sorc pet with similar effectiveness. Models and pet coding are already in place(just increase scale) , so are most animations, so would just need new skill line passives coded.

Mysticman

[*] Which areas or zones were you in with your companion?
Mostly Blackwood but I did go to Greymoor to flight a WB that I was had try to solo before. Was in Elsweyr to do some WBs and saw a player trying to solo a dragon with his companion so I jumped in with my companion and we got it's heal down to 15% before his big attack killed all four of use.
[*] What types of gameplay were you doing with your companion? [/list]
WBs, Public Dungeons, delves and one Dragon.
[*] Did you feel the companion talked too much or too little in various circumstances?[/list]
Too little. I had the setting at max and the companion seems to comment like one every 15 minutes.
[*] What did you think of the Companion combat abilities in general? Were there any that felt too powerful or not powerful enough?
I only try maybe nine abilities but they seem to be working OK. But I was wondering why the Destruction Staff Skill named Impulse had only a 6m range, that's way too short for range weapon skill. If I want my companion to stay out of the medium of a fright I can't slot that skill because it would almost never get used with my companion standing off to the side with no enemy within 6m. (UPDATE) The name of the Destruction Staff Skill is Arcane Nova not Impulse and it's range is 5m not 6m which is worse.
[*] Were you able to configure your companion to perform the role you wished?
Yes.
[*] Was the companion cosmetic customization experience clear and function as expected?[/list]
Yes.
[*] Do you have any other general feedback?
Hoping you will quickly address the companions dying way to fast issue. I was surprise and glad to see that other players could res my companion and that when my toon dies my companion will continue to fight instead of also dying. Is it my imagination or are the mounts slightly smaller when the companions is riding one of my toons mounts. Side by side it kind of looks that way.

FrancisCrawford

Rapport is a total mystery to me. Perhaps there have been bugs.

Similarly, leveling speed seemed slow, and in some cases there were bugs, so I used auto-level -- and now I can't test for how fast anything levels.

Biggest thing: Does it really take 110 quests per guild to level the guild skill lines????? (If so, I suggest that you instead just delete those skill lines from the game.)

crazepdx

FrancisCrawford wrote: »

Biggest thing: Does it really take 110 quests per guild to level the guild skill lines????? (If so, I suggest that you instead just delete those skill lines from the game.)

110 dailies from each of the guild? Hadn't heard that, but that's 3.5 almost 4 months if you don't miss a day doing each. Per toon on your account. Ughhhhh...

aipex8_ESO

Mysticman wrote: »

[*]Is it my imagination or are the mounts slightly smaller when the companions is riding one of my toons mount. Side by side it kind of looks that way.

I think mounts are scaled to races, so a Nord on a horse next to a Dark Elf on a horse will always look bigger. So no one looks over sized or too small on their mount.

But yes, my Nord on the same horse as Mirri looked bigger and I did notice since I usually don't get up close with other players.

SerraKBella

aipex8_ESO wrote: »

Mysticman wrote: »

[*]Is it my imagination or are the mounts slightly smaller when the companions is riding one of my toons mount. Side by side it kind of looks that way.

I think mounts are scaled to races, so a Nord on a horse next to a Dark Elf on a horse will always look bigger. So no one looks over sized or too small on their mount.

But yes, my Nord on the same horse as Mirri looked bigger and I did notice since I usually don't get up close with other players.

I thought mount size was based on the height of the character size. I have no verification and could be wrong, but that has just been my observation with my own characters and mounts. My taller characters have much bigger mounts. I never considered that race was the factor. I'll have to test it out.

Lugaldu

Cireous wrote: »

After 3 days on the PTS, I attempted to play on the regular server, but, companion-free, the experience quickly felt empty and lonely. So, well done, I now cannot live without companions. Therefore, you must be doing something right.

I can vividly remember that lonely feeling from Skyrim when I was out and about without Serana ...
Even if the companions are still having problems at the moment, I'm really looking forward to them now, primarily for the RP aspect.

anadandy

From the meet the character article:

You will know Bastian when you see him. He is a fit, red-headed Breton mage of thirty years or so

Am I the only one who thought he was an Imperial? His face is very Imperial template. I'm so confused now, but it explains why he's always talking about how they do things in Daggerfall...

KingArthasMenethil

https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/59961

"A Breton mage named Bastian Hallix is asking questions about gambling dens in Leyawiin’s harbor districts"
"You will know Bastian when you see him. He is a fit, red-headed Breton mage of thirty years or so, and he appears to exist in a constant state of annoyance—I don’t think he’s happy being sent to fetch a wayward Silvelle. "




Is Bastian meant to be an Imperial or a Breton as it doesn't seem like you've made up your mind or that you changed it last minute because ZoS like every other TES game post TES2 just hates the Nedes of High Rock?

TelvanniWizard

Lugaldu wrote: »

Cireous wrote: »

After 3 days on the PTS, I attempted to play on the regular server, but, companion-free, the experience quickly felt empty and lonely. So, well done, I now cannot live without companions. Therefore, you must be doing something right.

I can vividly remember that lonely feeling from Skyrim when I was out and about without Serana ...
Even if the companions are still having problems at the moment, I'm really looking forward to them now, primarily for the RP aspect.

For the RP aspect I´d prefer having alts as companions, not gonna lie.

anadandy

Gaius_Marius wrote: »

https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/59961

"A Breton mage named Bastian Hallix is asking questions about gambling dens in Leyawiin’s harbor districts"
"You will know Bastian when you see him. He is a fit, red-headed Breton mage of thirty years or so, and he appears to exist in a constant state of annoyance—I don’t think he’s happy being sent to fetch a wayward Silvelle. "




Is Bastian meant to be an Imperial or a Breton as it doesn't seem like you've made up your mind or that you changed it last minute because ZoS like every other TES game post TES2 just hates the Nedes of High Rock?

Ha, guess I wasn't the only one. It's an error, they're updating the article.

Edit: Except all they did was take out the word Breton.

KingArthasMenethil

anadandy wrote: »

Gaius_Marius wrote: »

https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/59961

"A Breton mage named Bastian Hallix is asking questions about gambling dens in Leyawiin’s harbor districts"
"You will know Bastian when you see him. He is a fit, red-headed Breton mage of thirty years or so, and he appears to exist in a constant state of annoyance—I don’t think he’s happy being sent to fetch a wayward Silvelle. "




Is Bastian meant to be an Imperial or a Breton as it doesn't seem like you've made up your mind or that you changed it last minute because ZoS like every other TES game post TES2 just hates the Nedes of High Rock?

Ha, guess I wasn't the only one. It's an error, they're updating the article.

Edit: Except all they did was take out the word Breton.

Honestly seems like Bastien was intended to be Breton hence why the Breton stuff is left in but they changed his race late so it came up in the post.

anadandy

Gaius_Marius wrote: »

anadandy wrote: »

Gaius_Marius wrote: »

https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/59961

"A Breton mage named Bastian Hallix is asking questions about gambling dens in Leyawiin’s harbor districts"
"You will know Bastian when you see him. He is a fit, red-headed Breton mage of thirty years or so, and he appears to exist in a constant state of annoyance—I don’t think he’s happy being sent to fetch a wayward Silvelle. "




Is Bastian meant to be an Imperial or a Breton as it doesn't seem like you've made up your mind or that you changed it last minute because ZoS like every other TES game post TES2 just hates the Nedes of High Rock?

Ha, guess I wasn't the only one. It's an error, they're updating the article.

Edit: Except all they did was take out the word Breton.

Honestly seems like Bastien was intended to be Breton hence why the Breton stuff is left in but they changed his race late so it came up in the post.

I'd have to agree, most of his dialogue feels more Breton. I think that's why the edit didn't reference any race, but couldn't deny his very Imperial face

RaddlemanNumber7

Is there a jewellery vendor for companions?

Lugaldu

If Basti were Breton then the risk would be too great that he would have become a Darien double.

majulook

Companions gear makes monstrous increase in a players storage need.

Just for Armour of Nine (9) different traits three (3) different weights, and seven (7) different Armour slots. This makes for one hundred eighty nine (189) minimum inventory slots just to hold one set of each of the Armour items.

The fully upgraded players bank, (non ESO+) inventory is 240. So with 189 items for the companion amour sets. Leave 51 bank slots for other things. Now add the Jewelry and Weapons they can use to this makes a massive increase in storage requirements.

We need one of the following:
1. FREE BANK upgrade in the FULL amount to hold ALL of this gear.
2. Make the companions gear not count as inventory and placed into the UI similar to costumes / mementos / mounts are.
3. Make Companions hold ALL their own gear.

jwellsub17_ESO2

RaddlemanNumber7 wrote: »

Is there a jewellery vendor for companions?

I have run around to the various player jewelry vendors, but none of them appear to sell companion jewelry.

jwellsub17_ESO2

majulook wrote: »

2. Make the companions gear not count as inventory and placed into the UI similar to costumes / mementos / mounts are.

IMO, this is the best solution, but...

I would suggest that something closer to our gear set sticker books would be better. Then we can craft the sets we need after collecting them initially. Remember, while we are starting with only two companions, ZOS did say they intend to provide more companions in the future, and each one will need at least one set.

RaddlemanNumber7

General
Which areas or zones were you in with your companion?
Blackwood, Khenarthi's Roost, Stonefalls, Rivenspire, Stormhold.

What types of gameplay were you doing with your companion?
Questing. Delves.

Interaction
Was it clear how to access the Companions interface?
Yes

Was the Companion ability system clear and intuitive to use?
Yes

Did your companion use the slotted abilities as you expected them to?
Yes.

Did you feel the companion talked too much or too little in various circumstances?
Always too much, even when I adjusted the game settings. Most of their comments were innapropriate to the circumstances. A complete mute option would be good for everything outside dialogue.

Combat
What did you think of the Companion combat abilities in general? Were there any that felt too powerful or not powerful enough?
All a too weak. Cooldowns too long. They seemed to spend most of their time pooting away with light attacks. I had to heal them constantly to keep them alive. They are very proficient at pulling mobs out of my characters' AOE's. They roll-dodge backwards so often they sometimes pull mobs so far they reset.

Were you able to configure your companion to perform the role you wished?
Yes.

Were you able to effectively utilize keyboard/gamepad shortcuts to direct companion target behavior? (Hold Y and left click to attack vs Hold Y and right click to hold off)
Yes.

Customization/Progression
How did the companion progression feel in terms of time to level up, advance skills, unlock abilities, improve rapport, or acquire equipment? Was the progress clear in terms of how to access everything?
Progression in combat level, skills and abilities is far too slow and grindy. The number of Guild quests required is ridiculously high.
I have played about 30 hrs on this PTS and found only 1 item of companion equipment in loot, far too little.
The Rapport indicator never moved, no matter what I did, good or bad.

Was the companion cosmetic customization experience clear and function as expected?
Yes, but I would very much prefer that the companions' hats and helmets were not always hidden.

Rapport
Did you understand how to influence your companion through the rapport system?
The Rapport system seems pointless and counter-intuitive. The Rapport indicator never moved. Bastion called me out for theft and even "cold-blooded murder", but the Rapport system says he still regards me as "a friendly acquaintance".

Was it clear when rapport was being adjusted and why?
They companions made comments, and the on-screen indicators appeared, but nothing else happened.

Do you have any other general feedback?
Companions are a lot of work for almost no reward. Having them with me was no fun at all.
I found only one useful thing I can do with one of the Companions: Mirri can accompany the toon who I use to collect Treasure Maps and stuff, for the occasional bit of extra loot.
Everything else I tried, they're either too weak to stay alive, they make no useful contribution, or they just get in the way.
Bastion is a complete waste of space.

DarkHero1989

As of this new week with Companions i have to say theres good and bad stuff still going on with the companion.

I crossed into many zones with my companion sometimes will be unsummoned when crossing into a zone, except for blackwood. this doesnt affect when travelling via wayshrine.

Is leveling for the companion was meant to be slow?

I will mention this again too, can you please add more customizable features? like using major, and minor adornments we have? I understand, and also dont understand why you guys dont allow the use of helmets on our companions, what i dont understand is that everyone will see our companion is a costume/custom created setup, but w/o helmet for some setups seem just silly w/o it.

i went and done ALL repeatable guild quests, and they will NOT unlock the guild trees for companion, if i want to level that it would be good if its unlockable.

Sometimes it will spam saying NEW ABILITY SLOT UNLOCKED FOR COMPANION when the companion isnt anywhere close to unlocking.......

went into a the public dungeon in stormhaven, and i was in lightning form and was near a skeleton on the throne, and the companion thought it was a enemy... kept attacking. at least walking away resets the companion, but would be something i would look into

Siuansong

Which areas or zones were you in with your companion?
Overland Blackwood and Deshaan. A few delves.
What types of gameplay were you doing with your companion?
Overland bosses and guild questing

Interaction
Was it clear how to access the Companions interface?
It was pretty easy to figure out.
Was the Companion ability system clear and intuitive to use?
Generally yes but it would be helpful to note when new skill slots will open up and that they are a couple locked at the start
Did your companion use the slotted abilities as you expected them to?
No. Bastion almost always stayed at range from fights so was unable to use almost any of the melee skills I chose to slot. His heal seemed to only ever be directed at me as I never noticed him healing on his own. He continued to use chain as he ran from bosses, resulting in him pulling bosses out of the combat area and resetting it (The Abomination)
Did you feel the companion talked too much or too little in various circumstances?
Seemed about right. Though repetitive after even a short while of having him summoned.

Combat
What did you think of the Companion combat abilities in general? Were there any that felt too powerful or not powerful enough?
Hard to tell as he hardly ever used them. His light attack seemed strong enough.
Were you able to configure your companion to perform the role you wished?
Not really as his ai seemed to operate poorly with each role no matter the skills I gave him. He tended to kite outside of the group I would make of adds and either range attack with las (if I had melee skills equipped) or pull them out of the grouping to him. I was most interested in companions for adding dps to my healers or tanks in overland content but found him to be more of a nuisance than help. I don't think he would be of much help for newer players trying to use him in that role to help nor do I think experienced players would want to sacrifice their minimal tank/heal dps for rezzing the guy repeatedly.
I did not level him far but he died a lot in a Tank role with the abomination and focused healing from me. When he would get aggro, he would run away. I did not have a taunt on my dps to try and override his aggro so he repeatedly reset adds and bosses by doing a taunt run repeat routine.
Overall, in a bear vs companion fight with a boss, bear wins 100%
Were you able to effectively utilize keyboard/gamepad shortcuts to direct companion target behavior? (Hold Y and left click to attack vs Hold Y and right click to hold off)
This component was not clear as Y primarily appeared to be his ult ability. Was frustrated with Y seeming to effect my Bear focus.

Customization/Progression
How did the companion progression feel in terms of time to level up, advance skills, unlock abilities, improve rapport, or acquire equipment? Was the progress clear in terms of how to access everything?
The drops for equipment were so rare I only found one piece so far. The quests for unlocking mages and undaunted did nothing after the first daily and gave no indication of what should be done to unlock them if not that.
Was the companion cosmetic customization experience clear and function as expected?
That worked fine.

Rapport
Did you understand how to influence your companion through the rapport system?
A general gist of it but did not focus on this aspect.
Was it clear when rapport was being adjusted and why?
There did not seem to be a clear indicator of when reporte was being adjusted unless I just managed to not effect it except once.

Do you have any other general feedback?
I was disappointed that he seemed mostly only good for rp. But even then limited for enjoyment in that I will see endless copies of him roaming around the world with no chance to use helms, skins, personalities, or the like.
STORAGE! They should be able to carry their own gear options.

crjs1

Please please buff companions and tweak the ai so they at least try to get out of AOE range. If that is not possible please make them disregard AOE damage. Currently they just stand in the red and die die die.

No matter how you gear/skill them they just don’t have the AI to fulfill any role - dps, healer, and especially tank - even moderately effectively in their current state. They need a major hp boost and moderate baseline dps boost. If the AI can’t be improved much then a generous stat boost is essential.

It’s really disappointing that pets preform more effectively than companions.

No one is expecting them to equal a player or allow someone to duo vet dungeons, but you advertised them as being helpful for WBs, normal dungeons and other content. They just aren’t at the moment.

And what is with the HUGE cool downs on skills, 99% of the time they just light attack (and die) as skills take so long to become active again. This is compounded by the very low drop rate on gear and the extremely slow levelling.

Really hoping they get some serious surgery during the rest of the PTS

DarcyMardin

crazepdx wrote: »

FrancisCrawford wrote: »

Biggest thing: Does it really take 110 quests per guild to level the guild skill lines????? (If so, I suggest that you instead just delete those skill lines from the game.)

110 dailies from each of the guild? Hadn't heard that, but that's 3.5 almost 4 months if you don't miss a day doing each. Per toon on your account. Ughhhhh...

They should get guild rep the same way my characters do — from Undaunted dungeons, killing Daedric mobs (fighter’s guild), being with me as I collect lore books (mage’s guild). Who even runs those dailies, anyway? I occasionally do the Bolgrul quests because Undaunted can take ages to level, but there are faster ways for our characters to level the other guilds than by doing those dailies.

Besides, my alts have already leveled those guilds in most cases. Not gonna grind them on a companion, especially now that I know that companions are pretty useless.

jwellsub17_ESO2

DarcyMardin wrote: »

They should get guild rep the same way my characters do — from Undaunted dungeons, killing Daedric mobs (fighter’s guild), being with me as I collect lore books (mage’s guild).

I would agree with you suggestion for Fighter's guild and Undaunted, but for Mage's guild, no. The problem is that with both Fighter's guild and Undaunted, there are effectively an unlimited number of sources, but for Mage's guild there is a finite number of lore books and many people, especially completionists, have exhausted that resource.

tuibitsi

General
Which areas or zones were you in with your companion?
Blackwood, Summerset, Coldharbour

What types of gameplay were you doing with your companion?
Quest progression and tests of the new questline

Interaction
Was it clear how to access the Companions interface?
No, but it was intuitive enough otherwise

Was the Companion ability system clear and intuitive to use?
Basic enough, yes

Did your companion use the slotted abilities as you expected them to?
Not exactly. Bastian basically did everything in his power to get close to enemies while having a close-range weapon and abilities?? That was strange.

Did you feel the companion talked too much or too little in various circumstances?
The impatience comments were _very_ annoying, but otherwise the general banter was cute enough

Combat
What did you think of the Companion combat abilities in general? Were there any that felt too powerful or not powerful enough? Not powerful enough. My companion didn't scale in ability/strength and so even when an ability was a major one, like the chain-grab one Bastian does, it didn't really do much


Were you able to configure your companion to perform the role you wished?
Nah, I wanted a DPS/healer of some sort and managing that kind of build wasn't possible

Were you able to effectively utilize keyboard/gamepad shortcuts to direct companion target behavior? (Hold Y and left click to attack vs Hold Y and right click to hold off)
First time I heard this, oops

Customization/Progression
How did the companion progression feel in terms of time to level up, advance skills, unlock abilities, improve rapport, or acquire equipment? Was the progress clear in terms of how to access everything?
The leveling and progression were pretty good, actually--but again, since he didn't scale my companion got wiped pretty quick in Blackwood and Oblivion

Was the companion cosmetic customization experience clear and function as expected?
Nope, still haven't figured it out

Rapport
Did you understand how to influence your companion through the rapport system?
That started to make sense, somewhat

Was it clear when rapport was being adjusted and why?
Bastian likes when I gather mats, it seems

Do you have any other general feedback?
Orc tanks, please.

Dark_Lord_Kuro

Scritchel wrote: »

You can make your companion attack other people's companion if theyre both in combat with the same enemy and you "y" click the ally's companion.







overall thoughts: way too weak. They die if something breaths on them even with max health/dmg reduction traits and abilities.

Per battle!!!!!!

jwellsub17_ESO2

My first sorc in ESO was a pet sorc back in the original veteran level days. I retired that character shortly after the release of CP1.0, just around the time ZOS added pet commands, so I didn't know you could trigger your pet's "special" abilities nor did I know about telling them to attack or stand-down until reading the Comapions patch notes. I mention this because while playing with these mechanics I noticed a few things;

1. Pets / Companions can be ordered to keep out of combat. By using Y+right mouse, you tell your companion to stand down which is great and very useful for re-calling your pet / companion, but it also tells them to just stand-around until you tell them to engage with Y+left mouse or if you use a heavy attack. From what I could tell, they will not generate any agro while standing down, but they also will not cast any spells to heal themselves or mitigate the damage they are taking from AOEs or DOTs. It also seems they lose all existing agro as well if they had any.
   This can be helpful when you want to re-position your pet / companion, but it pointed out an issue that I found extremely annoying. It seems that when wielding bows or staves, the companions like to keep themselves at what ever the range of the longest range of their active skills. So if they have a skill with a 28 meter range, they will try to roll-dodge 28 meters from their opponent. I think we need to be able to configure our companions to 3 different range "categories" from us, close range melee - 5 meters, medium range 7 - 10 meters, and skill range which uses the range of the skills to determine how close and how far they stay from us. We jump to avoid the red ring of death and out trusty companions would move as well.
   I suspect this command is part of why various people have complained about their companions not engaging.
2. As stated above using a heavy attack is a trigger for your companion to engage whether you want them to or not. I can understand the pets engaging, but we should be able to configure out companions to "ignore" the heavy attacks. This would include changing targets. Obviously we should still have a mechanism for force them to change targets, say something like U+left mouse, but IMNSHO it should not be through heavy attacks and they certainly should not be attacking because of heavy attacks if we have told them to stand down.
3. We can summon our pets while in combat, but I found that we are unable to summon our companions while in combat. I think this needs to change. Now I can see how this could be exploited and I think a very simple modification could avoid that... You can't un-summon your companion while in combat, done, fixed. As it currently stands, companions have some odd pathing and disappearance "features" and if they take a path to nowhere or disappear just as we are engaging, or actively engaged, we are SOL. Instead with this change, we can summon them back in while we are engaged in combat.

BoloBoffin

Doing Bastien's initial quest, the Daughter of Sithis boss would not spawn. I had to log in and out to get the fight to start.