Can it be considered that I soloed a dungeon if I used a Companion?

Dragonnord

Since Companions are coming, I'd like to know if using a Companion to help on a dungeon is considered as you soloing that dungeon or not.

Thank you.

Jaimeh

If they are holding aggro, or doing damage, I would say no. It's different from a pet that you have to slot and cast, and they are offering functionality completely seperate from your own character. I guess that's why they can't be used in solo arenas. But it's mostly a semantic thing, and if you are asking because of sense of achievement, it doesn't matter that much, you can still be pleased you did that, even with your companion.

virtus753

Dragonnord wrote: »

Since Companions are coming, I'd like to know if using a Companion to help on a dungeon is considered as you soloing that dungeon or not.

Thank you.

Since there isn't an in-game definition of soloing something, and since solo can be interpreted in more than one way (e.g. "without a certain amount of AI assistance" vs. "without any other player's assistance"), I would think that'd be up to you.

I'm sure some people would consider it soloing only if you yourself did it without the companion, but I could also easily see it as soloing with a companion if you think of them just like a combat pet. Since they can't follow mechanics or even step on pressure plates, they do seem to be very much like pets, and I'm not sure many people would think a sorc didn't "solo" Maelstrom if they used a clannfear, scamp, or twilight. For the record, the Warden bear can definitely take aggro and has been used that way by Wardens, so if a bear's allowed in the definition of solo, why not a companion?

As mentioned above, companions cannot follow us into solo arenas, so there is an argument there that the devs think of them as different from the standard combat pets, but since the devs didn't mention that solo quest instances were off-limits (which we can verify tomorrow on PTS), there may still be room to consider companions as an extension of the player (fitting the definition of solo as "without other players").

Elsonso

Yup. Still soloing, by my book. In my estimation, these things are not OP enough to really change anything.

SirAndy

They are just human shaped pets, so yes, still solo ...

AcadianPaladin

Subjective. In my mind, solo means one player. A companion is not another player. My elf routinely solos dungeons now and will continue to do so with a companion. My interest in companions is more for their roleplay potential than for their combat prowess. Others are free to feel differently of course.

phaneub17_ESO

If it doesn't have an actual human brain controlling its movement, then yeah its solo.

CaptainVenom

companions are not players, so yes... it's solo.

AlnilamE

For the purpose of a dungeon, sure!

But you can't take them to solo arenas.

redspecter23

In my opinion, it would still count as solo but with an asterisk.

geonsocal

i question i believe best answered after a pint or 3 of ale...

in answer to your question: Can it be considered that I soloed a dungeon if I used a Companion?

Vlad9425

Yes if there’s no other players with you then it’s solo.

SirLeeMinion

I'd have to agree that it's still solo with a companion.

Whether it's easier to solo once companions drop is a different question. ZOS seems determined to nerf player power and then sell solutions to replace what was nerfed. I personally feel like my ability to solo content peaked about two years ago. While the ring of the pale order was a step back towards that peak, personally it hasn't seemed to match the solo power I had prior to Murkmire's shield nerfs or the WW nerfs that came somewhat later.

Will companions eat CC and mechanics? If so, it might put dungeons like Vet BC2 within reach - currently I cannot solo the final boss. If they function like sorc pets, I expect they will not fully balance the nerfs to CP and equipment we've seen over the last year. I guess we'll see.

Kurat

It's not soloing if you use companion. That's why they are not allowed into SOLO arenas.

Alaztor91

They are counted as a group member in dungeons/trials so I guess that technically it wouldn't be a solo clear anymore.

Mojmir

"worlds first companion assisted" incoming

Vaoh

Is it a “real” solo with the Pale Order ring? With a companion? With brawler spam? Etc.

As long as you‘re the only real player in there then yes it’s a solo imo, though how much of an accomplishment people consider that to be is much less than it used to. Significant power creep is normal though so oh well.

SeaGtGruff

If playing through a dungeon by yourself and your combat pets is considered to be "soloing" the dungeon, then playing through it by yourself and your NPC companions should be, too. After all, isn't that the whole reason they're being added-- to allow players to "solo" content that they'd otherwise have trouble with?

Ryuvain

I mean, clanfear already taunts but it can also be used in solo arena unlike companions. So sure. I know I'm going to be using them to solo.

renne

It's entirely up to you, but if someone told me they'd solo'd a dungeon with a companion I personally wouldn't think of it as soloing, because companions are way more intricate and skilled than pets.

oddbasket

Why care what others think about it unless your whole purpose is to brag about it. It shouldn't take away from any personal sense of achievement since it will become just another available tool in the game like monster sets, arena weapons, mythic items as the game continues to change.

Sangwyne

Whatever floats your boat. Soloing is a self-imposed challenge, you dictate the rules.

spartaxoxo

I would personally only consider it soloing if you used it's like a pet, as in only adding a damage boost or heal. I wouldn't consider it solo if you used as a tank, personally. As the challenge of soloing largely comes from tanking the bosses. If you can do that and meet a minimum damage threshold for dps checks, then you'll complete any solo challenge in the game. And the dps checks are so low that mostly everyone attempting to solo challenging content already easily meets them. So adding a little more damage with a companion really not different than having a pet.

Pets however cannot really tank for you in any consistent way, drawing aggro so infrequently and randomly that you have to tank it everything actually difficult on your own.

I mean I wouldn't have a problem with anyone desiring themselves having soloed something that used a companion, since people generally mean without the aid of another human being. But in terms of self-satisfaction solo, I personally feel like you gotta tank it and deal with the most difficult mechs yourself.

Jeremy

Dragonnord wrote: »

Since Companions are coming, I'd like to know if using a Companion to help on a dungeon is considered as you soloing that dungeon or not.

Thank you.

Semantics.

You are still doing it by yourself without any assistance from other people. So in that sense, yeah, I would say you are soloing it.

Grandchamp1989

I say it should follow the same rules as Solo Arenas.

bmnoble

I don't see it as being any different than the Warden/Sorc/or even the Necro combat pets.

renne

I feel like if you care enough to ask, you probably don't think it does yourself.

SammyKhajit

This one just wants to complete dungeons without having to risk speed runners, toxic players and whinging kittens (“DO YOU HAVE XYZ STAFF?!?!! I WANTS IT!!!”). Companions will be a good workaround.

This one does have 85% very positive dungeon experiences with random players but the 15% is truly awful.

UntilValhalla13

It's no different than using a combat pet or one of the annoying quest npcs that tag along. If you die, the companion isn't going to keep fighting or res you. Whatever killed you will reset to full health. You're in there by yourself.

peacenote

Funny question actually. I would have said no, but it's not like I'm going to search YouTube and troll "solo" videos with negative comments if companions are in them. I don't really care. And I can see both sides.

You can take four sorcs into a dungeon and they each can use 2 - 3 pets at a time, but four templars couldn't go into a dungeon with four companions, so from a bragging rights factor I would not say you "solo'd" it. But long term it probably will be considered soloing by the community because it generally means completing content using any tools available to you by yourself.

MooseKnuckles88

IMO, No, it's not soloing if the companion is holding aggro, dealing damage, or healing you.