Companion question: armor types and melee companions...

jle30303

Companion theory question: Suppose you want an offensive melee-type companion (dual-wield or 2 handed).

Because of the tendency of offensive types to get closer to the mobs, giving them a greater chance of either (a) being hit in melee, or (b) standing in stupid... Is it actually better to equip them in Heavy rather than Medium armour? This would sacrifice the Damage bonus of medium armour for a survivability increase (both the increased numbers on the armour value of Heavy, and the actual Heavy armour passive).

Which might actually mean they dish out more damage overall, in the long run, because companion damage is 0 if they're dead. Maybe there's a use for the Aggressive trait on Heavy armour?

Yes, I know about Bolstered as the trait of choice if you're making an outright defensive damage sponge tank of them, with sword-and-board (as seems to be popular with Isobel and Bastian, much more so than Mirri and Ember.)

Nestor

I had Heavy Aggresive on a Companion and I have tried Medium Shattering. I can't really tell a difference in either Damage or Survivability.

phaneub17_ESO

There's no way to keep them alive without you putting in actual effort and actions to do so, no matter what you have them equipped with or what skills are on their bars, what you actively do is what keeps them alive. Armor really does not matter unless you want to inch out every last bit to perform a certain role, any will do even an all Medium Isobel can heal just as well as with all Light armor, that extra 7% push is up for a matter of preference.

So for companion abilities slot a self-heal, preferably one that only targets themselves or includes them in it. Your options include Drake's Blood, Twilight Mantle, Holy Ground, Shared Wards, Life Absorption, Life Siphon, or Entomb. Damage reduction abilities work too like Solar Ward, Hurricane Visage, Razor Cape, On Guard, and Ritual of Salvation.

Now for what you can do as a player is slot abilities that can smart target companions or blankets an area. Restoration Staff has 3 good choices with Radiating Regeneration and Ward Ally auto-targets your companion if no other player is around. If someone is always with you or you go places with other players about then Combat Prayer blankets the area in front of you that can heal the companion and gives them buffs like Minor Berserk for more damage and Minor Resolve for extra armor.

Class abilities that work on companions include Templar's Extended Ritual and activating Repentance. Nightblade's Path of Darkness gives them Major Expedition not actually helpful in any way, I just like to point that out. Major Protection from Consuming Darkness will affect companions giving them an extra 10% damage reduction. Dragon Knight's Obsidian Shield works too, but its pitifully weak when compared to Ward Ally; however, if other players are around it will target your companion always instead of Ward Ally's smart target preferring other players. Warden's Fungal Growth is another area blanket spell so companions caught in its wave will get heals. Lotus Flower heals them too I think, but also suffers from smart healing problems. And finally anyone can slot Echoing Vigor.

AcadianPaladin

I would put a melee dps companion in 5M and 2H. 5M gives them a bit of extra damage and allows you to slot the companion medium armor skill 'Vanish'. Vanish is a fabulous 'keep the companion alive' skill because when the companion disappears, the boss beating them shifts targeting to you while your companion self-heals to full. In a few seconds your companion is fully healed and back in the fight instead of dead.

In fact, I slot Vanish on companion tanks unless the character they're working for is a solid healer who has the skills and experience to keep squishies alive. Better your tank lose taunt for a few seconds than die.