Does anyone use Bastion as a companion most of the time?

Blinx

Bastian is my go to companion whenever I need a helping hand, as he makes a wonderful tank, I don't find his banter any worse than the others, I'm equally annoyed in that respect, I just tune it out, my only gripe with him is his keepsake, but that's a different topic.
Out of the 4 companions Mirri is the one I loathe, and don't plan on ever using again, she's been regulated to house guest in doomchar plateau for all eternity

Necrotech_Master

Syldras wrote: »

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Necrotech_Master wrote: »

it took me less than a week to get both isobel and ember to lvl 20

Can you estimate how many hours that were? "A week" can mean anything, from 7 hours to over 50.

And it probably also depends on what you were doing with them. I just tag my companions along with me all the time, also during story questing and crafting which doesn't bring as many xp as doing dungeons, of course.

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MasterSpatula wrote: »

I really can't stand the game yelling at me for it's own terrible targeting, so I run around with Ember or Isabelle.

Isobel also complains if you kill animals, though.

about 6 or so normal DSA runs per companion with 150% xp scroll active (normal DSA runs were usually about 1 hour because it ran the entire length of the 1 hour xp scroll for very little waste on the scroll lol)

so maybe 12 hours between the both? if its spread out over a 7 day period that is 2 hours per day for 6 days so really not all that bad

for consistency i usually did a run of 2 people with 2 companions, so that you could keep the time at about an hour, but you both get to work on companions, and when i got to the final boss i even opened up the other 2 group slots to guild/friends who needed DSA weapons since the final arena is just the 1 guy, not really much for companion xp (the avg time to kill him on normal with 4 people is 12-18 seconds from the runs i was doing lol)

i probably compressed those runs a bit more (was doing like 4 runs per day sat and sunday)

Ilsabet

Bastian is my main character's wingman when I'm in questing mode. I'm more likely to have another companion out while I'm just running around derping if there's someone who needs exp, but when it's story time, I want to have Bastian with me. I like most of the things about him that other people have mentioned, although he does have a few lines that I could do without, and while I enjoy the other companions too, I always feel a little better when I come back to him.

I've had an interesting time incorporating him into my character's written headcanon. It's been surprisingly easy to work him into story beats, considering that he has literally no actual interaction with anything beyond his personal quests. Having him along in-game has actually inspired some scenes that probably wouldn't have happened if he weren't tagging along.

Tandor

I use all of the companions and none of them, in varying amounts, across my characters.

Auldwulfe

I'll admit, I am not as fond of Bastion as others are -- in many ways, to me, he seems more like a walking fortune cookie, than a full character, and it also feels as though they made him the most difficult to level and to gain rapport with.

It depends on which of my characters are with him, though -- some cannot stand him, and some cannot stand the others - my Breton Mage finds Mirri kind of fun.... my Imperial Templar wants to shove her off some place very high... but gets along with Isobel and Bastion.....

I play my characters based on which mood I am in.... so I guess I can stand him sometimes.....LOL

He does, however, have one AWESOME redeeming quality.... he doesn't use the word "Magicky"

Auldwulfe

blktauna

Love my tattooed up Bastion cutie in this shirtless pirate gear. Excellent healer and no slouch with that meteor. I like him and Ember. They are fun and low maintenance.

Zama666

Bastion...first quarter 2022...pfffft

Isobel she's the one for me.

She's totally in to me!

She winks at me with both eyes all the time!

Z

Kallykat

Araneae6537 wrote: »

I use different companions with different characters. In fact, I’ve yet to unlock more than one companion on any one character. For me, it contributes to the feeling of my characters having separate stories and identities.

Mostly this. ^

Although, my main has unlocked all four. Before High Isle, all my alts had either Mirri or Bastian. Now some of them are rocking Isobel or Ember.

I'd like each of my characters to have a different companion eventually. Though I'd like more character slots too, and these two things work against one another.

Syldras

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

about 6 or so normal DSA runs per companion with 150% xp scroll active (normal DSA runs were usually about 1 hour because it ran the entire length of the 1 hour xp scroll for very little waste on the scroll lol)
so maybe 12 hours between the both? if its spread out over a 7 day period that is 2 hours per day for 6 days so really not all that bad
for consistency i usually did a run of 2 people with 2 companions, so that you could keep the time at about an hour, but you both get to work on companions, and when i got to the final boss i even opened up the other 2 group slots to guild/friends who needed DSA weapons since the final arena is just the 1 guy, not really much for companion xp (the avg time to kill him on normal with 4 people is 12-18 seconds from the runs i was doing lol)
i probably compressed those runs a bit more (was doing like 4 runs per day sat and sunday)

Thanks! Constant fighting, I see. That explains it. I don't level them deliberately but just take them with me whatever I'm doing, so they level much slower (I won't complain though because I'm not aiming for fast levelling). I have Isobel for weeks now and she's just reached level 13 or 14.

Auldwulfe wrote: »

I'll admit, I am not as fond of Bastion as others are -- in many ways, to me, he seems more like a walking fortune cookie

Not sure if they also exist in the USA, but in my country we have calendars where you tear off a sheet every day and every sheet has a motto or short poem on the backside. Some of Bastian's lines remind very much of these (we even placed him in a house because of that, to ask him for a daily motto or advice - I know it's silly, but also amusing somehow, and while it makes him sound a bit cheesy, it doesn't make me dislike him).

TaSheen

Syldras wrote: »

Not sure if they also exist in the USA, but in my country we have calendars where you tear off a sheet every day and every sheet has a motto or short poem on the backside. Some of Bastian's lines remind very much of these (we even placed him in a house because of that, to ask him for a daily motto or advice - I know it's silly, but also amusing somehow, and while it makes him sound a bit cheesy, it doesn't make me dislike him).

Oh yes, we have them here as well. My favorites usually involve cat pictures and not total platitudes for poetry.

Tornaad

Ember is my favorite.

Syldras

TaSheen wrote: »

Oh yes, we have them here as well. My favorites usually involve cat pictures and not total platitudes for poetry.

Well, I have one with dogs. And while I wouldn't buy a motto calendar, it was still amusing to ask Bastian for his "advice for the day" after he became a house guest. Who isn't encouraged by lines like ""The good we do today will likely be forgotten tomorrow"?

metheglyn

Kirawolfe wrote: »

I see a lot of hate for Bastian in my guild forums, and here, but man, I love the guy.

He is an essential tank for me when farming dungeons, no matter who I'm playing. I enjoy his kindness, and his voice which I find soothing. He has a line that makes me happy every time I hear it:

"I like to think fate puts us in dark places because it's our job to be a light there."

Also, the "Are you hurt?!" line gets me all fluttery XD

That said, he spends a lot of time looking up, at nothing.

I'm digging Isobel as well, though she's annoying for my vampire characters. Her laugh of delight when we go into battle is just awesome.

But I think Bastian will always be my favorite because he's steadfast and true and cares about everyone.

... except bandits, because screw those guys. XD

I adore Bastian for many of the same reasons.

I think his backstory is interesting, and I like his general outlook. And I absolute love the savage loathing he has for bandits.

I have him set up as a pocket healer, and he's brilliant at it.

TaSheen

Syldras wrote: »

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TaSheen wrote: »

Oh yes, we have them here as well. My favorites usually involve cat pictures and not total platitudes for poetry.

Well, I have one with dogs. And while I wouldn't buy a motto calendar, it was still amusing to ask Bastian for his "advice for the day" after he became a house guest. Who isn't encouraged by lines like ""The good we do today will likely be forgotten tomorrow"?

LOL! This year's has lines from Buddha. A Buddhist friend gifted me, and I find them (as well as the cats) calming.

BretonMage

Bastian is my favourite companion by far. He's thoughtful and kind, and has a calm presence. I also have no idea what OP is talking about him not being used, because I see Bastians around all the time. He seems to be the most used companion after Ember.

ZOS quite obviously learned from the negative reactions to the Blackwood companions' dialogue, because the new companions talk a lot more naturally, their lines are more varied and, not surprisingly, the new companions are full of praise for the player.

Auldwulfe wrote: »

I'll admit, I am not as fond of Bastion as others are -- in many ways, to me, he seems more like a walking fortune cookie, than a full character

Yes, their writing was bad. @Treselegant posted about their rather sloppy writing of Bastian in another thread. Unoriginal writing borrowed from movies, changed dialogue scenes and the like. I still like him despite that.

deejayvee

No, I don't. I find his lines annoying. Same with Mirri. I think they learnt from the original two when they created the new two. They're not perfect, of course, but so far they've been far less annoying for me.

Syldras

BretonMage wrote: »

ZOS quite obviously learned from the negative reactions to the Blackwood companions' dialogue, because the new companions talk a lot more naturally, their lines are more varied and, not surprisingly, the new companions are full of praise for the player.

While they generally improved, I hope they don't exaggerate the praising with the next ones only because they got the impression that people like being praised. Of course between friends, it's normal to drop a little compliment sometimes, but being told every 2 minutes how well I'm doing (even when just fighting skeevers) would seem a bit strange to me.

Treselegant

BretonMage wrote: »

Bastian is my favourite companion by far. He's thoughtful and kind, and has a calm presence. I also have no idea what OP is talking about him not being used, because I see Bastians around all the time. He seems to be the most used companion after Ember.

ZOS quite obviously learned from the negative reactions to the Blackwood companions' dialogue, because the new companions talk a lot more naturally, their lines are more varied and, not surprisingly, the new companions are full of praise for the player.

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Auldwulfe wrote: »

I'll admit, I am not as fond of Bastion as others are -- in many ways, to me, he seems more like a walking fortune cookie, than a full character

Yes, their writing was bad. @Treselegant posted about their rather sloppy writing of Bastian in another thread. Unoriginal writing borrowed from movies, changed dialogue scenes and the like. I still like him despite that.

I am quite salty at the way that his companion lines, the ones used when travelling with the player, do not live up the character built up in his quest. Thanks for tagging me about that thread, for anyone who didn't see it at the time, here's a bit of what I found:

Some of his comments, as I mentioned before, are just straight up memes/film quotes:
"What sorcery is this" - meme
"Now you're just showing off!" - possibly a reference to a quote from 'Batman: The Dark Knight Rises'. Weird usage in game regardless.
"If it bleeds it can be killed" - Memey quote obviously derived from the film 'Predator'.
"I don't have a romantic partner back home.." an idle comment borrowed from comedian Mitch Hedberg apparently. A totally random inclusion which seems to have passed a lot of players by because obviously not all players are American or up on their 90s comedians.

Those are the ones I could think of at the time but there's probably more. So much about how he's implimented as a companion indicates lack of care. He has this decent and interesting back story and yet so many of the environmental lines they came up with both vague and memey. To this day he has many many lines that do not fire at all and doesn't even appear at the end of the Blackwood quest 'party', it's just shocking really.

Despite all this, he's still mine and many others favourite companion. He just desperately needs more content and its frustrating there hasn't been any.

Kesstryl

I use him as a tank on my non-tank characters. He makes a great tank.

GlassHalfFull

I am glad some have posted their positive experiences with him, those comments here were worth reading.

I found his comments while playing the game o be more on the annoying side, so he now just sits on a bench, as "Bench Warmer Bastion" instead of being in the game with me.

Kirawolfe

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

mainly because I dislike ending up with more companion gear that I have to deal with.

I have, to date, made about 6 million gold from selling purple companion gear XD

Can highly recommend keeping one out for this reason alone. Yes, you get a lot of stuff, but you can sell it the bulk of it to a vendor, and sell the good stuff at a trader.

jtm1018

Im a guy, naturally, I like girls.

I like bringing girls in my adventures.

bmnoble

He is holding down the fort in collections.

I tend to use Isobel as a tank, Ember as a damage dealer and Mirri as a healer or damage dealer, Bastian is set up as another tank that I never really use anymore.

As for the companions talking a lot, unless I am questing I have the games audio off and just listen to music while I play so I don't hear it often enough to get sick of it.

SilverBride

I used to use Bastian in situations where I wanted a tank because he does a really good job of it. But his dialogue was irritating at times so now I use Isobel as my tank.

Syldras

jtm1018 wrote: »

Im a guy, naturally, I like girls.
I like bringing girls in my adventures.

I assume you only have female friends then?

Treselegant

Syldras wrote: »

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jtm1018 wrote: »

Im a guy, naturally, I like girls.
I like bringing girls in my adventures.

I assume you only have female friends then?

I suspect you wont get an answer to that one .

Syldras

Treselegant wrote: »

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Syldras wrote: »

jtm1018 wrote: »

Im a guy, naturally, I like girls.
I like bringing girls in my adventures.

I assume you only have female friends then?

I suspect you wont get an answer to that one .

We'll see. The idea that a companion has to be (at least potentially) sexually attractive and can't be, well, just a (same-sex) friend, seems strange to me - but I'd accept that as a matter of taste, I guess. It gets weird though as soon as an alleged "nature" gets involved in the argumentation.

Sheridan

Yes, he is the only companion I travel with (except for the time when I leveled other companions). I like him, and he is the only male companion in the game.

rpa

Ember is the only one I've fully levelled. Rest are gathering dust. Hopefully we get a male companion who does not get bothered from normal daily activities of stealing, pickpocketing and killing citicens and who does not melt when visiting outlaws and sanctuary. Preferably one who kills all bards on sight.

LannStone

I don't bring out any companion overland most of the time, but Bastion is always my choice (as a tank) with bosses and dungeons