Trying to understand the love for companions.

Pixiepumpkin · January 21

I see that a lof of folks really enjoy their companions in game. I don't share this sentiment, as mine die a lot and seem to get in the way more than anything.
I did love my pets in WOW, they had the feeling of "being alive" to me and defnitely felt like mans best friend (so to speak), but I don't get that same feeling with companions in ESO.
For me it might be that I could name my pets in wow, and they were unique to me in that regard, where as in ESO companions are all named and seeing 3 Mirris next to me at a wayshrine is kinda...well for a lack of a better term is kinda lame.

So just curious on the thoughts of others as why they like their companions. Maybe this will help me shift perspective and find enjoyment in them.

Syldras · January 21

Pixiepumpkin wrote: »

For me it might be that I could name my pets in wow, and they were unique to me in that regard, where as in ESO companions are all named

They aren't pets, but people. You can't change your friends' names in real life, why would you be able to do so in ESO?

I see them as a roleplaying device and as an addition to the stories.

LunaFlora · January 21

i see them as friendly npcs that assist in combat.
and we can customise their outfits so they don't have to look the same as everyone else's companions.

it's fun doing story quests with them as some react to certain characters like Mirri with the Tribunal and isobel with the alliance leaders and Lyris.

also when i equip them to be my healer they die way less than as damage dealers or tanks as they tend to stand further away from monsters.

Kendaric · January 21

Pixiepumpkin wrote: »

seeing 3 Mirris next to me at a wayshrine is kinda...well for a lack of a better term is kinda lame.

That wouldn't be too much of an issue if we could change a companion's hair/beard, scars/warpaint and equip them with visible hats/helmets.

Aside from that, I like my companions (I've only got two though). They can be great for RP like @Syldras stated, they also allow me to take some combats I can't handle on my own.
Yes, there are situations where I've wished my companions to Oblivion ... but in general I prefer to adventure with a companion.

Soarora · January 21

For me, it’s just nice for their passive bonuses and chance at expensive companion gear to sell. A little extra damage also helps when you don’t have great dps, such as on a tank.

phaneub17_ESO · January 21

They're dress up pets to me. I let the bear or clannfear do whatever they want, attack whoever while I do my thing. Same thing with companions let them go where they want and ignore everything they do. I don't use any ranged weapons because of the roll dodge problem so its 1H+Sh, dual wield, two-hand, or frost staff. I slot a selfish heal in their first slot like Drake's Blood, Twilight Mantle, Shared Ward, or Snow Squall. If they die so be it, I don't bother rezzing them unless they are tanking or healing.

I'm not expecting them to do any significant damage or change the outcome of battle, they are combat fodder distracting other mobs while I do my own thing. If you're someone with a crappy connection where delay lag is an issue, they serve well as something else to attack while you are waiting for the lag to end. Sometimes while solo at a Dolmen and lag out, normally the mobs would be beating the crap out of me, but the companion deals with them while my dummy stands there.

SilverBride · January 21

I only use my companions if I am engaging in challenging content. I rarely have them with me just questing.

I also look up companion builds and gear them well which makes a big difference in how well they perform.

wrrn519_ESO · January 21

Perm buffs once they are fully upgraded. Thats it.

Melivar · January 21

They can be useful in some situations so always come out in a pinch. In general they are just something to work on in my free time when I don't have a current plan in mind. I can pull them out while blindly killing stuff and level them or thier skill lines, The quests for the most part are also enjoyable so just that makes them worth getting for me even if not always used.

Like everything in the game people are going to like an use the parts they want/enjoy and other such as ToT in my case will remain untouched until a point in time that I get bored and try something new out. I did the opening quest and a few randoms and just didn't enjoy it.

ESO is an MMO after all, there are parts, everyone will play and enjoy and parts some will hate and everything in between.

Erickson9610 · January 21

I like that they're NPCs whose combat rotation you can modify. It's cool to be able to see how well they perform on their own given the rotation and gear you set up for them. It vaguely reminds me of robotics, at least the part where you determine actions to be taken under certain conditions (i.e., heal when under 75% Health, attack when enemy is under 25% Health, and so on).

I also appreciate that they can fill in certain roles. I've had people leave groups, and Companions — when built right — can provide unique buffs to allies and debuffs to enemies which players themselves can't do. Take a look at Azandar's unique tri recovery buff, or Mirri's unique % damage taken enemy debuff. Further, you can get a unique 7000 Armor from one of the Restoration Staff skills, or a unique damage taken reduction from one of the Fighters Guild skills.

Finally, I'm hoping that we eventually get a Werewolf Companion. You could have followers in TES V: Skyrim, but even if they were known werewolves, they would never transform alongside you. I want a Companion who will join me in combat as a werewolf, and I also hope that they count as a werewolf for the Call of the Pack passive, which slows the Werewolf Transformation timer for each transformed werewolf in your group.

Pixiepumpkin · January 21

Syldras wrote: »

Pixiepumpkin wrote: »

For me it might be that I could name my pets in wow, and they were unique to me in that regard, where as in ESO companions are all named

They aren't pets, but people. You can't change your friends' names in real life, why would you be able to do so in ESO?

I see them as a roleplaying device and as an addition to the stories.

It''s not about wanting to change their name, it has to do with (as I stated) my pets were unique to me, ergo the companions are NOT unique to me because everyone is running around with the same NPC's which is immersion breaking and for me not that interesting. They are not unique because everyone has them.

Pets in wow were not immersion breaking because 1. The sheer amount of pets in the game basically ensured you rarely saw a hunter with the same pet. 2. They were unique to the player. 3. Only hunters had pets so the common sight was not to see most players with a "companion" as you do in ESO.

I dunna. Maybe this is not something I can effecively communicate because of different gaming experiences over 20 years regarding MMORPG's.

If companions were NPCs we created, I could see them being more enjoyable, but I just do not see the appeal using the same companions as everyone else.

Syldras · January 21

Pixiepumpkin wrote: »

It''s not about wanting to change their name, it has to do with (as I stated) my pets were unique to me, ergo the companions are NOT unique to me because everyone is running around with the same NPC's which is immersion breaking and for me not that interesting. They are not unique because everyone has them.

I can understand that and also feel that it's a bit immersion-breaking. I've written it elsewhere just earlier today (wait a moment, I'll look for it):

I never understood why they don't let us see other player's companions as some random unnamed npc anyway (maybe unless grouped). It already works like that with npcs that follow you during a quest - to you, they're named and have their normal look, but everyone else just sees some generic title ("Bosmer scout" or something like that) and a figure of the same race in armor, often with helmet or hooded.
Interestingly, if you're grouped and a group member has a companion active, the companion's name won't show in the list (it says only "(player name)'s companion".

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/8029883/#Comment_8029883

This also fully applies here.

Ingenon · January 21

Farming a four person dungeon for set pieces is more tolerable with a tank companion versus solo. Also doing the weekly endeavor kill 20 world bosses is more tolerable with a tank companion versus solo. And doing an infinite archive endeavor is more tolerable with a tank companion, now that ZOS has patched the instant kill for companions and sorcerer pets in infinite archive cycle 1. With a one bar oakensoul sorcerer pet build, I can usually keep a tank companion healed enough to finish the fight.

If I'm not doing something that a companion can help with, I often put them away. I have them all unlocked, but several of them are rarely used.

SkaiFaith · January 21

Being a "hermit" myself, they are quite literally companions for me and not only for my character.
I always have one out with me, with the "most frequently" speaking option active, and I prefer having someone upbeat by my side, like Isobel, Bastian or Ember, because otherwise the game can feel a bit lonely - I rarely play at peak times, I'm almost always online when there's no one around.

About companions being useless in combat... Not at all. They just need the right build and a bit of luck and awareness.
I use them as Tanks and Healers and I can keep them alive while soloing the Chimera boss in Galen, Volcanic Vents and Harrowstorms, or vhm Fungal Grotto 1; they are now useful in Infinite Archive too (first 3 Arcs at least).
But obviously they can die, as any player could.

- note: I was not bragging, I only wanted to testify what a good companion can be capable of getting through. Mine are just in blue gear.

Treselegant · January 21

Syldras wrote: »

Pixiepumpkin wrote: »

For me it might be that I could name my pets in wow, and they were unique to me in that regard, where as in ESO companions are all named

They aren't pets, but people. You can't change your friends' names in real life, why would you be able to do so in ESO?

I see them as a roleplaying device and as an addition to the stories.

Mostly. I only really bought Blackwood for its companions and when I buy rgps I always check out how good their companions are first. I find they provide a good way of grounding myself into whatever world I'm supposed to be role playing in. Blackwood overall wasn't that good but I don't regret buying it because of its companion system. Before that I was getting pretty burnt out of being in a world where nothing I did mattered to anyone.

I care about a companion's personality, their characterisation/story and whether than gels with me. I like it when my actions actually get a reaction, good or bad, that reflects the world these characters are living in. I don't want companions that remain silent and kiss my character's bottom - I want that reactivity! It makes them feel more like people and less like robots to me.

However, having a tank companion has been pretty useful for my sorc main in that I've managed to go back and finish a few dungeons/world bosses that I was having a harder time completing. I wouldn't have even bothered checking out Infinite Archive if it hadn't been accessable with companions. I've had my companion for so long as this point I've got his gear/skills to where I need them to be and he rarely dies in fights. If Bastian ends up dead in a fight then my character is probably next.

I have absolutely no interest in having actual 'combat pets'. I dislike having to cart around a daedric zoo as a sorc as it is. I didn't mind Dogmeat in Fallout 4 but had to have a mod that allowed a companion character to be used alongside. I prefer to have character chatter - I find silent characters very boring.

AcadianPaladin · January 21

I love companions. They provide companionship and are better than playing with other players because they always stay in character, their play schedule is identical to mine, they like to adventure and dungeon crawl at the same pace as me, and they don’t mind if I have to go pee or make a sandwich.

‘Why not just play single player games?’ T’is a fair question since I’m primarily a soloist. That ESO is multiplayer is a drawback I comfortably live with because the mass and scale of ESO totally dwarfs Oblivion and Skyrim combined. And ESO is quite solo friendly.

My tank likes a dps companion to help with damage and to protect. When playing dps, it is nice to have a tank companion to take some pressure off and reduce interruptions to rotation. When playing healer, it is nice to have a tank companion to take care of and keep bosses occupied.

The fact that they have the same names is irrelevant because everyone else’s companions are simply named ‘other player’s companion. As has been said many times, the ‘fix’ for so many of the same companions who look identical from the shoulders up is allowing us to put headgear (hoods, helms, circlets) on them and to change their hairstyles.

Celldweller · January 21

I enjoy their company and find their commentry amusing. Mine don't die that much and when they do its usually because they haven't been programmed to get out of AoE when it goes down. I fully maxxed Bastian as a tank and put all purple gear on him and he has tanked most world bosses in the game for me and some dungeon bosses too. My Ember can one shot landscape mobs. I would like the opportunity to put hats on them and change their hair but most of all I would like to be able to change their outifts as Houseguests. I don't know who dressed Azander but it looks like they raided a dumpster for his clothes lol.

ikzaa · January 21

Syldras wrote: »

They aren't pets, but people.

Syldras wrote: »

You can't change your friends' names in real life.

What are nicknames for? I hardly call my friends by their name.

Syldras · January 21

ikzaa wrote: »

This is the houseguest version, not even the companion npc.

ikzaa wrote: »

What are nicknames for? I hardly call my friends by their name.

But it doesn't change their official name. That's actually the same in ESO: They have an official, "legal" name that is displayed when their name is written somewhere - but nothing hinders you to call them anything you want during gameplay.

majulook · January 21

I have unlocked all companions so far on my main character, and a couple of them on 1 alt. I find them interesting to use at times, but most of the time I do not use them. I find that leveling them is not that bad as it is fairly quick. The companion quests and back story helps make then fun to level

For me the pros and cons are:

PROS

Perk you get once they are max level and not having to be active
Handy in some cases during solo gaming.
Backstory was interesting.
Once max level for one character they are max level for all characters.

CONS

Perk only available if they are active.
Companion gear drops seem to replace other items (not sure but seems like it))
Companion gear drops do not get better as the progress.
Obtaining them on alts is not really fun. - I find better things to do in the game.

LannStone · January 21

I play a solo arcanist with Sharp As Night as a tank
He hardly every dies even in the toughest combat because I hit him with a healing beam when his health gets low - takes about 3 seconds
Meanwhile he's keeping the boss off me so I can get in more hits without running around so much
I get a kick out of his funny comments, but mainly he's a very valuable partner in a tough fight
Leveling him up, slotting the right skills and getting right gear does take time and research, but it's worth it
For me, it's the difference between able solo some bosses or dungeon or not

katanagirl1 · January 22

I have my companions out only for harder content. I typically only use Bastian as a tank.

Just today I was trying to get the world boss endeavor on my arcanist in Hew’s Bane and Gold Coast, but there were about 50 players and I could not get a drop. So I went to Reapers March and tried some world bosses there solo. I was able to do some but it’s running circles around them and trying not to get interrupted. Then I remembered that I had finally unlocked Bastian on that new toon. Brought him out and he tanked beautifully so I could just flail and beam. Gg Bastian!

ADarklore · January 22

AcadianPaladin wrote: »

I love companions. They provide companionship and are better than playing with other players because they always stay in character, their play schedule is identical to mine, they like to adventure and dungeon crawl at the same pace as me, and they don’t mind if I have to go pee or make a sandwich.

‘Why not just play single player games?’ T’is a fair question since I’m primarily a soloist. That ESO is multiplayer is a drawback I comfortably live with because the mass and scale of ESO totally dwarfs Oblivion and Skyrim combined. And ESO is quite solo friendly.

My tank likes a dps companion to help with damage and to protect. When playing dps, it is nice to have a tank companion to take some pressure off and reduce interruptions to rotation. When playing healer, it is nice to have a tank companion to take care of and keep bosses occupied.

The fact that they have the same names is irrelevant because everyone else’s companions are simply named ‘other player’s companion. As has been said many times, the ‘fix’ for so many of the same companions who look identical from the shoulders up is allowing us to put headgear (hoods, helms, circlets) on them and to change their hairstyles.

In regards to bolded. NO, it's not a 'fair question'. MMOs today do not mean the same as they did years ago. Today, MMO simply means a massive amount of people playing the same game at the same time. Most modern MMOs also include content for solo players because they know that focusing solely on 'group-oriented' players would never generate the number of players they need to keep the game going. Years ago when the number of MMOs were limited, players had few choices of what to play, today, there are plenty of MMOs out there, so group-oriented players are now spread out and many times tend to be the minority in MMOs. There are numerous articles out there regarding the shift in player population in modern MMOs.
In regards to, "why not play a single player game'? OK, give me a single player game that gets constant updates for years, constantly adding new content, and allows a dynamic interaction that occurs when chance meeting with other players in content, etc. Not all gamers are 'game hoppers', and that seems to be a big misunderstanding of group-oriented players. They don't seem to understand that single player games are mostly finite in their replay value, and typically only receive updates for about a year, then you have to HOP to another single player game. However, many players, myself included, want to play the same game for YEARS... and that's not something a single player game can offer.

In regards to companions... many people have problems with companions dying because they haven't fully invested in them. As in fully leveled them, equipped them with right gear for their role, and given the proper skills to keep themselves alive. I can't even remember the last time I had a companion die, because I make sure to have them properly equipped for the content I'm running. If I'm soloing a world boss or other difficult monsters, I equip Telvanni Efficiency set to make sure the companions have the best chance of survival and offer the best utility for my build.

tsaescishoeshiner · January 22

Ember and Sharp's personal quests (that you unlock later on with rapport) were more impactful to me because they were character-focused and multi-quest arcs. We don't get that a lot, so it was nice.

I only run my companions as resto staff healers in heavy armor who prioritize their own survivability first. They survive everywhere except certain dungeon and boss fights that way. I don't find them super useful, just nice to have around. Oh and the unlockable perks are nice.

merpins · January 22

I dislike them. They're not useful in any slightly difficult content, they only replace one real person and not all 3, and you can't customize them.

I know this is done to death right now, but look at BG3's system. You can gear your companions and make them whatever build you want to, just like your mc. They're as strong as you because you control them in combat, but that's not what I'm asking for here. At the very least I'd like to make builds with my companion. There are no builds. Just the three roles that no companion does even competently. There's no reason to use them, 90% of the time they're more of a liability than useful as you'll be able to kite better solo than with a companion. The only time i've found them somewhat useful was when I did a dungeon duo with my wife, she was a tank and I was a DPS, and we had both our companions as healers. It made the fight that we were struggling with marginally easier, but it was only due to the nature of that particular fight.

vsrs_au · January 22

tsaescishoeshiner wrote: »

Ember and Sharp's personal quests (that you unlock later on with rapport) were more impactful to me because they were character-focused and multi-quest arcs. We don't get that a lot, so it was nice.

I only run my companions as resto staff healers in heavy armor who prioritize their own survivability first. They survive everywhere except certain dungeon and boss fights that way. I don't find them super useful, just nice to have around. Oh and the unlockable perks are nice.

Ember certainly has a very short companion unlock quest: I did this for the first time last week on one of my characters, and was shocked with how short it was, compared to others (e.g. Mirri's).

Sidonius · January 22

Useless or not, companions gave me the confidence to do/solo Craglorn content.

ArchangelIsraphel · January 22

Although I would love a system where we could create our own companions and write their dialouge ourselves (no VA of course) I do thoroughly enjoy the companions we already have.

I enjoy them, from a roleplay perspective, because they have a personality and dialouge I did not create and do not control. This sparks my imagination, and gives me ideas for how my own characters might react in turn.

As someone who loves to write, I tend to use the entire game as a way to put my characters in situations I did not create. This brings about new ideas for how their personalities might change and grow under a particular circumstance. The story in my mind is always "interacting", via my imagination, with the events unfolding in a quest. It does not matter that ESO is not the same world as the one I write about- it is highly enjoyable to me to play a version of my characters who have found themselves in Tamriel.

The companion system allows me to give my characters a friend I did not tailor to fit their personality. In this way, I get to explore the dynamics of what my characters would think and feel about a friend on the spur of the moment. When do they become protective? How do they react when a friend shows concern for their wellbeing? When would their ideals conflict? How do they behave during a disagreement?

My imagination is a key element in my use of the system, and it has lead to me writing about the adventures of my characters and their companions. Both as a reference point, and out of sheer enjoyment.

I've been a role player for nearly 20 years now, although I no longer actively participate in roleplay groups. Companions help me have that on-the-fly, instinctive reaction that I find so inspiring, while also giving me the privacy to sit and get lost in my own world by myself for a while.

From a practical standpoint? They compliment my characters well when geared and set up properly- I love using them to "solo" harder content when the mood strikes me, mostly because of roleplay reasons, but also because they make things faster when grinding.

I will also point out that they have been a game changer for my parents, who want to continue to enjoy games in spite of their arthritis pain. It used to be that I would get on to help them out, but with the companions, they don't need me to heal or tank at a world boss or in a dungeon. This means they can progress at their own pace without needing to wait for me to hop on after work. They're quite socially anxious, so this is great for them.

ZOS_Hadeostry · January 22

Greetings,

After further review we have decided to move this thread to a category we think is more appropriate for this topic, as it's asking the community.

Thank you for your understanding

ArchangelIsraphel · January 22

ZOS_Hadeostry wrote: »

Greetings,

After further review we have decided to move this thread to a category we think is more appropriate for this topic, as it's asking the community.

Thank you for your understanding

@ZOS_Hadeostry, @ZOS_Kevin

I apologize if I seem rude in questioning your decision to move this topic, however I feel that putting this discussion in the "players helping players" section of the forum was an inappropriate choice for the subject matter.

Many other threads concerning discussions about companions have been allowed to exist in the General section of the forum. Not only that, but by moving the topic, you have minimized exposure to the OP's topic and have essentially ended an otherwise interesting discussion. No one would come to this section of the forum to look for a topic such as this. It is better off in the General section.

Additionally, the players helping players forum seems to be the wrong place for such a topic, as this is a discussion, not someone asking for technical assistance or guidance on how the game functions.

I know many other players have requested this before- but I do feel better guidelines need to be put in place for moving forum posts as some of the decisions being made have been highly detrimental to the continuation of discussion.

I am posting this request in good faith, in the hopes that the moderators will begin reconsidering some of their decisions in the future.

Thank you, and kind regards.

SeaGtGruff · January 22

I hardly ever use companions in TES games except when it's required as part of a quest. To me, they usually just get in my way and make it difficult for me to fight enemies without accidentally hitting my companion. At least companions in ESO can't be accidentally hit like they can in the single-player games, and they can be helpful in some fights, but I still prefer to not use them except on occasion.

I don't even particularly enjoy turn-based RPGs where I have to assemble a party of different characters and then decide what I want each one to do in a fight.

I've collected Bastian and Mirri, but I haven't collected any of the other companions yet. It isn't that I'm not going to; it's really just that I haven't done the quests to collect them yet. In fact, on the PC EU server I haven't even collected Bastian and Mirri yet, since I'm still a long way from questing through Blackwood (I'm currently questing very leisurely through Craglorn). On the PC NA server I'm questing leisurely through High Isle, so I'll be collecting the two companions from High Isle "real soon now" (i.e., sometime within the next couple of years).