What can we do about companions?

oddbasket

I have realised that companions are a total waste of my time.

So every chapter we get 2 more companions, and after completing the year's worth of content, it wasn't enough to level both companions to their max level.
What this means is that I never get to utilse my companions at their full potential since by the time they are at max level, I will be leveling new ones with the new chapter.

In addition, companion drops are much lower compared to normal gear drops, especially epic quality. At this point, I have never gotten a single epic companion drop as yet and still waiting for my 1st epic drop.
Grinding for a playing character's gear should be the main gear grind, but having a companion system's gear grind being much worse is a terrible indication of bad gameplay and grind inflation.
Companion gear drop rates need to be increased to the point of being a by product of doing content, an after thought rather than a main grind.

oddbasket

I wonder if devs play their own game, or simply max out their companions and give them gear via developer's console.
Because of the tediousness of the 2 points raised in my opening points, the companion system is pointless to play with, when after finishing they year's content your companions still have skills locked away and have a smattering amount of gear to customise with. The user experience is better without it.

What I think needs to happen to make companions an enjoyable system is the amount of time needed to level them needs to be short and fast, and you're either flooded with gear doing content or able to use crafting on them to obtain the desired gear.
This completely changes companions from a year long grind to get nowhere with them, to quickly getting to the point of customising your companions for the content you're doing and using them at their full potential for the year long content.

The companion system is simply a side system for personal preference gameplay, not a main gameplay element for group content. Companion gear doesn't need to uphold a trading economy, the system needs to be fun and usable quickly, not a grind that doesn't come to fruition after grinding it for 6 months or more.

RetPing

They should just delete them, this was supposed to be a MMO and not a single player game.
Companion have put a lot of strain in server resources, resources that are need elsewhere.

Ishtarknows

I agree they're a waste of time. I level mine, do the quests, get the achievements all within the first few days and then they're never seen again. I don't need them or want them hanging about. I'm sure all the extra bodies are putting strain on the servers

FlopsyPrince

oddbasket wrote: »

I have realised that companions are a total waste of my time.

So every chapter we get 2 more companions, and after completing the year's worth of content, it wasn't enough to level both companions to their max level.
What this means is that I never get to utilse my companions at their full potential since by the time they are at max level, I will be leveling new ones with the new chapter.

In addition, companion drops are much lower compared to normal gear drops, especially epic quality. At this point, I have never gotten a single epic companion drop as yet and still waiting for my 1st epic drop.
Grinding for a playing character's gear should be the main gear grind, but having a companion system's gear grind being much worse is a terrible indication of bad gameplay and grind inflation.
Companion gear drop rates need to be increased to the point of being a by product of doing content, an after thought rather than a main grind.

Plenty/too many companion gear drops at green, making them useless. You are right about purple (and perhaps up, I have never seen a gold drop).

I finally grabbed the 2 in Necron, but I don't know that I will bother with them.

oddbasket

Ishtarknows wrote: »

I agree they're a waste of time. I level mine, do the quests, get the achievements all within the first few days and then they're never seen again. I don't need them or want them hanging about. I'm sure all the extra bodies are putting strain on the servers

Where do I go to level both companions in a few days? If there's fast leveling tip, I sure would like to know it.

I've just spent several days completing a DLC zone from start to finish, achievement hunted and killed anything in my path for xp. My companion gained 1.5 levels by the end of it.

A chapter and a DLC zone has so far not been enough content to level them for me, even with grinding new public dungeon fragments unlocks.

ixthUA

I crafted a set of training gear for myself, with +exp gained scroll it makes leveling companions very fast.
On PC, you can quickly find purple quality companion gear in stores, however it is very expensive. If we could change companion gear trait - there would be much less useless companion gear.

CristiC

There not just a waste of time, they also impose a certain playstyle, especially to new players. The playstyle in question is staying as far away as possible from the combat scenario and let the companion take the hits. What this means is that these players will have absolutely no clue on how to play with others, in group scenarios - dungeons & trials or large scale encounters - and will have no clue how to both survive and do damage on their own when the situation demands it. All hard overland encounters in this game have a purpose: to expose your characters and your playstyle's strengths and weaknesses. The companion manages to mitigate all these lessons. Just go and watch a volcanic vent clear, face palms all day.

Lugaldu

If you don't care about the companions, just ignore them. There are enough things in the game that don't interest everyone... I also try to ignore a lot of things in this game that annoy me. For example, bright, shiny, noisy mounts and effects, absolutely immersion-destroying personalities and skins, people spamming nonsense in the chat and so on.

Maitsukas

Here's my build for levelling Companions:

• Heartland Conqueror Weapons (all Training) and Jewelry (any trait)
  • 5-piece bonus doubles weapon trait effectiveness, crafted in Blackwood
• Telvanni Efficiency Armor (all Training)
  • 5-piece bonus reduces a living Companion's cooldown times for abilities, dodging and breaking free by 50%, crafted in the Telvanni Peninsula
• Mora's Whispers Mythic Shoulder (Training)
  • Additional combat XP depends on how many Lorebooks (the purple Mages Guild ones) are collected up to 15%.

Legendary quality armor sets with Training will give a maximum of 110% more XP from combat. This includes the Heartland Conqueror bonus for DW/2h/Staves and Mora's Whispers with all Lorebooks collected.

Also, there is a small boost to Companion XP, depending on the Rapport status:

• Friendly: +5% Companion XP
• Close: +10% Companion XP
• Allied: +15% Companion XP
• Companion: +20% Companion XP

Pair it with the following to even further help you out with levelling Companions:

• XP Scrolls/Ambrosias
• Event XP boost during:
  • Jester's Festival
  • Anniversary Jubilee
  • Witches Festival
  • New Life Festival
  • Explorer's Celebration

BretonMage

I agree the grind to level a companion to 20 is much too slow. I think reasonably they should level as quickly as you level a skill line. I can't remember how long it takes to level a skill line, but I don't recall it being anywhere near as tedious as companions. And totally agree about the companion gear drop. We definitely need higher purple gear drop rates. I also noticed that since they started offering randomised purple gear boxes in the IA, I've been getting practically no more good companion gear drops.

oddbasket wrote: »

Where do I go to level both companions in a few days? If there's fast leveling tip, I sure would like to know it.

The fastest I've been able to level them is using an XP scroll and taking them to nDSA/BRP. If there's something faster, I'd like to know too.

Kendaric

No one forces you to have every companion or any companions at all. If their leveling speed bothers you that much, pick two companions you like and stick to them.
I somewhat agree about their gear though, getting useful gear for a companion takes a bit too long.

Ishtarknows

oddbasket wrote: »

Ishtarknows wrote: »

I agree they're a waste of time. I level mine, do the quests, get the achievements all within the first few days and then they're never seen again. I don't need them or want them hanging about. I'm sure all the extra bodies are putting strain on the servers

Where do I go to level both companions in a few days? If there's fast leveling tip, I sure would like to know it.

Wear training armour, use XP pot/scroll, run nBRP or nDSA. Basically use your go-to xp levelling place and kill things. Companions get a % of your XP gain from kills so do what you can to increase this. (XP from quests, master writs etc don't count)

Kite42

Companion leveling rate is ridiculous, it just is.

This is compounded by the fact that the only really reasonable rate is intentional kill grinding, such as in a public dungeon/black rose prison/dark star arena situation or equivalent. Playing normally you can expect the heat death of the universe before any companion gets to use an ultimate.

I think I have one companion at level 17 now.

Heaven help anyone role-playing a pacifist!

AlterBlika

The only place where companions are useful is infinite archive. In other content you just bring them for a chance to get their drops. So you don't lose much

Tandor

A lot of players doubtless find companions useful and immersive, as I do, and the speed with which they level is of no consequence to me as I play for the journey and not the destination. However, if companions are of no interest or benefit then there's no need to use them, and there's certainly then no need to recruit new ones or to remove them from the game when other players like using them.

Deter1UK

Tandor wrote: »

A lot of players doubtless find companions useful and immersive, as I do, and the speed with which they level is of no consequence to me as I play for the journey and not the destination. However, if companions are of no interest or benefit then there's no need to use them, and there's certainly then no need to recruit new ones or to remove them from the game when other players like using them.

Took the words out of my mouth

derkaiserliche

You cant expect them to be lvl 20 by just doing one area of questing.

If you dont like them - dont use them.

oddbasket

derkaiserliche wrote: »

You cant expect them to be lvl 20 by just doing one area of questing.

If you dont like them - dont use them.

You didn't read correctly. For players who have completed previous content, each year there's 2 new companions. My experience of finishing the year's content including the chapter and DLC zone wasn't enough to level 2 companions to their max.

And so far, the solution offered has been the same, instead of doing content with companions, equip training gear, use xp boosters and grind them in BRP/DSA.

I'm saying that the time investment compared to the amount of new content isn't reasonable to be functionally enjoyable.

oddbasket

Tandor wrote: »

A lot of players doubtless find companions useful and immersive, as I do, and the speed with which they level is of no consequence to me as I play for the journey and not the destination. However, if companions are of no interest or benefit then there's no need to use them, and there's certainly then no need to recruit new ones or to remove them from the game when other players like using them.

As I've been saying, I've ran out of journey before reaching the destination. So the solution would be to grind it out and forgo the immersion? I would like to have reached it along the way.

Araneae6537

I enjoy having one with me while questing, obviously not needed for overland, but I find it enjoyable, especially when I fond a companion that complements my character. I have gotten a number of purple companion gear drops, usually from more challenging content like wb and higher arcs of IA. Speaking of, when I don’t have another player to run the Archive with, I run with a companion as tank. Sharp is my favorite overall and I’ve swapped some weapons and armor once I’d leveled the main build I wanted him to use and so is my first companion with multiple weapon and armor lines fully leveled. I rarely specifically seek to level companions, other than doing some guild dailies when I have time and remember.

Frogmother

Each following companion should get a cummulative XP boost for a skill you already maxed on another companion.

e.g. first companion gives you 30% xp bonus, the second s50% and the thrid 70%. I've already done all of the leveling with one companion. Doing the same with the others is just a nuisance.

Zodiarkslayer

Indeed. During one of the 100%xp events in 2023, I levelled all my companions but one. Was easy as pie. And fast as leopard on a sugar rush. They also do neither need to participate in the fight nor be particularly helpful. Just need to be active, that's all.
There is also the hidden xp multiplier that scales with rapport level. I believe it scales from 10% of player xp at 0, to 20% at max rapport. That can be a pretty big difference in terms of time for grinding to lvl20.
And maxing out rapport isn't all too time consuming. Every comp has at least one daily quest that gives him/her 125 rapport.

Also, the best combination of training gear is Heartland Conqueror and Torug's Pact, imo. You can survive greater add pulls and thus have a better xp per time ratio.
Not using these multiple opportunities to level easily is tantamount to trying to fight a MMA champion with a blindfold. 😉

Purple companion gear, btw, primarily drops from Boss type monsters. If you clear a dungeon, you'll only have four or five chances total. If one doesn't fight Bosses, well, one will almost assuredly never get purple comp gear.

oddbasket

Zodiarkslayer wrote: »

Indeed. During one of the 100%xp events in 2023, I levelled all my companions but one. Was easy as pie. And fast as leopard on a sugar rush. They also do neither need to participate in the fight nor be particularly helpful. Just need to be active, that's all.
There is also the hidden xp multiplier that scales with rapport level. I believe it scales from 10% of player xp at 0, to 20% at max rapport. That can be a pretty big difference in terms of time for grinding to lvl20.
And maxing out rapport isn't all too time consuming. Every comp has at least one daily quest that gives him/her 125 rapport.

Also, the best combination of training gear is Heartland Conqueror and Torug's Pact, imo. You can survive greater add pulls and thus have a better xp per time ratio.
Not using these multiple opportunities to level easily is tantamount to trying to fight a MMA champion with a blindfold. 😉

Purple companion gear, btw, primarily drops from Boss type monsters. If you clear a dungeon, you'll only have four or five chances total. If one doesn't fight Bosses, well, one will almost assuredly never get purple comp gear.

I did have to grind out both companions utilising double xp events and xp scrolls together albeit without training gear after completing all the new content for year. Did that in public dungeons since at least I would be getting fragments of their unique unlocks and feels less like wasting my time.

As for bosses, I usually ran random vet dungeons and pledges but I've not paid attention if they've dropped since I couldn't have companions out in a full team, did all the delves/public dungeons and killed any would boss I come across since I can solo them without waiting for groups. Also did vMA and vVH, not sure if I've gotten drops there. So far I have 0 purple companion gear as yet though.

Edit: Wasn't easy as pie though, the difference is probably the lack of training gear? I leveled them across multiple double xp events in public dungeons when I can, choosing to do it during xp events due to the lack of content that I haven't done yet.

Mesite

I always have a companion with me. I'm not worried about their level or what armour they are wearing. They are just there for company and a few extra quests. I've reached the level of familiarity that I miss them when I got to Cyrodiil.

Ilsabet

oddbasket wrote: »

As for bosses, I usually ran random vet dungeons and pledges but I've not paid attention if they've dropped since I couldn't have companions out in a full team, did all the delves/public dungeons and killed any would boss I come across since I can solo them without waiting for groups. Also did vMA and vVH, not sure if I've gotten drops there. So far I have 0 purple companion gear as yet though.

Companion gear will only drop if you have a companion active, so you won't be able to get it from solo arenas or dungeons with only players.

oddbasket

I don't understand why people automatically assume I don't like/enjoy or feel like I'm being forced to use companions. This doesn't matter.

I have been doing overland questing with them, clearing the content I have yet done with them.

I'm just saying the leveling of each new pair is disproportionate to the amount of new content and needs to be improved.
Instead, the solution I'm getting is to grind it out, which isn't appealing to someone who just prefers to have their progression while playing instead of grinding.

The same with companion gear drops, to reach an end point in progression in a reasonable timeframe. Even with farming, purple drops are too rare to reach a point where the player can freely customise his companions in an optimal manner.

Kite42

So some numbers. I started before Greymoor somewhat, but most of this counts:

4289 hours played (essentially all PvE)
12 chars at level 50, CP 1660
Companion levels: Bastion 9, Mirri 16, Isobel 17, Ember 11, Azandar 5

That, frankly, is a slow fetching grind.

oddbasket

Kite42 wrote: »

So some numbers. I started before Greymoor somewhat, but most of this counts:

4289 hours played (essentially all PvE)
12 chars at level 50, CP 1660
Companion levels: Bastion 9, Mirri 16, Isobel 17, Ember 11, Azandar 5

That, frankly, is a slow fetching grind.

Exactly, this system doesn't respect the player's time.

GooGa592

oddbasket wrote: »

I have realised that companions are a total waste of my time.

So every chapter we get 2 more companions, and after completing the year's worth of content, it wasn't enough to level both companions to their max level.
What this means is that I never get to utilse my companions at their full potential since by the time they are at max level, I will be leveling new ones with the new chapter.

In addition, companion drops are much lower compared to normal gear drops, especially epic quality. At this point, I have never gotten a single epic companion drop as yet and still waiting for my 1st epic drop.
Grinding for a playing character's gear should be the main gear grind, but having a companion system's gear grind being much worse is a terrible indication of bad gameplay and grind inflation.
Companion gear drop rates need to be increased to the point of being a by product of doing content, an after thought rather than a main grind.

I completely agree. Companions are a waste of time in my opinion as well. Companions have no place in an MMO where player interaction and cooperation should be encouraged, not discouraged.

moo_2021

They were useful when I struggled with craglorn delves. Since then they're just talkative travel companions.


If they can be allowed normal gears, I'd surely equip them with meta gears and make them useful again.