What can we do about companions?

Orionza

I think the companions leveling is challenging. I kind of like it! I have Bastian, Mirri and Isobel leveled. I worked on Sharp next. I'm sorry Ember, you've gotta wait.

Sure if we get new ones soon (and I hope so! I LOVE my companions!) I'll be working on those too. The rapport is quicker but taking them around to level them to 20 is really challenging.

You have to really put your mind to taking them to places that they like (rapport) and to leveling them. Focus on one, and then on to the next one. I see that others do training gear to level theirs up; if that's what they like to do to make it go faster, great. But you don't have to do that, just take them around and when they level, they level. That's my approach, anyway.

MashmalloMan

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

MashmalloMan wrote: »

1. Dedicated inventory.
2. 15 skills instead of 9 for the class.
3. 3 ults instead of 1 for the class.
4. Allow use of player sets, but at like 20% the power.
5. Or.. Rework equipment to come with set effects you can mix and match.
6. Allow improvement of equipment via crafting, add gold tier.
7. Reduce xp requirements by at least 50%.
8. Allow them to earn xp from quests.
9. Add that Infinite Archive damage mitigation to all content in the game, maybe to a slightly less value.

Companions are definitely not what I thought they would be when they were announced. It was never what I wanted, but I can generally see the value in anything if it's implemented in a fun way.

It's really sad to hear they're going to be releasing another 2 this year instead of plans for improving how they function in meaningful ways. We're at 6 companions now, the only class without 1 is Necromancer. I expected 1 companion this year. 2 means they're going to start doubling up on existing classes, most likely covering the skills that were missing on the first pass. Do we really need 2 versions of the same class in a companion when they could spend that development time making the originals better?

There is a very slim chance, a sliver of hope and hype, that the 8th companion is actually a tease for a future class in 2025 or 2026. I think people would go nuts for all the theories regarding that, but I can't realistically see this happening.

Even if you absolutely adore the companion system, everyone is aware it could be improved.

The best value for companions I've found to date is farming overland content like.. 10% quicker because Ember cleans up ads that are a little far away from me or more recently, Infinite Archive for solo runs. The fact that she procs some of the verses/visions and is generally really hard to kill makes IA a lot more fun solo.

theoretically speaking, they could have a companion not based on a player skill line, and there could be like a WW or vampire style companion they could do too as a full class line

as the companions are NPCs they could be given a unique class/class skills that are not based on anything the player has access to

That is a good point. I'd rate it in this order of likeliness based on their history:

1. Doubling up on existing classes using unused skills/morphs
2. Vamp or WW
3. Custom class based on existing NPC skills
4. Tease for a future class

Anything would be better than doubling up on the current classes. I'm just tempering my expectations. Hope you're right.

SeaGtGruff

You don't need to collect every companion, just the one(s) you want-- if any. It's perfectly okay to skip optional content in a zone-- that is, anything that isn't part of the zone's main storyline. For that matter, you don't need to do the zone storyline if you don't want to.

And even if you do decide to collect each and every companion, you don't need to level up and use all of them-- or, if you do wish to do so, you don't need to do it "in order"; you can focus on the one(s) that matter the most to you.

FlopsyPrince

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

You don't need to collect every companion, just the one(s) you want-- if any. It's perfectly okay to skip optional content in a zone-- that is, anything that isn't part of the zone's main storyline. For that matter, you don't need to do the zone storyline if you don't want to.

And even if you do decide to collect each and every companion, you don't need to level up and use all of them-- or, if you do wish to do so, you don't need to do it "in order"; you can focus on the one(s) that matter the most to you.

That can be said about many parts of the game. I don't have to research all traits on all my characters, but I do. That is one area I like to be complete.

The initial point that the content with each new area is not enough to level the companions from that area is a reasonable point.

Though I just do whatever content I feel like and they get leveled as they do.

But the "you don't have to do it" can be said about many things and it is not a completely valid reasoning. Things should work easier the Nth time you do them, especially if you are playing many alts. ESO is not completely alt friendly (without Crown store purchases) and that should be adjusted.

It is good the new company keeps their level and gear for all characters at least.

oddbasket

Great job, the recent posts being very constructive, keep it up. Barely any posts about what players have or don't need to do with their companions, just leave the playstyles to the players' themselves, so far they've been sharing pretty well what they like to do with them.

@Ugrak I had something similar last night, I went into a random dungeon and the fake tank just ran past us skipping bosses to get to the end leaving the 3 of us to fight the first boss. He got vote kicked and someone called up his companion and we finished the dungeon with 3 players and a companion.

@Alastrine 14 accounts? That's amazing! I run 3 accounts and play with a friend who has 5 and even that was hefty time investment at a point. I have eased up the past couple of years, so I can imagine the kind of investment 14 accounts have been. I have avoided dolmens even for leveling simply taking my time with the daily random dungeon and focusing on quests that reward skill points. I do notice the game's performance have improved quite a bit after a recently being away and returning even at busy dolmens.

@Adremal I think many players would agree, including myself, that a tank companion can help to maximise dps on a melee character while soloing. It might not be necessary, but not dealing with boss attacks leaving you free to dps in melee range can be a big help. @M1SHAAN gave us a pretty good example of their usefulness while soloing.

@MashmalloMan Some good ideas you have. The dedicated inventory has been raised at inception by players so you're not alone thinking that. More skill choices is always good, but I can see how limiting them allows ZOS to continuously churn out companions with each chapter. Continue to give ZOS idea for companion gear rework as players, and I've also raised using crafting on companion gear would be a huge improvement to lessening gear grind earlier, so I agree.

SeaGtGruff

I

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

You don't need to collect every companion, just the one(s) you want-- if any. It's perfectly okay to skip optional content in a zone-- that is, anything that isn't part of the zone's main storyline. For that matter, you don't need to do the zone storyline if you don't want to.

And even if you do decide to collect each and every companion, you don't need to level up and use all of them-- or, if you do wish to do so, you don't need to do it "in order"; you can focus on the one(s) that matter the most to you.

That can be said about many parts of the game. I don't have to research all traits on all my characters, but I do. That is one area I like to be complete.

The initial point that the content with each new area is not enough to level the companions from that area is a reasonable point.

Though I just do whatever content I feel like and they get leveled as they do.

But the "you don't have to do it" can be said about many things and it is not a completely valid reasoning. Things should work easier the Nth time you do them, especially if you are playing many alts. ESO is not completely alt friendly (without Crown store purchases) and that should be adjusted.

It is good the new company keeps their level and gear for all characters at least.

The companions are not intended to be leveled up simply by doing the content in the zones they come from. Anyone who thinks it should be otherwise, please tell me how you propose to level your companions' Fighters Guild, Mages Guild, and Undaunted skill lines solely within whichever zone you collected each companion from?

And if you're simply talking about their overall level rather than individual skill lines, then actually, yes, you can level up each companion solely within the zone it came from. Mind you, you'll need to grind the same repeatable content over and over-- world bosses, delves, world events, etc.-- but you can do that if you want.

But if you think you should be able to completely level up a companion merely by playing through a given zone's storyline, that seems rather... naive... to me. Do you also expect to be able to level up a new alt character merely by playing through the zone storylines and not doing any experience grinding at all, no repeatable quests day after day, etc.?

FlopsyPrince

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

I

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

You don't need to collect every companion, just the one(s) you want-- if any. It's perfectly okay to skip optional content in a zone-- that is, anything that isn't part of the zone's main storyline. For that matter, you don't need to do the zone storyline if you don't want to.

And even if you do decide to collect each and every companion, you don't need to level up and use all of them-- or, if you do wish to do so, you don't need to do it "in order"; you can focus on the one(s) that matter the most to you.

That can be said about many parts of the game. I don't have to research all traits on all my characters, but I do. That is one area I like to be complete.

The initial point that the content with each new area is not enough to level the companions from that area is a reasonable point.

Though I just do whatever content I feel like and they get leveled as they do.

But the "you don't have to do it" can be said about many things and it is not a completely valid reasoning. Things should work easier the Nth time you do them, especially if you are playing many alts. ESO is not completely alt friendly (without Crown store purchases) and that should be adjusted.

It is good the new company keeps their level and gear for all characters at least.

The companions are not intended to be leveled up simply by doing the content in the zones they come from. Anyone who thinks it should be otherwise, please tell me how you propose to level your companions' Fighters Guild, Mages Guild, and Undaunted skill lines solely within whichever zone you collected each companion from?

And if you're simply talking about their overall level rather than individual skill lines, then actually, yes, you can level up each companion solely within the zone it came from. Mind you, you'll need to grind the same repeatable content over and over-- world bosses, delves, world events, etc.-- but you can do that if you want.

But if you think you should be able to completely level up a companion merely by playing through a given zone's storyline, that seems rather... naive... to me. Do you also expect to be able to level up a new alt character merely by playing through the zone storylines and not doing any experience grinding at all, no repeatable quests day after day, etc.?

I assumed it was all quests/delves/etc. in the new area.

I would have no idea since that is not my approach.

I have finished very few areas fully other than Summerset.

Adremal

oddbasket wrote: »

@Adremal I think many players would agree, including myself, that a tank companion can help to maximise dps on a melee character while soloing. It might not be necessary, but not dealing with boss attacks leaving you free to dps in melee range can be a big help. @M1SHAAN gave us a pretty good example of their usefulness while soloing.

Perhaps I misread your post but I don't remember stating otherwise? I said tanks and healers companions have their uses, while DPS ones could use a lot of love.

Adremal wrote: »

A tank companion can be a good crutch to have around when soloing some stuff, as is a healer. DPS companions are trash though, they barely beat bow LA spammers (I think, but I'm not too sure).

Erickson9610

Why shouldn't ZOS double up on existing classes for future Companions? Also, I don't think skill lines like Vampire or Werewolf should completely define a Companion's class. And also, I especially don't want some "teaser" or "NPC-only" class to be given to Companions.

I view Companions as NPC versions of players. Players can have multiple characters sharing the same class. Vampire and Werewolf are implemented as skill lines for players — the character's class isn't overridden by the curse. And, players only have access to the 7 classes — nothing special like what enemy NPCs have.

Companions should remain as parallels to players for the purposes of defining their ability kit and functionality. This also extends to non-player races — before we get someone like a Dremora Companion, we need to know what the player equivalent of those racial passives would look like. We know what the player version of the 7 classes, 10 playable races, and non-cursed/Vampire/Werewolf look like, so we have an idea of what combinations of race/class/curse would look like for future Companions.

oddbasket

Adremal wrote: »

oddbasket wrote: »

@Adremal I think many players would agree, including myself, that a tank companion can help to maximise dps on a melee character while soloing. It might not be necessary, but not dealing with boss attacks leaving you free to dps in melee range can be a big help. @M1SHAAN gave us a pretty good example of their usefulness while soloing.

Perhaps I misread your post but I don't remember stating otherwise? I said tanks and healers companions have their uses, while DPS ones could use a lot of love.

Adremal wrote: »

A tank companion can be a good crutch to have around when soloing some stuff, as is a healer. DPS companions are trash though, they barely beat bow LA spammers (I think, but I'm not too sure).

Yes, you may have misunderstood. I am doubling up on your comment that companions are useful

oddbasket

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

I

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

You don't need to collect every companion, just the one(s) you want-- if any. It's perfectly okay to skip optional content in a zone-- that is, anything that isn't part of the zone's main storyline. For that matter, you don't need to do the zone storyline if you don't want to.

And even if you do decide to collect each and every companion, you don't need to level up and use all of them-- or, if you do wish to do so, you don't need to do it "in order"; you can focus on the one(s) that matter the most to you.

That can be said about many parts of the game. I don't have to research all traits on all my characters, but I do. That is one area I like to be complete.

The initial point that the content with each new area is not enough to level the companions from that area is a reasonable point.

Though I just do whatever content I feel like and they get leveled as they do.

But the "you don't have to do it" can be said about many things and it is not a completely valid reasoning. Things should work easier the Nth time you do them, especially if you are playing many alts. ESO is not completely alt friendly (without Crown store purchases) and that should be adjusted.

It is good the new company keeps their level and gear for all characters at least.

The companions are not intended to be leveled up simply by doing the content in the zones they come from. Anyone who thinks it should be otherwise, please tell me how you propose to level your companions' Fighters Guild, Mages Guild, and Undaunted skill lines solely within whichever zone you collected each companion from?

And if you're simply talking about their overall level rather than individual skill lines, then actually, yes, you can level up each companion solely within the zone it came from. Mind you, you'll need to grind the same repeatable content over and over-- world bosses, delves, world events, etc.-- but you can do that if you want.

But if you think you should be able to completely level up a companion merely by playing through a given zone's storyline, that seems rather... naive... to me. Do you also expect to be able to level up a new alt character merely by playing through the zone storylines and not doing any experience grinding at all, no repeatable quests day after day, etc.?

I assumed it was all quests/delves/etc. in the new area.

Thanks for for voicing out with what you agree or disagree with. It's not necessary to defend posts targeted at me.

I try as much as I can to agree with affirmation, disagree without being judgemental of other's playstyles, and can ignore posts I feel is irrelevant to me or have already covered in previous posts. Maybe it's age, this way of thinking to try and keep feelings out of my replies works for me.

salander7

To answer @oddbasket: they need a complete rework of their performance. Atm, they're mostly carpets whenever something as complicated of a hard hitting aoe spawns.
Stuff like extra inventory doesn't make much sense for most items, maybe as a mule for consumables? I don't think ZoS would go that route, for the technical aspect of it among other stuff.

LunaFlora wrote: »

it's funny that you call all companions useless for 1 companion's dislike and even got it incorrect,
Mirri doesn't dislike it when you pick up flies she even says "If you're going to kill bugs, at least kill fetcher flies." after you pick up torchbugs or butterflies.

it was an example of one trait that was supposed to give one of them some "uniqueness" and smh it managed to fail and it felt more like an annoyance. The uniqueness of the rest of the companions is the same, but I'd rather not start on a disertation on why the NPC design of companions is average at best.

I said flies as in flying bugs you interact with when attempting to interact with something else. Next time I'll keep in mind using adequate entomologist vocabulary to avoid taxonomical inaccuracies, just in case that changes anything I've said.
And I still think their combat value is plainly awful, so ye, I keep my judgement of useless, aside from the perk that you get when levelling them, max rapport

M1SHAAN wrote: »

I assure you companions have value, at least as tanks. My main runs Telvanni Efficiency in overland content with Bastian as a tank. I know my dps is taking a hit by doing this, but I think the duo is still overall stronger because of how much more survivability Bastian has with the set bonus.
... But they can perform very well in the right conditions, such as... ...
Plus, it's nice having NPC friends! I'm not good at attaining friendships with real people so it's nice having a bucket of code that I can get emotionally attached to.

See, this is what I find kind of sad. Companions should be a crutch for unexperienced players, not the centre of a build. Everyone can play how they want, but still. Their top potential is a shade of what a regular player can do, and they take roughly the same time to level up.
On the "perform very well". We have different standards on what very well means. As soon as there is a boss hitting decently high, companions evolve from NPC to carpet. You can get stage 3 vampirism, major resolve, pale order, a bit of extra HP and pen, and you'll be able to solo most things, while doing good damage without being a sweaty player. This or this couldn't have been done with a companion, it can be done without (2nd not anymore, set was nerfed but you get me).

Also, as much as you may not be good at attaining friendships: there are guilds oriented towards doing dungeons reading lorebooks, quest and all that jazz. If that's the pace you enjoy, I'd reccommend you to join one of em. You may find people with similar interests, and you'll discover stuff you didn't know about.

Trejgon

My personal companion QOL wishlist, in no particular order:
1. Allow usage of helmet skins/hats,
2. Allow selecting of outfits for house guest versions of a companion,
3. Give access to companion menu when talking to their house guest selves,
4. Allow modification of all companions outfits when using outfit station inside the home,
5. Improvements to how they handle red circles and other boss mechanics that requires you to go to specific area would be welcome.

And last not limited to companions, but other hose guests as well, it would be nice if when setting paths I could have them interact with things, sit on chairs/benches, perform specific emotes etc.

Alaya

Companion gear needs to be reworked. I'm sure someone's already said it, but they need to expand the drop rate for epic gear for companions. Yeah sure, there's the Infinite Archive, but not all of us is interested in doing that content.

Jammy420

I mean, they were meant for overland, and overland is beyond easy, so to me this really is no surprise.

barney2525

I just get One at the beginning of a new character. Ember.
Very useful, good personality, I don't have them out all the time. I see people running around Arteum doing antiquities, or fishing, and the Companion is right there, being useless.
I don't understand why.

I like having the one for main quest type stuff and for delves and dolmen solos. But I do Not 'worry' about their level. I don't care if they ever max or not.

IMHO

Fata1moose

Leveling is way too long. I have every chapter, always have a companion active and only one is at max level. Even with the XP bonus from higher dispositions it’s just getting worse as there are more and more to level.

Something has to give.

metheglyn

barney2525 wrote: »

I just get One at the beginning of a new character. Ember.
Very useful, good personality, I don't have them out all the time. I see people running around Arteum doing antiquities, or fishing, and the Companion is right there, being useless.
I don't understand why.

I like having the one for main quest type stuff and for delves and dolmen solos. But I do Not 'worry' about their level. I don't care if they ever max or not.

IMHO

Certain companions gain rapport from you scrying, digging antiquities, and fishing, so that's part of the reason why people have them out when doing those activities. Others might just like having their companion with them.

Necrotech_Master

MashmalloMan wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

MashmalloMan wrote: »

1. Dedicated inventory.
2. 15 skills instead of 9 for the class.
3. 3 ults instead of 1 for the class.
4. Allow use of player sets, but at like 20% the power.
5. Or.. Rework equipment to come with set effects you can mix and match.
6. Allow improvement of equipment via crafting, add gold tier.
7. Reduce xp requirements by at least 50%.
8. Allow them to earn xp from quests.
9. Add that Infinite Archive damage mitigation to all content in the game, maybe to a slightly less value.

Companions are definitely not what I thought they would be when they were announced. It was never what I wanted, but I can generally see the value in anything if it's implemented in a fun way.

It's really sad to hear they're going to be releasing another 2 this year instead of plans for improving how they function in meaningful ways. We're at 6 companions now, the only class without 1 is Necromancer. I expected 1 companion this year. 2 means they're going to start doubling up on existing classes, most likely covering the skills that were missing on the first pass. Do we really need 2 versions of the same class in a companion when they could spend that development time making the originals better?

There is a very slim chance, a sliver of hope and hype, that the 8th companion is actually a tease for a future class in 2025 or 2026. I think people would go nuts for all the theories regarding that, but I can't realistically see this happening.

Even if you absolutely adore the companion system, everyone is aware it could be improved.

The best value for companions I've found to date is farming overland content like.. 10% quicker because Ember cleans up ads that are a little far away from me or more recently, Infinite Archive for solo runs. The fact that she procs some of the verses/visions and is generally really hard to kill makes IA a lot more fun solo.

theoretically speaking, they could have a companion not based on a player skill line, and there could be like a WW or vampire style companion they could do too as a full class line

as the companions are NPCs they could be given a unique class/class skills that are not based on anything the player has access to

That is a good point. I'd rate it in this order of likeliness based on their history:

1. Doubling up on existing classes using unused skills/morphs
2. Vamp or WW
3. Custom class based on existing NPC skills
4. Tease for a future class

Anything would be better than doubling up on the current classes. I'm just tempering my expectations. Hope you're right.

for your point 1, considering we havent had enough companions to even cover 1 of each class, there is no history of "doubling up on classes" lol, so personally i wouldnt consider it the most likely, just a possibility at this point in time

but i could see that as being a possibility, though i would rather they just expand the current companions skill sets and giving us unique companions

i definitely agree i would like to see anything other than doubling up on existing classes

BetweenMidgets

I honestly don't mind if they take forever to unlock - they come with account wide unlockable passives that are pretty great.

I turn their dialogue down to minimal and just let them tag along for the benefits. Just this past week, an Azander Research Folio gave me some purple pattern my main crafter didn't know.

When the first two were released, I was really keen on getting Mirri's passive. In retrospect, hers is a bit lackluster, when compared to Azander's, but it is something that is added to my inventory on any toon I'm playing on, despite only having her unlocked on my main. I still get a bit of the feel-goods when after a runaround of looting chests I have 8 hidden bags to open up, even though they're often full of less that 200g worth of trash! lol