Wolfenbelle wrote: »I think doing the guild daily helps level them also. So does doing the quests they give you, plus you get a tiny boost from whatever it is they like. I have Bastian and noticed he started to level a bit quicker when I began doing the mages guild daily with him, and when he started giving me his quests. I also try to read a book every so often, and harvest every runestone I come across. And I try to get into as many fights as possible while using the experience boosts. It is still an awful grind, but at least both his affinity and level are moving.
The other thing about leveling them is finding their gear. I have him in mostly blue gear now, but not necessarily with the best traits.
ESO is a huge grind fest, but they did make the companions way too grindy.
Wolfenbelle wrote: »I think doing the guild daily helps level them also. So does doing the quests they give you, plus you get a tiny boost from whatever it is they like. I have Bastian and noticed he started to level a bit quicker when I began doing the mages guild daily with him, and when he started giving me his quests. I also try to read a book every so often, and harvest every runestone I come across. And I try to get into as many fights as possible while using the experience boosts. It is still an awful grind, but at least both his affinity and level are moving.
The other thing about leveling them is finding their gear. I have him in mostly blue gear now, but not necessarily with the best traits.
ESO is a huge grind fest, but they did make the companions way too grindy.
FrancisCrawford wrote: »Do all XP boosts for you also boost theirs? (Other than Enlightenment, which I presume doesn't.)
I'm wondering specifically about training gear.
MasterSpatula wrote: »Or just play. It doesn't have to be a race.
Lois McMaster Bujold "A Civil Campaign"Reputation is what other people know about you. Honor is what you know about yourself. Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the ***
priestnall.andrewrwb17_ESO wrote: »Just after they launched I went through about 4-5 2-man dsa normal runs with a random fellow from Craglorn zone chat. Got a BEAST ton of XP for companions… but I think they got onto that already and normalised the XP gains from all sources.
phaneub17_ESO wrote: »There are "groups" farming dragons which give about as much experience as the Dolmens would have, just a little longer to kill. They aren't actually grouped together so their companions can actually be out and get experience. Set them up as healers and buffers instead of dealing damage and they will go much longer, its okay if they die during the fight they still get experience when the dragon dies.
phaneub17_ESO wrote: »There are "groups" farming dragons which give about as much experience as the Dolmens would have, just a little longer to kill. They aren't actually grouped together so their companions can actually be out and get experience. Set them up as healers and buffers instead of dealing damage and they will go much longer, its okay if they die during the fight they still get experience when the dragon dies.
Yeah, if they fixed the bug where compations are limited to "4-man groups" in overland, it would be easy to get a group to do dragons and world bosses, etc and level them that way. But right now, it's really convoluted to group to share the quests, then ungroup again to team up with just another player.
At least the companion levels are account-wide. I just have mine out while I go about my day and they'll get to level 20 in time.
This. I don't think people understand what a companion is. You spend time with them, level them as they go on adventures with you, equip them with gear as you come across it, etc. etc. They're not a "rush, rush, hurry the hell up and level" thing. Plus, since their levelling is account-bound, the time taken is fair in my honest opinionMasterSpatula wrote: »Or just play. It doesn't have to be a race.
spartaxoxo wrote: »I just take Bastian with me everywhere that I can, and let him level passively. Will do the same with Mirri eventually.
This. I don't think people understand what a companion is. You spend time with them, level them as they go on adventures with you, equip them with gear as you come across it, etc. etc. They're not a "rush, rush, hurry the hell up and level" thing. Plus, since their levelling is account-bound, the time taken is fair in my honest opinionMasterSpatula wrote: »Or just play. It doesn't have to be a race.
I also find it hilarious that the OP says, "Is the only way to level companions really just mind numbing grind?" What grind exactly? Play the game as you always do, the companion levels... what grind? You're playing as per normal
Or do you just want to rush everything? How fun
I feel like people don't know how to slow down and enjoy games. My Mirri is level 19 since yesterday. I've just been playing as I always do and she's been right alongside me doing what she's supposed to: being my companion and levelling with me
So as MasterSpatula here says, "It doesn't have to be a race" so why do people treat it as such?