You are wrong indeed.

If you want someone funny tagging around with you get Cosnach, the drunk from Markarth. He's not much of a follower, but he always sounds like he's had one too many!

Fair enough. It was a last part vainly hoping that bethesda learned something about followers from Fallout New Vegas.
And I stopped having followers after a very short time.

Illia is a beast. She doesn't even need armor or weapons, she usually kills her targets before they even get close to her.

One of the problems I have with most followers is how they seem to draw instant aggro from everything. That's great when playing a squishy toon and you need a tank to be your shield. Not so great when you are the tank, and you're mage just took 5 ebony battle axes to the face for just existing.

Illia is the only follower I've found that doesn't instantly trigger a gangbang when she walks through the door. She also has decent sneak skills too.

I'm mostly done with using melee followers anymore. If I wanted an archer with me, I'd pick up Feandal (or w/e). Not someone decked out in heavy armor who's supposed to favor a 2 handed great sword...and then proceeds to never use it, even when the enemy starts bashing them in the face.

Mjoll is a beast but annoying. You don't have to worry about killing her as she is immortal.

He also sounds like he's been smoking crack all the time.

Faendal will lag somewhat behind you because he's mainly an archer. Holding back allows him to watch your back and help protect you better.
Being an archer, if you're attacked he can't use his bow if he's, too, close to you. The bow is a longer ranged weapon than a sword.

I used to have Skyrim 360, too, but I traded it in at Best Buy for the PC version (I used a Reward Zone coupon, too,) and got the PC version for just $16 and the PC version is so much better that they're incredible.

More options for sound control and displays, the graphics are far better with far more really great cut-scences and cut scences for archery, too..

One time (with high sneaking) I got behind an enemy and he faced me so I stood swung my sword and cut-scence:- I spun the enemy around, arm around his neck, learned back (forcing him to learn backwards over my chest) and sword held high I plunged it straight down through him.
I never imagined a cut-scencce like that.

With my bow in a cave, I fired and cut-scence:- It showed my full character draw the bow, fire, showed the arrow flying through the air, hit the enemy and knock him backwards over a table.

The PC version is so much better.

No console keys to mess with either. Logitech makes a really great Xbox 360 controller that works ONLY ON PCs. It's exactly like your 360 controller but it onnly works on PCs so no memorizing 1 or 2 dozen console keys.

Agreed. My Redguard that scoffed at marriage finally broke down and married her over the weekend. We go skinny dipping off of the porch/dock of Honeyside if I'm home in the early mornings.

Iactually prefer Njoll because of her talking. It gives her more personality. Jenassa also has some fun things to say definately my 2nd favorite.

I hate followers on EVERY occasion. Always getting in the way. Even if I am sneaking. Sure they sneak and sure they don't get heard.

But I'm tired of sneaking and my follower "pushing" me into view. Or making me miss cause they pushed me.

What I really hate is when I stealth kill and the enemy is searching for me, my companion rushes into battle. I'm not even spotted? Infact the crosshair almost shows hidden still? I've cleared out areas like before. What svcks is when Its a forced follower on you. Like Aela or whatnot during companion quest lines. You can't command them to wait.

When I do take followers, the Priestess of Azura is who I take. No sneaking with her. We walk into a room and it explodes with magic and everything is dead before I draw a sword.

I think the forced followers of the Companions' questline had an AI worse than the regular followers. For instance, I was sneaking around with Farkas behind me. I shot arrows at some foe, and Farkas just kept sitting behind me, staring at me with these creepy eyes of his. Foes approached, and he continued to do that.

In other words: He was just blocking my movement abilities by sitting right behind me and staring at my backside, while not contributing anything worthwhile.

Or he rushed forwards and alerted the whole dungeon, in a Mercer Frey-alike style (I always do Snow Veil Sanctum really late in the game, so it's full of Draugr Deathlords who all rush on Mercer Frey). These rushing maneuvres of his were even worse, because he then often started to "sneak" back to my position with that half a dozen foes trailing him and -thanks to his "help"- finally spotting me as well.



Barbas was the worst follower in all times though. He pushed me off a cliff at least once. And I made the mistake on the way to Rimerock Burrow with him to enter Lost Echo Cave with him, because I had bumped into that map marker accidentally, and when I have a map marker, I just have to clear out the place. Barbas the noisy pest vs. blind Falmer with excellent healing was not enjoyable at all anymore. But thankfully, you can tell him to bugger off. I'm doing that always nowadays.

That passive behaviour of a follower could also be caused by a bug. I had it to sometimes with my preferred companion, Aranea. She just stands there empty handed, but as if she had a weapon drawn, and remains totally passive. She will snap out of it however if I order her to pick up something from the ground or to take a seat.

And yes, no sneaking with Aranea. You just rush in weapon drawn and hope to get a kill before she clears the room.

Lydia. I like Iona and Jordis too but Lydia has some personality; she's not just a groveling dog. After that I'd go with Aela. The reasons is, is because they can all level to 50 (Vilkas and Farkas too). The rest top out at level 30 or 40. J'Zhargo tops out at 81 but on Master he's quite ineffective because his spells do half damage and the enemies have way more health. He runs out of magicka quickly and then goes to using his claws (lame as lame can be).

.

After using the restoration glitch my followers are now powerful and don't take a knee. WIth Mjoll I put 1 million ebony armor rating and health enchantments on her. I gave her the 900 damage dragonbane and now she's unstoppable! It's so much fun watch her to be able to take out multiple enemies without taking a knee!

My current evil Dunmer has been adventuring with Jenassa. He likes her so much they got married. The only time any of my characters have gotten married. She seems great for a stealthy character, though a lot of times she breaks stealth mode too quickly.

She also has some nice dramatic quotes like "I am the shadow at your back" and something about going into the bowels of the earth when in a cave.

Agreed. Janessa has quickly become my favorite and my dirty little thief married her as well. I was going to hold off on asking her to be my official squeeze until I released her from my service. I got one of her nice dramatic quotes.."It is a lonely thing, facing all the dangers of Skyrim by yourself. Come and find me if you decide that you miss my companionship." I was like....she so wants me! Honestly, it kinda reminded me of what Conan's woman said to him after they stole the eye of the serpent and Conan was still planning to go after Thales of Doom.

While I haven't been dragging her along as I finish up the TG quest line, I do enjoy her as a follower when cave diving. She looks sweet in the Nightingale leather and seems to move like a shadow. Some of the other things she says just makes me feel like she fits with a thief. "So many shadowy corners to strike from! I could learn to like this place!" Though she does have a few quotes stating how little she likes being beneath the ground. Not that I blame her.

If Eola didn't eat people I'd have a crush on her bigtime. Still though, she throws down pretty hardcoe.

Since he's a werewolf, maybe he's wondering how you'd taste.

The only problem I have with this Companion's Quest is when I pull the lever & get locked in that room. Farkas gets surrounded by Silverhands & 1 gets behind him so he can't backup & he won't go around him so they all just stand there doing nothing. I tried reloading the game but got the same results.

To continue this quest I'm forced to use cheats. I can't use my bow & they're, too, far away to target individually so I can't KILL the 1 blocking Farkas so I have to use the "KILL" command. This kills every one but Farkas but it hurts him because he hobbles (wounded) to the bars, changes to werewolf then back to man right away then dies while standing up.
He's now close enough to target so I target him & use "RESURRECT". He comes back to life then opens the bars setting me free.

I don't like doing that but it's either do it or the mission is over because the silverhand will not get out of his way & Farkas will not go round him.

I like Jenassa but she made me fail a quest (A scroll for anska) AoE lightning and she killed her

Apparently the issue I was having with resurrecting NPCs only applies while the body is still fresh. Janessa and I are happily adventuring together again.

And I'm about to deck us both out in skimpy highly-improved and fortified Forsworn Armor. It will be awesome. Just need to kill some mammoths to get the grand souls I need for enchanting.

I've been really sick for the last week+ and I'm finally able to play Skyrim again for about 20 minutes at a time. If I feel up to it here in a bit I'm going mammoth hunting.

My Breton spellsword totally agrees. Although he is fond of Lydia and Jordis.. and married his sweetheart Ria; there is something totally awesome about Eola. I can't think of another follower who could convince him to do what he did to earn her allegiance. He accepts her as she is, although he is trying to convince her to change her diet, and is secretly serarching for an optometrist for her.

Let's see. Apart from the quest-related followers, I've used

Housecarls
Lydia - HATE her attitude! But I could stand her better once I've covered her face with a helmet. And I hate the bedroom-stalking. In my latest game she died quite quickly, to my relief. In the other, I eventually had to kill her to get rid of her, which was totally OOC for my character, but I just pretended she got killed by giants during a bounty job.
Iona - never used her, she just sits at Honeyside, getting fat, considering the constant eating.

Hirelings
Marcurio - Oh how I love Marcurio! He won me at "Look what the horker dragged in". He's as sarcastic as Lydia, but where she just sounds like she hates you, he sounds more like it's just something he has to say, and that he actually likes you, deep inside, but just can't admit it. And He. Kicks. Ass. When I levelled him from around 20-25 to 38 (he caps at 40), I laughed a lot when he sent bears flying.
Erik - my 2nd favorite hireling. Nice to be out with someone who's positive about almost everything. He's sweet, a great fighter (though he gets in my way sometimes), and it doesn't exactly hurt to look at him, either. Unfortunately, I seem to have lost him at the moment, I even started a thread about it...
Stenvar - turned out to be a positive surprise, a great tank and lots of good comments (though he whines a little too much about the cold).
Belrand - only hired him once, he insisted of throwing himself in front of me and got killed almost immediately. I'm not likely to hire him again. And he looks - weird.

Companions
Vilkas - never gets in my way, a total tank once levelled (I first met him when I was like lvl 7 or something, so he was a bit weak until I fixed that), and looks gorgeous in all kinds of heavy armor. My Breton married him, so getting the Lover's Comfort bonus anywhere was pretty sweet, too. He's only downside is that he's a bit too quiet for my taste. And be careful if you give him a staff. He's a bit trigger happy.
Farkas - basically useless. But it's fun when you heal him and he groans a "That felt good" in a voice that made me virtually jump back and say "What? What did I do?"
I don't think I've used Aela as a follower after the Companions questline, so I don't put her on the list, but I think I thought she was pretty good during the questline.

Others
Benor - ok, but nothing spectacular
Roggi Knot-Beard - only used him once to clear a cave, so I can't really say much about him. He's ok I guess, but I doubt I'll use him again. Besides, after having Vilkas following my other character, as husband, for quite a while, it was a little disturbing to hear exactly the same lines in the same voice from Roggi.
Sven - did his job helping my character in the beginning, but a bit boring.
Faendal - capable enough to take care of all threats for a low-level character that hardly fights at all, but he's also a bit too quiet and a little boring.
Annekke - first I was a bit annoyed that she kept falling behind too much, but since she uses her bow very well and really has evidence for her claim that she's got my back, I kind of like her. She's kind of a BFF to my Nord.

So my top three currently goes
1. Marcurio
2. Vilkas
3. Erik and Annekke

(And as you see, there are a few popular ones I have yet to try, Jenassa and J'zargo for example.)

I've been needing to hire Jenassa to test her out however I always have a housecarl [atm Iona] or my main ally an husband Marcurio.

Marcurio is by far my favorite. He is really good and besides his chain lightning causing some issues from time to time [I save often so no big deal just reload] he is perfect. In fact I don't remember him ever dying whereas Lydia has died plenty of times. Like the OP said she dies about 50% from my own attacks because she gets in the way too much! Plus I find her annoying so I now use Iona more if I don't have Marcurio.