I thought I would share this Story with you all as it brought me and my roommate nearly to tears laughing.

Was playing as a stealthy mage:

I had just finished exploring a few dungeons, Fort Amol full of Mages, and Convangr Cave full of spiders and some Vampires. Upon leaving the cave, I was attacked by a Dragon. Upon looting it's various body parts, I realized I was overburdened.

"Lydia, get the f*** over here." I said aloud, as she ran over to me.

"I'm swoooorn to carry your burdens." I mocked as she said the same in her snarky tones. I barely open up her inventory anymore just to avoid her incessant nagging tone.

I dump a bunch of seemingly nondescript loot on her, including the dragon parts I just looted.

Thinking nothing of my choices, I continue to frolic on my merry-mage way towards Eldergleam Sanctuary, when I get ambushed by a pack of Wolves. I raised my firey hands and prepared to burn them to oblivion.

This is where I suddenly went "Wtf?!" and things got a little weird. Out of nowhere a Familliar erupts, making me look around wildly for the mage attacking me. This is the point when the Flames come blasting from behind me, killing all of the wolves.

With the wolves laying dead on the ground and a familliar sitting there and chilling, I turn around to look at Lydia to make sure a mage didn't eat her.

Oh wait, apparently Lydia has been studying from me. Why? She was DUAL-WIELDING two Flame Staves. And must have switched out at some point because she was also carrying a Staff of Familliars. I've given her staves before and never had her use them, which is why I was so flabbergasted.

A warrior class follower, with good quality weapons and armor, decided to dual-wield staves. Why? My theory is she was jealous of my Fireballs.

At this point I couldn't stop laughing for a good couple minutes, and my roommate got a good laugh out of it too.

Thought I'd share this, and see how many other people have an Epic Mage Lydia as their companion!

You may have discovered a previously unknown evolution of the Follower species of NPC...

What a trip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uieHNj478dE&feature=youtu.be follower Kharjo loves to use twin staves.

Lydia loves to use a Staff, just be careful she doesn't blow you up.

i used to walk the skyrim with farkas (later vilkas when farkas got murdered by a bunch of banditos) and i always loaded them up with all my junk, i was very surprised they quit using the two handed swords i gave them to summon storm atronachs and rain fire down on enemies (and occasionally me, but with the atronach birthsign it wasn't too big a deal

well, i just know that lydia loved when she tried to kill me today, she died by a necromancer's fireball, then he resurrected her and she came after me, poor lydia... she became ashes in a filthy dungeon

I have found staves to be a weapon that my followers love to use. Aela, Lydia, Jordis... They eat 'em like candy.

This is great info... thanks!!! I had no idea.

There is a good frost atronach staff in the Arch Mage room in the College of Winterhold if you want Lydia to summon them.

Yeah I looked it all up after this encounter, and apparently Staves are a favoured weapon by many followers, and non-direct combat staves will be used somewhat intelligently like Summoning Staves. Unfortunately it uses up the charges, just like enchanted weapons. I just find it rather humorous that a Warrior class follower would decide to Mage it up with me. Not to mention how ridiculous she looked in heavy armor holding two little sticks aggressively.

I've had Vilkas use a staff, Staff of Sparks I think it was. It just got him killed.

I'm pretty sure Kharjo actually used a Scroll once... I had some that I'd picked up in loot and had two each of some of them, so I gave the extras to him to carry with the rest of the junk I didn't expect to need right away. Forgot about it until we got into a fight with a giant, I forget which Scroll it was but there was a magical effect happening and I didn't know where it was coming from. Checked his inventory later and he'd used one of the ones I gave him.

Lydia always uses staves when I'm out adventuring with her. Thats why I never let her carry my good ones or she'll use up the harge. (though shes far more acurate then me with them)

Give Lydia the Dragon Priest Staff that spews out a wall of fire and you're guaranteed a good time!

One time I fought several waves of flame atronachs before realizing they were friendlies. Took that staff away from Lydia and scolded her. Yep, I'm an idiot.

Lol, I had the same problem after giving Marcurio some staff that let him reanimate corpses. I turn around in the middle of a fight and wonder why the bandit I killed is back up and brandishing his weapon again. Just as I bring my greatsword down I realize his name is "Marcurio's Bandit." OOPS.

It did teach me not to loot every corpse immediately, nothing like having your follower raise a dead enemy who then proceeds to attack your foes with nothing but fists and a grubby loincloth.

Of course he also surprised me with his little gem during a fight with a couple of frost trolls: http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/346/marcuriosgoat.jpg

Go ahead and laugh, but that goat totally pwned one of the trolls. Even Argis was impressed.