So, I'm on my third play though. I rolled a heavy armour, 2handed warrior. I decided to go with a Dwemer theme... Dwarven Armour + Volendrung. I've been calling myself "The Cosmic Smasher" as a nickname."

I'm having difficulty choosing a follower, when i played through the game on other Characters I simply detested the idea of a follower... I found them annoying, and in the way. I've read that others have had more luck with their follower selection and some followers seem to have a better AI than others.

For this Character I'd prefer a partner with some personality a follower that I can mesh with well and enjoy having their company. I would choose Aela because I tend to marry her and I enjoy having her around... but the bug with followers and bows + her inability to scale properly annoys me.. I'm not sure how the trick to scale her with the console would affect our marriage status so I feel its safer to keep her as a wife.

As a Dwemer enthusiast, I feel I need a follower who can match that in a way.

What I don't want:
- A Caster... Dwemer put no faith in magic
- A Clone of myself ... Heavy armour/two-handed
- I suppose because of the follower bow bug archer/hunter/ranger types are also out... unless I missed something
- NO HOUSECARLS!!! I hate them...

*Note I am open to immortal Followers, some people consider it cheating but if they nice to have around then I don't mind.

Any help or discussion on this matter would be appreciated.

Cheers and SMASH on!

So you have eliminated all magic users, heavy fighters, and archers. This leaves you 1h, light armor types. Janessa (Whiterun, in the bar at the front gate to town 500 g to hire her) is decent at low levels, but dies easily later. I recommend starting with her, and doing the dark brotherhood quests first. If Jannessa dies, oh, well. When you finish the DB quests, you will earn the spectral assassin (light armor, dual dagger, super sneaking) and access to initiates to the guild who are also dagger wielding assassin/sneaks.

You say you don't want bow or two handed, so you will miss out on my favorite, Mjoll, who does both exceedingly well.....

There is a khajiit that travels with one of the caravans who will follow u if you find his moon amulet. He wears heavy armor and he uses a 1h weapon. he is not a caster

I do agree that doesn't leave me with a lot. I'm thinking I may have to revise that list a little. I was hoping there were more light armour/ shield + Bow followers. I suppose the pickings are slim for those. When the bow bug is dealt with I'll probably lean towards more of a pure archer class. I just wish it wasn't broken at the moment.

what bow bug are u talking about?

You can give a follower a legendary bow, and take away their standard bow but they will magically use a hunting (or what ever their standard is) bow instead.

Mjoll will use whatever bow you give her, probably because she doesn't seem to have a default bow. I have had her since level 20 or so (now level 46) and she has always used what I gave her (started her off with an extra glass bow I kept on me for when my ebony one got shouted out of my hands...).

Yup, find a follower without a default bow, and no more bow bug. I'm liking Mjoll a lot for you right now, but the best fit for your char type is probably a mage to complement your skillset. They can heal themselves without pots and can aim their spells pretty damn good. Find one who can summon atronachs, and suddenly your posse is rolling deep. I'm assuming, of course, that you do not care for sneaking around, as the best follower for a sneaky character is none, IMO.

-Loth

Thanks for the suggestions folks.

I believe I'm going to choose Kharjo . He seems to be under used, and I find the character fascinating to be honest. Hopefully I'll become attached to him... that's the goal anyway I like feeling like I have a brother in arms so to speak.. or a shield brother to use the companions terms.


Any negative thoughts on the Khajiit?

If I were going to use a follower, he would be the one. I'm not into the whole follower thing, but the rest of them are just totally not interesting to me at all....

I'm trying to break that same idea in me. I'm on my third play though, and now finally doing the whole follower thing. Lydia turned me off them in my first play through I found her annoying and in the way. I sent her home and never used one again until now.

I'm wondering how Khajiit look in Dwarven armour.

Uh.... probably "odd". Kindest way I can think to put it.

Hmm... Aela has used an enchanted Ebony bow ever since I gave it to her. Perhaps the bug is a random one?

Cicero.

Some people find him annoying, but he certainly has personality, and he's efficient with a knife.

He and I = Best friends forever.

my first follower was uthgerd the unbroken but i didnt take a good look at her at first, what a manwoman.
I put an axe in her skull after 5 minutes and now use her house as safehaven in Whiterun

Is that the guy whose cart axle you help fix?

Yeah I gave Mjoll a bunch of heavy stuf , particularly a certain staff of the insanely fiery variety because i was becoming burdened.I had her decked out and upgraded her beloved grimsever before returning it to her.So were fighting the ghosts in that creepy necromancer quest where you find this creeps' journals.I'm like OH CRAP we're getting rushed and BOOM fiery balls of death and Mjoll rushes in grimsever in one hand and the fireball staff in the other looking like a heavy plate college alumn! I'm pretty sure her AI is a little more polished than most or something because I literally despise Lydia.Another decent one I've been using lately is the riestess you meet visiting azuras shrine , she's a damn good battle caster and handy with a bow sometimes.

Massive hit with the ladies, I'll bet.

I like Janessa for her dual-wielding. One thing that bugs me about melee followers is their love of blocking, whether with a shield or 2-hander. Hit, hit, block, block seems to be what their AI tells them to do. Blocking is often useless and they even block when an enemy is down on one knee ready for the killing blow. Since you can't block while dual-wielding, and since Janessa dual wields, she's just constantly attacking, hacking stuff to bits. Just be sure to level her up with the console and she's terrific.

Another option is Annekke Crag-Jumper, a miner at Darkwater Crossing. She's kind of like Lydia (same voice) but is light armor instead. Not as whiny and decent enough.

Personally I don't like followers that much, they tend to get right in my way.
The only thing I use them for is to haul my crap when I'm over-encumbered.

At first I used Lydia just because she was the first one you get, then I just left her at my house.
Now I use one of the Dark Brotherhood initiates to be my followers, they are pretty versatile and they can't die.
Trust me.
I got bored and went all werewolf on the initiate but still no death, which I enjoy.