The followers take a lot of grief, often for good reason. They mess up your stealthy attack, many won't use better bows that you give them, they don't level, they say they're sworn to carry your burdens in a snotty tone of voice, the list goes on. But I've had some great game moments thanks to my followers, and I now use them whenever possible. So tell your tales of heroic followers here. I'll start with a few.


Ah, Lydia the Much -Maligned. You know she doesn't really want to carry your burdens. But she can be a tiger in a fight., in the right circumstances. I left her facing three bandits while my "Conan" type went chasing after the others. I got back to find her doing that "flexing my arms" thing the housecarls do, with three dead bandits around her. Ain't nothin' but a thing, right Lydia? Just don't try a sneak attack with her.

Argis the Bulwark, your housecarl for becoming Thane of Markarth, lives up to his name. He was left to face an entire room full of Draugr, including a Deathlord, while I retreated and tried to get my act together (I svck at mass combat). No problem, he seemed to enjoy it. He even got the kill shot on the deathlord after I got back into the fray. I also love that every enemy I search has at least one arrow in them, courtesy of Argis (he's the best archer I've found yet). He actually uses the Dwarven bow I gave him, so that problem is not universal to all followers.

Finally, there's Erik the Slayer. Nice kid. Didn't expect much from him, but I handed him a warhammer, so he could at least maximize his damage output. Surprised the heck out of me when he turned out to be so bad-ass that I had to work fast to get any kills of my own. I took some steel armor off a boss and upgraded it to flawless for him. I'll use him for "fun" dungeons and stuff like that, leaving the nasty quests for Argis. I couldn't look Erik's father in the face if I got him killed.

Have you given Lydia staves? She really likes them and uses them on anything from butterflys to Dragons.

Hired Thugs tried to "teach me a lesson" in Whiterun right outside Breezehome. Big mistake. Lydia was with me and got finishing moves on two of the three hired thugs with the Ancient Nord Greatsword she seems to love so much. When the battle was over she casually walks up to me and asks "Are we heading out?" like some non-chalant badass.

I love Lydia.

That's precisely why I stopped giving her staves; she was attracting way too many enemies.

Horses and dogs.

Best companions in the game!

Besides, Lydia is jealous and gets in the way even in death... with showing up at peoples weddings and what not.

Erik the slayer is my new best friend, he is really a badass, today I went with Erik and Vigilance to meet the blades for taking down an elder dragon, Erik jumped on the dragon's back and did an awesome finishing strike like a baws. He also one shotted a bandit outlaw and took down a chief by himself.

Mjoll the Lioness....OH LAWD!

So yeah, I marry her with my every nord character. She's the one that, when I start ducking from a dragon, and my hands shake while I scream like a little girl searching for healing and resistance potions all over my bag, hands me the dragon's balls, all by herself. And she lives by her name, even in the bedroom. (ok, that was nerdy as [censored])

I've heard that about Mjoll (er, not the bedroom part, lol). I'll have to try her if I ever get back to Riften. She really wanted to go out with me after I finished her favor quest. Er, I mean go out adventuring with my character. Heh.

I wish I could take Erik and Argis. And Mjoll. That would be a party.

She scared the crap out of me when I stashed some loot, including a staff of fireballs on her person. I found a small island, and suddenly fire erupted all around me. I thought I was being attacked by a dragon... It was Lyds, taking care of the mudcrab infestation.

But onto the topic at hand... Meeko, my faithful hound. We had good times, chasing bandits out of Treeva's Watch, wrangling a Frost Troll while doing some MQ stuff - and the dragons we fought!... But while he was heroically throwing himself in front of me to take the lightening that a Thalmor Agent was hurling at me, I couldn't unswing my ax. My poor dog was dead at my hand. In a rage, I killed the rest of the Thalmor.

I never got to take him back to Breezehome, and give him that rabbit haunch I'd promised him. Got a little dusty over here to be honest.

I'm really bad with followers, all of the college mages=dead. Marcutio=dead. Some random guy in a tavern=dead.
Right now I have Ariana or something (azura priest) in heavy armor. Is she the best Mage? I want a realllyyy good Mage that levels with me.

I was just reading the Wiki about the leveling issue. Supposedly they do level, but they don't always actually increase their stats. Lydia is one who's bugged like that. Lydia has a number of bugs. I still like her.

I've been travelling with Jenassa. She can't seem to hit the broad side of a barn with her bow, but has managed to hit me 3 times. She's also one of the ones who won't use the bows you give her. So we're in this dungeon, and I'm in front. I was attacked by 3 bandits at once, one with a warhammer that always gives my spellsword trouble (no blocking). Jenassa was up the steps a ways, not really hitting anything with her bow. I finally had to retreat back up the steps. When I did, Jenassa finally took out the steel mace and shield combo that I'd given her and went to work. Bash bash bash, and we had 3 dead bandits. Just about that quickly. One begged for his life, but she showed him no mercy. Ok, Jen. You can keep your crappy bow. Maybe I should give her my Dwarven mace and get out of her way.