For RP reasons I choose not to take any companions, Im not far into the game yet but I came across some potential sidekicks that seemed interesting non the less...

Do we get rich stories or the likes when we travel with a companion, im wondering if im missing some cool stuff the game has to offer ?!

So far, any follower I've had that wasn't part of a quest, hasn't really had anything to say besides combat pvssyr. Kinda disappointing coming from fallout. Unless you need a partner for combat, you aren't really missing anything as far as I can tell...

Not really missing much afaik, they tend to rush into battle getting themselves killed pretty quick from what I've read. I generally don't use them as I'm playing stealth atm and I don't need them rushing in, giving away my position.

Yeah, they do make sneaking a rather pain in the ass...definitely do NOT have a companion if trying to do quests for thieves guild or the like

I love playing with companions. They rarely help but they tend to die in increasingly hilarious ways. I leave a dead companion in pretty much every dungeon I visit....

I would use followers if I wasn't using stealth character.

Playing a stealth character I actually noticed how much experience and immersion companions took away. For example, there's a bandit cave near Whiterun meadery. With companion and no stealth you're just going to be charing at bandits left and right. But as a stealth character, I noticed the chain-switch on the wall. I pull it, and finally that wolf in the cage made more sense. The cage opened, and wolf engaged all the bandits in the room. I used the opportunity to kill them much faster than I would otherwise be able to.


I'd put it like this:

Hack 'n' slash: you're missing out if you're not using companions
Alone in the dark atmosphere: you're missing out if you are using companions


So it depends how you want to experience the world.

The only thing you're missing by choosing not to use companions is frustration.

They're nothing but a nuisance in combat, as they tend to just get in your way. They have terrible AI and constant pathing issues. When entering indoor environments, don't expect to see your companion again until you leave. He's probably stuck behind a pebble, or some other nearly invisible obstacle at the entrance. They run slower than you, so they're easily left behind when travelling on foot. If you use a horse, the chances of seeing your companion again until you fast travel somewhere are abysmal.

They're not even good for company. They just follow you around, and stare blankly at your face until you interact with them, after which they will spout off the same dialogue that you're heard hundreds of times from them.

Fly solo until someone creates a decent mod to fix companions.

No you are not missing anything, when you travel in the wild, they tend to get stuck somewhere, and wont meet up until you enter a dungeon.

And when you are in a dungeon they tend to get stuck somewhere and wont be helping you in combat anyway.

The good thing is when they follow you, they will stand in the doorways so you cant get past them.

Hmm, not really in stories, but I have had some interesting interactions with them. I was walking through the tundra, and wecame upon a cave. The companion (lydia) said: "Hey look, a cave. Wonder what's in it." When we went into the cave which had blood and cages in it, she said "I've got a bad feeling about this. After killing a few skeletons we found 2 vampires in a hidded chamber and killed them. Then we both prayed at a nearby shrine outside the cave to make sure we didn't turn into vampires.

There was another time while exploring when there were ghostly figures in the distance, then I heard a "huh?" from Lydia.

That's about it though, maybe the companions will have some more interactive/quest related companions?

They make for great pack horses.

Your only lose would be a pack mule. They absolutely svck for pathfinding, stealth and some other matters I have yet to properly articulate. They always pull me back from my immersion and not to mention, nail so many opponents I can barely get to kill/level myself in the process.

I've seen on this one video, a guy playing with Faendal as a companion, enter a large chamber of a dwemer ruin, Faendal makes a comment that shows hes amazed. I was hoping there was more of that in the game =/

theyre only end all use is as mules

well i have a merc mage from riften and he is awsome! he took a clubbing from a giant and lived to tell the tale (and he did go flying, i climbed a mountain looking for him and he came runnign up form behind ), he says things that fit the area we are in (talking about how onyl fools would want to be a vampire when he sees a vampire thrall, or how he knows all about nordic ruins when we enter one), they can have pathing problems but they can keep up just fine at times

Oh, my companion also saved me and some quest related followers of mine before. I was at the "T embassy" and Lydia couldn't come in with me, instead she was waiting in a cave that leads to it. Once I rescued some prisoners, we fled out a trap door into a cave with a troll in it. Luckily Lydia was there fighting it, so I joined in and killed it with her. I could NOT have taken it on by myself, and the prisoners would have gotten killed.

Oh, for pity's sake, this. ^^^ Last night I did a quest where I was forced to take two companions with me. Okay, fine, I have to take you - and you don't have a "shut up and stay here" option - so try to just follow my lead. I sneak up on the enemy compound. We are out numbered and our enemy is fairly tough. I draw back my bow to snipe one of them and one of my companions says, "What's that? I think I hear something!" Then she charges around me and into the compound.

To make matters worse, Bethesda has timed them perfectly to charge across your line of fire just as you release your arrow. And if you hit them enough, they turn and attack you. There I was, trying to complete this fight off three enemy, when suddenly one of my "companions" charges in, gets hit a couple of times, then turns on me, too!

Egghh!!! This quest was truly annoying. And the thing is, it's so easy to fix: just add more options to companions so they can sneak, used ranged weapons, etc., I had to replay this quest at least five times, just because of these two freaks.

And it definitely effected what I thought of their organization!