I find myself constantly changing companions because after a few levels they become usless in combat. If they levelled up properly with me I would stick with one per play through. I play on xbox so my only option is to try the wabbajack trick which I have just heard about, but why should I? Of all the patch notes released so far I have never seen this addressed, why? Bethesda must know about this issue?

I thought 1.4 was meant.ton help this issue? U got 1.4 yet in consoles? Not 100% sure though ill check the notes In min.

Just another reason why I don't use them.

Check my sig~

Why should you?... Well, it would be fixing the problems your having i guess....

A few lvl's? Do you up-grade their armor and weapons? Health increase point item, health regen item? I kept Argis for 20 lvl's, Probably could have kept him longer, but That char is on a broken x-box ( not the games fault ).

I don't think that they benefit from enchantments.

Just as a basic tip, when you upgrade your weapons and armor, give your companion the older one that you just graduated. This will help out alot. Also, generally, they will mimic your attack style, if you use range and stealth, they will try to do the same. They do come in handy to have charge in and take a chunk out of the enemy if you sit back. Just make sure that they are using melee based armor and weapons, they don't use magic(unless there is a companion that does, havent found one yet.) Also, if you get your hands on a staff(asp a staff of fire), give it to your companion w/ a sword, they will switch to it in combat, increasing their survivability chances. Just a few tips. I don't know if you put health potins in their inventory if they will use it, haven't tried it, just would use my healing spells on them.

I don't use them anymore. I like sneaking around and they always set off a trap or do something else stupid to ruin my sneak attacks.

I don't need them anyway.

OH My bad then...hmm I guess I can find something else to give them then. So fortify armor isn't really working either? or would that be concidered different?

in my opinion followers are useful until you reach, let's say, level 30-35, so I don't mind much to change them every now and then, there's so many...

I'm trying to remember. (That in itself is a chore) Check the UESP. It seems that some may and some may not.

Follow the method in this thread if you are on the console.

Warning, there is quest spoiler in this thread

http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1338696-how-to-fix-your-followers-for-console-players/

USEP say's add fortify attribute to sheild or armor, so I guess that works anyway. And add shock or absorb health to a weapon. Nothing about health points to ring etc though. ( not on the page I read anyway )

they're meant to be distractions and loot carriers, not badass destroyers of dragons...thats your job

I look at them like expendable sidekicks, more annoying then useful, but what would a hero be without a annoying sidekick?

Noooooooooo, they do gain from enchantments. My khajiit follower is on par or even surpasses me with the enchants I put on him, now it's a fight to see who kills the bandit first.Look at what their using befor you go turnen them into a tank, if they favor one-hand then give em fortify one-hand.But yeah enchants soooooo doooooo work with your follower, you just have to take your time a see what best fits your follower, I tend to up their health,stamina,and then archery,one-hand/two-hand,and archery, block and that usually does the trick.

^THIS
meat shields for non-heavy armor master level playthroughs

You know 1/2 the time I forget to give them my "excess" loot or I'll forget to take it back when I get to a vendor. I actually like some of the comment's that they make while we are out and about. Though more than once Agris has scared the tar outa me. I'll totally forget he's back their if we haven't run across something to fight and then he'll spout off about dark dangerous caves.

Actually I tend to die more than they do. My Char's are usually light armor Argis and Lydia ( the two I end up using the most) are heavy. So when I find that really great heavy armor..... upgrade it, enchant it...

No they don't. Well. the skills that you are so fond of anyway.

Followers will only gain benefits from the following enchantment effects on their equipment:

• Fortify Health
  
• Fortify Heavy Armor
  
• Fortify Light Armor
  
• Fortify Magicka
  
• Fortify Stamina
  
• Fortify Unarmed
  
• Muffle
  
• Resist Fire
  
• Resist Frost
  
• Resist Magic
  
• Resist Shock
  
• Soultrap/Fiery Soultrap
  
• Waterbreathing (Followers can't drown anyway, but this stops them surfacing for air)

All other enchantments do not actually have an effect for Followers, even if they should. Notably, this means:

• Fortify does not increase the amount of damage they do.
  
• Fortify does not reduce enchanted weapon usage cost at all, or remove it at values of 100%.
  
  • There are reports that this effect does work for some Followers, but very few. See the http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim_talk:Followers for more information.
• Fortify Carry Weight does not increase the maximum carry weight.

NOOOOOOOOOO, they do gain from enchants just try it!!!! give em a sword go pick a fight, come back give em something with fortify one-hand go pick another fight and you will see a diff. in the rate at which your follower drops those baddies.Don't listen to those who say it don't work, it does I've been doen it from day one and have yet to lose a follower.
Unless I want him/her to go missing.hahahahahah

NOOOOO, they SOOOOO do not. My previous post is quoted from the UESP. I think those guys have diligently tested the mechanics.

Right so they benifit from skill enchants which is what I'm tryen to say! If you have a magic class follower then the up your magic enchants help him out, if you follower is physical based then physical enchants benifit that follower.I know what I'm talken about, if you use the potion loop it becomes more apparent then it does with normal enchants. I used the potion loop just to fix my follower so as to not get me busted while sneaken, now he's wearen a necklace that ups his sneak by like 150%or something like that, and now he's more sneaky then me and thats saying something.

I give up....

Fortify Carry Weight does not increase the maximum carry weight.
This is the only enchat that I noticed that didn't work, but like I said earlier, the potion loop makes this more apparent I cannot sneak by someone in broad daylight but my follower can and this is how I wanted it. I have to stay in the shadows but the dummy follower never does so I uped his sneak so as to be invisable and not get me caught.

Actually, that's my horse's job. My horse is the real Dragonborn, I'm just riding him around so he can kill them. I stick them with as many arrows as I can, but he's always the one the dragon goes after, he's the one who stands there and fights back courageously with hoof and tooth, probably often getting the killing blow in. And despite the constant abuse, he never dies- he is epic. Companions? Pfft. I never go dragon hunting without The Horsinator.

shadowmere i presume? i'm avoiding getting him because a friend told him he's always there starting stuff when fast traveling, he killed him and fast traveled, back again messing with a dragon or fighting everything he sees