Hero Companions ought to loot items from the battlefield

[leo]

Having companions decreases the share of the loot you get. In fact, a hero companion will take seven times as much as an ordinary soldier away from your total share.

So if these guys are supposedly looting from the battlefield, why shouldn't they pick up items from time to time and use the better ones on their own? I'm tired of having to buy expensive weapons for these fools, especially since they're so poor they can't possibly pay me for them...

 

[JohnathanStrange]

I wouldn't mind something like that, though Marnid & Borcha are likely to equip themselves with weapons that I don't want them to use - simply to annoy me. Then, if I want to stop them from using a xbow for example, I'd have to buy it or the bolts.

Still, it could be cool to have them do more equipping. Right now, my Marnid and Borcha each have 5-6 horses, and weapons galore: they're sort of my mobile inventory. But they collected none of it by theirselves.

 

[Ingolifs]

I suppose that would lead to the player constantly fishing through Marnid and Borcha's inventory to see if they picked up any black armour in the last fight. And if he doesn't, they will just sell it once they reach the nearest town. Seeing as how it currently is quite cumbersome to get into their inventory at present, this will likely cause a good deal of disruption in the game.

 

[Kestenvarn]

Still, it could be cool to have them do more equipping. Right now, my Marnid and Borcha each have 5-6 horses, and weapons galore: they're sort of my mobile inventory. But they collected none of it by theirselves.

Does this help with the map encumbrance penalty? If so, awesome.

 

[CaesarStuart]

Actually, what would be better is if you could go through and change their inventory at will, without having to pay for stuff you take out. Of course, the party interface would have to be made a lot easier (i.e. a left and a right arrow key at the bottom of your inventory screen that lets you transfer between characters inventories). The developers would also have to ensure that the cost of hiring each character is more than the cost of the equipment they have when you hire them.