my new theory of companions

[blainedeyoung]

I had a thought others might want to hear.  I have been dividing my companions into fighters and specialists who pump up their Int to get party skills.  What convinced me to change this arrangement is my appetite for top-tier soldiers.  You can make your fighters into crazy killing machines Str 24 Ag 18 with maxed skills is *really* impressive, but they're still only one man.  So, I started thinking the best thing my companions can do for me is to have high Trainer skills.  Then they're not just one man; they're factories that produce top-tier soldiers. 

What I plan on doing this game (I haven't gotten very far yet) is to raise 7 companions to 12 Str and Ag and then put all their attribute points into Int making Trainer their primary skill.  In this fashion, I will end up 7 companions with 10 Trainer, all the physical skills I want them to have, and redundant party skills so it won't be such a big loss if one of them gets wounded.  The 8th companion is Klethi who will specialize in Looting, so I'll get her up to 12 Str and Int and then put all her points into Ag.  She'll only have 4 Trainer. 

I expect to see really good things come out of that.  They'll still be able to fight, and I'll be able to raise top-tier troops much quicker than I'm accustomed to. 

 

[estevesbk]

It's all about equipment. If you put a:

1. Winged Great Helmet
2. Heraldic Mail With Surcoat
3. Plate Boots
4. Heavy Charger

They make real good fighting machines.

1H + Shield is also much better for them than 2H.

I go my companions up to AGI 9 (Heavy Hunter), then STR 10 (9 is too few for them to equip a Winged Great Helmet e.g. and 12 seems too much), then INT 12 or 15 depending on the companion, then AGI 12 (Heavy Charger), and then only INT is increased.

One of the companions though I go to INT 12 and then AGI, which is the one for looting.

With the proper combat tactics and equipment, you can beat easily a 50, 60 group of Sea Raiders with only you and the companions.

Party Skills are important  as the more you need to spend yourself on them, the weaker you will be.

Training of course is a must but if you level INT and each one specializes in one party skill, there will be more than enough skills points for that. Only the Looting one will be stuck at 4.

 

[blainedeyoung]

Plate Armor is the best.  Also the most expensive. 

I always get Heavy Chargers for all my companions.  It increases their survival rate so much.  If they lose their horse, they'll get surrounded and cut down. 

People have used a mod that lets you keep track of companion kills and say that 2-handed swinging weapons with no thrust give them the best kill scores.  I think they're right.  A shield might improve their survival rate, but I doubt it.  The AI spends way too much time hiding behind its shield.  It's better for it to attack.  And the thrusting ability of swords just confuses it. 

 

[estevesbk]

The point about the shields is that I've seen them blocking Sea Raider's throwing stuff that can knock you out in 1 hit. Also on sieges, well I don't even need to tell you why

About the armor, of course Plate is the best, but Heraldic Mail With Surcoat provides a good defense at a decent price. Also, as they carry your banner marks, they are beautiful:

 

[sirocco]

Artimenner, Borcha, Lezalit are my INT companions. They dont need STR higher than 9 to wield crossbows.
The second best stat is actually AGI. Its not how much they hit but how quickly they can hit and block the enemy and STR governs few usefull skills, while AGI has athletics, shield, weapon m.
So my masterminds get INT mostly than AGI, the common thugs AGI most importantly, than STR or some INT if they need some extra points.

 

[Kraven]

I always go 12 str and agility minimum then I throw in 12 int, then I continue with agility and str on most of them except for my "skillmonkeys", give them some heavy armor, chargers, warbows +2x arrows and bastard swords.
This way in sieges I use them as kickass archers early in sieges and then they can help break through the enemy line when the enemy line has been weakened.

 

[TheRedViper]

In this fashion, I will end up 7 companions with 10 Trainer

I don't think it stacks like that, isn't there a limit on how multiple companions affect the total number of a given party skill?

 

[fragonard]

In this fashion, I will end up 7 companions with 10 Trainer

I don't think it stacks like that, isn't there a limit on how multiple companions affect the total number of a given party skill?

Trainer does stack like that. It's not a party skill.

 

[TheRedViper]

In this fashion, I will end up 7 companions with 10 Trainer

I don't think it stacks like that, isn't there a limit on how multiple companions affect the total number of a given party skill?

Trainer does stack like that. It's not a party skill.

You learn something new everyday