What weapons are companions good at handling? And other questions..

[PaleBlueDot]

I know that companions have different starting stats and weapons, but I don't want to micromanage them too much during battle, i'm thinking of making them all the same unit.
Why is this a bad idea? If it is not, what skills/weapon type should they have? I am assuming horse archery all the way would make it easy to let them do loads of damage/get XP without being hurt, and is useful to flank the enemy with arrows, are they capable horse archers? Maybe two bags of arrows and a two hander, or one bag, one-hander and shield? Or are they biased towards proficiency at polearms, or throwing?


Also, do you leave any companions behind, such as the surgeon or wound healer? If so, how many and what skills? Are other skills like tactics, tracking etc evenly distributed among the rest, or do you have f.eg three strictly non-combatant companions for intelligence then the rest only fighting? Are there any particular characters that you always assign the same skills because of starting properties?

Thanks a lot!

[shikaka]

i'm thinking of making them all the same unit.

I don't think it is a good idea.
There are companions who are weak (encumbered in heavy armor), don't have skills to fight properly, but are very useful in other roles. It is better to give every companion the weapon he is good at.

Why make Klethi a lancer when she is already good in throwing?

I am assuming horse archery all the way would make it easy to let them do loads of damage/get XP without being hurt, and is useful to flank the enemy with arrows, are they capable horse archers?

you can only get an effective horse archer with putting points into: archery skill, power draw, horse archery (that requires strength and agility upgrades).
This for me seems to be a waste of several level worth of skill points and proficiencies.

If you want them to train fast (in battle, they also get XP for quests!), you can do one thing though:
Train each of them to agility 12 and riding 4.
Give each companion a charger horse and use them to roll over Sea Raiders. This way they will gain XP fast, as they get XP for the killls done by the horse

Also, do you leave any companions behind, such as the surgeon or wound healer? If so, how many and what skills? Are other skills like tactics, tracking etc evenly distributed among the rest, or do you have f.eg three strictly non-combatant companions for intelligence then the rest only fighting?

I usually have
2 X dedicated healers (surgery, first aid, wound treatment) Extra points go to reach minimal self defense (8-9 strength to wear heavy items, weapon master 2-3, a weapon skill of 100-120, a few level of iron skin). If they already have that minimum self defense, I usually dump excess points into training.
1 X tracker (tracking, spotting, pathfinding). Sometimes, if the character can handle it, also looting, and also at least minimum self defense.
1 X engineer/tactics. These are intelligence based skills, and a very high level is not necessery (5-6 is enough) so 1 character can handle both, with becoming a good fighter in the meantime.

The healers and the tracker is always at the bottom of the list, so that they don't fight when not absolutely necessery.
The rest (fighters) usually learn training to at least level 5.

Are there any particular characters that you always assign the same skills because of starting properties?

Yes.
Borcha is always a tracker.
Klethi is always a tracker (with looting).
Ymira and Jeremus is always a healer.
Deshavi usually ends up as a secondary healer and tracker.
Lezalit is always a trainer (and depending on the others, his secondary role is healer/fighter)

There are a few, namely Nizar and Bahestur who are relatively low level in the beginning, have high intelligence and can fill other important roles (tactician, trainer, engineer).



My favourite party:
- Rolf: tank
- Bahestur: horse archer (can help others with int based skills or looting)
- Nizar: fighter (can help the others with intelligence based skills)
- Matheld: figher
- Deshavi: backup tracker and backup healer
- Klethi: tracker/looter
- Artimenner: engineer (and learns surgery fast)
- Lezalit: trainer and fighter
The main character takes care of leadership, prisoner management and inventory management.

I try to build the character with equipment what suits, but that is personal preferance. For example I give Nizar a light lance and lamellar vest because I think it fits. Matheld gets mail with a 2handed warhammer, etc.

But in general, you cannot go wrong with shield+1 hander!
For strong characters (str > 13) use morningstar.
For weaker ones use military pick.
If you want lots of prisoners, use warhammers, maces and mauls.
Extra weapons are only there if there is skill for them. Lances for melee characters, bows for archers, jarids or javelins when there is throwing skill. (I think crossbows for companions are not good)

[PaleBlueDot]

Great answer, thanks! How come you have 2-3 healers? Cant you just use one, and send him/her to some corner of the map or behind your lines? Myself I always save before battles, maybe thats why I'm careless enough only to have one?

I'm still thinking that the starting stat differences are so small on companions (im assuming they are always the same, whenever I pick them up) that the extra skill point or two doesn't make much difference? Especially compared to the added "cost" of micromanaging companions.

[shikaka]

Great answer, thanks! How come you have 2-3 healers? Cant you just use one, and send him/her to some corner of the map or behind your lines? Myself I always save before battles, maybe thats why I'm careless enough only to have one?

A high surgery skill saves lots of troops. I dunno for sure, but about 50-60% of the dead become wounded instead of dying.

I have two so that if one is KO'd in a battle, the other can still heal the squad.

I'm still thinking that the starting stat differences are so small on companions (im assuming they are always the same, whenever I pick them up) that the extra skill point or two doesn't make much difference? Especially compared to the added "cost" of micromanaging companions.

This is partly true.
However Rolf, being level 10 will not level up as fast as Ymira (lvl 1), so it is much longer time to make Rolf a healer/tracker then Ymira.
And since some companions have the starting levels of a skill group, why not use them? You get tracking/pathfinding/spotting 5's from Borcha/Klethi on about level 6-8 while for Alayen it takes to get to level 10+.

Also, if a companion starts out with 13 intelligence, he needs 2 level ups to have 15 int (what is needed for 5 surgery for example), so he fullfills the requirements 5 levels earlier then a companion with 8 intelligence.


About micromanagement: not really that big issue. Just give everyone a melee weapon for self defense, and they will take care of the rest. I regularly see that when I am chasing bandits or waiting for the siege tower to close on the walls, my companions change to javelins/bows on their own.

[Zemdu]

well u can't go wrong with maces

[Ak1980]

masterwork military cleaver 40c, thick huscarl round shield, siege/light crossbow for all!

[Sabazios]

does it matter what weapon you put in slot 1? Will this be their main weapon? I gave most of my fighting companions a lance/spear, a mace and shield and something to throw. I want them to charge with the lance and then switch to mace and shield in melee. Is it possible to stear this, or will they just decide for them selves what they prefer under the given circumstances?

[Ak1980]

From what i remember yes, the first slot is what they use when they appeared. But i doubt the original AI clever enough to change from lance -> mace and shield in field battle, because someone already made mod for it.
Better to use Mace and shield with light crossbow. Btw why mace?

[Sabazios]

I gave them maces for extra prisoners and because its good against heavy armor.

[shikaka]

Better to use Mace and shield with light crossbow. Btw why mace?

Have you ever seen a companion kill anyone with a light crossbow? I didn't, I think it is a waste of money to give them one. Also looks bad on their back

[Ak1980]

I gave them maces for extra prisoners and because its good against heavy armor.

There is military hammer or something with 34b damage, i think the rhodock use it, quite good for capturing prisoner.

@shikaka
I use my companion as heavy cavalry, it's better than they sit doing nothing while waiting for the enemy to get closer. The Ai can handle masterwork military cleaver/light crossbow combo quite good. Throwing weapon is useless in this game. It also useful for siege, crossbow better than bow in siege.
My companion use light or siege crossbow for range weapon, depend on my mood in the campaign

[fast gamertag]

Have you ever seen a companion kill anyone with a light crossbow? I didn't, I think it is a waste of money to give them one. Also looks bad on their back

Yes, Bunduk is a very skilled crossbowman give him a siege crossbow and he will kill loads of enemy's from a good distance (if you make a group yourself with him and rhodok crossbowmen its an ultimate killing squad )

[Don in the North]

what i do is use them as shock troopers and heavy cavalry, 1handed sword, a shield, 2 handed sword/axe, and a lance.
dispite their strengths, they all perform admirably. especially as the shocktroopers that race up the ladder first in a seige. they make a gap enough for my infantry to push into and expand, and they dont actually die making them perfect shock troopers

[thespaniard]

hmm i always make bashetur and Deshavi archers. bunduk is usualy good enough with the crossbow. nizar Rolf and Matheld are my infantry who get 2 javs and a 1h and shield everyone else get sent to the edge because i dont like losing my healers. I usualy do training and pathfinding and Marnid and Ymaria does Trade tracking and Looting
Wow i just realized how bad i was typing this im going to make some changes

[Nimthill]

I make two of my companions (alayen, Firentisheavy cavalry (chargers, sword, shield, lance) en have them follow me (seperate group from cavalry) at all times so I can ride around as my bodyguards. The rest I assign according to their strengths: archers or cavalry. Not much use in putting them as infantry imo, end-tier footmen do a better job than they do.

[AxeMaster]

If they cant use a bow, give them a lance (for couching into the enemy line), sword, mace (for prisoners) and a shield. If they can shoot a bow, they get a bow, 2 quivers of arrows (large kergit) and a 2h sword or bardiche. If you are the healer in the party, (highly recommended along with pathfinding and spotting) you can send in the companions to crash the line. They cant die so I use them for a disruption.

[Shaio]

They'll get good with any weapon u give them eventually as I'm pretty sure there weapon proficiency goes up as they hit , but I've always been a fan of horse, spear, bastard sword, and two shields, with anyone who has specific ranged wep skills to start with being there preferred range type and a polearm.

it depends, you want them all to have a heavy polearm and throwing weapons if your defending a castle, otehrwise horse-archers and hcav with throwing axes all the way. ( I always believe in them having at-least some sort of ranged attack if u can. )

2 shields is great for keeping them alive thou, especially for cav who are shot at as much from behind as in-front.