Do companions take away xp from my party?

[Gunsaremagic]

Should i use extra characters like vi domina? id rather not use them unless its necessary for a quest

[mpnorman10]

I do not use them anymore for that very reason (and their reluctance to enter certain areas and sloppy development prior to obtaining them). With just six (or less) in the party, the experience from battles is focused on the ones that are there.

Other players do use them and some party concepts require their presence in order to work properly.

[ZombieKidzRule!]

This will end up being a matter of preference, but yes...they take their share of XP.

I always end up using Vi Domina and RFS-81, which is a killing machine monk that can't cast spells.

However, I never have a problem with the missing XP from companions. Why? Because you eventually get to a place where the required XP to get to the next level is so ridiculously high that you cap out. It might take just a wee bit longer with companions, but it has never been a problem for any of the numerous parties that I have played through with.

So, personally, I don't worry about it. But that is just me.

[The1Kobra]

RPCs take their share of XP.
However, I don't consider that a bad thing, enemies that spawn seem to scale with your party's level, and if they slow down your leveling, that gives you more time to train your skills. So, it's better all around to take them, I think.

Some of them have some unique interactions, though not many. Vi Domina has the most I've observed.

[vysionier]

I dislike using rpc’s but not just because they slow down leveling, but rather because they take away skill training opportunities for my main party.

[Skleedle]

i never use them, except RFS once to solo "100%" finish, and once to Ascend as RFS (also solo)

[mpnorman10]

Originally posted by The1Kobra:

RPCs take their share of XP.
However, I don't consider that a bad thing, enemies that spawn seem to scale with your party's level, and if they slow down your leveling, that gives you more time to train your skills. So, it's better all around to take them, I think.

Some of them have some unique interactions, though not many. Vi Domina has the most I've observed.

Yes, there is some scaling, particularly in the number of foes within groups encountered, but there is no exact ratio or anything like that. Actually you get less time to train skills, as the RPCs do a portion of the attacks within battles that progresses through and wins the game, but the diversion of experience is not huge.

When playing a thorough game (everything thoroughly once, no repeating just for experience, but returning if needed for a task - like using the wheel key) and no RPCs, the fastest leveling characters (Bard, etc.) reach Level 26 or rarely Level 27. When Vi and RFS are along for the whole way starting as soon as available, the fastest leveling characters reach Level 25 or rarely Level 26. This cost of roughly one level is due to the fact pointed out that experience required to level increases rapidly. The level of foes faced and the experience per battle also increases, but overall each higher level takes a bit longer than the last.

Note that many players finish the game much earlier. It is not necessary to be thorough, and a lot of fights can be avoided (making the party level a lot less before the end of the game). Fighting the fights that come the party's way increases skills and levels (and it is fun!)

Technically they (RPCs, Recruitable Player Characters) are experience and skill vampires in a sense, but they do contribute some in exchange for that and the vampirism is weak.

So, IMO based upon experience from numerous games, using RPCs for most of the game costs the rest of the party about 1 level and no more than 2/8 of the skill-up chances. Even if that were true, and of course I have no proof, only anecdotal experience, it is not a huge effect. If the player wants to use RPCs for a while or even for the entire game they should not be made to feel they will be denied anything major because of a desire to do so.

Like ZombieKidzRule! says, it is a matter of preference.

[Gunsaremagic]

Great thanks for the help guys

[Horpner Sneed]

Of the RPC's, Vi Domina, RFS-81 and Saxx are the best for long-term membership in your party. Keep in mind that nobody except RFS-81 will willingly travel to Rapax or Rynjin areas, but these three will all accompany you to Ascencian Peak.

If you use RPC's they will make the game a leasier, especially the three I've mentioned, but as mprnoman10 confirms, they eat up their fair share of XP.

But you can also use them for their stories and their entertainment value with no plan to keep them on hand long term--this seems to have been what the designers intended, largely, with a couple exceptions.

Myles seems to me the one with the least long-term potential, as he will go to neither Mt. Gigas nor Marten's Bluff.

[The1Kobra]

Madras is pretty good for long-term membership, as he'll go to Bayjin. He won't go to the peak or rift without cheesing it, but by then you should be able to use portals to get around it. Esp since there is a portal to the rift from one of the T'rang areas.

[HOK1970]

Originally posted by The1Kobra:

Madras is pretty good for long-term membership, as he'll go to Bayjin.

Madras goes to Bayjin? I didn't know because Flamestryke says otherwise. Thanks for the tip.

[saguaro17]

I don't think Madras goes to Bayjin, but Myles (as useless as he is) will go to Rapax Rift.

[The1Kobra]

Originally posted by saguaro17:

I don't think Madras goes to Bayjin, but Myles (as useless as he is) will go to Rapax Rift.

Okay, so I tested it. Madras won't go to Bayjin but he's OK with going to the Sea Caves and even has some unique dialogues for going there. Of course to get to the Sea Caves you have to go through Bayjin, so, yeah.
Vi also has some unique dialogue if you take her to Marten's Tomb., despite the fact that she refuses to go there unless you use the portals trick and suffers through the debuff.

[Quillithe]

Originally posted by Horpner Sneed:

But you can also use them for their stories and their entertainment value with no plan to keep them on hand long term--this seems to have been what the designers intended, largely, with a couple exceptions.

Agreed, not taking Saxx whenever possible is heresy purely because of his dialogue.

[The1Kobra]

Originally posted by Quillithe:

Originally posted by Horpner Sneed:

But you can also use them for their stories and their entertainment value with no plan to keep them on hand long term--this seems to have been what the designers intended, largely, with a couple exceptions.

Agreed, not taking Saxx whenever possible is heresy purely because of his dialogue.

I didn't take Saxx because I remained independent rather than allying with either the T'Rang or Umpani :(. Does he have a lot of good dialogue when you take him places? I know Vi has a number of nice interactions, and Sparkle has a fair number if you take him to Trynton.

[Quillithe]

Originally posted by The1Kobra:

Originally posted by Quillithe:

Agreed, not taking Saxx whenever possible is heresy purely because of his dialogue.

I didn't take Saxx because I remained independent rather than allying with either the T'Rang or Umpani :(. Does he have a lot of good dialogue when you take him places? I know Vi has a number of nice interactions, and Sparkle has a fair number if you take him to Trynton.

I just like the voice and the jazz musician theme, I actually don't think he has that much special dialogue (though I might be forgetting some).