Companions are dead weight

[CuAnnan]

They don't contribute meaningfully to combat. You basically have to solo tank the entire thing no matter what you've tried to build.

[Breeding Medicine]

I'll be honest there should have been an option to completly ignore them.

[Hemipheistos]

Not fully agree there. Kai has a ability (if you unlock it) to taunt. Makes a good distraction.
Also i do the companion abilities on demand and have the automatic ability use disabled (its in the options menu) so they are not on cooldown when i need them.

But i agree that there should be a way to make them more impactful or on the other hand let them stay at the camp and advance solo, except for the story missions where they come into play.

[Dagmar]

This sounds like a skill issue. I'm playing a bathrobe-wearing mage and I am not tanking anything for more than about eight seconds.

You do realize that you have to manually trigger Kai's taunting ability, right? It's not an automatic thing. Go teach it to him and then push that button. Between Kai's taunt and the dwarf's grasping roots it's really not that hard to stay out of reach.

[kaffekoppen]

They are not great, no, but they can be decent at tanking at least some of the enemies. I feel like it was particularly early in the game when my companions got destroyed very quickly, but this has changed.

One thing that made a big difference for me was grabbing the ability that heals allies when you kill something.

[CuAnnan]

Originally posted by Dagmar:

This sounds like a skill issue.

I've never come across a single person who says that earnestly who was trying to do anything other than sneer.

[hrafnskald]

If you want to use your companions well, try the following:

Play a ranged build, dual wielding pistols or wands, or a single bow or arquebuster.

Start the battle from a distance by crouching and firing at the head of one of the enemies. One or two headshots can take out most foes, except for the bears.

Back up, and let your companions take the heat, while you headshot the nearest enemy.

Works like a charm. Use your companions as speed bumps between you and the bad guys. They are your offensive line, you are the quarterback. They are there to give you time to make your play, not to do it for you.

[CuAnnan]

Originally posted by hrafnskald:

If you want to use your companions well, try the following:

Play a ranged build, dual wielding pistols or wands, or a single bow or arquebuster.

Start the battle from a distance by crouching and firing at the head of one of the enemies. One or two headshots can take out most foes, except for the bears.

Back up, and let your companions take the heat, while you headshot the nearest enemy.

Works like a charm. Use your companions as speed bumps between you and the bad guys. They are your offensive line, you are the quarterback. They are there to give you time to make your play, not to do it for you.

My companions aren't engaging the enemy at all, is the thing. I've watched them just shape up to them while the enemy completely ignores them and mainlines for me.

[Naamtar]

Kai and the healer chick are useful. I'm guessing the wizard furry is useful too but I don't use her.

Biggest issue is they don't use their abilities on cooldown all the time.

[hrafnskald]

Originally posted by CuAnnan:

My companions aren't engaging the enemy at all, is the thing. I've watched them just shape up to them while the enemy completely ignores them and mainlines for me.

Now that's odd.

Try going to the campsite, go in to Companions menu, and reset their talents, making sure to give each one an offensive talent.

Then check in either Companions or UI, and there should be a setting like "Companions automatically use their talents".

You can also map Companion talents to the radial menu that comes up if you press "E". Sometimes telling them to shoot this enemy, or leap at that one, can trigger their aggro and get them to fight.

[Naamtar]

Originally posted by CuAnnan:

Originally posted by hrafnskald:

If you want to use your companions well, try the following:

Play a ranged build, dual wielding pistols or wands, or a single bow or arquebuster.

Start the battle from a distance by crouching and firing at the head of one of the enemies. One or two headshots can take out most foes, except for the bears.

Back up, and let your companions take the heat, while you headshot the nearest enemy.

Works like a charm. Use your companions as speed bumps between you and the bad guys. They are your offensive line, you are the quarterback. They are there to give you time to make your play, not to do it for you.

My companions aren't engaging the enemy at all, is the thing. I've watched them just shape up to them while the enemy completely ignores them and mainlines for me.

The enemies follow threat levels similar to WoW, if you've ever played that.

If you're the one pumping damage into them they are going to target you, unless you have someone taunting them. That's why taunt is in the game.

[hrafnskald]

Originally posted by Naamtar:

Originally posted by CuAnnan:

My companions aren't engaging the enemy at all, is the thing. I've watched them just shape up to them while the enemy completely ignores them and mainlines for me.

The enemies follow threat levels similar to WoW, if you've ever played that.

If you're the one pumping damage into them they are going to target you, unless you have someone taunting them. That's why taunt is in the game.

Agreed. I was responding to what was said, where (from what I understand) the Companions were not reacting to the presence of enemies.

If the Companions are fighting the enemies, and the enemies are getting through to the player, that's easier to resolve: Rooting an enemy, dodging sideways or backward, retreating, using the Shadow talent to temporarily disengage (breaking aggro and setting up a stealth shot) are all great options.

And with that situation, I've found that staying further back, while your companions charge in, does wonders for aggro control.

[TheOrigin]

They were patched yesterday. As a caster (who normally needs a tank) i can say they do their job.

[brisket]

Originally posted by CuAnnan:

They don't contribute meaningfully to combat. You basically have to solo tank the entire thing no matter what you've tried to build.

Dead... WEIGHT?!?!