Companions versus hired dudes?

[Senf]

Yeah um, what are the differences/pros/cons?

Should I create the party I want at an Inn or scout the world for story npcs to recruit?

[Init]

the companions have their own stories/quests you dont get any items or anything from the quests their stats are ok and fitting but could be better. it would realy be up to you but you could make stronger companions though it would be pretty quite without their interjections and thoughts throught the game. I find they add spice and liven up the party and gives each of them character/personality.

[Pookie The Krogan]

onyl one i really use is the mage. and one of the warriors and the pali sometimes

[Arya Everheart]

I would play through the game first with the companions they give you, they are really entertaining (and sometimes infuriating) but if you really don't like any of them then make your own. You can tailor everything they start with too.

[EleventhStar]

Pro tip: turn auto level companions off, so when you get them you can give them the perks you want instead of the ones the game autolevels them.

[White Knight]

I found that the npc companions came too slowly for my liking. I chose to hire as many mercs as I could, make them into exactly what I wanted, then swapped them out as npcs became available.

That gave me a reserve force that I could use to deal with troublesome guests, etc.

The npcs are good for roleplaying and getting experience points from their quests. A hireling is whatever you want them to be. Personally, I think the game would suck without npcs but if you hate roleplaying (and reading) then you could easily build yourself a wicked team all on your own.

[Separa]

If you know where to look; you can get the first four pretty quickly, and then you can hire one until you find the rest. But if you are playing on the hardest difficulty, I would suggest making all of them. Otherwise though, it's really not necessary.

[Senf]

Originally posted by White Knight:

I found that the npc companions came too slowly for my liking. I chose to hire as many mercs as I could, make them into exactly what I wanted, then swapped them out as npcs became available.

That gave me a reserve force that I could use to deal with troublesome guests, etc.

The npcs are good for roleplaying and getting experience points from their quests. A hireling is whatever you want them to be. Personally, I think the game would suck without npcs but if you hate roleplaying (and reading) then you could easily build yourself a wicked team all on your own.

I don't hate reading, but I hate reading on a computer screen. Unfortunately, the game also uses wall of text instead of formated text. But I actually like the story so I try to read at least the quest texts.

Originally posted by EleventhStar:

Pro tip: turn auto level companions off, so when you get them you can give them the perks you want instead of the ones the game autolevels them.

Neat.

[Separa]

Originally posted by Senf:

I don't hate reading, but I hate reading on a computer screen. Unfortunately, the game also uses wall of text instead of formated text. But I actually like the story so I try to read at least the quest texts.

Depending on your computer, you could probably connect it to a TV; but I'm assuming that is beside the point. =p I know other people who hate reading on a screen. I used to too; but you get used to it and I actually now prefer it, for a lot of things. But with that said; if you're finding it difficulty, your monitor's brightness may be to blame. Try adjusting it.

[teslamatic]

None of the NPCs is as good as a min-maxed hireling would be. All the quest benefits of NPCs are optainable without having them with you all the time: you just need to have them rejoin in the right time, talk to them, rest, talk to them again, finish their quests. So, overall, hirelings are better than NPCs.

But you don't really need to go through the game with hirelings unless you're playing the Path of the Damned difficulty. The game is easy enough that you can finish it with any given party setup - if you have even the most remote idea of what you're doing.

[Senf]

Dudes only get XP while in party do they? I just picked up a priest who is exactly like my priest, only why odd primary attributes. But he has a higher level, so I consider switching permanently.

[probe]

When you get the Stronghold all dismissed NPC's (recruitable or not) will stay at the Stronghold and can be send out to do mini-quests on their own from time to time which gives them a little experience and sometimes some loot that can then be found in the Stronghold.

But they don't get XP from just sitting on their rear-ends. So unless you can send them on a "mini-quest" on their own or have them with you the won't get XP.

[White Knight]

Originally posted by probe:

But they don't get XP from just sitting on their rear-ends. So unless you can send them on a "mini-quest" on their own or have them with you the won't get XP.

I'm pretty sure this is not true. In my game, I had npcs that I didn't send out for anything and they didn't travel with my party either. If I swapped them into my active roster, they would have the little glowing plus sign and I'd level them up to whatever level the main party was at.

I did this on a regular basis. I would only get the option to level them up if they were one of the six main party members, so they would get leveled up whenever I passed through the stronghold. When I was done, I'd make sure I had the six I wanted and then leave.