Do companions gain XP when I don't?

[Hyperlynx]

I'm trying to get Indrix up to level 30 to use him for the golem's body. I see he starts at level 27. I'm currently level 37, too high a level to get much XP from anything but pretty dangerous stuff.

If I kill lower-level stuff, does Indrix still get XP for it? Stuff that I would have got XP for at level 27, but currently don't?

Or do I just have to figure out how to hunt galgals and leering stalkers? :(

[Yaldabaoth]

I believe they do, I have seen companions level up whilst I have been killing nothing but lower level enemies that give me no XP. But I will fully admit that I do not understand the companion mechanics super well at this point.

[Pixel Peeper]

It was about a month before 1.0 came out, but I tried leveling a very low-level dragonfly with my relatively high-level character for that exact purpose. Even after a few hours, it never seemed to gain any levels (not that I had any way to verify).

Admittedly, I don't understand follower mechanics either. It's possible they're still very wonky since the follower system still hasn't been fully implemented.

[Pizzarugi]

Originally posted by glass zebra:

No, they do not. Companions just get the same XP you are getting.

This is good to know, but still disappointing.

Lesson learned: Get your companion as early as possible if they're not at the level needed for [redacted] so you can get them powered up without putting them in danger against powerful foes. Alternatively, if you're playing mutant, always have Domination so you can send the companion out to level against enemies of their level, or make them turn in a bunch of books to Sheba for the same effect.

[glass zebra]

Goatfolk qlippoths are level 29 btw. At level 37 you are still getting XP from basically anything in the Moonstairs, including those XP tier 8 monads that do not have hands to fight back and all of those rather common XP tier 7 enemies that should still grant a lot of XP. Leering stalkers and chrome pyramids are for when you are nearing level 50.

[duckman]

If you're willing to wait for him to do it himself, he still gets xp for things within his own level range if he kills it himself. Trees in the Banana Grove should be fairly safe to do this with.

[BoogieMan]

Turning in books at the tent on the left of the entrance to the Stiltgrounds is a decent way to level up companions.

[glass zebra]

Yaldabaoth was correct. They do keep getting XP from kills despite you not getting XP from them. They just use their own level value for the XP formula. Sorry for misinforming people. I was pretty sure I've tried that in the past and did not see any level ups.. not sure what if I was testing something else and misremembered.

Originally posted by Pixel Peeper:

It was about a month before 1.0 came out, but I tried leveling a very low-level dragonfly with my relatively high-level character for that exact purpose. Even after a few hours, it never seemed to gain any levels (not that I had any way to verify).

You hear the level up sound and see the sparkly animation play on them when they level up and get a notice in the combat log too.

[Hyperlynx]

Thanks folks. Sounds like the consensus is that they do still gain XP. And the books suggestion is a good one.

Originally posted by glass zebra:

Goatfolk qlippoths are level 29 btw. At level 37 you are still getting XP from basically anything in the Moonstairs, including those XP tier 8 monads that do not have hands to fight back and all of those rather common XP tier 7 enemies that should still grant a lot of XP. Leering stalkers and chrome pyramids are for when you are nearing level 50.

Tell that to the leering stalkers I keep running into in the Moon Stairs 😅