Do you guys use starting Companions at the end-game?

[Lampros]

I am not sure I am going to - in particular, the archer ends up around mid-80s at level 11, and that's frankly not good enough (though it can work as a crossbowman).

Can we have starting Companions boosted a bit, please?

[Trappist]

They tend to be my best guys at level 11 tbh, but maybe i just get too attached to my other hires from modest backgrounds once they have a few levels. Both Axe and archer have 90 attack in current game and they wreck stuff. Shield Bro is mid 80s as he has dextrous, also doing great damage.

[Lampros]

Originally posted by Trappist:

They tend to be my best guys at level 11 tbh, but maybe i just get too attached to my other hires from modest backgrounds once they have a few levels. Both Axe and archer have 90 attack in current game and they wreck stuff. Shield Bro is mid 80s as he has dextrous, also doing great damage.

Did you get the Gifted Perk? And possibly pick-up other stat-increasing Events? Otherwise I don't see how starting archers can reach 90 Ranged Skill at level 11.

[Decado]

Given that in my most recent battle (against a 22-man noble army...I really should have bought a few more tier 3 weapons) my iron lungs shieldbro died...so no :p

Depends on your bros starting stats. They are usually outpaced by better backgrounds or early ones with good talents and traits.

[Primitive Dog Owner]

I like to use the starting companions into the end game, although I don't play games out to day 300 or anything

I am willing to use a seed with good starting companions or even edit them slightly, so that they fit my criteria for an end game guy. I don't feel bad about it in an otherwise non-save scummed game.

If they have good starting traits and rolls they can remain competitive enough through a couple crisises. If they have bad starting traits and rolls, they can be pretty poor.

Spear-guy in particular depends on the hidden set of melee attack / defense rolls that are generated at game start. If they are bad, he will be bad. If they are good, and he has good traits, he can be at least decent.

You can look at those rolls using BB edit

[Trappist]

Originally posted by Lampros:

Originally posted by Trappist:

They tend to be my best guys at level 11 tbh, but maybe i just get too attached to my other hires from modest backgrounds once they have a few levels. Both Axe and archer have 90 attack in current game and they wreck stuff. Shield Bro is mid 80s as he has dextrous, also doing great damage.

Did you get the Gifted Perk? And possibly pick-up other stat-increasing Events? Otherwise I don't see how starting archers can reach 90 Ranged Skill at level 11.

Yep he has gifted and 94 ranged attack.

[Lampros]

Originally posted by Trappist:

Originally posted by Lampros:

Did you get the Gifted Perk? And possibly pick-up other stat-increasing Events? Otherwise I don't see how starting archers can reach 90 Ranged Skill at level 11.

Yep he has gifted and 94 ranged attack.

Got it; I am still skeptical about Gifted, since a Perk slot is so damn precious...

[Scathe]

ranged bro starts at 48-52 ranged attack, depending on seed, and gains 4 per levelup, so 10 levelups is 88-92. plus a levelup from gifted is 92-96. it is good enough. then there are events where ranged bros can have archery contests to gain another point.

[Beaghan]

I use them until the end, unless they die on ironman. I wdo it even if they're stuck with bad traits..

[IspartaPratapon]

I use them for as long as possible. I am pretty careless, though, so often at least 2 are gone by day 100.

[turtle225]

The archer bro is better than everything except hunters with range stars so yes I use him.

The axebro ends with 90+ attack. His fatigue is usually low but he is worth keeping around.

The shield bro is the only one that is questionable. He is ok but his melee skill will never quite reach where you want an endgame bro to be. I keep him around anyway.

[nightworg]

They are decent. I usual don't get much better with hunters with out stars, and I don't use too much time to find better ones playing Ironman.

[chandl34]

Depends on starting traits. Axe bro and range bro usually end up good, and shield bro depends on rolls. Their wages are affordable.

[CHOO CHOO]

If they survive, sure, why not.

[jfoytek]

Nope they are too expensive I fire them asap and find myself some cripples and beggers!!!

[titanopteryx]

Originally posted by jfoytek:

Nope they are too expensive I fire them asap and find myself some cripples and beggers!!!

Actually I've gotten some random events where my companion background bros increased the stats of a cripple and another where one did combat drills to increase the stats of non-military backgrounds. So the starting bros are a good addition to a team of cripples and beggers.