Best way to use Fallout 4 companions? My hints.

[PeaceMaker]

Some of you will want to hear this, some of you won't. that's ok. This is just how I get by with my companions warts and all.

1. Use one. I heavily advise against modding it so you can `have them all!` like in some tamagotchi or whatever is the `have em all` thing today. . The game was designed for use with one and possibly one other that may come along with you briefly as part of the game (such as Squire volunteers or dogmeat in the MQ).

2. Learn to use the "Wait here" command for anything where you don't want your Follower disrupting things. Go check, lay your mines, whatever, then return and get him to follow you once you're ready. Beware though, cos if you get into a fight while they're waiting, they won't fight, even to defend themselves, so be ready to return and order them to follow you.

3. Crouch often. Crouching gets a follow to drop whatever they're doing and get real close to you, which is useful to keep them from getting themselves lost or whatever. Pulling out a weapon also gets them a bit more attentive to you.

4. Give them Stimpacks. Lots. They use them and it will help them last a little longer. I think they use jet too, but haven't fully tested the other chems.

5. Direct them to pick up stuff you can't be bothered to from trashcans, bodies, everything; they'll keep grabbing until they're too heavy.

6. Also get them doing what they're good at. I know Nick is great at getting into computers. Curie (who I use the most) generally just gives me Stim packs and heals me once a day. I forget what piper does. I'm sure the others do cool stuff.

7. NEVER give them throwables like molotov cocktails, unles you like being lit on fire. They have no discernment. If you get the perk that stops their grenades hurting you, then you can allow them.

8. NEVER take them anywhere high up unless you very carefully direct them with the `Go there` command, which can be quite time consuming. The game uses a sort of teleport to Player system when your back is turned, which is fine, but it cannot tell if you're high or on the ground, so will often teleport your Follower into mid air where she will fall and you lose her. I just leave Curie on the ground most times. Power armor for your Follower can mitigate this, but I tend not to use it for Followers for reasons I'll explain later.

9. If she blocks you, just wait, as she will move or order her out the way. YOU can block her too. say you're in a doorway, scouting, she can't get past you which you want.

10. I advise NOT giving Followers any melee weapons, at least definitely not Curie. for some reason she loves charging into a gunfight with a stick and dying fast. Remove it.

11. Don't give her power armor unless you have plenty to spare or want to stop her from dying after falling from high places. They waste power Armor, wrecking it while standing out in the open.
I find that human Followers, like Curie, fight FAR better outside of Power Armor. They use cover, use safe nades (when you have the right perk) and as long as you give them a decent weapon do a pretty decent job of helping you take down enemies. there are a few perks that helps them be even more effective.

12. YOU must learn to work around Followers, like a good leader understanding the soldiers under his command. Getting mad cos they do somethng buggy isn't gonna help you, Bethesda are not going to fix them. If they screw up, let it be. Be prepared so they don't screw you up (say by throwing a nade at your feet), and you'll be fine and happy with your Follower, maybe even learn to appreciate the bot! :)

That's my little hints for you Follower-using people.

[Claybot]

Better yet just don't use them.

[Maximumspeedpony]

Originally posted by Claybot:

Better yet just don't use them.

Which one of the companions hurt you? Mine will have to be Strong or X6-88

[BGratz]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3121086659

[Sea Prince Gillywix]

Originally posted by Claybot:

Better yet just don't use them.

Robot companions are really good though. Especially if you give them sentry carnage or reaper helms. They can use lockpick and hacking modules. If you use the regeneration module then they can provide out of combat healing much better then lifegiver. And some robots can have upwards of 500 carry space.

[PeaceMaker]

I find that Followers are a special taste for people. It all depends on how you look at it.

Some will use them as a basic extra carry mule, just a basic bot to do whatever for them then throwaway. Others for immersion, and some who just hate Followers completely because they don't act as smartly as humans. Others who are just Loner types.

A friend of mine who plays Fallout4 is the 'Loner` type. He imagines himself as that steely-eyed silent type expert in the sniper rifle that picks the eye out of an eagle at 300 yards or something. He never uses Followers, in any game- ever.

I like Followers for immersion more than anything else. I like to think were I out there in a harsh world of Survival, I could find someone who also wants to survive and we'd team up.

Nick, I like cos he's a good old-fashioned guy you can imagine joining you in your adventures until he leaves or dies.

Piper was ok, but she got a little annoying after a while. Cait I couldn't stand.

But Curie I like the most as she has an interesting story that surprised me, and well, I like her attitude. It's naive, but hopeful, which counters my more cynical ways.

The nice thing is there's a follower with a character usually to fit everyone in Fallout4, (except guys who hate Followers) and they have a fair few actions you can order them to do, which can't be said for some games *Coughstarfieldcough* and if you're willing to tolerate their buggy quirks, they're ok.

No Follower will ever be as smart as a human being and I've been online enough to see people get mad at other humans anyway.

p.s Oh yea and dogmeat's pretty good, if you really can't stand a person. he shouldn't be able to carry lots of stuff until he gets a backpack though!

[A. Silvermane]

Dogmeat and Nick together via a mod

[TheLoveMummy]

Just pimp them out. You can double your income if there are two of you turning tricks. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3121220796

[Zekiran]

I can tolerate certain companions far better than others. I won't take Piper until I have to give my speech to her, and then I send her somewhere and forget about her. (This time I've used a newer Diamond City mod and I have her next to her sister on another soap box selling newspapers...). I likewise drop McNeedy once I've gotten the magazine / bobblehead whatever it is out of his personal quest. I've never successfully finished Hancock's or most others beyond Preston and Nick's stories.

They are not commandable enough for my taste. I do wish that we could keep them ranged, keep them melee, etc - stop picking up miniguns, stop using grenades. So I prefer to wander the commonwealth alone. I get nick's perk and that's about all I ever need for my play style.

Can't tolerate Danse, really dislike Kait, I'm no raider so I don't take Gage. I do like Longfellow though.

[PeaceMaker]

Originally posted by Zekiran:

I can tolerate certain companions far better than others. I won't take Piper until I have to give my speech to her, and then I send her somewhere and forget about her. (This time I've used a newer Diamond City mod and I have her next to her sister on another soap box selling newspapers...). I likewise drop McNeedy once I've gotten the magazine / bobblehead whatever it is out of his personal quest. I've never successfully finished Hancock's or most others beyond Preston and Nick's stories.

They are not commandable enough for my taste. I do wish that we could keep them ranged, keep them melee, etc - stop picking up miniguns, stop using grenades. So I prefer to wander the commonwealth alone. I get nick's perk and that's about all I ever need for my play style.

Can't tolerate Danse, really dislike Kait, I'm no raider so I don't take Gage. I do like Longfellow though.

You're kinda like me. You know what you like and stick with it, even if you miss out on other stuff.
I considered trying McCready, but never bothered cos I'm happy with what I got even if I never see their little stories. I wouldn't mind getting that Bobblehead though...

[Zekiran]

I don't usually mind him as a person but honestly I need to install that mod that FIXES HIS HORRIFIC TEETH.

[PeaceMaker]

Originally posted by Zekiran:

I don't usually mind him as a person but honestly I need to install that mod that FIXES HIS HORRIFIC TEETH.

Funnily enough, talking about modding Followers, while I like Curie, I hated her short hair look, so installed a mod that makes her look far more like her character. I can't imagine her any other way now.

[BGratz]

Best Companion is Dogmeat, nearly made me punch my keyboard into the screen several times.

Runs into the Screen when you try to scrap something, confusion starts and tadaaa, RED ROCKET is gone, last savegame was 6 Hours ago because you play survival.

You fast loose health because your copanion in the Power armor descides to idle on the small stairs and completely ignores the enemys. You try to escape, but well, there only enough place on that stairs for ONE.