How to Make an NPC Follower

This guide will walk you through the steps to create your own NPC follower, using the Creation Kit.

Instructions

Steps:

1. Open the Creation Kit application, then go to File-> Data.
2. Check the box to load Skyrim.esm and set your .esp file to active plugin (if you don't have any .esp created yet, just load Skyrim.esm and then save to create active plugin).


3. Navigate to the Actors list in the Object Window

4. Right-click within and select "New" from the context menu, which launches the Actor menu.


5. Choose an ID, for example, "NewFollower," as well as a Name, Short Name (used for dynamic quests), Race, and check "Female" if you want to make the NPC female (the default is male).

6. Check the "Unique" box and "Essential" if you want to make the follower Essential (cannot be killed), or "Protected if you want to make them Protected (drops to one knee when health is low and can only be killed by the player).


7. Navigate to the Factions tab within the Actor menu.

8. Right-click within the box labeled "Factions and Ranks" and select "New," launching a new box with a list of factions.


9. Filter the list for "follower," select "CurrentFollowerFaction" and press "OK"


10. Repeat steps 7 and 8, this time selecting "PotentialFollowerFaction"

11. Click on the "Rank" entry for Current Follower, press F2 to edit and change the rank from "0" to "-1"

12. Navigate to the "AI Data" tab on the Actor Menu and change "Assistance" to "Helps Friends and Allies" in the dropdown box.


13. Navigate to the "Inventory" tab on the Actor Menu and select a Default Outfit. You may need to click on the Preview check box below in order to make the Preview window update with the selected outfit.


14. Right-click within the "Inventory" list box in the center of the Inventory tab and select"New" in order to add additional inventory items and weapons.




15. To modify the character's face, body and hair you may click the relevant options on the tabs "Character Gen Parts" and "Character Gen Morphs"



16. When satisfied with the appearance, click "OK" on the Actor Menu.


17. Within the Object Window, navigate to Character->Relationship, then right-click on the list of relationships and select "New" opening the Relationship menu.


18. Choose a relationship ID (for example "NewFollowerRelationship")

19. Change the Parent NPC from "NONE" to match the ID of the follower NPC you created above (for example "NewFollower")

20. Change the Child NPC from "NONE" to "Player"

21. Change the Relationship Level from "NONE" to "Ally" and click "OK"


22. Within the Cell View window, choose a cell where the NPC will be based (for example, DragonBridgeFourShieldsTavern) and double click to open the cell in the Render Window.


23. From the Object Window, drag your new NPC follower (from the Actors list) over to the Render Window.



24. Save your plugin and test by launching Skyrim and visiting the cell in-game. If you don't currently have another follower, there should be a dialogue option to "Follow me. I need your help."

Video Link

Here is an excellent video by Best In Slot walking you through the entire process:

[Light Caster]

When I put in my follower, All the armor vanished. Know how to fix this?

[Lemonload]

When I talk to him it all works fine and he follows me. But when I try to talk to him again he acts like he doesn't know me "Hello, do you need something?" etc. Any ideas?

[Mad_IvOo]

Hi,I am trying to create a follower on friends pc, and I can't see anything in rendering window, also I can't find "Character Gen Parts" and "Character Gen Morphs", why is that happening? Did I do something wrong or he has an older version or something third, please help...

[(insert name here)]

when i make the new relationship id it doesnt have "Player" for child npc, any help?

[The Arsonist]

does adding perks do anything?

[The Arsonist]

ok

[IcyDeadPeople]

Sometimes mods that contain scripts can affect a save game, after you disable the mod, or even after deleting the mod file. So when working on your own mod projects, it's helpful to have a vanilla save game from just after Helgen that you can use for testing your new mod by itself.

[The Arsonist]

and i dont want to start a new game

[The Arsonist]

is not a custom race, and i did not use any mod info with it. and no i havent tested it with a new save game

[IcyDeadPeople]

Hmm, I wonder what could be causing your issue. We've used these steps many times to make follower NPCs. Have you tried testing your mod with a brand new vanilla savegame, with no other mods installed? This is not a custom race NPC correct?