Part of the fun for players in the world of Skyrim is taking a companion or few on adventures as they traverse the vast landscape, plundering dungeons and completing quests. There are a number of mods available already for Skyrim Special Edition that take adventuring with a partner to the next level. Here's a few of our favorites.
The fully-voiced delight that is Sofia is a lore-friendly (depending on opinion and play style) follower who accompanies the Dragonborn on his (or her) adventures. Voiced by Christine Slagman, the dialog is not only witty and humorous, but also reacts to surroundings, other NPCs and select quest lines.
Sofia is quite an unusual follower. She is tough, witty and just a little bit boastful. She has a strong fondness for the player character but her deliberate attempts to disguise the fact just leads to very awkward conversations especially as she usually says exactly what she thinks. Sofia is a tease and loves to wind people up which doesn't make her very popular with people. Her rebellious spirit and careless attitude often gets her in trouble. Not to mention her constant inappropriate comments which easily offend or embarrass people.
If you need a companion for life and are tired of the in-game vanilla characters, be sure to give Sofia a try.
Companions and Followers
This handy mod implements a variety of characters who traverse Skyrim and integrate with fellow NPCs. While they travel around the world of Skyrim the 12 followers do remain at a single location one day per week to make hunting them down just a little bit more convenient.
Here's a list of all the companions added:
- Alana: Female, Fire Mage and Conjurer.
- Shyvana: Female, Lightning Mage and Conjurer.
- Elsif: Female DarkElf, Frost Mage and Conjurer.
- Ashe: Female, Archer
- Coda: Male, Tank.
- Devesha: Female, Conjured Weapons.
- Haj-Meer: MALE SUPLEXING ARGONIAN!? Unarmed Only.
- Keiko: Male Kajiit, Two Handed Warrior.
- Leona: Female, Two Handed Warrior.
- Mira: Female, Paladin Archetype, Can cast weak healing spells on self, default weapon enchant Turn Undead.
- Mulgrom: Male Orc, Dual Wielding.
- Sheena: Female, Dual Wielding.
INIGO is an interesting Argonian who sports more than 7000 lines of dialog. Both a skilled warrior and capable partner, INIGO is able to be controlled effectively, even in combat, without the use of other mods and settings. For example, sheathing your weapon in battle will cause INIGO to cease combat and return to your side. And you can whistle to him too.
You will find Inigo in Riften Jail. He's next to Sibbi Black-Briar in the first cell on your left. Keep an eye out for notes referring to Inigo on your travels. If your character needs a reason to visit the jail they may give you the excuse you require.
Garm the Husky Companion
Our last pick is not of human form but a husky. Meet Garm, the husky companion.
Garm is a fierce husky named after his father Garmr, the guardian of the Norse and Nord underworlds. His mother is Jörð (Jord; Earth), one of the Jötnar. Feeling curious about the realm of Akray she disguised herself as a wolf and flirted with Garmr as a way to get in. Garmr was not fooled but he agreed to answer her questions if she would bear him a son, to which she agreed. The son she bore was Garm. He was born during the Warp of the West in the third era, around 3E 420, and is still considered a young pup by those in the Underworld.
Husky dogs are cool. Running around with one by your side as you slice the heads of undead Nords is even more cool.
Your Favorite?
Who do you enjoy traversing the land with? Sound off your favorite companion mods in the comments!
Posted byWhiterun
3 years agoA Shout to all these follower who refused to simply be Barbie Dolls.
- Inigo . A league of his own. Quits becoming a follower, became a friend instead.
- Aurlyn Dawnstone . A high elf who have seen it all. Do Poetry, Do Riddles, Do ownage against vampires.. And she even gives you home cooked meal if you marry her :D . I love her, she was a permanent alongside Inigo in my game nowadays. A bit overpowered but it fits her storyline as someone who sees it all already.
- Vilja . The benchmark of all followers since. forever? Emma have managed to assembled a highly efficient team that produced marvel. A technical wonder for a custom follower system. Heck, she so advance she can even have her own follower. And if you have Inigo, they even interact with each other.
- Anna's NPCs . Not 1. not 2. but 10 (last I count :p) followers, all having their own personal quest. and their own custom marriage system. And they chat with each others.
- Viconia . Love Baldur Gate? Get her. Never played BG before? Learn about Drow first and know what to expect. Enough spoiler already :D
- Benjamin Doon . Hope you dont give him garlic bread for breakfast. And give the poor old man a horse before you start running everywhere. Haha. He cracks me up more then the next 2 followers
- Sofia . The funny fully voiced follower. Oh, she funny alright. And choke full of double entendre dialogues. And she hates Nazeem and Braith.
- Recorder . Lore enthuasists might want to skip this, but for others. see how many off world reference you can get of her.
- Mirai . I tested her loong ago, early version of her, back when she has a house in Riverwood. but never get a chance to test her later version. but she really feel like a daughter back then to me.
- Arissa . Chesko's creation. Need I say more?
- Mrissi . Save often! Not because she is buggy. but because how you do her quest will determined what she became at the end. But shes one of the most adorable follower ever . contested only by Mirai in this list. And this isnt a barbie doll list!
- Cerwiden . One of the first custom voiced follower in Skyrim alongside Vilja. Sadly, she seems to have been abandoned. Altho her combat system are probably still ahead of some others.
- Hoth . Awesome follower who gives you radiant quest! So you'll never ran out of quest ever! His stubbornness with sticking to his weapons and armor means he is a bit of a problem at very high level (or if you have mods that add lots of enemies) but awesome still. I have him as a quest generator most of the time at later level.
- Rigmor . Sadly, while I despised Thalmor as well, locking me out of half of skyrim unless I do the civil war for Nord supremacy is a bit hard to do. Maybe 1 day.. if I ever play melee in TES games.
- Interesting NPCs . How can I forget this! Not only it adds followers, it add some NPCs as well with interesting backstory. All custom voiced. I should really try that Rumarin guy 1 day ._.
- Atvir Dres and his update Male follower. How rare! Comes with glowing reference from his users too.
- Kitiara - Warning NSFW link I have her once. Sadly, I was also running Interesting NPC mod. and also Anduniel at the same time. So I got confused a lot with so many followers talking with the same voice :D
- Roderic . Requires completion of Companion Questline from the description. Which mean its off my territory.
- Valfar . He uses Galmar's voice. and also Ulfric worshipper. Just like Rigmor, political difference with me means he most likely be on the receiving end of my wrath, if he ever get installed in my game. Sorry.
- Lumping these guys, as they all jumped world in Skyrim from the Witcher series . Geralt, My first Wife aka Yennefer, My Mistress aka Triss, Ciri and Keira, All with voiced ported from The Witcher game itself.
Since Valfar is considered custom voice. Heres some more stuff from tweaked vanilla voicetype
22) Yashira . based off FemaleSultry voice, default outfit is very skimpy tho. But very well done from what little time I've spent with her.
23) Minerva . Uses Female Elf Haughty, since theres no vanilla Elf Female Follower. And she actually comment appropriately, author also responsible for Dynamic Follower Dialogue mod, so its not that surprising that she uses the same system.
24) Hel . Also uses Female Elf Haughty, but is an evil incarnate.
25) Oddvar . Because somebody even pmed me to get this to the list. :D . He is a pretty old creation tho. And abandoned.
26) Nerida . Unique as its an edited version of Female Young Eager voicetype.
27) Solar . Similar to Nerida (same author), also Hel and Yashira linked above. Solar uses an edited version of Lydia's voice (aka Female Even Tone) . Also try out his other followers which uses vanilla voicetype, but they actually do sport some sort of personality Nemain and Xymena
Probably a few more I missed. but help me complete this list.
EDIT: Addition! Link fixed!
EDIT 20th August 2016: More followers, Aurlyn link updated to her personal blog for download. Also. flair!!!
19 comments
Basic information
Your followers can be divided into four categories:
1) Normal followers - This group consists of people that after joining the team remain as its members for good and the only way to leave them is by ordering them to go away. People from this group can be given simple orders and they can also can receive items from the main character. More information on this group can be found below.
2) Temporary allies - This group consists of people that join the team for a limited period of time. This mostly occurs when completing quests and in these cases you can count on having an additional ally until the quest has ended (without being given a chance to ask that person to join the main character to take part in future journeys).
3) Animals - Dogs and horses are in this category. Horses don't take part in any battles and the only exception to that rule is a horse named Shadowmere (more information on that animal can be found in the Hints chapter). As for the dogs, they act in a similar way to normal follower, so they follow the main character wherever he goes and they take full part in battles. It's worth knowing that they're counted separately, so by adding a dog to your team you don't have to send away the human follower.
4) Allies summoned or resurrected using magic - This group consists mostly of atronachs and dremora summoned to the battlefield with the help of certain spells, however you can also add the undead to your team thanks to necromancy. The number and the strength of magical followers depends entirely on the main character and what spells he used, however it's worth knowing that you can have more than one ally and that some of the magical creatures you've summoned can remain on the battlefield for good.
I strongly recommend that you always work on improving the strength of your team and that you always try to have as many followers as possible. This is very important especially if you're playing as a thief and as a mage and can't handle yourself on your own. Having allies can make the game easier, because they often distract enemies from the main character.
As I've already mentioned, normal companions follow the main character wherever he goes and you can have a limited control over them. This is achieved by initiating a conversation with an ally and choosing a dialogue option from the list (screen above). Notice that you can order your follower to remain where they are, to do something (you must point the person to a place or to an object) and to take some of the carried equipment from you. The last element is very important, because you can use your followers to carry your things. Furthermore, your followers will automatically use all the items they receive based on their specializations. For example, if your ally is an archer and you give him a good ranged weapon, then he should automatically make an exchange for his current weapon.
You can send away a follower at any time by choosing the last dialogue option from the list. It usually doesn't mean that you won't see that person ever again, because a follower should return to the location where you've first met and this means you will be allowed to ask that person to join the team again in the future. There are a few exceptions to that rule and it's typically about hired mercenaries, because you're paying for their services and they don't join the team as volunteers. I would recommend switching followers from time to time, so that they're best suited for your current style of play. For example, if you want to play as an offensive warrior you should add a defensive mage to your team so that he can heal you and cast protection spells.
Remember that your followers aren't immortal. Once a follower has suffered severe injuries he should kneel down (screen above) and in most cases this results in opponents switching their attention to you (instead of dealing a final blow to get rid of your ally). Your follower should return to full health once the battle has ended, however you can also try healing him when you're still fighting enemy units. Watch out for your own attacks, because they can kill your follower (the same goes with using offensive area spells).
List of followers
Important - Make sure to consult the World Maps chapter of this guide for additional help with finding the locations where potential team members are stationed (you must first find the map of the correct sector and then the number mentioned in the text). Additional hints on how to convince someone to join you (for example - how to complete the companion's quests) can be found in the quest chapters of this guide.
HomeGaming25 Best Skyrim Mods To Enhance The Gameplay
Skyrim has been out for a long time, and by this time most people have finished the game. There’s no doubt that it’s an amazing game that brings hours of gameplay with unique quests and foes. However, after a while, there’s not much you can do in the game. To make more out of this immensely popular game, different mods have been created. These mods can range from the improvement in the quality of the surroundings to mods that make stuff blow up for no reason. Before we get on to the best Skyrim mods, let’s see how you can apply them.
How to Apply Skyrim Mods
For people who do not know how to apply these mods, you will only need to click on the link of the mod you want and subscribe to it. It will download and apply itself from the Steam workshop. Some mods are not available there, so instead, we are including links to the mods. You should also download the Skyrim Script Extender. This will help in applying more complicated mods.
So, now that you know how to apply Skyrim mods, here are the25 best Skyrim Mods you should definitely try:
The Top Skyrim Mods You Should Try
1. Relighting Skyrim
If you have played Skyrim, or you’ve just started, you must have noticed light coming from illogical sources. There are doors which emit light, or maybe there isn’t any realistic directional light. To fix this and make Skyrim more graphically appealing, you can apply this mod. What this mod does is that it reprograms the game entirely to make lighting effects much better in the game. Light only emits from fires, stars, and other sources of light rather than basic non-luminous objects like benches and rocks.
2. 2K Textures
If you have a top of the line PC with bleeding edge specs, you should try this mod out. Skyrim – being a relatively old title – lacks some fine details and textures, and although there is an HD patch, this mod goes beyond that as well. This mod offers textures at up to 4K (2160p) resolution. It completely changes the visuals in the game. Having these details makes the game more appealing and life-like, at the cost of some fps, as this mod does tax the GPU.
3. Apocalypse Spells Mod
Not all the various Skyrim mods enhance the visuals in the game, the modding community has some amazing mods to spice up your gameplay and adds features which are immensely fun to play with. The Apocalypse Spells mod adds a lot to your game; 140 spells, to be exact. These spells range from calling of basic objects to smashing enemies, to summoning ferocious tornadoes that suck everything in their path. These spells are designed very well and play well with the history and tone of Skyrim.
4. Alternate Start
If you have completed the game and want a new beginning, you can try out this mod. The Alternative Start mod offers a lot of different starting points as different characters. The characters are all different and fit in Skyrim’s storyline perfectly. The mod is integrated into your game and you can start an alternate new story in the game. You can start as a farmer, a necromancer or many other characters of your choosing. This provides an interesting spin in the original gameplay, and characters like the shipwrecked guy on an island with nothing but the rags make for an amazing survival styled gameplay.
5. Moonpath to Elsweyr
Exploring the same place for a long time can get boring, right? To bring new landscapes and gameplay to Skyrim, you can use this mod. This mod gets you to Elsweyr – a beautiful landscape with forests and wilderness. You can hunt and stalk your prey and even explore Elsweyr with the short six quests. All the characters of Elsweyr are carefully created with voice acting. This mod pairs up well with the 2K Textures mod shown above, as the landscape of Elsweyr is beautiful and using those textures makes them come to life.
6. Cutting Room Floor
The Skyrim world is vast. It is filled with many creatures, characters, and different landscapes. The game itself is well around 100 hours but, if you have completed and explored everything, you might want to check this mod out.Cutting Room Floor will enable you to dwell deeper into Skyrim, as this allows you to explore things which did not make the final cut of Skyrim. The mod shows you all new quests, NPCs, and many items, which were taken out.
7. Monster Mayhem
Battling monsters is fun, but beating the same monsters over and over again gets boring. The thrill of facing new and unknown creatures cannot be replicated. To remedy this problem, the Monster Mayhem Mod comes into play. This mod introduces many new creatures to the Skyrim world. It opens a slew of different levels, each with their own unique behemoth. Battling these monsters is thrilling and gives what most people want – more things to kill.
8. Duel Combat Realism
Duel offers an amazing fix to the unrealistic combat system in Skyrim. It completely changes how every battle is fought. It forces users to pay close attention to the stamina bar, as it becomes vital for survival. This mod ties in your armor and your weapons to bring realism. If you use a good shield, it can actually stop the attack completely. This means users need to be tactical and use both defense and offense if they desire victory.
9. Reverse Crafting
The Reverse Crafting mod brings a much-needed feature to Skyrim. In plain old Skyrim, if players on their quests find something useless like a lower tier sword, that item is thrown away. You can not reuse its materials to make something else. This mod brings that feature to Skyrim. If you find a junk item, you can recycle it and re-purpose its materials. This makes the overall gameplay better for the players because the materials can be easily used somewhere else for bigger and better things.
10. Bandolier Extra Inventory
The world of Skyrim is a vast one, with many items and weapons. On your quests, you will find many items, and many are of use, so choosing between them can become a daunting task. This mod allows your character to hold more items than in plain Skyrim. This way, you can have all the items you need without opting to leave anything behind.
11. Open Cities
Skyrim has a lot of loading screens, and everyone knows how frustrating loading screens can be. They tend to ruin the flow of the gameplay; especially when you cannot even stroll in a city without them being loaded. To solve this issue, this mod comes into play. This mod banishes all loading screens when you are in the city. This means you are free to roam around in the city, without the annoying loading taking place. A simple mod, yet a frustration reliever.
12. Castle Volkihar Redux
This mod is as grand as they come. It produces a fully built castle with extremely accurate textures and details. The castle is a complete construction with eerie corridors and dungeons. It is a thing of beauty to look at but is not only about the beauty. This grand castle comes with its very own quest line, which is set after the events of Dawnguard.
13. Tundra Defense
Skyrim’s quests are pretty fun to play and offer a lot of action and quests. However, you sometimes might want to slack off and just chill. This is where the Tundra Defense mod comes in. This mod introduces a tower defense style mini-game in which you build your tower and then defend it. The mod is well built and makes you more responsible, as you need to defend your ground, else it will be overrun. You can hire guards to help defend your creation, have citizens settle in, or even trigger attacks by yourself for instant action.
14. Sky UI
Now a lot of you might not like the stock UI that Skyrim offers and I don’t blame you. The UI does feel a little bit clunky and you can easily get something a whole lot more intuitive by using a mod. I would recommend that you try out Sky UI – a great UI replacement for Skyrim which will surely improve the way you interact with the game. The mod offers a much more convenient inventory management system, support for full text search, sorting and extended data columns. The mod also offers complete customization, among a ton of other features, which makes it one of my go-to mods every time I think of doing another quick play through of Skyrim.
15. Return Of Atlantis
The lost city – Atlantis – has made its way to Skyrim with this mod. Through this mod, Atlantis rises from the depths of the seas to give you more ways to interact with Skyrim. This mod fits well with the Skyrim lore and offers a lot of beautiful scenery, as well as different characters for you to explore. This dungeon is filled with merman, whirlpools, and agents of Hades. The dungeon is 4 hours long, and you need to fight a challenging boss after the four-hour exploration of the ten chambers present in this dungeon.
16. Falskaar
The Falskaar mod is one of the most impressive mods out there. This mod creates a whole new continent, with a whopping 25 hours of gameplay. The creation of Falskaar took nearly 2000 hours, and the creator now works at Bungie, creating Destiny. We encourage anyone who reads this to give this mod a try. The continent has numerous quests and wildlife, and the landscape is beautiful. Attention has been paid to the details, and the mod’s popularity further proves the great gameplay of this mod.
17. Rabbit Hole Dungeon
The Rabbit Hole Dungeon mod produces a vertical burrow of a dungeon, as implied by its name. The dungeon goes 50 levels deep into the ground and offers a lot of adventure for players. The dungeon has different enemies in each of those 50 levels. You must beat all the enemies on a particular floor to proceed to the next floor, like an arena action adventure game. This makes the dungeon more challenging, as 50 levels of enemies is a lot to take on. The dungeon also changes every time you revisit it, making sure you get a new experience every time.
18. ThirteenOrange’s Quests Mods
ThirteenOrange creates a series of quests in Skyrim which sure are amazing. These quests are lore-friendly and fit perfectly into the Skyrim world. A lot of thought was put into the mod, as the quests offer much more than just fast enemies. There are total five quests, and every one of them focuses more on story than random fights. There are well-written scriptures, and a wide variety of landscapes to explore. You will travel to different realms, beat a giant and slay creatures. All with one mod. A must try for all the Skyrim fans.
19. Enderal
If you liked the gameplay Falskaar brought, then you are surely going to love the Enderal mod. This mod brings close to 100 hours of fresh gameplay, and it feels like a new game rather than a mod. Enderal is beautifully created, like many other great mods out there. It features an amazing quest line with voice acting, and many new landscapes to explore. The landscape ranges from a densely forested mainland to snow covered mountains. This mod also overhauls the skill and talent system.
20. Way of the Monk
Now, this mod may seem a little clickbait-y, but it is still pretty cool. The mod strips off your armor & weapons and forces you to face your enemies with your bare hands. The mod introduces two new skill trees: Unarmed and Unarmored, and it also introduces perks related to your new way of fighting. This It does not do anything but answer the question: Can I really a take on a mammoth with my bare hands?
21. Immersive Weapons
For some of you out there, modding is a way to make any game a whole lot more immersive. If that’s the case with you, then you should definitely check out the Immersive Weapons mod, a mod that will drastically enhance the variety of weapons in the world of Skyrim. The mod adds 230 new weapons to the game, all of which somehow fit into the lore, and distributes the around the world. With the mod, you’ll also be able to break down weapons at smelters and get their base components and make new weapons with custom crafting requirements that further promote immersion. In case you like the mod, you should also check out the Immersive Armor mod which does pretty much the same for the armor you can find and equip in game.
22. Needs and Diseases
Survival mode mods are becoming more and popular, and this mod is for those who are looking to start out in the survival mode scene. This mod makes it necessary for your character to do mundane tasks such as sleep, eat, and drink water. Failure to do so would result in dire consequences. This mod is not as severe as other survival mods, but it still will make sure you are wary of such things before taking off on a quest.
23. Dark Brotherhood Resurrection
If you enjoyed the Dark Brotherhood quest and its storyline then you are going to love this mod. This mod adds another 4+ hours of campaign to the Dark Brotherhood storyline. You will be accompanied by the best contract killers in the brotherhood and listen to some of the best stories they have to share. Learn more about the intricate details of the dark brotherhood and enjoy new conversations via this mod. You are a part of the brotherhood now.
24. Phenderix Magic World
This mod is filled with magic. It is a new setting with different structures and landscapes like the school of witchcraft. It takes you to the town of Manantis, where you will be greeted with tons of magical stuff. You will be able to learn hundreds of spells from all the schools of magic and get dozens of new followers. It even comes with a quest to help you explore the magical realm. This mod is a truly magical (pun intended) experience.
25. Skyrim Redone
This mod is the mother of all mods. This completely changes how you play and view Skyrim. T3ndo’s Skyrim redone is a combination of different mods to give the game a complete makeover. It brings nifty new features and weapons like a grappling hook and disguises. It also is a complete overhaul of the game down to the perks, skills, and stats of every character. This is a broad and complicated mod and tends to have some issues with some systems. However, once you get it running, it truly gives you an amazing experience.
SEE ALSO: 43 Best Skyrim Console Commands to Make The Game More Exciting
Enhance Skyrim Gameplay With The Best Skyrim Mods
Skyrim might be a pretty old game, but the gameplay never gets old because there are countless mods out there for this beautiful game and each mod adds a completely new dimension to the game. If you are bored of the basic game then do try out these amazing Skyrim mods and let us know what you think in the comment section below.
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This article contains video content produced by Wikia with some or no input from editors of The Elder Scrolls Wiki, and may not properly represent the scope of the written article below. Statements and footage within the video may be inaccurate, outdated, incomplete, or otherwise misleading to viewers. |
- For other uses, see Follower.
- 'I am sworn to carry your burdens.'
- ―Lydia[src]
Followers are various characters found throughout Skyrim. They can travel with, battle for, perform tasks for, and carry items for the Dragonborn.
A subclass of followers is non-humanoid followers, such as dogs, armored trollsDG, rieklingsDR, steadfast Dwarven spiderDR, and steadfast Dwarven sphere.DR These followers can neither carry nor equip items, except in the case of rieklings. The interaction with these followers is limited to the wait/follow commands and dismissal, the only exception again being rieklings.
It is only possible to have one humanoid follower at a time, unless additional followers are gained via a quest or conjuration (see Multiple Followers) In most cases, there is no penalty for dismissing a follower and then recruiting the companion later.
Followers specialize in a variety of Skills ranging from Combat, Magic, Sneak, Smithing, Speech, Alchemy, and Enchanting. However, skills outside of Combat, Magic, and Sneak cannot be directly benefited from.
Certain followers can also serve as Skill Trainers. Many followers can marry the Dragonborn, and most can join the Blades after being relocated to Sky Haven Temple. With the addition of Hearthfire, some may also serve as a steward for homesteads.
Leveling
Followers will match the current Character Level of the Dragonborn up to a certain level cap which varies from follower to follower. The vast majority of followers cap at level 30. Roggi Knot-Beard and Sven notably cap at level 20.
Torvar, Ria, Athis, and Njada Stonearm of The Companions, Adelaisa Vendicci, and Beleval and Agmaer from the Dawnguard add-on cap at level 25. Mjoll the Lioness, Illia, and all mercenary hirelings (including Erik the Slayer) cap at level 40.
Erandur, Cicero, the members of The Circle (Aela, Farkas, and Vilkas), and all Housecarls cap at level 50. In Dawnguard, Serana caps at level 50 as well. As a result of patch 1.9, followers who would level with the Dragonborn to level 81 will no longer experience a level cap, and will continue to level with the Dragonborn. They include J'zargo, the Dark Brotherhood Initiates, and in the Dawnguard and Dragonborn add-ons, Celann, Ingjard, Durak, and Frea have no level cap.
If patch 1.6 or later is not installed, followers, along with all other levelable characters, are locked at the level at which they first encountered the Dragonborn, and will not continue to level up. The only way to fix this leveling error is to use console commands on the PC (
disable
then enable
the character while they are not active followers) or use the Wabbajack to turn them into an animal, then wait for them to change back. This resets their stats to the Dragonborn's current level. This does not appear to reset their inventory or quest scripting. Essential characters cannot be transformed, and one can therefore not reset their stats without using console commands.There are a couple very specific occasions in which certain followers will level up due to scripted events in quests. For example, Farkas will level up to the Dragonborn's current level in the quest 'Proving Honor' after his scripted transformation. Likewise, Aela will level up after her transformation in the quest 'The Silver Hand.' This is because the game de-spawns Farkas and Aela and replaces them with a transformed version, then re-spawns them later, which is the same process that occurs when manually using the console to disable then enable a character. Similarly, Erik the Slayer and Cicero 'level up' after the first encounter with them, as the version met during the first encounter is actually a different version of the character than the one that can become a follower.
Targeting a follower and typing
setlevel 1000 0 1 81
will make that follower level up with the Dragonborn until they reach level 81. Replacing the last number in that command with a number other than 81 will change their level cap to the given number.It is notable that followers with a lower level cap, such as Jenassa, have more stats (Health, Magicka, and Stamina) and skill points (One Handed, Sneak, etc.) per level than other followers with a higher level cap, such as Aela the Huntress, or even followers with no level cap, such as Frea or Ingjard. As such, it is wise to have a similar follower with a lower level cap, such as Jenassa, up until they reach their level cap, then trade for a similar follower with a higher level cap, such as Aela, to be more effective.
Combat
Morale widely varies from follower to follower. Some, like the Housecarls, will invariably fight to the death, while others, like Roggi Knot-Beard, will often flee from combat if seriously injured.
All followers favor two-handed weapons over one-handed weapons, even if they are unskilled in two-handed weapon usage. Therefore, letting followers whose primary combat skill is one-handed weapons have two-handed weapons in their inventory should be avoided. Additionally, followers appear to favor magic staves over melee weapons and will default to using a magic staff if given one, only switching to a melee weapon after spending several seconds in close combat.
Most non-magic-using followers have a bow as part of their default, non-removable equipment. This bow shoots an endless supply of iron arrows, which are not visible in the follower's inventory. To have a follower shoot more powerful arrows, a single arrow of that type should be put in their inventory. This will allow them to loose an endless supply of that arrow type. Followers will automatically choose the most powerful arrow type available in their inventory.
Followers can dual-wield melee weapons, but only if there is no shield in their inventory, and only if a Forsworn Sword, Forsworn Axe, Falmer War Axe, Falmer Sword or a pickaxe is wielded along with another melee weapon (the Housecarl of Falkreath, Rayya, can dual wield scimitars). They will also dual-wield magic staves, regardless of whatever else is in their inventory. Frea is an exception to this for she automatically begins with two war axes, and will not require a Forsworn weapon or pickaxe to dual-wield. She will use any two weapons given to her should her axes be pocketed from her.
If the Dragonborn enters sneak mode, humanoid followers will follow suit. While in sneak mode, they will not attack unless attacked first. Animal followers, e.g. dogs such as Barbas, Meeko, Vigilance, or the stray dogs, however, do not understand the concept of 'stealth' and will charge straight at an enemy as soon as they see one, even if the Dragonborn is hiding.
Death
Fortunately for followers, enemies will tend to ignore them once their health is depleted and turn their attention to the Dragonborn or any other allied characters. This condition is easily spotted, as the follower will drop to one knee and stay in that position for a short period of time.
Once they have regenerated a sufficient amount of health, they will stand up and rejoin the fight. However, this does not mean that they cannot die by physical attacks from characters. In some cases, especially when left no other target, enemies will continue to attack a follower until death. Additionally, in a near-death state, a follower is not in danger of being killed outright unless hit by an attack from the Dragonborn or another follower. Extremely powerful attacks, especially area-of-effect attacks such as those from Dragons, can also kill a follower.
The Companion's Insight reward from 'Black Book: The Winds of Change' allows players to use attacks without fear of hurting their allies, making it harder for non-essential followers to die, as it eliminates the possibility of friendly fire.
Some followers are marked essential, specifically: Barbas, Frea, Erandur, Mjoll the Lioness, Derkeethus, Serana, Cicero, Farkas, and Dark Brotherhood Initiates. They cannot be killed by any means — should their health be depleted, they will fall to the ground, and will get up after a certain amount of their health has regenerated. This makes them especially valuable as distractions for difficult battles.
It is important to remember that enemies employing poisonous attacks can kill followers since the poison continues its effect even after the follower drops to their knee. Caution is advised if encountering high level Falmer, Chaurus, poisoned traps, etc.
To avoid a follower's death in this scenario, the best course of action is to lead attackers away from the area where the follower is trying to recover. Followers may also be given several healing potions or Potions of Cure Poison to carry in their inventory, which they will automatically use if the need arises. In some cases, the best course of action may be to tell a follower to wait before entering a particularly dangerous area.
Other ways followers can die include:
- Traps, such as the swinging blade hallways in dungeons or spinning floor blades in Dwemer ruins.
- Falling from a great height.
- Being hit by an enemy while the Dragonborn is speaking with them.
Followers can be revived using the console command
resurrect
.Commands
Permanent followers can be given several commands.
Initiate conversation (outside of combat), and tell them 'I need you to do something.' The Dragonborn may also hold down the 'select/activate' button while pointing at the follower. This method can be done at a distance and is a great way to call the follower to the Dragonborn's position while they are in their 'wait' mode.
They can:
- Attack another individual or creature.
- Wait at a given location, or just simply wait.
- Use an object.
- Open a locked door or container.
- Pick up individual items or take everything from containers.
- Sleep in a bed.
- Sit on chairs and benches, although they will, unless told to wait, usually stand back up.
- Activate a shrine to receive its blessing.
- Perform jobs such as wood chopping, excluding mining.
- Leave the Dragonborn's service.
- Pickpocket: The Dragonborn must remain undetected.
There are some additional benefits from using certain commands. These are:
- Followers can pick up skill books that the Dragonborn may not want to read just yet. These can be safely taken from their inventory and read at a later date.
- Followers will illuminate dark areas with a torch, provided there is one in their inventory.
- Followers do not require lockpicks to pick locks.
- As a vampire, ordering a follower to sleep will allow the Dragonborn to feed off them.
If told to wait, a follower will wait roughly three days before they get to leave the Dragonborn. They will then return to their home or the location where they were originally found.
Morality
Every follower has their own level of morality. Certain followers, such as Farkas, are lawful citizens and will report the Dragonborn to the guards if they witness a crime, or simply leave their service. Other followers, such as Jenassa, will readily commit any crime they are ordered to do and will ignore any criminal behavior by the Dragonborn. Some will report the Dragonborn for a serious crime, such as murder, but not for a petty crime. All followers, regardless or their morality, will not have any possible interactions while trespassing, saying only 'You're not supposed to be in here' when spoken to. Cicero and Serana are the only exceptions. They will still fight for the Dragonborn, however, and commands can still be issued by activating them from a distance (holding the 'activate' button) and telling them the desired task.
If not hidden, the Dragonborn will be held responsible if a follower is asked to perform an illegal activity. However, it is possible for the guards in a town to attack the follower while leaving the player character alone. Interfering with the battle will be seen as a crime, though.
Equipment and inventory
Followers always equip the best possible weapons or armor given to them. More specifically, the weapon with the highest damage value and the pieces of apparel with the highest armor value are equipped.
Followers will not use equipment that is the same in armor or damage value as their starting equipment unless it has been improved by smithing or enchantments.
On occasion, a follower may equip a weapon that they are not skilled in over one they are. For example, Mjoll the Lioness is better skilled in Two-Handed weapons over One-Handed, but if given a sword with a higher damage rating than a battleaxe, she will equip the sword.
Each follower tends to have their own preference of armor. For example, Aela has no preference and will use heavy armor if she receives it, even though she is a marksman whose default armor is light. A Dark Brotherhood Initiate, however, strongly opposes the use of heavy armor unless it is significantly better than their current armor. This is because the initiate prefers light armor, matching their skills.
If a follower insists on using an undesirable piece of equipment, the only way to prevent this behavior is to remove it from their inventory.
Ironically, the default equipment of many followers does not correspond to their actual combat skills. For example, Aela's default armor is Heavy Armor, despite her being skilled in Light Armor, and Erik the Slayer's default equipment is Iron Armor and a one-handed sword, despite his true skills lying in two-handed weapons and light armor.
Enchantments on weapons work normally, but followers will only benefit from the following enchantment effects on their apparel and armor:
- Fortify Health Regeneration – only works during recovery phase/out of combat
- Waterbreathing – Followers will not drown; however, this stops them surfacing for air
Inventory
Followers can be used to carry almost any item, either via the inventory menu or picking up world items. However, they also have an unspecified weight limit, which restricts how much they can carry. In the inventory menu, items that would over-encumber them appear grayed out. Quest-related items cannot be given to followers for storage.
An exploit is possible to make them carry over their limit. First, place the items in any container and then order the follower to take everything in the container. After this, every single item will be in the follower's inventory. However, these items will be marked as stolen. If these items are dropped and picked up again in plain sight, it will be considered a crime. Alternatively, entering a new area will remove the 'stolen' label.
An alternative exploit is to drop the items on the ground and instruct the follower to pick up each item one at a time. While potentially time-consuming, it is a handy method when containers are not present or handy.
Followers will retain their inventories even after the Dragonborn dismisses them. In this way, it is possible to use them for limited storage. If they are killed, the stored items can be looted from their body.
Ammunition
If a follower is using their own default bow, placing just a single arrow in a follower's inventory will give them an infinite supply of that type of arrow.
Enemies may also exhibit this behavior: Shooting an enemy with an arrow more powerful than their own arrows has a small chance of adding that arrow to their inventory, allowing them to equip the more powerful arrow and return fire with an infinite supply.
Effect dismissing has on equipment
If the Dragonborn sends their follower away, i.e. dismisses them, and later decides to recruit him/her again, the Dragonborn will find the follower wearing their original equipment. The Dragonborn can fix this by either leaving the area or by simply taking away any piece of equipment from them, which will in turn 'reset' them, causing them to equip their best available equipment. If the Dragonborn chooses to “reset” their follower, they will use new or better equipment again.
Multiple followers
Followers are supposed to be limited to one at a time; however, there are several ways to avoid this limit. Quest characters triggered to follow the Dragonborn, the Dark Brotherhood Initiates, Cicero, Serana and summoning more than one Atronach, zombie or Dremora. The latter is only possible wiith Conjuration at its maximum level]. For more information, see Multiple Followers. Theoretically, if all DLCs are installed, players can have a maximum of fifteen followers at one time, though this can be undesirable in cramped spaces.
It is also possible to use the spell/power gained through the Dark Brotherhood questline for an additional follower. The Spectral Assassin will stay by the Dragonborn's side until it is defeated in battle or another familiar/atronach is summoned. It will travel with the Dragonborn across Skyrim.
Followers
Housecarls
Housecarls are essentially bodyguards who protect noble and important figures from threats. Becoming Thane of a Hold will grant a personal housecarl. In the base game, almost all available housecarls are Nord warriors, however, Hearthfire adds additional housecarls for The Pale, Falkreath and Hjaalmarch. All Housecarls have a level cap of 50.
All Housecarls are one-handed warriors, with the exception of Valdimar, who is a sorcerer. A Housecarl's main skills are Heavy Armor, One-Handed, Archery and Block, again with the exception being Valdimar (Heavy Armor, One-Handed, Alteration, Destruction and Restoration).
Housecarls will invariably fight to the death, and can be told to attack anybody or anything. However, they possess a set of morales. For example, if one is to trespass on the Red Wave, the follower will tell the Dragonborn that the latter is not supposed to be there, despite this act not actually charging the player with a true crime.
Name | Location | Prerequisite | Race | Marriage | Blades | Steward | Essential? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Argis the Bulwark | Vlindrel Hall, Markarth | Thane of Markarth | Nord | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Calder | Hjerim, Windhelm | Thane of Eastmarch | Nord | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
GregorHF | The White Hall, Dawnstar | Thane of The Pale | Nord | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Iona | Honeyside, Riften | Thane of The Rift | Nord | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Jordis the Sword-Maiden | Proudspire Manor, Solitude | Thane of Haafingar | Nord | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Lydia | Breezehome, Whiterun | Thane of Whiterun | Nord | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
RayyaHF | Jarl's Longhouse, Falkreath | Thane of Falkreath | Redguard | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
ValdimarHF | Highmoon Hall, Morthal | Thane of Hjaalmarch | Nord | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Faction followers
Completing certain quests for a faction will grant access to some followers from that faction.
College of Winterhold
Name | Max level | Main skills | Class | Location | Quest | Race | Marriage | Blades | Steward | Essential? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brelyna Maryon | 30 | Alteration, Illusion, Conjuration, Sneak | Mage | Hall of Attainment | Brelyna's Practice | Dunmer | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
J'zargo | None | Destruction, Illusion, Heavy Armor, One-handed | Sorcerer | Hall of Attainment | J'zargo's Experiment | Khajiit | No | Yes | No | No |
Onmund | 30 | Destruction, Illusion, Heavy Armor, One-handed | Sorcerer | Hall of Attainment | Onmund's Request | Nord | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
The Companions
The members of the Circle all cap at level 50. The remaining Companions will cap at level 25.
Name | Max level | Main skills | Class | Location | Quest | Race | Marriage | Blades | Steward | Essential? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aela the Huntress | 50 | Archery, Light Armor, Sneak, One-handed, Speech | Ranger | Jorrvaskr | Glory of the Dead | Nord | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes until the questline is complete |
Athis | 25 | Heavy Armor, One-handed, Archery, Block | Warrior-1H | Jorrvaskr | Glory of the Dead | Dunmer | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Farkas | 50 | Smithing, Speech, One-handed, Pickpocket | Blacksmith | Jorrvaskr | Glory of the Dead | Nord | Yes | Yes | No | Yes until the questline is complete |
Njada Stonearm | 25 | Block, One-handed, Speech, Pickpocket | Warrior | Jorrvaskr | Glory of the Dead | Nord | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Ria | 25 | Heavy Armor, One-handed, Archery, Block | Warrior-1H | Jorrvaskr | Glory of the Dead | Imperial | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Torvar | 25 | Heavy Armor, One-handed, Archery, Block | Warrior-1H | Jorrvaskr | Glory of the Dead | Nord | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Vilkas | 50 | Heavy Armor, Two-handed, Archery, Block | Warrior-2H | Jorrvaskr | Glory of the Dead | Nord | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes until the questline is complete |
Dark Brotherhood
Name | Max level | Main skills | Class | Location | Quest | Race | Marriage | Blades | Steward | Essential? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cicero | 50 | One-handed, Sneak, Archery, Light Armor | Assassin | Dawnstar Sanctuary | Hail Sithis! | Imperial | No | No | No | Yes if spared during The Cure for Madness |
Dark Brotherhood Initiate | 100 | One-handed, Sneak, Archery, Light Armor | Assassin | Dawnstar Sanctuary | Hail Sithis! | Nord | No | No | No | Yes |
Dawnguard
Having Dawnguard installed adds several more followers, both humanoid and non-humanoid, to the game. Most are dependent on which faction the Dragonborn decides to side with during the Bloodline quest, thus A New Order needs to be completed.
Name | Level max | Main skills | Class | Location | Race | Marriage | Blades | Steward | Essential? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ingjard | None | Heavy Armor, Two-handed, Archery, Block | Warrior-2H | Fort Dawnguard | Nord | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Durak | None | Archery, Light Armor, Block, One-handed | Ranger | Fort Dawnguard | Orsimer | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Agmaer | 25 | One-handed, Two-handed, Block, Light Armor | Bandit | Fort Dawnguard | Nord | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Beleval | 25 | One-handed, Two-handed, Block, Light Armor | Bandit | Fort Dawnguard | Bosmer | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Celann | None | Heavy Armor, One-handed, Archery, Block | Warrior-1H | Fort Dawnguard | Breton | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Mercenaries
Mercenaries are typically found in taverns across Skyrim. They cost 500 to hire for any length of time. Dismissing a mercenary will send them back to the tavern they were found, unless they were married, asked to become a steward or drafted into the Blades. All Mercenaries reach their maximum level at 40, the exception being Teldryn Sero, who caps at level 60. They will charge the Dragonborn 500 more septims if dismissed and asked to follow the player again, although they may be free of charge if they're particularly fond of you or you only dismissed them a short time ago.
Skyrim Male Mage Follower Mod
Name | Main skills | Class | Location | Race | Marriage | Blades | Steward | Essential? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Belrand | Destruction, Light Armor, One-handed, Restoration | Spellsword | The Winking Skeever, Solitude | Nord | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Erik the Slayer | Light Armor, Two-handed, Archery, Block | Barbarian | Rorikstead | Nord | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Jenassa | Archery, Light Armor, Block, One-handed | Ranger | The Drunken Huntsman, Whiterun | Dunmer | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Marcurio | Destruction, Restoration, Alteration, Sneak | Mage | Bee and Barb, Riften | Imperial | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Stenvar | Heavy Armor, Two-handed, Archery, Block | Warrior-2H | Candlehearth Hall, Windhelm | Nord | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Teldryn SeroDR | One-handed, Light Armor, Destruction, Conjuration | Spellsword | The Retching Netch, Raven Rock | Dunmer | No | Yes | No | No |
Vorstag | Heavy Armor, One-handed, Archery, Block | Warrior-1H | Silver-Blood Inn, Markarth | Nord | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Quest reward followers
These followers typically have a quest attached to them and it must be completed in order to gain them as a follower.
Name | Max Level | Main skills | Class | Location | Prerequisite | Race | Marriage | Blades | Steward | Essential? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adelaisa Vendicci | 25 | Alchemy, Enchanting, Smithing, Archery, Light Armor, One-handed, Sneak, Speech | Citizen | East Empire Company | Rise in the East | Imperial | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Ahtar | 30 | Heavy Armor, Two-handed, Archery, Block | Warrior-2H | Castle Dour | Kill the Bandit Leader | Redguard | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Annekke Crag-Jumper | 30 | Archery, Light Armor, Block, One-handed | Ranger | Darkwater Crossing | Kill the Bandit Leader | Nord | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Aranea Ienith | 30 | Destruction, Restoration, Alteration, Conjuration | Mage | Shrine of Azura | Side with her during The Black Star | Dunmer | No | Yes | No | No |
Eola | 30 | Destruction, Sneak, Alteration, One-handed | Nightblade | Hall of the Dead, Markarth | Help her in The Taste of Death | Breton | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Erandur | 50 | Restoration, Speech, Alchemy, Conjuration, Smithing | Priest | Windpeak Inn, Dawnstar | Spare his life in Waking Nightmare | Dunmer | No | Yes | No | Yes if spared during Waking Nightmare |
Faendal | 30 | Archery, Light Armor, Sneak, One-handed, Speech | Thief | Riverwood | Help him in A Lovely Letter | Bosmer | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Frea | None | One-handed, Alteration, Light Armor, Restoration | Warrior-1H | Skaal Village | The Fate of the Skaal | Nord | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Golldir | 30 | Heavy Armor, One-handed, Archery, Block | Warrior-1H | Hillgrund's Tomb | Help him in Ancestral Worship | Nord | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Illia | 40 | Destruction, Restoration, Alteration, Conjuration | Mage | Darklight Tower | Help her in Repentance | Imperial | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Kharjo | 30 | Heavy Armor, One-handed, Archery, Block | Warrior | Retrieve his Moon Amulet | Khajiit | No | Yes | No | No | |
Lob | 30 | Warrior-1H | Largashbur | The Cursed Tribe | Orc | No | Yes | Yes | No | |
Mjoll the Lioness | 40 | Heavy Armor, Two-handed, Archery, Block | Warrior-2H | Riften | Retrieve Grimsever | Nord | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Ogol | 30 | Heavy Armor, One-handed, Archery, Sneak | Warrior-1H | Largashbur | The Cursed Tribe | Orc | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Ralis Sedarys | 60 | One-handed, Light Armor, Block, Sneak | Rogue(1H) | Kolbjorn Barrow | Spare him at the end of Unearthed | Dunmer | No | Yes | No | No |
Roggi Knot-Beard | 20 | Alchemy, Enchanting, Smithing, Archery, One-handed, Two-handed | Miner | Kynesgrove | Find Roggi Knot-Beard's Ancestral Shield | Nord | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Serana | 50 | Sneak, Conjuration, Light Armor, One-handed | Vampire | Fort Dawnguard Castle Volkihar | Kindred Judgment | Nord | No | No | No | Yes |
Sven | 20 | Alchemy, Enchanting, Smithing, Archery, One-handed, Two-handed | Bard | Riverwood | Help him in A Lovely Letter | Nord | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Talvas Fathryon | 25 | Conjuration, Restoration, Destruction, Alteration, Sneak | Conjurer | Tel Mithryn | From the Ashes | Dunmer | No | Yes | Yes | No but is protected |
Ugor | 30 | Archery, Light Armor, Block, One-handed | Ranger | Largashbur | The Cursed Tribe | Orc | No | Yes | No | No |
Miscellaneous followers
These followers have no specific quest attached to them. Gaining them as a follower may sometimes be a trivial affair, such as Brawling against them and winning the match. Their levels cap at 30.
Name | Main skills | Class | Location | Prerequisite | Race | Marriage | Blades | Steward | Essential? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Benor | Heavy Armor, Two-handed, Archery, Block | Warrior-2H | Morthal | Beat him in a brawl | Nord | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Borgakh the Steel Heart | Heavy Armor, One-handed, Archery, Sneak | Warrior-1H | Mor Khazgur | Pay her dowry or persuade her | Orc | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Cosnach | Heavy Armor, One-handed, Archery, Block | Warrior-1H | Silver-Blood Inn, Markarth | Beat him in a brawl or give him a drink | Breton | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Derkeethus | Archery, Light Armor, Block, One-handed | Ranger | Darkwater Pass | Free him from captivity | Argonian | Yes | Yes | No | Yes due to a bug |
Ghorbash the Iron Hand | Archery, Light Armor, Block, One-handed | Ranger | Dushnikh Yal | Convince him to travel with the Dragonborn | Orc | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Uthgerd the Unbroken | Heavy Armor, One-handed, Archery, Block | Warrior-1H | The Bannered Mare, Whiterun | Beat her in a brawl | Nord | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Non-humanoid
Non-humanoid followers can be used alongside any humanoid follower, which means that the Dragonborn can have one human and one non-human follower simultaneously. Most non-humanoid followers cannot be given items and thus cannot use equipment, the exception being Riekling.
Name | Type | Location | Preresquisite | Essential? |
---|---|---|---|---|
Armored Troll | Troll | Fort Dawnguard | A New Order, 500 | No |
Barbas† | Daedra masquerading as a dog | Outside Falkreath | Begin Speak to Lod | Yes unless attacked with the Rueful Axe |
BranDG | Armored War Dog | Fort Dawnguard | A New Order | No |
CuSithDG | Death Hound | Castle Volkihar | The Bloodstone Chalice | |
GarmrDG | Death Hound | Castle Volkihar | The Bloodstone Chalice | |
Meeko | Dog | Wandering near Meeko's Shack | None | No |
RieklingDR | Riekling | Thirsk Mead Hall | The Chief of Thirsk Hall | No |
SceolangDG | Armored War Dog | Fort Dawnguard | A New Order | No |
Steadfast Dwarven Sphere | Dwarven Sphere | Kagrumez | During 'The Kagrumez Gauntlet' | No |
Steadfast Dwarven SpiderDR | Dwarven Spider | Kagrumez | During 'The Kagrumez Gauntlet' | No |
Stray Dog | Dog | Random location/With hunters | No | |
Vigilance | Dog | Markarth Stables | 500 |
† Barbas does not count as a true follower since he is tied to his quest, but unlike other quest forced companions (e.g., Farkas), the Dragonborn's current animal follower will not be dismissed.
Quest followers
These characters are scripted to tag along during a relevant quest, and do not cause your main follower to leave your service but they will not accept commands and their inventory remains inaccessible.
Name | Relevant quest | Method | Quest type |
---|---|---|---|
Esbern and Delphine | Alduin's Wall | Proceed as per usual in the quest, tell them to follow you when asked and do not enter Sky Haven Temple. | Main quest |
Barbas | A Daedra's Best Friend | Follows you by default when you find him outside Falkreath. He is immensely powerful and can kill most enemies in a few hits, but will always shove you into a corner and bark incessantly if you drag him away from the quest. Also does not have any concept of 'stealth' and can be a potential witness if you commit crimes. | Daedric (Clavicus Vile) |
Eola or Verulus | The Taste of Death | Meet Eola at Reachcliff Cave or persuade Verulus to accompany you. | Daedric (Namira) |
Mercer Frey | Speaking With Silence | Proceed in the quest and leave Snow Veil Sanctum. | Thieves' Guild |
Maurice Jondrelle | The Blessings of Nature | Asks you permission to be a companion after you acquire the Nettlebane and run a second errand for Danica Pure-Spring. | Side quest |
Thonnir | Laid to Rest | Talk to him and accept his help. | |
Enmon | The Heart of Dibella | Offers to accompany you to find his daughter. | Side quest |
Farkas or Vilkas | Purity | Agree to help either cleanse the beast blood. Vilkas will also tag along during Purity of Revenge. | The Companions |
Brynjolf | Trinity Restored | Wait outside Nightingale Hall after Karliah enters. | Thieves' Guild |
Serana | BloodlineDG | Escort her out of Dimhollow Crypt but do not go to her father. She remains scripted to follow you and is extremely powerful in Conjuration but will not accept orders until or unless you complete this quest. | Dawnguard main quest |
Katria | Lost to the AgesDG | Proceed to the summit of Arkngthamz and talk to her before solving the tonal lock. Exit the area using the waterfall to the west and drop down the steep incline. Leave the ruins and she will accompany you for as long as you wish to. Being a spirit, and thus ethereal, she is invincible against anything. However, the option to issue her orders is absent and if you want to change her equipment you will need to pickpocket her during her initial conversation. | Dawnguard side quest |
Anska | A Scroll For Anska | Collect the masks of the Dragon Priest | |
Avulstein Grey-Mane | Missing in Action | Side quest | |
Thorald Gray-Mane | Missing in Action | Side quest | |
Geirlund | Missing in Action | Geirlund will meet with Avulstein outside Northwatch Keep only if the Dragonborn has requested Avulstein's help. | Side quest |
Vilrald | Missing in Action | Vilrald meets with the Dragonborn when they are united with Avulstein outside Northwatch Keep. This only happens if the Dragonborn has him as a companion. | Side quest |
Hadvar or Ralof | Unbound | The person who accompanies the Dragonborn is determined by who they side with after the initial encounter with Alduin. | Main quest |
Karliah | Blindsighted | Talk to her in Irkngthand. | Thieves' Guild |
Sinding | Ill Met by Moonlight | He will briefly accompany the Dragonborn during the quest if he is rescued and the hunters are killed. | Daedric (Hircine) |
Valdr | Hunter and Hunted | Heal him then talk to him, this allows you to choose whether or not he can accompany you into the cavern. | Side quest |
Orthorn | Hitting the Books | Free him from his cell, and talk to him. | College of Winterhold |
Trainer followers
Some potential followers are also Trainers who can train the Dragonborn in particular combat skills, allowing them to increase the skill level for those skills. The training is not free, but once these trainers become the Dragonborn's followers, they may receive training without any permanent cost; If the Dragonborn asks a follower to train him or her in a particular skill, after receiving the training, they may access the trainer's inventory and recover the spent gold. The following followers are also trainers: (Note: all but Faendal and Talvas Fathryon are Companions, who require the Dragonborn to complete the Companions quest line before they become recruitable as followers.)
- Aela the Huntress, Archery expert trainer (trains to level 75)
- Athis, One-Handed expert trainer (trains to level 75)
- Faendal, Archery adept trainer (trains to level 50)
- Farkas, Heavy Armor master trainer (trains to level 90)
- Njada Stonearm, Block expert trainer (trains to level 75)
- Vilkas, Two-Handed master trainer (trains to level 90)
- Talvas Fathryon, Conjuration master trainer (trains to level 90)
Trivia
- Almost every humanoid follower, with the exception of Cicero, Serana and the Dark Brotherhood Initiates can be recruited into the Blades and will be given a free set of Blades Armor and a Blades Sword. Up to three followers can be recruited by speaking to Delphine at Sky Haven Temple. After followers have been initiated as Blades, they will no longer return to their home or starting location, instead taking up residence at Sky Haven Temple (with the exception of Derkeethus, as he is bugged to stay at his home). The free set of Blades Armor will replace the follower's current armor, even armor given to the follower. This makes it impossible to get the items back. Higher level weapons, however, will still be chosen by the follower over their new Blades weapon.
- Followers, dead thralls, and animal followers cannot follow the Dragonborn into a Dark Brotherhood sanctuary, with the exception of Cicero or a Dark Brotherhood initiate as a follower. This also includes particular quests where the follower will not enter the location the Dragonborn entered, such as Snow Veil Sanctum or Nightcaller Temple.
- There are only two Bosmer, Khajiit and Redguard followers, one Argonian follower, and no Altmer followers.
Bugs
This section contains bugs related to Follower (Skyrim). Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:
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External links
- Follower Google Doc — For a full list of followers, their stats, advantages, and perks. This only includes humanoid followers from the base game. Followers found in Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn add-ons are not covered.
- Follower Google Doc #2 — For a more up to date full list of followers their stats, advantages, and perks in game. The Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn add-ons are covered. However please note a few stats of the Dawnguard and Dragonborn DLC followers are missing. This is the most near complete list of all humanoid followers in the game. Feel free to edit and update this guide to make it as accurate as possible.
Appearances
Discussions about Follower (Skyrim)
Frea or Serena?
- I am tryng to get of freda becase i want a hotter girl but she gives no option to dimiss her. any ideas? thanks
- i do the mod with more fowllers was trying to hot gg to come but she wouldnt give me the come with amber it worked. i wonder if is a glith gg
Who is the best companion to sacrifice in Boethiah's Calling?
- Sky Above,Voice Within wrote: Yes. They are backing up the men that are tearing Skyrim apart, their ideals are the same, they're fight..
- Idk what's going on but i used boethiah cultist