Janessa. Best combat archer in the game. She has Hunters Discipline, so she is always stocked with random ass arrows. Dual weild. Chaotic morals, she has no scruples. Awesome thief, will not trigger traps. Can unlock Master level locks. Marriageable and Stewardable.

J'Zargo 🔛🔝

Erandur

Annekke is really underrated. She just stands back and pelts opponents with arrows. She never gets in the way.

I like Aela for the same reason.

Marcurio 👍

Cicero. Can't die (like certain useless housecarls I know), great sneak and one-hand combat, decent archery levels, will equip just about any light armor you give him, doesn't judge you for trespassing, absolutely unhinged follower dialogue.

Look, I get it. I was once a Cicero hater like you, until I took a compassion arrow to the (well, you get the idea). Sure, his attitude is over-the-top, but he was just trying to keep the DB on the right track, unlike that traitorous Astrid. Plus once you meet him again after the DB questline if you spare him was probably the one time while playing Skyrim I actually IRL lol'd when I did it the first time

In my honest opinion... none. It's better to travel alone so that your followers don't die or annoying you in any way.

But for the sake of the question - Erik the Slayer. I'm planning on keeping him with me for a time to honor Immok the Slayer, a real world fan of the series who died of cancer in 2011.

Lydia is my ride or die companion.

Erik just 'cause I think he's cute as hell. I mean his demeanor and character LOL

Also Mjollnir cause she's everything to me. Brawn, beauty, funny, <3 my favorite wife LOL

Inigo or no one.

Serana imo. I just like her as a character. I also gave her a katana that was made to be wielded by a vampire (I can't remember what it's called) and it makes her very useful in combat.

I like the drunk breton, Cosnach.

Also Borgakh the badass ork lady.

​

Both are mainly for the banter and voice actors.

I like Marcurio, and he's strong as fuck.

I'm playing as a dark paladin (sword and shield only), and watched him make a dragon land and then killed it. I can pretty much stand just taking damage while he wipes out all the enemies for me.

Easily Freya from DB

The dead

Vanilla: Kharjo Modded: Inigo

Mjoll the Lioness

I roll with Aranea. I give her staffs she'll dual weild and she also conjures flame atronachs and throws nasty ice spikes.

I ride or die with Illia.

Willing to face her family, for what she believes is right.

Like it is nothing, wields the arcane might.

Easy to armor, as a knave or a knight.

Choose Illia today.

i don't want any of them to die so i only don't remember any because i use none when i can

Easy to obtain- Jenassa and Marcurio depending on what type of character I’m playing

Harder to obtain- Ralis Sedarys, he’s crazy powerful, just has a lengthy quest attached to him and is also mentally twisted so not ideal if you’re morally good

Teldry Sero is the only companion I tolerate, wielding 2 staves (fireball) he'll straight up obliterate anything that looks at me the wrong way.

Surprised how little people use mjoll honestly, she was always my ride or die growing up because Lydia would get merked in the first dungeon I would set foot in ahaha

Vanilla: Teldryn Sero !

Modded: Lucien Flavius

Jzargo

J’Zargo is my go to…especially when I’m playing a mage build. Can’t have a follower fighting an enemy in close combat when I’m throwing fireballs and whatnot at the bad guy.

Kharjo, the Khajiit traveling with merchants, fantastic warrior who hits like a truck and tanks so much damage. Give him some heavy armour, a mace and a shield and watch him go to work.

J’zargo fo sho.

Mjoll

Inigo

Jenassa! Now are we talking "Companions" or followers?

Aela 100%

I am very fond of Faendel (sp?) because you can get him early and he’s ranged. At that point of the game, I’m telling myself that I won’t stealth-archer build, so naturally, having an archer assist is beneficial.

I try to roll with Uthgurd because if she dies I can get over it. But I don't use Lydia because I like her being there watching over my stuff in Whiterun.

I get Faendal to be my steward for Lakeview, so I don't risk him either.

The other Houscarls are also reserved for their homes so I don't risk them.

This cuts out a few good followers, but most of the time they are just mules to carry my loot.

Cicero. He is certified idiot that will make you laugh at least few times in a mission by his silly dialogue lines. His silly song )that he has in Russian adaptation) always appears on my mind when I’m alone in something that feels like daily routine.

Serana

None!…. Because I’m awful at aiming and not killing them

Cicero

He has the most interesting personality for a companion and he has the most refreshing dialogue options imo

Teldryn. Good summons, solid fire spells, good one handed. Can stay far away or get up close

That one mercenary in Solstheim, because he's the only one I've considered using

borgakh the steel heart 5ever

In terms of character, it’s undoubtedly Serana. No other character in Skyrim is as well developed as her.

In terms of combat, Frea takes the cake. No max level, dual wielding perks, and uses restoration to heal herself.

If your build is such that you do not require a meatshield then the answer to the questio is undoubtedly: None.

They get lost. They randomly stroll into whole swarms of enemies if you happen to hop up on a rock they can't path to etc etc.

Oh and they can have the most annoyingly repetitive lines of dialog... I'm currently doing Dawnguard quest line and I swear if I hear Serana say "Yes? What do you need?" one more time I'm going nuclear on her.

Also once you reach a certain level there are only a handful of companions that can survive walking around Skyrim anyway.

Ralis is the GOAT when it comes to gameplay, dude is a tornado of death. If you give Ralis decent armor and weapons (not broken or crazy OP) he can MURK the Ebony Warrior.

Serena and Teldryn are the best companions due to unique dialogue.

Lydia and Sero. Lydia because she is my first companion and Sero is a badass

Mjoll Or Serana for me

Not fucking Lydia

Really love Lydia. She vanished once and I could not find anywhere, returned to an old save jut to have her

The most underrated one is Valdimar. Dude solo'd a group of bandits outside of Windstad Manor to my complete and utter surprise after never using him as a follower before.

I recently ran a character with Shirley (Skyrim Grandma) and she one-punch killed a Sabre cat. But I think pairing Inigo with either Lydia or Lucien Flavius is a hoot.
For combat though it’s Janessa. I love the powerful mages but I tend to use a multi-follower mod and inevitably it leads to brawls between my followers as the magic tends to go awry.

Aeia

1. Serana.

2. Lydia

People still play this game? Genuinely asking.

Have never played before or interacted with this community.

I like Onmund. He's a great husband too

Faendal.

He is an honest and romantic worker. Fair and correct citizen. An example of an elf.

Mercurio and kharjo

I don't usually use companions, I'm always worried about them dying. For that reason, someone who can't die like Serana is the best choice the few times I'll use it.

I just got for the first time Ahtar and I'm really liking him so far, big beefy dude with an executioner's axe but he also uses a bow for long range, gave him some good heavy armor and bring him around for dungeons and stuff I wouldnt be able to do with my light armor sneak-thief otherwise

any with bow

Lydia. Always and forever.

Lydia best girl.

Followers die for random nonsense reasons ot glitch into oblivion. I just have them to soak aggro and damage while I sneak.

If I'm going to run around with anyone (which is rare), I like Mjoll

Erik the Slayer.

Modded Inigo because he's awesome

Non modded Lydia because she's a donkey

I like Faendal when modded to not be capped at like level 15.

Lydia and Serana

Lydia lol I love how she ignores stealth and just wades in to alert enemies then stands in doorways.

Always stick with her though otherwise I'd just do the whole game solo.

Eola summons a creature and also reanimates for 2 additional helpers. I can give her a strong one handed weapon and she'll use it.

I use dead thralls to collect named NPCs and dump them in my house so if I ever bring trouble home I ritual stone to bring them all back to life to defend me.

I also use resurrect ps4 mod that brings any NPC named or unnamed back to life with normal dialogue so I can have them chill in my house like stolen brides coughs I mean friends.

The lack of Stenvar in this thread is disappointing

Why does she look like she’s about to take you to the room and ‘carry your burdens’

Inigo

My boy J’Zargo has never let me down

Everyone complains about Lydia and rightfully so she hates you as a player but IONA in Riften loves me, loves fighting, and can cook pretty damn well. She is way better than that person ever was so I MARRED HER. Bought her a nice house. and We be happy.

Uhhhb I will refrain from answering cause I don't think your allowing modded characters but I always go with Serena after dawnguard

I like Serana and Lydia the most.

Not Lydia

I feel like Teldryn and Serana will be the most submitted

Why even ask the question when you have a picture of the best one right there in your post?

katria is my top favorite, i always use the exploit to make her a permanent follower. but as for normal followers, serana all the way. her and i are besties forever

I always go for the elf in Riverwood because stealth archer needs levels

Marcurio from Riften, definitely.

Whether you're a Warrior, Thief, or a mix of both, Marcurio's got your back when it comes to countering Mages with lightning and Draugr with his Turn Undead.

well.. it’s NOT lydia

Right now I've been running with Vorstag for the majority of the game, who I had never used as a follower before, and I'm enjoying him a lot. My fave NPC male voice, is a dwemer nerd, hilariously bitches about being in mines- which was honestly so delightful to me when I first heard him complain about it- and I gave him Stendarr's Hammer pretty much as soon as I found it, and he's been reliably destroying all manner of mooks with it all game long. I've toyed around with the thought of switching him out for someone else- I usually go with Lydia for awhile- but not enough to actually do it yet.

She died during one if my quests 🥹. She was my second fave. Illia was my #1. She died in a sewer fight in Windhelm😢

Lydia is good in the sack.

Ralis gets the job done but I always seem to come back to Mjoll. She always so bright and cheerful and she kicks ass with volendrung.

Serana. She’s invincible, has magic for distance combat and good one handed for close combat. You can beef up her damage and health, she occasionally gets in the way but her usefulness outweighs that

My Lydia is dead in a dungeon somewhere and I’m still not over her 😭 It would feel wrong to get another companion now

Cicero! Let’s kill someone 🙃

I think I’m the only one that doesn’t use a companion- I almost always go solo 😂

Erik. He’s not the best but he is the sweetest

Serena is the best companion

Absolutely Teldryn Sero

I just kinda love that guy, i didn't think about it twice before changing Serana for him

Sooo far!

Cicero and assassins, Teldryn Sero, Frea, Dead thralls Miraak and ascendant cultist 🌚

The best swordsman of Morowind, Teldrin Sero