There is much to do in Bethesda’s masterpiece, Skyrim. If you’re a social butterfly, there are NPC’s to talk to, and if you get bored of that, they will be more than happy to give you a quest. (What would these poor souls have done if the Dragonborn had never shown up?) You can slay a dragon, get rag dolled by a giant, explore caves, barter with merchants, and decorate your home. There is something for everyone. A true open-world experience that gives players the freedom to experience Skyrim in a multitude of ways.
However, even with so much to do and see, adventuring can still get lonely. For some, Skyrim’s vast landscape is best experienced with a like-minded (or at the very least, entertaining) companion. Others simply need a tank or support character to help them survive the more challenging areas of the game.
Whatever your playing style, Skyrim has a follower for you. Unfortunately, not all companions were created equal. For every capable archer or mage, there is a dimwitted warrior or an eager citizen who got in over his head, wanting adventure but never truly considering the reality of that decision. Some seem out to kill themselves or—even worse—you! Choosing the right follower is the difference between leaving a cave with all of your loot and becoming over-encumbered as you recover items from your companion’s corpse.
There are many potential followers in Skyrim. Trying to figure who is worth pursuing and who isn’t, can be overwhelming. Don’t get stuck reloading your previous save. Our handy list highlights the best—and worst—that Skyrim has to offer.
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15 Best: Aela The Huntress
A well-rounded follower, Aela, a loyal Nord werewolf, becomes available once you complete the Companions questline. Not only is she great with a bow for long-distance attacks, but she is decent enough with one-handed weapons for melee attacks. At her level cap of 50, her Sneak skill reaches 97 (thanks to her thief classification), making her the perfect follower for sneaky thieves and stealthy archers.
Oh, and Aela won’t judge you morally bankrupt players either. Commit any crime you want—even murder! She will never raise her blade against you or leave your services. However, just because she’s willing to look the other way doesn’t mean she will join in on the fun. She declines requests to attack innocent characters or steal—even though she is a thief.
However, she comes with perks such as on-the-go archery training and the ability to give lycanthropy, which is a pretty sweet deal.
14 Worst: Roggi Knot-Beard
Be sure to avoid Kynesgrove, or a wild Roggi Knot-Beard will appear. The lowly miner will ask for your help recovering his ancestral shield. I know this makes him sound like some badass warrior but, trust me, he isn’t. In fact, good old Roggi’s level is capped at 20 (the lowest in the game).
As you have probably already guessed, his stats are pretty mediocre. His highest-level skills are non-combat ones such as Smithing at level 45 with Alchemy and Enchanting pulling in a measly 40. His other skills are so pathetic that I won’t bore you by listing them here. Just know that he is below average in every possible stat. He’s also a coward who will flee from battle when injured and won’t commit any crimes.
His only redeeming quality is his love for mead. However, there isn’t enough in Skyrim to make you forget his incompetence.
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13 Best: Barbas
Barbas is no ordinary dog, in fact, he isn’t a dog at all but a shapeshifting Daedra. He is found on the road outside of Falkreath and will follow you indefinitely as long as you do not complete his quest by either killing him with the Rueful Axe or returning him to his master. That’s right, Barbas is a quest character and invincible!
Barbas is a great decoy but also makes quick work of weaker enemies, making battles against stronger ones easier to manage. Outside of battle, he is likely a poor choice for thieves, as he can detect you when you are stealing. Get around this by telling him to stay beforehand.
Despite this, Barbas is still a solid choice, and since he isn’t technically a follower, you can have one additional companion as well. So, if you hate traveling alone, Barbas is the one for you.
12 Worst: Sven
Sven is a lute-playing, Nord bard that you encounter at the beginning of the game in Riverwood at the Sleeping Giant Inn. To gain his companionship, you must help him win the heart of Camilla. If you choose to help his rival, Faendal, instead, Sven will become unavailable—which isn’t a bad thing.
Sven’s stats are similar to Roggi Knot-Beard’s. He is of the citizen class and tops out at level 20. His primary skills are Alchemy, Enchanting, and Smithing, and although his secondary skills are Archery, One-Handed, and Two-Handed, none of them ever surpass level 45. Simply put, Sven isn’t built for battle. He isn’t even wearing armor when you first encounter him. It’s like he woke up that morning and was like, “You know what would be great? Going on an adventure with little-to-no preparation or useful skills.”
That sweet lute music isn't enough to fell a dragon.
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11 Best: Mjoll The Lioness
Found in thief-ridden Riften, Mjoll the Lioness is a Nord warrior who has taken it upon herself to rid the town of corruption. If you want her companionship, you must first earn her favor and then retrieve her lost sword. Trust me, she is worth the trouble. Mjoll is an essential character, which means that she can never be killed—not even by friendly fire during an intense battle.
At her level cap of 40, she maxes out both her Heavy Armor and Two-Handed skills (with 580 health), making her a great tank for players that prefer long-range attacks. Not only is she a beast on the battlefield, but she is also a pleasant person. As you travel, she will regale you with story after story about her past.
If you don’t mind traveling with a chatterbox—or her creepy stalker, Aerin—Mjoll is the one for you. Just don’t earn a bounty in Riften.
10 Worst: Adelaisa Vendicci
If you are wandering around the docks in Windhelm, you will run into a woman in Imperial armor. She may look strong and capable, but Adelaisa Vendicci is anything but. If you want to test her out, she is available as a follower after completing 'Rise in the East'—though there is little incentive to use her for anything other than a sacrifice for Boethiah.
Although she is an Imperial soldier, she is classed as a citizen with a level cap of 25. Just like Roggi Knot-Beard, her primary skills are non-combative—Alchemy, Enchanting, and Smithing aren’t going to be very effective during a battle or ever. As one of the weakest characters in the game, Adelaisa is a major disappointment. This is one character you should leave on the dock of the bay.
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9 Best: J’zargo
To attain this confident Khajiit mage, travel to the College of Winterhold and help him test his scrolls. J’zargo is one of two available Khajiit followers, so he’s a good choice if you need a little variety. However, be forewarned, some might find J’zargo’s arrogance somewhat off-putting—even if it is warranted.
Stat wise, J’zargo is arguably one of the best followers in the game. He has no level cap, which means he continues to level up with the Dragonborn indefinitely. Destruction and Restoration spells are his expertise, making him a great support character for close-combat players. At around level 50 he maxes out his Heavy Armor and One-Handed skills, which make him a great battle mage or tank (if he’s out of magicka).
You may find that he will only cast low-level Destruction spells. To fix this give him adept or higher level staffs.
J’zargo is ready for more adventure.
8 Worst: Farkas
When you first encounter the Nordic werewolf, Farkas, in Jorrvaskr, he appears to be a strong and intimidating warrior. However, the Dragonborn soon discovers that he’s a nice guy who often finds himself on the receiving end of insults from his fellow Companions about his intelligence.
Okay, but he’s strong, right? Well, not exactly. Although he maxes out his One-Handed skill at his level cap of 50, his Heavy Armor and Block skills never exceed 20 (ironically, he is a master-level trainer for the former). When he isn’t trapped behind a gate in Dustman’s Cairn, he’s on his knees trying to recover his health.
The source of Farka’s problems is his blacksmith class, which gives him mastery in non-combative skills such as Smithing and Speech. Also, even though his Light Armor skill is higher, he wears Heavy Armor.
Perhaps it’s time for Farkas to find a new line of work.
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7 Best: Serana
Serana, one of the Daughters of ColdHarbour, became a pure-blooded vampire by pledging herself to Molag Bal during a terrifying ritual. Like Mjoll, she is an essential character who cannot be killed; she comes as a part of the Dawnguard DLC. However, she will not have the full set of follower commands until you finish the main Dawnguard questline.
A powerful necromancer, Serana's level caps at 50, and she will raise corpses to help in battle. If she runs out of magicka while obliterating everything in sight with Destruction spells, she’ll switch to a melee weapon (One-handed is one of her primary skills) so give her a strong sword or dagger.
Outside of combat, Serana is a unique follower who can interact with her environment (e.g., sitting down, using workbenches, etc.). If so desired, you can have her bite the Dragonborn to turn them into a Vampire Lord.
6 Worst: LydiaBest Archer Follower In Skyrim
Even non-Skyrim players know about Lydia and her antics. You meet your first housecarl early in the game at Dragonsreach after killing your first dragon. If you decided to help Sven out back in Riverwood, you are likely desperate for a new companion at this point. Especially a warrior-classed one in steel armor and ready to fight.
On paper, Lydia is a good follower who has a level cap of 50, maxing out Heavy Armor, One-Handed, and Block. You may be happy to take her along, but soon notice little annoyances like her attitude, or the way she refuses to follow you down the mountainside, seeking out a safer path instead. She seems determined to block every door, set off every trap, and get caught sneaking around. When she does fight, she blindly rushes into battle and gets herself killed.
Don’t settle. Unless, of course, you like yelling at your companions.
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5 Best: Teldryn Sero
The only Dunmer on our list, Teldryn Sero, is a spellsword and mercenary that you can hire for 500 coins. You can find him in The Retching Netch in the Solstheim town of Raven Rock. In battle, Teldryn is a force to be reckoned with, topping out at level 60 with One-Handed, Light Armor, Destruction, and Conjuration being his primary skills.
Teldryn’s class and skill set make him a triple threat. He is a savvy swordsman who is more than capable of holding his own in battle, but also blasts opponents with Flame or Firebolt when appropriate. On top of all of this, he will also summon a flame atronach to add to the onslaught. When he does suffer damage, he heals himself or uses ward spells for added protection.
He also makes for a pleasant traveling companion, as he offers unique commentary for various cities across Skyrim.
4 Worst: Uthgerd The Unbroken
The notorious Nord warrior, Uthgerd the Unbroken, is found at The Bannered Mare in Whiterun. Beat her in a tavern brawl to receive 100 coins and her services. Uthgerd is a decent warrior; however, even at her level cap of 30, she never manages to max out any of her skills. Her One-Handed and Heavy Armor skills are a little above average whereas her secondaries, Block and Archery, are average.
Overall, she is another run-of-the-mill follower with a low Sneak skill destined to set off every trap she encounters. Not to mention, she is a despicable, hypocritical person. If you are willing to listen, she will tell the Dragonborn about how she was denied entry to the Companions because she killed a boy. Instead of being remorseful, she bears a grudge against them. This from someone who will attack you for murdering an innocent character.
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3 Best: Frea
Frea is a Nord shaman found in the Skaal Village on Solstheim and is only available if you own the Dragonborn DLC. Not only does Frea not have a level cap, she is essential and thus cannot be killed. You can make her a permanent follower by either passing a persuasion check or successfully bribing her after completing 'The Fate of the Skaal.'
Frea’s primary skills are Alteration, Light Armor, Restoration, and One-handed. There are two reasons why she’s pretty cool: she dual wields weapons and is smart enough to wait for you to disable traps (unlike some others on this list). Another plus is that she will also use spells to heal herself. It is unlikely she will ever fall to her knees and beg for mercy in battle.
2 Worst: Cosnach
Cosnach is a drunken Breton found in the Warrens or Silver-Blood Inn in Markarth. He challenges the Dragonborn to a fistfight, betting 100 coins. Beat him, and he will follow you for free (and you will be a little richer).
Although his stats aren’t terrible, they are nothing to write home about. His level cap is 30, with One-Handed at 78 and Heavy Armor at 79. On top of being a generic warrior, he is rude and is always begging for money for drinks. He also isn’t in a very practical location for a character with such low stats. By the time you make their way to Markarth, you will have encountered better followers.
He isn’t worth the journey unless you plan on marrying him. Sure, he might be good for laughs, but if you actually cared about him, you would send him to AA.
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1 Best: Cicero
If you prefer to adventure on the right side of justice, then the jester assassin, Cicero, is not for you because you have to join the Dark Brotherhood to acquire him. You must also choose to spare his life after he flees to Dawnstar Sanctuary—once again making him an essential character—during “The Cure for Madness.”
Cicero’s high-pitched voice, dark humor, and mini dance parties are an acquired taste but also make him one of the most developed characters in the game. There’s never a dull moment with him as your companion.
Cicero’s level caps at 50 with mastery in One-Handed and Sneak—he won’t set off traps—and high levels in Light Armor and Archery. He is a versatile fighter who excels at close combat but is also an effective sneaky sniper.
He’s nearly the perfect follower—in small doses.
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1. The Puncher or the Swiper? (Unarmed Build)
As the most viable unarmed options in the game, Khajiit’s naturally have claws that do 15 points of unarmed damage. There’s a perk in the Heavy Armor tree that’s only use is to help out people who want to go on this build-path – Fists of Steel (Heavy Armor 30). The perk makes unarmed attacks with Heavy Armor gauntlets do their armor rating in damage, which stacks with the base 15 damage for khajiits. Since you won’t have to invest in any other weapon perk trees, invest in Smithing so you can make the best gauntlets you can, as well as Enchanting, to add unarmed bonuses to those gauntlets. You’ll also have very high armor ratings, so you won’t have to worry about healing very much.
2. Assassin’s Creed: Dovahkiin (Dual Dagger Sneak Build)
This build is for those who want to never take damage. The main perk to get is Assassin’s Blade (Sneak 50), which adds 15x sneak damage with daggers. FIFTEEN times damage is nothing to scoff at. And combining that with Shadow Warrior (Sneak 100), which stops combat whenever you crouch, for even more sneak attacks, is just ridiculous. This build can even be played without fully relying on the sneak aspect – with the Elemental Fury Dragon Shout (at max level, it DOUBLES your weapon attack speed), you’ll have probably killed everything before the 15 second time limit on the shout has passed. Add on some of the most awesome finishing-blow-cams in the game and you’ve got one of the most powerful melee builds in the game.
3. Can’t Touch This (Conjuration Archer Build)
My personal favorite, the conjuration archer build is, in my opinion, the perfect mix of not taking damage while dealing lots of it – low risk and high reward. The build revolves around the Bound Bow skill (Conjuration 50), which you can buy from Farengar in Dragonsreach. This spell basically gives you unlimited arrows, along with damage modifiers from both the Archery and Conjuration skill trees (The higher the conjuration level, the stronger the bow. And your archery perks all apply). The conjuration tree also conveniently gives you some of the best tanks in the game – Antronachs. With the spell Flame/Frost/Storm Thrall, you can permanently (until it dies) an antronach, and coupled with Twin Souls (Conjuration 100), you can summon two at a time. To get the spell, have level 90 Conjuration, and go to Phinis Gestor in the College of Winterhold. The strategy behind this build is self-explanatory, and oh so fun.
4. The Haley Joel Osment (Necromancer Build)
This build is quite similar to the Conjuration Archer build in that you raise your Conjuration level for tanks. The difference is that instead of investing into archery, you go purely defensive, so you really don’t have to do anything at all. It’s quite the lazy man’s build – you basically follow your minions around and watch them pillage whatever you wish. You get the unlimited zombie skill, Dead Thrall, identically to the other thralls – by talking to Phinis Gestor at level 90 Conjuration. Invest in wards and Magic Resistance (Alteration 30) to keep adding to all aspects of your defense, and have fun with the perfect sadistic evil character. Note that people around Skyrim may not take too kindly to your zombie followers…
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I am basically looking for the best race for archery in Skyrim. I am looking for a fast nimble character that can deal quick high damage. Also, what would be the best weapon/gear for such character.
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AspiringGenious
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5 Answers
As already commented, you can max out or grind any skills with any race in Skyrim, so choice of race for archery won't really matter in the long run.
If you want to have an additional boost for archery at the early parts of the game, the Bosmer (Wood Elves) are strongly suited for archery. They have a +10 bonus to the archery skill and a +5 bonus to sneak (to help deal sneak attacks).
If roleplaying, the Bosmer are known as being 'the best archers in all of Tamriel, the Bosmer snatch and fire arrows in one continuous motion; they are even rumored to have invented the bow'. In-game description describes them as making 'good scouts and thieves, and there are no finer archers in all of Tamriel'.
Source: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Bosmer and http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim%3aBosmer
As for the choice of bows, see this question: Skyrim Bows: Light or Heavy One?
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galacticninjagalacticninja
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I am looking for a fast nimble character
Well, you have three choices. High Elf, Orc or Nord.
Due to the way that character size interacts with movement speed, taller characters move faster than smaller characters.
Amy BAmy B
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Any race will allow you to become a Master-level archer, if you work at it enough. That said, I believe the Bosmer (wood elf) race is the only one to give you a +10 boost at the beginning of the game, meaning you'd have to level that skill that many fewer times to reach the maximum capability.
The Khajit and Redguard races give +5 archery to begin with, making those good secondary classes to use.
Jonah BishopJonah Bishop
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Cheap answer: Bosmer because of the high startingbonus. But that doesn't really matter. You can take what you want. Every race has the maximum of Level 100.
In my opinion, the Khajiit fits the most, because they get bonus in sneaking, archery, alchemy, pickpocketing and lockpicking. Best weapon enchants skyrim.
They're feared as silent thieves and robbers in Skyrim. From the atmosphere, it would be the preffered race for an 'archer'. :)
TrudleRTrudleR
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Bosmer because they are natural marksmen and have starting bonuses, except that the Khajiit are the best race whatsoever, High elves are racist asses, and nobody like Redguards from the dessert after seeing the movie 300.
BenjaminBenjamin
protected by StudokuMar 20 '15 at 14:38
Thank you for your interest in this question. Because it has attracted low-quality or spam answers that had to be removed, posting an answer now requires 10 reputation on this site (the association bonus does not count).
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There are plenty of Skyrim companions to be found, all of whom have their own unique personalities and combat abilities. While just about everybody knows who Lydia is, some of the other companions in the Elder Scrolls Skyrim aren’t as renowned, which is why it’s important to outline who the best companions in Skyrim actually are. You can even marry some of these Skyrim followers and they some of the best Skyrim wife or husband options. These are the best Skyrim followers you can encounter on your quest to become the Dragonborn of legend.
Cicero
Cicero is one of the best companions you can get in Skyrim for a plethora of reasons. He’s an assassin with incredibly high stats, and he’s got one of the most well-developed personalities in the entire game. He’s not everyone’s cup of tea, as he does technically betray the Dark Brotherhood, but if you’re willing to let bygones be bygones, he’s a follower well worth taking under your wing.
To get Cicero, you need to finish the Dark Brotherhood questline and spare him at the Dawnstar Sanctuary. I killed him in mine - even with stats like those, I found it difficult to reconcile my disdain for his actions with a need for a companion. Luckily, even if you kill Cicero you can get one of the two unnamed Dark Brotherhood Initiates who show up in the Dawnstar Sanctuary after Nazir and Babette move in. Both of these have the same stats as Cicero, and if you kill Cicero you can take his heavily enchanted Jester set, too.
J’Zargo
J’Zargo is a Khajiit mage in the College of Winterhold. Like you, he’s an aspiring student of the arcane arts. He’s also got some of the highest magic skills in the game, even boasting a maxed out Destruction stat.
J’Zargo is pretty easy to get as a companion. Like most purposeful NPCs, he wants you to do a couple of favours for him, but they’re quick and easy. Once he considers you a friend, you can ask him to follow you. Bizarrely, J’Zargo has the highest HP stat of any companion, which is a bit strange when you compare him to tanks like Farkas and Frea. He only uses Apprentice level spells, which can be a bit of a nuisance given how high his stats are, but he’s still a powerful companion and a great character to boot.
Aela
Aela the Huntress is an archer found in Jorrvaskr, home of the Companions. Like most of the Companions, you can simply ask her to follow you whenever you like, provided you’ve completed the faction’s questline first.
Aela is a brilliant archer, but she has better synergy with some player types than others. If you’re a frontline brawler who runs into battle with an unwieldy warhammer, she’ll happily barrage your foes with a rain of arrows from the backlines. However, if you’re a mage who likes to keep their distance, or an archer yourself, you’ll find yourself getting overwhelmed fairly easily. Aela isn’t as well-developed as someone like Cicero, but she’s still a great companion.
Vilkas/Farkas
Vilkas and Farkas are also residents of Jorrvaskr. They actually have very similar fighting styles, but I prefer Vilkas’ voice actor, so he’s the one I usually take with me.
These Nord warriors are bruisers, getting right up in the enemy’s face and soaking up tons of damage. You’ll synergize well with them if you’re an archer or a mage, but even if you’re a two-handed talent yourself, you can quickly incapacitate even the largest mobs. Again, they don’t develop a whole lot outside of the Companions questline, but they’re still worth keeping around, especially early in the game.
Mjoll
Mjoll the Lioness can be found in Riften with Aerin, her squire. Like Vilkas and Farkas, she’s a tank-like fighter, but she’s got a much more developed personality and is a genuinely intriguing character.
You can ask Mjoll to accompany you once you find her sword, Grimsever. She’s a brawler that holds her own even in late-game Skyrim, and you could easily go through the whole game with her at your side. The only thing to remember is that she disapproves of illegal activity and hates the Thieves’ Guild, so if you’re planning on pulling a heist, it might be best to leave Mjoll at The Bee and Barb.
DLC companionsSerana (Dawnguard DLC)
If you get the Dawnguard expansion, you can ask a vampire named Serana to follow you. She’s incredibly strong, unleashing devastating magic to defeat her enemies and has one of the best character arcs in all of Skyrim. If you’re smithing items at a forge or bartering with a merchant, Serana will enter a state of idle animation to keep herself occupied. She even meditates with the Greybeards!
Teldryn Sero (Dragonborn DLC)
The Dragonborn DLC has some new companions too. Teldryn Sero is a mercenary you can encounter in Raven Rock’s tavern, The Retching Netch. Teldryn actually has some of the most unique armour in the game and fights with a relentlessly aggressive battlemage build, capable of demonizing even the most formidable of foes. So taking him on board for a mere 500 gold is a bit of a steal.
No matter which companion you choose though, it’s most important to go for a follower who you actually want to spend time with. Farkas and Vilkas are great, but if you’re not into their personalities, you’re missing out on what bringing a companion around Skyrim with you is all about in the first place. That’s probably why so many people like Cicero, despite his treasonous treachery. He’s a great fighter, but an even better character, and he’ll likely make you laugh even in the midst of the darkest dungeons. A companion is more than just a follower; they’re a friend first and foremost.
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