Hey everyone, it’s Jailkin, here to tell you that Blackwood is out, which means it’s time for an ESO Companion Guide. If you’re anything like me, managing to learn all the new features of a DLC can take up a lot of your precious time. Lucky for you I’ve gone and done all the hard work of finding the meat and potatoes of everything you need to know about the new Companions in ESO. Here is the ESO Companion Guide with all the information you need to know about your new BFF.
ESO Companion Guide - Table of Contents
Where to Find Companions
Mirri Elendis
Mirri is your typical Dark Elf Nightblade, true to her elven ways she is an expert with a bow, but still good with a dagger when needed to be.
You can unlock Mirri by completing the “Shattered and Scattered” quest to the north side of Darkwood. Helping Mirri rescue her brother and his adventurer group will be just enough to win Mirri’s favor and allow her to accompany you.
Bastian Hallix
Bastian is your basic Todd Howard version of a Dragon Knight, being well skilled with both destruction staffs and sword and shield.
Bastian is unlocked by completing the quest “Competition and Contracts” in Deepscorn Hollow. Simply follow the quest line and free the prisoners while thwarting the cultist plans will earn you the right to have Bastian stand by your side.
Summoning Your Companion
Once you’ve completed either one of the companion quests it’s time learn how to have your companion follow you. Just go to your collections, and under allies select companions, then select the companion you want to summon and you will soon have a useful helper appear at your side.
Combat With Your Companion
For the most part just simply having your companion with you makes for a much easier time when roaming around Tamriel completing quests. These new Companions aren’t actually meant to replace a human player in a dungeon or trial but once leveled up they can hold their own if you know what you’re doing with them.
Managing Your Companion's Ability Bar
As you level up your companion they will unlock new skill slots and be able to equip additional skills to use in combat. What is important to know is that these skills will be used in order by your companion (if the skill requirements are met). So putting the skill you want them to use in slot one means that they will use it first before any other as long as the requirements are met.
B...B...Bu...But Jailkin, what does that actually mean?
Using Mirri as an example, she will only use her Slayer’s Blade skill when an enemy is below 25% health. If I want her to use that execute right away I’d want it slotted in Ability 1. This makes it so she’ll use the skill as soon as the conditions are met.
You can also command your Companion to engage with specific targets in one of two ways.
- By default, on keyboard and mouse hold the “Y” key and left- or right-clicking, or on controller press the L3+R3 buttons along with the left or right bumper.
- Performing a heavy attack will also cause your Companion to switch to your target.
Managing Your Companions Equipment
Companions have their own equipment that was added to the game, meaning you can’t just slap your old scraps onto your new friend and call it a day. You will need to acquire each item that you want your companion to have to fulfill your desired roll for them.
Obtaining Companions Gear
You can purchase white Companion equipment from the Weaponsmith, Woodworker, Armorer, Leatherworker, and Tailor merchants throughout the world. These are beneficial to set your companion up with gear want them to start leveling up and unlocking the different weapon skill lines with them.
Fine, superior and epic quality Companion equipment with traits can be obtained as rare drops from monster throughout the world, particularly from bosses and ONLY if you have your Companions present. You wont earn any companion equipment if they are not helping you kill the bosses. Companion equipment is tradeable (if not bound), so selling unwanted equipment through guild traders is a great way to earn some extra gold.
It’s important to note that at this time Companion gear cannot be crafted, deconstructed, improved, or researched. So you’ll have to either shell out a small fortunes or go out and acquire the equipment the hard way.
Companions Gear Traits
Companion gear above white quality can have a unique trait that will drastically change the effectiveness of your companion and increase their usefulness. Here are the different traits and their effects.
- Quickened
- Prolific
- Focused
- Shattering
- Aggressive
- Soothing
- Augmented
- Bolstered
- Vigorous
Reduces ability cooldown by 1.8% ~ 2.6% Per Slot
Increases Ultimate generation by 9% ~ 13% Per Slot
Increases Critical Strikes Rating by 394 ~ 569 Per Slot
Increases Penetration by 900 ~ 1300 Per Slot
Increase Damage Done by 1.2% ~ 1.7% Per Slot
Increasing Healing Done by 1.2% ~ 1.7% Per Slot
Increase Duration of Buffs and Debuffs by 1.8% ~ 2.6% Per Slot
Reduced Damage Taked by 1.2% ~ 1.7% Per Slot
Increase Max Health by 1.8% ~ 2.6% Per Slot
Leveling Up Your Companion
Companions gain a percentage of the XP you earn without leaching any off of you. They earn about 5% of the XP you earn, meaning if you are enlightened or under the effects of an XP buff this will effect your companion as well. The more XP you receive, the more your companion gains while they are with you.
Companions have access to several skill lines, each with associated abilities. Most Companion skill lines have three active abilities which can be acquired through leveling up of that skill line. Companion abilities do not require skill points to unlock and do not rank up or morph over time.
Leveling Up Your Companion's Skills
Companion Skills are very unique in that you don’t need to have certain skills equipped in order for the skill lines to level them up. Instead, each skill line will have a different requirement in order to level it up.
Class Skill Line
Class Skill lines improves by earning combat XP with your companion. This levels equally with your Companions combat level. So if your Companion is level 3, all of the class skills will also be level 3.
Weapon Skill Lines
Weapon Skill lines improves by earning combat XP bases on the weapon you have equipped. Meaning if they have a Bow equipped, only their bow level will increase while your companion is gaining XP.
Armor Skill Lines
Armor Skill line improves by earning combat XP while your companion has at least 5 pieces of an armor type equipped.
Equipping your companion with additional pieces will increase the skill’s advancement.
Guild Skill Lines
Guild Skill lines improve by completing daily quests for each respective guild. Each daily quest gives you about 50 XP for that guild skill line meaning that you need to complete 2 daily quests WITH YOUR COMPANION for each level.
These daily quests can be shared so grouping up with a friend (if you have one) does make this a lot quicker to level up.
Becoming Friends With Your Companions
Now if you’re like me you probably don’t have any cool friends on your friends list in ESO. Lucky for you your Companion can actually become a better friend than your imaginary friend Todd from kindergarten. Each companion has an actual personality so certain things will change whether they like you or just tolerate you.
Mirri Elendis
Likes
- Unearthing Antiquties
- Crafting Alcoholic Beverages
- Visiting Deadric themed Delves/Dungeons
- Reading Books
- Fighters Guild Daily Quests
- Harvesting Psijic Portal
- Stealing Drinking or Scholarly-related Treasures
- Killing Goblins
- Killing Large Snakes
Dislikes
- Killing Innocents NPCs
- Using the Blade of Woe
- Harvesting Insects
- Visiting the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary
- Completing Dark Brotherhood Sacraments
Bastian Hallix
Likes
- Visit Eyevea
- Visit Artaeum
- Reading Books
- Mages Guild Daily Quests
- Harvesting Psijic Portal
- Scrying for Antiquities
- Killing Bandits
- Killing Worm Cultists
Dislikes
- Killing Innocent NPCs
- Using the Blade of Woe
- Stealing Items
- Pickpocketing NPCs
- Interacting with Thieves Troves
Companion Quests
Each Companion has TWO side quests which will become available to you once you’ve reached a certain level of repport with them. Completing any Companion side quest will result in a large amount of rapport so when they become available to you be sure to take time to complete them.
After you have completed both quests, you will unlock as a houseguest collectible of that Companion, this will allow you to place them in your house similar to other houseguests collectables.
Your Companion's Unique Perks
Each of your new companions come with a non-combat related skill that matches their personality.
Mirri's Expertise
While Mirri is following you, all Treasure Chests (from Treasure Maps or in the Overland) have a 30% chance to provide additional loot. Additional loot can be either extra gold, sellable items, or recipes.
Bastian's Insite
While Bastian is following you, Potions looted from chests and monsters have a 30% chance to be improved by Bastian’s Insight.
Companion Keepsakes
Once you complete the meta-achievements associated with each Companion, you can unlock a keepsake collectable. These keepsakes will provide the companions non-combat perks even when the companion isn’t active.
Mirri's Keepsake
Bastian's Keepsake
Customizing Your Companions Appearance
You can even go to a crafting station and FULLY customize the outfit your companion is wearing. This allows you to make them wear a quality ensemble or a fashion disaster.
Now here is the BEST part of having a companion is finally a reason to use some of your unwanted costumes. If you ever feel like your new friend just doesn’t have the same fashion sense that you do, just force them to wear something better.
