Whether you're a solo player or looking to enhance your group play in The Elder Scrolls Online, companions are invaluable allies that can assist you in combat, questing, and more. As you embark on your adventures in Tamriel, leveling up your companions is crucial to make them more powerful and effective.
This comprehensive guide will cover everything you need to know about obtaining, leveling up, and optimizing your companions in ESO. So, grab your gear and prepare to embark on an epic journey with your trusted companions.
Introduction to Companions
ESO High Isle Chapter Companions
Companions are non-player characters who can join you on adventures in The Elder Scrolls Online. This system adds a new dynamic to the gameplay experience. These AI-controlled characters provide invaluable support in combat, aid in completing quests, and offer unique abilities and skills to enhance your adventures. With companions by your side, you can easily tackle challenging content, explore the world of ESO, and take on formidable foes with confidence.
ESO Blackwood Chapter Companions
Obtaining a companion requires completing the "Blackwood" expansion content, specifically the main quest line, "The Gates of Oblivion." As you progress through the quest line, you'll encounter different companions, each with their own personality, backstory, and abilities. You then have the opportunity to choose one to join you on your adventures. The presence of these companions adds a new dimension to your gameplay, providing a loyal ally to aid you in your adventures throughout Tamriel.
Leveling Up Companions
Let's explore how you can level up and optimize your companions in ESO to unlock their full potential! This is a multi-step process in ESO and involves earning experience points (XP), gaining levels, and unlocking new abilities and skills. Here's a detailed breakdown of how to level up your companions effectively:
Gaining XP for Companions
When your companion participates in combat, they earn XP. The XP earned contributes to their overall level and helps them become more powerful.
Increasing Companion's Level
You gain levels by getting more and more XP. Each level-up grants them additional attributes such as Health, Stamina, and Magicka, and unlocks new abilities or skills. The higher their level, the more powerful they become, and the more abilities they have at their disposal.
Choosing Abilities and Skills
As your companion levels up, they will gain access to new abilities and skills. Abilities are unique powers that your companion uses in combat. Skills are passive abilities that provide bonuses to various aspects of their gameplay. You can choose which abilities and skills to unlock for your companion based on their playstyle and your preferred strategy. Experimenting with different combinations of abilities and skills can help you optimize your companion's effectiveness.
Managing Companion's Equipment
Companions can equip different types of gear, including weapons, armor, and jewelry, to enhance their combat abilities. Equipping your companion with better gear can significantly improve their performance in battle. You can purchase gear for your companions from other players with ESO coins or loot companion gear from enemies. It's important to regularly upgrade your companion's gear as they level up to ensure they are always equipped with the best possible equipment.
Utilizing Companion's Abilities in Combat
Companions in ESO have their own set of abilities that can be used in combat. These abilities are separate from your character's abilities and can be triggered by you or used automatically by the companion. You can set up your companion's abilities in their ability bar, and they will use them during combat based on their AI behavior settings. Strategically utilizing your companion's abilities can greatly impact their performance in combat and help you defeat tough enemies more efficiently.
Upgrading Companion's Ultimate Ability
Companions have a unique ultimate ability that can be upgraded as they level up. The ultimate ability is a powerful skill that can be used in combat to turn the tide of battle. As your companion gains levels, their ultimate ability will become more potent, allowing them to unleash devastating attacks or provide powerful support to you and your group.
How to Farm XP for Companions in ESO?
The more XP you gain via combat, the more XP your companions will get. When it comes to earning XP in ESO, some items and consumables can be used strategically to speed up your leveling process.
Potions
Potions like Psijic Ambrosia provide temporary buffs to your, making them a valuable tool for leveling up quickly. You can get potions from Guild Traders, killing enemies, or you can craft them yourself. Using XP-boosting potions during combat can help you earn more XP for your companions.
Scrolls
Scrolls are consumable items that provide temporary bonuses to various aspects of gameplay, including XP gain. Experience Scrolls are a type of scroll that increases the amount of XP earned by you for a set duration of time.
Gear
Wearing Training gear can also enhance your XP gain. Some other gear items, such as Ring of Mara, also provide bonuses to XP gained.
Grouping with Other Players
Grouping up with other players can also be beneficial in earning more XP for your companions. When you're in a group, you can earn additional XP through group bonuses. Grouping up with experienced players or players who have complementary abilities helps you defeat enemies more efficiently, allowing you to earn more XP and level up faster.
Champion Points
As your character progresses in ESO and reaches level 50, you'll start earning Champion Points. You can use these points to enhance your character's abilities further. Some Champion Points are allocated to passive abilities that provide bonuses to XP gain. By investing Champion Points into these passive abilities, you can level up faster.
Best Places for XP Grinding
Grinding XP refers to repeatedly engaging in combat or completing activities in specific areas of the game world to quickly earn experience points. These are some potential locations in ESO that are known for being good places for grinding XP:
Public Dungeons
Public Dungeons are instanced areas that are designed for group play and typically contain numerous enemies to defeat. These dungeons are found throughout Tamriel, and they often have a higher density of enemies compared to regular open-world areas. It is an excellent place for grinding XP, as you can continuously defeat enemies in a group or solo, completing quests and looting chests along the way for additional XP.
Dolmens
Dolmens, also known as Dark Anchors, are large, otherworldly structures that spawn in certain locations. They periodically spawn waves of enemies that need to be defeated to close the Dolmen and earn XP, as well as potential loot. These are known for providing high amounts of XP in a short amount of time, making them popular spots for grinding XP, especially for lower-level characters.
Mobs in Overland Zones
Various overland zones in ESO have areas with high concentrations of enemies, such as bandit camps, undead infested areas, or Daedric portals. These areas can be repeatedly cleared of enemies, providing a steady stream of XP as you defeat the enemies and complete quests or activities in the area. Popular overland zones for grinding XP may vary depending on the current meta and patch changes. So, it's recommended to check community guides or websites for up-to-date information.
Group Dungeons
Group Dungeons are designed for four-player groups and offer challenging content with high XP rewards. Completing group dungeons with a well-coordinated group can yield significant XP gains, especially if you're able to complete the dungeon on harder difficulty levels or with certain achievements. Group Dungeons also typically offer valuable loot, making them a worthwhile option for grinding XP and obtaining gear upgrades for you.
Explore with Companions' Help
Questing and combating with companions is an exciting aspect of ESO that allows you to team up with your loyal companions to take on challenging foes and quests.
Questing
Companions can accompany you on various quests throughout the game world. They can assist you in combat, provide dialogue options, and even have their own questlines that reveal their backstory and further develop their character. It's important to consider their abilities and playstyle and choose quests that align with their strengths. Some quests may have specific requirements or restrictions when it comes to companions. Therefore, it is essential to read quest descriptions and follow any guidelines provided.
Combat
They can also join you in combat, providing additional firepower and support. They have their own unique abilities and skills that can be used to deal damage, heal, or provide support in various ways. During combat, companions can be controlled by you or set to automatic mode. In this mode, they will use their abilities based on their AI behavior settings. You can also customize their abilities and gear to optimize their performance in combat.
Tactics and Strategies
When engaging in combat with companions, it's important to develop tactics and strategies that maximize their effectiveness. This includes setting up their abilities in a way that complements your own playstyle and taking advantage of their strengths. For example:
If your companion is a tank, you can set them up with abilities that draw aggro and protect you from incoming damage.
If it's a damage dealer, you can set them up with abilities that deal high burst damage or apply crowd control effects to enemies.
Experimenting with different tactics and strategies can help you find the best approach for your companion and increase your chances of success in combat.
Companion Gear and Upgrades
Equipping your companion with appropriate gear and upgrades can significantly enhance their combat abilities. Companions can equip weapons, armor, and jewelry, just like your character.
Upgrading their gear regularly as they level up is important to keep them equipped with the best possible equipment. Additionally, you can also upgrade their abilities and skills using in-game currency or resources to further improve their performance in combat.
Conclusion
Companions in ESO provide a thrilling and immersive gameplay experience. As you level up your companions, customize their abilities, and equip them with the best gear, you can greatly enhance their performance in combat and make them valuable allies in your adventures. With the right strategies and tactics, your companions can become formidable allies as you journey through the vast world of Tamriel.