Xuna, A Companion Worthy of Being By My Side

froger

So, I decided to finally upgrade Xuna and run around with her on my cleric a bit. I must say I enjoy having a companion who can actually damage and even kill enemies, especially in level 70 content. In years past my companions were only there for their debuffs and more recently augments for their stats, they were just there and never felt like an adventuring companion. Xuna has changed that. She's not as useful in dungeons for me, so I use the typical augments.

This got me thinking about the current state of companions. I, like many, run bulette pup or bear cub for the stats . But what it would be like if non augment companions were more useful? Players would then have a real choice of who to adventure with and perhaps decisions about which companion to use for dungeons.

If healer companion could provide reasonable healing, maybe they would be chosen. For example, I have an epic Lillend on my Barb and it's utterly useless at healing, this makes me not want to bother obtaining and leveling other healer type companions because I expect the same result. On some of my alts I have the Neverember Guard and it doesn't hold aggro to save it's life.

kir4me8604

@azmerella this is true and that is also the problem.

If the companion system is just going to be using them to cap stats for content purposes and have nothing to do with making the combat more engaging, then the powers should be removed (which I am NOT suggesting). However, what experience Froger is sharing is one only those who run the Xuna or Abyssal Chicken can attest to.

My experience with Xuna is the same. She is so helpful when running around in the zones and I am willing to sacrifice a few stats for a helpful companion. In my early experience of Neverwinter, the Man-of-Arms and most defender companions were so useful in combat. Now.... most companions just stand around watching you die. They have internal cool-downs even on their regular attacks that are similar to summon creatures.

Thinking more about the state of combat engagement, i think we all can agree that non-argument companions and the magnitude of their powers need to be readjusted.

froger

I'm well aware you likely cannot cap stats running a companion. In fact running the Avernus Wasteland quests is difficult with Xuna summoned, yet not really a problem with the bulette pup active. I think that's a missed opportunity with the game in terms of differing playstyle.

lucifer

I agree. I run a legendary star of simiril for the stats on my hr but I have tons of companions that are basically useless.

mordekai

I recently dropped Xuna in favour of the Abyssal Chicken.

It's marginally better stat wise for my build, (though that is subjective, obviously) and with R15 Bondings and decent Comp Gear the drop off in stats is worth it for the amount of carnage the ugly little clucker can throw about in PvE.
With the recent addition of the Lliiras Bell of Empowerment boosting its damage, it's even better. (If you are using either Xuna or the Abyssal Chicken for the damage they deliver, that Bell is worth looking into...)

There are two main reasons I switched.
The first thing I noticed from the off was that the Chicken doesn't tend to run off and draw aggro as much as Xuna. As a Rogue, I don't want my companion dashing off trying to kill everything within a fifty foot radius and Xuna has got a bit of a blood lust.
The second is a more practical issue with regard to the companions' value in combat. I had been getting increasingly frustrated as Xuna's determination to stand at 90 degree to me in combat, and I spent so much time repositioning to try and get her to at least 120 degrees to try and get Combat Advantage that I started to question her genuine value. The Abyssal Chicken is much better at staying put, and I get FAR more personal damage from CA than with Xuna.
I don't know if you've tried using Xuna in the Bel encounter soloing it? But Jesus Christ... trying to get CA against Bel was almost impossible. I was running round the bugger and Xuna was just following me, to stand at 90 degrees... That Chicken was an absolute game changer in the amount of times I could run that Bel Encounter in an hour. And is probably the reason I got that Damned Rod in a matter of days instead of weeks. (Plus the Chicken doesn't give a toss about all those red burning zones when it launches its "Swarm" attack.

When running the Maze Engine "Baphomet" weekly I have to hurry up if I want to get a hit in before the chicken kills him with that Swarm.

This isn't to complain, tell you you're wrong, or hate on Xuna.
If I hadn't got that Chicken, I would be right there on that hill with you saying just how damned useful she is, and the trade off in stats for the damage she can do IS worth it. (In PvE... anyway...) And I generally revert to an Augment for higher level Queues, but the PvE part of Mod 19 is plenty manageable with either. (TBH: Dock Master Azarel can effectively one-shot me with that twin attack if I'm not paying attention.) And I don't have a particularly high Power.

(The Chicken also only costs about 3 or 4% of the price of Xuna on the AH... Roughly 70K vs 2.4 Million.)


ETA: BOTH need to be upgraded to Legendary to provide their genuine value.

finalfantasyac7

mordekai#1901 said:

I recently dropped Xuna in favour of the Abyssal Chicken.

It's marginally better stat wise for my build, (though that is subjective, obviously) and with R15 Bondings and decent Comp Gear the drop off in stats is worth it for the amount of carnage the ugly little clucker can throw about in PvE.
With the recent addition of the Lliiras Bell of Empowerment boosting its damage, it's even better. (If you are using either Xuna or the Abyssal Chicken for the damage they deliver, that Bell is worth looking into...)

There are two main reasons I switched.
The first thing I noticed from the off was that the Chicken doesn't tend to run off and draw aggro as much as Xuna. As a Rogue, I don't want my companion dashing off trying to kill everything within a fifty foot radius and Xuna has got a bit of a blood lust.
The second is a more practical issue with regard to the companions' value in combat. I had been getting increasingly frustrated as Xuna's determination to stand at 90 degree to me in combat, and I spent so much time repositioning to try and get her to at least 120 degrees to try and get Combat Advantage that I started to question her genuine value. The Abyssal Chicken is much better at staying put, and I get FAR more personal damage from CA than with Xuna.
I don't know if you've tried using Xuna in the Bel encounter soloing it? But Jesus Christ... trying to get CA against Bel was almost impossible. I was running round the bugger and Xuna was just following me, to stand at 90 degrees... That Chicken was an absolute game changer in the amount of times I could run that Bel Encounter in an hour. And is probably the reason I got that Damned Rod in a matter of days instead of weeks. (Plus the Chicken doesn't give a toss about all those red burning zones when it launches its "Swarm" attack.

When running the Maze Engine "Baphomet" weekly I have to hurry up if I want to get a hit in before the chicken kills him with that Swarm.

This isn't to complain, tell you you're wrong, or hate on Xuna.
If I hadn't got that Chicken, I would be right there on that hill with you saying just how damned useful she is, and the trade off in stats for the damage she can do IS worth it. (In PvE... anyway...) And I generally revert to an Augment for higher level Queues, but the PvE part of Mod 19 is plenty manageable with either. (TBH: Dock Master Azarel can effectively one-shot me with that twin attack if I'm not paying attention.) And I don't have a particularly high Power.

(The Chicken also only costs about 3 or 4% of the price of Xuna on the AH... Roughly 70K vs 2.4 Million.)


ETA: BOTH need to be upgraded to Legendary to provide their genuine value.

Xuna got nerfed to the ground. Keep talking much about the chicken and before you know, it will be ueseless as xuna.

mordekai

That's strange. That they nerfed Xuna.

I thought they were starting to add more useful summoned companions to offset the obvious advantage of Augments.
You know... that whole "giving players some choices and offering viable options" sort of thing.
I've not looked into that cool looking Sun thing from the Summer Festival but was half expecting that to be a viable Healer companion.

Ah well...