companion

mortz1234

hey everyone
i'm currently using the orc wolf but he can only get to lvl 20 so i want to know which companion should i buy-lillend,honey badger or rust monster?if you have better suggestion than those three,tell me.

harnel

Depends on what you want to do with it. The rust monster is going to increase the damage of your entire party once it hits level 30, which is incredibly valuable. The honey badger is probably one of the coolest striker companions around, but strikers companions aren't all that great because companion damage above level 40 is completely lackluster. The Lillend is going to save you a fortune on health potions.

But here's the thing - beyond the relatively minor bonuses you get from them, the big thing about companions is how they work with your character. Defenders can be incredibly important if you're playing a squishy ranged class. if you lack regeneration and lifesteal, a healer companion may be important for helping yo heal back up out of combat. A controller can make things more difficult for your opponent, which can open ample opportunities to strike if you have attacks with slow buildup.

Basically? It's a personal choice. Take what you think looks cool andworks with your character. If you do that, it won't steer you wrong.

bioshrike

OP, also consider having a "stable" of cheaper companions to help in different situations. For instance, if you are a high dps character, maybe a white-quality tank will be enough to buy you the time you need to defeat the enemies, or the basic 2g cleric is enough to top you off between fights. In the long run, a blue ioun stone might be just what you're looking for - it doesn't attack, but it boosts YOUR stats significantly (depending upon what runes & gear you give it, since those transfer over to you).

rashylewizz

Is this an exclusive PVP toon?

If not, then hands-down go buy an Ioun Stone of Allure. The price is down due to the recent sale

ambisinisterr

rashylewizz wrote: »

Is this an exclusive PVP toon?

If not, then hands-down go buy an Ioun Stone of Allure. The price is down due to the recent sale

Companions do not function in PvP.

The best companions to have depend on your class and how you play those classes.

mortz1234

harnel wrote: »

Depends on what you want to do with it. The rust monster is going to increase the damage of your entire party once it hits level 30, which is incredibly valuable. The honey badger is probably one of the coolest striker companions around, but strikers companions aren't all that great because companion damage above level 40 is completely lackluster. The Lillend is going to save you a fortune on health potions.

But here's the thing - beyond the relatively minor bonuses you get from them, the big thing about companions is how they work with your character. Defenders can be incredibly important if you're playing a squishy ranged class. if you lack regeneration and lifesteal, a healer companion may be important for helping yo heal back up out of combat. A controller can make things more difficult for your opponent, which can open ample opportunities to strike if you have attacks with slow buildup.

Basically? It's a personal choice. Take what you think looks cool andworks with your character. If you do that, it won't steer you wrong.

i'm a drow archer-so which companion suits this type of character?
and thnx i'll consider buy the one i like the most.

bioshrike

mortz1234 wrote: »

i'm a drow archer-so which companion suits this type of character?
and thnx i'll consider buy the one i like the most.

OK, so as a hunter ranger, your choice of companion will vary based upon your playstyle. For instance, my HR is mainly nature spec, so he can pretty much just tank and dps any enemies he encounters in solo PvE, thanks to the extra defense and regen from the nature spells. I find a blue ioun stone to be most useful for him.

jonkoca

Hi, I'm also a drow HR, hybrid spec, and for a long time ran with a Blacksmith companion. Levelled up he's tough enough to last a while in pve, and his reflect damage ability procs fairly frequently. He keeps the enemies off your back, which is great. Just bought an ioun stone of allure on sale, specifically for open world pvp, because its stat boosts will be a necessity when facing other players, and any other companion will be either killed straight away, or completely ignored.

mortz1234

ok thank you all

angrysprite

Agreed - for an HR (and Cleric and to some degree a Wizard) keeping bigger brutes off you while you burn down mobs is definitely helpful. For my Cleric and HR I used the Galeb Dhur. I've also had great experience with the Honey badger and Blacksmith.

The primary benefit of the Galeb is that he has a hard taunt: he takes the aggro from the biggest guy in a mob (and especially bosses) which allows you to keep minions, mobs and adds in check. The Honey Badger is probably next-best for this utility - not as good as the Galeb, but very mean. Then the Blacksmith would be my third choice - again, if I were looking for this particular aspect of utility.

And this utility works best in solo-play. Obviously PvP does't apply, but for group-based dungeons and such an augment companion is best (Stones, Cat, etc.) - because they don't die, it's fewer avatars running around preventing some confusion and lag, and their stats all go directly to you which helps you focus on supporting your party.

But in the end the best "defender" companion you can buy is hands-down the Galeb Dhur, then the Honey Badger, then it becomes a bit more unfocussed from there. I purchased the full companion pack a bit ago and then went to preview to run them all through their paces. There are definitely some good ones, but for squishies I definitely stand by my advice stated above.

tickdoff

When fully upgraded (not cheap), the Cave Bear is an excellent companion. He also has a hard taunt, a boat-load of HP, gives you 1200 HP as well, and looks pretty nice. My bear is sitting on about 26k HP, combined with his defense he has survived MANY battles (even in epic dungeons) that I never thought he would.

Of course I still use my Ioun Stone for the more difficult fights, but the bear has been a pleasant surprise.

hustin1

I'd have to echo the earlier sentiments. A companion choice depends on what you're doing at the moment. When I'm out doing dailies, it doesn't matter all that much and I just pick the companion that I want to level up. If I'm on a DD, I have the Cleric Disciple for regeneration and the cat summoned for the stats, but the rest depend on the dungeon in question: leprechaun if I'm going to see lots of AoE, Fey Panther if I'll see lots of close-in combat, Acolyte of Kelemvor if I'm going to take lots of ranged hits, Sylph if I'm going to face lots of control, etc. (though I'd really love a clear explanation of what "50% control resist" really means). On the other hand, if I'm soloing a dungeon I typically have the Cleric Disciple summoned for the healing.

Then there are companions that might be better just for fun: I put my phase spider in that category, though if you have low HP, a maxed-out phase spider can hold its own against most single mobs when you're doing dailies if you need time (and they do decent damage). Otherwise, though, I don't use the phase spider in dungeons (though bringing it was a lot of fun in Respen's event!) Remember, this is a game, so it shouldn't feel like work, so having some frivolous "fun" companions should be on any player's list (devs, please, *please* create a redcap witherer companion: that would be a riot!)

oicidraz

angrysprite wrote: »

Agreed - for an HR (and Cleric and to some degree a Wizard) keeping bigger brutes off you while you burn down mobs is definitely helpful. For my Cleric and HR I used the Galeb Dhur. I've also had great experience with the Honey badger and Blacksmith.

The primary benefit of the Galeb is that he has a hard taunt: he takes the aggro from the biggest guy in a mob (and especially bosses) which allows you to keep minions, mobs and adds in check. The Honey Badger is probably next-best for this utility - not as good as the Galeb, but very mean. Then the Blacksmith would be my third choice - again, if I were looking for this particular aspect of utility.

And this utility works best in solo-play. Obviously PvP does't apply, but for group-based dungeons and such an augment companion is best (Stones, Cat, etc.) - because they don't die, it's fewer avatars running around preventing some confusion and lag, and their stats all go directly to you which helps you focus on supporting your party.

But in the end the best "defender" companion you can buy is hands-down the Galeb Dhur, then the Honey Badger, then it becomes a bit more unfocussed from there. I purchased the full companion pack a bit ago and then went to preview to run them all through their paces. There are definitely some good ones, but for squishies I definitely stand by my advice stated above.

I've heard so many ppl saying that Galeb Dhur is the best in taunting and besides his bonus is very good, I think Galeb will be the next companion I buy.

wingedkagouti

Note that the Galeb only taunts one target at a time and the taunt has a cooldown.

Do not get it and expect to send it in to tank (and keep aggro on) a group of enemies while you safely pick away at them from afar.

rashylewizz

If you are planning to do dungeons,

Get an augment pet first and foremost (Ioun stone of allure or radiance, cat) whichever is the cheapest.

Then you start taking in all these other suggestions.

abaddon523

If the goal is to have fun you should buy whichever companion you think looks cool or is fun to have along for the ride. All of the pets offer some utility and can add to the enjoyment of the game.

If the goal is to max out your character than you should buy a ioun stone or cat pronto. Then fill the other four active companion slots with companions that offer your character good passive bonuses. For example just by having Galeb Duhr occupy one of your five active companion slots (even if he's not summoned) you will be granted up to 10% additional damage as your health decreases. A fully upgraded Cave Bear will give you 1200 extra HP. A fully upgraded Wild Hunt Rider will give you a 5% chance of increasing your damage by 10% for five seconds every time you use an encounter power (if you have an encounter powers that hit a lot of targets it will proc quite frequently). Other companions that give good bonuses are the Fire Archon (+5% damage to targets at <30% health) and the Dancing blade (+5% crit severity).

iambecks1

Buy an Ioun stone while they are on sale in the zen market , super cheap in the AH atm , augments are the only realistic choice for level 60 .

bioshrike

The wild hunt rider, although only a green-quality companion, has a taunt built into both of his attacks - so equipping him with runes and gear to keep him alive will help you out, too. His look also meshes with that of a HR.

Also do a search for 'IGN Prime Neverwinter Promo' - you can get an account-wide green cleric companion for under $8 (make sure to read the terms of the promotion as you have to subscribe to IGN Prime for one month, but can cancel before it renews and keep the reward).

ghoulz66

bioshrike wrote: »

The wild hunt rider, although only a green-quality companion, has a taunt built into both of his attacks - so equipping him with runes and gear to keep him alive will help you out, too. His look also meshes with that of a HR.

Also do a search for 'IGN Prime Neverwinter Promo' - you can get an account-wide green cleric companion for under $8 (make sure to read the terms of the promotion as you have to subscribe to IGN Prime for one month, but can cancel before it renews and keep the reward).

I've seen my WHR agro more than just the guy he attacked, which is pretty nice.

lewel555

iambecks1 wrote: »

augments are the only realistic choice for level 60 .

Is it not a mod1 statement? Campaign boons, artifacts, companion passives, tymora coin, pocket pet, that's quite a lot of boosts to your stats.

iambecks1

lewel555 wrote: »

Is it not a mod1 statement? Campaign boons, artifacts, companion passives, tymora coin, pocket pet, that's quite a lot of boosts to your stats.

Good luck running round the Mod 3 content with a companion that can be killed in a few aoe's , most people would probably prefer the nice big boost in stats a ioun stone gives not to mention it's invulnerability .

wingedkagouti

lewel555 wrote: »

Is it not a mod1 statement? Campaign boons, artifacts, companion passives, tymora coin, pocket pet, that's quite a lot of boosts to your stats.

A non-Augment companion is likely to pull aggro you do not want. It can also aid certain enemies that trigger off of stupid plays (like poor positioning or not dodging) since the companion AI is about as smart as the average mob. Also, they'll often do thorough examinations of the local soil providing no further benefit until the fight ends, unless you pile on defensive gear/runestones.

An Augment will not do any of that.

dardove

wingedkagouti wrote: »

It can also aid certain enemies that trigger off of stupid plays (like poor positioning or not dodging) since the companion AI is about as smart as the average mob.

I believe mod 3 is supposed to help with that. There is a patch note about not companions no longer triggering healing effects on enemy npcs. Don't know if it will apply to other things like GWD's boss summoning wolves when it hits.

angrysprite

As usual a good "companion thread" devolves into a silly debate over why the augment is the 'bestestevar' and how 'u2stoopid ifU don't' and whatnot.

Here's the thing folks: Augments are good, I agree, but they are only the best to have in group play, as in dungeon delves, or at level 60, as in the Module zone areas. They do not even apply in PvP and leveling-up solo play there are a lot *better* companions than augment companions. THAT is what this thread was about. So, to everyone with your shrill shouts "STONE IS BESTEST!" We get it. We agree, in specific cases. To everyone debunking this with shrill shouts "DASTONE AIN'T ALLDAT!" True, we get it. Except in certain circumstances when it is.

So, ummm, WE GET IT. Can we drop the debate about Stones and Cats now, please? Sheesh.

The OP asked for SPECIFIC advice:

i want to know which companion should i buy-lillend, honey badger or rust monster? if you have better suggestion than those three,tell me.

Okay, the stone has been suggested and for why. So have many other companions and why. I would have hoped this thread had petered-out by now. Since it hasn't, I'll summarize for the OP here and now:

@OP It seems the Lillend is among your best bets for its healing ability, which is great for solo-play and is pretty survivable as well as being great in Gateway Sword Coast Adventures game. The next better of your own choices would probably be the Rust Monster. It also does very well in the SCA game, but only so-so in solo game play. The Honey Badger is fun and also purple, but can be a bit uncontrollable at times and might draw aggro from mobs when you aren't wuite ready. Of fcourse you'll want to consider the Active Bonuses on these to help you decide.

As for other suggestions: Obviously there is the Augment companions (Stone, Cat, etc.) - they're pretty good because they don't die and they give their stats to you, which is great if you're a min-maxer and pretty good player. But also remember all the aggro is on you and the only combat coming from your side is all you. Once you reach level 60 this is a thing, but up to that point other companions may suit you better.

The Galeb Dhur is among the best aggro-takers if you're a squishy class (you haven't specified in your OP) - which may be your best choice, other than a healer companion such as the Lillend, or even freebie Cleric.

dardove

Honey badger is one of my least favorite companions. I was leveling it during the challenge of the gods event. It spent the majority of the time dead. When it dies, it either dies and stays dead (until you dismiss and resummon it) or occasionally, it will heal itself and come back to life after a time. It does not rez itself normally like other companions. So once it died, I just left it dead and continued to farm the event.

beckylunatic

dardove wrote: »

Honey badger is one of my least favorite companions. I was leveling it during the challenge of the gods event. It spent the majority of the time dead. When it dies, it either dies and stays dead (until you dismiss and resummon it) or occasionally, it will heal itself and come back to life after a time. It does not rez itself normally like other companions. So once it died, I just left it dead and continued to farm the event.

It's not that it stays dead, but it sleeps until it feels better (and if you leave it behind the pathing can have trouble finding you again). Its behavior is essentially based off a viral video and while I happen to find it very funny, it's unpredictable and unreliable, therefore not a great companion choice for someone looking for utility over entertainment in their battle pets. I still like mine but I am glad I didn't spend the money on it with higher expectations.

dardove

beckylunatic wrote: »

It's not that it stays dead, but it sleeps until it feels better (and if you leave it behind the pathing can have trouble finding you again). Its behavior is essentially based off a viral video and while I happen to find it very funny, it's unpredictable and unreliable, therefore not a great companion choice for someone looking for utility over entertainment in their battle pets. I still like mine but I am glad I didn't spend the money on it with higher expectations.

No, most of the time it dies, it stays dead. When farming challenge of the god, and seeing it in the same exact spot dead for 2 hours, I can assure it, it was dead and not getting back up. Occasionally when it would die while I was leveling, it would get back up after a time and rejoin me, but most of the time, it would stay dead.

dragonreborn26

So, I got my companion cleric to rank 15 and the only way she can go higher I think it said is something like half a mil AD. Is this the only way I'll ever get a higher rank companion if I choose not to spend any real money (Zen)? I say the "Only way", meaning excluding months of grinding for a specific currency or things along those lines

lewstelamon01

dragonreborn26 wrote: »

So, I got my companion cleric to rank 15 and the only way she can go higher I think it said is something like half a mil AD. Is this the only way I'll ever get a higher rank companion if I choose not to spend any real money (Zen)? I say the "Only way", meaning excluding months of grinding for a specific currency or things along those lines

On topic answer: Yes.

Off topic: Nice handle LOL

bioshrike

dragonreborn26 wrote: »

So, I got my companion cleric to rank 15 and the only way she can go higher I think it said is something like half a mil AD. Is this the only way I'll ever get a higher rank companion if I choose not to spend any real money (Zen)? I say the "Only way", meaning excluding months of grinding for a specific currency or things along those lines

It costs 300K AD to go from white to green, and gets more expensive for each tier you want to raise it. You'd be better off spending those ADs on a companion off of the AH directly, or converting it to Zen and buying one from the Zen store. You can also look into the IGN Prime promotion, as it unlocks an account-wide green cleric (if the promo is still running).

Another option is to increase the quality of the runes & gear the companion uses - if you have some spare unicorn or drake seals lying around, your companion is a good place to spend them on.

sockmunkey

Pets rank is limited by its rarity. White pets can only go to 15, green to 20, blue to 25, purple to 30. Its often more expensive to upgrade a pet to purple then it is to simply buy one. You can often get good deals on blue and purple pets by carefully shopping the auction house or waiting zen sales.

Green pets are often your best deal, they can still be useful in level 60 areas. They can be pretty easy to get for free. They are often used for promos and event rewards.