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Can you play NW without using a companion

kaizermos87kaizermos87 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 8 Arc User
edited November 2013 in General Discussion (PC)
I can't stand having companion characters. Is it possible to play this game without companions and still complete end game content etc? I understand not having one will of course make you weaker, or is the game tuned so that you need a companion?
Post edited by kaizermos87 on

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  • discordinationdiscordination Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users Posts: 34
    edited November 2013
    Of course you can play without companions. AI can never know what your thinking so its always going to be as much a burden as a benefit. Neverwinter has Augment pets that only give your character stats; that's the way the majority of endgame players go as none of the companions are really worth having at 60. Get yourself an Ioun or a Cat.
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  • jintortlejintortle Member Posts: 655 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    I have a stone which is great. When I am out in pve world though I do like a companion to keep me company.
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  • sockmunkeysockmunkey Member Posts: 4,622 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    The most useful pet for leveling is the default cleric. And its most useful feature is to simply reduce potion consumption. So, if that is not a major problem for you. Then, yes, you can easily play without a companion.

    For end game, as others have mentioned, the cat or the stone become the most useful. And far less annoying. Anything that essentially gives you access to 3 more gear slots is hard to pass up. Provided you can live with having a cat following you around or a glowing rock buzzing your head.
  • dardovedardove Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users, Neverwinter Knight of the Feywild Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    sockmunkey wrote: »
    The most useful pet for leveling is the default cleric. And its most useful feature is to simply reduce potion consumption. So, if that is not a major problem for you. Then, yes, you can easily play without a companion.

    For end game, as others have mentioned, the cat or the stone become the most useful. And far less annoying. Anything that essentially gives you access to 3 more gear slots is hard to pass up. Provided you can live with having a cat following you around or a glowing rock buzzing your head.

    Personally I was hoping for a glowing cat buzzing around my head.
  • runebanerunebane Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    I can't stand having companion characters. Is it possible to play this game without companions and still complete end game content etc? I understand not having one will of course make you weaker, or is the game tuned so that you need a companion?

    Depends on what you mean by end game content:

    1. The solo questline would be doable. Might be hard, but that'd depend on you.
    2. PvP doesn't let you even use a companion, so obviously no problem there.
    3. Dungeons would depend on your group. With the new passive bonuses coming in for companions I wouldn't be surprised if you got kicked for not using even one. But if you're playing with friends, sure.

    If you just don't want something following you around.... I'd suggest saving up your AD and getting an ioun stone. Its a companion that doesn't attack or anything. Its just a tiny graphic whirling around your head. But it transfers most of its stats to you. Making you stronger.
    Halgarth's Legacy - NWS-DSTGFZHFR
  • enviromowerenviromower Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    companion, what are they?
  • sockmunkeysockmunkey Member Posts: 4,622 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    In regards to issue 3 above. Im fairly sure the active pet bonuses wont show up on your gear score. And you get the bonus for simply having the pet in your active inventory, not summoned. So it honestly shouldnt be anything anyone can see what you have or judge you by it.
  • denverralphydenverralphy Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users, Neverwinter Knight of the Feywild Users Posts: 145 Bounty Hunter
    edited November 2013
    runebane wrote: »
    3. Dungeons would depend on your group. With the new passive bonuses coming in for companions I wouldn't be surprised if you got kicked for not using even one. But if you're playing with friends, sure.

    The companions don't have to be out/summoned. They just need to be sitting in an active slot to receive their bonuses.
  • fondlezfondlez Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    Technically, yes in all contexts and at any level.

    But, in practice, for endgame groups doing high level PvE, unless you are a Cleric (who do not benefit as much from Augment companions because most of their output is mitigation), you will likely be not accepted or kicked out of the group if you don't have a Stone or Cat.

    However, come the next major patch, even unsummoned companions will be granting bonuses in PvE, so not having any companions at all may get you odd looks...
  • lewel555lewel555 Member Posts: 616 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    I can't stand having companion characters. Is it possible to play this game without companions and still complete end game content etc? I understand not having one will of course make you weaker, or is the game tuned so that you need a companion?

    If you play with a stone you pretty much have no companion. It does not interact neither with you nor with the foes.
  • snoggymack22snoggymack22 Member Posts: 5,508 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    lewel555 wrote: »
    If you play with a stone you pretty much have no companion. It does not interact neither with you nor with the foes.

    I talk to my stone allllll the time. And he talks back! I've named him and everything!
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • zebularzebular Member, Neverwinter Moderator, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 15,270 Community Moderator
    edited November 2013
    . . . . . Indeed, you can! Companions are meant as a compliment to your character, not a necessity. I often forget to summon mine from time to time simply because I just don't realize I didn't summon them. If they were a necessity, I am sure I wouldn't forget to summon them, especially in Epic Dungeons, which my guildies can attest to me doing when they hear me proclaim, "Oh dang, I my Ioun Stone isn't summoned!" after a while through the dungeon.
  • tang56tang56 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users, Neverwinter Knight of the Feywild Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    If you play a stealth TR you'll soon get used to never summoning a companion unless you have an augment. Silly things aggroing stuff you wanted to stealth past.
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  • syka08syka08 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    sockmunkey wrote: »
    In regards to issue 3 above. Im fairly sure the active pet bonuses wont show up on your gear score. And you get the bonus for simply having the pet in your active inventory, not summoned. So it honestly shouldnt be anything anyone can see what you have or judge you by it.

    I'm nearly sure you're absolutely correct on this but I cannot find the post I'm nearly sure I read that confirms it.
    contents to be decided
  • zebularzebular Member, Neverwinter Moderator, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 15,270 Community Moderator
    edited November 2013
    syka08 wrote: »
    I'm nearly sure you're absolutely correct on this but I cannot find the post I'm nearly sure I read that confirms it.
    This is correct. The augment companion themselves will add to gear-score but their passive abilities do not.
  • runebanerunebane Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    sockmunkey wrote: »
    In regards to issue 3 above. Im fairly sure the active pet bonuses wont show up on your gear score. And you get the bonus for simply having the pet in your active inventory, not summoned. So it honestly shouldnt be anything anyone can see what you have or judge you by it.

    If you show up with no companion at all. It'd be pretty obvious. Unless you come up with an excuse for not having one summoned. That said if you play with friends or something it shouldn't be an issue.

    *Just switched to preview and tested it. The passive bonuses for being in an active slot do add to the gearscore rating number. Maybe they intend to change it though, who knows.*
    Halgarth's Legacy - NWS-DSTGFZHFR
  • runebanerunebane Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    zebular wrote: »
    This is correct. The augment companion themselves will add to gear-score but their passive abilities do not.

    That's odd because I didn't think augment companions add to the gear-score now. They add to the totals for individual stats, but I don't think its counted in the rating number.
    Halgarth's Legacy - NWS-DSTGFZHFR
  • fondlezfondlez Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    zebular wrote: »
    This is correct. The augment companion themselves will add to gear-score but their passive abilities do not.

    Pets have never added to Gear Score in any way shape or form.

    So, its more likely the other way around come Module 2. Active Bonus of companions may show up as "Features", i.e. the same as Boons, and therefore, when they contribute to a stat rating or HP, are added to your Gear Score.

    EDIT:

    Just tested it on Preview. The above behavior I stated is correct. There are 21 out of at some 52 companions that impact on stat ratings or HP and therefore influence Gear Score. Individually, the impact is low, but if all five of your Active Slots have such companions they do add noticeably. For example,

    Ioun Stone of Allure = 105 Life Steal + 105 Deflection
    Cave Bear = 400 HP
    Hawk = 55 Armor Penetration + 55 Critical strike
    Wolf = 55 Armor Penetration + 55 Recovery
    Skeleton = 55 Life Steal + 55 Power

    +Gear Score for a CW = 105x2 + 0.26x400 + 55x2 + 55x2 + 55x2 = 644.

    The bonuses would be even higher if the pets are ranked up past their initial Quality.

    Combined with Artifacts, which also passively grant stats from all three slots by up to an additional 1000, this is effectively (at least from player's perspectives in group PvE and Artifacts in PvP) an increase in level cap, a kind of "soft" level cap increase.
  • runebanerunebane Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    From the preview forum:
    graalx3 wrote: »
    Active Companion Bonuses that grant stats will increase your Gear Rating.

    It seems they do intend for them to increase your gear score.
    Halgarth's Legacy - NWS-DSTGFZHFR
  • drastyk1drastyk1 Member Posts: 7 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    as perma-stealth TR i find that my companion is always drawing attention and sometimes that attention directly affects me by the way of myself receiving damage, randomly- intended for towards my companion, and stealth reducing faster so i tend to dismiss my companion alot.
    Also my main is a sent gwf with the regen/tankiness and has no need for a companion
  • runebanerunebane Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited November 2013
    drastyk1 wrote: »
    as perma-stealth TR i find that my companion is always drawing attention and sometimes that attention directly affects me by the way of myself receiving damage, randomly- intended for towards my companion, and stealth reducing faster so i tend to dismiss my companion alot.

    That's what augment companions are for. Ioun Stones for example: They aren't attacked. They don't draw enemies. You stealth, and they disappear too. They do no damage to the enemy, instead they buff you. Its like not even having a companion.
    Halgarth's Legacy - NWS-DSTGFZHFR
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