The Elder Scrolls Steam Companions: Your ESO Allies

Exploring the vast world of Tamriel in The Elder Scrolls Online can be a solitary journey, but it doesn't have to be. For players on the Steam platform, the addition of The Elder Scrolls Steam companions has revolutionized solo and small-group play. These loyal non-player characters (NPCs) fight by your side, offering invaluable support, unique perks, and even their own stories. Understanding how to acquire, develop, and utilize these allies is key to enhancing your adventures across Tamriel.

What Are Companions in The Elder Scrolls Online?

Companions are persistent NPC allies who can be summoned to assist you in most PvE content, including overland exploration, dungeons, and even some trials. They come with their own skill lines, equipment slots, and unique personalities, reacting to your actions and the world around them. Crucially, companions are considered DLC content. This means you’ll need access to specific expansions or chapters to recruit them. For instance, Isobel and Ember are tied to the High Isle chapter, while Mirri and Bastian come with Blackwood.

The most straightforward way to gain initial access to these expansions and their associated companions is often through an ESO Plus subscription. This not only unlocks most DLC zones temporarily but also frequently provides a bundle that includes two companions, making it a cost-effective option for many players. Once recruited, a companion remains with you, though accessing their personal quests, which often unlock powerful passive bonuses, may require continued access to their respective zones.

Recruiting Your Essential Elder Scrolls Steam Companions

Recruiting a companion involves completing a specific questline within their associated zone. While the process is generally straightforward once you're in the right location, each companion has a distinct personality, preferred combat style, and unique passive perk. Remember, you must recruit each companion individually for every character you play.

Here’s a breakdown of some prominent companions and where to find them:

• Isobel Veloise (High Isle): Found in the western part of High Isle, Isobel is an excellent tank and healer. She excels with a one-handed weapon and shield, typically in heavy armor. Her perk provides additional loot from world bosses. Isobel prefers honorable actions; avoid stealing or joining criminal guilds while she's around.
• Ember (High Isle): Located north of Gonfalon Bay in High Isle, Ember is one of the easiest companions to recruit, requiring minimal combat. She's a mage who thrives with a staff and medium armor, specializing in AoE damage. Ember enjoys criminal activities like pickpocketing and Black Sacraments but dislikes fishing.
• Mirri Elendis (Blackwood): Head to the northern part of Blackwood, near the Doom Vault Volpinaz, to find Mirri. An agile assassin, she's best suited for ranged light damage with a bow or dual wield, ideally in medium armor. Her perk offers a 30% chance for additional loot from chests. Mirri dislikes the Dark Brotherhood.
• Bastian Hallix (Blackwood): In southern Blackwood, near Deep Scorn Hollow, you'll encounter Bastian. He's a damage-focused companion with fire abilities and a buff for your weapons. Best in medium armor for ranged damage. His passive improves potions from monsters. Bastian strongly dislikes crime and even cooking with cheese!
• Tanelorn (Alik'r Desert): You'll find Tanelorn trapped in ice north of Volkel Guard in the Alik'r Desert. This companion leans towards mage DPS, particularly for single-target damage, and benefits from a staff. Tanelorn has many likes but dislikes Mages Guild activities.
• Zarath's Faw (Reaper's March): Travel to the Moon Mont Wayshrine in Reaper's March to begin Zarath's Faw's quest. This Khajiit is a melee DPS powerhouse, excelling with a two-handed weapon in heavy armor. His perk highlights heavy sacks. Zarath's Faw enjoys newer content like Tales of Tribute and trials but dislikes crime and undead interactions.
• Sharp-as-Night (Necrom): Located just outside Necrom, Sharp-as-Night is renowned as an exceptional healer, voiced by Garrus Vakarian of Mass Effect fame. His perk increases fishing bite rates and improves catch quality. Sharp-as-Night appreciates eating meals and fishing but dislikes getting caught by guards or destroying inventory items.
• Azandar Al-Cybiades (Apocrypha): Azandar is found in the Cipher's Midden area of Apocrypha, a zone accessed through Necrom. He offers a unique blend of ranged DPS and healing. His passive significantly increases your chance of finding recipes in containers, making him invaluable for crafters. Azandar dislikes odd actions like lighting campfires or giving to beggars.

Developing Your Companion: Skills, Gear, and Rapport

Once recruited, your companions aren't static. They grow, adapt, and form a bond with you.

Leveling Up & Skills

Companions gain experience exclusively through combat, mirroring your player character's XP gains. The higher your character's level and the more XP boosts you use, the faster your companion will level up. Each companion has unique skill lines (weapon, armor, and guild-specific) that level independently. To progress a skill line, your companion must have at least one ability from that line equipped on their active skill bar. For guild skill lines (like Undaunted or Mages Guild), they must be present when you complete daily guild activities. Companions also have an ultimate ability that can be manually triggered or set to auto-cast.

Equipping Your Allies

Companion equipment works similarly to player gear but drops less frequently and can be harder to find with ideal stats. Companions can wear light, medium, or heavy armor, and wield various weapon types.

• Armor: Generally, heavy armor is recommended for most companions to maximize their survivability, as their AI isn't always adept at avoiding damage. Medium armor can be used for DPS-focused companions.
• Weapons: Weapon choice dictates their primary combat role. For example, a one-handed weapon and shield for a tank, a staff for a mage, or a bow for a ranged DPS.
• Traits: Focus on traits that enhance their role, such as cooldown reduction for healers or damage-boosting traits for DPS.

Building Rapport and Unlocking Keepsakes

Rapport is a crucial system representing your companion's relationship with you. It increases or decreases based on your in-game actions, with each companion having specific likes and dislikes. Unlike other companion progress, rapport is character-specific. Maxing out a companion's rapport and completing their personal questline unlocks a powerful "keepsake" – an account-wide passive bonus that benefits all your characters, even when that specific companion isn't summoned.

For example, Isobel gains rapport from defeating world bosses and completing Undaunted dailies, while Ember prefers Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood activities. Be mindful of their preferences; committing crimes with Isobel present will decrease her rapport, so it's wise to desummon her using your gear wheel before engaging in illicit acts.

Strategic Companion Use and Management

Companions are more than just combat pets; they are versatile tools that can be customized to fit various playstyles.

• Role Specialization: You can outfit companions to be tanks, healers, or damage dealers. For instance, Isobel makes an excellent tank with healing capabilities, while Sharp-as-Night is a dedicated healer.
• Settings Customization: In your gameplay settings, you can adjust companion dialogue frequency, whether they ride mounts with you, and control their ultimate ability manually.
• Quick Access: Assigning companions to your gear wheel allows for quick summoning and desummoning, which is particularly useful if you need to dismiss them before engaging in activities they dislike, like stealing.
• Companion Menu: To manage companions, navigate to Collections > Allies > Companions. Here you can assign them to quick slots, view their progress, and change their gear and skills.

Are Elder Scrolls Steam Companions Worth It?

Absolutely. For any player of The Elder Scrolls Online on Steam, companions are a significant and worthwhile addition. They provide much-needed assistance for solo players tackling challenging content, offer unique passive benefits that can boost your account-wide progression (like Azandar's recipe bonus or Mirri's chest loot), and add depth to the game world through their distinct personalities and questlines. Whether you need a sturdy tank, a reliable healer, or extra damage, there's a companion to suit your needs, making your journey through Tamriel more engaging and efficient.

For more details on the game itself, including its availability and features, visit the official The Elder Scrolls Online Steam page.

FAQ

How do I get companions in The Elder Scrolls Online on Steam?

You acquire companions by owning specific DLC chapters (like High Isle or Blackwood) and then completing their recruitment quests within those zones. An ESO Plus subscription can grant temporary access to many of these zones.

Can I have more than one Elder Scrolls Steam companion at a time?

No, you can only have one companion actively summoned at any given time. However, you can switch between your recruited companions using the quick slot wheel.

Does companion progress carry over between my characters?

Most companion progress, such as their level and skill lines, is account-wide. However, their rapport (relationship) with you is character-specific, meaning each character needs to build rapport with a companion independently.

What is a companion keepsake and how do I get it?

A companion keepsake is an account-wide passive bonus unlocked after you max out a companion's rapport and complete their personal questline. These keepsakes provide benefits even when the companion isn't summoned, making them valuable long-term goals for your Elder Scrolls Steam companions.