Post by Zeli on Apr 3, 2013 9:08:22 GMT -5
From civildude @ the official forums
Companion info and a bit of a guide
I made this post for my guild and thought it might be helpful to share over here too!
So what are companions in Neverwinter Online and why should you care about them?
Companions in neverwinter are weaker versions of character classes that follow you around and fight beside you and you should care because they are awesome ya goof!
How do I get a companion?
There are a couple different ways to get yourself a companion:
I have a companion, now what?
Your companion can be summoned and dismissed from the companions tab of the character sheet (C to bring it up). Keep your companion with you at all times while you play so that they will level up along with you. Each companion currently has two spells/attacks that do not change as they level up.
Once your companion reaches the next level they can be sent for training. This is also done from the companions tab of the character sheet. While out for training your companion will not gain the experience of being next to you, but will increase in level and come back a bit stronger. While you have sent one companion out for training feel free to summon a second companion while you continue to play! It won't interrupt the training of the first and is a great way to level two companions at a time.
What is a companions maximum level?
Companions max out at level 30. This is where you unlock their last appearance tier. Thanks for testing this Deistik!
Anything special about companions?
They will never talk back or complain about how many times you get them killed. And they do love to stand in stuff so their deaths will be quite frequent. Don't worry though! There is no penalty to the companion for them dying and they will pop back up at the end of a fight or you can take a few seconds during the fight to get them back on their feet.
Companions get their own special rune slots and can wear some kinds of regular player gear. Each companion has 3 rune slots that will unlock as they level. You can put runes in here that will just add to each companions basic stats. Also, each companion has 3 equipment slots. These can be anything from rings to belts to other items and will also add to a companions stats. It doesn't matter what level the gear is that you put into these slots. If the gear is too high then it will be scaled down to the companions level. Each companion has their own equipment slots and no two are the same. Clerics might have ring, implement, belt while boars will have neck, belt, neck.
Their appearance advances with their level. Each companion has four skins and you unlock their second skin at level 10. Other unlock levels are still unknown, but my guess is they get skin 3 at 20 and skin 4 at 30. I doubt a companion will advance beyond half the max level so they will probably stay at 30. Below are a couple pictures of appearance advancement for a boar and cleric. These are just the second level skins so the companions will become a good deal more impressive looking by the end.
Cleric companion Tier 1
i.imgur.com/DK7Whh6.jpg
Cleric Companion Tier 2
i.imgur.com/kNiyewg.jpg
Boar Tier 1
i.imgur.com/ZSJATWi.jpg
Boar Tier 2
i.imgur.com/dbkjH8Q.jpg
Sorry for the stance quality. Companions like to stand beside you and away a bit so this is the best I could get them to pose for.
Sex of companion
No this isn't the bioware making sexytime with your companion - they thankfully aren't built for that in this game what with a bunch of them being animals. The human ones however always come as the same gender, which can make setting their original name just guesswork unless you already know which is which. You can rename your companions, but that will cost astral diamonds, so knowing ahead of time will save you some money.
Cleric Companion
Always female - probably human but her hair covers her ears - as shown above
Man at Arms
Always a male human. Not too surprising - No picture yet
Wizard companion
Always a male dark elf - No picture yet
Great weapon fighter
Always female human
i.imgur.com/FYErpwA.jpg
Rogue
Male and I think he's a dwarf, but he has no beard, so he's only half a dwarf
i.imgur.com/PVzjAV4.jpg
Another example with me standing on the left
i.imgur.com/2XQA9q2.jpg
Animal companions
I have no idea how to tell their gender, if you can somehow bust out mad nature skill to tell then please feel free to share. Just don't share how to tell
Animal pets are just like the humans in that they fulfill a specific role as striker/healer/tank/controller. As I learn what each one does I will add it to this list!
Boar
Controller - Male (per trickshaw) - Knockdowns and knockbacks.
Wolf
Controller? - Male (per lanessar13) - Knockdown
Fire elemental
Ranged something?
Ghost
Female (I think) - Controller - Takes Possession of one enemy for 1-4(estimated) minutes
Kobold
Male (probable) - Melee something?
Rock Golem
Tank - Taunt ability and ground pound ability
The Companion idle/active system
Each character can only have 3 active companions(unless you buy more active pet slots). Companions purchased or obtained will only appear on that character. If you have more companions than you have active slots, you may make a companion idle for free. You can then reactivate that companion should you have an active slot open up - either by buying a new one or making another companion idle. Each character starts with 6 idle companion slots.
Once you initially make a companion active that companion becomes bound to you. Here's the fun part. For a fee of astral diamonds you can make a companion unbound to you and then trade/sell that companion with other players! Want a new companion but don't to level a companion all over again? Someone might be selling one that they have already leveled! Have a companion you don't want anymore? Unbind and sell them! This could create some really interesting markets I think.
Have any other questions?
Please ask! Sorry for a huge post, but this includes everything I could think of to help people get started with companions and explain some of the little parts of the system that I have picked up. Current prices for things are subject to change and they may add in new charges at any time.
I made this post for my guild and thought it might be helpful to share over here too!
So what are companions in Neverwinter Online and why should you care about them?
Companions in neverwinter are weaker versions of character classes that follow you around and fight beside you and you should care because they are awesome ya goof!
How do I get a companion?
There are a couple different ways to get yourself a companion:
- The most basic manner is to level to 16. At level 16 you will get a companion for free from a quest. You will get to pick from 5 basic humanoid companions - One representing each class.
- Buy one of the founders packs. Each founders pack comes with one exclusive companion. The $60 pack comes with a dire wolf and the $200 pack comes with a black panther.
- Buy them from the zen store. The zen store has special companions for sale from 1500-3500 zen.
- Buy them with in game gold. There is a vendor in the Grand Emporium building in the protectors enclave that sells pets for 2 gold each. You can buy any of the 5 humanoid companions from the initial pet quest or a couple special ones such as a boar or wolf.
I have a companion, now what?
Your companion can be summoned and dismissed from the companions tab of the character sheet (C to bring it up). Keep your companion with you at all times while you play so that they will level up along with you. Each companion currently has two spells/attacks that do not change as they level up.
Once your companion reaches the next level they can be sent for training. This is also done from the companions tab of the character sheet. While out for training your companion will not gain the experience of being next to you, but will increase in level and come back a bit stronger. While you have sent one companion out for training feel free to summon a second companion while you continue to play! It won't interrupt the training of the first and is a great way to level two companions at a time.
What is a companions maximum level?
Companions max out at level 30. This is where you unlock their last appearance tier. Thanks for testing this Deistik!
Anything special about companions?
They will never talk back or complain about how many times you get them killed. And they do love to stand in stuff so their deaths will be quite frequent. Don't worry though! There is no penalty to the companion for them dying and they will pop back up at the end of a fight or you can take a few seconds during the fight to get them back on their feet.
Companions get their own special rune slots and can wear some kinds of regular player gear. Each companion has 3 rune slots that will unlock as they level. You can put runes in here that will just add to each companions basic stats. Also, each companion has 3 equipment slots. These can be anything from rings to belts to other items and will also add to a companions stats. It doesn't matter what level the gear is that you put into these slots. If the gear is too high then it will be scaled down to the companions level. Each companion has their own equipment slots and no two are the same. Clerics might have ring, implement, belt while boars will have neck, belt, neck.
Their appearance advances with their level. Each companion has four skins and you unlock their second skin at level 10. Other unlock levels are still unknown, but my guess is they get skin 3 at 20 and skin 4 at 30. I doubt a companion will advance beyond half the max level so they will probably stay at 30. Below are a couple pictures of appearance advancement for a boar and cleric. These are just the second level skins so the companions will become a good deal more impressive looking by the end.
Cleric companion Tier 1
i.imgur.com/DK7Whh6.jpg
Cleric Companion Tier 2
i.imgur.com/kNiyewg.jpg
Boar Tier 1
i.imgur.com/ZSJATWi.jpg
Boar Tier 2
i.imgur.com/dbkjH8Q.jpg
Sorry for the stance quality. Companions like to stand beside you and away a bit so this is the best I could get them to pose for.
Sex of companion
No this isn't the bioware making sexytime with your companion - they thankfully aren't built for that in this game what with a bunch of them being animals. The human ones however always come as the same gender, which can make setting their original name just guesswork unless you already know which is which. You can rename your companions, but that will cost astral diamonds, so knowing ahead of time will save you some money.
Cleric Companion
Always female - probably human but her hair covers her ears - as shown above
Man at Arms
Always a male human. Not too surprising - No picture yet
Wizard companion
Always a male dark elf - No picture yet
Great weapon fighter
Always female human
i.imgur.com/FYErpwA.jpg
Rogue
Male and I think he's a dwarf, but he has no beard, so he's only half a dwarf
i.imgur.com/PVzjAV4.jpg
Another example with me standing on the left
i.imgur.com/2XQA9q2.jpg
Animal companions
I have no idea how to tell their gender, if you can somehow bust out mad nature skill to tell then please feel free to share. Just don't share how to tell
Animal pets are just like the humans in that they fulfill a specific role as striker/healer/tank/controller. As I learn what each one does I will add it to this list!Boar
Controller - Male (per trickshaw) - Knockdowns and knockbacks.
Wolf
Controller? - Male (per lanessar13) - Knockdown
Fire elemental
Ranged something?
Ghost
Female (I think) - Controller - Takes Possession of one enemy for 1-4(estimated) minutes
Kobold
Male (probable) - Melee something?
Rock Golem
Tank - Taunt ability and ground pound ability
The Companion idle/active system
Each character can only have 3 active companions(unless you buy more active pet slots). Companions purchased or obtained will only appear on that character. If you have more companions than you have active slots, you may make a companion idle for free. You can then reactivate that companion should you have an active slot open up - either by buying a new one or making another companion idle. Each character starts with 6 idle companion slots.
Once you initially make a companion active that companion becomes bound to you. Here's the fun part. For a fee of astral diamonds you can make a companion unbound to you and then trade/sell that companion with other players! Want a new companion but don't to level a companion all over again? Someone might be selling one that they have already leveled! Have a companion you don't want anymore? Unbind and sell them! This could create some really interesting markets I think.
Have any other questions?
Please ask! Sorry for a huge post, but this includes everything I could think of to help people get started with companions and explain some of the little parts of the system that I have picked up. Current prices for things are subject to change and they may add in new charges at any time.
