In a world as big and intimidating as that of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, a companion can mean the difference between life and death. These are the best followers in Skyrim.
All of the included characters in this list have colourful personalities and unique opinions and dialogue regarding the world and its events. Not only do they make many combat encounters significantly less frustrating, but they can also carry many of your items.
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To make it into this list of the best followers in Skyrim, the potential companion must have some sort of uniqueness to them as well as great capability in battle. Without further ado, let’s get right into it!
J’zargo
One of the many questlines in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the College of Winterhold questline. While it’s debatable if this questline is as great as, say, the Dark Brotherhood questline, it still introduces us to a cast of well-written characters.
J’zargo the Khajiit is one such example. This feline is known for his overconfidence and the need to win at everything. He specialises in Destruction magic and can be an excellent battlemage.
But the best part of him is probably the way he speaks and acts. He’s quite egotistic and arrogant, and he isn’t afraid to show it. However, the dialogue and behaviour are written in such a way that makes him more loveable, not annoying.
You have to complete a short quest for him, where you must test some fire scrolls he had crafted. After completing this quest, he will be available as a follower.
Uthgerd the Unbroken
Uthgerd is a Nord woman living in Whiterun, one of the first cities you will visit. She’s mostly away from her small house, drinking her worries away at the tavern. When you approach her, you’ll notice her heavy steel plate armour and her immense hot-headedness that you’d expect from an old-fashioned Nord.
Uthgerd’s backstory reflects that nature of her. Since forever, she wanted to join the Companions in Whiterun. Of course, she had the strength and wit to make for a formidable member.
However, she severely messed up her first job. The guild ordered her to beat some sense into a young lad who’d done some wrong. However, Uthgerd lost her rationality and self-control in the heat of the beatdown and accidentally killed the boy.
At least, that’s what she claims. Thus, her chance at joining the Companions was botched. Now she deeply regrets what she had done.
When you speak with her, she makes it clear that she wishes to engage in a good old fistfight with you. After defeating her, she will be very impressed and offer to join you in your adventures.
Mjoll the Lioness
Mjoll the Lioness resides in Riften, one of the most corrupt cities in Skyrim. She despises the Thieves Guild and the Black-Briar family, which has the Guild in its pocket. She claims that she’s been an adventurer since she was a young girl and that she has travelled through many great provinces of Tamriel.
One day, on an adventure in the Dwemer ruins of Mzinchaleft, she lost her beloved sword, Grimsever. While fighting a formidable Dwarven machine, she got knocked unconscious. When she came to, she was being cared for by the Imperial, Aerin. It’s unclear how Aerin, a seemingly inexperienced man who doesn’t even wield a blade, saved Mjoll. But that made the two great friends.
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You can offer to retrieve Grimsever from the Dwarven ruins to win her favour, and get her as a follower. She’s a formidable combatant with an honourable personality. The best parts of her are probably her integrity and good-heartedness.
Aela the Huntress
Your first encounter with Aela will probably be in the plains of Whiterun where she and some other Companions are fighting off a giant. If you join the Companions’ guild, you will be able to get her to join you in your adventures.
Aela is an expert archer who excels in ranged combat. She wears light armour and is an excellent follower that’s great for support.
Her personality reflects the ideologies of the Companions. Meaning that she always loves fighting and felling enemies even greater than she is. Aela is also an expert-level trainer for Archery.
Marcurio
Marcurio resides in the Bee and the Barb Inn in Riften. He’s a mercenary who excels in magic, using Restoration spells and Destruction spells to turn the tide of battle. For 500 Septims, you will be able to hire him.
Other than his formidable nature in the heat of battle, his unique and witty personality is another aspect of him that made him an entry on this list. Often using ironic remarks and sarcastic lines even when you’re exploring dangerous dungeons, it’s hard to not be amused by him.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is available on PC, PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch. You can find it on Amazon for as cheap as $10.
