Skyrim is the most eagerly played game in The Elder Scrolls series, one of the most popular RPGs, and one of the most modded games in the world.
It offers tremendous gameplay freedom and a vast open world that we can traverse solo or with one of the available NPC companions.
Which ones are the best and worth recruiting? What are their characteristics, and where can they be found? Here’s a list of the top 10 Skyrim best followers ranked!
The Skyrim Phenomenon
Released on November 11th, 2021, the fifth full installment of The Elder Scrolls series, Skyrim, immediately captured the hearts of players worldwide.
Although Skyrim continued the principles of its predecessors, its streamlined mechanics, abandonment of the classic class system, and enrichment of the world with new storylines made the game an immediate hit on all TOP lists.
So, what’s the game about? Unlike several previous instalments, Skyrim tells an entirely new story set in the TES universe (which is peppered with references to previous parts). The story unfolds about 200 years after the events known from Oblivion.
Traditionally, we play as a prisoner who accidentally finds themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time and is being transported alongside soldiers destined for execution. However, the execution is interrupted by the appearance of a dragon.
Soon, it turns out that our hero is the Dovahkiin, the Dragonborn – a person with dragon blood flowing through their veins, giving them incredible powers and the ability to defeat mystic creatures and absorb their souls.
What’s The Deal With Companions?
In almost all The Elder Scrolls instalments, our hero had the opportunity to travel with various companions. Occasionally, these were NPCs closely related to specific quests, who “led” our character to a specific place or helped us in combat in a given location.
In other cases, they were mercenaries whom we could hire for a small fee. In Skyrim, in addition, we can ask for companionship characters for whom we have completed quest lines.
We can also recruit those whom we have defeated in brawl, as well as so-called housecarls – private bodyguards and household caretakers (which we acquire by receiving the title of Thane – a distinguished member in a given city). In total, there are 66 characters scattered around the world, willing to travel with us!
Companions, as mentioned above, provide support in battles, but they can also serve as pack mules, carrying items for us. In Skyrim, we can also issue various commands to followers, such as attack, pick up items, pull levers, or stand or sit somewhere. Additionally, accompanying NPCs can become our spouse (but not all of them).
Skyrim Best Followers Ranked
It’s time to move on to companions worth recruiting!
1. Serana
She’s an ancient pure-blooded vampire, daughter of Lord Harkon and Valerica. Unfortunately, she is not available in the base version of the game but in the Dawnguard DLC released in 2012. We meet her during the main quest of this expansion – “Awakening” – and we can recruit her after completing several important quest line missions.
Serana has a level cap of 50, 541 HP, 468 Magicka, and 148 Stamina. She also has Sneak developed to 100. She’s a powerful necromancer, excels in magic, and handles the bow well. Marriage is not possible with her (unless using a mod).
2. J’zargo
A Khajiit and a magic adept whom we meet at the College of Winterhold. He is available in the base version of the game, and we earn his favour (and thus the possibility of recruiting him) after completing numerous tasks for the college and his private quest line – “J’zargo’s Experiment”.
J’zargo has a level cap of 81, is one of the characters with the highest HP – 717. He also has 450 Magicka and 183 Stamina. Additionally, he has a few mastered skills at 100: One-Handed Weapon, Heavy Armour, as well as Destruction, Illusion, and Restoration Magic. He can be romanced.
3. Teldryn Sero
A Dunmer (Dark Elf) mercenary and spellsword, residing in The Retching Netch inn in Raven Rock on Solstheim. He is not available in the base version of the game but in the Dragonborn DLC from 2012. You can hire him for 500 Septims.
Teldryn has a level cap of 60, 616 HP, 322 Magicka, and 247 Stamina. His mastered skills include: One-handed Weapon, Light Armour, Destruction, Conjuration. Interestingly, this character avoids showing his face.
Even equipped with a better helmet, he won’t change his default chitin helmet – unless we give him something that completely covers his face, like the Nightingale Hood. He can be romanced.
4. Mjoll The Lioness
Mjoll is a Nord warrior who can be found in Riften – wandering the streets or staying at the Bee and Barb inn. She is available in the base version of the game. You can recruit her after completing her quest – “Grimsever’s Return”.
Mjoll has a level cap of 40, 580 HP, 50 Magicka, and 180 Stamina. Her mastered skills are: Heavy Armour and Two-Handed Weapon. She also handles One-handed Weapon combat, blocking attacks, and Archery well.
She can be romanced, but it’s worth noting that her inseparable companion is Aerin, who found her barely alive in Dwemer Ruins years ago – Aerin will stay in our house with her.
5. Lydia
One of the first companions we can receive in the base storyline. She lives in Dragonsreach in Whiterun and is offered to us as a housecarl after we complete a series of quests for Jarl Balgruuf and become a Thane of Whiterun.
She has a level cap of 50, 671 HP, 50 Magicka, and 214 Stamina. Her mastered skills are Heavy Armour, Block, One-handed Weapon, and Archery.
She also handles a Two-handed Weapon (72) well. Interestingly, several other housecarls have exactly the same statistics and skills: Argis (Markarth), Calder (Windhelm), Iona (The Rift), Jordis (Solitude). The latest even looks the same, lol (but is blonde).
6. Cicero
An Imperial, a jester, assassin, and Keeper of the Night’s Mother. We meet him in the base game numerous times, but we can only recruit him after completing a series of quests for the Dark Brotherhood and sparring his life in the final confrontation.
His level cap is 50, with 558 HP, 132 Magicka, and 295 Stamina. His mastered skills are Sneak and One-handed Weapon, and he also has highly developed Light Armour (97) and Archery (97) skills.
As one of the few companions, he has almost all skills developed. He’s also the only one who… dances.
7. Aela the Huntress
A Nord and a werewolf, as well as a member of the Companions group, stationed at Jorrvaskr in Whiterun. You can also recruit her in the base version of the game after completing the group’s quest line and becoming the leader of the Companions.
Her level cap is 50, with 509 HP, 50 Magicka, and 426 Stamina. Her mastered skills at 100 are: Light Armour and Archery. She also excels in skills such as Sneak (97) and Speech (75). Can be romanced.
8. Eola
Eola is a Breton and a cannibal belonging to the cult of Namira. You can find her in Markarth in the Hall of The Dead, but only if you first talk to Brother Verulus about the disturbing noises coming from the resting place of the Markarth inhabitants.
To recruit her, you must complete the daedric quest “The Taste of Death” in the base game.
Eola has a level cap of 30, 291 HP, and both 147 Magicka and Stamina. She specializes in Destruction and Alteration Magic, as well as Sneak. She also handles One-handed Weapons well. You can’t marry her, but you can recruit her as the Steward of your home in the Hearthfire add-on.
9. Illia
An Imperial woman and a powerful elemental mage wielding Frost, Fire, and Shock Magic. She resides in Darklight Tower with her mother, witches, and Hagravens. We can recruit her as a follower in the base game, after completing the quest “Repentance”.
Her level cap is 40, with 425 HP, 310 Magicka, and 50 Stamina. Her specializations are Destruction, Restoration, Alteration, and Conjuration Magic. She also handles One-handed Weapons well (when she runs out of Magicka, she uses daggers). She can’t be romanced but can be a Steward.
10. Jenassa
A Dunmer mercenary whom you can hire for 500 Septims. She usually resides in The Drunken Huntsman in Whiterun and is available in the base version of the game.
Jenassa has a level cap of 40, around 490 HP, 50 Magicka, and 245 Stamina. This character has mastered skills such as: Archery, Light Armour, One-Handed, Block, and Sneak, and her aggressive nature makes her very combative.
She performs excellently in both stealth missions and close combat. She can be romanced.
Summary
And that concludes our list of the TOP 10 best followers in Skyrim! It’s also worth remembering that besides human companions, our character can be accompanied by various pets – ranging from dogs, through Rieklings, Trolls, to even Atronachs.
However, as you can see, there’s plenty to choose from! Regardless of whether you choose to play as a battle mage, barbarian warrior, or sneak archer, you will undoubtedly find a companion and a pet whose skills perfectly complement your playstyle!