• Best Followers Skyrim
• Skyrim Essential Companions
• Skyrim Companions
• Skyrim Non Essential Followers List

Stewards are companions that you can assign to protect your homestead if you have the Hearthfire DLC for Skyrim.

Most stewards can also serve as regular in-game companions, so you can also make them accompany you into battle too.

Once a steward is assigned to a homestead, though, the only thing you can do to get them out is either reassign them to another one or have them die. So yeah it’s a pretty tight contract.

Essential followers: Aela, Vilkas, Farkas, DB followers. J'zargo as one of few that has no level cap & is essential. Other one like him, i think, is Serana, but for her you need Dawnguard DLC. At your level, going through dwemer dungs should not be a problem. Trainer followers Aela the Huntress, Archery expert trainer (trains to level 75) Athis, One-Handed expert trainer (trains to level 75) Faendal, Archery adept trainer (trains to level 50) Farkas, Heavy Armor master trainer (trains to level 90) Njada Stonearm, Block expert trainer (trains to level 75). If you want Followers who will -always- fight at their best ability possible regardless of your level (and you have Dawnguard installed + joined their side), pick up either Durak, Celann or Injgard. They level up with you infinitely, which can prove far more useful than capped Essential Followers at much higher levels. Most followers have a task you must accomplish before they join you. Once you complete that task, they will join you for good. Here is the list of followers you can find in Skyrim. A few follower tips: You can have one human and one animal follower at all times. However, some quests allow additional followers to join you temporarily.

You want to make sure you pick the right steward for your home, as they’ll serve as its main caretaker for as long as they live.

I’ve made this list comprising all the best stewards for you to select from, each with different benefits and drawbacks. Some of them are mighty warriors, while others are weaker but loyal servants. Choose whichever one of these lovely characters best fits with your character’s story.

15. Durak

Durak is a mighty warrior and one of the best followers in the game.

He can become a steward if you wish, and he also has one of the coolest backstories of any NPC follower in the game.

He joined the Dawnguard(where you will need to go if you want to recruit him) to avenge the deaths of his last two wives, who were apparently slain by vampires.

He has an inherent hate for vampires(as you can imagine). So if you wish a lore-friendly playthrough you might not want to recruit Durak if your character is going to follow the steps of the night and become a vampire.

In any case, you can recruit Durak and take advantage of his skills as an archer whenever you wish. He’s also good with light armor.

14. Njada Stonearm

Njada Stonearm may only be recruited to be a follower or steward after completing the entire questline of the Companions.

So it’s worth noting that getting her by your side isn’t as easy as other followers.

She can also become your wife if you wish, so there’s a lotta options here.

Some points about Njada: she isn’t too good at combat, but she does offer good skills with defending and lockpicking.

13. Adelaisa Vindicci

As you might guess considering her name, Adelaisa Vindicci is an imperial and a female follower that may be assigned as a steward once you get far enough to meet her.

You can find her with her Company near the outskirts of Windhelm.

Oddly enough, even though she belongs to the Imperial Army, she’s one of the weakest followers that you can get – which makes her a far better steward!

Adelaisa is proficient at alchemy, enchanting, and smithing, so she’s one of the best stewards if that kinda stuff is more what you’re looking for.

12. Onmund

Onmund is a mage and an archer that roams around the halls of the College of Winterhold.

He’s an important character and a marriage candidate which you can opt to marry if sparks fly.

He mainly attacks with magic(using primarily shock spells) but he may also opt to use his bow and arrows to deal extra damage to your opponents. So he can work as a great partner in battle as well as a partner at home.

11. Ingjard

Ingjard is one of the fanbase’s favorite followers because of her appearance. But keep in mind that she’s not open for marriage so she’ll just be crashing at your place and taking care of the joint.

She’s a mighty warrior that can take care of your homestead as a steward, or she can follow you around and help you kill anything that stands in your way.

She uses her two-handed weaponry ability to slay any foe fast, and she won’t go down easily thanks to her lovely heavy armor proclivity.

10. Golldir

Golldir is a typical tough guy who never got along with his father.

He roams around the tomb of his ancestors and you can actually help him dispose of a necromancer who got inside it. And should you choose to do it, he will become a follower and help you back with any assistance that you might need in combat.

You’ll find him outside Hillgrund’s Tomb which also has many treasures to pick up while you’re there.

Not to mention Golldir will happily become a steward to any homestead after he becomes your follower so it’s worth the trip. You could also recruit him to join the Blades.

9. Talvas Fahtryon

Talvas is a merchant that mainly deals in spells, but he’s also a potential follower and a steward that can be recruited quite easily.

The main drawback of Talvas is that he’s only a level 25 follower. But he can prove to be quite a useful steward if you give him the chance to take care of any of your homesteads.

8. Uthgerd The Unbroken

Uthgerd the Unbroken is a marriage candidate, a follower, and a steward that truly represents how fearsome a woman can be.

She can be recruited simply by beating her in a duel, as she will challenge you to one with 100 coins at stake when you meet.

She has good health and acts as a proficient warrior, as well as a natural wearer of heavy armor. Great defense, good health, and a strong physical damage dealer. All around Uthgerd is certainly worth looking into.

Be it to defend your homestead or to fight for your life, she’s a powerful follower that you’ll love to have by your side regardless of your level.

7. Mjoll The Lioness

Mjoll is a vigilante that travels Tamriel taking care of every foe that might be posing a threat to the common folk of the realm.

She’s a tough person and has a difficult personality, but her kind heart shows every so often.

You can choose to marry her or simply keep her as a steward in any of your homestead. I feel like she’s a personality that you’ll love to have around.

6. Brelyna Maryon

You can assist this strange wizard in an experiment to unlock her as a potential marriage candidate and follower.

She will mainly use her spells as a mechanism of defense and you’ll only see her resorting to her bow if she runs out of magicka during battle. This might make her a stronger follower than a steward, but she could always retire from battle and watch your house if you want someone else in your company.

If you’d love to have a female wizard around then speak to Brelyna at once!

5. Iona

Bring Iona to any of your homesteads if you wish her to take care of it permanently. Seems like she’s a pretty easy sell, right?

She somehow seems to have all the features that you’ll love to have in a steward, as she’s rather strong and can take care of herself (and your home) and she’s also very kind and friendly.

Iona is also very good at dealing with foes thanks to her strong one-handed weapons and clever sense of defense to keep her alive for longer.

The best thing about her is that she can also pose a great threat to foes with ranged damage.

As you might be able to see, most followers tend to have a bow lying around that they will use more often than not.

She’s almost as good with the bow as she is with traditional one-handed weapons so you know that she can cover your back in battle regardless of who you’re fighting.

4. Aela The Huntress

Aela is quite an intimidating character and she’s one of the few werewolves that you can have as a follower in Skyrim.

This attractive but deadly character can also turn you into a werewolf if you choose, or you can either marry her or keep her as a steward.

She can also train you in archery if you wish, as she’s quite a proficient bow and arrow user. This means Aela can basically train you up from a novice into a true archer, all while protecting your home!

Also she can help you sneak around thanks to her mastery of the skill. There’s no doubt that Aela is one of the best followers in the game, which also makes her a fantastic steward as well.

3. Lydia

Lydia knows what it’s like to take care of a homestead.

She’s a housecarl that can be chosen to join the blades, or as a marriage candidate, or even as a follower and steward.

She’s a skilled warrior that can take care of herself as well as keep you safe. This also means she can keep your home safe so you won’t be worried while you’re out & about.

2. Jordis The Sword-Maiden

Jordis is not only capable of taking care of your homestead; she’s also the one responsible for selling the Proudspire Manor should you choose to pick it up for the heft 25000 price tag.

She’s a skilled warrior and archer who wears heavy armor in battle. She’s also one of the best followers in the game, fantastic at watching over your house, and even a marriage candidate.

I think her defensive skills make Jordis one of the more protective stewards you can get in the game. Which makes her perfect to leave at home while you take on quests and face fierce challenges all over Skyrim.

1. Rayya

Rayya is a female Redguard that has the looks to be the toughest follower and steward in the game.

She loves to patrol around your property and will make sure to keep it safe from any intruders or beasts when you’re gone.

You can also choose which weapons she will use if you give anything, but she also has some scimitars that she will dual wield if you opt to leave her to her own weaponry. This lady doesn’t pull any punches and she will defend your place like crazy.

Only trouble is she may disappear sometimes, but don’t panic! She’s not dead. Check back in Jarl’s Longhouse since that’s where you’ll often find her hanging out.

Browse:SkyrimVideo Games

The world of Skyrim is immense and it will leave every gamer awestruck. It’s a game that gives you plenty of options so you can do pretty much anything you wish during your adventures.

But let’s face it, it can be a little bit boring running around on your own no matter what. These followers can be real saviors while questing in difficult areas and they can help you out with their unique abilities.

Best Followers Skyrim

Each follower has their own unique perks, the way they talk or how they behave on your travels. Basically anyone can find a perfect companion in Skyrim that will make this game even more interesting. So let’s have a look at our top choices!

15. Brelyna Maryon

We are staring this list off with Brelyna Maryon who is an apprentice at the College of Winterhold.

A powerful mystic that can be very useful while fighting low-level foes, Berlyna mostly keeps to herself. You can ask her to be your follower once you help her out with an experiment which is a part of Brelyna’s Practice quest.

A Dragonborn can also marry Brelyna if they are equipped with Amulet of Mara.

Keep in mind that she is a part of the questline at the College of Winterhold so you will most certainly bump into her once you arrive there.

Brelyna uses fire spells such as Flames and Firebolt during fights. She can significantly damage foes, but she doesn’t have much HP so be careful when attacking the more powerful enemies.

Also she is definitely not a melee type. You can equip her with a weapon but Brelyna will still attack with spells.

14. Barbas

If you’re a dog person Barbas is the follower for you.

Barbas is a supernatural creature which is currently taking the form of a dog. You can find him by the road near Falkreath.

Barbas is fun but also very useful because his bite is strong enough to kill weaker enemies right away. Don’t be worried about Barbas dying in the middle of the fight either, because he has a couple of tricks up his sleeve for healing.

When he takes plenty of damage Barbas will run away from the fight, hide somewhere until the health bar is full, and then return by your side in no time.

This is a huge advantage because your companion simply can’t die.

Unfortunately, he is not subtle and will run around so sneaking up on the enemies is a big no-no while Barbas is your follower.

But there is one surprising thing: even though he is a loud-mouth and barks constantly, the enemies will not be alarmed by this. Go figure!

13. Ingjard

Sometimes having a warrior as your follower can be quite useful. Ingjard is most certainly that.

She is a fearless Nord fighter that comes with plenty of perks such as an affinity for heavy armor and two-handed weapons.

You can find Ingjard at Fort Dawnguard but you cannot recruit her as a follower right away. Instead you have to complete the quest called Prophet and then return back to her.

One good thing: she is not afraid of the vampires unlike other guards at the fort. So if you are a vamp Ingjard is the only one who will communicate with you.

Even though she can deal some serious damage to enemies, Ingjard might be a bit slow since she is wielding heavy weapons that take a lot of strength.

This makes her quite vulnerable when fighting against agile and quick foes because they will use her lack of speed to their advantage. Considering that she is a Nord, Ingjard doesn’t mind the cold weather, and she is 50% resistant to frost which can certainly come in handy during your travels.

Ingjard will not break laws for you since her morality is high so don’t try to make her commit any crimes either.

12. Teldryn Sero

The first thing you will notice about Teldryn is his unique armor.

Teldryn Sero is a mercenary who can become your follower for 500 gold. You can find him hanging out at the Retching Netch inn in Raven Rock.

It seems like he loves his armor as well because even if you equip him with a better item, Teldryn will continue wearing his Chitin helmet that protects his entire face. He is a skilled assassin who prefers Elven weapons.

Teldryn is a versatile fighter and will use both one-handed weapons and spells.

He will switch between close contact fighting and casting spells throughout a typical fight. If injured, Teldryn can quickly heal himself which is great if you are in serious trouble.

He can also conjure a Flame Atronach that will make him switch to Destruction magic immediately.

Teldryn is an intriguing character who will keep the small talk going as you travel. He had his share of adventures and will gladly tell you all about them. Even if you decide to dismiss him, you can hire him again any time and often for free.

11. Annekke Crag-Jumper

If you are a thief or a warrior, Anneke Crag-Jumper is an amazing range follower that can complete your play style.

She is a Nord archer that adores adventures so Annekke will gladly join forces with you. You can find her in Darkwater Crossing.

Annekke can become your follower when you complete Kill the Bandit Leader quest. But I need to mention that sometimes you might be required to talk to her several times before she actually offers you this quest(what a pain!).

Her combat skills are good, and Annekke prefers to wear light armor so she’s fast.

She is a beast with a bow and arrow as well as one-handed weapons. Of course, there has to be a weakness and Annekke has hers: she is not so great at sneaking around.

But Annekke’s amazing spirit and willingness to embark with you on many adventures should be enough to consider her as your follower. She is talkative but definitely not boring. Annekke genuinely wants more excitement in her life and that is always refreshing.

10. Erandur

Erandur might not be the life of every party, but he is an expert at spell casting and will be a loyal follower to a Dragonborn.

He is a Dunmer healer and you can find him in the Windpeak Inn which is in Dawnstar.

He used to belong to a cult but those days are behind him now. Erandur still thinks about it though and will often mention his friends that are now gone.

If you want to make Erandur your follower simply complete Waking Nightmare quest and that’s it. Easy!

As a healer, he primarily attacks from afar wielding both Flames and Firebolt spells. However Erandur is not a stranger to close combat, and he is quite useful as a melee too.

He prefers to use a mace when fighting face-to-face. On the other hand, players who are looking for a fully developed follower who will engage with them and the surroundings might find that Erandur is not the perfect fit for them.

He is rarely funny and mostly talks about death, but he makes up for his gloomy talk in the combat department.

9. Aela the Huntress

Aela the Huntress is certainly a rare breed.

She is a Nord werewolf that refuses to get cured of lycanthropy even though it is an option for her. This member of The Companions can be found in Jorrvaskr.

She is an amazing archer that can be of great help if you prefer to play melee. Aela wears light armor and sometimes uses one-handed weapons, depending on the situation.

It is important to mention that her sneaking skills are extraordinary. However she is not the best tank out there and doesn’t know what to do with a shield.

Since she is a thief herself, Aela will allow you to be completely immoral. She doesn’t mind if you steal or murder people.

Don’t order her to break any laws though because she will refuse the order on the spot. If you want this rebellious werewolf as your follower you need to complete the main questline for The Companions.

You may also marry Aela the Huntress which will enable you to acquire the same armor she wears so you two can match. How cute!

8. Farkas

Being a lycanthropic Nord and a highly skilled warrior certainly makes anyone a very valuable follower, and Farkas is exactly that.

He belongs to The Companions and is actually a member of The Circle, together with other experienced fighters.

Farkas spends his days in Jorrvaskr which is located in the Wind District of Whiterun. Considering that he is a relentless warrior, every Dragonborn should be happy to go on adventures with this guy.

If you want him to be your companion you need to complete the main quests offered to you by The Companions.

Skyrim Essential Companions

Farkas is very honorable and will not tolerate you doing anything unethical while he is your follower. He wears heavy armor and prefers one-handed weapons. However if you are looking for a chatty companion, Farkas might not be the best choice.

He doesn’t talk a lot and seems like a bore sometimes. You might also be disappointed to discover that Frakas does not turn into a werewolf as often once you recruit him to be your follower. Which is a darn dirty shame.

7. Mjoll the Lioness

Mjoll the Lioness is a very colorful character and you will quickly grow to like her.

She has her heart in the right place and does her best to be as just as possible. Once you meet her you will notice that she hates the Thieves Guild and the Black-Briar family.

Above all Mojll is an adventurer, and she has traveled a lot. She loves talking about the things she encountered while on the road and you will hear plenty of interesting stories if you choose Mjoll as your follower.

Mjoll hangs out with Aerin in Riften near the Bee and Barb Inn, and at Aerin’s place so this is where you will find her.

She can become your follower once you find her sword Grimsever. The Lioness will fight with a bow and her sword so she can be helpful even when facing more powerful foes.

Mjoll is great as a tank since she cannot be killed, but remember that she can pause mid-fight to get her health up.

Don’t worry though because Mjoll will resume her role quickly and continue to tank through any number of enemies. You can also make Mjoll your wife, but she will come with a package deal – Aerin. Two for one, as they say.

So make sure your home has plenty of space because Aerin will be staying there as well.

6. Argis the Bulwark

Stoic and strong, Argis the Bulwark is a true Nord who is both a fun companion and a fierce warrior that will go with you on many adventures.

You will bump into him in Vlindrel Hall which is located in Markarth. He can be your housecarl if you become the Thane of Markarth.

Considering Argis’ abilities, it is not surprising that he prefers heavy armor and one-handed weapons.

Argis the Bulwark can take on any enemy in the game and will be a true protective housecarl to your character.

Additionally you can also marry Arigs the Bulwark if you want a tough companion with amazing looks.

Keep in mind that you need to wear the Amulet of Mara and speak with Argis. Only then will you unlock the marriage option. Even though he might not be a fully developed character that can interact with his surroundings like some other followers, Argis still has amazing dialogue and he will keep you entertained throughout the game.

Although I need to point out that Argis the Bulwark treats you as a close friend and if he loses his life during your travels, you will receive a small inheritance from that.

5. Eola

Eola is one of the most disturbing characters you will meet in Skyrim because she is actually a leader of a cannibalistic cult residing in Reachcliff Cave.

Belonging to the Breton race, Eola is a very capable fighter that will switch between using magicka and melee.

She can be very practical in numerous situations, especially because she can sneak up on an enemy. Eola can also resurrect the dead and use them in combat which certainly gives you an advantage.

Eola prefers light armor and one-handed weapons so keep that in mind if you want her as your follower.

Recruiting her is very straight-forward. All you need to do is clean the Reachcliff Cave and once you are done, you will be asked to join Eola’s cannibalistic cult and that’s it.

Remember to dismiss Eola inside the Reachcliff Cave once your adventures are done because she will automatically resume her cult leader position.

If you decide to dismiss her outside of the cave, she will be in danger. And you don’t want that for your friend, do you? I mean, she’s a cannibal but still…

There is a possibility that she can get eaten by animals because she takes long walks through the woods so just make sure you leave her in a safe place.

4. Jenassa

Jenassa is one of the first followers you will come across during your adventures in Skyrim.

She is a mercenary and you can find her in the Drunken Huntsman tavern in Whiterun.

If you want this skilled archer by your side you can recruit her by paying 500 gold. As previously mentioned, Jenassa is brilliant with a bow and arrow. She can wear both heavy and light armor.

However, if you recruit her you will notice that she prefers to be in light armor. Jenassa can also wield two weapons at the same time which is quite practical. She also picks up arrows along the way and all types are useful for her. This is one of the best abilities she comes with!

Jenassa can use a variety of weapons including bows, one-handed weapons, and shields. She truly is a capable follower that will help level up your character from the very beginning.

She’s also a ferocious fighter that can attack nearly anyone you encounter in the game. However she has no magical powers. Additionally you may even marry Jenassa if you want!

Skyrim Companions

If you decide to do so, she can continue being your follower as well as your spouse. Once Jenassa becomes your wife she will open up her own shop and give 100 gold each day.

3. Cicero

Cicero is both annoying and incredibly interesting. So if you are looking for a follower who will provide some of the most bizarre and entertaining dialogues in Skyrim which keep the game fresh, Cicero should be your travel companion.

Cicero is dressed as a jester which is already promising. And he clearly suffers from some type of mental disorder, but I guess it’s the funny kind? I guess it’s quite understandable since he is also the keeper of the Night Mother, which is a corpse in a coffin. The Night Mother is in charge of the contracts made by the Dark Brotherhood so this guy has every reason to be a bit disturbed.

If you still want to take Cicero to be your follower, you are in for a treat.

A Dragonborn can do so by sparing his life. After that you can recruit him once you complete the Hail Sithis! quest.

Cicero will be located at the exit of the Dawnstar Sanctuary. He is a dangerous killer that can cast spells and wield one-handed weapons. It is worth mentioning that his cute jester outfit which looks fitting every time he starts dancing has no protective traits so you will need to equip Cicero with armor as soon as you can.

2. J’Zargo

J’Zargo is without a doubt a highly ranked follower. He is a Khajiit who is currently an apprentice at the College of Winterhold.

Considering that he is very arrogant but eager to learn, J’Zargo is well on his way to becoming an outstanding mage.

However he is still aware of the fact that there are plenty of things he has to master. That is more than evident if we take a look at the way he constantly competes with the fellow students at the College of Winterhold. So really, having J’Zargo at your side is very valuable.

So how can you join up with him? The process is quite simple. Just find J’Zargo at the College of Winterhold. Then you need to complete the questline he gives you. If you are wondering what made J’Zargo so high up the list, there are several reasons.

First of all, J’Zargo has the most health of all followers in the game. Secondly he is proficient in illusion magics, restoration, and destruction.

On the other hand, tanks might not appreciate J’Zargo’s talents because he might not inflict a lot of damage to enemies which could be a dealbreaker.

1. Serana

It shouldn’t be surprising that a pureblood vampire is topping this list.

Serana is an outstanding follower that will keep you both safe and entertained. As one of the last of her kind, Serana will often talk about weather during your travels which is somehow endearing.

As a true vampire she will cover her head with a hood to protect her face if you two are outside. The process of recruiting Serana is easy: just bump into her in the game. Considering the fact that she is a central figure in several questlines (such as Awakening where you will meet Serana in Dimhollow Crypt) it shouldn’t be too complicated.

One of the advantages of choosing Serana is her necromancy power.

She is capable of raising the dead and making them join the fight on your side.

She is prone to using spells in combat but once Serana is out of mana, she turns into a melee warrior.

The spells Serana casts will differ depending on your level so she will transform alongside you. Also, Serana is skilled in sneaking and does it better than the majority of followers in Skyrim. A great pick all around.

Browse:SkyrimVideo Games

Skyrim Non Essential Followers List