Except for werewolves, the Companions are not necessary?

[MidbossVyers]

I was looking through http://uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Trainers and I noticed that everything that the Companions can train you in, other factions or non-faction trainers can do the same thing, if not better. They have expert training in block and 1-handed, but the master training can only be done in Orc strongholds, which have nothing to do with the Companions. Heavy armor training? Join the Dawnguard, or better yet, just align yourself with the Thirsk. 2-handed training? Join the Volkihar, or better yet, help the Skaal. Smithing? Join the Dawnguard. Archery? Niruin of the Thieves Guild and Sorine of the Dawnguard do it much better.

Now, compare this with other skill trainers. The Bards College has a monopoly on speech. You must join the Thieves Guild if you want to master Sneak, Lockpicking, and/or Pickpocket. You must join the Dark Brotherhood if you want to master Light Armor and/or Alchemy. The College of Winterhold has a monopoly on Destruction, Alteration, and Illusion, and even if you learn about Conjuration (Falion and Talvas) and Restoration (Danica and Florentius) outside of the College, you must still gain admission into the College in order to take the master quests and learn the final spells. Although, yes, Neloth and Hamal outside of the College can teach enchanting much better than Sergius of the College.

Edited March 6, 2015 by MidbossVyers

[Lachdonin]

The Companions are an organization of meat-head bruisers... In a province of meat-head bruisers.

 

Seriously though, the Companions represent a paradigm of the most accessible, most common skills and tallents in Tamriel. They are the public, mundane faction, relying exclusively on physical and mundane means. Certain technical failings with the training mechanism in Skyrim asside, the Companions have the most overlap with just about EVERYONE else, because if their simplistic, mundane skillset.

[Kestrellius]

I actually found the opposite to be true, a little bit. I've been having some trouble figuring out a main objective for my Alik'r. (Alternate Start, the works.) He's not Dragonborn, and he has no magical abilities, so that limits his prospects quite a bit. Dark Brotherhood would work, but having two snarky scimitar-wielding Redguards in the sanctuary...might be a bit much. And I didn't feel like doing that questline anyway; I find it a bit boring until the later missions. So I had to settle for joining the Companions, despite the rather severe ideological and atmospheric differences between my character and the organization. And I kind of doubt that he'd ever consent to being a werewolf, so I basically just talked to Skjor in the Underforge and then left.

 

In the end, I settled on a monetary goal. A million septims in order to secure passage back to Hammerfell, set up a comfortable retirement, and pay off the Alik'r, who got annoyed when he ran off in the middle of a mission.

 

The upshot is, the Companions have a very distinct feel to them, which doesn't necessarily fit most types of fighter characters.

[notmyhome]

They are the public, mundane faction, relying exclusively on physical and mundane means.

 

I think you're forgetting about their, eh, furry secret...

[Riprock]

Frankly, the Companions are quest-givers in a game about quests. MidbossVyers, you're looking at game mechanics, not gameplay; your standpoint is from a power-gamer's. You don't need any trainers at all to master a skill.

 

 

They are the public, mundane faction, relying exclusively on physical and mundane means.

 

I think you're forgetting about their, eh, furry secret...

 

 

:) That's their Inner Circle. It's not common knowledge among the populace and it does not represent the aims of the Companions.

[117649AR]

If you want to be technical, none of the trainers are necessary, as you can simply level your skills on your own.

[Acetoolguy]

They are easy to join early in the game, and can give you a base of operation and a good assortment of followers if that's something your looking for.

[fraquar]

The "inner circle" of the Companions makes up over 50% of the Companions. How it's a "secret" to the rest of the Companions is pretty astonishing.

[MidbossVyers]

Oh, and also, if you want to use Dragonborn Fire, you need to join the Companions in order to get the last word of Fire Breath.

[Kestrellius]

The "inner circle" of the Companions makes up over 50% of the Companions. How it's a "secret" to the rest of the Companions is pretty astonishing.

 

Space compression, extended to the population. Presumably, you get to see the entire Circle, whereas the vast, vast majority of the grunts just don't show up in-game. Like most of the rest of the population of Whiterun. Basically...Skyrim is actually a lot more than ten miles across; what we see in game is a compressed representation of the actual world.