Follower's level and statistics.

[iCal90]

Hello i'm new to these forums, and have been around a week or so (after Skyrim came out). I've mainly been downloading mods, but i've decided to give something back to the community. I'm very technical minded when it comes to games, and the fact that following characters DO NOT improve as you level in Skyrim is well known. But now, thanks to some reading on a wiki and some testing, I can share the following:

 

* Following characters DO level as you do.

* Following character's stats DO NOT improve as they, and you, level.

* Character's starting level and fixed statistics are developed when you first meet them in game. Well it's more like once an area is loaded, such as Whiterun first loading for Lydia. The stats stay at this as their level improves with you.

 

 

So there we go. If you enter an town or area where a follower is at an early level, then they stay that weak throughout the game. You can bypass this by avoiding the area where your favourite follower is in game, leveling up and entering the area to get them at a higher level (say 50), thus the game first calculating and forcing their stats higher to match the level.

 

 

But there is another way around this.

 

I've read by Googling (easiest way to find things out these days) that using the console to "enable" and "disable" on the character would force the game to recalculate the stats. When trying this it failed on me the first time, so i've always assumed that it didn't work (Until now). But after some reading and testing I've found it is possible.

 

The character can not be updated this way if they are your CURRENT follower. You HAVE to ask them to stop before updating. You can ask them to leave, or even kill them (then resurrect via the console). But MY mistake was they were my current follower and the game WOULD NOT update them.

 

Then just use ` to enter the console before they walk away, click the follower and enter "disable", and then "enable". Then ask them to join again.

 

This should force the game to recalculate both the three main statistics (Health, Stamina, Magicka), as well as their skill levels (One handed, Heavy Armour etc). You can test if this has worked by using the console command "Getav health" or "Getav onehanded" for the skills (Getavinfo is probably the better, more descript option). I have just tried it twice with Lydia and can comfirm it DOES work. They may unequip the items you gave (thanks to the disable), but their Inventories SHOULD be the same. I should add that apparently they have a cap at level 40-50, so their stats can't improve past this.

 

 

Edit: Do not forget to "enable" after the "disable", otherwise they will not be in sight, or the game for that matter!!!

 

Happy hunting with your Uber followers!

 

Cal

 

 

 

 

If anyone has any news or updates on this, i'll edit this first post to show so.

Edited November 23, 2011 by iCal90

[natelovesyou]

This...is fantastic. Kudos to you for your efforts and findings, thank you very much! I love my follower Kharjo the Khajiit, but met him at like level 5 and now I'm almost level 40. This should fix things for sure!!

 

Edit: And this is your first post on these forums, awesome! Welcome to the Nexus Forums. :]

Edited November 23, 2011 by natelovesyou

[STONEDSTONER]

Thanks good info :thumbsup:

[Guss]

seems odd why their stats don't change when they level as you do. but thats some good news you posted on how to fix that. :thumbsup: someone might make a mod that fixes that i hope.

[STONEDSTONER]

Now my fav follower Eola can summon/resurrect two creatures!!!and her stats are better

 

I dont know how to use the Getavinfo command tho? getav health etc works tho

[kamatsudash]

Good find - although I have a question,did you only test with Lydia?

 

I ask because I've read here (and on Bethsoft official forums) of people stating that other companions are leveling and gaining appropriate stats and skills as they level up. They reported that Lydia was bugged and wasn't doing this - obviously using the workaround you posted will work to correct Lydia (and any other follower's effected by this). So I'm just wondering if you tested with any other followers other than Lydia or just with Lydia?

 

But still, good find - and maybe if someone has the time to test some of the other followers to confirm whether or not they are effected by the "Lydia" bug and whether this workaround resolves it for them as well?

[Valamyr]

I was using only generic "throwaway" followers (ie, the dark brotherhood nameless assassins) for this reason. Killing one and picking up its magic replacement was my "fix" so far.

 

Good to know I can go back to followers with a name (if no more personality, sadly..)

[thrakkemarn]

This is amazing! This needs to be shared with the worl ... oh wait I guess that's what you did here. THANK YOU! :thumbsup:

[Roxian]

Thanks a lot for this very usefull information! ^-^

 

Welcome to the forums! Enjoy your stay and don't hesitate to mingle some moar!

[J_R]

Confirming that this works - just did it with the Lioness (testing by how many hits of my sword will kill her ;). Edited November 23, 2011 by J_R