So, even if you are soloing, there are some courses of action & decisions about Companions.

 

1st off, it depends on if you are going for a true Solo, TCS, Ultimate, austere run...

...or just using solo-running on the early-mid maps to build xp's quickly. 

(… Which is my usual preference.  You've gotta do it until Gilded Vale, in any case, so WtH.)

 

After that decision, if you are going to have some, eventual, interaction with Companions (and their quests/stories) you've got some other decisions about how to treat them.

 

 

I have been gathering the Companions at Caed Nua. 

 

I guess there are two ways to play that.

 

1) If I leave them in original locations, without even the brief joining necessary to move them to Caed Nua, the "free" xp's when I eventually go back for them at a high level are greater (100% of MC xp if I don't invite them until I really mean to use them vs initial time before joining at 100% + Caed Nua residence time at 75%.)

 

2) On the other hand, if they are in residence at Caed Nua, they are all available for independent Adventures, and the xp and rewards available that way.

 

I do not know if any resident Companions participate in defending the Stronghold.  From the example of a single raid, which I overlooked and did not set a defense option for, it appears not.  But as I said, I did not prepare for it well.  (There were no hirelings yet.  No Barracks.)

 

Have you any relevant advice / experience / observations?

Edited July 25, 20187 yr by dreamrider

You should recruit companions ASAP and keep them at Caed Nua (unless you want the solo achievement) for the special adventures (which give item rewards depending on lvl and  prestige) and the guests. They will help you defending the keep only if you solve the encounter manually and they're in your party at the time. If you auto solve the encounter then only the recruited npc from Caed Nua will participate.

Thanks, Kaylon.

 

I had some of that from recent experience.

 

I take it from your phrasing that if one is trying for a true solo, that will be 'counted for the achievement list', one should never recruit them, not even if the partnership is only long enough to move them to Brighthollow, with no fighting.

Yes, if you want the solo achievement you shouldn't recruit them at all. If you just want to play solo you can recruit them for the added content (and maybe their quests) and then leave  them at the keep.