There is much to do in Bethesda’s biggest masterpiece, Skyrim. You can slay a dragon, get rag-dolled by a giant, receive and complete quests, explore caves, barter with merchants, and decorate your home. It's a true open-world experience that gives players the freedom to experience the land of Skyrim however they choose.

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However, even with so much to do and see, adventuring can still get lonely. For some, Skyrim’s vast landscape is best experienced with a like-minded (or at the very least, entertaining) companion. Others simply need a tank or support character to help them survive the more challenging areas of the game. Unfortunately, not all companions were created equal. Choosing the right and the best Skyrim follower is the difference between leaving a cave with all of your loot and becoming over-encumbered as you recover items from your companion’s corpse.

Updated on May 19, 2022, by Gabrielle Huston: We're still on the edge of our seats waiting for the next Elder Scrolls game, but it's getting pretty boring there. If you're replaying Skyrim for a taste of that sweet sweet Elder Scrolls magic, we've got excellent advice for you about which followers to latch on to and which followers to sacrifice to the dragon you're running away from.

22 Best: Aela The Huntress

A woman dressed in ancient armor and green face paint stares at the camera with green foliage in the background.
  • Pros: High-level Sneak skill, archery trainer, werewolf, box expert, level 50 cap

A well-rounded follower, Aela, a loyal Nord werewolf, becomes available once you complete the Companions questline. Not only is she great with a bow for long-distance attacks, but she is decent enough with one-handed weapons for melee attacks. At her level cap of 50, her Sneak skill reaches 97 (thanks to her thief classification), making her the best Skyrim follower for sneaky thieves and stealthy archers.

Aela is no party pooper. No matter the crime, she will never raise her blade against you or leave your services. However, just because she’s willing to look the other way doesn’t mean she will join in on the fun. She declines requests to attack innocent characters or steal—even though she is a thief. However, she comes with perks such as on-the-go archery training and the ability to give lycanthropy, which is a pretty sweet deal.

21 Worst: Roggi Knot-Beard

  • Cons: Level 20 cap, low-level skills, runs away, won't abide crime

Be sure to avoid Kynesgrove, or a wild Roggi Knot-Beard will appear. The lowly miner will ask for your help recovering his ancestral shield. This makes him sound like some badass warrior, but he isn’t. In fact, good old Roggi’s level is capped at 20 (the lowest in the game).

As you have probably already guessed, his stats are pretty mediocre. His highest-level skills are non-combat ones such as Smithing at level 45 with Alchemy and Enchanting pulling in a measly 40. He’s also a coward who will flee from battle when injured and won’t commit any crimes. His only redeeming quality is his love for mead, but there isn’t enough mead in Skyrim to make you forget his incompetence.

20 Best: Barbas

  • Pros: Invincible, able to have another follower as well, capable of dealing with enemies on his own

Barbas is no ordinary dog. In fact, he isn’t a dog at all, but a shapeshifting Daedra. He is found on the road outside of Falkreath and will follow you indefinitely as long as you do not complete his quest by either killing him with the Rueful Axe or returning him to his master. That’s right, Barbas is a quest character and invincible!

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Barbas is a great decoy but also makes quick work of weaker enemies, making battles against stronger ones easier to manage. Outside of battle, he is likely a poor choice for thieves, as he can detect you when you are stealing. Get around this by telling him to stay beforehand. Despite this, Barbas is still one of Skyrim's best followers, and since he isn’t technically a follower, you can have one additional companion as well. So, if you hate traveling alone, Barbas is the one for you.

19 Worst: Sven

Sven looking angry in skyrim
  • Cons: Level 20 cap, low-level weapon skills, needs you to buy him armour

Sven is a lute-playing Nord bard that you encounter at the beginning of the game in Riverwood at the Sleeping Giant Inn. To gain his companionship, you must help him win the heart of Camilla. If you choose to help his rival, Faendal, instead, Sven will become unavailable—which isn’t a bad thing.

Sven’s stats are similar to Roggi Knot-Beard’s. He is of the citizen class and tops out at level 20. His primary skills are Alchemy, Enchanting, and Smithing, and although his secondary skills are Archery, One-Handed, and Two-Handed, none of them ever surpass level 45. Simply put, Sven isn’t built for battle. He isn’t even wearing armor when you first encounter him. Apparently, going on an adventure with little-to-no preparation or useful skills seemed like a fine idea to him.

18 Best: Mjoll The Lioness

  • Pros: Invincible, high-level Heavy Armor and Two-Handed skills, level 40 cap

Found in thief-ridden Riften, Mjoll the Lioness is a Nord warrior who has taken it upon herself to rid the town of corruption. If you want her companionship, you must first earn her favor and then retrieve her lost sword. She is certainly worth the trouble. Mjoll is an essential character, which means that she can never be killed—not even by friendly fire during an intense battle.

At her level cap of 40, she maxes out both her Heavy Armor and Two-Handed skills (with 580 health), making her a great tank for players that prefer long-range attacks. Not only is she a beast on the battlefield, but she is also a pleasant person and one of the best Skyrim followers. As you travel, she will regale you with story after story about her past. If you don’t mind traveling with a chatterbox—or her creepy stalker, Aerin—Mjoll is the one for you. Just don’t earn a bounty in Riften.

17 Worst: Faendal

Skyrim Faendal in riverwood
  • Cons: Poor starting equipment, level 30 cap, mean expression

If players choose to side with Faendal instead of Sven, they still won't be getting a great deal in the end when it comes to followers. Faendal is a common level trainer for Archery, which is useful in the early stages of the game. Players can exploit Faendal by training Archery up to level 50 and taking their money back afterward.

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Beyond this helpful loophole though, Faendal has little in the way of benefits that make him better than other followers in the game. His level caps at 30 and his equipment is woefully inadequate, leaving it up the player to equip him properly to avoid his death. His daily routine has him getting only five hours of sleep, which is absolutely unacceptable for going on quests and battling. Furthermore, his expression is permanently set to disgusted, which will make him seem disapproving of every choice you make (not a great motivator on the battlefield). This is not an Elf you want as a trusted follower.

16 Best: J’zargo

  • Pros: One of the only Khajiit followers, no level cap, high-level Destruction, Restoration, Heavy Armor, and One-Handed skills

To find this confident Khajiit mage, travel to the College of Winterhold and help him test his scrolls. J’zargo is one of two available Khajiit followers, so he’s a good choice if you need a little variety. Be warned, though: some might find J’zargo’s arrogance somewhat off-putting—even if it is warranted.

Stat wise, J’zargo is arguably one of the best Skyrim followers. He has no level cap, which means he continues to level up with the Dragonborn indefinitely. Destruction and Restoration spells are his expertise, making him a great support character for close-combat players. At around level 50 he maxes out his Heavy Armor and One-Handed skills, which make him a great battle mage or tank (if he’s out of magicka). You may find that he will only cast low-level Destruction spells. To fix this, give him adept or higher level staves and he'll be ready for more adventure.

15 Worst: Adelaisa Vendicci

  • Cons: Level 25 cap, focused on non-combative skills

If you are wandering around the docks in Windhelm, you will run into a woman in Imperial armor. She may look strong and capable, but Adelaisa Vendicci is anything but. If you want to test her out, she is available as a follower after completing "Rise in the East"—though there is little incentive to use her for anything other than a sacrifice for Boethiah.

Although she is an Imperial soldier, she is classed as a citizen with a level cap of 25. Just like Roggi Knot-Beard, her primary skills are non-combative—Alchemy, Enchanting, and Smithing aren’t going to be very effective during a battle or ever. As one of the weakest characters in the game, Adelaisa is a major disappointment. This is one character you should leave on the dock of the bay.

14 Best: Durak

  • Pros: Excellent starting gear, no level cap, excellent with a crossbow

Players will first meet Durak when he approaches them about recruitment into the Dawnguard, and also gives them a crossbow and 45 steel bolts in Dayspring Canyon. This proactiveness and generosity is just a small window into Durak's many positive traits, the list of which includes no level cap, perks that benefit his primary skills, and his excellent archer/sniper skills. As such, he's easily among the best followers in Skyrim.

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Durak can be recruited as a follower after completing the Prophet quest and comes with his own Dawnguard armor and war axe, as well as his neverending quest for vengeance.

13 Worst: Farkas

  • Cons: Low-level Heavy Armor and Block skills, contradictory stats and gear, focus on Smithing and Speech skills

When you first encounter the Nordic werewolf, Farkas, in Jorrvaskr, he appears to be a strong and intimidating warrior, but there's much more than meets the eye. Although he maxes out his One-Handed skill at his level cap of 50, his Heavy Armor and Block skills never exceed 20 (truly ironic, as he is a master-level trainer for the former). When he isn’t trapped behind a gate in Dustman’s Cairn, he’s on his knees trying to recover his health.

The source of Farkas' problems is his blacksmith class, which gives him mastery in non-combative skills such as Smithing and Speech. Also, even though his Light Armor skill is higher, he wears Heavy Armor. Talk about contradictory.

12 Best: Vilkas

skyrim vilkas
  • Pros: Good starting equipment, level 50 cap, Two-Handed skill trainer, doesn't object to crimes

Unlike his brother Farkas, Vilkas is a half-decent follower. His Warrior class gives him focus on the actual skills he uses: Heavy-Armor, Two-Handed, Archery, and Block. He's got good equipment to start off with and a relatively high level cap of 50! As an added bonus, he's a Master-level Two-Handed trainer.

Vilkas is just also a generally sweet man. He's not convinced that it's right for him to be a werewolf, so he eventually gives a quest to cleanse himself (of course, if you want him to keep being a werewolf, just don't do it). Like Aela, Vilkas won't object if you commit crimes, but he won't participate in them himself.

11 Worst: Stray Dog

  • Cons: Weak, needs help in combat

It might be an altruistic act to adopt a stray mutt on the side of the road on your way to Windhelm, but it's not necessarily a smart one. Stray Dogs (which can be randomly picked up all over Skyrim) have low stats and basically need to be babied in any combat situation.

The Stray Dog can level up (to a max of 25) but they can't exactly have all the skills that could make a regular follower valuable, like being a skill trainer or casting spells. Its only redeeming quality is that you can have a human follower and a dog.

10 Best: Serana

Skyrim: Serana the vampire follower stares at the player, seemingly unimpressed.
  • Pros: Vampire, Necromancer, level 50 cap, interacts with her environment

Serana, one of the Daughters of Coldharbour, became a pure-blooded vampire by pledging herself to Molag Bal during a terrifying ritual. Like Mjoll, she is an essential character who cannot be killed; she comes as a part of the Dawnguard DLC. However, she will not have the full set of follower commands until you finish the main Dawnguard questline.

A powerful necromancer, Serana's level caps at 50, and she will raise corpses to help in battle. If she runs out of magicka while obliterating everything in sight with Destruction spells, she’ll switch to a melee weapon (one-handed is one of her primary skills) so give her a strong sword or dagger. Outside of combat, Serana is a unique Skyrim follower who can interact with her environment (e.g., sitting down, using workbenches, etc.). If so desired, you can have her bite the Dragonborn to turn them into a Vampire Lord.

9 Worst: Lydia

Skyrim screenshot of NPC Lydia from the chest up.
  • Cons: Attitude

Even non-Skyrim players know about Lydia and her antics. You meet your first housecarl early in the game at Dragonsreach after killing your first dragon. If you decided to help Sven out back in Riverwood, you are likely desperate for a new companion at this point, especially a warrior-classed one in steel armor and ready to fight.

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On paper, Lydia is a good follower who has a level cap of 50, maxing out Heavy Armor, One-Handed, and Block. You may be happy to take her along, but soon notice little annoyances like her attitude or the way she refuses to follow you down the mountainside, seeking out a safer path instead. She seems determined to block every door, set off every trap, and get caught sneaking around. When she does fight, she blindly rushes into battle and gets herself killed. Don’t settle, unless you like yelling at your companions.

8 Best: Teldryn Sero

  • Pros: High-level One-Handed, Light Armor, Destruction, and Conjuration skills, unique dialogue, summons atronachs, self-heals

Teldryn Sero is a spellsword and mercenary that you can hire for 500 coins. You can find him in The Retching Netch in the Solstheim town of Raven Rock. In battle, Teldryn is a force to be reckoned with, topping out at level 60 with One-Handed, Light Armor, Destruction, and Conjuration being his primary skills.

Teldryn’s class and skill set make him one of the best Skyrim followers. He is a savvy swordsman who is more than capable of holding his own in battle, but also blasts opponents with Flame or Firebolt when appropriate. On top of all of this, he will also summon a flame atronach to add to the onslaught. When he does suffer damage, he heals himself or uses ward spells for added protection. He also makes for a pleasant traveling companion, as he offers unique commentary for various cities across Skyrim.

7 Worst: Njada

Njada Stonearm in the headquarters of the Companions in Skyrim
  • Cons: Attitude, level 25 cap

Just as there are talented and strong Companions, so are there less talented and less strong ones, too. Njada is arguably the weakest of the Companions, with her level capping at 25 and no perks to be seen. She is admittedly great for training your Block skill up to level 75, but you won't want her in a fight next to you; her skills are closer to a thief than a fighter.

Personality-wise, she hates the fact that the Dragonborn has joined the Companions and never hides her contempt in that regard. It seems the only way to win her approval is to marry her, though marrying someone so negative is not advisable for a successful marriage.

6 Best: Jenassa

Jenassa in Skyrim
  • Pros: Level 40 cap, willing to commit crimes, excellent archer, easy to recruit

Jenassa is a Dunmer ranger who you can meet early on in the Drunken Huntsman shop located in Whiterun. For 500 gold, you can have her as a follower, and her abilities are nothing to sneeze at. Jenassa is a skilled archer with great aim and is also one of the few followers who can dual wield weapons. Her level caps at 40 and her morality is also very flexible, willing to commit any crime (as mercenaries often do).

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If that wasn't enough, Jenassa is truly likable (as well as marriageable), which doesn't matter in combat. But it matters in every moment in between the combat, and isn't the whole experience what counts? Given how easy she is to recruit, she ranks high among the best followers in Skyrim.

5 Worst: Uthgerd The Unbroken

  • Cons: Level 30 cap, average-to-below-average-level combat skills, killed a child, won't commit crimes

The notorious Nord warrior, Uthgerd the Unbroken, is found at The Bannered Mare in Whiterun. Beat her in a tavern brawl to receive 100 coins and her services. Uthgerd is a decent warrior; however, even at her level cap of 30, she never manages to max out any of her skills. Her One-Handed and Heavy Armor skills are a little above average whereas her secondaries, Block and Archery, are average.

Overall, she is another run-of-the-mill follower with a low Sneak skill destined to set off every trap she encounters. Not to mention, she is a despicable, hypocritical person. If you are willing to listen, she will tell the Dragonborn about how she was denied entry to the Companions because she killed a boy. Instead of being remorseful, she bears a grudge against them. This is from someone who will attack you for murdering an innocent character.

4 Best: Frea

  • Pros: No level cap, invincible, self-heals, high-level Alteration, Light Armor, Restoration, and One-Handed skills

Frea is a Nord shaman found in the Skaal Village on Solstheim and is only available if you own the Dragonborn DLC. Not only does Frea not have a level cap, but she is also essential and thus cannot be killed. You can make her a permanent follower by either passing a persuasion check or successfully bribing her after completing "The Fate of the Skaal."

Frea’s primary skills are Alteration, Light Armor, Restoration, and One-handed. There are two reasons why she’s one of the best followers in Skyrim: she dual-wields weapons and is smart enough to wait for you to disable traps (unlike some others on this list). Another plus is that she will also use spells to heal herself. It is unlikely she will ever fall to her knees and beg for mercy in battle.

3 Worst: Cosnach

  • Cons: Level 30 cap, average One-Handed and Heavy Armor skills, attitude

Cosnach is a drunken Breton found in the Warrens or Silver-Blood Inn in Markarth. He challenges the Dragonborn to a fistfight, betting 100 coins. Beat him, and he will follow you for free (and you will be a little richer). Although his stats aren’t terrible, they are nothing to write home about. His level cap is 30, with One-Handed at 78 and Heavy Armor at 79.

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On top of being a generic warrior, he is rude and is always begging for money for drinks. He also isn’t in a very practical location for a character with such low stats. By the time players make their way to Markarth, they will have encountered far better followers.