What is a companion?

whilan

When most people think of companions at least within regards to The Old Republic, they see it as a pet class.

While the companion may follow you everywhere, it won't be able to fill the role as well as a pure version.

As everyone will have a companion this doesn't really give one person more of a advantage then someone else.  The companion more of augements your skills, and as you can change them anytime you can return to your ship, this will allow you to very your skills set and give a different feel for each encounter.

Plus as you and anyone else can change up companions at any time, if you happen to be weak in an area, say healing then each of you can bring a healing companion and complete the instances that way.

If however you happen to like a particular companion but you don't want them to be a tank, you want them to be a healer type, you can get a kit that will change what they can do. Allowing for more versatility.

This is just touching the combat area, what they can offer you in battle.

You can also use these companions to help you craft, so you don't have to do it yourself.  (they are reliant on your skills though).  You can use them in missions skills to get you items as well and many other things.

However where the companion really changes things up is their story (yeah i know that part again) each companion will have a different back story, feelings on things and how they interact to various situations.  Plus if you manage to get a companion to like you enough special quests will be open to you that may not be open to others.

Plus they also (if your mean enough to them) to leave you, so you have to be careful how you treat them.  This brings them more into how real people would react and not so much a simple element that will follow you everywhere regardless of what you do.

 

While this setup with companions may not offer a skill type setup,  you are not always stuck with one type of setup the whole time.  Companions in my opinion more augement your abilities rather then add another person, so they will never break the game by themselves nor ever make a group encounter completable solo.  However they do give you the ability to change how you go about something.

Personally myself i think with the addition of companions this will make the game play much more interesting then having 8 straight classes with some skill trees. (which of course ToR will have in addition to companions)

Nazgol

I like the part if you kill them, they are gone for good!

Williac

A great post mate.

Imo, companions will provide a whole new layer of playstyles and stories. It will be interresting to see how they're going to affect your game.