[Fallout 3] Companions on hardcore die very fast

[Ence]

Dogmeat and Fawkes have low DT and accordingly die quickly on hardcore/very hard. I am disappointed that the TTW developers did not consider this.

[imadethis2download]

Im surprised they arent flagged as essential...

[Death_Reaper56]

That's how it works with the NV companions.Dont want them to die? Use a mod that makes them essential.

[Ence]

The problem is that you can not raise defence for Dogmeat and Fawkes like for human companions.

[RoyBatty]

Companion AI is stupid, they will attack until they die. You cannot give Rex or Lily more DT either. Their health pools are about the same. The companion perk suite was already implemented to give them a bunch of DR. They simply don't have the 50000 health they do in Broken Steel.

Give them loads of stimpaks, they should use them.

[Ence]

They don't use stimpack in fight. Using JIP Companions mod maybe a problem because of this.

[RoyBatty]

Companions just die in Hardcore, in Vegas too, they simply weren't balanced for it.

There are other things which fail to function correctly in hardcore, like the OWB stealth suit.

[Peter Curtin]

You're sure right about Companion AI being stupid (causing problems in Hardcore mode). No matter how often I tell them to stay close and not engage until I engage, once we're in a fight they always seem to go off hunting for any other enemies detected within range. (And with ED-E's long range sensor perk, that's a long range.)

Boone will heal himself, and can be healed. But I've had to basically lock ED-E into my MTB to keep him alive until I get him up to the Followers in the Mormon Fort.

One way to deal with this is to think ahead more about when you do and don't need a Companion with you. I've begun to tell them to "wait" while I scout ahead much more often.

[Ence]

It's hard playing on last difficulty with BLEED mod without companions. They very help you. Especially Arcade with plasma pistol.

[UsagiPyon]

I simply use JIP C&C https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/50468.
This is really a non issue made up to be by an entitled individual. Dogmeat and fawkes DT too low? Go to geck, give them some actor effects and make your own patch. People saying that they are disappointed in XYZ in a FREE mod really gives me a chuckle. In addition, many are also playing on hardcore + bleed + jsawyer and boy is it so difficult (!?)

Lastly, it has been known that companions have dumb AI. Heck my companions (tag aggressive + foolhardy) randomly ran away in fear facing mobs in AWOP but murders deathclaws in the quarry