When it comes to playing Elder Scrolls Online many will end up coming across a companion, particularly if they have access to Blackwood or the recently released High Isle. However, there are now four different companions to choose from, which only makes that selection so much harder.
Thankfully, each character is unique and they all have their strengths and weaknesses. It's worth mentioning that, despite those strengths and weaknesses, these companions will work best based on the players' class and preferred playstyle. If they are a healer they may benefit from a tank or DPS, if they are a tank then maybe a healer, and so on. Each works well for different players, but some still seem to be much better than others.
4 Isobel
Isobel is one of the newer companions players can find. From the offset, she is seen as being particularly brave and loyal to her cause, but she has this charm that makes players adore her. She's fantastically uncharismatic and really requires the player to get to know her and ease her out of her shell.
Nevertheless, this Knight in not-so-shiny armor is a wonderful companion to have but just doesn't seem to fill many gaps in combat itself. She has some wonderful skills that will aid anyone depending on the role she takes on, like Divine Destruction as a DPS, Beam of Reproach as a healer, and Solar Ward as a tank.
However, despite the variety, it feels like Isobel works best as a DPS. There are stronger skills that seem to be increasingly effective throughout a battle but if there's already one or two DPS' in the party, she's just not needed as much as she could be.
3 Bastian
Bastian is seen to be relatively noble, a little naive to the world around him, and incredibly righteous. He almost acts as the angel on players' shoulders, never being afraid to tell them if something is wrong. Since he was released as part of the Blackwood chapter, many have already had a chance to experience this companion fully.
Most of this experience will have been positive due to the useful skills and the aid in combat he can provide. Ultimately, Bastian seems to flourish as a bit more of a tank rather than the likes of a healer or DPS, although he does have some relevant skills if the player chooses to use him in that way.
Skills like Drake's Blood will keep him at the forefront of the battle while Blazing Grasp gets the enemy off the struggling player and pulls it towards him. These combined with some useful passives will keep him alive long enough to draw the fire away from the player, allowing them to deal damage or simply heal while others take the enemy down, so long as there isn't already someone to do that job.
2 Ember
One of the newest companions to be added to Elder Scrolls Online and arguably one of the most entertaining is Ember. She's a fantastic mage but brings an element of trouble to the player's experience. Let's just say there's no way she would get on well with Bastian.
Despite the rather chaotic personality, Ember is loyal, determined, and has magical powers that will help the player take down even the toughest of enemies. Which is what makes her such a well-rounded companion.
She's got some great damage skills like Thunderous Strike and Shocking Burst which enable her to deal strong lightning damage from far away. Her tank abilities are all about immobilizing or stunning the enemy with Entomb or Trickster's Trap, and her healing skills focus on healing nearby allies and even absorbing damage over time. No matter what the player needs her to do she can do it. Just don't expect her to specialize in one if that's something the player is looking for.
1 Mirri
Mirri is perfect for the morally ambiguous players of Elder Scrolls Online. She's a thief who specializes in recovering relics and getting away with almost anything so will have no qualms if the player chooses to enact the same kind of chaos or law-breaking as she does.
All this allows her to be an ideal companion for either a stealthy thief or just anyone who needs a helper to do an extra element of damage in a tough battle. However, her fighting style isn't the only reason that she's arguably the best companion in Elder Scrolls Online, that goes to how easy it is to build a good rapport with her. Simply completing Fighters Guild quest lines, reading from a bookshelf, or visiting a public dungeon will help players get the most out of this fantastic companion.
As for combat, she is capable of dealing some incredibly impressive damage with skills like Slayer's Blade. She can also hold her own as a tank using Masque of Torment, which is fantastic against big single enemies. She also has healing capabilities that also deal damage. All this makes her ideal for anyone looking for a little boost in combat or exploration.
Elder Scrolls Online is currently available on PC, macOS, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Stadia.