The companion system was added to The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) with the Blackwood DLC in 2021. Since the launch, you can now meet and recruit eight companions in ESO, all of which were added through Chapters.
Since Blackwood, most all Chapter expansions have brought two new companions per DLC: High Island in 2022 and Necrom in 2023. Although Gold Road didn’t have its own additions like those Chapters that came before it, Update 44 hit live servers on Oct. 28 and introduced two new companions to the game.
All companions in ESO, listed
| Name | Race/Class | How to Unlock |
|---|---|---|
| Mirri Elendis | Dark Elf Nightblade | Visit Doomvault Vulpinaz, north of Blackwood, and complete the “Shattered and Scattered” questline. (Requires Blackwood Chapter) |
| Bastian Hallix | Imperial Dragonknight | Travel to Deepscorn Hollow, southwest of the starting city Leyawiin in Blackwood, and complete the “Competition and Contracts” questline. (Requires Blackwood Chapter) |
| Isobel Veloise | Breton Templar | Visit the Castle Navire, southwest of High Isle, and complete the “Tournament of the Heart” questline. (Requires High Isle Chapter) |
| Ember | Khajiit Sorcerer | Travel to Tor Draioch, east of High Isle, and complete the “Tower Full of Trouble” questline. (Requires High Isle Chapter) |
| Sharp-As-Night | Argonian Warden | Venture outside the entrance to Necrom City and complete “The Double Edge” questline. (Requires Necrom Chapter) |
| Azandar al-Cybiades | Redguard Arcanist | Travel to Apocrypha and visit Cipher’s Midden. Then complete the “The Fateweaver Key” questline. (Requires Necrom Chapter) |
| Tanlorin | High Elf Dragonknight | Added in Update 44, unlocked with an active ESO Plus membership |
| Zerith-var | Khajiit Necromancer | Added in Update 44, unlocked with an active ESO Plus membership |
ESO’s companions in chronological order
Mirri Elendis (Blackwood DLC)
Mirri Elendis was added in ESO with the Blackwood DLC. She’s a Dark Elf Nightblade with a trait that lets you find additional loot from treasure chests and treasure map chests—Mirri’s Expertise.
Her rapport will decrease, and she will dislike you if you kill using Blade of Woe, visit the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary, or gather torch bugs and butterflies. It’s a small list compared to the things she likes, however.
She enjoys completing personal quests, Fighter’s Guild daily quests, daily quests for Numani-Rasi, visiting Daedric Public Dungeons and Delves, gathering items from Psijic Portals, crafting an alcoholic beverage, antiquity excavation, reading books from bookshelves, visiting the Brass Fortress, summoning non-combat Daedric pets, and killing goblins, snakes, and serpents.
You’ll find her arguing near Doomvault Vulpinaz, north of Blackwood. Talk to her to initiate the “Shattered and Scattered” quest. Complete it, and she’ll be added to your Companions list.
Bastian Hallix (Blackwood DLC)
Bastian Hallix was also added with the Blackwood DLC. He is an Imperial Dragonknight and has a perk called Bastian’s Insight. It gives a 30-percent chance of finding potions in chests and monsters to be improved.
This Dragonknight doesn’t like stealing, pickpocketing, killing friendly NPCs, using Blade of Woe on any NPCs, fleeing from guards, and, for some reason, crafting provisions with cheese.
On the other hand, he enjoys anything involving the Mages Guild, helping a random encounter, scrying, Crafting Stations, reading a random book, and killing bandits, cultists, and Night Runners.
You’ll find him tied up near Deepscorn Hollow, which is southwest of the starting city of Leyawiin in Blackwood. Once you talk to him, you’ll start the “Competition and Contracts” quest. Once you complete it, you can summon him as your companion.
Isobel Veloise (High Isle DLC)
Isobel Veloise was the first companion added with the High Isle DLC. Also called Bella or Izzy, she’s a Breton Templar that can help you with the more difficult battles as the great knight she is. Her companion perk is called Isobel’s Grace, and she gives the player a chance to recover the pack of a slain knight after defeating a World Boss. The packs may contain additional loot.
Being a Templar, Isobel doesn’t enjoy any activity that deviates from what’s morally right, which includes murder, entering the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary, stealing from a container, looting a thieves trove, and entering an Outlaw’s Refuge.
You’ll gain rapport with Isobel if you complete Undaunted daily quests, visit an Undaunted Enclave, talk to an alliance leader or Lyris Titanborn, complete a volcanic vent, craft sweet delicacies or fruit dishes, kill a world boss, delve boss, group dungeon boss, Daedric boss, a Daedra, and more.
Isobel Veloisis can be found near Castle Navire, southwest of High Isle. You’ll see her talking to a woman. She’ll ask for your help involving that woman, and the “Tournament of the Heart” quest will initiate. Complete it to recruit her as your companion.
Ember (High Isle DLC)
Ember joined the game in the High Isle DLC. She’s a Khajiit Sorcerer and can help you with pickpocketing aside from spells in battles. Her Intuition companion trait allows the character to acquire hidden wallets when pickpocketing which may contain additional gold.
The Khajiit’s rapport will decrease when the player pays a bounty after being caught, gets caught committing a crime, gets spotted while trespassing, enters The Halls of Colossus, and fishing. You’ll grow closer with Ember if you complete the Thieves Guild heist, do a relic-retrieving quest, get a purple-quality stolen item, win a game of Tales of Tribute, begin a Black Sacrament, Pickpocket a guard, harvest a runestone, kill a wolf, werewolf, and more.
You can find Ember near Tor Draioch, east of High Isle. You’ll see her struggling, and she’ll ask for your help. Complete the “Tower Full of Trouble” quest for her to join you.
Sharp-As-Night (Necrom DLC)
Sharp-As-Night is an Argonian Warden added to ESO with the Necrom Chapter. His companion trait is named Sharp’s Patience, and causes fish to bite at an increased rate and have a higher chance of being trophy fish.
He won’t like if you destroy items in your inventory, let your gear break, change your outfit at an outfitting station, pickpocket, or pay a bounty to a guard. But you’ll become closer if you complete companion quests, Daily Boss quests from Ordinator Nely, Ashlander daily quests, obtain monster trophies, visit a Hist tree, talk to M’aiq the Liar, eat a meal, craft a poison, find a treasure map chest, a heavy sack, catch a rare fish, go fishing, and more.
To recruit him, you’ll first need to find him near the entrance to Necrom City; before entering, turn left, and you’ll see him battling an assassin and completing “The Double Edge” quest.
Azandar al-Cybiades (Necrom DLC)
Azandar al-Cybiades was also added with Necrom. He is a Redguard Arcanist whose trait benefits players looking for containers.
Azandar’s Inquisitiveness trait allows you to discover research portfolios when searching containers. Research portfolios can contain treasure maps, research notes, crafting recipes, survey reports, and other documents. You’ll lose rapport if you visit Artaeum or Eyevea, help a beggar, pick a mushroom, brew or drink anything with coffee, play a game of Tales of Tribute, light a campfire, or visit Glimmertarn Wayshrine in Galen.
But he’ll like you if you complete the Paths Unwalked companion quest, Telvanni Peninsula daily quest, Enchanter Writ daily quest, collect items from Psijic portals, visit the Brass Fortress, The Hollow City, Fargrave City District, any Mundus Stone, scry, brew or drink any tea beverage, and more.
You’ll find him near Cipher’s Midden in the center part of Apocrypha. He’ll give you the “The Fateweaver Key” quest to complete so he can join you.
Tanlorin
Tanlorin is one of the newest companions in ESO introduced with Update 44. Their recruitment quest is available only from the Crown Store for users with an active ESO Plus Membership.
This High Elf “uses a mixture of Dragonknight and Soul Magic abilities,” according to the Update 44 preview. Tanlorin’s arrival marks the first time a repeat class has been chosen for a companion, but the game’s developers intended for much of the character’s backstory to play a role in their abilities. They’re an outcast from Summerset, and players will unravel the mystery as they investigate more of Tanlorin’s story.
Zerith-var
Last, but certainly not least: Zerith-var. This Khajiit Necromancer joined ESO alongside Tanlorin in Update 44 and can be recruited by completing his quest, which is only available from the Crown Store for players who have an active ESO Plus membership.
Zerith-var boasts an intriguing backstory: From Elsweyr, Zerith-var has “mysteriously emerged from the distant past,” according to the Update 44 preview, and players will learn more about his unique approach to necromancy as they progress through his personal quest.
How do companions work in ESO?
Companions are non-playable characters (NPCs) in ESO that follow you around Tamriel and help you in battles and dungeons. You can only have one companion accompanying you at a time in ESO. You can summon a companion in ESO through the Collections menu and Allies tab. They take advantage of passive skills and have skill lines for the active skills.
The companion system is very similar to the player, but much more simplified in that they can:
- Engage in battle with your character, and you can customize what weapons, skills, mounts, costumes, and outfits they use. Companions will exclusively equip Companion Gear, however. This type of gear doesn’t have levels, can’t be enchanted, and doesn’t need repairs.
- Level up and become stronger as they accompany you as well. If you are missing a player in a group dungeon, they can also participate as they were a real player.
Each companion has a unique trait that buffs your character, and specific actions your character makes can increase or decrease their rapport, making them like or dislike your character. You can build friendships with each of them to get more quests and to share more personal information. If they dislike you, they’ll become less effective.
