Overview: What Makes a Tank Follower Best in Skyrim
The best tank follower in Skyrim reliably holds aggro, survives punishing fights, and frees you to focus on your core role. Tanking companions reduce incoming damage, pull enemies, and soak blows so you can kite, burst, or control from relative safety. They also carry loot, draw enemy attention away from fragile mages, and enable experimental loadouts like shield-swinging archers or two-handed berserkers. This evergreen explainer focuses on verified in-game performance, AI behavior, and practical gear builds so the choices remain useful across patches and playthroughs.
Top Companions for a Dedicated Tank
No single companion is perfect for every situation, but certain followers consistently excel at holding the line. Fighters like Serana, Aela the Huntress, and Sylgur animate enemies toward you, wear heavy armor, and equip strong shields or two-handed weapons. Mages such as Farengar Secret-Fire can cast wards and restore you, while archers like Lydia excel at kiting and marking targets. The table below compares their base strengths, armor preferences, and ideal roles within a tanking setup.
Tank Follower Comparison at a Glance
| Follower | Primary Tanking Strengths | Typical Armor/Weapons | Best Paired With |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serana (R Dawnguard) | High health, full shield block, versatile spells | Heavy armor, shields, two-handed or bows | Any build; strong solo tank |
| Aela the Huntress (Companions) | Durable, good dual-wield or bow, animal perks | Light/medium armor, bows, one-handed | Bow or dual-wield DPS |
| Lydia (Housecarl) | Steady frontline, reliable shield user | Heavy armor, shield, sword/hammer | Mage or archer backline |
| Farengar Secret-Fire (Mod Mage Tank) | Mage gear with wards, healing and buffs | Apprentice robes, staves, restorationKiting mage builds | |
| Odahviing (DLC Follower) | High health, dragon shouts, airborne pulls | Heavy armor, two-handed, dragonrend usage | Shouts and dragon synergy |
How Follower AI Handles Tanking
Skyrim followers use a simple but predictable AI: they prioritize staying near you, engaging the nearest hostile within their detection range, and blocking when they have a shield. Melee fighters will attempt to get adjacent, which naturally draws enemy focus. Archers will move to marked positions if given clear shouts or commands. Mages may try to keep distance to cast, but you can encourage frontline behavior by ordering "stay" near you and equipping a visible shield, which increases their block rate. Understanding these tendencies helps you position companions where they can soak damage instead of running into choke points alone.
Key AI Behaviors to Remember
- Followers aggro to enemies that attack you or get too close.
- Shields significantly raise their block chance and survivability.
- Marked targets and shouted commands can redirect archers and mages.
- Distance affects aggro radius; closer enemies are engaged first.
- Heavy armor and shield usage increase their time-to-death dramatically.
Gear and Builds for Tank Followers
Maximizing tank performance is as much about your loadout as the companion you choose. Equipping your fighter with a shield, improving block skill, and favoring heavy armor or robust enchants increases survivability. For mages who want a hybrid tank role, restoration spells, wards, and enchantments that reduce incoming damage provide a safety net. Archery tanks benefit from radiant perks and poison or flame arrows that thin crowds before enemies reach you. The right gear turns an average follower into a resilient anchor for any party composition.
Gear Priorities by Follower Type
- Melee Fighters: Shield, block perks, heavy armor, taunt shouts (Unrelenting Force), weapon enchants (frost, shock).
- Mage Tanks: Robes or scaled gear, restoration, wards, magic resistance enchantments, illusion for threat.
- Ranged/Archer Tanks: Light armor for mobility, poison/bleed arrows, radiant perks, shields with low encumbrance.
Party Composition and Positioning Tips
Even the best tank follower will struggle if you place them poorly. Position melee tanks between enemies and your backline, use shouts to pull groups together, and coordinate focus fire so the companion doesn’t get overwhelmed. Against dragons, having a follower with dragonrend and high health can keep the dragon grounded while you unleash sustained damage. For dungeon crawls, a shield-heavy follower can block arrow traps and draw attention from pressure plates and hidden archers. Adjust your formation based on enemy types: more front-line durability versus sustained healing and wards for spell-heavy encounters.
Positioning Checklist
- Keep tanks in the center of groups to maximize threat distribution.
- Use terrain to break enemy pathing and funnel enemies through choke points.
- Mark priority targets for archer followers to maintain pressure.
- Rotate tanks periodically if one takes excessive damage over time.
- Maintain line of sight for mages so they can safely cast wards and heals.
Frequently Asked Questions
New players often wonder whether followers scale with level, how to keep multiple companions viable, and what to do when AI pathing causes problems. In practice, companions level alongside you to a point, though you can outlevel them in late game. Managing squad rotation, giving each tank a clear role, and swapping gear between members ensures everyone stays useful. Simple tweaks like giving a shield, ordering "follow," and using defensive shouts often resolve most pathing or threat issues without needing mods or external tools.