Slave to your companion

to all you saying to just not use your companion and group with people.....that would work if this game wasn't so fundamentally dedicated on dividing up the community and keep them from socializing unless they have a 4 person heroic or flashpoint.

oh yeah.
Step 3. miss out on the pet's storyline.
step 4. send me your stuff.

Agreed.

A couple weeks ago I made a thread simply thanking Bioware for making an MMORPG that I'm having fun with, just to be at least one positive voice on a forum filled with trivial complaints. I don't hold them on a pedestal above any other developer, but I really think TOR is a fun game and it drives me nuts how people can't sit back and have fun, they have to invent something to cry about.

Remember when videogames were fun?

I'll second that.

I have characters I play with a friend, and you know what? You can dismiss those companions and everything goes just fine.

This is one of those things that irks me about the constant "this plays like a single-player game" gripes. Sure, it plays like a single-player game if you solo everything, but it was actually designed on the assumption that it's not just a single character taking on those mobs. That alone makes leveling with a friend far more fun than it is in most MMOs.

So, no, you are not forced to have a companion. You have choices. If you really can't stand the companion, don't complain that you don't like him while dragging him around behind you. Group up and ditch him.

no one's forcing you to "chase bioware's carrot", bush. if u are so turned off by the notion of having to gear up your companion (which a. requires you to sometimes choose companion rewards over commendations and b. isn't even that necessary considering certain companions e.g. tharan cedrax has a 10 second mezz that he spams regardless of gear), then quit. speak with ur money, but spare me and those of us here who don't hate companions (still rolling my eyes at the concept) your tears.

Odd.. I just think of companions as just another piece of equipment that comes with some abilities. You do know you can control those abilies right? They are part of your character with abilities...

Maybe I'm not understanding this?

No you're understanding it just fine. Its just that this thread like many others proves that few "gamers" today bother doing any level of info-gathering on games before buying them and then turn around and act like it was some diabolical secret dropped on everyone at the last minute.

Seriously.

Han Solo and Chewbacca were a TEAM. C3-PO and R2-D2 were a TEAM. Obi-Wan and Anakin were a TEAM. Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader were a TEAM. I think you'll find in Star Wars that the "solo" operators generally died! Darth Maul, Count Dooku and Mace Windu all refused to use their companions and where are they?

My main is 34 Powertech, my alt somewhere around 15 Juggernaut I think.

I level the main as a tank and am very, very glad for the companion system. Solo leveling tanks or healers is a pain in other MMOs and I find it quite fun here. The only annoying thing about it is that channelled CC Mako does, and which I can't turn off because zoning turns it back on again. But I think they'll fix that in 1.1

The alt (also tank) I only play with a friend who is on a 15 Sorcerer (heal). She dislikes her companion and sends him on missions or just hides him, except when we're 2manning 4man content. I like my Vette and the fact that the extra dps makes things go faster, but I could just leave her out, too. We do all class quests together and it's fun to see her story. Also, we get a ridiculous amount of social points that way.

It IS possible to level to 50 without a companion, as has been said. For soloing, you'll have to outlevel, which will happen automatically if you do all missions on all worlds. Add some Flashpoints or space missions if you're still having trouble. Don't know about endgame solo PvE, though, I have to admit. But if, by then, you still have nobody on your friends list to do content with, you're doing it wrong. :P

Grouping is also very viable and very fun, especially with the conversations, the fact that you can indeed come along on class missions, and the social points you get for it all.

Sure, if you never want to talk to another player and only want to do yellow and orange missions, then you'll have to use a companion. If that's not an option for you, well, I hear there's other games out there. Have fun.

You, sir, are awesome. Let me buy you a drink.