Why Force Me To Use Companions I Hate!?

I dont think we are playing the same game. I play a Sage (lvl 50) and use Qyzen Fess (tank) companion exclusively. He taunts, holds aggro, and actually dynamically switches target based on threat to me. He doesnt EVER break CC, unlike most players, and with a level 50 Techblade his BASE damage is 440-750ish. He is a fantastic tank, and holds aggro better than most players I PUG with.

I have no dislikes about any of my companions and I have played with all of them (except for the ship robot). I'm a consular as well. You do have to change your playstyle though with a different companion and not forget to gear them. For dislikes of how they look, use customizations. There are plenty ingame.

As does getting on your speeder bike and hopping off again. Hilariously stupid but it works.

I agree with this wholeheartedly, as Gunslinger, when I hit 30 I was really struggling with the game. I still die a lot and the repair bills are certainly an effective money sink.

If I hadn't had advice and an improved template from guild members, I'd have given up in frustration.

A lot more freedom with companions would have been sweet, Talos Drelik is my all time favourite companion (Seriously! Who can not love an almost harmless excentric "british" gentleman officer?!), but as a fully healing specced sorc using him was really not an option.

I ran around doing some weak pewpew from time to time just to use him.

Also:
I agree, no idea what game he is playing, Khem Val is an awesome tank for a sorc, and as you pointed out, better then most pug tanks.

Just dropping in to say: I love Khem! He is awesome!

I can understand if someone has issues since he speaks an alien language and the player has trouble reading the text. But when I play with him tanking on my Inq alt he does a great job. And my bf's main is a sorc and he reads anything Khem says since I can't really see it, so on my own character I already have the gist of the companion anyway.

I will say that I do find it strange that some classes don't get their romancable characters until really late. I also think that in some way being able to choose your companion to begin, at least, would have been awesome. I was also surprised at how much later you actually get additional characters, and that this varies by class. (My main is an Imperial Agent...)

Anyway, these are just my thoughts. Great topic!

Heroic 2's can still be completed, but I think the point was that tank companions aren't as viable as they should be. Brokentelevision may be exaggerating just a little, but still has a valid point. I found myself overcompensating for the weaknesses of tank companions, but healer companions allowed everything to flow more smoothly, even the ship droid proved to be superior when well-geared.

too late now but imo what they should of done is give us option of a selection of companions and then have a mission to go and recruit that one. each companion could of had its own little mini quest and we could of mixed and matched. sure it might not of made as much sense in some story arcs, ie trooper goes and recruits a little jawa furball but meh fun should trump story imo.

No, it's a discussion thread. If suggestions come out of it, so be it. And I think that going to the trouble of typing that up reveals that I certainly enjoy this game enough to invest some time in talking about it.

How about you actually point out the part you have a problem with rather than playing wannabe forum cop?

I agree a second or third companion should come pretty early on in the game, But I don't feel bad if someone happens to level in a way that doesn't mesh well with their companions. The world isn't perfect.