So I've been away from the game for about a year or so and I'm a bit confused on how the game functions now. It seems to me that companions gain no stat bonuses from gear now? I tried to put a focus in Xalek's offhand but that didn't work either. Does any of that matter anymore? Also, I used to run exclusively tank spec due to basically being unkillable and having decent dps to boot when running around soloing, but I'm not sure if that's the case anymore. I used to just run with HK and had no problems taking golds down etc. due to all the perks that assassin tanks got. Now I'm not sure how to spec or if it really even matters. I wouldn't mind staying tank spec, but I just don't want to gimp myself by doing so if the game has changed significantly in that regard. Any advice is appreciated.

The companions won`t gain any more stat bonuses from gear, its simply cosmetic now the thing what affects to their performance is their influence - the higher the influence, the better they perform during combat. Also, companions are able to take any role now, so you can basically run with your favorite companion all the time with any role you want them to take. Hope this helps a bit, can`t help you with tank thing

I used to run exclusively tank spec due to basically being unkillable and having decent dps to boot when running around soloing, but I'm not sure if that's the case anymore. I used to just run with HK and had no problems taking golds down etc. due to all the perks that assassin tanks got. Now I'm not sure how to spec or if it really even matters. I wouldn't mind staying tank spec, but I just don't want to gimp myself by doing so if the game has changed significantly in that regard. Any advice is appreciated.

 

I'm interested in this as well. I'd like to level a vanguard soon, but their two dps specs don't appeal to me at all. The tank spec sounds at least a little interesting, but my first instinct is to not bother since I want to get through the trooper story as quickly as possible.

 

The issue I think we'll run into is that I've heard companions don't dps that well, so you don't gain much by setting them to damage. But I'm not sure tank specs have the sustain to go without healers, so you wind up setting your comps to heals anyway (same as if you were dps), only with a tank's damage output. I haven't played a tank spec since RotHC-era so I can't say how big a difference that is.

I'm interested in this as well. I'd like to level a vanguard soon, but their two dps specs don't appeal to me at all. The tank spec sounds at least a little interesting, but my first instinct is to not bother since I want to get through the trooper story as quickly as possible.

 

The issue I think we'll run into is that I've heard companions don't dps that well, so you don't gain much by setting them to damage. But I'm not sure tank specs have the sustain to go without healers, so you wind up setting your comps to heals anyway (same as if you were dps), only with a tank's damage output. I haven't played a tank spec since RotHC-era so I can't say how big a difference that is.

 

The single player content in this game is insultingly easy enough that your companion can solo it without you at the keyboard, if you can manage to keep running to the next place you need to go to. You can honestly play whatever you'd like and do just fine.

 

Alternatively, level up the fast way by getting into a story mode Dread Fortress group and gain about 6 levels in 45 minutes with an okay group, or 20 minutes with a group doing speedruns to level.