Who Skyrim’s Most Annoying Followers Are (& Why)

A number of NPCs throughout The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim can be recruited as followers, helping the Dragonborn as they journey from place to place. Each of these characters has his or her own skill levels and talents, making some Skyrim followers more useful than others depending on the situation. However, there are some followers whose behavior can quickly become more annoying than helpful.

Characters in Skyrim can become followers in a variety of ways. Some candidates are mercenaries who will perform their services for a fee, while others will accompany the Dragonborn after the completion of particular quests. A few of Skyrim‘s followers are labeled by the game as essential to the plot; since these characters cannot be permanently killed while designated in this way, they can make for sturdy followers.

Still, while some followers can be useful, others can be irritating. Certain companions are ill-suited for most tasks, whereas others simply have grating personalities. Here are a few of Skyrim‘s followers who are notably annoying.

Annoying Skyrim Followers: Cicero

Skyrim‘s mad jester Cicero has a uniquely obnoxious personality. A prominent character in Skyrim‘s Dark Brotherhood questline, he is characterized by his high-pitched, excitable voice and absurd dialog. Should the Dragonborn choose to spare Cicero during a particular quest, he can become a follower, but players must be prepared to deal with his eccentric tendencies. The bloodthirsty jester will spout a number of inane comments depending on the player’s location, and will sometimes spontaneously begin singing and dancing. With his essential game designation and high level cap of 50, Cicero can become one of Skyrim‘s most helpful followers – if his antics can be ignored.

Annoying Skyrim Followers: Barbas

Barbas can become annoying right away in Skyrim due to how intrusive his presence is. The talking dog will accompany the Dragonborn as the latter attempts to return Barbas to his master, the Daedric Lord Clavicus Vile, as part of a quest. As an essential NPC, Barbas cannot die, and his attacks can inflict considerable damage to enemies. However, he will engage nearby enemies even if the Dragonborn is sneaking, sabotaging any attempt at stealthy combat. Additionally, he will sometimes walk into the player, pushing them in unintended directions and throwing off their positioning. One of Barbas’ most grating traits, though, is that he barks incessantly while traveling with the Dragonborn, so players may want to complete his quest quickly or remove him as a companion entirely.

Annoying Skyrim Followers: Sven

What makes Sven annoying is how disappointing of a follower he can be. Sven can be selected as a follower if the Dragonborn conspires with him in Skyrim‘s “A Lovely Letter” quest, but he has very little to offer in terms of combat or utility. Not only are his offensive stats low, but he is also only capable of reaching level 20, so he stands little chance against many of the game’s stronger enemies. Even if he does survive, Sven will flee and leave the Dragonborn to fight alone if his health drops too low. With dozens of capable followers in Skyrim who can fight competently, Sven’s comparative inability to do so can be frustrating.

About The Author

Justin Loveland
(90 Articles Published)

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Justin is a Gaming Features Writer for Screen Rant, and a graduate of Quinnipiac University. Based in Connecticut, he is also currently a staff writer for Parish Property Management in Pelham, NY, as well as an avid fan of fantasy fiction. Justin has enjoyed a variety of games since his beginnings with the Nintendo 64 and original PlayStation.

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