Companions & Mounts

Companions & Mounts

Companions and mounts are major parts of a Neverwinter build. They provide stats, combat powers, party support, insignia bonuses, enhancement powers and other effects that can dramatically change how your character performs.

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Companions Are More Than Pets

A companion can fight beside you, support the party, provide character bonuses or help fill missing stats.

Choosing a companion means looking at several separate systems. The companion you summon is only one part of the complete setup.

Parts of the Companion System

Summoned Companion The companion physically fighting or supporting you during combat.
Player Bonuses Five companion bonus slots allow you to equip passive bonuses from companions you own.
Enhancement Power Provides an additional effect connected to your summoned companion.
Companion Gear Companion equipment provides additional ratings and helps balance your build.
Companion Equipment Stats Companion equipment is another important source of character ratings and can help fill stat shortages without replacing your own equipment.
Companion Quality Higher-quality companions provide stronger bonuses and improve the value of the companion system.

Summoned Companion and Player Bonus Are Different

You do not have to summon a companion to use its player bonus. Likewise, a companion may be valuable when summoned because of its combat abilities even if its passive player bonus is not part of your build.

Choosing a Summoned Companion

Damage Companion

Focuses primarily on attacking enemies and adding personal damage.

Support Companion

Provides buffs, debuffs, Combat Advantage or other effects that can help the entire group.

Augment Companion

Primarily supports the player through additional stats rather than functioning like a normal attacking companion.

Group content changes the answer. A high-damage companion may be excellent while playing alone, while a support companion can produce more total value in a coordinated dungeon or trial group.

Current Group-Support Companion Shortlist

These companions are commonly discussed or requested for organized group content because their summoned effects can help more than one player.

Black Death Scorpion Frequently used because its attacks can cause the target to grant Combat Advantage to allies. Combat Advantage
Flapjack Useful group-support option associated with helping improve Combat Advantage. Group Support
Portobello DaVinci Frequently used as a support companion in full-party content where party stat support is valuable. Party Buff
Tutor Commonly used as a summoned support option when the group needs additional Combat Advantage support. Combat Advantage
Spined Devil Used in group setups for enemy debuff support while also contributing its own attacks. Enemy Debuff
Drizzt Do'Urden Popular group-support choice used to improve party damage. Damage Support
These are not permanent rankings. Companion performance changes when powers, encounters or game balance are updated. This shortlist should be treated as current group guidance rather than a forever best-in-slot list.

Companion Player Bonuses

Your companion collection provides player bonuses that can be placed into five available bonus slots.

These bonuses may provide ratings, percentage stats, conditional damage, survivability, healing or other effects.

Do not choose bonuses by name alone. Read the actual effect and make sure it supports your role.
Watch your stat caps. A strong companion bonus may be wasted if it pushes a stat far beyond what you can use.
Conditional bonuses need testing. Some activate only when you use a certain type of power, receive damage or meet another condition.
Different loadouts may need different bonuses. Solo, boss, AoE, tanking and healing setups may not use the same five companions.

Companion Equipment

Companion gear is an important source of character ratings and can be used to correct stat shortages without replacing your player equipment.

When changing companion gear, check your character sheet afterward. A companion equipment change can move several ratings enough to alter the balance of the whole build.

Mounts Are Part of Your Build

Mounts are not simply transportation. Your mount collection contains several systems that affect combat.

Combat Power An activated mount ability used during combat. It may deal damage, heal, buff allies or debuff enemies.
Equip Power Provides a passive stat or effect while selected.
Insignias Placed into mount slots to provide additional ratings.
Insignia Bonuses Specific combinations of insignias unlock additional effects.
Mount Collars Provide additional bonuses through five different collar categories.
Mount Quality Upgrading mounts improves their contribution to the overall mount system.

Commonly Requested Group Mount Powers

In difficult dungeons and trials, mount combat powers are often coordinated just like artifacts. Groups may ask different players to bring different mount powers so their effects work together.

Pegasus Grand Inspiration damages enemies while giving allies Forte and an additional role-based benefit. Party Buff
Eclipse Lion Eclipsed Armament damages the target while increasing its incoming damage and reducing its outgoing damage. Buff / Debuff
Red Dragon Mighty Dragon's Roar provides personal offensive benefits while also reducing important enemy combat stats. Offensive Utility
Glorious Undead Lion Necrotic Roar damages nearby enemies, increases the damage they receive and reduces their Accuracy. AoE Debuff
Hag's Enchanted Cauldron Perilous Polymorph Potion damages enemies and reduces their Defense and Critical Avoidance. AoE Debuff
Bring what the group is missing. Five players using different complementary mount powers can be more useful than everyone using the same personal-damage mount.

Personal Damage Mounts vs. Group Mounts

Personal Damage

Some mount powers are selected primarily because they deal strong single-target or AoE damage.

These can be useful while playing alone or when the group already has its required support powers covered.

Group Utility

Support mounts improve the performance of several players or weaken enemies for the whole party.

These are often preferred during coordinated high-end dungeon and trial content.

Insignias & Insignia Bonuses

Mount insignias provide ratings and also activate special bonuses when the correct insignia types are placed into compatible mount slots.

When choosing insignia bonuses, look at what the bonus actually does rather than selecting mounts only because you like their appearance.

Stat Support

Insignia ratings can be used to help balance offensive, defensive or healing stats.

Triggered Bonuses

Some insignia bonuses activate when you use powers, take damage, heal, control enemies or perform another action.

Role Matters

A useful DPS insignia setup may not be appropriate for a tank or healer.

Mount Collars

Mount collars are divided into five categories. Each category has Barbed, Crescent and Regal versions that provide different bonuses.

One Collar Per Type

You can equip only one collar from each collar type at a time. You cannot equip two collars of the same type even if they are different variants. For example, a Sturdy Barbed Collar and a Sturdy Crescent Collar cannot both be active. Your active collars must come from different types: Practical, Sturdy, Supportive, Unified and Wayfaring.

Collar Type Barbed Crescent Regal
Practical Glory Gold Rough Astral Diamonds
Sturdy At-Will Encounter Daily
Supportive Control Bonus Stamina Gain Outgoing Healing
Unified Control Resistance Movement Speed Incoming Healing
Wayfaring Critical Severity Recharge Speed Action Point Gain
Choose collars for the build. A DPS character, healer and tank may all prefer different collar combinations, but you still cannot use two collars from the same collar type.

Solo vs. Group Choices

Solo Play

A damage companion or stat-focused setup can help when you must provide all of your own damage, survivability and utility.

Group Play

Support companions and mount powers can increase the total performance of the party even when they do less personal damage.

Before You Upgrade a Companion or Mount

Decide whether the companion or mount is intended for solo play, a build bonus or group support.
Read the active power, player bonus, equip power or combat power carefully.
Check whether the effect actually supports your role.
Check whether another companion or mount you already own provides the same job.
Look at your character's current stats before spending upgrade resources.
Consider whether the item will also be useful on multiple characters.
For group-support choices, make sure the effect is something parties actually use.
Upgrade only after you know why the companion or mount belongs in the build.

There Is No Single Best Companion or Mount

The best choice depends on your role, stats, content and party. Learn what each companion and mount contributes, then choose the option that fills the job your build or group actually needs.

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