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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 |
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
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.
