I started a game to see how little XP I could get before being able to hire companions in the Hall of Heroes. I followed these steps to achieve this:

  • Fight the 3 undead encountered before the tutorial cave, 350XP
  • Skip the tutorial cave and head for the bridge.
  • Pass the two drunken guards at the bridge, 900XP.
  • Complete the quest Orc Fight on the Beach, 670XP.
  • Talk to Arhu at the gate, 1000XP.
  • Make sure you do not start the quest Fire! Fire! Fire! by walking close to the wall.
  • Discover the Cyseal Harbor portal, 90XP.
  • Enter Thelyron's House of Healing using the back entrance (where the sheep are) to avoid starting the quest The Fish Thief.
  • Open the door to the two sick men and do the quest The Apprentice and the Stone, 390XP
  • Look into the telescope and go to the Homestead Hall.
  • Talk to the Weaver of Time and then to ZikZax to get the teleporter pyramid.
  • Teleport to Cyseal Harbor.
  • Walk to the Legion Headquarters. Make sure you avoid the marketplace.
  • Talk to Aureus to be allowed inside the crime scene, 900XP.
  • Walk to the King Crab Inn without getting too close to the North Gate Portal or the marketplace.
  • When Mendius starts to talk to you, just select 'I'll take my leave' and enter the inn.
  • Talk to the guard outside and get him to open the door
  • Enter the crime scene, 1080XP
  • Teleport to the End of Time
  • Talk to John Smythe and hire your companions

At this point you only have 5380 XP and are level 2. Hiring a level 1 companion now will not hinder your progress at all. Remember that when the game ends you will probably have reached at least level 20. When you reach level 21 you have 3080000 XP. Why all this fuss about companions being useless? If you are going to stick with two companions the entire game, the current system is not a restriction at all in my opinion. If, however, you would like to create a lot of companions and level them all up, then you cannot get them as high as your two heroes. But why should the game allow that? It is almost like cheating if you have 20 companions to choose from and can pick the two most suited for each and every task in the game.

Last edited by ivra; 12/08/14 08:22 PM.