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How should I manage companion training points?

AuthorMessage
Ensign
Apr 22, 2022
6
How exactly should I manage companion training points, I've seen forums where it's said try to keep them as low of a level as possible, so they have the greatest effect later but it's hard to do that for me especially in cool ranch, but then I see others that say keep them as high as possible but without side quests that becomes very costly, is there any exact amount of levels I should keep my companions behind me, should I not use training points on side quest companions? I'm pretty new to the game and only use one pirate right now so pardon my noobness, idk if this matters toward companion level and point management but I'm musketeer (Lvl 27)

Lieutenant
Mar 18, 2022
114
In my experience waiting until they either feel underpowered or you can get a good few levels for only 1/2 points is a good line to walk. However you want to play is valid :D

Dread Pirate
May 27, 2009
2131
JgoodIow on Apr 28, 2022 wrote:
How exactly should I manage companion training points, I've seen forums where it's said try to keep them as low of a level as possible, so they have the greatest effect later but it's hard to do that for me especially in cool ranch, but then I see others that say keep them as high as possible but without side quests that becomes very costly, is there any exact amount of levels I should keep my companions behind me, should I not use training points on side quest companions? I'm pretty new to the game and only use one pirate right now so pardon my noobness, idk if this matters toward companion level and point management but I'm musketeer (Lvl 27)
Here's how I do it -- and I like to keep my team topped up with their training and promotions as much as possible -- (by the way, you SHOULD do side quests, there are great rewards from those):

1) You can carry up to 10 training tomes at a time, by buying them, earning them through questing/leveling, or using your Companions to Keel Haul for them.

2) Any Companion who is at or above your pirate's level should be sent on the Keel Hauling task to get free training tomes. You can send up to 10 companions Keel Hauling at a time if you have enough of a crew. If they are lower than your pirate, they cannot do that, so those who can't can be Pet Wrangling for snacks and gear to sell.

Here is a link to the various Companion Tasks and how you might want to use them with your crew -

http://www.pirate101central.com/forums/showthread.php?61994&p=309268#post309268

3) Before you log out for the day/night, be sure everyone except your first mate has a Companion Task, and then when you log in again, collect from them all and see what you've got. The more Companions you assign to one particular task, the longer they take to come back, but at your level, everyone should return within a day. Everything they can do when you're offline can help buy more Tomes for training them up. Once they are all at your Pirate's level, they can all hold onto the Tomes they come back with while you send someone else Keel Hauling. After you do this for a while, you should be able to have all of your companions at your pirate's same level, and have extra Tomes also.

Good Luck!


Ensign
Apr 22, 2022
6
Willowydream on Apr 28, 2022 wrote:
Here's how I do it -- and I like to keep my team topped up with their training and promotions as much as possible -- (by the way, you SHOULD do side quests, there are great rewards from those):

1) You can carry up to 10 training tomes at a time, by buying them, earning them through questing/leveling, or using your Companions to Keel Haul for them.

2) Any Companion who is at or above your pirate's level should be sent on the Keel Hauling task to get free training tomes. You can send up to 10 companions Keel Hauling at a time if you have enough of a crew. If they are lower than your pirate, they cannot do that, so those who can't can be Pet Wrangling for snacks and gear to sell.

Here is a link to the various Companion Tasks and how you might want to use them with your crew -

http://www.pirate101central.com/forums/showthread.php?61994&p=309268#post309268

3) Before you log out for the day/night, be sure everyone except your first mate has a Companion Task, and then when you log in again, collect from them all and see what you've got. The more Companions you assign to one particular task, the longer they take to come back, but at your level, everyone should return within a day. Everything they can do when you're offline can help buy more Tomes for training them up. Once they are all at your Pirate's level, they can all hold onto the Tomes they come back with while you send someone else Keel Hauling. After you do this for a while, you should be able to have all of your companions at your pirate's same level, and have extra Tomes also.

Good Luck!

Thank you, I used this strategy and starting Mooshu was a cakewalk

Gunner's Mate
May 08, 2010
270
Willowydream on Apr 28, 2022 wrote:
Here's how I do it -- and I like to keep my team topped up with their training and promotions as much as possible -- (by the way, you SHOULD do side quests, there are great rewards from those):

1) You can carry up to 10 training tomes at a time, by buying them, earning them through questing/leveling, or using your Companions to Keel Haul for them.

2) Any Companion who is at or above your pirate's level should be sent on the Keel Hauling task to get free training tomes. You can send up to 10 companions Keel Hauling at a time if you have enough of a crew. If they are lower than your pirate, they cannot do that, so those who can't can be Pet Wrangling for snacks and gear to sell.

Here is a link to the various Companion Tasks and how you might want to use them with your crew -

http://www.pirate101central.com/forums/showthread.php?61994&p=309268#post309268

3) Before you log out for the day/night, be sure everyone except your first mate has a Companion Task, and then when you log in again, collect from them all and see what you've got. The more Companions you assign to one particular task, the longer they take to come back, but at your level, everyone should return within a day. Everything they can do when you're offline can help buy more Tomes for training them up. Once they are all at your Pirate's level, they can all hold onto the Tomes they come back with while you send someone else Keel Hauling. After you do this for a while, you should be able to have all of your companions at your pirate's same level, and have extra Tomes also.

Good Luck!

You can carry more than 10 tomes at a time, but after 10 you will not be able to buy from vendors or obtain them from companion tasks.

In any case comp management usually is fine considering most people only need to level a select amount of companions, if it really worries you, you can buy them or find quests I suppose. Comp levels being within 2-4 levels of you is completely fine to play the game though.

Dread Pirate
May 27, 2009
2131
witchdoctor of awe... on May 2, 2022 wrote:
You can carry more than 10 tomes at a time, but after 10 you will not be able to buy from vendors or obtain them from companion tasks.

In any case comp management usually is fine considering most people only need to level a select amount of companions, if it really worries you, you can buy them or find quests I suppose. Comp levels being within 2-4 levels of you is completely fine to play the game though.
Thanks for the correction about the max tomes.

I would argue that the game is MORE fun with a larger, randomized crew to help with tasks and keeping the pirate supplied with gear and gold, but I know that there are many players who enjoy having small teams of favorites and focus on battles.