In the province of Skyrim, if the player helps a number of people within a specific hold, the Jarl bestows them with the title of Thane. Though it’s mostly honorary, but there are several perks included with this status, including the appointment of a housecarl.
Guardians of their employer’s safety and property, housecarls fight alongside the player and will protect their homestead from threats. For the most part, all housecarls have the same skills and similar dialogue. However, there are a few details that set some of them a cut above or below the rest. Here’s a ranking of the Dragonborn’s potential housecarls, from worst to best.
8 Argis The Bulwark
After becoming Thane of the Reach, the Dragonborn can move into Vlindrel Hall with Argis as their housecarl. Like any of the others on this list, he’s a powerful ally in battle; however, his dialogue is pretty bland compared with some other followers in the game.
Argis is also the only housecarl in Skyrim who cannot become a steward for the player’s homestead. Additionally, if the player is married to Stenvar, Argis will frequently fight with him (possibly due to a glitch). These limitations place Argis low in the housecarl ranking.
7 Jordis The Sword-Maiden
The Dragonborn receives Jordis’ housecarl services after becoming Thane of Haafingar. Like Argis, though she’s a valiant protector, her dialogue has no character to it. Furthermore, there are a couple of odd details (again, most likely bugs) that make her a less effective follower.
Occasionally, Jordis will disappear from the Dragonborn’s service, to be found back at Proudspire Manor wearing her default armor. She also won’t equip certain bows even if they are much stronger than her default weapon, such as the Nightingale Bow. These details make Jordis a bit frustrating to adventure with.
6 Gregor, Nord Warrior From Dawnstar
There’s not much to say about Gregor, housecarl to the Thane of the Pale, and that’s why he ranks here. Like all housecarls, he can hold his own in battle, but he doesn’t have any distinct fighting features or anything interesting to say.
Despite having a higher One-Handed skill, his default weapon is a two-handed steel greatsword, making him an initially less effective fighter. Of course, this can be circumvented by giving him one-handed weapons. Overall, though, Gregor is a generic Nord fighter with very little personality.
5 Iona, Nord Warrior From The Rift
Housecarl to the Thane of the Rift, Iona tends to be a bit sharp towards the Dragonborn. Even as a spouse, her dialogue is strident and seems almost forced. She’s an effective follower, but just not very fun to be around.
She takes the job of protecting the house very seriously, as she’ll attack the player mercilessly if they kill a chicken in the Honeyside garden—even though the Dragonborn owns that house. Iona is just as strong as any housecarl, but there’s nothing that sets her apart except her stiff demeanor.
4 Calder, Nord Warrior Of Hjerim
Like most of the others, the housecarl to the Thane of Eastmarch doesn’t have much particular flair when it comes to fighting. He’s a typical Nord warrior; however, his dialogue has a little more personality to it than some of the other housecarls.
Most of his dialogue is similar to his peers, but he makes the occasional remark about haunted Dwarven ruins or cracking a giant’s head like a walnut. This extra flavor makes him a more entertaining adventuring partner, in addition to a strong protector.
3 Rayya, Redguard Warrior Of Falkreath
Rayya protects the Thane of Falkreath, and is the only non-Nord housecarl to be assigned to the Dragonborn. Despite this distinction, her dialogue is more or less the same as all the other housecarls, making her personality a little lacking.
However, Rayya ranks higher on this list because of a unique fighting strategy. Unlike many followers, she will dual-wield one-handed weapons without the player having to put a pickaxe or Forsworn weapon in her inventory. As a dual-wielder, Rayya is capable of dealing fast, devastating blows to enemies.
2 Lydia, Nord Warrior Appointed In Dragonsreach
As most players’ first housecarl, Lydia is one of the most popular followers in the game. Assigned to protect the Thane of Whiterun, she’s a strong ally available early on, making difficult quests more survivable at lower levels.
Out of all the housecarls, Lydia is the most expressive, especially in the Dragonborn add-on. As she follows the player across Skyrim and Solstheim, Lydia has a lot to say about Dwarven ruins, the Tel Mithryn towers, All-Maker Stones, and more. Her dialogue makes her a more fun adventuring partner than some of her generic peers.
1 Valdimar, Nord Battlemage Of Hjaalmarch
While most housecarls are pure warriors, Valdimar’s style is closer to that of a battlemage. The housecarl to the Thane of Hjaalmarch is proficient in one-handed weapons, but also in destruction, restoration, and alteration magic. His use of Oakflesh and Stoneflesh, combined with his restoration spells, make him almost unbeatable in combat.
This makes Valdimar an incredibly versatile follower. Unlike many housecarls, he can adapt his offensive style to different enemies; for example, using Turn Undead against draugr. Thus, his unique skillset places him a cut above the rest.
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