I think that companions make the game difficult to balance. I find that the game has two difficulty settings, to use old game references, if I have my companions along, it's like I'm on "mommy can I play?" difficulty. . .and if I keep them off doing other things so I can truly solo, it's more like "bring the pain". I tend to prefer the latter and keep my companion banished at almost all times. I know that BW has had companions in nearly every major game they made so it's kinda their calling card. . .but I think they detract from the game. I suppose their input in story points is refreshing, but I really don't like having them attached to the game.
Major points:
1) They make balancing difficulty problematic. Two relatively potent combatants are exponentially stronger than one single combatant with better stats, they have separate cool-downs, can focus on separate things, and add in exploiting the fact that one of the pair is controlled by very exploitable AI and entirely expendable. . .it makes the game either too easy or the devs have to magnify challenges to the point where you HAVE to make maximum use of all those exploits just to stay alive. So, reason one the game would be better without them is it would be easier to balance the challenge level of the setting.
2) The companions do all the crafting and gathering. For people who don't normally craft or gather in other mmos, I'm guessing this is a plus. . .but a large number of players, myself included, actually like having an active hand in crafting. As it is, the only real way to craft is to send your companion off to do it while you knock out the less challenging fights in the game, or while you are mostly afk doing other things and just want to stop in periodically to refill their que. I'd prefer to have crafting be an actual part of the game I could participate in, and don't really like that it's mostly 'dispatch control'.
3) Companions give pains in the keesters pseudo-legitimate reasons to roll Need on EVERYTHING that drops in an instance. . .as some member of their cast can use it, and it seems that a decent portion of the game's players don't feel like a competent adventurer unless their companion is helping. . .this refers back to reason 1, but also. . .those players that are not any good without their companion. . .aren't they a detriment to the party when they're in a full party and their crutch isn't allowed to tag along?
4) The companion personalities are nowhere near flexible enough. My BH and Smuggler both were gonna be underhanded bastards. . .but that apparently doesn't mesh with the almost Jedi-level moral code that your only starting companion seems to have. Why not let people pick out of a couple opening choices who they want to hang out with? If you're going to force people to have companions and rely upon them for adventuring AND crafting. . .at least let us pick someone who's personality meshes with the character we want to play from the beginning.
So, in general, while I didn't quite get the OP's point in the text of his post, I do agree with the Thread Title.
