Better Companions and Caravans
⚪ Last updated 2009⚠️ Install Order · 2 steps
Install in this order, then this mod last — most mods fail to load without their framework and dependencies in place.
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🔍 Analysis
- 👍 2.8% endorsement rate — high engagement, a strong quality signal
- 🏆 #71 of 420 Gameplay Effects and Changes mods in this game by downloads
📋 About This Mod
Better Companions & Caravans by Rasana ================================ Description: ============ Change in 1. 8: Sergeant RL-3 had a chance of not being essential in the essential version, but in only 1 instance: If you attacked him to the point of him retaliating against you, there was a script that ran in the background to lower his armor values, but it also flagged him to be non-essential. Got rid of this part of the script. All other combat scenarios he was still essential. Fixed. I\'ve also tweaked how sneak is applied. Played around with this for creatures, like Dogmeat, but even though I can add sneak to him he doesn\'t use it after testing it in game. Sorry dog lovers. You will also find a new esp in this package. It contains an essential companion version where the only thing different is Clover\'s appearance. I\'ve had a few requests for this, so like I said... ITS TOTALLY OPTIONAL. The non-Clover essential version still has Clover\'s appearance at the defaults, and is the same esp that essential user\'s have been dealing with. Change in 1. 7: Was pointed out that Dogmeat wasn\'t essential in the essential version of ver 1. 6. So for almost a month, you essential esp Dogmeat owners must have had him locked up in a cage or something! Bad humans! :p Thanks to rbanzai, for the heads up, and I found the script that I forgot to edit from 1. 6. Change in 1. 6: I have further modified the AI of companions. If you are just running around with them and not being sneaky, you will, in most instances, notice no difference, or they may be a bit less aggressive from the 1. 4 change - its going to depend on who the hostile creature/npc spots first. Meaning, if the hostile creature spots you first, your companion will be a bit less aggressive, waiting for the creature to be somewhat close to you before attacking. If the creature spots your companions first, and aggro\'s on them, the companion will act normally and go on the offense. However, the big change is in the \"sneakiness\" of all companions. They are now all much more \"sneaky\" when you are sneaking. All of their other stats and combat values are unchanged. So if you are a very sneaky sort, but your companion kinda sucked at sneaking around compared to you (meaning the hostiles always spotted your companion before spotting you), you should notice a big difference here. Most times, the hostiles will have to notice you first when sneaking in order for your companion to attack. Dogmeat is still unaggressive from 1. 4, but he\'s a dog. He can\'t be \"sneaky\". I haven\'t really found a good way to implement this in him yet. RL-3 and Fawkes I purposefully left \"unsneaky\" as they are not the sneaky sorts anyway, and it doesn\'t make much sense to me to alter them as they both have their own advantages over the other companions. Addition: If you want to bond with Clover, she has an extra slave collar you can wear yourself and be her slave pal. :p Change in
This mod tweaks all NPC companions and the four major trader caravans in the game, aiming to improve their behavior or stats. With 1,334 endorsements and 48,275 downloads, it has a solid following, though it hasn't been updated since 2009, so compatibility with current versions may be an issue.
✨ Key Features
📊 Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Community favorite with 1,334 endorsements and 48k downloads—clearly a lot of players found it useful.
- Covers both companions and caravans in one mod, so you get a broad gameplay tweak without juggling multiple files.
- Simple concept: if you want your followers and traders to be more effective, this is a one-stop fix.
⚠️ Cons
- Last updated in 2009—over a decade old, so it's likely outdated and may not work with the current game version.
- Potential conflicts with other mods that touch the same NPCs or caravans—you'll need to test carefully.
For players who want a straightforward boost to companion and caravan performance without a lot of extra features. If you're running a modded setup and your followers feel weak or caravans are too slow, this could be a quick fix. Skip if you're on a modern version of the game or want more detailed customization.
💡 Beginner Tips
- Since the mod is from 2009, check if your game version is compatible—if not, look for a community patch or alternative.
- Load order matters: place this mod early in your load order to avoid overriding other companion mods.
- Test with a new save or after recruiting a companion to see the changes immediately.
📊 Mod Details
- Game
- Fallout 3 Mods
- Author
- Rasana
- Version
- 1.8
- Downloads
- 48,275
- Endorsements
- 1,334
- Category
- Gameplay Effects and Changes
- Created
- 12/13/2008
- Updated
- 5/4/2009
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