How to Recruit Farkas as a Follower in Skyrim: A Comprehensive Guide
Introduction
As one of the senior circle members of The Companions residing in Jorrvaskr, Whiterun, Farkas has become a fan favorite follower amongst Skyrim players. His imposing physique, brooding looks and deep voice makes him a distinctive character. But what truly sets him apart is his unflinching loyalty and humility despite his warrior prowess.
This comprehensive guide will teach you how to unlock Farkas as a follower, utilize him effectively in combat, understand his backstory and analyze how he compares to other popular Skyrim followers. Whether you are a casual fan or hardcore ESO gamer, there should be plenty of new insights here!
Unlocking Farkas as a Follower
Recruiting Farkas is tied directly to The Companions faction questline. As his oath-brother, you must first gain his trust and respect by progressing through the ranks to become Harbinger.
Brief History on The Companions
The Companions are an ancient order tracing back to the original Five Hundred Companions of Ysgramor, who embarked on a bloody campaign to avenge the Snow Elf massacre of Saarthal settlers. They have existed for thousands of years, fulfilling honorable contracts as elite mercenary warriors. Their legendary exploits made The Companions the most est Keeppower respected faction across Tamriel.
Senior members form an exclusive Inner Circle that harbors the blood of lycanthropes. Farkas and his twin Vilkas are part of this select group. Leadership resides with the Harbinger, who operates from Jorrvaskr in Whiterun with other Companion members.
Notable former Harbingers include:
- Ysgramor, Founder of The Companions
- Jeek of the River, Led the Companions against Breton raid in 1E 478
- Kyrnil Long-Nose, Famed leader during the Second Era
- Kodlak Whitemane, Previous Harbinger recently deceased
| Name | Position | Blood Status | Notable Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farkas | Circle Member | Lycanthrope | Twin of Vilkas, Master at Arms |
| Vilkas | Circle Member | Lycanthrope | Twin of Farkas, Brilliant Strategist |
| Aela | Circle Member | Lycanthrope | Huntress, Expert Archer |
| Skjor | Previous Circle Member | Lycanthrope | Killed by the Silver Hand |
Walkthrough of Companions Questline
To recruit Farkas, you must first help him with a variety of tasks under The Companions to gain his trust. This translated to completing the following Companions questline:
Take Up Arms
This is your initiation into the faction. Speak to Farkas for training or ask for work to take on radiant quests like bandit hunts or fetch tasks. Build up your reputation with The Companions by successfully completing multiple of these quests across Skyrim.
Difficulty: Novice ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Proving Honor
You are tasked with accompanying Farkas on his trial assignment to Dustman‘s Cairn. Fight alongside him against the Draugr within the ruin and unlock your inner strength. Afterwards, Farkas reveals his secret and you are introduced to The Circle.
Difficulty: Adept ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Silver Hand
Work with Farkas‘s brother Vilkas on seeking vengeance against The Silver Hand, a radical group dedicated to wiping out werewolves. This is done by assaulting their hideouts like Gallows Rock and Driftshade Refuge. Expect heavy resistance from well-armed soldiers aided by vicious werewolf hunters. Exercise caution against their deadly silver weapons!
Difficulty: Expert ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Blood‘s Honor
Fulfill the dying wish of Kodlak Whitemane in curing his lycanthropy. Help the old Harbinger find redemption in the afterlife by restoring the lost fragments of Wuuthrad and cleansing his wolf spirit.
Difficulty: Master ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Purity of Revenge
With guidance from the Glenmoril Witches, venture forth to avenge Kodlak‘s murder by eliminating every last Silver Hand soldier. Storm their final stronghold of Gallows Rock leaving no one alive. Show the fanatics no mercy for desecrating the final resting place of Ysgramor‘s most trusted general.
Difficulty: Master ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Glory of the Dead
Make the pilgrimage to Ysgramor’s Tomb with the fully reforged Wuuthrad and cast out the wolf spirits of Kodlak and the remaining Circle members. Ensure that Kodlak gets his hard-earned peace and glory in Sovngarde. The Circle also appoints their new leader, with you becoming the next Harbinger of The Companions.
Difficulty: Master ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
| Quest | Difficulty | Prerequisites | Reward Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take Up Arms | Novice | Join Companions | Access to Living Quarters & Training |
| Proving Honor | Adept | Take Up Arms | Gain Respect of Inner Circle |
| The Silver Hand | Expert | Proving Honor | Become Blood-Kin of The Circle |
| Blood‘s Honor | Master | The Silver Hand | Restore the lost fragments of Wuuthrad |
| Purity of Revenge | Master | Blood‘s Honor | Right to Revenge Kodlak‘s Murder |
| Glory of the Dead | Master | Purity of Revenge | Become Harbinger, Cure Lycanthropy |
Curing Farkas of Lycanthropy
Even after the Companions main story arc, Farkas remains afflicted as a werewolf. If you wish to rid him of his beast blood (thereby allowing him to enter Sovngarde when he dies), an additional quest must be completed.
This optional quest is only available after Glory of the Dead when you become Harbinger. The cure also works for Farkas‘ brother Vilkas. Simply ask Farkas "Have you been cured of Lycanthropy yet?" and he will respond "No, Harbinger. I still have the beast blood."
Farkas will then request your assistance in cleansing his soul with a private ceremony, away from judgmental eyes in Whiterun. Guide him to the Tomb of Ysgramor on the far northern island past Winterhold.
- Fight off attacking frostbite spiders along the way
- Defend Farkas while he kneels unarmed at the statue of Ysgramor
- Witness his transformation back into a mortal human
And Farkas will be rid of his inner wolf spirit that has dominated him for so long! He can now look forward to a normal life and peaceful afterlife devoid of Hircine‘s hunting grounds.
How to Recruit Farkas as Follower
With the critical Companions quests completed, Farkas can finally join you on adventures across Skyrim.
As Harbinger and Blood-Kin, Farkas is sworn to assist you whenever required. Simply ask "Do you need any help?" or "I have something I want you to do." and Farkas will readily offer his services as a follower.
If Farkas is cured of Lycanthropy, make sure to equip him with strong armor and weapon upgrades. His fighting style is still oriented as a tank who charges into combat, so boost his resistances so he can absorb damage. Otherwise he may fall rather quickly without his werewolf bonuses.
As a follower, Farkas excels in melee combat with his sword and shield. He makes for an excellent tank to absorb enemy blows while you dish out damage from range. Do watch out for Farkas suddenly charging off on his own – reign him in so he is not overwhelmed when outnumbered.
Now journey forth with your stalwart Companion Farkas at your side as new adventures in Skyrim await!
Effective Use of Farkas as Follower
Farkas belongs to the Warrior class focused on One-Handed and Heavy Armor skills. He starts at level 25 and has no level cap, allowing him to continue growing in strength as you progress. Farkas can reach extremely high stats when boosted by top-tier gear.
Some tips for utilizing Farkas effectively as follower:
Ideal Player Build Synergy
As Farkas covers melee combat quite thoroughly, pair him with magic oriented or archer builds for best results:
✅ Mages
✅ Conjurers
✅ Healers
✅ Bards
✅ Rangers
✅ Assassins
Farkas is able to press the frontline offensive while you provide ample support through spells, shouts or arrows.
| Follower Build | Farkas Role | Tactics |
|---|---|---|
| Archer | Tank | Farkas engages in melee so you can snipe safely from distance |
| Mage | Bodyguard | Farkas protects you while you cast destruction/conjuration magic |
| Assassin | Distraction | Farkas causes commotion for you to sneak attack enemy backlines |
Let Farkas draw all the aggression through taunts and shield bashing. This frees you up to employ more tactical approaches while Farkas has the brute strength to withstand focused attacks.
Gear Optimization
Because Farkas maximizes damage mitigation over offense, prioritize boosting his armor rating and magic resistance.
Recommended Gear:
💪 Daedric/Dragonplate Heavy Armor
🛡 Spellbreaker Shield
⚔️ Champion‘s Cudgel / Dragonbone Warhammer
👟 Boots of Blinding Speed
Some ideal enchantments:
- Fortify Health
- Resist Magic
- Stamina Regen
- One-Handed Damage
Gear progression tips:
❌ Avoid Light Armor as it leaves him too vulnerable
❌ Don‘t give him Follower Torch/Pickaxe as he tends to get stuck trying to use them
⚠️ Be careful handing Farkas gear as he won‘t unequip his default Steel Plate set. Store it safely at his quarters to avoid losing that gear permanently!
Dungeon Tactics
When tackling challenging dungeons, utilize Farkas to his full potential by having him:
- 🛡️Tank bosses and draw all attacks
- 🔨DPS down key targets like mages/archers first
- 🗡️ Carve a path through traps rather than risking player health
- 👮♂️ Take aggro from swarms of enemies
- 🚑 Rescue incapacitated followers while protected by bulwark shield
Farkas can hold his own even against menacing foes like high level Dremora, Dragon Priests and Dwemer Centurions. Keep him healed up and he will pave an easy road to the final dungeon boss.
Limitations & Solutions
However, Farkas has some drawbacks to be aware of:
Issue: Extreme aggression causing him to charge ahead alone
Fix: Calm him repeatedly so he falls back behind you
Issue: Unable to follow you across certain terrain
Fix: Fast travel away then ask him to re-follow
Issue: Low magic resistance against enemy casters
Fix: Enchant gear to fortify magic defense
Issue: May trigger friendly fire from AoE spells
Fix: Take up archery over destruction magic
Why Farkas is an Excellent Choice of Husband
Aside from just being a follower, fans have often pondered:Who is the best husband in Skyrim? While options like Marcurio have their appeal, Farkas stands out for several reasons:
1. Evergreen Combat Support – As your husband, Farkas remains an essential follower for the rest of the game. He will continue assisting you on adventures without risk of permanent death.
2. Homebody – Farkas prefers to remain home most days maintaining the household rather than idling around in cities. He keeps your home in order and offers a 5000 gold income boost.
3. Humble Nature – Even after marriage, Farkas remains grounded and faithful. No need to worry about catching him drunk or berating you with arrogant remarks (unlike some stewards…)
So if you are looking for a strong, supportive life partner that treats you as an equal while growing old together, look no further than the gentle beast Farkas!
Conclusion
And there concludes my comprehensive guide on unlocking Farkas as a follower. We covered his backstory ties with The Companions, progression through the faction questlines, curing his lycanthropy, effective combat tactics and why he‘s an appealing marriage choice.
While Farkas may not be the sharpest axe in Jorrvaskr, he more than makes up for it with his courage, empathy and willingness to charge headfirst against any foe to protect his shield siblings. Having him watch your back certainly provides a huge sense of security.
I hope this guide gives you lots of insight on our favorite lovable oaf Farkas. Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions on Farkas or Skyrim followers in general!
