Aela the Huntress – The Best Follower Archer in Skyrim

Innate Talent – A Class of Her Own

Straight out of the box, Aela the Huntress has an Archery skill level of 70 – higher than any other follower. This mastery of the bow enables her to take down foes with a few well-placed arrows where others would struggle just to hit their target. According to texts found in Jorrvaskr, Aela‘s prodigious skills were apparent from a very young age when she joined the Companions. Despite her junior status among the guild, she is regarded by senior members as the most lethal warrior among them – high praise considering the Company‘s 500 year history as Skyrim‘s fighters guild.

Trains the Dragonborn to Expert Level

Once you complete certain Companions questlines, Aela offers expert training in Archery, allowing a Dragonborn lacking in bow skills to rapidly gain proficiency. As the old adage goes – teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Having such a master archer follower is invaluable itself, but having them train you as well makes building a powerful sneaky archer Dragonborn much easier.

The Perfect Blend of Stealth, Range and Melee Prowess

While clearly excelling with the bow, Aela is also well-versed in one-handed combat, light armor, sneaking and blocking. This versatility to switch from long range sniping to up close melee brawling makes her useful in nearly any battle scenario. According to UESP‘s stats, Aela‘s starting skills are:

Combining high archery with competent close quarters abilities enables Aela to adapt to changing battle conditions – sniping from afar when undetected, or drawing her sword when enemies close in.

The Hunter‘s Fury – Werewolf Transformation

As a member of The Circle, Aela has the ability to tap into her lycanthropy and transform into a Werewolf during battle. According to the Elder Scrolls wiki, the transformation confers the following bonuses:
+100 max health and stamina
+50% movement speed
80% resistance to disease and poison
50% resistance to frost
The werewolf form also grants lethal claw attacks rivaling Daedric weaponry in damage. All of these benefits combine into a last line of defense that can turn the tide when overwhelmed by enemies. It also enables surviving sneak attacks or ambushes that would kill a lesser follower.

Ever-Improving and Never Obsolete

One advantage Aela has over most vanilla game followers is that she levels indefinitely along with the player character rather than capping at a specific level. This ensures that however powerful the player becomes in the late game facing high level adversaries, Aela continues upgrading as well. Through new perks, gear, and ever-increasing archery proficiency, she remains a highly capable combat ally rather than one relegated to pack mule duties.

Cutting Edge Weaponry from the Harbinger‘s Armory

Upon completion of the Companions story arc, the lead character becomes Harbinger – effectively Guildmaster. One benefit of attaining this rank is gaining access to the Harbinger‘s quarters and arsenal within Jorrvaskr. As Harbinger, the Dragonborn can suit Aela up with whatever specially crafted or enchanted gear you come across that complements an archer build. As she levels up, increasingly formidable bows and arrows can further maximize her damage output. Gear suggestions to boost Aela‘s sneakiness and archery prowess:

• Deathbrand Armor – Improves sneak, one-handed weapons, and carry weight
• Nightingale Hood/Gloves – Fortify archery and sneaking skills
• Fortify Archery Enchantments
• Best Bows – Dragonbone or Daedric for pure damage, Auriel‘s Bow adding fire damage, or Zephyr for fastest shot speed

Why Followers Matter

Followers in Skyrim are more than just pack mules to carry excess inventory. When well-armed and armor-clad they transform from ambulatory shelves to deadly combat allies. Since sneaky archers lack the heavy armor and melee skills of tank builds, effective followers provide a vital shield of steel and muscle. Someone to take the brunt of enemy blows or draw attention while you pepper the opposition with arrows.

Certain enemies like high level mages, archers and melee shield users are challenging alone but easier with an ally. Tasks like exploring ruins full of the undead can be nerve-wracking solo but markedly safer with backup. This redundancy keeps you fighting and moving forward rather than reloading saves.

Maximizing Aela‘s Deadliness

While already a formidable ally in her default state, Aela‘s lethality can be enhanced through smithing, enchanting, skill training and specialized gear. As Harbinger, the Dragonborn can provide much of this directly without relying on what randomly generated loot you happen across. If focusing efforts on non-crafting skills, followers offset weaknesses allowing concentrating points elsewhere.

Retaining robust associates brings strategic advantages letting followers handle tasks you invest less in – melee combat, drawing threat or shielding you from attacks while raining death from the shadows. If "one arrow is easily broken but many arrows are indestructible”, followers are extra arrows protecting a vital but vulnerable archer core. Aela‘s talents, ever-increasing skills and knack for survival make her the ultimate bow to wield alongside your own.