Stewards keep dying and I'm stuck with Rayya, help

[NordOfSolitude]

I'm on my second Hearthfire playthrough and I've had three different stewards now. First one got destroyed by bandits outside Lakeview, second one walked into a giant camp like an idiot, and now I'm stuck with Rayya because she's the only one left who'll work for me. Don't get me wrong, Rayya's solid in a fight, but I feel like I'm being forced into this pick instead of actually choosing it.

Is there a way to keep stewards alive or do you guys just accept the turnover? I was thinking about hiring someone from a specific hold that doesn't have as many wandering threats nearby, but I'm not even sure if that matters. Also does anyone know if stewards respawn or if they're just gone forever once they die?

 

[RiftenWanderer]

Yeah stewards can definitely be fragile if you're not careful. The issue is they'll follow you everywhere and just... do dumb stuff in combat. I've had the same problem - watched my steward walk straight into dragon fire because apparently that's a good strategy.

They don't respawn, so once they're dead they're gone for good. But you can always hire someone else from the Jarl's court or find another follower willing to take the job. The hold you pick from doesn't really matter safety-wise though - a steward is a steward, they're all gonna have the same AI problems.

What actually helped me was just... not taking them on adventures? Like, I keep mine at the homestead and do my quests solo. Way less stressful than watching them aggro a whole bandit camp. If you need a follower for dungeons, grab someone else and then swap back to your steward once you're home. Rayya's actually a solid pick for staying put too since she can handle herself if bandits show up nearby.