Why does nobody talk about the steward's actual job at homesteads

[RiftenWanderer]

I just realized I've been playing Hearthfire completely wrong. Like, I always just... hired a steward, told them to build stuff, and then ignored them. But I actually watched what Rayya was doing at Lakeview the other day and she's legitimately out there managing the whole place - chopping wood, tending the garden, fixing things.

And then I thought about it and I've never actually seen my steward do like half the stuff they're supposed to do. They'll build your wings, sure, but are they actually maintaining anything? Do they care if your homestead gets attacked? I had a bandit raid at Heljarchen last week and my steward just... stood there while I fought them. Didn't help at all.

Has anyone else noticed this or am I just expecting too much from them? Like logically they should be doing something between the times you visit, but the game doesn't really show any of that. Makes the whole steward hiring thing feel kind of pointless when you're the one who has to defend your own house anyway.

 

[NordOfSolitude]

Yeah, the steward AI is pretty barebones compared to what they're actually supposed to represent. I think the issue is that Hearthfire was designed around you being present at the homestead - they'll do their jobs while you're there, but the moment you leave or fast travel away, they kind of just... exist in a holding pattern. They're not really programmed to handle threats independently, which is why they stand around during raids.

That said, I've noticed Rayya and the other stewards do legitimately work the gardens and chop wood when you're watching, and they'll gather resources over time even if you're not there. It's just that the game doesn't simulate what happens when you leave - there's no behind-the-scenes "steward defending the homestead" script running. They're more like decorative workers than actual managers, which is honestly kind of a letdown given how much Hearthfire sold the idea of building a "home" with people running it.

The defending part especially bugs me. They should at least help during raids. I had my steward at Heljarchen just stand there too while I soloed like five bandits. Makes you wonder why you even hired them, ngl. The whole system feels half-finished in that way - great concept, but the execution doesn't really back it up.