Stefan

At a Glance
Origin: Armament: Sword and Shield

Pros Cons
 * First melee henchman.
 * Has a fair survival rate in combat.
 * Has below par offensive power, attacks weaker than Little Thom
 * Dies quickly if surrounded.

Known Skills
From Dragon's Lair on:
 * Balanced Stance
 * Griffon's Sweep
 * Healing Signet
 * Resurrection Signet
 * Power Attack
 * Sever Artery
 * Sprint
 * Charge! (replaces Sprint)

Behaviour
As with all henchmen, Stefan will fight whatever it is the party leader is currently attacking. Since he is a Warrior, this is a lot more noticable. Keep this in mind if you're using effect-on-hit skills (such as Mark of Pain) to maximise your body counts. Be aware that if not already fighting, Stefan immediately engages any enemy that attacks a party member, be it by ranged attacks, spells or melee. This means of course he will very often rush right into the middle of an enemy group, often drawing the attention of more enemies. He is also very reluctant when it comes to breaking off an enemy and retreat. You will have to run away so far that he almost leaves you mini map until he starts moving, too. Tactics like luring small groups of mobs away from a larger host are very difficult when Stefan is involved and next to impossible if it comes to ranged attackers.

Tips

 * Keep healing Stefan. If he is your only primary Warrior, keep him alive at all costs, as he's the one who'll be trying to soak up all that physical damage.
 * Remember that sword skills that cause Bleeding don't work very well against elementals and other creatures who don't bleed. Stefan, and other sword-wielding Warriors, are handicapped when facing such enemies.