Players control one of four predefined characters chosen at the beginning of the game. The other three appear as non-player characters (NPCs). In single-player mode only one of computer-controlled NPCs accompanies the player character at any given time, although the active companion can be changed at any time. This distinguishes the game from previous Dungeon Siege titles, where multiple characters could be in the game at the same time. If either the player or their companion die, they can be revived by the surviving character. If both die, the game has to be restarted from the last location it was saved. The AI is programmed to effectively use a companion's skills to complement the player, such as by waiting for the right time to use abilities or only attempting to revive the player when no more enemies are in the area.
