I have that mutant guy with a shotgun as my companion and he'd make a good companion if he didn't steal my XP. I noticed that if I don't do at least half damage on an enemy, then I won't get any XP for the kill. It happens when I let monsters fight and finish them off when they're injured and...
I think the more freedom in a game the better. I don't want to kill children, even in a game, and I probably never will unless one particularly annoys me (like the ones that stand in doorways and don't move). But I still want to have the option and freedom to. But at this point, I think...