Editing Companions (section)

== Hired hands (background gathering) ==
From '''[[Taming]] 25''', a working companion can be given a '''task''': one gathering action it keeps running '''in the background''', even while you personally do something else — or are offline.

* '''Which skills''' — only [[Foraging]], [[Logging]], [[Mining]], and [[Fishing]] can be tasked. Processing, combat, [[Farming]], and [[Delving]] cannot.
* '''Only what you could gather yourself''' — a dino can be tasked to gather a resource only from a [[Biomes|biome]] or tier you have already unlocked. Locked options stay listed in the picker, greyed out with what's needed (e.g. "{{Icon|ui-lock}} Harvest Sulfur — clear the Scorched Badlands"); clear that biome and the task lights up.
* '''What you get''' — the action's '''guaranteed drops only''', at roughly a third of hands-on speed (a stronger companion buff works a little faster). Background work earns '''no XP, no rare drops, no pets or mastery''' — playing the skill yourself is always better; hired hands just keep the basket full.
* '''Task slots''' — one slot at Taming 25; the '''Foreman's Whistle''' [[Shop]] upgrade adds up to two more (three total).
* '''Upkeep''' — a hungry worker's task pauses until you restock its [[Diets|diet]] food, and the "while you were away" summary reports what your hired hands hauled in.
* '''Recent gathers''' — a working dino shows a {{Icon|glyph-crate}} recent-gathers line on its skill page (and its latest hauls appear in the [[Stable]]'s hired-hands strip), so you can see at a glance what each worker is bringing in.

Reaching high lifetime background gathers unlocks the '''Delegator''' [[Achievements|achievement]] track.