New Feature: Auto-Sidekick.

How about a feature where a computer-controlled sidekick follows the hero and targets the same foes, utilizing powers much the way the Shooting Stars NPC's do in those missions?
1: The player must create both the mentor and the sidekick on the same server. This could lead to the sale of more server slots as well.
2: The player can switch between his/her two characters when speaking to a trainer.

For example, the player has two characters: the Stick, and Moth-Guy.
The player plays the Stick, and moth-guy follows and assists.
Then, the player can change to Moth-Guy, and the stick will follow and assist.
Both characters gain experience and level-up.

This feature would be great for players who (like me) work odd hours and can usually get online between 2 and 5 AM - not many chances to work with other players and teams during those hours.

HOWEVER, there should be limits -
1: the two characters cannot be more than 5 actual levels apart
2: the duo cannot enter Strike Force missions
3: Hero/Villain teams are not possible.

Any other ideas?

Interesting, and has the potential to create new gameplay. I think the devs should check how hard this would be to do, and consider it.

EDIT--
I'm not big on the switching part, but I like the idea of another character on your account being used as backup.

You know how if you ctrl+click a power you get auto fire? They should make a new modifier+click to put some other color ring around your powers and when that character is brought in as a computer controlled backup, those are the powers they use and toggles they attempt to run.

Maybe this could be a high end incarnate power... either a power to bring in another character, or maybe the incarnate power marks that character so that THEY can be summoned and used.

Details need working out, but it's a neat idea IMO.

What if this was another AT?... Think mastermind, but merely getting 1 summon pet (your sidekick). The AT could be called "Dynamic Duo" or "Partners" whatevs...
The primary power, or summon, would be similar to MMs, but flavored like the other ATs (ranged dam, melee, support, control) that dictates the basic type of SK you get along with the kinds of powers available to you.
The secondary is determined after the primary... IE; melee primary, shield secondary. Ranged primary,blap/soft control secondary. Having the SK as a summon like MMs allows for it always to be 1 lvl lower than you and also only take 1 character slot.
Now this form of the concept could allow for a "combo-esq" mechanic in the primary. A various set of bonuses that you receive when your SK is summoned and both performing attacks/buffs/rebuffe/etc.
Gonna need to flush this idea more when I'm at my CPU... Hard to do on a mobile phone.

Just ran through "Kristen's Consolidated AT" thread here in the suggestion forum... Bradley_LFV already suggested a very similar idea to mine several days ago, so I won't elaborate here.

TY, Blast_Chamber for pointing out the AT suggestion I made for a Duo character, with an MM-style single henchman. But unfortunately, that's not what the OP is asking for, based on how I'm reading it. He's asking for a single account level pact between two full-on characters, where one is active and the other acts as a heal-bot or attack-bot for the other, they both gain XP, inf, and drops, and they can be switched back and forth after speaking to an NPC. If that's not what The Turnbow had in mind, please elaborate in a reply.

This would be useful for a solo player trying to level a defender or controller. I don't play either of those ATs much simply because it takes so darn long to defeat anything due to lack of damage output (at least at lower levels). Having a sidekick along to dish out damage while I'm busy defending and controlling would be great.

Blast_Chamber's idea is pretty solid.

I like the idea of being able to have a "sidekick" but my interpretation of that is more along the lines of a customizable Lore pet than as a full-fledged character that can be "switched" back and forth.

In fact my idea is even less involved than the "one henchman MM" idea. My sidekick pet would be pretty much like an Incarnate Lore pet with the added benefits of 1) being customizable with its own costume slot and 2) having some control over its hardwired powersets like you have in the AE system. Beyond that it would just follow you around and help you depending on its powersets the same way a Lore pet does.

To keep this balanced the Devs could make the relative effectiveness of this sidekick be pretty low (like maybe be -4 to your effective level) but it would still be a positive benefit to you, albeit a minor one.

I once suggested "Sidekick" as a 50+ Power (Before incarnates happened). I still think it would make an excellent addition to the incarnate list. Basically I saw it as a second character which you leveled up to a point where you could eventually play it solo. Probably no practical game mechanic to make it work though.

What you are suggesting is known as 2box-ing where you use 2 (or more) accounts simultaneously. It is easy to do with today's tech and the devs made it easier when they gave us fully active free accounts.

After playing another MMO for a few months, one of the things I miss after coming back to CoH is having an NPC following me around and helping out when needed.

Obviously it'd need a lot of work to apply to CoH's mechanics, but I think it would be really rewarding.

Besides, a huge staple of superheroes is having a sidekick. Finally having a feature where you could make that a reality in the game would be aces.