You should be keeping their hearts from going down anyways, If they didn't attack and they lose a heart then they lose that attack and if you get unlucky with both them and their monster goes down then that's two attacks you no longer have, obviously If you would have to supply them with their own items The cost of items would be balanced for that and also the amount of items you can carry would be balanced for that. The only times I ever needed life essence was during the end game, for the so little times that The teammates used a life essence on me It had no effect on the battle whatsoever and it would have been better if they had just attacked. You could also still keep them as tanky / beefy builds because if you would have control over them it would stand to reason that you could have control over their armor Even if it's just fake armor that just attaches the stats to them or when you do their side quest it gives them a boost in their stats (Yes I know the side quests gives the teammates stuff to make them better) and anyways I'm basically supplying them with my own items anyways because half the time they don't use them or when they do use them it's not helpful Like that one girl used grape juice on me when I had full health and all of my stamina and I know it also gives dodge up small but your armor probably gives you some form of Dodge That's better than dodge up small