Is it time for a pass at companions?

[Gwenorai]

When you engage in combat, the Chocobo will close in an attack from the direction he's coming from and parks it there until the mob is dead. Since they're usually behind you when you engage, of course they're going to go right up next to you if you stand still.

You want him out of frontal cones? YOU move and swing the mob around. That's kind of your job as a tank. It's something done in literally every dungeon trash and boss in the game where it's possible.

It might make sense to you to have him not stand in aoes, but you're a person who is intelligent enough to know to do that. A chocobo isn't.

Their eyes are on opposite sides of their heads. They LITERALLY cannot see much in front of them!

squint, except the chocobo will literally follow them around and continue to get hit because it also takes them a hot second to move. Considering those who have chocobos out tend to be doing fates; you're suggesting they run around in circles dragging the Chocobo that may move out of the aoe and clip those around them as well as aggro more mobs; thus the cycle repeats itself because there is aoe everywhere.
Wot

Can't you get your chocobo out of the AoE with the follow command? I mean, it's a PITA but it's there. Genuine question since I've never really tried and don't use the chocobo as often as I should.

I agree it would be better if the chocobo could behave more autonomously like the trusts do, though.

You can press follow, but then they halt everything they're doing. Which is problematic if your chocobo is on heal. It's a lot of micromanaging that isn't needed. Chocobo's should be immune to damage or be able to managed properly in my opinion.