Always have blue minions on guard duty by holding RB and pressing X, Y. While on a guard post, they will actively run into the combat, grab a fallen peer, and drag their half conscious form over to you so they can revive their fallen comrade. However, while not assigned, they will wait for you to micromanage them over to the body by sweeping, making them almost useless in a large battle.

Forge a piece of gear without imbuing anything into it, then, go to upgrade it, put as many minions into it as you want and as soon as the animation starts but before any minions jump into the smelter, hit start to pause the game and exit, when you come back, the minions will have been imbued, but won’t have been taken from your supply. Makes it real easy to get the Ultimate gear achievements...