Beastmasters FTW or FTL? - Guild Wars Forums

ScorchedTater · Aug 24, 2006, 09:06 PM // 21:06

I personally play a beastmaster and find it to be one of the best PvE builds. It's easy to play and relatively self sufficient (similar to the one in the link below). However, I'm not seeing beastmasters as being accepted in most PuGs. So how many people would accept beastmasters in their PuGs? Why or why not?

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s... t=beastmaster

*This thread has sort of changed to a build discussion so if a moderator would be kind enough to move it to the Campfire forum...much appreciated.

WasAGuest · Aug 24, 2006, 09:51 PM // 21:51

I also have a beastmaster and it's one of my favorite characters to play with. It is rather easy to play and enjoyable at the current time, but it is innately flawed at the same time.
The beastmaster's skill bar really needs to be filled with animal attacks to do any real damage if they are going to bother taking the pet to begin with. Then, since the pet is now really your weapon, you are in the interesting spot of your weapon being the only weapon in game that can be killed/destroyed. So you have to protect your weapon somehow. Lastly, with your skill bar now full, and in PvE, you probably want to have a cap and a rez so you are now pressed hard for a skill to make your own character semi useful to the group besides just barking commands at your pet... who can not really interupt or react on a split second change of target.
Many people know this and know that the pet is added pressure on the monk if a dedicated beastmaster is going to be any good... the pet needs to stay alive.
It also means the ranger is not fitting into the typical cookie cutter builds most PuGs seem to live by these days.

Since I do not PuG anymore, I really can't answer the question about who will pick up a beastmaster or not. I would advise not advertising yourself as a Beastmaster though, instead approach the target group as an interupter or barrager (or whatever else floats your boat) and carry on in that reguard while still having your pet along for the ride. I always squeeze in barrage or punishing shot with my beastmaster build, as I use the pet mainly as a body blocker and additional damage dealer. Flawed I know, but so is the entire beastmaster line*. -- Again, I do not PuG though, so guildies and allies know this about this paticular character so they expect it.

*Beastmaster has no weapon specific builds such as a staff or wand. The line is really the only line that requires an almost full skill bar to be slightly effective even in the forgiving PvE game. And in the future, it will be the only line where the players weapon gains DP (if Anet moves forward to adding Dp to pets).

Spike · Aug 25, 2006, 12:15 AM // 00:15

Barrage/pet rangers are VERY popular in both Tombs (PVE) and The Elite mission the Warren.

I would take a B/P ranger in to my pve group anyday esp over sins or mesmers. The only 3 skills I would require a B/P to have are Barrage and comfort/charm animal. Fav winds is also usefull. As is an interupt skill. I don't bother with any special pet attack skills and never had a problem geting into groups.

ScorchedTater · Aug 25, 2006, 03:40 PM // 15:40

Thanks for the replies. As to the reply by WasAGuest, I agree with many of the things you mentioned. There are problems with being a BM, the skillbar is one of them. That does bring up a question though. Am I correct in understanding that you believe a BM cannot do enough damage in PvE without a skillbar loaded with animal attack skills? And it is difficult to maintain the life of your pet? Those were also two of my concerns when I created my BM but given the build that I mentioned in my original post, I think those concerns and most of the flaws you mentioned are addressed.

I use 1 animal attack skill (Enraged Lunge) and 4 shouts that buff the life of my pet. I've found that the AI in PvE ignores the pet and BMs the majority of the time leaving the enemies with a pet that's dealing close to 150-200 damage every 5 seconds (Enraged Lunge with 100+ damage every 5 secs, regular pet attacks between recharge). That's better damage per second than an elementalist and is comparable with that of a warrior. With the 4 shouts I use to charge Enraged Lunge and to buff my pet (Symbiotic Bond, Predatory Bond, Call of Protection, Call of Haste), there's really no damage it takes unless there's a massive spike. Additionally I keep Troll Ungent up almost all the time to mitigate damage from Symbiotic Bond.

Having made these observations through numerous PuGs, I felt that the concerns that I initialled shared with WasAGuest were sufficiently addressed. Of course this is entirely from my play experience and I have yet to come across another BM who has had similar findings. So are there any BMs that have found the same level of effectiveness with the build I mentioned, or variations of it? If not I would highly recommend any BM enthusiast to give the build a try (have to go find the person who created the build to give him/her credit). I feel that a true BM can perhaps be one of the best additions to any PuG and a nice change to the "cookie-cutter" PvE groups.

Aug 24, 2006, 09:06 PM // 21:06	#1
ScorchedTater Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: New York City Profession: Me/	Beastmasters FTW or FTL? I personally play a beastmaster and find it to be one of the best PvE builds. It's easy to play and relatively self sufficient (similar to the one in the link below). However, I'm not seeing beastmasters as being accepted in most PuGs. So how many people would accept beastmasters in their PuGs? Why or why not? http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s... t=beastmaster This thread has sort of changed to a build discussion so if a moderator would be kind enough to move it to the Campfire forum...much appreciated. Last edited by ScorchedTater; Aug 25, 2006 at 03:45 PM // 15:45..*

Aug 24, 2006, 09:51 PM // 21:51	#2
WasAGuest Desert Nomad Join Date: Jan 2006	I also have a beastmaster and it's one of my favorite characters to play with. It is rather easy to play and enjoyable at the current time, but it is innately flawed at the same time. The beastmaster's skill bar really needs to be filled with animal attacks to do any real damage if they are going to bother taking the pet to begin with. Then, since the pet is now really your weapon, you are in the interesting spot of your weapon being the only weapon in game that can be killed/destroyed. So you have to protect your weapon somehow. Lastly, with your skill bar now full, and in PvE, you probably want to have a cap and a rez so you are now pressed hard for a skill to make your own character semi useful to the group besides just barking commands at your pet... who can not really interupt or react on a split second change of target. Many people know this and know that the pet is added pressure on the monk if a dedicated beastmaster is going to be any good... the pet needs to stay alive. It also means the ranger is not fitting into the typical cookie cutter builds most PuGs seem to live by these days. Since I do not PuG anymore, I really can't answer the question about who will pick up a beastmaster or not. I would advise not advertising yourself as a Beastmaster though, instead approach the target group as an interupter or barrager (or whatever else floats your boat) and carry on in that reguard while still having your pet along for the ride. I always squeeze in barrage or punishing shot with my beastmaster build, as I use the pet mainly as a body blocker and additional damage dealer. Flawed I know, but so is the entire beastmaster line. -- Again, I do not PuG though, so guildies and allies know this about this paticular character so they expect it. Beastmaster has no weapon specific builds such as a staff or wand. The line is really the only line that requires an almost full skill bar to be slightly effective even in the forgiving PvE game. And in the future, it will be the only line where the players weapon gains DP (if Anet moves forward to adding Dp to pets).

Aug 25, 2006, 12:15 AM // 00:15	#3
Spike Jungle Guide Join Date: May 2005 Location: In front of my PC Guild: Kai Profession: E/Mo	Barrage/pet rangers are VERY popular in both Tombs (PVE) and The Elite mission the Warren. I would take a B/P ranger in to my pve group anyday esp over sins or mesmers. The only 3 skills I would require a B/P to have are Barrage and comfort/charm animal. Fav winds is also usefull. As is an interupt skill. I don't bother with any special pet attack skills and never had a problem geting into groups.

Aug 25, 2006, 03:40 PM // 15:40	#4
ScorchedTater Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: New York City Profession: Me/	Thanks for the replies. As to the reply by WasAGuest, I agree with many of the things you mentioned. There are problems with being a BM, the skillbar is one of them. That does bring up a question though. Am I correct in understanding that you believe a BM cannot do enough damage in PvE without a skillbar loaded with animal attack skills? And it is difficult to maintain the life of your pet? Those were also two of my concerns when I created my BM but given the build that I mentioned in my original post, I think those concerns and most of the flaws you mentioned are addressed. I use 1 animal attack skill (Enraged Lunge) and 4 shouts that buff the life of my pet. I've found that the AI in PvE ignores the pet and BMs the majority of the time leaving the enemies with a pet that's dealing close to 150-200 damage every 5 seconds (Enraged Lunge with 100+ damage every 5 secs, regular pet attacks between recharge). That's better damage per second than an elementalist and is comparable with that of a warrior. With the 4 shouts I use to charge Enraged Lunge and to buff my pet (Symbiotic Bond, Predatory Bond, Call of Protection, Call of Haste), there's really no damage it takes unless there's a massive spike. Additionally I keep Troll Ungent up almost all the time to mitigate damage from Symbiotic Bond. Having made these observations through numerous PuGs, I felt that the concerns that I initialled shared with WasAGuest were sufficiently addressed. Of course this is entirely from my play experience and I have yet to come across another BM who has had similar findings. So are there any BMs that have found the same level of effectiveness with the build I mentioned, or variations of it? If not I would highly recommend any BM enthusiast to give the build a try (have to go find the person who created the build to give him/her credit). I feel that a true BM can perhaps be one of the best additions to any PuG and a nice change to the "cookie-cutter" PvE groups.