Curse

JSpayde · Aug 09, 2009, 01:02 PM // 13:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tenebrae

LoL dude , thats not a BM build , thats an standart AP caller bringing a pet .
Good luck ? your pet never gets to hit target because target dies too fast . Bad luck and your pet hits ? you are doing something wrong.

Uh okay. Are we just talking theorycraft now people? I know for a fact discordway/AP calling isn't the end all of PvE. Sure it makes it easy but its not like your heroes look at a target group and poof-they're-gone, especially in HM. Saying my pet won't reach the target when minions do exactly the same thing (how else do you minion bomb? From afar?) doesn't make sense either. Can we be a little less ignorant?

And I already stated this was useful for an AP calling build, so it doesn't make sense to tell me what I already know. AP CALLER FOR FOUR-MAN AREAS. I'm saying adding a pet adds some utility to the AP call build...No management of unnecessary skills + Extra dmg when you're using a staff for extra energy = No need for marksmanship bow requirement. To say that running AP and using comfort animal is strictly a BM build is just idiotic as well - no idea how you got that impression.

Tenebrae · Aug 09, 2009, 03:25 PM // 15:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSpayde

Uh okay. Are we just talking theorycraft now people? I know for a fact discordway/AP calling isn't the end all of PvE. Sure it makes it easy but its not like your heroes look at a target group and poof-they're-gone, especially in HM.

What im saying is that we are talking about pets and BM builds , not normal builds with open slots that can be filled with pets , thats diff , VERY diff.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSpayde

Saying my pet won't reach the target when minions do exactly the same thing (how else do you minion bomb? From afar?) doesn't make sense either. Can we be a little less ignorant?

Wrong , minions =\= pets . Minions agro and go to the foe till foe dies , you cant call them to switch targets. Pets DO switch targets so yes , pets are gonna spent more time switching targets that doing damage. Can we be a little less rude ? i did not insult you , chill .

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSpayde

And I already stated this was useful for an AP calling build, so it doesn't make sense to tell me what I already know. AP CALLER FOR FOUR-MAN AREAS. I'm saying adding a pet adds some utility to the AP call build...No management of unnecessary skills + Extra dmg when you're using a staff for extra energy = No need for marksmanship bow requirement. To say that running AP and using comfort animal is strictly a BM build is just idiotic as well - no idea how you got that impression.

To say an AP build with a pet on a thread talking about builds FOCUSED on pets ( or almost pure BM builds ) is rather pointless imo. For pets adding some utility ..... i thing bringing an asuran summon would do better , only 1 skill and they are ranged so they dont have to run.
If someone quotes you doesnt mean he/she is attacking you so chill , those "ignorant" and "idiotic" were totally unnecessary.

Marverick · Aug 09, 2009, 06:01 PM // 18:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tenebrae

LoL dude , thats not a BM build , thats an standart AP caller bringing a pet .
Good luck ? your pet never gets to hit target because target dies too fast . Bad luck and your pet hits ? you are doing something wrong.

Hi, lock your pet on a monk or something that you're not attacking, stick Great Dwarf Weapon on it, Bestial Mauling, and go on killing other stuff.

TEB Elite · Aug 10, 2009, 01:16 AM // 01:16

I agree pet calling is clumsy and undeveloped, but once you get used to it becomes natural to time everything perfectly.

I have been h/h vanquishing for a while now and running the zm bounty and mission in hm daily, doing it on my ranger with a pet build makes it no different and adding the build I posted earlier actually brings a lot of single target unblockable damage to troublesome NPCs like monks and bosses.

xanarot · Aug 10, 2009, 04:10 PM // 16:10

I have to agree, pets are almost a no-brainer slot now. It takes some getting used to after being pet-less for over 3 years... but after a while you just press that target button whenever you attack something.

You can only press so many buttons for skills before cooldowns are over, there is just no way to fill 8 slots with it.

Im personally looking more towards the old r/x and x/r builds again such as w/r, r/p. They have suddenly become very attractive in pve.

It takes very little BM investment.. like 4-5 and the 33% damage boost does the rest. Very effective at dealing damage (at least, compared to any other skill.. more potent then a conjure x or such) while also capable of taking hits.

Already done a run with a guildie, 8 brought heroes and used 8 pets along with a summon skill (ice imp for occasional slow atm) and the ebon vanguard assassin. In other words, a party of 20... AI may be dumb on our hero/hench, but once you got a few corpses for your necro and the spirits are up, you steamroll pretty much anything.
BTW: expect lag when your team reaches 30-40 players/heroes/hencies/pets/minions/spirits for total size.

JSpayde · Aug 10, 2009, 08:19 PM // 20:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by xanarot

I have to agree, pets are almost a no-brainer slot now. It takes some getting used to after being pet-less for over 3 years... but after a while you just press that target button whenever you attack something.

You can only press so many buttons for skills before cooldowns are over, there is just no way to fill 8 slots with it.

Im personally looking more towards the old r/x and x/r builds again such as w/r, r/p. They have suddenly become very attractive in pve.

It takes very little BM investment.. like 4-5 and the 33% damage boost does the rest. Very effective at dealing damage (at least, compared to any other skill.. more potent then a conjure x or such) while also capable of taking hits.

Already done a run with a guildie, 8 brought heroes and used 8 pets along with a summon skill (ice imp for occasional slow atm) and the ebon vanguard assassin. In other words, a party of 20... AI may be dumb on our hero/hench, but once you got a few corpses for your necro and the spirits are up, you steamroll pretty much anything.
BTW: expect lag when your team reaches 30-40 players/heroes/hencies/pets/minions/spirits for total size.

Xanarot, I saw your 30-40 man team post in the other forum and I gotta say that sounds like a lot of fun lol. I run ranger and the people I play with normally are rits so it should be perfect. I really hope the PvE pet buff is a good sign for the return of teams like B/Pers. I miss those days of putting together teams in Tombs/FoW.

Grammar · Aug 11, 2009, 06:26 PM // 18:26

Pets have always been fun, and now they're finally not so crappy, so hooray!

At least it's something different to play around with.

-Read the Wind
-Savage Shot
-Disrupting Shot
-Never Rampage Alone (PvE)
-Enraged Lunge (Elite)
-Scavenger Strike
-Comfort Animal
-Optional (rez, another pet attack, whatever)

- Max BM, at least 9 Expertise, the rest in Marksmanship.
- Vamp Flatbow, obviously
Pet attacks are fun, but pet interrupts still suck, so have your Ranger do the interrupting while your pet does the damage.

Probably still not as good as the trusty old BHA/Splinter/Volley build, but it's something different and fun to play around with in PvE.
I'm loving the pet buff.

Guardian of the Light · Aug 11, 2009, 08:38 PM // 20:38

I'm finding a classic Barrage/Pet build with Melandru's Assault is pretty effective.

G4ymBoy · Aug 12, 2009, 03:23 AM // 03:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guardian of the Light

I'm finding a classic Barrage/Pet build with Melandru's Assault is pretty effective.

i would say it is for fun than it is effective try with splinter on both you and pet.

Grammar · Aug 13, 2009, 01:45 PM // 13:45

Yeah, Melandru's Assault is pretty terrific, but it's hard to make use of the 5 sec. recharge because of how energy intensive it is, especially if you plan on spamming Barrage with it. Scavenger Strike helps quite a bit if you have a reliable way of causing a condition, like Poisonous Bite.

smilingscar · Aug 13, 2009, 06:49 PM // 18:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grammar

Yeah, Melandru's Assault is pretty terrific, but it's hard to make use of the 5 sec. recharge because of how energy intensive it is, especially if you plan on spamming Barrage with it.

I've dusted off an old Marksman's Wager build I used to use and it's working quite well. Having the energy to spam Concussion Shot and Melandru's Assault on recharge? Sweetness.

G4ymBoy · Aug 13, 2009, 08:06 PM // 20:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by smilingscar

I've dusted off an old Marksman's Wager build I used to use and it's working quite well. Having the energy to spam Concussion Shot and Melandru's Assault on recharge? Sweetness.

yea i did the same thing spamming cshot is hilarious.

Grammar · Aug 14, 2009, 06:23 PM // 18:23

One issue I have with Melandru's Assault is that it's not a good as the skill description would have you believe. It's still good, because of it's "nearby" range and quick recharge, but it's not ridiculously good like I originally thought it would be when I first read the update.

"Your animal companion attempts a Melandru's Assault that deals +5...17 damage to all nearby foes."

When I first read the description, I thought it was stupid OP. But then I tested it in game and realized that only the +damage is AoE, not the attack damage and the +damage (like Barrage, for example). So nearby enemies are only hit for something in the low to mid 20's, depending on your BM rank. Only the targeted foe gets the attack damage and the +damage (in 2 seperate packets).
Seems like maybe they should remove the "+" from the skill description.

Just wanted to bring that up in case someone reads this thread, sees people talking about Melandru's Assault, looks it up on wiki, and then craps themselves when it looks like a non-elite pet version of Barrage with better range.

G4ymBoy · Aug 14, 2009, 10:38 PM // 22:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grammar

One issue I have with Melandru's Assault is that it's not a good as the skill description would have you believe. It's still good, because of it's "nearby" range and quick recharge, but it's not ridiculously good like I originally thought it would be when I first read the update.

"Your animal companion attempts a Melandru's Assault that deals +5...17 damage to all nearby foes."

When I first read the description, I thought it was stupid OP. But then I tested it in game and realized that only the +damage is AoE, not the attack damage and the +damage (like Barrage, for example). So nearby enemies are only hit for something in the low to mid 20's, depending on your BM rank. Only the targeted foe gets the attack damage and the +damage (in 2 seperate packets).
Seems like maybe they should remove the "+" from the skill description.

Just wanted to bring that up in case someone reads this thread, sees people talking about Melandru's Assault, looks it up on wiki, and then craps themselves when it looks like a non-elite pet version of Barrage with better range.

i thought the same thing and then tested it. it is still pretty fun though. especially with mark of pain on an enemy with splinter on both u and pet with barrage and MelAssault. Again, not super effective but still very fun.

Chthon · Aug 15, 2009, 02:56 AM // 02:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grammar

One issue I have with Melandru's Assault is that it's not a good as the skill description would have you believe. It's still good, because of it's "nearby" range and quick recharge, but it's not ridiculously good like I originally thought it would be when I first read the update.

"Your animal companion attempts a Melandru's Assault that deals +5...17 damage to all nearby foes."

When I first read the description, I thought it was stupid OP. But then I tested it in game and realized that only the +damage is AoE, not the attack damage and the +damage (like Barrage, for example). So nearby enemies are only hit for something in the low to mid 20's, depending on your BM rank. Only the targeted foe gets the attack damage and the +damage (in 2 seperate packets).
Seems like maybe they should remove the "+" from the skill description.

Just wanted to bring that up in case someone reads this thread, sees people talking about Melandru's Assault, looks it up on wiki, and then craps themselves when it looks like a non-elite pet version of Barrage with better range.

Yeah, afraid Mel's assault is total junk sill.

Where the real OP buff is at is that the 33% damage boost applies post-buff. GWD, SoH, Feral Aggression, etc. and attack skills all get their damage multiplied by the 33% bonus.

Dae GW · Aug 25, 2009, 01:52 PM // 13:52

It's not that bad, is it?

BTW, dont mind the ' Death occurred after 8 seconds ' : It was because my pet was still fighting while i was making the screen, it was way faster when i was fighting and using skills aswell.

Riot Narita · Aug 26, 2009, 08:01 AM // 08:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dae GW

It's not that bad, is it?

BTW, dont mind the ' Death occurred after 8 seconds ' : It was because my pet was still fighting while i was making the screen, it was way faster when i was fighting and using skills aswell.

No, it's not bad - but you could do more raw damage... for example (R/P spear chucker):

I am typically hanging back with that build, out of danger - so the pet and Assassin are not usually within the Battle Standard. When they ARE in the Battle Standard, average damage goes up to 122dmg/sec.

You might conclude from comparing your damage output and mine:
PvE skills are still > the buffed Pet skills :-P

Buff pet skills moar plz!

Riot Narita · Aug 27, 2009, 01:05 PM // 13:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by xanarot

It takes very little BM investment.. like 4-5 and the 33% damage boost does the rest.

Personally, I have BM at 12 or more, or the pet stays at home. Low BM means your skills are disabled for an eternity if your pet dies.

Chthon · Aug 28, 2009, 02:25 AM // 02:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hissy

No, it's not bad - but you could do more raw damage... for example (R/P spear chucker):

Yes, you could improve on the raw damage on that build, but focusing on chucking spears is not the optimal way to go.

A-net gave you a 33% bonus for any damage you can get out of the pet. You should abuse the hell out of it:

Use high-damage pet attacks.
Enraged Lunge @16 BM --> +70dmg (170 counting deep wound)
Brutal Strike @ 16 BM --> +49dmg / +98dmg
(yes, you should go 16 BM; rangers can stand in the back!)

Use buffs.
GDW @ max --> +27dmg
SoH @ 12 smiting (from hero) --> +28dmg
Feral Aggression @ 16 BM --> +13 dmg (though Call of Haste might be better because of the way it makes up for the AI deficiencies...)

Just using the above, you could strike for base damage + 304 (404 counting deep wound) in 2 hits. That's far more than you're going to get from spear attacks.

As for EBSoH, while it's a great skill, +27 on the pet from GDW tops +15 on you from the ward. EBSoH adds more when you look at it from a team perspective, but, from a team perspective, you can also rely on someone else to bring it ...

MercenaryKnight · Aug 28, 2009, 06:03 AM // 06:03

It seems like a team of rangers with pets could work. The only thing I would consider would be perhaps a curse/ death necromancer (preferrably human since ai sucks with aotl) with aotl and barbs and what not. Throw barbs and have all casters use a spear or bow.

I am also curious, could asuran scan work for your pet? Most likely not but it'd be a great boost if it did.