Curse

Nidhogg · Jun 28, 2005, 02:22 PM // 14:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kishin

People don't feel the need for pets because they expect to put 0 points in Beastmastery, devote no skill slots to pet skills, and then cry when Gimpy McWolf their pet dies in one hit to a Warrior. Obviously your pet will suck then, because you haven't bothered investing anything in it. Beastmastery requires points like everything else. People also have a great unwillingness to allow their pet to be the dominant force in their offense, rather than themselves. After all, where's the glory in that?

Furthermore, people think that skill slots spent on a pet are 'wasted'. If they were wasted, they wouldn't be doing anything at all. This is not true, as the pet skills do serve a function, and can be employed quite effectively. For one, they're equivalent to every Ranger conditioning skill, but cost less and have bonus damage added to them. Second of all, using Disrupting Lunge and Bestial Pounce, you have two quick interrupts available. Thirdly, your pet attacks much faster than your bow, and thus probably does more damage.

You talk like the 4 skill slots devoted to a pet and those "+/- 97 attribute points" disappear and provide nothing to show for it. You're wrong.

I agree with everything you said there Kishin. It's people like ComMan that spread these lies around to make others think a certain type of build is useless. "but 99% of the Ranger community does." bull****. idiot statements like that have no place in a "guru" website.

UsagiNoSenshi · Jun 28, 2005, 04:08 PM // 16:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nidhogg

I agree with everything you said there Kishin. It's people like ComMan that spread these lies around to make others think a certain type of build is useless. "but 99% of the Ranger community does." bull****. idiot statements like that have no place in a "guru" website.

totally agree. ComMan shouldn't even be talking about pet build since he doesn't play with a pet!
Neo-LD and the others input is welcome since they play with pets and would know what they are talking about.

ComMan · Jun 28, 2005, 07:24 PM // 19:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by UsagiNoSenshi

totally agree. ComMan shouldn't even be talking about pet build since he doesn't play with a pet!
Neo-LD and the others input is welcome since they play with pets and would know what they are talking about.

For the record, I did play a pet build, with 13 Beast Mastery. I did quests, missions, arenas, and even some Tombs PUGs. In no area is a pet worth anything.

I often have to shift my points into Beast Mastery to use those spirits in Tombs, so I decided to test out pet builds (I was using BM anyway). My conclusion, from my own experience, is that it's not worth it. I'm better off to shift those points over and use the slots that would normally be Wilderness Survival for Marksmanship skills.

I'm sure you've tested out every subclass combination and WS build out there to determine that pets are so much better, but I'll trust what I've seen and done for myself over your word.

Hammer_Slammer · Jun 28, 2005, 07:39 PM // 19:39

I like the idea of odd builds that noone really thinks about, so I was pleasantly surprised to find this thread.

I like the R/Mo idea, but I'd change a few things.
(Warning: I don't know much about rangers, so a lot of this is speculation)
How about a smiter/pet R/Mo?

Beast Mastery: 13 (10 +3 Superior Rune)
Expertise: 12 (10 +1 Mask, +1 Minor Rune)
Smiting: 11

Charm Animal
Comfort Animal
Feral Lunge
Ferocious Strike
Symbiotic Bond
Balthazar's Aura
Judge's Insight
Zealot's Fire / Marksman's Wager {E}
(I'm not sure if ferocious strike and feral lunge count as casting a spell on an ally. If they don't this one can be replaced easily.)

Feral Lunge will aggravate the target with bleeding
Ferocious Strike and Marksman's Wager are to keep your energy up for Judge's Insight and Balthazar's Aura. Both of those deal holy damage which isn't affected by armor, so your pet will be doing some pretty decent damage.

This seems like it might be a good build, although to tell the truth I have no idea. Maybe some of you who run with a pet can mess with it and make it work.

UsagiNoSenshi · Jun 28, 2005, 07:42 PM // 19:42

I've found a pet class works for me, i've found i like having a pet, i've found the way i play suits a pet build, and i've found i don't care what anyone say so why do you keep trying to talk all of us out of using our pets?

and hammer... if i was a mo sub i'd try it ^^;

ComMan · Jun 28, 2005, 07:42 PM // 19:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hammer_Slammer

Ferocious Strike
Zealot's Fire / Marksman's Wager {E}

Ferocious Strike is actually Elite, you can't use it and Marksman's Wager.

stumpy · Jun 28, 2005, 07:47 PM // 19:47

I've been a ranger since beta ... and have tried numerous times to employ a pet build into various aspects of the game , it currently doesnt work. Here's why

1. Lack of Control ... i mean come on ... a pet should be able to attack at whim ... this on acts like a poor henchmen.

2. Pet dies, disabling your skills ... poor little phiffy dies so i gotta run around for 10 seconds while my skills recharge ...

3. Is it really worth putting in 4 skills for an animal then 3 for yourself plus a team skill, your kinda spread thin, rangers make lousy monks ... belive me ... another character of mine (a monk) played in a ranger group with a pet and I had to keep sending an extra heal cause I felt bad for the poor thing ... soon enough I decided it wasn't worth it and bam ... it died next battle and the person asked if I could cast breeze on it at the beginning of the battle ... I answered "????"

4. Pets get in the way. They are not like other characters ... they actually block a big radius and can potenially trap you in to death

Until a better control interface is developed this is really the weakest point in the game. You can argue till your hearts content but I've played all classes to ascention and tried all variations of builds in pvp ... beast mastery is really seriously flawed.

Hammer_Slammer · Jun 28, 2005, 07:49 PM // 19:49

Ah. I apologize. I wasn't aware it was elite. GW Guru seems to have forgotten to make that elite. So replace it with a basic attack that deals more damage, like bestial pounce or predator's pounce. Marksman's Wager should be able to maintain your energy by itself.

UsagiNoSenshi · Jun 28, 2005, 07:56 PM // 19:56

we all admit pets are seriously flawed, but we also admit we enjoy playing the build. Isn't that what matters, that i'm having FUN in a GAME?

funkenstein · Jun 29, 2005, 06:08 AM // 06:08

Didn't they lower the time skills are disabled when a pet dies?

Kishin · Jun 29, 2005, 06:22 AM // 06:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by stumpy

(a monk) played in a ranger group with a pet and I had to keep sending an extra heal cause I felt bad for the poor thing ... soon enough I decided it wasn't worth it and bam ... it died next battle and the person asked if I could cast breeze on it at the beginning of the battle ... I answered "????"

I gurantee you this is because 90% of Rangers with pets out there don't put anything in Beastmastery, and therefore their pet is totally gimped.

Aranador · Jun 29, 2005, 08:08 AM // 08:08

Where as, in a mission the other night - my pet happilly tanked 2 dozen ghouls for 2 minutes while the rest of the party wore down some of the other hoards of baddies around the place. Tough kitty!

Genos · Jun 29, 2005, 09:29 AM // 09:29

i gotta say - the pet is fun! especially in pvp when people arent expecting ti.. "huh - a pet scary...Not... WTH JUST HAPPEND! WHY AM I DEAD! OMG HAXOR!"

that is what i like to see.

Nidhogg · Jun 30, 2005, 04:44 PM // 16:44

Hello fellow beastmasters. I have finished testing my latest 2 builds, but whats differnt about these are that the Ranger is a secondary class on both!

Mo/R
Smiting 12+4
Beast Mastery 12
Divine Favor 3+1

Judge's Insight
Balthazar's Aura
Ferocious Strike {E}
Maiming Strike
Call of Haste/Brutal Strike
Comfort Animal
Strength of Honor
Charm Animal

This build is simply for heavy beast damage. Cast Strength of Honor on your pet at the start of the round, hit your target with your wand and cast Call of Haste to make your pet run to your target fast. Then use Maiming Strike when your pet gets to the target to make sure he can't run anywhere. Then cast Judge's Insight and Balthazar's Aura and Ferocious Strike for major damage and energy gain. Remember to renew Call of Haste. This works surprisingly well if you stick to that plan however if you are the only monk you could get rushed + shutdown and thats no fun. a R/Mo MAYBE could work except the low mana might cripple you.

---

W/R
Axe Mastery 10+3
Strength 8+2
Beast Mastery 12

Dismember
Axe Rake
Aze Twist
Frenzy
Ferocious Strike {E}
Disrupting Lunge
Comfort Animal
Charm Animal

This is another damging build that works nicely. Adrenalin/Mana is not a problem when Fercious Strike gives you +9, and Frenzy to add to the damage and adrenalin gain. Using Dismember for the deep wound is a nice touch also. Remember to use Axe Rake so your target doesn't run for the hills, Maiming Stike might of worked in this build but the mana cost was alittle too high to use over and over again. I use Axe Twist to help me kill warriors/rangers and Disrupting Lunge to disable spell casting.
Enjoy, discuss, post some more builds if you can, later beastbuddies

Didious · Jul 01, 2005, 03:59 PM // 15:59

would the extra 8 damage frim Strength of Honor (smite skill) be a good boost to the pets damage?

Nidhogg · Jul 01, 2005, 05:16 PM // 17:16

When it all adds up yes it makes a differnce