Curse

Xellos · Aug 17, 2005, 09:58 AM // 09:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ensign

Pet skills are excellent.

The only real problem with pets is how terrible their AI is. If that was cleaned up pets would be much more popular.

As is, they're only really good in specialized GvG builds.

Peace,
-CxE

Give the RTS format control, then we can truely do the Four Pool Rush...right Ace? Go lings!

cookiehoarder · Aug 17, 2005, 11:07 AM // 11:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dame&Beast

Pets are not a complete and utter waste... I am a R/E, and I do not use a pet for the simple fact that I prefer to have all of my skills be attack related...Having a pet here is kind of like having one in real life... a lot of care and time and they are great....for somethings

So, consider the 2 skill slots you lose and all those oh so important attribute points

If you're using a bow with a pet it's a waste. You need to be completely built around them. In PvP if you build it right people will start blinding and crippling your pet instead of you. <3 distracting lunge.

Hoyt · Aug 17, 2005, 04:49 PM // 16:49

Anybody that dismisses pets as useless or a waste of slot spaces, doesn't know how to run with one. Much like traps & interrupts, pet resources are wasted on the inexperienced, overzealous and those who seek instant gratification.
If you want to finish this game quickly or focus on how far on the map you can get before you are level 13, a pet is not for you.

If you enjoy learning the nuances and tendencies of symbiotic AI that actually gets stronger and improves with you, then a pet is an exemplar tool.
One learns with use that a pet requires timing and conscious assessment of threats in any given situation. You tend to be more, "Hmmmm, let's see here..." & less, "Wham Bam, thank you , Ma'am."

Mind you, I am not saying pets are ideal or even beneficial in all areas of the game and I don't used mine all the time, but as one that enjoys soloing/exploring as much as I do team play, I would rather surrender my armor and hunt in my underwear than give up my pet.

wbaldwin67 · Aug 17, 2005, 04:55 PM // 16:55

Depends on the Pet, I have a level 20 Black Bear and hes a GREAT meat shield. Not to mention his interrupt capability.

Immortal Flame · Aug 18, 2005, 04:06 AM // 04:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ensign

Pet skills are excellent.

The only real problem with pets is how terrible their AI is. If that was cleaned up pets would be much more popular.

As is, they're only really good in specialized GvG builds.

Peace,
-CxE

Hm i would like to study this some more....sounds fun

Xue Yi Liang · Aug 18, 2005, 04:53 AM // 04:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winterclaw

Pets are useful...
As emergency food rations.

Dang, you beat me to it!

The bear meat will go a long way, but warthogs taste the best and that chocobo is the easiest to cook.

Hoyt · Aug 18, 2005, 02:39 PM // 14:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xue Yi Liang

Dang, you beat me to it!

The bear meat will go a long way, but warthogs taste the best and that chocobo is the easiest to cook.

Barbarians you are!
The lot of you...grrrr!
*shakes fist*

*to pet mindlessly walking back and forth*
It's OK , Fluffy puppy, I won't let the nasty mens hurt you.

Zazoo · Aug 19, 2005, 06:54 AM // 06:54

One of my characters is a R/W.
I use a hammer, so i often interrupt & Im in the front line all the time.
I find the pet in this build is worth a lot. (I only take charm animal, & i have around 7 pips in Beastmastery)
People are concentrating on me most of the time, not the little pet next me.
And with the defensive skills a ranger has coupled with a little extra damage from the pet, great build.

I will mention I have not played PvP with this character yet, so maybe it doesn't work as well there.

Louis Ste Colombe · Aug 19, 2005, 08:08 AM // 08:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yukito Kunisaki

/salute

If they switched targets the way henchies did. [I thought they got smarter ^_^] then we'd have an awesome use of an extra body on the field.

Although I do agree with the post you have quoted and the improvement to pet AI in general, I am not completly sure I'd like pet to behave just like henchmen.

I have played and still play a PvE mesmer and a PvE ranger; in both cases, my build and style of play got me to switch target often. To see henchmen running from one to another spot to another spot, just because you're using different mesmer skills on different critters, or applying poison everywhere is quite bothersome.

So I was very happy to shoot a first arrow to set a target for my pet, with the full knowledge that part would go fine, and then, switch around once contact is made.
You don't have to see your pet's target to get the pet skill to work.

Some kind of command like /stick to original target /follow beastmaster target /target critter closest to beastmaster or such, woud be helpful.

Otherwise, I would really like to know how come Zealot's Fire is not working on a pet... whereas other "target ally" spells works.

To a few posters: You can ditch comfort animal if you play in a group with several rangers and at least one got revive animal....

Louis,

Legendary Dryder · Aug 19, 2005, 08:45 PM // 20:45

... noobs... Theres a skill that makes all pet attack the current target your on, pet teams rock... all there skills do +20 damage at max beast, you can basically spam Ferocious with Quickening Zephyr up, theres a skill that makes all your pets attack 25% faster and move 25% faster,and also one that gives -13 damage to all the pets. couple that with a simple healing ball and symbiotic bond and you rape everything.. noobs..

bobrath · Aug 19, 2005, 09:14 PM // 21:14

wow... the sheer helpfulness of Dryder's post just blows me away.

He's referring to Otuyghs Cry for getting all pets attacking one target. But you don't have to max beast to get the 20 its automatic for 30 seconds.
Call of Haste grants the faster attack and movement speed.
Call of Protection maxes at 11 damage reduction.

So we have OC, CoH, CoP, Ferocious, QZ, Sym Bond, Charm Animal, and one more skill.... not what I would call the most optimum skill mixing. Course he's talking about a team build and you can spread the stuff... except he now has you maintaining a healing ball...

[Stewie voice]
Yes Noobs all of you!!! Fall to his masterful post.
[/Stewie vioce]

Epinephrine · Aug 19, 2005, 09:43 PM // 21:43

Especially as Otyugh's Cry boosts AL, not damage.

Xue Yi Liang · Aug 19, 2005, 11:53 PM // 23:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Legendary Dryder

...couple that with a simple healing ball and symbiotic bond and you rape everything.. noobs..

Is this guy joking?

when did they let this joker out of the institution? and why was he given a computer? the system ain't right....

Xploit · Sep 17, 2005, 01:36 PM // 13:36

IMO they should implement some beastmastery staffs in the game. All they have for rangers is markmanship bows.

galkraft · Sep 17, 2005, 01:54 PM // 13:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kool Pajamas

I think pets should be fixed to make them more controllable.

my pet doesn't like your idea.
...ohhh, you mean AI. haha, ok. i get it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by xploit

IMO they should implement some beastmastery staffs in the game. All they have for rangers is markmanship bows.

Beastmastery IS a weapon, simply requires a skill: Charm Animal. Kinda like Illusionary Weaponry maintained, except it can't be removed.

But if ANet gives in to providing another weapon for the Ranger, i tend to lean towards Expertise dagger. That way only rangers can take advantage of any skills related to it (Expertise).

rii · Sep 17, 2005, 03:48 PM // 15:48

Hmmmm, if anyone more numerically inclined than me ever found this out, heres a question:

I once made a pet build, taking advantage of the shockingly good distracting lunge, echoing it, then putting serpents quickness up, and spamming like hell. Obviously, I reasoned, this is a distracting every pet attack, and (especially now), thats some shutdown goddam. I was then informed that there is a delay between you pressing the skill and the pet making the attack, unlike as a warrior or similar, where once you press the attack it cancels what your currently doing and does it. Question is, is i say, lined up a distracting, before my pet had finished the first, would it queue them? Or would it be cancelled? I have a suspicion that the latter is true, and I may have to insert timing :S

galkraft · Sep 17, 2005, 04:04 PM // 16:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by rii

Hmmmm, if anyone more numerically inclined than me ever found this out, heres a question:

I once made a pet build, taking advantage of the shockingly good distracting lunge, echoing it, then putting serpents quickness up, and spamming like hell. Obviously, I reasoned, this is a distracting every pet attack, and (especially now), thats some shutdown goddam. I was then informed that there is a delay between you pressing the skill and the pet making the attack, unlike as a warrior or similar, where once you press the attack it cancels what your currently doing and does it. Question is, is i say, lined up a distracting, before my pet had finished the first, would it queue them? Or would it be cancelled? I have a suspicion that the latter is true, and I may have to insert timing :S

I always wondered that too. I'm guessing the latter is true. Sometimes when my pet was chasing a foe (this was probably before 9/7), I'd trigger an attack, but the pet's next strike took a long time. I never figured out if that skill I cast ever worked. I would spam attacks too, not knowing if they worked, or I was essentially just casting "energy loss" skills. Anyone know?

twicky_kid · Sep 17, 2005, 10:45 PM // 22:45

personally i like the pets for this main reason. i NEVER have to hit the button that skill is on. its like having a skill that activates its self and follows your targets (unlike most people in arena).

its walking dmg that you never have to manually activate. sorry if that sounds lazy but hey they do decent dmg so i got no problem with being lazy.

Ruoenkruez Tudor · Sep 17, 2005, 11:19 PM // 23:19

bah i hate pets

Yukito Kunisaki · Sep 18, 2005, 04:50 AM // 04:50

Pets are all or nothing builds. You either go HARD pet or ignore it totally. If you bring just charm/comfort, then you're pet ain't going to do crap and will just be a hindrance to what you're truely doing.

A pet is like a remote control warrior. Literally. If you treat one as such, and do it properly, you can do A LOT OF MASSIVE dmg to the right target.