Pet DPS increases

[Cielli]

I just feel an all around pet defeats the purpose of having 4 pets...

Frankly my most used pet is the Earth pet... pet damage is a small fraction of our overall damage, its damage doesn't bother me, and when the smurf hits the fan the only pet I want is the earth pet. Tank is subjective, if you're fighting light blues the fire pet is a 'tank'... frankly i don't consider the air pet a tank at all, i've always considered it a damage mitigater for grouping. I dunno what you solo, I molo T3 and though the air pet can be used, it can also die to a spike ( and yes i suspend pet after every fight so he is constantly fortified and nearly max defensive aa ) You can mend, you can aegis, you can spam heal, but he will still die on occasion. and this concept scales with anyones gear, level or aa, the air pet simply is NOT a tank in challenging content.

and I dont know a tank in the game who wouldn't appreciate even a 2 or 3 percent reduction of incoming damage via heal. a 1000 hp heal every 4 seconds is not significant? I disagree. It might even be overpowered in multiple mage raids, or maybe its just the appeal we need. my numbers may be way off but i like the concept a lot.

I'm not saying anything about anyones knowledge of their pets, I just want to see all of our pets have an appropriate situation where they will distinguish themselves... not a jack of all trades.

its just my ( one persons ) opinion, just a fun idea, i didnt expect everyone to jump all over me

[Cielli]

Okay guys, I had to look some character info up in order to understand how in the world any magician could continue defending a position that is clearly detrimental to the class.

you might want to ask your question another way or take a leap of faith that people who have more experience and really love the magician class have your best interest at heart when cautioning against certain actions.

My 2cp.
Sued…

And you might want to lighten up and not attack people for sharing ideas and using the forum, seems a little empty around here already? little jumpy arent we? little defensive about your opinions? well grow a pair of testicles and chill the smurf out, its ok when everyone does not agree big brother. you dont need to try and shout over them. this is a discussion of ideas, not a my cock is larger than yours contest

I'm an eleven year player, I had an enchanter with 2 years in game. Yes that is my mage and no its not my main, though i play her the most now, i know what shes capable of now and what she'll be capable of later in her aa life, and that has little or nothing to do with the subject of my post.

Your reply is rude and irrelevant , youve been on this forum forever? great, so why do you wanna look like a wiener ?

[Calebe]

Just read Sued's post. I see why you say that about the air pet. wait till you have a 2-3000 aa's invested into a pet, get Em8 or better then tell us the air pet is not a worthwhile dps pet and alternate tank for a group? You won't and will like it a lot. An earth pet maybe the best tank but it's DPS is horrible, and if you want to maximize exp you want DPS and pet survivability. Air will do that for you. Also if the pet stun will land, I have switched to a water pet to up my dps in a group and the cleric said, use Air I don't have to heal as often. So even clerics paying attention can see the benefit of the air stun and want it. In a group you would never use an earth pet. Water or air. Solo use either. air if it can tank the mobs is better as more dps. If it is a close fight use earth. Never ask for a pet to lose anything in hit points, dps, or ac. It will not happen and gain no support from anyone that played a mage for any real length of time. It just hurts the class.

Calebe

[Malleria]

Used air pet to tank Convorteum named when it was current. Used air pet to complete all the hunter achievements in HoT. Had air pet tank a somnium raid named. /shrug. Who says air isn't a tank?

[Calebe]

Malleria it is a new mage with 750 aa's, who knows more then all the rest of us at max aa's apparantly. I can solo T4 in HoT with an air pet. Can take 3 at a time in lower HoT with an air pet. Not sure what they are talking about but it could be they just haven't a clue about a well aa'd air pet. Just a thought. Or maybe we are all wrong and the pet just can't tank and we are imaging it.

Calebe

[Cielli]

I like how everyone is making my point for me.

[Calebe]

Cielli no one is making your point for you, we are pointing out your comment:

frankly i don't consider the air pet a tank at all, i've always considered it a damage mitigater for grouping.

Just shows you haven't used the Air pet the way it can be used. Yes it is a damage mitergater because of the stun. Now if you said the stun should go to max level +5 then you will have all of us agreeing. Asking for it to aoe heal? Not what the class is about or what it does. We don't heal others. we want our pets made stronger for more dps, more survivability. We have 2 tanking pets. Earth and Air. Earth tankes the best, Air is a good runner up. I contend air is best pet for grouping, and when soloing, use whatever you wish. No one would care. However to call for any pet to lose hit points, or do less damage and not expect people to jump up and say now wait a minute. You are sadly mistaken. If I may ask what is your main? Should I make one and level it to 90, get 750 aa's and do you think I would have a basis to suggest improvements to the class I would like and not expect those who played it for years who disagree to not say a word? No I didn't think so.

Why people are pointing this out to you is simple. You asked for a nurf to the pet. Don't talk about what you will trade for it. You are asking for it to have LESS hit points and do LESS damage, and you expect anyone playing a mage to say. Oh that is a good thing? Not happening. You did not play a mage when we had pet canni and lost it. You didn't play a mage when our pets would not duel wield and we were told they did, only to have the devs admit, oh your right they don't. Then we got it. You didn't play a mage when for year the best pet unless you had the epic was the Kunark era earth pet for 3 expansions lasting years. through all of Kunark, Velious and Shadows of Luclin. Druids had a higher damage spell then mages, and our pets were now 3 expansions old and all we had. No you have not been through it all, and saw how mage class was almost destroyed from lack of pet upgrades to being a utility class rod dropper. Pets finally started to get better in PoP and ever since. No we will never trade hit points, ac, or DPs on a pet. We have seen them stagnate for years, and every expansion mages watch for it and push for stronger better pets. Ask for a nurf to their abilities in any shape or form and you will see a reaction. Ask for an upgrade with NO drawbacks and you will be better received.

Calebe

[Cielli]

I already did. Page 4.

You're in love with your air pet, good for you, if you feel its such a great solo tool we're clearly not soloing the same content. If you want to point out what the air pet can tank, as clearly you do, you should probably mention every and all the activated aa's you use, clearly all of them if you claim it tanks in t4... should also mention if your 2 boxing with 2 reactive mercs. Maybe your sporting em11 and it makes all the difference, but that would make you a minority, maybe a majority on these boards but nonetheless , you are not the only mage in everquest, nor is any max aa'd mage, and not everyone boxes. and if the air pet does everything u guys claim and your so worried about it being changed, what the smurf is the earth pet for?

Anyway, the staff moderator agreed with my original point, maybe not exactly, it wasnt well fleshed out i admit, but the pets are very monotanous and should be differentiated. all you guys are doing is crying foul at the thought of an adjustment that would not affect our pet tanking ability whatsoever. Heres news, you have a tank pet, its called earth... I love ( sarcasm) the suggestion " hey say whatever you want just dont suggest anything which reduces anything", why dont you read some other class boards. We have beggers and upgrade wishers in every one. asking for more is not original davinci. No one pays much attention to that

If your tanking tier 4 with an air pet... whats the earth pet for? raid tank? lol... "quote you, i think air pet is the best for grouping and soloing". is there a 4th option...? group, solo. raid. the earth pet clearly has no use by your ( guy's ) own argument. Unless your arguing its a raid tank. Good luck with that argument.

You want just one pet, say it...

A better argument would be that the devs couldnt or wouldnt care to institute a change like mine, which would be more work, wouldnt conform to their 'vision TM'... how long have you been around again?

[Failcon]

More differentiation in the pets would be nice too.

IE: Reduce the air pets damage and hp's a bit, and Give him a heal proc on top of the stun , like 1000 hp group heal. a weak slow would be nice, too, maybe 10 or 20% What basis for a heal other than pet only?

Give the Water pet more attack, and triple backstab or something, 20% more damage than it does now.

I'm pretty happy with the earth pet, if you make the air pet more group oriented and lessen its tanking slightly, earthy will be the distinguished tank-pet.

Give the fire pet a group spell damage benefit... ie: 10% to fire damage.

Then the pets would really represent classes...
ie: Pally Air pet is a Monk
Rogue
Warrior
Wizard


Right now I use my earth pet to solo/tank ( tier 3 HoT)... and for grouping well, any of the other 3, theyre so similar, if theyre not going to be tanking it almost doesnt matter

First off people need to know what our pets are and the jobs they are designed to do. Our pets are divided into two catagories, tanks and offensive. Air/Earth are tanks and Water/Fire are offensive. Knowledge in the archetypes is required before you beat the horse you don't know the breed of.

I think the first thing we need to look at is what the pets do and why. Ait pet is an "avoidance" tank just like his template monk class and the stun works like some monk strikes. Earth pets are great "mitigation" tanks and should have a way to get AE agro. This should be the difference between them, same as between a warrior and a monk.

Water pet is a rogue and rather than demanding more BS dmg, (which I beleive is a lil light) what about a poison proc, like rogues use? Would be nice to see water pet benifit the group like a rogue can. Fire pets are wizards and should have a better nuke, they are currently underwhelming, thought the FBO boost is a step in the right direction.

A way to let these pets perform better in the propper roles is very easy. We have had spells that required specific pet types (fire) in order to be cast (Blazing Stance). This same type of reqirement can be used for each sub-type allowing special abilities to be used. This would prevent "weapon based issues" so other classes would not be affected by it, it would prevent one pet from gaining too much advantage and keeps the class balanced. Example could be:
Air- A spell that mimics either: Voiddance Discipline, Whirlwind Discipline, or Hundred Fists Discipline.
Earth- A spell that procs a 20% chance AE hate, like Rune.
Water- A spell that increases the dmg of the BS and 20% chance to apply a rogue based poison.
Fire- A spell that either procs a second nuke (50% chance) or an aura that improves fire nukes.

These spells could have appropriate refresh times added to prevent them from being to powerful. These can be properly tuned for each pet and adjusted for the fact it is a pet using them. Ex: rather than Rune VI pets get Rune III.

This would help address many issues with pets. All the pets don't need dmg adjustment, but rather they all need a proper focusing of their template.

As for the RS pet, he should be a zerker. He should go in swinging and get agro due to his high dmg. He should have plenty of HP and be able to survive for atleast 18 sec of combat if he is tanking.

[Failcon]

You guys ( piemasta not included ) speak like you only use that one pet ( air )... which kind of reinforces my point .

The air pet is not our best tank, earth is by far better. I'm not sure why anyone would react so violently to the thought of a change in the air pets tanking ability, its a completely smurf tank already. I'd just like it to have some more utility for when i DONT want a pet tank. A stun and heal would augment that player tank...

I would say 90% of us use Air pet as out tank. I use him in MC/SS vs names all the time. I miss my stun but the lil fart still dodges more hits than he takes, better than earth pet does. My focus is only EM8 and I have max pet AAs. I have a real cleric though, and she beleives in keeping him alive (maybe thats the diff). Though I molo'd my way through AlkN and molo'd my augs. Air pet FTW!