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"Combat pets"
George_Black
Member, Intrepid Pack
...keeps popping up within the AoC community since the recent interview that Steven gave.
At some point in L2 we all rolled around with combat wolves (the animal that captivates me most in reality) for the dps they added.
We shared xp with our pet wolves (which we had to quest, lv up and gear for) but all in all they made progress faster. And they were EVERYWHERE.
I disagree with combat pets, they steal focus from all classes and they make everybody a summoner.
They are visual clutter.
They are not a new gameplay experience. They are mandatory meta annoyance.
Will it impact negatively animal husbabdry sooo much? I dont think so.
I say we give our feedback.
Why do you like combat pets?
Why dont you like them?
What are the benefits to the game?
What negatives do they bring?
What parameters would make then acceptable IF you dont like them.
At some point in L2 we all rolled around with combat wolves (the animal that captivates me most in reality) for the dps they added.
We shared xp with our pet wolves (which we had to quest, lv up and gear for) but all in all they made progress faster. And they were EVERYWHERE.
I disagree with combat pets, they steal focus from all classes and they make everybody a summoner.
They are visual clutter.
They are not a new gameplay experience. They are mandatory meta annoyance.
Will it impact negatively animal husbabdry sooo much? I dont think so.
I say we give our feedback.
Why do you like combat pets?
Why dont you like them?
What are the benefits to the game?
What negatives do they bring?
What parameters would make then acceptable IF you dont like them.
13
Comments
I don't like combat pets for the same reason I don't like the Summoner archetype - it helps and even encourages solo gameplay in group-based game.
Instead I would rather see 'summons', where you cast the spell, and then some creature shows up, does damage or healing or something for a few seconds, and leaves.
I always thought of summoners as people that dont like friends.
That seems like class identity.
it's doable - just dont make the pets to OP to allow solo gameplay.
See original Mages and Enchanters in EQ (not P99 - wasnt true to classic). Necro were the only ones capable of solo'ing but that didnt happen till way later, when everything became min/max number crunching - a specific path opened up to allow necro the ability to solo... and I am okay with that type of aspect. But in general - you can make pets work w/o being OP enough to allow single play.
Pets cant taunt, EVER. Can be killed decently quick, low AC and/or HP. Allow them to have decent, above avg DPS output - sure. but no tanking/taunting capabilities. They can aggro and will probably die real quick.
The benefit is having another target for your opponent to kill/cc and another source of dmg in case you get CCed.
Do agree that they can add visual clutter, but with them taking a part of your char's power I don't really know how many people would want to have them. L2's wolves were cool cause they were their own power source. Yes, they needed your xp and money, but it was worth it because it was a direct increase in your overall power value. In Ashes it won't be (or at least doesn't seem to be).
And if only some people bring pets then the clutter is not as impactful either.
Also I hope pets won't be too huge for obvious reasons.
However i understand that in PvP having to carry some pet around for minor dps-increase that dies easily, can be very annoying. Maybe there could be some pets, that only sourround the players like ghosts and help occasionally (with attacks, buffs/debuffs or w/e they do) but aren't physically quite there and therefore can't be killed? So that they work like some additional skiils, that you can cast independently from your actual character. just a suggestion.
Bottom line: I like pets. But I understand why some take issues with them.
Summoners shouldn't lose their identity.
I'm fine with permanent pets as long as the archetype is balanced with the rest of the archetypes.
All that said, I know George's favorite combat pets are the sorcerer pets in ESO ...
Unless we want to steal everything from summoners and introduce a variety of combat pets, like tank pets, healing pets, etc, to improve aggressive classes.
Usually because the ai is gimped against multiple targets. Its why hunter was the fastest solo leveller in wow for ages 👌
But yeah...combat pets. If it was my game, it never even would have come up in mundane design conversation.
Screen clutter.
Bypass the pvp systems.
Have them, but defend them if you want them.
Waste the time to develop them for a small benefit, but let them fall victims to circumstances (raiding, grinding, pvping).
That way for the most part it won't be a clutter nor add more targets than normal. while allowing people without as many people to have their pets help with their content and fun for more solo / small group of players.
Win win for everyone.
alot of that came down to having 0 down time between fights since pet healed faster than eating or drinking and you could typicaly just aa a mob and use heal pet and regen ur mana back during the fight so u never had to stop :P
I also think outside of pet classes there needs to be a trade off for using a pet other wise everyon will be using combat pets and not using one is not viable :P
Never was a fan of combat pets in other games - but as long as it's lateral and doesn't make NOT having one a fatal personal lacking, then yours truly has no objection.
If the summoner decides to use a tamed pet for combat then it should do that by replacing it with a summon somewhere in a node or freehold where tamers train the creatures.
Freshly tamed creatures should not be as effective as trained creatures.
Edit: Just seen that Mag7Spy has suggested the same thing....
I think i can see your Point here.
While it would be cool, if any kind of Tank/heavy Fighter could for Example have a "Guard Dog",
(this would also be cool for Roleplay),
wouldn't it be strange if " EVERYBODY " runs around with at least one Animal Companion, like a Bird, Cat, Dog, Wolf, Boar, etc. ?? x'D
I mean,
when i haven't read wrong : Combat Pets "weaken" the Players Character. Otherwise as compared to "Summons" from a Summoner-Class, who are part of the Power of the Summoner.
But i am getting a headache already, thinking what will happen when a HUUUUGE Group of Players fights each other in a huge Battle on for Example a Node/City and if it will fall and be destroyed : or stay defended and keep running.
One Extra-Mob for every single Player around ?? Oooff. Am i getting old already or is this justified that i am already getting a Headache just thinking about this ? ^.^;"
Dedicated large pvp like sieges and stuff you wouldn't see them because it should be group based and all groups are full.
I'm totally fine with having summoner classes and people who want to play that way having a way to play that way, but I hate having to be forced into it because it is the optimal thing to do for everyone.
Yea, that's why i like it