Pets and spells..

[Preacher]

I was just wondering how smart the pet is when using spells.. I know it will use an offensive spell when encountering an enemy, but what happens with healing spells? Does it use the spell when your character gets injured, or does it use it when you're almost dead? That and, does it matter what it's stance is when using the spell ie. aggressive, defensive, passive.

Also, if I give my pet the barter passive spell.. does that apply to me or is it a waste? Are the passive skills that are with my pet applied to me.. or even my party?

[Atomic Noodles]

Barter,Animal Handling & Adventuring doesn't affect them IIRC.

What I noticed on stances is on Aggressive they'll prefer to attack more and less on casting support spells like healing. I usually just went and gave my Pets the Summon Zombie,Skeleton & Imp Spells since at least those have some long-term duration (and enemies ignore them)

[Sachmo The Trumpet Player]

I usually put the Archer and Zombie spells on my pet and usually they'll use them pretty decently in battle. Not sure on the spells like Fireball and Frost.

[HunterKiller]

Originally posted by JeremiahLoh:

Barter,Animal Handling & Adventuring doesn't affect them IIRC.

What I noticed on stances is on Aggressive they'll prefer to attack more and less on casting support spells like healing. I usually just went and gave my Pets the Summon Zombie,Skeleton & Imp Spells since at least those have some long-term duration (and enemies ignore them)

I use these as well but, I keep my pet on Guard mode most of the time if not, he runs head on into the frey without my knowledge most of the time on Aggressive. I always have to bail him out, leaving me in a bad way some times. As for Healing Spells, I use that on him too, of the four alotted, along with the three above. It seems to keep him alive longer as well. Less running away and using potions to heal him. I upgrade them all as I find them. I also upgrade the skill points for those spells to keep his minions around longer as part of the team. ;)

[MTB-Fritz]

they cast available spells on cooldown or requirement met. Offensive spells require a target but everything else (self buffs, heals) are cast on cooldown regardless if needed or not.

[JRugerstein]

I'll add that the passive spells Treasure Hunter and Animal Handling work on pets. Treasure Hunter adds the +Gold and Magic find to the player, but it will not show in the "Arcane Statistics" page. Animal Handling will reduce the pet's town travel time; other bonuses from the spell will affect your pet's minions.

This info is from a Runic developer (Tiamat) in this thread:
http://forums.runicgames.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=40753

Other passives have no effect, and non-passive skills work exactly as MTB-Fritz describes.

[HunterKiller]

As for the Treasure Hunter, I may add that to my pet but, as for the Animal Handling, I really don't worry about how long it takes. I can review what items I have in the meantime. If I'm near a fishing hole, go fishing.

[Marianojoey]

Best is to give him the level 1 frost (other levels of frost are just a waste, you need frost for the freeze, not for the damage), and level max allowed for summons (skelleton archers, skelleton fighters and zombies are all good choices). Your pet will become an army bringer by himself, and freeze enemies around so you can blow them to smithereens. :)

Giving him healing or passives is a waste. At the start of the game, you need magic find, but by the mid game, you don't need anything anymore (you either buy or gamble for equipment you didn't find already). Heck, I usually am weaing red or legendary grade sets by level 16 (pretty much before ending chapter 1), and the drops are awesome without any "magic find".

So, there, go "Frozen Army of the Dead" and you'll be ok. :)

[Preacher]

Thanks a lot for all the replys! I like the Frozen Army setup; sounds fun.

[BIG_BOSS]

but back to the barter spell. if i have barter on me, does it affect when my pet goes to sell stuff in town?