Musing on the SUM/NEC Pets

[elarus]

So I have been a long long time "pet classer" like many others in all mmos from eq era. And I know the classes are still being worked out. So My first toe dip into pantheon was on SUM and let me tell you....The pets need some serious rework stats wise.

The one damage spell that SUM has makes us feel like a very half ass caster wizard. The Charge system is VERY bad do not use this please just normal single cast spells. Or if you want to get flare make the summoner truly rely on pets no damage spells just something akin to the buff you get on the air pet that makes it double attack.

Make our spells interact with the pet. And pleeeeeeease adjust damage numbers pets hit for like 1-5 dmg while mobs are chunking them for 15-20. Even in everquest a magician or necro could reliably let their pet solo stuff while they back it up with a couple spells. Not here we need to constantly be pumping buttons in a reckless state just to make sure it doesn't get whacked.

Again I stress, make spells interact with the pet and adjust how they function.

Random Ideas for the think tank:

Spells that are channeled onto the pet to "energize it" so it can use abilities from your mana
Spells that uber buff the pet for a period of time in combat
Spells that cause the pet to do special moves instead of caster nukes from character
Spells that alter the damage type of the pets
HUGE stat variances on the pets based on what they do, (massive HP Earth, massive spells Fire, etc)
Quicker summons but they slowly drain mana while existing or something because of their power level (like old FF online if anyone remembers that) This would give a reason to pet swap occasionally.
In general lean more towards the pet and not the caster doing the work. but with limitations.

[GodsFavoriteAnt]

I'd be fine if they just took out the timer on the swarm projectiles.

Turn the summoner into a class about preparing before combat to do well versus the wizard who can react in the moment.

Necros should be about turning their enemy's numbers against them through slow attrition.

[Clutch9000]

yeah I was excited to do SUM since it was my main in the EQ days. This is not my SUM lol. To have an ability to summon and then an ability to throw the summon is weird to me. I was hoping to love this class but I had to move to another.

[Einskaldir]

4 seperate casts for a single spell that barely do any damage... so 3x 2 sec. + a fourth cast for a 30ish damage spell on group content...

Brilliant design.
You would think the pet would do damage during that time but no, he hits like a level 1 unarmed player.

[elarus]

Honestly just DROP the whole equip pets mantra they are going down, or simplify it. No need for 7 slots on a pet just give them a primary pet "core" item and a "weapon essense" or something that adjusts their stats and visual look in a meaningfull way. Same with summon food/drink why does there need to be seperate spells for such a minor thing. Make it summon "meal". Gotta put a little forethought on "is this a fun way to play or is it an outdated mechanic that just was not corrected"

You can design flow the pets in general a lot more easier and funner (is that a word) for the players on both sum/nec. We can still stick to the EQ vibe of everything is hardcore but its 2024 and there has to be some game design evolution.

And off on a tangent make looting like both eq/eq2 now with a group loot. Round robin guessing if you can loot a corpse is way way out the window of fun factor.

[Wegadin]

Originally posted by Einskaldir:

4 seperate casts for a single spell that barely do any damage... so 3x 2 sec. + a fourth cast for a 30ish damage spell on group content...

Brilliant design.
You would think the pet would do damage during that time but no, he hits like a level 1 unarmed player.

This is what frustrates me, too. The mage damage is so bad compared to a wizard who can insta nuke for 30-50 while, like you said, it takes 6 seconds to do 30 IF you even hit your target.

[Wegadin]

Are the necro pets any better? I only played to 3 on the necro, and the pet couldn't take aggro and was doing the same measly damage as an earth pet.

[kwendal]

Summoner is a tricky class, but if played well, can do very well. Buff your pet, buff you. Med for a minute, then good for quite awhile depending on what you are fighting, Using generic descriptions here.
Pull with debuff, send in pet, cast no mana dps spell (can macro all that if you wish). Charge your bolts up to 3 times (depends on level of mob attacking), then throw bolts, repeat if necessary, don't use Bolts excessively, get in and melee the mob and cast free mana dps spell eveytime it is up. Make sure again that you keep pet buffed and have DS on it. Rinse and repeat.
This is solo method.
Group is different.

[Manhattan]

In the beginning mage pets were not great in EQ, Neither was the necro skeleton.

[spamvandorst]

My biggest gripe is that pets are all the same. Nothing that makes me feel attached to a pet.
No unique pet skills that can be trained or developped, no breeding to get unique colors, abilities, damage types, resistances, look etc etc.
Take a page from other MMO please (Ultima Online, Rappelz) and put some real effort in the pet classes.

[Shambeh-Bambeh]

I certainly hope they change the charging skill to something else. Even the mana consumption on it is too much, compared to it's low dmg.

[Einskaldir]

Originally posted by kwendal:

Summoner is a tricky class, but if played well, can do very well. Buff your pet, buff you. Med for a minute, then good for quite awhile depending on what you are fighting, Using generic descriptions here.
Pull with debuff, send in pet, cast no mana dps spell (can macro all that if you wish). Charge your bolts up to 3 times (depends on level of mob attacking), then throw bolts, repeat if necessary, don't use Bolts excessively, get in and melee the mob and cast free mana dps spell eveytime it is up. Make sure again that you keep pet buffed and have DS on it. Rinse and repeat.
This is solo method.
Group is different.

Works on solo content.
You havent played enough my friend.

[Einskaldir]

Originally posted by Shambeh-Bambeh:

I certainly hope they change the charging skill to something else. Even the mana consumption on it is too much, compared to it's low dmg.

Absolutly if you add the mana cost of those 3 casts, and time... wtf

[kwendal]

Originally posted by Einskaldir:

Originally posted by kwendal:

Summoner is a tricky class, but if played well, can do very well. Buff your pet, buff you. Med for a minute, then good for quite awhile depending on what you are fighting, Using generic descriptions here.
Pull with debuff, send in pet, cast no mana dps spell (can macro all that if you wish). Charge your bolts up to 3 times (depends on level of mob attacking), then throw bolts, repeat if necessary, don't use Bolts excessively, get in and melee the mob and cast free mana dps spell eveytime it is up. Make sure again that you keep pet buffed and have DS on it. Rinse and repeat.
This is solo method.
Group is different.

Works on solo content.
You havent played enough my friend.

Not sure what you are meaning by "Works on solo content".

I solo leveled from 7 to 8 yesterday on Gecko's, rarely had to sit to meditate at all. They were Dark Blue and White cons to me. The trick is using your abilities in a timely way so that the Bomb restores you to full mana almost at end of fight. or it can restore you to full mana at the beginning of the next pull, however it works out.

Got new pet and will test it out today

I don't just play one Char fyi, and I smell a lot of roses along the way.

[kwendal]

Works on solo content.
You havent played enough my friend. [/quote]

Not sure what you are meaning by "Works on solo content".

I solo leveled from 7 to 8 yesterday on Gecko's, rarely had to sit to meditate at all. They were Dark Blue and White cons to me. The trick is using your abilities in a timely way so that the Bomb restores you to full mana almost at end of fight. or it can restore you to full mana at the beginning of the next pull, however it works out.

Got new pet and will test it out today

I don't just play one Char fyi, and I smell a lot of roses along the way. [/quote]

New DPS Pet at level 8 is fairly robust, but does not seem to hold aggro, so may be useless solo. It was probaly meant for grouping.

[Wegadin]

I just hit 8 today as a summoner, and the pet can be amazing. I was sitting and had him kill blue and even white mobs as long as I stood up to cast his pet/zephyr ability to do major damage.

However, you are right about aggro. He is absolutely horrible at it. He can do 40+ damage, but if I even stab a mob with a dagger for 2 points, the mob will stay attacking me. It seems a little unbalanced.

I imagine with the sword at 10, the air elemental will be even stronger, and it will make the rock elemental deal a little more damage while keeping aggro.