We Clerics finally have a pet. But is it worth the wait? I've done a lot of work on the pet and have decided to post my findings. It can be worth it, but only in certain conditions. This will let you know better when it is or is not worth it.We Clerics finally have a pet. But is it worth the wait? I've done a lot of work on the pet and have decided to post my findings. It can be worth it, but only in certain conditions. This will let you know better when it is or is not worth it.
Fact set 1: Casting
You must have a target actively targeted.
You must be close, but not too close.
Once released you will have no control over the pet.
This is the hardest part of the pet. You need to be within about 50 feet of the target your casting it on, and you can't be too close or it's pathing won't give it room to be summoned. Remember this is a summoned creature and subject to all the limitations of any npc.
Once the pet is loosed it will attack on it's own. This is both a benefit and a curse. It's a benefit in that you can sit on your butt and med and not worry about what it's doing, because it's either attacking, or dead.
Added Note: The target your casting on can not be 100% magic resistant. I've found casting upon 'uber mobs' who are 100% resistant will also result in 100% failure of the pet.
Fact set 2: Damage and Efficency
2 attacks per round ranging from 0 - 30 depending on target level
Occassional Bash or Kick (about 1/2 the normal damage, seems to be one or the other every other round)
Once your pet is free to kill, it is the equivalent of a small warrior. From what I've heard from other pet casters it has a good con for it's level. Here lies the biggest drawback to it's cost. It's 600 mana, which is the equivalant of just over 2 direct blasts. Now this is where things get tricky. The direct blasts can be resisted, the hammer can also be resisted (but by ac, not magic resistance). But the question is, which has a greater chance of being resisted to be less efficent?
Also, how long the pet lives to dish out the damage will greatly increase it's efficency. Let's say for example the pet does an average of 15 x 2 per round and 15 more every other round. That means per 3 rounds it's doing about 50 damage. To equal two Reckonings it must live about 25 rounds (about 1 minute). Of course if it hits harder, or lives longer, it becomes more efficent than straight blasting. If the target would resist your blasts, again, the hammer would be more efficient. However if it doesnt... your out a lot of mana.
Fact set 3: Zen and the life of the pet
100 HP
0? AC
Suisides when there is no one activly Raged on the caster
These 3 in combination make keeping the pet alive and efficient very difficult. You can cast it upon creatures who are not Raged on you, however, once they die, the pet will suiside. Also, being that they are Raged at you, this also often can mean they will be Raged on your pet. Which at this level means your pet will probably be one shotted.
Knowing how to keep your pet alive is a high level Zen art. You need to know what you can cast it on and how to prevent it from getting Raged on and being one shotted.
Good uses for the pet are; Groups where you know the tank(s) can keep it upset just at them. Uber mobs, gods or things with huge amounts of hp. Trains where the creatures are preocupied with other targets.
The pet really can't be explained, you just have to know your targets well enough to know what will be mad at you, what will be mad at your pet, and what will allow it to live and be uber efficent.
Here is another key thing. If you know your pet will not be raged on, you can keep it alive by making sure something is always upset at you. Trick is, if that thing is mezed when the pet runs out of active targets attacking you, it will suiside. So say you have 2 things upset at you, and one is mezed, you have to be sure it's released from being mezed before the 1st dies, or it will suiside. This is also a Zen art, as doing so again puts it at risk of attacking anything, because you have no control of the pet, it's possible it will attack anything that's upset at you. (Though from what I've noticed it seems to go in order of what attacked you.)
Summary / Solution / Truth
The pet can be worth it, but only in certain conditions. It makes a good mini-tank, capable of distracting casters, and with the right recovery time can be benefit to the group.
It's closer to a dot that can be canceled than an actual pet, which has unlimited potential under the right conditions.
Our pet really requires a high level of understanding the groups potential and the enemy your fighting.
Any way, with the proper quote to back it up, it's always worth a good laugh.
