Guild Wars 2

Concentration Training (Nature Magic II)
Compassion Training (Beastmastery IV)

These two traits should not require the pet to be in combat mode, because they affect pet F2 skills that are often used while the pet is outside of combat (Fern Hound, Red Moa, Blue Moa, Jungle Stalker).

So, these traits only work if the pet is in combat, the Ranger being in combat is not enough. So, the pet MUST be in “Guard”-mode or sent to attack with F1 before these traits will work. But oftentimes these pets are set on “Avoid Combat”-mode, which keeps them out of combat even if the Ranger is in combat, which makes the traits not work.

There are 3 other traits which work the same but they only benefit a pet that’s in combat anyway, so it’s not a problem and they won’t work if you initiate combat with F2:
Malicious Training (Marksmanship II)
Pet’s Prowess (Skirmishing I)
Expertise Training (Wilderness Survival V)

Very annoying

I kind of don’t quite get why there’s a combat-only stipulation at all?

the requirement Malicious training “prohibits” a F2 initiated fight. So you cannot immob a player with a spider for 3 seconds, you’ll barely lock him down for 2

I edited my first post a bit.

It just makes no sense why these traits require combat mode.

Holland.9351:

I edited my first post a bit.

It just makes no sense why these traits require combat mode.

Ranger and thing that make sense, I have no idea where you’ve been but that concept was never part of that profession.