Guild Wars 2

mtpelion.4562 posted an idea on the Ranger CDI thread about gaining a buff if you stow your pet. It seemed to gain some traction from Allie Murdock and she encouraged us to start a new thread that discusses this proposed mechanic.

I, personally, have never been a fan of permastowing our pets. However, with a lot of the recent content…Wurms, Marionette, high level fractals, it does make keeping a pet alive an effort of futility. Adding some static buff, when a ranger chooses to stow the pet could solve the problem that many rangers have with our current pet but still allow the ranger to be thematically tied to their pet.

Adding a flat damage boost for perma stowing pets doesn’t necessarily solve the problem and seems lazy and uninspired. Adding a static boon, based on the pet of choice, I think is a brilliant way to add depth and consequences to pet choice regardless of whether it’s out attacking your foe or stowed and giving you her aspect.

Now that I’ve started the discussion, I’m curious what the brilliant minds of the ranger community can come up with if this mechanic is introduced. Judging by Ms. Murdock’s reaction to mtpelion.4562 post, it seems possible that the devs would consider it.

Here are my ideas on the mechanic. I’ll keep it brief so I can read everyone else’s idea.

Here are the basic buffs I would add to perma stowing a pet. Ranger gains the buff based on the family of pet they have and the F2 ability becomes an added ability for the ranger.

Pet Family:
Bear: Ranger gets 10% toughness
Brownbear: Cleanse one condition
Polar Bear: Next attack Chills (2s)
Black Bear: Next attack Weakens (5s)
Murellow: Next attack Poisons (3s)
Arctodus: Next attack Bleeds (2 stacks 3s)

Bird: 25% movement speed
Raven: next Attack Blinds (2s)
Snow Owl: Next Attack Chills (2s)
Eagle/Hawk: Next Attack Bleeds (2 stacks 5s)

Cat: 10% Precision
Stalker: On use Might (1 stack 5s)
Jaguar: One use Stealth (3s)
Snow Leapord: Next Attack Chills (2s)
Lynx: Next attack Bleeds (2 stacks 5s)

Canine: 10% Power
Wolf: On use single target fear (2s)
Drakehound: On use single target Immobilize (2s)
Arctic Wolf: On use single target Chill (2s)
Fernhound: Ranger gains regen (5s)

Spider: 10% condition damage
Cave Spider: Next 2 attacks causes Vulnerability and Weakness ( vulnerability (5s) weakness (2s)
Forest Spider: Next 2 attacks cause Poison (3s)
Jungle Spider: Next attack causes Immobilize (2s)

Drake: 10% vitality
Ice Drake: Next attack chills (3s)
River Drake: On use single target lightning strike ( damage 380)
Reef Drake: Next attack causes Confusion (2 stacks 3s)
Salamander Drake: Next attack causes Burning (2s)
Marsh Drake: Next Attack Poisons (3s)

Porcine: 10% Healing Power
All Porcine give their forage on F2 use

Moa: 10% Boon Duration
Blue: Grants Protection to Ranger (2s)
Pink: Next attack Dazes (1s)
Red: Grants Fury to Ranger (6s)
White: Next attack chills (2s)

Devourer: 10% Condition Duration
Carrion: Next attack Poisons (3s)
Lashtail: Next attack Bleeds (5s)
Whiptail: Next attack causes Torment (3s) just to give us torment

There doesn’t need to be a fancy graphic associated to it, and the F2s are toned done by about half to make up for the fact that the pet (in all her faults) isn’t delivering the ability. Combo fields and projectile finishers and everything else the pet offers are out to offer a balance to the petless gameplay.

EDIT: Let’s not have the debate here on whether pets should be in or out or how to fix the AI. This post it to brainstorm a proposed mechanic and offer constructive ideas on how you would implement it, NOT if you would. Thanks all.

Not sure about 10% on certain stats like Precision and Condition damage. Would those have to be scaled off the current stats of the Ranger or would it be better off adding a flat boost found on signets such as +180 @ Level 80? Maybe tweak the bears to be a -10% incoming damage since Signet of Stone covers toughness.

Also, what about having each pet class provide 2 stat increases/benefits as an Aspect and rework some of the numbers a bit? The last bit of thought would be if the devs considered this, would any traits be added/reworked to accommodate this design?

No.

We have so many weapon skills that allow our pet to perform unique abilities (Winter’s Bite on Axe, Sword Mainhand Might stacks). We have traits that provide unique properties for the pets (Malicious Training, Vigorous Training, Mighty Swap).

Unless Anet is willing to redesign the Ranger class entirely and allow Rangers to have a non-pet spec, I’m all for it. As of right now, trait and weapon-wise, we are too dependent on our pet to be with us all the time.

If the pet mechanic isn’t working, the solution isn’t to delete or stow it.

I don’t trait at all to aid the pet, Diamond… so, YES!

Why don’t I do that? Well, not worth it. While I admit I rarely play WvW when I do I don’t bring my Ranger because of the not able to hit a moving target problem thus all those buffs to the pet are moot. In PVE I don’t bother because the pet dies to AOE at all the world boss events anyway because I’m not 30 deep in BM line anymore and can’t swap them out fast enough.

Bottomline short of more band-aids an actual solution is going to require “big project” time and resources to enact… so expect more band-aids and you won’t be disappointed

I’m not really a fan of this TBH. For some reason when I read that post in my mind I got the image of a Druid or a Spirit Shaman, and that isn’t what the ranger is about…

Well, too bad for you, Crytus that you read it that way. Ranger image is supposed to incorporate nature magic so it fits right in.

First things first, we need to fix the current problems before we implement a new feature. Because, this idea is simply a new feature. Nothing more.

Why can’t the Rangers do adequate AOE damage in WvW zergs like other classes? Why can’t Rangers have ‘escape-ability" like most other classes(without being limited to the same weapon-set)? Why can’t Rangers offer group buffs or reflection type ability’s like most other classes can? We don’t offer much and that needs to change….not perma stow our pet. I don’t want a small 6 man group to focus me so I can survive 3% longer because of my Aspect of Bear buff….zzzzzzz.

By stowing our pet and gaining a buff/boon etc does nothing for the broken mechanics the Ranger has. Every class has it’s unique aspect that makes them desirable across all forms of game play, PvE, WvW etc. We simply only excel at 1vs1 skirmishes, and that’s only with a few select builds.

Please stop trying to push this idea. I don’t want to perma stow my pet for an extra “5s bleed”, I can do that with a Sigil!!! Smh…

• I want the ability to hide from a 6 man group, to give me a chance of escaping if i decide to not engage.
• I want to be able to port to my pet during a skirmish, or even switch places with me pet. An evasive switch.
• I want to set a trap, have it lockdown my opponent/opponents and have my Drake use his blast finisher on command.
• I want my Drake to breath out a pink laser and petrify enemies, so I can drop a Bonfire on their kitten.
• I want to shoot my bow into the air and drop flaming arrows on my enemies.
• I want the ability to charge up an arrow that does an insane amount of damage, but at the cost of channel time etc.
• I want my Axe to explode and cause AOE torment!
• I want to hop on my eagle and rain arrows down from above…..haha, just kidding. Well kind of kidding. Other classes would be able to ‘snatch’ us off our eagle…..Scorpion Wire, Necro and Warrior Fear Me….

I don’t want to perma-stow my pet…

Mixed feelings about this.

On one hand I think it’s kinda neat. We could dance in and out of aspect mode to gain buffs and protect our pet from big attacks. This could promote skillful play, but it could also promote even lazier play by just leaving a pet in aspect form.

Re-work F1 to be Attack/Retreat/Attack new target, F2 remains as pet skill, F3 now toggles aspect mode, F4 remains as is. There’d be no need for a “stow pet” option.

Put a 20 second cooldown (effected by Loud Whistle) on the toggle aspect key, so it doesn’t get abused, but it could also be considered as a pet swap so that all the on swap traits are still useful.

Kind of undermines some of what it means to be a Ranger in this game, but it could be fun, I think.

Sevans.4619:

Mixed feelings about this.

On one hand I think it’s kinda neat. We could dance in and out of aspect mode to gain buffs and protect our pet from big attacks. This could promote skillful play, but it could also promote even lazier play by just leaving a pet in aspect form.

Actually, leaving a pet in aspect form wouldn’t promote lazier play in myself and my guildies that once mained Rangers, but happier play..

Some people are happy being lazy.

Well, you didn’t quantify it by saying just some people would be even lazier, you implied everyone would be by NOT saying only some people would be even more lazy… and you can tell the lazy ones right off the bat because they’re running around all bowbrownbear anyway, in which case they’d HAVE to be less lazy because they wouldn’t have a tank’ish pet to take the hits while they pew-pew from afar.

In the game as it is right now, I’d prefer a pet-less option. It’s just awful in this game when the devs don’t make an active effort to fix any of the problems associated with it and balance accordingly.

If the pet system was as refined and good as in other MMOs (cough* WoW cough*), I’d prefer the pet system.

I’m just spitballing here, but what if instead of a stow-bonus, we get…a death bonus?

What if we get some sort of bonus like the OP posted but only once your pet died? Hear me out a bit:

It would still force you to utilize active pets as a key mechanic in gameplay, but if your pet does die, his spirit transfers some sort of specific bonus to you until it’s revived/certain duration maybe. This would help in areas of the game where you simply cannot keep your pet alive 100% of the time (zergs, some dungeons/events, etc.).

Just a random, possibly SUPER dumb idea. Also, I’m a little drunk #Ranger4life

I really like where people have taken the idea of the aspects.

I’d like to see it work so that having the pet out or the aspect up is a tactical decision that gets made as you are playing the game.

I also had an idea about splitting pets between selfish and group pets and then having the aspect of that pet be the opposite. For example, the Stalker with it’s AoE buff for the group would be a group pet, so the Stalker aspect would buff the Ranger whereas the Reef Drake’s ability is selfish (it only helps the Ranger’s DPS) so the Aspect of the Reef Drake would buff all party members near the Ranger (maybe a buff that allows allied attacks to have a 5% chance to cause confusion?)

This would add a level of strategy to your pet selection and make Rangers more desirable for group play (since we are supposed to be the sustained single target class, grouping up is not going to be our strong suit which will make us “unwanted” unless we bring something to the table that others can’t bring).

EDIT: I also want to point out that the aspect idea was meant to complement pet play, and not replace the fixes that pets desperately need in terms of moving targets, survivability, pathing, etc. While it should certainly be possible to play as a pet only Ranger or an aspect only Ranger if you so choose, I think the best results should be available to those who learn when to use which.

No. If Ranger is supposed to have a pet, so be it.
There’s no excuse. Unless they totally wipe out Ranger class mechanic, change their idea of class and give us new mechanic, I won’t stand playing a class without CLASS MECHANIC just because they can’t make it work.

If they give permastow option, I’ll just simply laugh at their programmers and designers and erase my Ranger
What’s the purpose of playing a different class when it has absolutely NOTHING besides a single minor buff as a class mechanic?
I tell you – None.

So better shorten your sleeves and get back to serious work. No excuses, fix the pet or DELETE the class and give us something else.

Not sure if this has been discussed but could it be possible to make the spirits our pets. F1-F4 would summon one of the spirits.

This would require entire trait lines to get reworked and weapons that have syngery with pets to change. Maybe doing a said move forces the spirit to do the effect it currently has or ANet can create other affects.

Only 1 spirit at a time (good bye spirit ranger- or allow traits to have multiple summons) but it could open up the beast trait line to an entirely different avenue, sorry this was a quick write up but something to look into.

mtpelion.4562:

I really like where people have taken the idea of the aspects.

I’d like to see it work so that having the pet out or the aspect up is a tactical decision that gets made as you are playing the game.

I also had an idea about splitting pets between selfish and group pets and then having the aspect of that pet be the opposite. For example, the Stalker with it’s AoE buff for the group would be a group pet, so the Stalker aspect would buff the Ranger whereas the Reef Drake’s ability is selfish (it only helps the Ranger’s DPS) so the Aspect of the Reef Drake would buff all party members near the Ranger (maybe a buff that allows allied attacks to have a 5% chance to cause confusion?)

This would add a level of strategy to your pet selection and make Rangers more desirable for group play (since we are supposed to be the sustained single target class, grouping up is not going to be our strong suit which will make us “unwanted” unless we bring something to the table that others can’t bring).

EDIT: I also want to point out that the aspect idea was meant to complement pet play, and not replace the fixes that pets desperately need in terms of moving targets, survivability, pathing, etc. While it should certainly be possible to play as a pet only Ranger or an aspect only Ranger if you so choose, I think the best results should be available to those who learn when to use which.

I’m really glad you commented mtpelion.

I agree that it can complement play, that’s really what sold me on this idea. If you asked me before I read your idea on petless Ranger I would have adamantly said no. I chose ranger because of the pet and I like the pet play, however, because the mechanic is flawed in a lot of content your solution is, a. easy to implement, b. adds a depth to the class that doesn’t exist now and c. offers opportunities to add more support and team play options.

Anyway, thanks for the great idea. Out of that whole CDI thread, all the pet ideas, I thought yours was the best and I’m glad Allie acknowledged it.

And to the nay sayers that say “No” because the pet problem needs to be fixed. I totally agree. These changes should not, in anyway, get the devs off the hook from fixing the shoddy AI, I would still expect that to happen. In a perfect world both could happen. Pet rangers (like me) could have a functioning pet AND an aspect mechanic that could compliment my play and Rangers wishing to go Petless could do so with the added bonus of Aspects to play with.

Anyway, thanks for discussing. The more I chew on this idea the more I like it.