Guild Wars 2

the way Elite Spec system work, the Core Specs always have to be usable in combo with the future Elite Specs.

So that means basically, that Beast Mastery (which deals with Pets) would always need to be useable.

So no Future Ranger Elite Spec, no matter how creative it is mechanically, can get rid of Pets…

:-/

ANet has said that the Druid will obtain a redesigned way to use it’s pet. A kind of rework on the actual pet sistem. We don’t know what, but there will be a new way to use our pet.

One thing Anet was foaming at the mouth with “yes!” About was an aspect system where instead of having a second pet you stowed said pet and gained an F1-F3 abilities based on pet (NO STAT BONUS), and then F4 brought the pet back out and you’d be dancing back and forth between using the pet and using an aspect of the pet. However they said using solely pet or solely aspect would greatly hinder you, so a pure pet less option would never really happen but yeah…

I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a similar system on Druid or another elite specialization, but I would NOT expect to EVER have a scenario where you’ll be able to be 100% petless. However it’s likely there will be ranger options that are heavily less pet focused.

Another example they liked was having F1-F4 have some abilities and then one of them was to call in a pet that fought for a duration before leaving, which I can see very likely being an elite specialization in the near future who will have venoms and be more GW1 petless ranger option for people, but again, the pet would still be there, and would still be significant, just not 100%.

Ranger. Is. A. Pet. Class.

I’m just hoping they finally give up the “beginners will get confused” and give us more control over the pet with the druid spec, already. At this point with NPE and druid being level 80 only, there’s no excuse to saying it’s too confusing now.

Two words. Dragon. Hunter.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/guardian

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Two words. Dragon. Hunter.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/guardian

~

they are great against afk players, also no worry rangers elite spec will receive a thief as pet

All examples of the DH were under no combat dealling damage to a sleeping mob, i bet that would not work against a player, anythign outside med guard is sorta srewd in combat if stops to cast thing on ground and wait to player gets afk in their simbols.

Take a look at the builds you can make with DH traits and you will see that it is very powerful, Medi DH will be a thing for sure.

I bet they will introduce an archer class without pet in one expansion later. Now they added a heavy class, next time or after that a medium.

Knighthonor.4061:

So that means basically, that Beast Mastery (which deals with Pets) would always need to be useable.

It’s not just beastmastery though. There are so many traits (both minor and major) in all specializations that do not function or do not function completely without pets. The same goes for all kinds of utility skills, healing skills, elite skills and even some weapon skills.

I bet they will introduce an archer class without pet in one expansion later. Now they added a heavy class, next time or after that a medium.

I wouldn’t count on it. Now they have 3 professions of each armor class. Besides, they have stated that elite specializations are their way of advancing options in the future. In addition the Warrior, Dragonhunter and Thief are already ‘archers without pets’ and the list of professions with bows can possibly grow even larger with future elite specializations.

Yeah, I highly doubt they will add another Longbow Medium armor specialisation.

That’s ok, we have a pet, it’s just part of the class.

Making them able to reliably hit moving targets would aleviate a lot of the desire to be rid of fluffy/bitey/scratchy or whatever you call your pet.

At this point most rangers have learned to work with their mechanic and losing my pet would honestly just make the class feel wierd to me.

Personally, I DO NOT want to get rid of my pet. It’s one of the coolest parts of the class to me. I just want my pet to actually be more useful than it is currently.

Aeolus.3615:

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Two words. Dragon. Hunter.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/guardian

~

they are great against afk players, also no worry rangers elite spec will receive a thief as pet

All examples of the DH were under no combat dealling damage to a sleeping mob, i bet that would not work against a player, anythign outside med guard is sorta srewd in combat if stops to cast thing on ground and wait to player gets afk in their simbols.

I already have a thief pet, his name is Lance and he lives in greece, I take him with me everywhere I go

I remember when my pet could scale walls when I told him to Guard on them … sadly ANet de-clawed him and put a stop to his assassination antics :-p

Aeolus.3615:

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Two words. Dragon. Hunter.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/guardian

~

they are great against afk players, also no worry rangers elite spec will receive a thief as pet

All examples of the DH were under no combat dealling damage to a sleeping mob, i bet that would not work against a player, anythign outside med guard is sorta srewd in combat if stops to cast thing on ground and wait to player gets afk in their simbols.

Lol you have forgotten that the medi-guard has been upgraded to Dragon Hater and as such will share it’s hate all around. God how much a love that specialisation already.

For more information about the topic please here:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/ranger/DH-Wipes-the-Floor-With-LB-Ranger/page/2#post5055793

About the Elites using pets, i don’t mind that. Even i’d like more integration of the pet with the ranger only if Anet can do right.
So we can begin to relay on the pet this time for real.

Silv.9207:

ANet has said that the Druid will obtain a redesigned way to use it’s pet. A kind of rework on the actual pet sistem. We don’t know what, but there will be a new way to use our pet.

I hope this “creative ways of using pet” includes setting pet as a offering totem in selected location, making pet invulnerable but immobile as totem in set location, granting special effect to allies in the area or damage/ disturb enemies within the area.
Pet is invulnerable during the process, but they also cannot move or attack either.

Aeolus.3615:

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Two words. Dragon. Hunter.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/guardian

~

they are great against afk players, also no worry rangers elite spec will receive a thief as pet

All examples of the DH were under no combat dealling damage to a sleeping mob, i bet that would not work against a player, anythign outside med guard is sorta srewd in combat if stops to cast thing on ground and wait to player gets afk in their simbols.

Those traps they got certainly are more interesting than ranger’s traps.
It looks like it’d be great in conquest.

pet and single target damage = bad.

pet and pbaoe effects = good, because they fixed F2 responsiveness.

passive effects also good.

so if it’s the latter two (aspects, aoe buffs or debuffs, cc), it could be interesting. but if the pet needs to walk up to someone and hit him to do something, then we’re boned.

Diovid.9506:

Knighthonor.4061:

So that means basically, that Beast Mastery (which deals with Pets) would always need to be useable.

It’s not just beastmastery though. There are so many traits (both minor and major) in all specializations that do not function or do not function completely without pets. The same goes for all kinds of utility skills, healing skills, elite skills and even some weapon skills.

I bet they will introduce an archer class without pet in one expansion later. Now they added a heavy class, next time or after that a medium.

I wouldn’t count on it. Now they have 3 professions of each armor class. Besides, they have stated that elite specializations are their way of advancing options in the future. In addition the Warrior, Dragonhunter and Thief are already ‘archers without pets’ and the list of professions with bows can possibly grow even larger with future elite specializations.

Prepare for the Icebow Eles that actually use bows :P

There’s a fair few things they could do with pets to make interesting new mechanics out of it. Admittedly it’s a little more limiting than others have as they get resources to manage. But then, there’s no reason the pet couldn’t have a resource added for us to take advantage of.

Maybe one elite specialization is… I dunno, Dragontamer? Shaman? Beastkin? Something like that. Your pet could build a symbiosis resource as it hits the target and is hit by enemies. Then, once the bar is built up, you use the F5 to initiate a powerful combo attack with the pet and the ranger for high cleave damage. Keeping up with the Elite Specializations as dual classing theory this would basically be a Ranger/Warrior.

Some ideas of burst combos could be the wolf howling to summon spirit wolves that all attack with the elite ranger. Feline and elite ranger could leap at the enemy together and hit them with a flurry of vicious slashes stacking high bleeds and good direct damage. Drake could breath on the elite ranger’s weapon so the ranger’s special attack is imbued with elemental energy. etc.

Then of course there’s the idea where the pet can be triggered to become a stationary totem that provides animal specific buffs to the elite ranger and allies. This one is a little less interesting to me because it basically turns the pet into another spirit skill.

I do like the Aspects idea where the elite ranger takes in the pet as an aspect and gains unique F1-F3 skills based on the pet and you have to choose between having your pet out as an autonomous entity or fused with the elite ranger in order to get the special skills. That would create a very interesting playstyle and let rangers have a set up where they can stow the pet for large scale combat where it becomes a liability without completely removing the pet for a passive buff. Keeps the playstyle very active and engaging, and keeps the pet around for when you need it.

Durzlla.6295:

One thing Anet was foaming at the mouth with “yes!” About was an aspect system where instead of having a second pet you stowed said pet and gained an F1-F3 abilities based on pet (NO STAT BONUS), and then F4 brought the pet back out and you’d be dancing back and forth between using the pet and using an aspect of the pet.

That would be awesome. i love ranger but hate the way they’ve implemented the pet (as an unreliable, readily-disposable weak semi-ranged auto-attack).

Sevans.4619:

Ranger. Is. A. Pet. Class.

Not in Guild Wars 1.

I don’t think he was talking about GW1.

Sevans.4619:

Ranger. Is. A. Pet. Class.

Yup, the Ranger is and forever will be… but future Elite Specs… They won’t be Rangers then. They will be Druids or whatever else they want them to be called. Thus, there is the possibility of them redesigning the pet mechanic into something completely different, such as the totems or whatever. But, again, the Ranger mechanic will remain as is. So don’t worry your little head, your Ranger class mechanic isn’t going anywhere… but that may not be the case with a future Elite Specialization.

That being said, sadly, OP is right though. It is unlikely they’ll do away with the pitiful pet mechanic for a future Elite Specialization because I don’t think they (the ones that decide where money/resources is spent) want time/money spent on an entirely new mechanic for any one class. So, in the end I’ll have to end up picking something else as a main when HoT comes out.

There’s the possibility that we’ll one day be able to fly in-game.

I don’t see the point of talking about what’s possible based on close no information whatsoever.

Sebrent.3625:

There’s the possibility that we’ll one day be able to fly in-game.

I don’t see the point of talking about what’s possible based on close no information whatsoever.

I thought we were getting flight in the HoT zone if you take the Exploration Mastery. Well hang gliders or some such, but I’m almost certain I read that.

Yeah its going to be a limited gliding capability
https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/reimagining-progression-the-mastery-system/

Sevans.4619:

Ranger. Is. A. Pet. Class.

No, no, no, you have it all wrong. Those 20-some-odd pets they built into the game have nothing to do with ranger!

We are the pew, pew class that, um, stands on a ledge with our trusty side-kick bird (think Iago from Aladdin) who yells “Get em’ Jafar!” If only ANet realized we would do better if they let us get rid of Iago… Maybe they could give us a teleport ability instead, so we could TP to the ledge!

All joking aside, for those who don’t like the pet mechanic, DH will be awesome. Guardian has great feel already, and will do quite well as a sniper class, complete with spirit weapons and walls to block incoming projectiles.

Personally, I love the pet mechanic—and ranger mechanics in general. Ranger is a skirmisher who jumps into the fray with his trusty pet to slice and dice. As a hunter he runs towards the fight. DH is ANet’s way to kindly answer those who want a sniper without a pet. Just create a guardian. They managed to give you a pet-less sniper without breaking our hunter. I am looking forward to throwing Kudzo on my guardian. :-)

DH should be called RLBH—Ranger LB Hunter—because he will totally trash a Glass LB Ranger. You won’t have a chance against DH if you stick to ranged weapons. Take a quick look at Ageis vs Opening Strike, and the options guardian has for utilities.

Although I would rather see it made baseline, I can also see the Druid mechanic become the following if ANet chooses to pursue the BEASTmaster theme as opposed to a pet master:

F1-F4 Become similar to other classes summons mechanically. Pressing the corresponding F summons and, for Druids, replaces the current active pet and begins their AA sequence. The active pet then has their active skill, the current F2 Pet skill, replace their summon skill. This way, the Druid trades finer control the Ranger has with their 2 bonded pets, switching targets with F1 and recalling with F3, for a larger menagerie of pets.