Guild Wars 2

I’ve been working on a conceptual overhaul of the pet mechanic that uses bit and pieces from ideas that we’ve posted on here, and other bits of my own design. My plan is to produce a fully fleshed out concept to present to Anet, rather than just bit’s and pieces of an idea scattered throughout these forums.

I know that a lot of Rangers want 100% micromanagement control of the pets, but this overhaul is designed to increase our control and the usefulness of pets in general, without raising the skill ceiling to over the top levels. I’ve also limited the mechanic to 4 main function skills F1-F4, just like other profession mechanics.

I would like for you guys to help me think of minor modifications to the basic system (if you have any that would work in context), but mostly to help think of familial passive effects and pet specific passive skills. I’ve done some suggestions for the canine family, for context but want to flesh this idea out with suggestions for every pet available to us, preferably using feedback from players other than just myself.

Another area in which suggestions and ideas would be helpful, is in deciding what happens to certain utility skills when the pet is in the passive mode (and therefore cannot be used to attack).

Read on to know more.

Positioning

• The F1 key toggles between two modes for repositioning the pet; `Go to Target` and `Come to Me`. These options have no cool-down and no activation time, other than the physical time that it takes the pet to travel from the current location to either the target, or the player.
• Pet skill commands (i.e. F2 commands) are queued if the pet has been issued a positioning command, and will be actioned on arrival.
• Holding down the F1 key brings up a `Go There` ground targeting reticule.
• F1 key does nothing if pet is stowed.

Special Skill

• The F2 key triggers the special skill of the pet.
• Each pet has two unique special skills, an offensive skill and a support skill.
• The skill that is triggered when pressing F2 will depend on the current stance setting of the pet, and the location where the skill is triggered will depend on the positional toggle.
• If the current active pet is dead, then F2 will cause the player to start reviving the pet. Pet revival is a channel skill and will be interrupted by the player attempting to use other skills at the same time.
• F2 key does nothing if pet is stowed.

Stance Setting

• The F3 key triggers the pet to switch between an aggressive dps stance, and a passive support stance.
• After changing stances, F3 goes on cooldown for 10 seconds (or so), preventing the ability to exploit passive mode.
• F3 key changes toggle as normal if pet is stowed.

Pet Swap

• The F4 key triggers the pet swap functionality much like it currently does.
• Holding down the F4 key will stow the pet.
• F4 unstows pets if pressed again when pet is stowed.

Aggressive DPS Stance

• The Aggressive stance is very similar to how pets currently function, the only exception being that pets who currently have a support skill on F2 (e.g Fern Hound) will get a new attack skill to replace it.
• In addition to the offensive F2 skill, while in the aggressive stance, the pet has access to the 3 familial attack skills which it will use on enemy targets (or the closest foe if no target is selected).
• In attack mode the pet can be directly targeted by enemy players and NPC’s.
• If pet is stowed in this stance, pet will un-stow and attack the source of any damage to player.

Passive Support Stance

• The passive support stance turns the pet into a cross between a signet and a spirit/gyro.
• While in the passive stance the pet can no longer be directly targeted by enemy players or NPC’s, although it remains vulnerable to the conditions that it had prior to switching modes, new conditions transferred to it by traits/signets, or other conditions that it receives via AoE and cleave.
• In support mode, the pet loses access to the familial attack skills, and instead emits an AoE familial support effect. Support effect applies to 5 targets, but will always include the Ranger regardless of how far away they are from the pet.
• Pets with support skills on F2 (e.g. Brown Bear) will have those skills available when using F2 in this stance.
• Pets with aggressive F2 skills will gain a new support skill.
• If pet is stowed in this stance, pet will do nothing if player takes damage.
• Also, while stowed, familial passive effects from the pet will only apply to the player.

Pet Management UI

• The Pet UI is extended, and now lists the Familial and Pet specific Passive skills under the active skills.
• In addition, functionality is extended to allow player greater control over the skills available to the pet.
• Clicking on one of the skill images will open a dropdown menu that allows the player to change the special for the pet, and also disable skills and prevent the pet from using them at all.
• See attached image

Canine Family
[Aggressive DPS Skills] Bite, Crippling Leap, Brutal Charge
[Passive Support Pulsing Buff] +Boon Duration – 3s AoE pulsed to 4 targets (plus player) every 3s

- Alpine Wolf
[Aggressive DPS F2] AoE Chill
[Passive Support F2] AoE Frost Armor

- Fern Hound
[Aggressive DPS F2] Unblockable additional DPS on pets next flanking attack
[Passive Support F2] AoE Regeneration

- Hyena
[Aggressive DPS F2] Summon Hyena Ally
[Passive Support F2] For each friendly within 1200 radius (including pets, turrets, summons etc), gain 1 stack of might

- Krytan Drakehound
[Aggressive DPS F2] AoE Immob
[Passive Support F2] AoE Immob removal

- Wolf
[Aggressive DPS F2] AoE Fear
[Passive Support F2] AoE Stun Breaker