Guild Wars 2

Pets die too easily. There is no doubt about that and for Ranger to be truely competitive, it is one of the main things that need to be fixed.

In order to do this, people have suggested that they need a base reduction in AoE damage, while that would work, it would also make pets a bit OP. I think pets need to be in a place where it makes sense for players to focus the pet in order to kill it and disable the rangers ability. As it is now, they can just ignore it. But that is beside the point, we were talking about damage reduction, although, they are connected.

If pets are improved and it becomes a tactic to focus the pet, a base damage reduction would be unbalanced. Therefore, I suggest that pets get a damage reduction only when they are NOT the target, and the reduction could be as much as 50%, including conditions. That would allow pets to survive AoE and splash damage like in WvW and dungeons more readily and also allow for players to focus your pet as a counter play.

What do you think?

I only know that when my pet dies I can’ t use any F skills. All the other classes can use their ( stronger ) F skills whenever they want.

Darkness.9732:

I only know that when my pet dies I can’ t use any F skills. All the other classes can use their ( stronger ) F skills whenever they want.

But they can’t use them while downed. We can.

Darkness.9732:

I only know that when my pet dies I can’ t use any F skills. All the other classes can use their ( stronger ) F skills whenever they want.

Mesmer can’t…until IP becomes baseline, anyway.

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Therefore, I suggest that pets get a damage reduction only when they are NOT the target, and the reduction could be as much as 50%, including conditions. That would allow pets to survive AoE and splash damage like in WvW and dungeons more readily and also allow for players to focus your pet as a counter play.

What do you think?

They already have a system like that in place as a Mistlock Instability called, Playing Favorites (Untargeted enemies take half damage). It’s just tweaking it a bit so it applies to pets.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Mistlock_Instability:_Playing_Favorites

Not trying to play favorites myself, but I believe Anet thought we would be satisfied with the new “Bark Skin” trait, allowing for -50% damage reduction for both us and our pet when our health is above the 90% threshold.

Consider that if pets did get an overall damage reduction when not targeted, would Bark Skin have to be tweaked for balance? Just throwing that out there.

I’m not sure.
It might. It would definitely make pets survive for as long as we might need since it would take 50% * X (I assume half damage if not targeted) …
75% reduction seems pretty solid.

But then again, this would mostly apply on Longbow Rangers only, that need the love. The whole system has been torn apart because everyone got new access to projectile denial or reflects or retaliation.

We’ll have to wait and see.

This would be… awesome in PVE

It would also be great in WvW, pets die instantly there (in blob/zerg) due to AoE, meaning we are pretty badly handicapped for that mode, can be similar in PvP. At least if it is targeted damage, the pet can be killed by players pretty easily. Same goes for PvE, bosses often just cleave or ‘red ring’ attack, one for everyone in range, including the pet, since the pet cannot avoid, again we are handicapped. If the boss targets the pet, then fine.

Wondrouswall, yeah, the mechanics are already there, they would need to ‘cut and paste’ that code over with some mods, but it couldn’t be THAT hard to implement.

As a necromancer, I support this change.

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Pets die too easily. There is no doubt about that and for Ranger to be truely competitive, it is one of the main things that need to be fixed.

In order to do this, people have suggested that they need a base reduction in AoE damage, while that would work, it would also make pets a bit OP. I think pets need to be in a place where it makes sense for players to focus the pet in order to kill it and disable the rangers ability. As it is now, they can just ignore it. But that is beside the point, we were talking about damage reduction, although, they are connected.

If pets are improved and it becomes a tactic to focus the pet, a base damage reduction would be unbalanced. Therefore, I suggest that pets get a damage reduction only when they are NOT the target, and the reduction could be as much as 50%, including conditions. That would allow pets to survive AoE and splash damage like in WvW and dungeons more readily and also allow for players to focus your pet as a counter play.

What do you think?

If the pet ever grew up maybe that would make a difference – but the pet is perpetually a juvenile without the strength of even the one we tamed.

Tragic Positive.9356:

Darkness.9732:

I only know that when my pet dies I can’ t use any F skills. All the other classes can use their ( stronger ) F skills whenever they want.

But they can’t use them while downed. We can.

IF they work at all. IF.