Ranger was the first profession I picked up starting GW2; however I moved on after an enormous amount of frustration in dealing with pet AI. I’m very aware of the minor changes to pet AI that have been introduced to help, every time I’ve gone back on my ranger only to be disappointed. I put something together, my ideas on improving ranger pets.
I think it would be an interesting and somewhat unique design to remove pets all together but retain pet abilities. Lets call them Beast Essence since spirits are already taken…
The idea behind them is to use pet abilities as spells thrown by the user ranger than abilities of the pet. The trait line associated with Beastmastery would instead buff Beast Essence casts.
These casts would function similar to Engineer profession abilities in a sense. Much like Engineer utilities give professional skills, Pet/Essence selection would provide Ranger profession skills.
As it stands Ranger profession abilities are Attack Move/Recall Move/Pet Ability/Swap Pet. In the new system, there would be an Attack Spell/Beast Essence Spell/Swap Essence Spell.
Having an Attack spell would prevent the need for changing ranger damage ratios since pets are taken into consideration for the total damage rangers can put out from a damage point of view.
Having a Beast Essence Spell would maintain the purpose for different pets and allow customization for builds/trait lines. Some abilities may be A.O.E and targeted by the user, while some abilities would be used on the target (much like Mesmer phantasms), and some would just be activated around the user.
The animation/essence would be something similar to a phantasm but instead of a clone of the user, an animation of the beast, I’d go with something golden like the eagle and bear on Ranger greatsword. They would appear instantly on the attacker/area and begin their casting animation. This would maintain a level of counter-play while vastly increasing the quality of life to users trying to use the skills.
If this was to do nothing more than replace the current (beastmaster) tree it could look something like this…
Minor:
-Pack Alpha: Your pet gains up to 150 power, precision, toughness and vitality and their skills recharge 20% faster.
—>NEW Essence abilities (f1,f2) deal “x%” more damage and recharge “x%” faster
-Loud Whistle: While your health is above 90% your pet deals 10% more damage. Your pet swap recharges 20% faster.
—>NEW While your health is above 90% your Essence abilities deal 10% more damage. Your Essance swap recharges 20% faster
-Pet’s Prowess: Pet’s Prowess: Your pets move 30 faster and gain up to 300 ferocity.
—>NEWYour Essence attacks gain up to 300 ferocity and grant swiftness on successful attack "x"seconds.
Adept:
-Go For The Eyes: Your pet gains up to 300 toughness. Your pet’s command [[f2]] ability causes 5s of blindness to foes around it.
—>NEW Your Essence ability (f2) causes 5s of blindness to foes around it, if successful attack gain 2 seconds of protection.
-Companion’s Might: Your critical hits grant 5s of might to your pet. Critical strikes from your pet’s basic attack cause 6s of bleeding.
—>NEW Critical strikes from your Essence attack (f1) cause 6s of bleeding, in addition critical strikes gives fierce stacks. At “x” fierce stacks your next essence ability deals increased damage “x” amount.
-Resounding Timbre: Your shouts apply 10s of Regeneration and 10s of Swiftness to nearby allies. You shouts recharge 20% faster.
—>NEW remains unchanged
Master:
Wilting Strike: Your pet inflicts 4s weakness when you activate its command [[f2]] ability.
—>NEW Your Essence ability inflicts 4s weakness when you activate its command [[f2]] ability.
Two-Handed Training: Greatsword and spear damage is increased by 5% and those skills recharge 20% faster. Greatsword and spear hits have a 50% chance to gain 3s of fury. This trait has a 10 second internal cooldown.
—>NEW unchanged
Natural Regeneration: Your pet gains natural health recovery and their healing power is increased by up to 450.
—>NEW Critical hits reduce Essence ability (f2) cooldowns by "x"seconds.
Grandmaster: (this tree would remain unchanged however changed to reflect essence instead of pet use)
Beastly Warden: Your pet’s command [[f2]] ability causes 2s of taunt to foes around it. This trait has a 15 second internal cooldown.
Zephyr’s Speed: Combat Only. When you swap pets you and your pet gain 3 stacks of might for 15 seconds and 3 seconds of quickness.
Honed Axes: Gain up to 150 ferocity while wielding an axe in your main hand. Winter’s Bite is now inflicts its effects in an area at your target’s location.