Guild Wars 2

Link pet classes to specific weapons (bonus when your weapons aligns with pet) AND/OR have different pet classes provide stat buffs to the ranger tied to the pet class (e.g. birds could add critical damage and critical chance while bears would provide toughness and vitality etc).

Option 1. Link each weapon to a class of pet. Provide a damage benefit to that weapon for having a LIVING pet of the same kind out. (So when the pet dies, you lose the benefit).

That or you simply provide a stat benefit tied to each class of pet. For example, birds could give a boost to critical chance. Bears could give the user a toughness buff.

In short, either link weapon damage to pet choice (matching) or provide a stat benefit to the ranger for each different type of pet being out (e.g. gaining toughness for say a bear and critical chance/damage for a bird).

That would be the basis for a reasonably easy fix (getting the balance right might not be easy but doable). AND, it would synergize the pet with the ranger. It also would place a premium on pet management and keeping it alive (which may make passive mode viable more often).

Thoughts? Which makes more sense?

Wait, you mean I could bring along a terrible-damage pet that gives me amazing damage stats, and then just have it sit beside me and do nothing while I shoot things with arrows that deal the damage other classes do on their own?

Where do I sign?

What makes it have to be amazing? Degree of impact is a question of balance, but is the idea valid?

Bombsaway.7198:

What makes it have to be amazing? Degree of impact is a question of balance, but is the idea valid?

Yes, I think this mechanic is a great idea. I agree that the degree of effect is a balance question.

I like the idea of pets adding stat bonuses. Adds more strategy to the pet where now you can time the pet switch to benefit you in certain situations. They’d have to reduce the cool down a bit though I think.

Would they have to reduce the cooldown? I would worry about being too opportunistic within a fight. You can’t really bar switching in a fight (that is a core benefit we have) so. . . do you want someone able to pump up extra vitality at the last minute?

I think the cooldown of pets is just about right. For me, it would make a lot of pets that are suboptimal have a “second chance”.

While i like the idea of different pet species giving stat bonuses to people, i don’t think that tying in pet families to weapons is a great idea. This would encourage users of certain weapon sets to run a specific pet all the time. Build diversity is already fairly low, with only a few combinations of pets and skills that are feasible, however the choice of pets remains a more situational and utility based choice. Adding links between them and weapons could have the effect of moving the pets into just another part of a build, as opposed to something that can be adjusted to fit into different situations.

pets die in a lot of situations. wvw, boss fights… harder the situation easyer they die. more we need them… i think u all understand my problem

Upon reflection, tying pets to weapons would limit which combinations are used which is often more negative than positive.

On the other hand, adding stat bonuses to pets (or some form of bonus that doesn’t have to just be stat) would have real value.

Certainly, it could provide the benefit even if the pet were dead, but then the bonus amount would have to be somewhat lower.

OK, what are the right bonuses (by class of weapon, amount of bonus, type of bonus)?

I’d like to see:

1) Bears (X% increase in toughness)
2) Porcine (X% increase in magic find)
3) Birds (X% increase in critical chance)
4) Felines (X increase in conditional damage)
5) Spiders (X% increase in conditional duration)
6) Dogs (X% increase in Power)
7) Devourer (X% increase in critical damage)
8) Drakes (X% increase in vitality)
9) Didn’t do underwater pets

The trick is what is the X for each stat that would make us fairly compensated for a well intentioned but poorly executed pet AI?

Bombsaway.7198:

Upon reflection, tying pets to weapons would limit which combinations are used which is often more negative than positive.

On the other hand, adding stat bonuses to pets (or some form of bonus that doesn’t have to just be stat) would have real value.

Certainly, it could provide the benefit even if the pet were dead, but then the bonus amount would have to be somewhat lower.

OK, what are the right bonuses (by class of weapon, amount of bonus, type of bonus)?

I’d like to see:

1) Bears (X% increase in toughness)
2) Porcine (X% increase in magic find)
3) Birds (X% increase in critical chance)
4) Felines (X increase in conditional damage)
5) Spiders (X% increase in conditional duration)
6) Dogs (X% increase in Power)
7) Devourer (X% increase in critical damage)
8) Drakes (X% increase in vitality)
9) Didn’t do underwater pets

The trick is what is the X for each stat that would make us fairly compensated for a well intentioned but poorly executed pet AI?

The problem is not about stat increases or poor power scaling. All this would solve is to further strengthen situations the Ranger is already suited well for while doing nothing to address the real problems. Every post is so caught up in how the pet is a leech on stats people get so caught up in it and forget actual issues.

The real problem is the Ranger not having a mechanic suited for certain content (as it’s a forced playstyle, not accent) and thereby also not having nearly anything close to a unique group role.

What is this the real issue when “stat scaling” isn’t? Take a look at these following posts.
The real issue with pets
Suggestions on how to solve problems with the pet
Suggestions on how to provide a group role in large scale fights

Remove the Pets and the issues are fixed

We have juvenile pets. As good as blind condition: They absorb the first damage, then die. Whats the real simple way to make them working? Don’t use them as damage, use them for buffs/conditions and special benefits. This is the most awesome way I know of…