Pet/Stance combo

[TimidMou]

<DIV>Ok newbie question for necros since LU13:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>What are the best stance/combo combinations soloing and in a group?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Right now what I use are:</DIV> <DIV>Tank pet/def stance for really hard stuff (max def, low dps)</DIV> <DIV>Tank pet/off stance for hard stuff (slightly better dps, for what seems to be a big tradeoff in def, I don't use this one often)</DIV> <DIV>[expletive haxx0red by Raijinn] pet/def stance - never (is there ever a reason to do this?)</DIV> <DIV>[expletive haxx0red by Raijinn] pet/off stance (for most even level stuff, sometimes yellow stuff, great dps, weak def)</DIV> <DIV>Mage pet/def stance - I feel this combo is totally useless</DIV> <DIV>Mage pet/off stance - for groups of mobs, or when grouping</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>One thing I haven't tried, but I would appreciate feedback on, is using the various pets with NO stance at all. Since both def and off stance seem to trade off for def or vice versa, wouldn't it mean that using a pet in no stance would be a balanced way to use a pet (i.e. balanced off and def, rather than having one high and the other low)?</DIV>

[Xalmat]

Read the FAQ. El Chupacabras does a good job explaining which pet you should be using.

[TimidMou]

<P>My question is directly concerned with pet/stance combos, which are not addressed in the FAQ. If you read my post you would have seen that I already know about the fact that the warlock pet is an AoE dps'er etc... I am not that much of a newbie.</P>

[Xalmat]

I overlooked the no-stance part, so my bad.The problem is, there really isn't any good reason I can think of to not use a stance. While the option exists, the sum of the pros/cons of each stance outweigh not using a stance. With offense stance, your pet will kill faster, but when soloing you'll need to crank out more damage yourself to offset the reduced damage. With defense stance, your pet will last longer, and will have superior aggro, but fights will drag on longer as well. In a group setting, you will <I>never</I> have a no-stance pet (your pet is either the primary tank and needs defense stance for aggro management and survivability, or is not tanking and will greatly benefit from the DPS increase of offense stance, ESPECIALLY the scout pets).I always swear by my tank pet in defense stance, but most also swear by their scout pet in offense stance. Rarely ever do people discuss tank pet in offense or scout in defense, and never with no stance. Usually for the reasons cited above.

[El Chupacabr]

<P>There is never a reason not to use a pet stance buff.  If on offensive, use offense, defensive use defense.  The tank pet can go either way on using buffs but in general, if he's tanking the damageshield from the defensive buff almost makes up for the haste damage you'd get from offensive buff and if you need a higher hp pet you can use the tank in offensive (which I note in the FAQ).</P> <P>The pet buffs are cut and dry and why there isn't a which buff should I be using Q in the FAQ.  The buffs that would logically be used are the right ones and non-buffing is never the right option.</P>

[Tharangus]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Xalmat wrote:<BR>I overlooked the no-stance part, so my bad.<BR><BR>The problem is, there really isn't any good reason I can think of to not use a stance. While the option exists, the sum of the pros/cons of each stance outweigh not using a stance. With offense stance, your pet will kill faster, but when soloing you'll need to crank out more damage yourself to offset the reduced damage. With defense stance, your pet will last longer, and will have superior aggro, but fights will drag on longer as well. In a group setting, you will <I>never</I> have a no-stance pet (your pet is either the primary tank and needs defense stance for aggro management and survivability, or is not tanking and will greatly benefit from the DPS increase of offense stance, ESPECIALLY the scout pets).<BR><BR>I always swear by my tank pet in defense stance, but most also swear by their scout pet in offense stance. Rarely ever do people discuss tank pet in offense or scout in defense, and never with no stance. Usually for the reasons cited above.<BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <DIV>Mostly, I am in agreement with Xalmat.  What about mobs that are weak to crushing damage?  Seems to me like a situation where the tank pet with the offensive stance would be called for.  Defensive stance on either the scout or the mage pet?  I'm not aware of any situation where that would be the best choice.  Perhaps raid situations to keep the pet from dying from those nasty AoE's, but that hate gain bonus could prove to be detrimental.  Again, a case where the tank pet in the offensive stance is a good choice.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>There's no reason not to use a stance at all.  Basically, your pet is going to either be in the role of damage dealer or damage taker and without the stance it will not perform optimally in either role.  If you need the pet to change roles, you can always cast a different stance.</DIV> <P>Message Edited by Tharangus on <SPAN class=date_text>11-02-2005</SPAN> <SPAN class=time_text>09:59 AM</SPAN></P><p>Message Edited by Tharangus on <span class=date_text>11-02-2005</span> <span class=time_text>10:05 AM</span>

[Fierce Ra]

<DIV>I always use the offensive stance with every pet.  My reasons for this is I found out that it was too easy for me to get aggro away from my pet when in defensive stance.  Mobs die quicker in offensive stance.  Plus aggro is still based alot by who is doing the damage to the mob.</DIV><p>Message Edited by Fierce Rage on <span class=date_text>11-02-2005</span> <span class=time_text>10:48 AM</span>

[TimidMou]

Awesome, thanks for the replies guys. I can see that there is some differences in opinion as to what is best to use when, but I actually appreciate that as it shows that we have some options (as opposed to there being only one way to do things).

[Sircoop]

<P>OK rookie question..Just because I do not have time to ressearch right now.</P> <P>How do I change the pet stance?  Do you mean different spells?  Or a / command?</P> <P> </P>

[Tharangus]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Sircoop wrote:<BR> <P>OK rookie question..Just because I do not have time to ressearch right now.</P> <P>How do I change the pet stance?  Do you mean different spells?  Or a / command?</P> <P> </P> <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <DIV>Just click the stance you want twice.  First click cancels current stance.  Second click will cast that stance.</DIV>

[DwarvesR]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Fierce Rage wrote:<BR> <DIV>I always use the offensive stance with every pet.  My reasons for this is I found out that it was too easy for me to get aggro away from my pet when in defensive stance.  Mobs die quicker in offensive stance.  Plus aggro is still based alot by who is doing the damage to the mob.</DIV> <P>Message Edited by Fierce Rage on <SPAN class=date_text>11-02-2005</SPAN> <SPAN class=time_text>10:48 AM</SPAN><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>/agree</P> <P>I get aggro off my zombie VERY easily in def stance, but have to try realllllllllly hard to get in in off stance.  Ad1 for both.</P>

[Tyralus]

<DIV>WOW the fact that you guys are drawing aggro in defensive stance is amazing to me... I soloed my way all through my 30's using defensive stance in Splitpaw solo instances and I rarely if ever get aggro from my pet.  And I am POURING on the DOT's Life Draws, and Breaths all throughout the fights.  3 double down arrow yellow cons rarely last more than a minute against Meatshield (adept III Rotting Thrall and adept III UA before him) and I in the Hideout and even the named at the end will hardly ever leave my pet, perhps once out of 10 times do I ever draw aggro.  My spells are at adept I level but my tank pet is always at Adept III, with Master II defensive stance.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Am I doing something wrong??</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Gilron Darkscales</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>40 Necromancer Mistmoore</DIV> <DIV> </DIV><p>Message Edited by Tyralus on <span class=date_text>11-14-2005</span> <span class=time_text>04:37 AM</span>

[Eriol]

Personally the 3 ways I do things are tank/defensive for "big" mobs, yellow cons, and GROUPS of dangerous mobs, assassin in offensive for blues and below (farming) or in groups, and tank in offensive for everything else. Occasionally I'll use warlock in groups if it's almost-pure group mobs, or the tank isn't the best at holding agro, but that's rare.In my experience, the tank noticably holds agro better in defensive than any other pet/stance combination. If I TRY, I can even keep and hold agro from an assassin in offensive (if it doesn't proc too much), but if I make sure I don't nuke too early (like the first 5 seconds, which I use for putting swarm out anyways), I NEVER can pull it off of a defensive-stance tank (it even keeps agro in most cases when the fight goes long enough for the swarm pets die, which is impressive IMO). Also, I find that the defensive-stance tank pet almost-never has any downtime associated with it. If it takes lots of damage, I'm basically OOP and low on health too from the worst fights. But overall I'm NEVER waiting on my tank pet if I'm exping with it, and I never worry about taking hits from mobs with it around.The tank in offensive I use for most situations as I find the proc helps it kill significantly faster, it still AE taunts, and it can stand up to a bit of damage. It's really on the line between the raw speed of using your assassin, and the mobs that do enough damage to cause the assassin to give you downtime. And as downtime is evil (even more evil than necros are), I do all I can to avoid it.The assassin is the primary group pet for me, as it's DPS is unmatched vs solo mobs, and the casting delay of the warlock makes it fall behind the assassin even on groups of mobs in most cases. But if you're fighting single-up-arrow whites or above, I find it takes a significant amount of damage through even the short fights. Grouped whites are basically suicide for the pet or you, as 1. It takes more damage by far than the tank, and 2. It has no group taunt, so your best AE-spells EASILY pulls agro from every mob except the one it is attacking, whereas the tank holds taunt on all of them. I've actually found this pet more and more useful as I go up in levels. I only have the AD1 right now, but as I'm near 46, I'll be getting the AD3 when I hit that milestone, as it is becoming so useful in many situations.But the final advice I'd give you is to experiment. Everybody's playstyle is slightly different, and finding out what is most comfortable for YOU is the most important part. And make sure you give all your pets a fair shake, as I wasn't a HUGE fan of the assassin when I first got it, but I have really grown to appreciate it over time. And see the difference with the tank in offensive and defensive. Both definitely have their uses. Generally I default my tank pet to offensive when I'm around travelling, as it's the best "balanced" pet/stance, and can deal with just about anything fairly quickly if I get "incidental" agro, then switch out to whatever's most appropriate (which may still be tank/offensive) when I get to where I'm going.