Agitation still useful at 50+

[Collab]

<DIV> <DIV>So in honor of hitting level 54, I decide to respec my char using the /respec command.  I get to the level 14 master 2 choice, and start looking them over, and I notice something.  Agitation at master 2 adds 36 int, 30% atk speed, increases slashing crushing and piercing by 5.4 and reduces defense and parry by 4.9.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So then I look at my latest voice of the departed adept 3.  Adds 42% atk speed, 10% 360dmg proc, increases casting skills by whatever, and reduces def and parry by a crippling 24.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Now, I like to use my rogue pet, almost exclusively when soloing.  I find it more efficient to keep it alive and let it provide maximum dps, than use the tank pet or some alternative, like the junk caster pet.  So I started screwing around in Living tombs because I wanted to see if Agitation made a good situational type buff.  The type where I want to have maximum dps, but I also want my pet to be taking the hits instead of me.   In this capacity, it works amazingly well.  It buffs up the dps of the rogue pet a substantial amount, but without sacrificing any defense.  It also allows him to hit more easily.   While I know if you parse the two, Voice would obviously kick out more dps, but that wasn't the point.  It was faster and more efficient to use agitation, the pet didn't have to heal much or at all between fights so I could keep constantly going without pause.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It's fun when you discover things like that.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Xalo Conundran</DIV> <DIV>54 Necromancer of Neriak</DIV> <DIV>Guildleader of Conundrum</DIV></DIV>

[Nosewar]

Thats interesting but I have found a similar effect just using def buff on scout pet or offensive buff on tank pet.  Each pet already has innate advantages in mit, speed, dmg, etc, so the "opposite" stances pair well with them while soloing.  Even so, I still prefer to keep def with tank when soloing for optimum safety, and offensive with scout for optimum dps in groups.  But yeah that mage pet is total garbage no matter what you do, lol.

[Greggthegrmreapr]

i doubt it would be very useful.  The master 2 pet buff at 54 (can't think of it) has 51% haste.  it will just overide agitaion now since all the speed buffs are the same line.

[Janl]

He wasn't talking about stacking them.  He was saying that the lower level spell had less severe penalties and could possibly be the better stance in some situations.<div></div>

[Twisti2]

A lot more research needs to be done in this area.  A few people have stated how the difference in haste between high lvl offensive stance and low lvl offensive stance is easily made up for by the fact your pet can take more hits more before dying.  Sure if you are in a group you will go all out dps and use the high lvl offensive stance, but soloing it is very viable to use Agitation. At 44, I am now using my adept 3 assasin pet with Grisly Stele Master 2.  Sure he suffers 25% decrease in attack speed, but he gains nearly 40 percent hate, 16.5% health and a nice 31pt damage shield with heal (great when pulling groups of mobs).   Remember that slowing attack speed doesnt slow his special attacks, which seem to do the most damage anyway (I think thats the case). I havent used my tank pet for ages now.  He's dps is far too low to be of any use.  Maybe for the odd ^^^ that i tackle, but for soloing the assasin pet is the way to go.  I even do Arena in SP with the assasin pet, its a piece of cake. <div></div>

[Nosewar]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Twisti2 wrote:<BR>A lot more research needs to be done in this area.  A few people have stated how the difference in haste between high lvl offensive stance and low lvl offensive stance is easily made up for by the fact your pet can take more hits more before dying.  Sure if you are in a group you will go all out dps and use the high lvl offensive stance, but soloing it is very viable to use Agitation.<BR><BR>At 44, I am now using my adept 3 assasin pet with Grisly Stele Master 2.  Sure he suffers 25% decrease in attack speed, but he gains nearly 40 percent hate, 16.5% health and a nice 31pt damage shield with heal (great when pulling groups of mobs).   Remember that slowing attack speed doesnt slow his special attacks, which seem to do the most damage anyway (I think thats the case).<BR><BR>I havent used my tank pet for ages now.  He's dps is far too low to be of any use.  Maybe for the odd ^^^ that i tackle, but for soloing the assasin pet is the way to go.  I even do Arena in SP with the assasin pet, its a piece of cake.<BR><BR><BR> <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE>Nearly all the mobs you encounter 50+ will not be able to be tanked with the assassin pet simply because he lacks the mit and hp pool to take the damage.  Even many weak down arrow greens will hurt him badly and quickly.  You must mean your 32 scout pet because you don't get the assassin until 46 and you said you are 44.  The tank pet isn't meant to have good dps anyway...just like a real tank he's just supposed to keep the mob off you so <EM>you</EM> can dish out the dps. Use your scout soloing even cons or higher in the 50s and you'll be wasting power healing him to keep him alive meaning less dps and more downtime.  Lastly, you won't be soloing anything ^^^ even con very soon yet.

[Abazagorath]

I have found the same thing.  I don't use VotD since it debuffs my pet an unforgiveable amount versus not much of an upgrade over the T4 buff (whose name escapes me atm).  I think that it is easily better to lose a slight amount of dmg output so as to not CRIPPLE your pet versus have a slightly higher DPS and have your pet's face get mashed in.  In the end, this all comes down to situational use and personal preference - in a group or raid, you won't need to worry so much about your pet's well-being since it won't get aggro most of the time (provided your tank(s) are competent), and you can afford to go all-out on DPS.