Dumbfire pets.

[Sarkoris]

<DIV>Just some thoughts and a quick history refresher (as I remember it) of our 2 standard dumb fire pets and a suggestion for increased functionality based on a warlock update I saw in the test server update notes.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Ghastly Stench line. Used to be a simple dot, then had the zombie graphic added and changed into a limited dumbfire pet with a standard single target attack (on its selected victim) and an aoe attack (on the encounter only, not point blank).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Rats/Dogs/Pigs line. Another dumbfire pet, also referred to as a swarm pet (as it summons 3 pets of whatever variety your level dictates). These creatures have gone through several incarnations as follows:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Had a special attack (removed).</DIV> <DIV>Benefitted from buffs/pet stances (removed).</DIV> <DIV>Follower pets 2 and 3 died when the leader pet died (fixed).</DIV> <DIV>Were immune to non targetted AOE's (removed).</DIV> <DIV>Had higher hp (Adjusted).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Both pet lines went through a bugged stage as well where they stood still by the caster without attacking (pathing issue bug, fixed in most cases but still happens on occassion) and instant depop bug (hotfixed within 24 hours).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Now that the boring history lesson is out of the way (and feel free to correct me if I got something wrong or forgot a stage), lets move on the reason behind this post.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I noticed while patching the test server that one of the updates said that the Warlock broodling dumbfire proc pets would now switch targets within an encounter ie. Players encounter 4 mobs in a group and tank pulls, broodling procs on mob, mob is killed, broodling will now switch to secondary target within the encounter, and so on until they expire, are killed or the encounter is defeated.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>This got me to thinking. Seeing they have now developed the AI to allow this, why shouldn't it apply to our dumbfire pets. Seeing we have lost a lot of the usefulness of these pets thanks to the loss of immunity to non targetted AOE's, and as of LU 24 a shortened duration (45 seconds) with an increased (corrected) recast timer (60 seconds) would it be unbalancing if our pets chewed on an entire encounter (rather than just the initial target within an encounter).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>This would increase their usability in groups where most mobs die long before the swarm pets have much chance to engage. Now they would damage the whole encounter which lasts longer than single mob kills.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It would also go someway to correcting our dps shortfall (trash group encounters, where kills are too short for most of our spells to have full effect) withour unbalancing our dps where many see us as overpowered (raids). It also would not significantly affect soloers as most would only be soloing non heroic groups aimed at individuals (soloinig groups of heroics is usually done in a manner that does not use swarm pets).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Just an idea for Dev consideration and input from my fellow Necromancers.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Sorry for the longer than anticipated post, any thoughts or feedback appreciated.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Sark.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Edited to correct errors (spelling and grammar).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV><p>Message Edited by Sarkoris on <span class=date_text>06-08-2006</span> <span class=time_text>02:30 PM</span>

[Eriol]

This is clear, concise, and makes sense, and therefore won't be considered at all by the devs.

[ca]

<P>Wow I um... understood and respected your view, whats more, I agree.</P> <P>who are you???!!! stop this immedietly I demand this post be changed to a whine so the devs will listen!</P> <P>In the meantime I say Kudos! and I concurr.</P>

[Sarkoris]

<DIV>Thanks for the support posts guys, I might PM this to a dev or two once I work out who this would best apply to (Lockeye for spell/combat arts) ?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Please keep flaming of SOE/Devs out of this post to give it the best chance of being listened to and not locked.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Okay - PM'ed Lockeye - lets be on our best Necro behaviour people, in case this gets some notice.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thanks,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Sark.</DIV><p>Message Edited by Sarkoris on <span class=date_text>06-08-2006</span> <span class=time_text>04:13 PM</span>

[Sarkoris]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> cavv wrote:<BR> <P>Wow I um... understood and respected your view, whats more, I agree.</P> <P>who are you???!!! stop this immedietly I demand this post be changed to a whine so the devs will listen!</P> <P>In the meantime I say Kudos! and I concurr.</P><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>Who am I - and here I thought I was moderately well known on our class forum at least - oh well - back to the drawing board :smileysad:</P> <P>Sark.</P>

[Korb]

I like this, it's a great idea. (I am a new necro and didn't know that at one point they had ae imunity. I could see that helping so much now that I have been grouping a lot).

[LiquidFlex]

I'm <font color="#ffff00">bumping</font> this one too. I kinda like that idea, and have often thought of it myself. I'm sure at some point the devs probably thought about it as well, but who knows. They have so much to contend with.So, <font color="#33cc00">kudos</font> on the post, and I agree that flaming devs is never the answer.  (no i'm not brownosing)  <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><div></div>

[FTL]

<DIV>Agree 100% on this idea and will will not make loads off differences, the whole idea of playing a summoner was to have the use of pets, now it seems that most classes have one in some form or another, just would be nice that the classes that were originally meant to be the  pet summon class get there pets a little more in line with what the class is supposed to do, certainly with regards to our undead tide would be nice also, many a fight i have used them and they end up just standing around rather than attacking the next mob u have targeted especially with a 15 min recast(14.20m with deathcaster pantaloons) it would be a nice touch. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV>

[ca]

<DIV>Um...sorry wasn't meant as a flame, or an intention of showing I don't know the OP. It was all sarcasm but unfortunatly inflections of voice never come through in type, I meant who are you in the aspect of seeing my kid clean her room up with no threats "who are you and what have you done with my daughter? and can you keep her?" and the whinning thing was to point out that if you go to any other board that seems to be the prevailing way of having your greivences addressed.</DIV> <DIV>Lame I know.</DIV>

[Sarkoris]

<DIV><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> cavv wrote:<BR> <DIV>Um...sorry wasn't meant as a flame, or an intention of showing I don't know the OP. It was all sarcasm but unfortunatly inflections of voice never come through in type, I meant who are you in the aspect of seeing my kid clean her room up with no threats "who are you and what have you done with my daughter? and can you keep her?" and the whinning thing was to point out that if you go to any other board that seems to be the prevailing way of having your greivences addressed.</DIV> <DIV>Lame I know.</DIV><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>No problems at all. That is the way I took it...my response suffered from the same lack of voice inflection you mentioned to indicate humour. Its like when someone you know does something so out of character you ask them who they are, or wonder about that Invasion Of The Body Snatchers film.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Hey it kept my post back up the top so in the end its all good. Sadly no feedback from Lockeye yet but this is fully understandable. I'm sure the Devs are hussling with LU24 patch day arriving quickly along with TFD expansion pack.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Sark getting ready to start saying I used to be Uber now Im working as intended.</DIV>