The Marvelous Mystic Mutt

[Chaostik]

<div></div>I'm a young level 16 Fae Mystic now and loving it ... quite a change from my Zerker but all the more fun for that.However, one thing leaves me a bit mystified (pun intended <span>:smileytongue:</span>) ... what the heck use is the dog!?  Like ok he does a tiny amount of damage, gives me a second to react if something starts hitting on me but other than that seems to just die a lot lol.  Is there some wonderful point to it in later levels or should I just not bother casting it?Thx!<div></div>

[Finora]

<P>All those Kingdom of Sky line achievements that require the dog =).</P> <P>There's extra damage procs he can do, procing wards, minor group haste stuff, group resist boost/immunities. Stuff like that.</P> <P>Plus, I just like having my dog.</P> <P>Oh, and a key thing you need to learn is to keep your dog alive. Because if he goes, all those wonderful achievement abilities I mentioned before go poof with him. You of course won't have to go down a line that requires him, but man I love my dog at 70.</P> <P>You have to remember he is not at all like a conjurer, necro or enchanter pet. He is triple down arrow and doesn't have very many HP at all. He will never really be tanking for you. Best thing to do is to always have him set to not attack and manuelly send him in when you are ready for him. Also I suggest trying to keep him behind the mob, at lower levels I don't know how he fairs against repostes (I was 60 when KOS & the dog came out) but I can testify that ripostes at higher levels will kill him fast. <P>  <P>Bah keep accidently submitting.</P><p>Message Edited by Calendri on <span class=date_text>11-22-2006</span> <span class=time_text>12:33 PM</span>

[Eepop]

Ignore that you have him until you have 25 AAs. In the mean time, just boost stats or go down the agility line. Once you get 25, respec to put all 25 into strength line to get the end ability there. After this, just make sure he is positioned behind the mob and he will do fine. And yes, this means that never ever in a million years will he tank anything thats not really grey, and at that point, you should still probably just tank it yourself. <div></div>

[Banditman]

/nods in agreement.<div></div>

[Eepop]

And yes.... Its sad! It sucks! We've complained about it! But this is just the way it is, and if the past is any indication, how its going to stay. <div></div>

[Sillililygirl]

One thing no one has mentioned, unless I missed it.Keep dog dog on passive mode - send him to fight. Don't let him get agro and he will be a little more useful.I have a custom pet window that has a "passive mode" button - it's pet back off. When I started using that he became more useful.<div></div>

[Expiate]

<div><blockquote><hr>Calendri wrote:<div></div> <div></div> <div></div> <p>All those Kingdom of Sky line achievements that require the dog =).</p> <p>There's extra damage procs he can do, procing wards, minor group haste stuff, group resist boost/immunities. Stuff like that.</p> <p>Plus, I just like having my dog.</p> <p>Oh, and a key thing you need to learn is to keep your dog alive. Because if he goes, all those wonderful achievement abilities I mentioned before go poof with him. You of course won't have to go down a line that requires him, but man I love my dog at 70.</p> <p>You have to remember he is not at all like a conjurer, necro or enchanter pet. He is triple down arrow and doesn't have very many HP at all. He will never really be tanking for you. Best thing to do is to always have him set to not attack and manuelly send him in when you are ready for him. Also I suggest trying to keep him behind the mob, at lower levels I don't know how he fairs against repostes (I was 60 when KOS & the dog came out) but I can testify that ripostes at higher levels will kill him fast. </p><p>  </p><p>Bah keep accidently submitting.</p><p>Message Edited by Calendri on <span class="date_text">11-22-2006</span> <span class="time_text">12:33 PM</span></p><hr></blockquote>they require putting the point in the spirit pet, but do not necessarily require the use of the pet <span>:smileywink:</span></div>

[Finora]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> WinOpiate wrote:<BR> <DIV><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Calendri wrote:<BR> <P>All those Kingdom of Sky line achievements that require the dog =).</P> <P>There's extra damage procs he can do, procing wards, minor group haste stuff, group resist boost/immunities. Stuff like that.</P> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE>they require putting the point in the spirit pet, but do not necessarily require the use of the pet <SPAN>:smileywink:</SPAN><BR></DIV><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE>You missed a key word in my post =). I didn't say they all required the dog. I said to remember all THAT require the dog, which there are quite a few of and they are nice.<BR>

[Rayche]

<DIV>In some longer solo fights he's also a decent bit of damage over time.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>In group situations once you have his AE immunity (Max out STR line) he procs a 5 second AE immunity for the group as well as a 350 point group ward. It's a noticable difference in healing. He takes some of the load off for you.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I like him. (I do however wish his survivability was slightly better)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>One thing to be careful of is that his group ward proc will gain him aggro if it's still up when the puller engages the next mob. (It lasts 15 seconds.)</DIV>

[thedu]

I went with STR and INT, which both provide two "dots": leg bleed and rabies.  Rabies is more a AoE and in a small area can aggro other mobs so I use it situationally.  But it does provide a lot of extra DPS and also helps proc some of other benefits that doggy provides.  The only issue was that they both need different weapons to before they can be cast.So what I did was I created another hot bar with: leg bleed, rabies, <primary weapon loc>, <slot in bag where primary weapon get's replaced>, 1h spear, 1h staffThen what I do is click on 1h spear which replaces the primary weapon so I can then cast "leg bleed". Then I click on "1h staff" to move it to "primary" and click on "rabies" to cast that; and then go back to the better weapon - either for soloing of grouping.This is a pain sometimes but I've become used to it and works to help proc effects and add a little dps.<div></div>

[Rayche]

<DIV>When you switch weapons and use an Achievement ability, then switch weapons again before the achievement ability has expired, does it still work?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>What I mean is, on my Conjuror I bought the little summoned dagger pet, so I did what you did and made a hotkey to switch in my cheapo dagger, cast pet and switch back to my staff. Problem is, when I switch back to my staff the dagger pet poofs. So I'm stuck using the dagger until the dagger pet reaches his full duration.</DIV>

[thedu]

<div><blockquote><hr>Gojirax wrote:<div>When you switch weapons and use an Achievement ability, then switch weapons again before the achievement ability has expired, does it still work?</div> <div> <font color="#ff0033"></font><font color="#ff0033">"leg bleed" is almost instanteous whereas "rabies" actually starts casting, but I can change weapons after it starts casting and I have no problems. They do work and I have parsed it to make sure.</font></div> <div>What I mean is, on my Conjuror I bought the little summoned dagger pet, so I did what you did and made a hotkey to switch in my cheapo dagger, cast pet and switch back to my staff. Problem is, when I switch back to my staff the dagger pet poofs. So I'm stuck using the dagger until the dagger pet reaches his full duration.<font color="#ff0033">Dunno</font></div><hr></blockquote></div>

[Fippe]

<P>Speaking about the Mutt, I managed to get this picture of its stats. I mean we all knew it was weak but c'mon devs, this is just silly! Pet in picture is the standard summoned pet with no AA buffs and out of range from my buffs. Even though the numbers are red I had no sickness or debuffs etc (as you can see, I am in QH) Less then 500Hp and whats with the -50 dps mod... </P> <P><IMG src="http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/6803/bettyry9.jpg"></P> <P>If anyone wonder how I possesed the pet it was possible for a short while when the "Veil hunter" had not been nerfed yet. Using the mask in some places made you posses your main pet, in my case, you guessed it, dogdog</P>

[Eugam]

The Veil Hunter thing was/is a bug. I wouldnt trust those numbers. Better let the dog fight a low grey mob and heal him when down do 25 or 50% HP. Thats gives an idea how much HP the dog really has. I used this method with the wardens AA animal charm when i wanted to know what the best tank pet for soloing is. <div></div>

[Eepop]

Multiple such expirmental tests have been done to determine the dog's HPs, and they are in line with the numbers shown there. We did the heal type test you suggested as well as a "total damage till death" test, and both of those results agree with the HP number in the screenshot above. <div></div>

[Banditman]

At least we now know what it takes to make a Zerker suck:  Three down arrows will do it.<div></div>

[Arbreth]

<P>Yep, I love my Puppy.</P> <P>Running solo ( I tend to harvest in baaaad places) he is my early warning system, gives that extra second or two two spin around and fight, or get a head start on the MOB.</P> <P>With my mate (a Troubadour), Puppy assists on either higher level MOBs, or if there is more than one, he worries which ever one looks at me funny, keeping them busy until either I or my mate can take them on.  He does not take as much damage as he causes, and I have seen my dear scout use Puppy to keep the critter's attention so he can get behind and strike.</P> <P>In group, Puppy usually stands with me and pulls off whatever aggro I may have drawn, again giving those extra seconds to react.</P> <P>I never use him to pull, he is not my tank, something I think other Mystics and classes forget, he assists when needed.</P> <P>As for the lines on the KoS AA tree, I have not gone 'down' any of them yet.  I carry a two handed staff, always did, no Hammers, Spears, Shields, One handed Piercing thingies, or relics in the 2nd spot.  My choice of weapon seems to have limited me as the whole tree looks like it should be less for a healer amd more for a fighter.  I boosted my stats, and now am spending points in the new tree which seems more sensible.</P> <P>So Puppy works for me without the spells and such, and he has prooved very useful.  Maybe someday I will give him Rabies, but for now he has all his shots and a loose leash.</P> <P> </P> <P> </P>

[TiaraJew]

I'd love to know how your pet can "hold the critter's attention" without dying in 3 seconds.  Or worry anything, for that matter.  Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of pet-procced AAs, except that the pet dies when something fires off an area effect sneeze, let alone ripostes when you can't get behind.  Sure, STR line.  What if I don't WANT the str line?  Then I get a pet that has some neat AA skills to go with it for the 3 seconds it lives during the average heroic encounter.<div></div>

[Banditman]

It's pretty easy.If you don't want the STR line, then you need to accept the fact that your pet will never be around.  If you want the pet around, you are married to taking the STR line to the final ability.It sucks, sure, but the chances of it changing are between Slim and None and Slim left town.<div></div>

[AziBam]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Banditman wrote:<BR>It's pretty easy.<BR><BR>If you don't want the STR line, then you need to accept the fact that your pet will never be around.  If you want the pet around, you are married to taking the STR line to the final ability.<BR><BR>It sucks, sure, but the chances of it changing are between Slim and None and Slim left town.<BR> <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>/runs and screams like a baby for Slim to come back please please please.  <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></P> <P>The annoying thing is that the dog immunity works sort of, erm...most of the time, kind of, when it feels like it...um...when the moon is pink, when my feet are cold, erm..well something like that.  Ok, maybe it's a bit better than that but I still have to recast the mutt more often than I feel I should even when it isn't related to a carry over ward.  At least they could....throw us a bone (sorry I couldn't stop myself) and give it a shorter cast time.  </P>

[thedu]

I've also noticed that dogdog hold aggro like a mofo now a days.  Sometime I can't even peel em off him...that's why I get for having a rabid dog <span>:smileyvery-happy:</span><div></div>

[Loki_d20]

I have a 41 mystic (was defiler, but same situation) and so far I just don't use the dog.Question for those that seem to swear by the dog and the AAs (of which there are many) that rely on the thing to be alive and oftentimes attacking an opponent, does the dog really hit the mob enough so that your group or raid group are attacking enough to really make those % chances of proccing some attack on each hit that does land actually do anything worthwhile?So far, I'm going down the Agility line, but I'm worried about what line I want to go down next.I also find it crud that in order to have a pet survive in most raids you have to go down the strength line.<div></div>

[Eepop]

In a raid, I have seen the dog top the heal parse. Anecdotal? Yes. Do I have the logs to present now? No. But he always contributes a decent amount in a raid. <div></div>

[thedu]

<div><blockquote><hr>Loki_d20 wrote:I have a 41 mystic (was defiler, but same situation) and so far I just don't use the dog.Question for those that seem to swear by the dog and the AAs (of which there are many) that rely on the thing to be alive and oftentimes attacking an opponent, does the dog really hit the mob enough so that your group or raid group are attacking enough to really make those % chances of proccing some attack on each hit that does land actually do anything worthwhile?<font color="#ff0033"></font><font color="#ff0033">Yes. But you have to be always aware of the situation and you have to take measures, like swapping weapons and activating abilities, to really make it worthwhile. For a casual raider like me it's definitely been worthwhile.</font>So far, I'm going down the Agility line, but I'm worried about what line I want to go down next.I also find it crud that in order to have a pet survive in most raids you have to go down the strength line.<div></div><hr></blockquote></div>

[LizzyIzzy2]

<P>I'm a 70 mystic on Lucan DeLere and I do use the dog. I took the strength and stamina AA lines and use a two handed spear mostly. I have used the dog on occassion to pull for a group (the tank has to be ready to pull the mob off when it gets close enough) because the dog can be sent REALLY far to get something and doesn't seem to pull social aggro (much...well he does sometimes, lol). To keep the dog alive, I cast either the single or group ward before I send him. I have the tank target the mob and I target through the tank when I send Rover in to attack. 90% of the time I get the dog back alive.</P> <P>This has been useful when there are many mobs in an area and we wanted only one or one at a time brought back to our "cleared" area to fight.</P> <P>If I am solo, I still cast my ward first before I attack if possible. If I get multiple mobs, chances are that one of them will be on Rover instead of me (infective bites). The group ward protects us both so it's good that he keeps at least one busy. Rover is by no means a full on offensive pet but I still like him.</P> <P>Suedoenimm, 70 Mystic</P> <P> </P>

[Catfe]

<DIV>What level do i get the nifty spirit puppy? </DIV>

[LizzyIzzy2]

<DIV>You get it as the first point you spend in the KoS AA line. You have to take the dog to get to anything else...So you can potentially get the doggie at level 10.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Suedoenimm</DIV> <DIV>70 Mystic Lucan DLere</DIV>