Shadowknight Pets

[Ratsputin]

<DIV>Hi, I used to play EQ 1 a long time ago, and I also played EQ2 when it came out briefly. I am interested in starting up a character again and really want to play a shadowknight (or dirge perhaps). My question is, do shadowknights still get nifty skeleton pets early on like in the original everquest? I was looking online at the spells and abilities sections on various eq2 websites and saw NO references to pets!!! Surely they didn't get rid of the train-causing fear-inspiring skeleton pets!!??</DIV>

[Wendingo]

Its not exactly a pet.  You get a DoT spell where the graphic is a "pet."  It is the sacrament line of spells and the first one is your old friend the skellie.  You also get a fluff spell at 40 that gives you a useless guy that follows you around. 

[Rylight]

yes its a pet, and its also a dot. the thing is that it only last 30 secs, but unlike most dots, it does an unset amount of unknown damage, so in this way it is kinda a pet, because it doesnt do X amount of damage like some dots. and it can also crit randomly, and steal aggro.<div></div>

[Terraw]

I can see how some people would think that the skeleton is a DOT, but I personally say that it's a pet. There's a pet class in DAoC called the Theurgist, which specializes in summoning multiple, short duration (20, 25 or 30 seconds), fairly weak elemental pets at single targets. These elemental pets would rush their target, bash on it for their set lifespan, then fall to the ground dead. They had hit points, armor, damage types, damage ranges, etc. Just like a normal pet. The only thing that made it different was that the pet wasn't permanent and couldn't switch targets or follow the caster around. Exactly like the Shadowknight pet. Having come from DAoC, I have to say that I love that there's a Theurgist-like class in EQ2 and even more, I love that it just so happens to be the Shadowknight. On a side note, I absolutely love the SK pet and it shocks me when I play my other characters and note that most Shadowknights don't even take advantage of this awesome spell. I recall it giving me a big damage increase vs. single targets at 26 and it seems extremely power/damage efficient. Cheers. <div></div>

[Norrsken]

<blockquote><hr>Rylight wrote: and steal aggro.<div></div><hr></blockquote>I actually never had mine steal aggro unless I put it on an untaunted critter. And thats not really <i>stealing</i> aggro. <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><p>Message Edited by roxer2b on <span class=date_text>10-22-2006</span> <span class=time_text>11:47 AM</span>

[Rylight]

hey its taking hits that im not taking, I call it stealing aggro (well yeah not stealing, but taking aggro, and yes usually when I have not tuanted the mob or group) <div></div>

[Beldin_]

<P>Since i also have a conji i would simply call it a dumbfire pet <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></P> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Terrawen wrote:<BR><BR>On a side note, I absolutely love the SK pet and it shocks me when I play my other characters and note that most Shadowknights don't even take advantage of this awesome spell. I recall it giving me a big damage increase vs. single targets at 26 and it seems extremely power/damage efficient.<BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE>It really depends on what you're fighting and how long the fight last, when i tested soloing the nameds in the nest i found myself that in the end i nearly only used manstone,manasieve,blessing and the pet. Also when i solo or duo heroics i mostly use it, but in full groups wher mobs are dead in 5-10 seconds i really seldom use it <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><BR>

[KAm]

Is it taking actual hits from direct attacks or taking hits from AOEs?<div></div>

[Diern]

occasionally my pet will take agro from me if I send it out without doing anything to hit the mob as it runs, but this is rare<div></div>

[Mistmoore-Milaga]

These pets are considered "dumbfire pets" and follow some different rules. They are essentially DoTs that can be cancelled by attacking and killing them. Once they are placed on something they cannot be controlled by the caster and have a limited duration. They CAN, however, be taunted off onto another target (important to know for quite a few raids.) Our pets do a good amount of damage, but unless you've got a crappy weapon and a Master pet, they aren't going to pull aggro from you. Dumbfire pets are notoriously weak. Try casting the SK one when you are behind the target so they don't die to a riposte, which is a common occuriance on tougher mobs. An epic riposte will kill our dumbfire pets five times over.I do not know know if they count towards the 8 target limit for profession spells. Either way, if there is no drawback to having dumbfire pets, you should have yours up whenever you can. <div></div>

[GuardianKing]

More of a Dot once that target dies the pet is lost. <div></div>

[Tarkin-Wretch]

<P>it really needs a classification of its own called dumbfire pet.  it does not follow traditional rules for pets or dot's.  it has elements of both but cant really be defined as either.  i dont know about the sk dumbfire pet but the wolves that a warden can summon can be dispelled.  in the same respect though the spider hatchlings that some spiders can summon on you can not be dispelled or cured.  i say cured because it uses the noxious icon and shows up as a debuff that cant be cured.  at any rate, as someone said before, the sk pet is a dumbfire pet.  several other classes have similar dumbfire pets so its not unique to the sk and common in eq2 among various classes.</P>

[Kobito]

<span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #996699">What are the differences when the pet is at apprentice1-4, adept1-3, and master 1? Thank you in advance<img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></span></span>

[Tyrani]

Kobito@Butcherblock wrote: <blockquote><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #996699">What are the differences when the pet is at apprentice1-4, adept1-3, and master 1? Thank you in advance<img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></span></span></blockquote> More damage, more hps...that's about it.  Unlike other pets, these do not change look when upgrading them.

[CHIMPNOODLE.]

It used to upgrade 1 additional piece of armor on it every upgrade....and the low level ones were a blob at one point...later to become a ghost attack hawk that actually taunted and could single handedly go toe to toe with even con mobs. That was a blast.....I used to fight one mob...and my pet would lock aggro on another non-linked mob and be fighting it at the same time. Was super neat.....we were in Skelly form from our Defensive stance at the time too <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Zanix]

<cite>Tyranire wrote:</cite><blockquote>Kobito@Butcherblock wrote: <blockquote><span style="font-size: small"><span style="color: #996699">What are the differences when the pet is at apprentice1-4, adept1-3, and master 1? Thank you in advance<img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></span></span></blockquote> More damage, more hps...that's about it.  Unlike other pets, these do not change look when upgrading them.</blockquote> well...do the pets have different looks depending on the tier spell? I remember at one point they did. Also, I remember having the dove of death as a pet =

[CHIMPNOODLE.]

<p>The look doesn't change anymore sadly <img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>Dove of Death...lol...like that descrption. Ya, it was a beast really. I would just let it duke it out with mobs, while sitting back and watching sometimes. Think it was a bit too much overlap with the pet casters when it taunting and all too.</p><p>The dammage increase was noticeable from Adept 1 to Adept III though. Noticed a milder increase from that to Master I.</p>

[Zanix]

<p>I think SKs are the only ones who actually notice thier pets. Never has someone ever said in a raid or group top me 'are you going to use your pet?!" they are that irrelevent to groups/raids. </p><p>Some ways I have seen my pet useful :</p><p>-DoT (with a sword)</p><p>-take initial hit from a pull (suicide skeleton)</p><p>-great for PVP, but still buggy. (no matter how fast they run, my pet somehow keeps up with them, he also interupts a lot of casting from my enemies)</p><p>-slow burn raid mobs. light on mana, decent on dmg</p>

[CHIMPNOODLE.]

Peakae@Venekor wrote: <blockquote><p>I think SKs are the only ones who actually notice thier pets. Never has someone ever said in a raid or group top me 'are you going to use your pet?!" they are that irrelevent to groups/raids. </p><p>Some ways I have seen my pet useful :</p><p>-DoT (with a sword)</p><p>-take initial hit from a pull (suicide skeleton)</p><p>-great for PVP, but still buggy. (no matter how fast they run, my pet somehow keeps up with them, he also interupts a lot of casting from my enemies)</p><p>-slow burn raid mobs. light on mana, decent on dmg</p></blockquote><p>Ya, pretty much same. </p><p> I was in a group with more than 1 SK once though...and 1 started to knock the other for not using his pet enough (was kinda funny). There was also a thread on a forum I read awhile back (mighta been the SOE ones...can't remember).....a good amount of SKs were pumping up the pet as their best/most mana efficient DoT for tough mobs. There were other knocking thecasting time, or pointing out the need to time it between AOEs..but it was a good read.</p><p>There is a raid leader I know that used to use the suicide skelly pull a lot, they were always missing a pet caster. Anyway, I like the pet but don't always use it, specially in most groups. I miss being able to name it....and I also wish it would show up in parses that we sue though too. </p>

[Norrsken]

Necroing?

[Zanix]

I miss him always being up, like in EQlive. Come to mention, I also hate that my squires are all men now. When did I want bi-curious Squires.

[Belaythien]

<cite>Terrawen wrote:</cite><blockquote> On a side note, I absolutely love the SK pet and it shocks me when I play my other characters and note that most Shadowknights don't even take advantage of this awesome spell. I recall it giving me a big damage increase vs. single targets at 26 and it seems extremely power/damage efficient. </blockquote> At 70 it is absolutely useless in my opinion. Against normal mobs fights are over before our pet can do enough damage to make it worth casting. When fighting tougher mobs and nameds they usually die at the first AE. On top of that casting time is way too long. I'd probably do more auto-attack damage in the time it takes me to cast my pet. Due to that I only use it when there are absolutely no other spell up. Then again by that time the mob is almost dead anyway. So the only reason to use it is for fun and boredom <img src="/smilies/2786c5c8e1a8be796fb2f726cca5a0fe.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Norrsken]

<cite>Belaythien wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Terrawen wrote:</cite><blockquote> On a side note, I absolutely love the SK pet and it shocks me when I play my other characters and note that most Shadowknights don't even take advantage of this awesome spell. I recall it giving me a big damage increase vs. single targets at 26 and it seems extremely power/damage efficient. </blockquote> At 70 it is absolutely useless in my opinion. Against normal mobs fights are over before our pet can do enough damage to make it worth casting. When fighting tougher mobs and nameds they usually die at the first AE. On top of that casting time is way too long. I'd probably do more auto-attack damage in the time it takes me to cast my pet. Due to that I only use it when there are absolutely no other spell up. Then again by that time the mob is almost dead anyway. So the only reason to use it is for fun and boredom <img src="/smilies/2786c5c8e1a8be796fb2f726cca5a0fe.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> </blockquote>I pull it out for pvp sometimes, jsut because it interrupts and is annoying. <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[CHIMPNOODLE.]

I use my pet in PvE caster duels too just for the interrupts.

[Zanix]

I use it in pvp because people are like " what is that!?!?!?" and run.

[Wytie]

Peakae@Venekor wrote: <blockquote>I use it in pvp because people are like " what is that!?!?!?" and run.</blockquote> It pulls agro too iv noticed sure they'll kill it but better it than me......

[Arthik]

I'm sure this goes without saying, but this pet rocks against scouts. Lots of scouts rely on being invissed to do some of their more devastating hits, and this pet stays on them even after they go invis and keeps attacking, breaking their invis.

[Zanix]

Arthik@Crushbone wrote: <blockquote>I'm sure this goes without saying, but this pet rocks against scouts. Lots of scouts rely on being invissed to do some of their more devastating hits, and this pet stays on them even after they go invis and keeps attacking, breaking their invis. </blockquote> actually, when against a scout that can evade or disappear off sight randomly, yor pet resets, and appears standing next to you, unable to resend to target.

[Wytie]

Arthik@Crushbone wrote: <blockquote>I'm sure this goes without saying, but this pet rocks against scouts. Lots of scouts rely on being invissed to do some of their more devastating hits, and this pet stays on them even after they go invis and keeps attacking, breaking their invis. </blockquote><p> I cant recall but does dethreat hinder our pet useless, well unless we pop the pet window and retarget from which wastes a bit more time than its worth?</p>

[Arthik]

Peakae@Venekor wrote: <blockquote>Arthik@Crushbone wrote: <blockquote>I'm sure this goes without saying, but this pet rocks against scouts. Lots of scouts rely on being invissed to do some of their more devastating hits, and this pet stays on them even after they go invis and keeps attacking, breaking their invis. </blockquote> actually, when against a scout that can evade or disappear off sight randomly, yor pet resets, and appears standing next to you, unable to resend to target. </blockquote> That so? I guess things really are different on PvP servers... Whenever I duel scouts on Crushbone (PvE), the pet sticks to them like glue and breaks their invis all the time.

[Zanix]

<cite>Wytie wrote:</cite><blockquote>Arthik@Crushbone wrote: <blockquote>I'm sure this goes without saying, but this pet rocks against scouts. Lots of scouts rely on being invissed to do some of their more devastating hits, and this pet stays on them even after they go invis and keeps attacking, breaking their invis. </blockquote><p> I cant recall but does dethreat hinder our pet useless, well unless we pop the pet window and retarget from which wastes a bit more time than its worth?</p></blockquote>I don't think the buttons in the pet window even work with SK pets, unless there's a trick I don' t know about.

[Wytie]

Peakae@Venekor wrote: <blockquote><cite>Wytie wrote:</cite><blockquote>Arthik@Crushbone wrote: <blockquote>I'm sure this goes without saying, but this pet rocks against scouts. Lots of scouts rely on being invissed to do some of their more devastating hits, and this pet stays on them even after they go invis and keeps attacking, breaking their invis. </blockquote><p> I cant recall but does dethreat hinder our pet useless, well unless we pop the pet window and retarget from which wastes a bit more time than its worth?</p></blockquote>I don't think the buttons in the pet window even work with SK pets, unless there's a trick I don' t know about. </blockquote>honestly im not sure, after casting i move on to something else, and try not to cast on scouts, my fav are Mages and Healers, anyone else its pretty much a waste of cast time imo.  FD  blow the pet right off to BTW....

[VegasLife]

I forgot that you can pull with this pet.  It's a nice change of pace.