test content
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc

Companions: Useful to... total HAMSTER.

bellylintbellylint Member Posts: 26 Arc User
edited May 2013 in General Discussion (PC)
In the initial levels of this game, a pet will show true powers, you will survive dungeons because you have a pet and realize that most pets will rarely die.

This said, as you level higher and higher, the table turns, pets become a serious problem, and eventually at some point, pets will become a liability, they will be counter-productive in the sense you will spend more time in a given boss fight resing them than working on the boss itself.

The fact is, pets have the most terrible AI I have seen in all the games I have played, this is also compounded by the fact that many mobs, bosses will use special aoes which pets just cannot avoid because they have zero code to avoid the obvious and I am not talking about a 3 s to aoe and boom dead, I'm talking about the long lasting red zones which pets will gladly stand on until they are dead and they seem to enjoy testing these zones to see how fast they can die.

What is needed badly are pet commands, basic pet interaction like telling your healer pet not to charger ahead or taking on mobs on her own which anyone wonders why this is happening in the first place.

Of course, a basic pet AI overhaul is needed, that isn't even something I should have to mention.
Post edited by bellylint on
«1

Comments

  • hycinthushycinthus Member Posts: 158 Bounty Hunter
    edited May 2013
    This is because your companion is lv 15 in a 50 zone.
  • sepheresephere Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    Yeah, it also doesn't help that the cleric companion sometimes runs straight up to a bosses/elites face,
    hehe
    I hate the cap, too, though
  • clannamuirclannamuir Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 217 Bounty Hunter
    edited May 2013
    Although the companions are usless passed level 50, the OP has a point. The Man at arms will not hit a mob unless you are attacking it as well. In other games that have pets, the pets actually will keep attacking the mob until they are disabled or the mob is.
  • stormdrag0nstormdrag0n Member Posts: 3,222 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    Yeah I pretty much agree with this, I'm actually flabbergasted they just didn't use the STO Away team mechanic, that AI isn't the best in the world but you can actually direct your away team members and the customization is really impressive.

    Right now the Companions are a great idea that failed miserably.
    Always Looking for mature laidback players/rpers for Dungeon Delves!
  • bellylintbellylint Member Posts: 26 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    Don't get me wrong, like I said, up to a certain point in the game, the companions are valuable as gold, they will save your butt and allow you to run dungeons solo, but starting at the late 40's and into final level, there's a breaking point where pets are just worthess because of a combination of factors which already mentioned.

    Probably one solution is making pets use ALL armor not just 2 pieces, or at the very least, use all armor 'cept weapon so that this helps in defense.

    Of course, a review of the AI is automatic here, the AI must be smarter if pet is ever to survive, what most of us are looking for is a helper not something that hinders gameplay.
  • the1tiggletthe1tigglet Member, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Hero Users Posts: 1
    edited May 2013
    the ui could use the STO ui for companions that's for sure. I am used to placing my allies in place while moving around.

    Also, they need to change the code for attack, to start attacking when i do and not just stand there and watch as ten mobs run up on me.

    That's frustrating and the classes that heal need to stay back and heal, they don't need to do any attacking at all because they get enough aggro as it is. 0 aggro for healers needed imo companion or not.
  • vampiregoatvampiregoat Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    I noticed mine love to go up to bosses give them an open mouth kiss and bathe naked in the red circle of death and die. I ignore the pet and fight till I can get the pet back up, I am not risking my life for some pet that loves kinky things.
  • peter425peter425 Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 19 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    PWE will hold out on the upgrade for companion (probably Zen shop anyway). The only way to get a decent companion is to spend real money in a "f2p" game. :(
  • etherealjetherealj Member Posts: 1,091 Bounty Hunter
    edited May 2013
    If you want to see stupid, try out the floating weapon pets.
    Use the <removed exploit lead-in> to interact with the auction vendor.
  • bellylintbellylint Member Posts: 26 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    Here's another example on how strange things can get with a pet.

    You know you tell in zone chat "pet are dumb they always get agro" and a smart cookie replies "just take agro first your pet will always be safe", to that I don't even bother replying anymore but here's this nice little example of how dumb things can get with a pet.

    I'm level 60, I do blacklake kidnapping on a regular basis as a foundry repeat. Once inside I eventually get hulks, massives but can be easily avoided. So there's another hulk, I rush to it so my pet can't follow fast enough, do at least 20-25k damage on it before my pet does it's little 35 on it and guess what? After dishing out all that damage, hulk decide I am not the threat anymore, my cleric is. Goes her, does his usually 2 hits which I cannot prevent at all, and boom pet drops, it's always like that, always it has become a silly routine now.

    Now here's my question... why would her 35 (keep in mind I got zero damage, hulk didn't hit me once) suddenly agro hulk when I dished out so much damage hulk is at half damage before she does her tiny little 35 and now she become a super threat that must be dealt with right away?
  • robertthebardrobertthebard Member Posts: 543 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    bellylint wrote: »
    Here's another example on how strange things can get with a pet.

    You know you tell in zone chat "pet are dumb they always get agro" and a smart cookie replies "just take agro first your pet will always be safe", to that I don't even bother replying anymore but here's this nice little example of how dumb things can get with a pet.

    I'm level 60, I do blacklake kidnapping on a regular basis as a foundry repeat. Once inside I eventually get hulks, massives but can be easily avoided. So there's another hulk, I rush to it so my pet can't follow fast enough, do at least 20-25k damage on it before my pet does it's little 35 on it and guess what? After dishing out all that damage, hulk decide I am not the threat anymore, my cleric is. Goes her, does his usually 2 hits which I cannot prevent at all, and boom pet drops, it's always like that, always it has become a silly routine now.

    Now here's my question... why would her 35 (keep in mind I got zero damage, hulk didn't hit me once) suddenly agro hulk when I dished out so much damage hulk is at half damage before she does her tiny little 35 and now she become a super threat that must be dealt with right away?

    Are you a TR? If yes, did you put points into the threat reductions? If yes, there's your answer.
    Reading comprehension is essential in a medium that requires reading for communication.
  • etherealjetherealj Member Posts: 1,091 Bounty Hunter
    edited May 2013
    Are you a TR? If yes, did you put points into the threat reductions? If yes, there's your answer.

    Hulks have really weird agro. They seem to completely ignore GF aoe taunt for instance.
    Use the <removed exploit lead-in> to interact with the auction vendor.
  • lyokiralyokira Member Posts: 882 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    etherealj wrote: »
    Hulks have really weird agro. They seem to completely ignore GF aoe taunt for instance.
    Yep, not even enforced threat and knight's challenge can force their attention. On the bright side, it means I get combat advantage, which along with knight's challenge means I burn down that hulk pretty fast.. (and of course, the double damage penalty is negated cause the hulk is not attacking me)
  • bellylintbellylint Member Posts: 26 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    I'm actually GWF and WITH agro increase...

    Yeah on the up side he rips at her instead of me but it's not like mind fighting a hulk, they are easy targets to avoid, I just wish I would understand why that pervert wants my virgin cleric dead so much.
  • etherealjetherealj Member Posts: 1,091 Bounty Hunter
    edited May 2013
    bellylint wrote: »
    I'm actually GWF and WITH agro increase...

    We already told you :D Hulks ignore most agro. Everything but heal agro maybe.
    Use the <removed exploit lead-in> to interact with the auction vendor.
  • tfangeltfangel Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    the ui could use the STO ui for companions that's for sure. I am used to placing my allies in place while moving around.

    That would be ideal, while they can still be stupid at times, it's nice being able to tell them to attack what mob first, or go stand where.

    I strongly disagree thought that the companions are useless, they are awesome, as long as you aren't trying to use a white one in higher zones. My bird almost never dies, except for huge boss fights, and the stone is great for getting stronger stats. People just need to get past using the healer, and learning to watch their own health and use potions.
  • etherealjetherealj Member Posts: 1,091 Bounty Hunter
    edited May 2013
    tfangel wrote: »
    That would be ideal, while they can still be stupid at times, it's nice being able to tell them to attack what mob first, or go stand where.

    I strongly disagree thought that the companions are useless, they are awesome, as long as you aren't trying to use a white one in higher zones. My bird almost never dies, except for huge boss fights, and the stone is great for getting stronger stats. People just need to get past using the healer, and learning to watch their own health and use potions.

    Floating weapon pets don't seem to move to engage :P They're incredibly sad companions.

    I don't think it would be game breaking to have companions always try to be at the mobs back (if they arent the tank companions).
    Use the <removed exploit lead-in> to interact with the auction vendor.
  • aislingiaislingi Member Posts: 140 Bounty Hunter
    edited May 2013
    I think Cryptic believes that the fact that they can equip items of any level, compensates for their lack of leveling. Not really sure if thats accurate yet. I have yet to slap level 60 stuff on my 30 Phoera.
    I wanna go back to being weird. I like being weird. Weird's all I got, oh, and my sweet style. -Maurice Moss, The IT Crowd
  • etherealjetherealj Member Posts: 1,091 Bounty Hunter
    edited May 2013
    aislingi wrote: »
    I think Cryptic believes that the fact that they can equip items of any level, compensates for their lack of leveling. Not really sure if thats accurate yet. I have yet to slap level 60 stuff on my 30 Phoera.

    I can't think of anything short of innate defense values upwards of 10000 that would compensate for the lack of companion hp. I've got the jagged weapon pet up to level 14 atm and it has ~8k hp...with a defense value of 0. Pretty much anything in a t2 dungeon 1 shots it accidently. Another 10 levels will not change the defense value which means it'll accidentally be getting hit for 15-25k routinely.
    Use the <removed exploit lead-in> to interact with the auction vendor.
  • bellylintbellylint Member Posts: 26 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    etherealj wrote: »
    We already told you :D Hulks ignore most agro. Everything but heal agro maybe.

    I was responding to the guys asking me if I was TR :D
  • bellylintbellylint Member Posts: 26 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    She's got level 60 gear... well those 2 crappy gear slot she's got... but that has never change anything... a wind breeze will kill her.
  • pinchyskriipinchyskrii Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    Just another area that has taken a step back from half-decade old MMO's.

    No companion control, and they don't level to max with you, there had to be a massive cost associated with it.

    Companion training not in game? On purpose the milk the whales further.
  • bellylintbellylint Member Posts: 26 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    Oh I don't doubt for a second that leveling a companion to 60 would be impossible anyway, I was up to an hour of training or more just for those late level, and yes you can use another companion but would you actually use a low level companion when it won't do anything for you compared to your higher level one while it's being trained? Can you imagine if it was possible to train a companion to 60, 10 hours of train per level at a certain point.
  • xaradevriesxaradevries Member Posts: 9 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    I don't even summon my companion anymore. Can't use in pvp and in dungeons, just ends up dead, or even worse, decides to attack a non-aggroed group of mobs and forces our group to kill more.

    Despite being fully leveled and even equipped in decent gear, she (a dps warrior) does like 60 damage a hit. Why bother?
  • etherealjetherealj Member Posts: 1,091 Bounty Hunter
    edited May 2013
    I don't even summon my companion anymore. Can't use in pvp and in dungeons, just ends up dead, or even worse, decides to attack a non-aggroed group of mobs and forces our group to kill more.

    Despite being fully leveled and even equipped in decent gear, she (a dps warrior) does like 60 damage a hit. Why bother?

    Some of them can be runed to give you stats.
    Use the <removed exploit lead-in> to interact with the auction vendor.
  • myth1184myth1184 Member Posts: 7 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    I agree with this, Pets will stand in a red circle of death from 100% to death...and will not move at all. And the cleric companion....really drives me crazy when im tanking a mob that does alot of aoe effects or frontal...and the cleric just runs up to his face and stands right beside me...till shes dead
  • etherealjetherealj Member Posts: 1,091 Bounty Hunter
    edited May 2013
    myth1184 wrote: »
    I agree with this, Pets will stand in a red circle of death from 100% to death...and will not move at all. And the cleric companion....really drives me crazy when im tanking a mob that does alot of aoe effects or frontal...and the cleric just runs up to his face and stands right beside me...till shes dead

    Mimic Chests eat companions so fast it's kinda fun to watch :D
    Use the <removed exploit lead-in> to interact with the auction vendor.
  • lyokiralyokira Member Posts: 882 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    etherealj wrote: »
    Mimic Chests eat companions so fast it's kinda fun to watch :D

    To be fair, Mimic chests eats almost everything fast..
  • bellylintbellylint Member Posts: 26 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    By the way, during the hulk fight, I can confirm that my cleric doesn't heal me at all since I have full HP, he just suddenly heads for her when she starts hitting him with her tiny 35.
  • smkymtndudesmkymtndude Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2013
    etherealj wrote: »
    If you want to see stupid, try out the floating weapon pets.
    Actually, i wanted to quote your sig, it says "Use the <removed exploit lead-in> to interact with the auction vendor."

    Wow, are they saying that's an exploit? I do it all the time and have been telling people in general chat to do it. I figured it was just in there because they have buttons for the diamond vendor, the currency exchange, the invocation coins exchange, zen market, and Rhix so I thought it was just another easy access to a vendor type. If they say that's an exploit, they need to make it clear and why is there basically a button for it. Easy fix, just remove that last set of buttons...
Sign In or Register to comment.