The 3 non-legendary tanks

lordxionv

Okay since joining i have heard 4 things

Glacial Walker
Chrystal Magmite
Volcanic Magmite
Shadou Cub

Im lvl 14 and looking ahead i would like to know pros and cons of each and what you would recomend as the best TANK pet and overall pet

Cocobelle - Sanctuary

Each pet has their own pros and cons. It's just a matter of preference, really.

Volcanic/Crystalline Magmite: Already outclassed by the Glacial Walker. Has good defenses/attacking speed. Poor speed though so it takes awhile to get to monsters. Also has lower magic defense.

Glacial Walker: Same as the Magmites. Its stats compared to the magmites aren't so far apart, though.

Shadou Cub: Balanced defenses (equal m.def and p.def), decent speed but low attack. Also starts with a rare skill (Pounce) which may increase its attacking speed.

I would say Shadou would be the best (personal preference) because both rock pets (magmite/walker) are slow and bulky (hard to see the monster sometimes).

But to each their own, really.

Lenley - Dreamweaver

There really is no reason to get a magmite unless you really can't stand the look of the Glacial Walker - and personally, I don't get how someone can hate the Glacial Walker but like the Magmites. Hating both I can get, but how do you draw the line in the middle when it comes to golem aesthetics? Anyway, both of the magmites are either beaten or tied within a negligible margin in every stat and category by the Tideborn golem so there really is no point besides looks.

As for the walker vs. cub, they both do better in certain things. The Glacial Walker has a higher survivability vs. physical attacks, which most things in the game will use given a chance; it's very rare to find mobs that will only use magic and as such physical defense is worth more than magical defense. It also has a much higher damage output than the cub, very noticeably so. The Shadou Cub on the other hand has better balanced defenses which is certainly has its uses. Its small size and higher speed also make it much easier to maneuver around, but I generally don't have trouble with the Walker anyway.

Overall though, I'd say the Glacial Walker is your best bet, not just for overall stats but also taking into account a previously unmentioned and key deciding factor at your level: price. The Glacial Walker is free as they are numerous and plenty and located right near the main Tideborn city. The Shadou cub is a rare pet, which means it'll only spawn every 12 hours and probably be tamed by someone else who'll turn and sell it for profit for several hundred thousand coin.

Vitenka - Dreamweaver

Yeah, there's a reason the cookie-cutter pets are the cookie cutter; they're darn good at their jobs.

The shadau is a very low-hitting pet though, it does survive magic attacks well, but it can't hold aggro worth a damn. Pounce almost makes up for it. If you reskill it... it still won't really hold aggro very well. It's good for luring, though not vastly better than the free wolves.

It's a real shame. Its bigger cousin does a little better, but you won't get to try that for ages

Another tank you may wish to try are the beetles. They act similarly to the shadau, but are much easier to get.

But overall, assuming you want a bog standard physical tank that can survive a bit of magic and hits pretty well - get a glacial walker.

tweakz

When you're in an FB with another veno that has a Walker and you can kill in 2 shots but that walker is blocking your targeting : it can slow you down big time.

The Shadou Cub may have small dps but it doesn't get obnoxiously in the way and it can do things like Howl.

None of the pets are keepers, and none can tank like a ranged pet can.

Lenley - Dreamweaver

tweakz wrote: »

When you're in an FB with another veno that has a Walker and you can kill in 2 shots but that walker is blocking your targeting : it can slow you down big time.

The Shadou Cub may have small dps but it doesn't get obnoxiously in the way and it can do things like Howl.

None of the pets are keepers, and none can tank like a ranged pet can.

Except that a key part of tanking is aggro management, and ranged pets have none of that. Being able to successfully kill something at a lower level with one pet than you can with another doesn't mean the first pet is a better tank.

Also, why does it seem I'm the only person who knows how to shift click or tab select a mob? It's really not that hard.

tweakz

Lenley - Dreamweaver wrote: »

Except that a key part of tanking is aggro management, and ranged pets have none of that. Being able to successfully kill something at a lower level with one pet than you can with another doesn't mean the first pet is a better tank.

Also, why does it seem I'm the only person who knows how to shift click or tab select a mob? It's really not that hard.

If you have a better DD handy, let them tank. Sorry, but I rarely see FBs and the like getting done with the pets mentioned; if at all. Tab select? - and get mobs on the other side of the wall? I like to specify the mob I hit next. You like driving a car with a reindeer stuck in your windshield? Many bosses are [?] which makes aggro a non issue for most squads in such a predicament that they need a hercless veno for tank.

Lenley - Dreamweaver

tweakz wrote: »

If you have a better DD handy, let them tank. Sorry, but I rarely see FBs and the like getting done with the pets mentioned; if at all. Tab select? - and get mobs on the other side of the wall? I like to specify the mob I hit next. You like driving a car with a reindeer stuck in your windshield? Many bosses are [?] which makes aggro a non issue for most squads in such a predicament that they need a hercless veno for tank.

The way you describe tab-selecting mobs makes me think you really don't know how it works. Tab-selecting does not produce random or even difficult-to-predict results. The way it operates is simple and effective and if you cannot learn this process you simply aren't trying.

I recognize you are an authority on venomancers and in fact have more experience with the game in general than I do and as such probably know everything I have said and more. It's a shame people don't take you seriously but it's easy to understand when you belittle and demerit perfectly viable techniques and tools in this game for no understandable purpose.

As it stands, I'll have to take your word that people cannot steal aggro from a pet on [?] bosses, seeing as I have no experience in this matter. I do find that hard to believe, however, as it would seem that your statement means a pet has the best dps amongst a squad on these and therefore the veno is the best dps class for them, which I have come to the understanding is simply not the case. Unless, of course, you mean using pet skills like bash in addition to the non-penalized damage a pet does as its means of keeping aggro, but we're not talking about that. We're talking about a pet fully tanking, both in terms of survivability and aggro management, at range, i.e. without skills.

Finally, I am having difficulty understanding what you mean by "Sorry, but I rarely see FBs and the like getting done with the pets mentioned; if at all." I think you were trying to find a way to support your statement that ranged pets are the best tanks, but fell back by habit to promoting the Hercules instead. Pick an opinion already.

Sarrafeline - Sanctuary

I've got a Shaodu Cub, level 75. He can solo TT1-1 and 1-2 with me. Granted, I'd rather have my Kowlin level 81, and I could tank the mob and the Kowlin DD.

I'm considering putting some rare skills on my Bear. Claw and Protect, keep Pounce and Bash. I could sell my PF and have more than enough for Claw and Protect.

tweakz

Lenley - Dreamweaver wrote: »

As it stands, I'll have to take your word that people cannot steal aggro from a pet on [?] bosses, seeing as I have no experience in this matter.

Oh they can, even from my own pet. The issue is that if no one is capable of tanking, it's likely also that they won't be stealing aggro either. Weapon refines, interval, channeling all tends to get much better at about the same point as survival. When it comes to stealing aggro from my own pet on a [?] boss: it's a matter of focusing on debuffs rather than attacks.

Unless, of course, you mean using pet skills like bash in addition to the non-penalized damage a pet does as its means of keeping aggro, but we're not talking about that. We're talking about a pet fully tanking, both in terms of survivability and aggro management, at range, i.e. without skills.

On the topic of aggro management; everyone is responsible for their own aggro management. It's part of the game, and it's wise to learn how aggro works. Hold back on atk and get it done, or wait longer for a tank.

Finally, I am having difficulty understanding what you mean by "Sorry, but I rarely see FBs and the like getting done with the pets mentioned; if at all." I think you were trying to find a way to support your statement that ranged pets are the best tanks, but fell back by habit to promoting the Hercules instead. Pick an opinion already.

In most cases I've seen where a non legendary pet is being used to tank: aggro management is not an issue mostly because the veno is soloing. When soloing a world boss multiboxing; my pure mag wiz did not hold back or steal aggro.

**

There is a huge difference in what a ranged pet cank tank vs a non ranged. These so called tank pets aren't that much different from other non ranged pets. I remember early attempts to solo single mode TT. My perception is that if someone wants a "tank" pet: it's to tank something that most other pets cannot.

threepointone

lordxionv wrote: »

Okay since joining i have heard 4 things

Glacial Walker
Chrystal Magmite
Volcanic Magmite
Shadou Cub

Im lvl 14 and looking ahead i would like to know pros and cons of each and what you would recomend as the best TANK pet and overall pet

I'm pretty sure there are 4 pets here. :x

tweakz

threepointone wrote: »

I'm pretty sure there are 4 pets here. :x

The second one doesn't appear to really exist.

Aniella - Harshlands

where is armored bearb:laugh

Undeadlady - Lost City

b:question Im wondering how my protect will cost and what it actually does...
And umm whats the best pet skill for pets?

Lenley - Dreamweaver

tweakz wrote: »

On the topic of aggro management; everyone is responsible for their own aggro management. It's part of the game, and it's wise to learn how aggro works. Hold back on atk and get it done, or wait longer for a tank.

This is true, but can you really expect people to limit themselves down to the damage output of your pet? When people are stealing aggro from even barbs in parties, you have to compensate for the stupidity of others in whatever way possible.

In most cases I've seen where a non legendary pet is being used to tank: aggro management is not an issue mostly because the veno is soloing. When soloing a world boss multiboxing; my pure mag wiz did not hold back or steal aggro.

It's still possible to steal aggro from your pet soloing (unless you're just spamming heal), especially when your pet isn't using skills. And about the WB: this was with your marksman?

There is a huge difference in what a ranged pet cank tank vs a non ranged. These so called tank pets aren't that much different from other non ranged pets. I remember early attempts to solo single mode TT. My perception is that if someone wants a "tank" pet: it's to tank something that most other pets cannot.

I have both a Eldergoth Marksman and a Glacial Walker. I use the marksman just like you say, to defeat things I otherwise couldn't (along with dealing with ranged mobs with less frustration). I soloed my own bh29 and 39, along with Slitt and Empyrean Slither and I can even solo 1-1 single Lord of Percussion thanks to it. However, I don't use it for much else, because it can't keep aggro when I'm grinding on mobs my level for quests, firing scarab after scarab at them. Telling me to limit myself to not steal aggro is ridiculous; I don't want to waste time on the most monotonous parts of the game. The marksman also takes much more damage when the mobs use melee attacks, and in general can't tank as many mobs at a time as my walker can. So in the same sense that you have stated, I'd call my Glacial Walker the better tank, because it tanks much more than my Eldergoth can in most common conditions. This is without even considering that there are plenty of bosses that the Glacial Walker can solo that the Eldergoth can't, such as Trioc in the low 50s.