worth it?

Sure it is. From my standpoint anyway.b:pleased

I don't have a herc and I'm doing just fine. So what if I can't solo almost everything in the game? A good squad is enough to complete quests and kill bosses. Then again, maybe I'm just strange because I play an MMO and actually work with other people. b:sweat

Phoenix does have the highest DPS of any pet (or so I've heard) but it's not needed either. I have a foxwing which can kill any normal mobs near it's level while I kill another one. Or you could get a petite sawfly which also has good DPS. As far as I know, most venos only get a phoenix so they can teach it flesh ream and use it to PK with because of the high damage the phoenix does combined with the fact that flesh ream does full damage to other players. Depending on who you ask, flesh ream is either bugged or working the way it's supposed to (I don't PK so I have no opinion on the matter).

If I ever get to the point where I hate working with other players and just want to kill everyone then maybe I'll decide to get one or both of the boutique pets.

Seriously though, just ignore any venos you meet who have a holier-than-thou attitude just because they decided to pay $200 ($400 in some cases) for a collection of pixels. Also, the fact that there are venos who have payed for their herc or phoenix with only in-game coins shows that venos can still make a bit of money without having a legendary pet.

Summary: Legendary pets are conveniences, not necessities.

We need gear that is pet specific.

And then make the boutique pets unable to wear gear.

I want an oddfoot with a boot!

I'm level 32 and I doubt I'll be getting a herc. There are there main reason one is that they are ugly, another is their tremendous cost (something like 40million; might be wrong on that) and the third one is that they don't seem to be too much better than the magemite I already have. In the tread that compares the herc to a crystaline magemite it is obvious that the herc is better but not by a huge margin.
As for not having a herc I'm not really concerned about lacking one. These first 32 levels have been a blast and even if groups don't want me at later levels I can have fun doing solo stuff. Hell I might just take the money that I get an use it to try out different builds instead of getting a silly golden guy in a diaper. b:chuckle

Vulpes - Dreamweaver wrote: »

Yeah, stuff that affects stats, and is specific to each family of pets. Wolves could get +def armor. Magmites get bonuses to pet skills. Something like that.

That would unbalance other aspects of the game if the devs implemented something like that.
More people would complain that Venomancers are more over powered than they already complain that we are.

Xipetotekia - Sanctuary wrote: »

I'm level 32 and I doubt I'll be getting a herc. There are there main reason one is that they are ugly, another is their tremendous cost (something like 40million; might be wrong on that) and the third one is that they don't seem to be too much better than the magemite I already have. In the tread that compares the herc to a crystaline magemite it is obvious that the herc is better but not by a huge margin.
As for not having a herc I'm not really concerned about lacking one. These first 32 levels have been a blast and even if groups don't want me at later levels I can have fun doing solo stuff. Hell I might just take the money that I get an use it to try out different builds instead of getting a silly golden guy in a diaper. b:chuckle

When I started my veno, I doubt that I will ever make enough coins to get a Herc also. Now I have both a Herc and a Phoenix and I am sitting on over 100 mil coins. It was just.... way too easy.

Curious, maybe a dumb idea, but I'll ask anyway...

Can't you run a second C Magmite as a backup if the 1st gets killed?
Level it and upgrade it along with the first.

Regenbogen - Lost City wrote: »

herc stats aren't much better thats right but the herc has 2skills increasing both physical and magical def and these arn't available from miss zoologist...b:angry

Or is it that great of a difference those extra skills the herc has?

THX for indulging me on this...

Start playing the veno with a regular pet. If you find it fun, it'll be fun whether you have a herc or not.

OTOH if what's fun for you is soloing TT or killing stuff easily or (in my case) exploring difficult areas alone, then yeah you'll need a herc/nix for fun.

I can't remember exactly, but the 2 skills give the herc 150% more physical and magical defense. That's a a pretty BIG difference.

It is, and it's hectic getting those skills started right after your herc gets aggro from the boss you just lured toward yourself. I put the phys / mag defense along with reflect on my plumpfish, and it's definetly like playing with an underwater herc. In some ways better because the plumpfish is nice and small.

The Herc and Nix don't necessarily make the game easier, your play style determines that mostly. They do add more dynamics to the game which is why I love being a veno to begin with.

By lvl ~75, you should probably be able to acquire a Herc and Nix without spending cash. By 81, It would probably be easier to obtain a Herc or Nix than it would be to level a Nix. I got both in my lower 70's. To not play as veno because you don't have them would be like not playing a barb because you don't have your tt armor yet.