Well, I was just updating the Ranger Skill lists...
http://photics.com/2006/04/07/the-gu...er-skill-list/

...and I realized that it's basically the Beastmaster update. Having a pet could actually be useful.

Poisonous Bite - Good damage with Poison attack!
HEAL AS ONE - Awesome self-healing & pet-healing skill.
Run As One - A run spell for Beastmasters
Viper?s Nest - A trap for Beastmasters.

This will be useful for IWAY teams. They might think twice before letting the pet die. Infact, this should be the Zoo Keeper build. Just add Predatory Bond for healing and Bestial Fury / Tiger?s Fury for haste.

Warrior / Rangers could focus on three lines... not having to choose between Tactics and Strength.

11 - Beastmastery - For strong pets & pet based skills
10 - Weapon - For warrior attacks
10 - Strength - For Armor Penetration, IWAY & shield

__________________
Michael Garofalo
Webmaster - http://photics.com

Poisonous bite is awesome. I played a Ranger/Ritualist during the preview and was sold. My original Ranger/Mesmer build also would work using phantasm of pain, but frankly I got more benefit out of Vital Weaopn to keep my health up as well and using the Pain Spirit and Hunter's to cause bleeding.

I didn't try Heal as One, though with the vital weapon spell, that may have not been as bad a risk as I thought.

I was disappointed that they refuse to combine charm with comfort. I did notice the AI was much improved.

It is going to be good to be a ranger WITH a pet.

I dont think heal as one deserves an elite as you have to have less than 75% health (or your animal). Less than 50% will be a lot more deserving like WoH.


I said this during the factions preview, but a lot of these new skills are going to make Farming in Tyria a million times easier.

I hate the idea of Elite skills in general. Yet, you really have to think about this skill. I say it's worthy of being Elite. We're talking an easy 200+ points of health, for only 5 energy. Most Monk spells lack that type of healing power. The one second casting time is also amazing.

The 75% penality is irrelivant. Why would you use such a significant heal if you had more than 75% health?

Warrior / Rangers can give up those whimpy self-healing spells. Bye bye Troll Unguent. So long Healing Signet.

__________________
Michael Garofalo
Webmaster - http://photics.com

I'm not going to look quite soooo ridiculous for naming my ranger Siegfried of Roy when the people of Cantha see me with one of those White Tigers. Oh no, my friends my pet build will be headlining Caesar's in Vegas. The new skills are indeed excellent for pet-centric builds.

Lol nice...

Just wondering... I haven't progressed very far with my Prophicies N/R in Factions, but I've been interested in charming one of the new pets in Factions. I'm only interested in doing so if the pets are portable between both "worlds".

Questions are... Where in Cantha are they? If I stumble across one, will I be able to take it back to Tyria with me? It's odd... I haven't found any information on this anywhere. Have any of you *existing* rangers charmed anything new in Cantha? What pets are available? I've seen the Black Bird, the Elite Mini-Dragon (available with the CE), and the Tigers, are there many others?

Haven't tried, but I don't see why not. Gaile brought Froggy over, didn't she?

I've also heard rumours of a Panda Bear somewhere, anybody care to verify?

Yeah, I think the panda is in there too. I don't remember where I've seen it, but it was in some screenshot somewhere... It's one of those Asian animals, after all... Goes with the whole theme. Pandas... Dragons...

Oh yeah... Found it. Page 56 of the game manual. Shows one standing next to the Ritualist.

I dunno... I was hoping to grab one of those new pets early on with my existing character. It was one of the things I was looking forward to. I know, I know... The differences are cosmetic, but the same can be said about quite a bit in this game. Might as well just use my new character in Cantha, get to level 20 and charm one of the cooler ones then.

The mini-dragon is not a fighting pet. It's more like the birthday present pets. The only unmentioned pets I've seen so far are cranes and tigers, but I haven't gone very far.