Pale Master Skeletal Knight

[LongshotBro]

Question: why are some skeletal knights a darker color than others? For instance, mine is kind of silvery-grey armor, while others i see are darkened, almost Blackbone-ish.

A fellow pale master i passed by didn't have any idea and said he'd wondered the same thing.

The advice channel likewise had no clue.

Anyone know?

[LongshotBro]

Nothing, really?

Either this is a big mystery, or the answer is so easy that everyone is like "this dude is an idiot for not knowing."

On the advice channel today, someone said they thought it was level based, and the skellie becomes a Blackbone at a certain level. Is this the case? If so, at what level does this transformation occur?

Even other PM's i've asked have no answer to this question. What's going on?

Skeletal conspiracy.

[ChemE]

Nothing, really?

Either this is a big mystery, or the answer is so easy that everyone is like "this dude is an idiot for not knowing."

On the advice channel today, someone said they thought it was level based, and the skellie becomes a Blackbone at a certain level. Is this the case? If so, at what level does this transformation occur?

Even other PM's i've asked have no answer to this question. What's going on?

Skeletal conspiracy.

None of the PM's I know, myself included, even use the skeletal knight. This may be one reason.

[cave_diver]

None of the PM's I know, myself included, even use the skeletal knight. This may be one reason.

This. My opinion only, skeletal pets are a waste of AP's on a PM. Unless you are doing it for flavor

[Mercureal]

On the advice channel today, someone said they thought it was level based, and the skellie becomes a Blackbone at a certain level.

It could be this. Prior to the enhancement changes, the PM summons were different types of skeleton at different levels, and one of the tiers was a blackbone from what I recall. Maybe they kept that part of the code when they rejigged the Pale Master tree, or at least the code that determined the skin for the skeleton model?

[Gljosh]

The skeleton is a normal animated skeleton, (currently) it does not change to another bone type (frostmorrow, blackbone, etc.). The skeleton does level up, it has fighter levels based on the wizard levels and epic levels. So a character with 16 levels of Wiz has a skeleton that "counts" as a level 16 fighter.

Prior to the Enhancement Pass a Pale Master could have a skeleton of a different bone type. To be honest it makes a great lever puller and a moderate tank.

[Enoach]

While I have not noticed a color difference between the skeletal knights, if there is one it could be based off of one of the following:

1. Enhancements taken to improve it
2. Level of the Caster

Now the skeletal knight's usefulness is very dependent on play style, investment and difficulty as well as the players control of the pet

The main thing to consider is they are simply Fighters of the caster level of the owner they are not specially geared like the Artificer/Druid pet. They really do benefit from buffs since outside of enhancements that is all they have. They are not DPS but can hold agro if controlled to do so.

While I've experimented with all enhancements taken as well as limiting down to just taking the summon, I have discovered that they work rather well in the Normal/Hard Difficulties to assist a wizard, but without buffs they are limited in the Elite questing. They also do not do well in quests or a play style that sneaks around obstacles.

However, I still have it with the single investment and use him to pull levers (Especially Strength based ones) or fill in for me in a quest like Reclaim the Rift so I don't have to give up my Life Force. Additionally similar to a summon they are good for using during quests that have waves of spawns giving you a heads-up, or for challenges allowing a defense that can slow down attacks while you are busy laying torches or clearing crystal extractors.. On occasion when I've gotten in over my head the skeleton has dragged my soul stone back to the shrine. Again if you are looking for the awesome power of a level appropriate Fighter you will not get that with this pet, but sometime having an extra pair of hands can get you past areas soloing would normally stop you.

[Alternative]

This. My opinion only, skeletal pets are a waste of AP's on a PM. Unless you are doing it for flavor

Since you have to spend 31ap to get lich form, or 41ap to get the capstone, chances are there's not much else to take anyway, 2ap for a lever puller that's always on hand and doesn't use party slot? not taking it is doing yourself a disservice.

[cave_diver]

Since you have to spend 31ap to get lich form, or 41ap to get the capstone, chances are there's not much else to take anyway, 2ap for a lever puller that's always on hand and doesn't use party slot? not taking it is doing yourself a disservice.

My caster does have 41 points invested in the capstone, and see only one point that's is kind of a waste (yet useful once in a while) that is one point in Cloak of Night. But I guess to each their own, if you find the pet useful then by all means.

I usually just run EE's and have some meat-shields to kill the red-names for me, i guess I figure they can always pull a lever.

[Seikojin]

I was going to say depends on where you summoned them. But it makes more sense that they would have different colors/looks based on the following:
enhancement tier for the base
enhancements for buffs
feats
epic feats
destiny buffs

this way at a glance you can see.

[LongshotBro]

Thanks for the thoughtful responses, much appreciated.

As to their usefulness, i certainly see plenty of PMs running around Stormreach with skellies in tow. Of those, some are grey and some are black. One player in particular that i stopped and chatted with was lvl 11 and his was black.

Regarding their usefulness, i play solo pretty much all the time and i've had an elite streak going this entire life so far (lvl 10 right now). The skellie has proven a valuable pet in elite heroic content up until this point. With the death aura going, it is pretty much at full health constantly and takes down enemies pretty handily.

I was thinking maybe once you maxed out the line that he would morph into a Blackbone-ish (at least visually) skellie but such was not the case. I am aware that PMs used to have the different iterations of skeletons to command.

In higher levels, i imagine the skeleton's usefuless drops off...but then again maybe not. As both an artificer and druid, i found the pets to remain useful by my side even into epics. That being said, in my experience wizards more than any other class i've played have me re-doing my enhancements several times at different levels. For example, much of the lower level stuff i'm Master's Touching a two-hander and supplementing with spells so things like traditionalist caster aren't all that useful (and they're no orbs in the low levels anyway, just staves).

Anyway, it seems there is still no consensus here or factual evidence of what controls the skeleton's appearance.

The investigation continues!

[LongshotBro]

Mystery solved:

Hit Wiz 9 and skellie is not darkened in color, as well as bloodier, and glowing green eyes. Just as simple as that, no feats/enhancements related, only a function of wizard level.

[Gljosh]

Thanks for the thoughtful responses, much appreciated.

As to their usefulness, i certainly see plenty of PMs running around Stormreach with skellies in tow. Of those, some are grey and some are black. One player in particular that i stopped and chatted with was lvl 11 and his was black.

Regarding their usefulness, i play solo pretty much all the time and i've had an elite streak going this entire life so far (lvl 10 right now). The skellie has proven a valuable pet in elite heroic content up until this point. With the death aura going, it is pretty much at full health constantly and takes down enemies pretty handily.

I was thinking maybe once you maxed out the line that he would morph into a Blackbone-ish (at least visually) skellie but such was not the case. I am aware that PMs used to have the different iterations of skeletons to command.

In higher levels, i imagine the skeleton's usefuless drops off...but then again maybe not. As both an artificer and druid, i found the pets to remain useful by my side even into epics. That being said, in my experience wizards more than any other class i've played have me re-doing my enhancements several times at different levels. For example, much of the lower level stuff i'm Master's Touching a two-hander and supplementing with spells so things like traditionalist caster aren't all that useful (and they're no orbs in the low levels anyway, just staves).

Anyway, it seems there is still no consensus here or factual evidence of what controls the skeleton's appearance.

The investigation continues!

I have been ETRing a Wizard Build (16/2/2) and the Skeleton (only 1ap) is a nice distraction. With 3 Druid Past Lives and Augment Summons (yes a +10) to damage is low (40ish) and his HP tops off around 900. I cast Blur and some resists on him and normally he survives EH, might need a burst "heal" if he does not stay near the "healing" auras. You can't compare him to the Wolf or Dog, those have their own enhancement trees and can be equipped with gear. There was a thread a while back about making the skeletons more like the "premium" class pets, but to me that would be a waste of resources (some classes and races need prestige classes and wizard is in a very good position with respect to power).

[bennyson]

The reason why your "Eternal Slave" changes color is because of how much AP you've spent on the Skeleton.

First tier of the enhancement grants you a regular Skeleton Knight that you face as a lowbie.

Second tier of the enhancement grants or changes your pet into a Blackbone Knight, although am not sure if it has Fire Immunity like the rest of its cousins.

Third tier of the enhancement grants or changes your pet into a Frostmore (or was it Frostmere?) Skeleton Knight, and like the Blackbone, it is immune to Cold damage and is healed by cold attacks and takes extra damage from Fire. Although that is how it worked in the old enhancement system and am not sure if it still kept its immunities and weaknesses.

[Tmckean1]

The reason why your "Eternal Slave" changes color is because of how much AP you've spent on the Skeleton.

First tier of the enhancement grants you a regular Skeleton Knight that you face as a lowbie.

Second tier of the enhancement grants or changes your pet into a Blackbone Knight, although am not sure if it has Fire Immunity like the rest of its cousins.

Third tier of the enhancement grants or changes your pet into a Frostmore (or was it Frostmere?) Skeleton Knight, and like the Blackbone, it is immune to Cold damage and is healed by cold attacks and takes extra damage from Fire. Although that is how it worked in the old enhancement system and am not sure if it still kept its immunities and weaknesses.

Just out of curiosity, what ever happened to the mage and archer pet? Did they do away with those?