Druids and augment summoning

[babybatter]

Is it worth it for a caster druid.....GO

[Lonnbeimnech]

Even if summons/pets/hirelings were as strong as players, had ship buffs and enough gear slots for all essential things like fortification, heal amp, seeker, deadly, saving throw boosts etc etc, they still have the problem of poor AI. Running off and drawing more agro than they can handle, not gathering for heals, not using the terrain to their advantage, not being able to drink a remove curse pot, or being able to mention 'I got 17 neg levels from that beholder can you throw me a greater restore' and so on. No amount of buffs short of invincibility will make them viable in difficult content, and in easier content they don't need buffs and you don't need their help.

imo, they are good for pulling levers and they don't need augment summon for that.

[Vooduspyce]

I like to use Augment Summoning for fun during early heroic levels. Then I swap it out at around L15. Not worth it in epics.

I did one of my videos using the wolf in EE Maze of Madness (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSEo9-_5ErY). I don't have Augment Summoning, but I do have 3 druid PL's. You can see how the wolf holds up in action. Don't plan to use the wolf to draw aggro away from you, rather you need to stay on top of pulling the aggro off your wolf. If your wolf takes aggro in EE's he will be dead pretty quick and then you lose HP and SP, which is the biggest drawback from using the wolf in higher-end content. Also plan to stay on top of healing your wolf a lot so it doesn't die. Wolf requires a lot of attention, but if you enjoy that style of play it's doable.

[babybatter]

i was hoping to use the wolf and a summon for added dps while i sleet/ice storm and earthquake everything, possibly a GS ooze weapon also

[Lonnbeimnech]

i was hoping to use the wolf and a summon for added dps while i sleet/ice storm and earthquake everything, possibly a GS ooze weapon also

What will happen is you will gather up the mobs to cast earthquake, and then you will notice that the wolf has pulled the agro of 3 of them and is standing off to the side about 40 foot from the earthquake and is half dead. You throw him a heal and call him to come over to you thinking that he will draw those 3 mobs into the earthquake, but he will not respond for about 5 seconds. Then he will run up to you and immediately run back to the mobs cutting them off before they get to the earthquake, then he dies. Then the mobs wander into the earthquake just as it expires, and you have to spend another 80sp and cast it again.

[Rush007]

Poor AI on pets has always been a cop out for lack of player skill. A player can keybind and tell it to stop, follow, attack, it is an extension of your character. If it runs off it is because you were not situationally aware or too slow to react. Is it worth the micromanagement in this game? Absolutely not from the above mentioned problems.

On augment summoning it is worthwhile in the heroic levels pets hold their own there. Epic elite, pets are quite a hassle and not worth healing or babysitting. The resources you put in do not justify the resources you get out.

[Rush007]

What will happen is you will gather up the mobs to cast earthquake, and then you will notice that the wolf has pulled the agro of 3 of them and is standing off to the side about 40 foot from the earthquake and is half dead. You throw him a heal and call him to come over to you thinking that he will draw those 3 mobs into the earthquake, but he will not respond for about 5 seconds. Then he will run up to you and immediately run back to the mobs cutting them off before they get to the earthquake, then he dies. Then the mobs wander into the earthquake just as it expires, and you have to spend another 80sp and cast it again.

Wolf was on aggressive there, you need to have it follow, gather up mobs, earthquake watch them fall, then tell it to attack. Before next pack of mobs put it back on follow, non aggressive. Repeat. 4 or 5 additional keybinds.

[Lonnbeimnech]

Poor AI on pets has always been a cop out for lack of player skill. A player can keybind and tell it to stop, follow, attack, it is an extension of your character. If it runs off it is because you were not situationally aware or too slow to react. Is it worth the micromanagement in this game? Absolutely not from the above mentioned problems.

On augment summoning it is worthwhile in the heroic levels pets hold their own there. Epic elite, pets are quite a hassle and not worth healing or babysitting. The resources you put in do not justify the resources you get out.

Yeah, that's going to work out great with his summons and black puddings too.

[Lonnbeimnech]

Wolf was on aggressive there, you need to have it follow, gather up mobs, earthquake watch them fall, then tell it to attack. Before next pack of mobs put it back on follow, non aggressive. Repeat. 4 or 5 additional keybinds.

Or use energy burst and have them all dead before the wolf even gets there.

Really the 2 options are micromanage a headless chicken that is weaker in every way to even a poorly played undergeared player with a dialup connection, or leave him parked well out of the way

[Rush007]

Yeah, that's going to work out great with his summons and black puddings too.

You can't tell those to attack or follow as a player you have zero control, different animal entirely. Who uses summons anyway past lvl 20 besides the elder druid for DW buff?

[unbongwah]

Another thing to bear in mind is dungeon scaling: a pet which is just good enough to be worthwhile when soloing will find itself monster kibble in groups, particularly on HE/EE.

I've got Aug Summons on a caster druid I used for solo Challenge farming (prior to Iconics), because it lets me use my pet (and possibly a hire) for guard duty in some of them. Between Aug Summons, buffs, and Spring Resurgence, it lets me park them somewhere and be reasonably sure they'll survive on their own.

[thegreatneil]

Is it worth it for a caster druid.....GO

No

You can get it later on items.

[Vooduspyce]

What will happen is you will gather up the mobs to cast earthquake, and then you will notice that the wolf has pulled the agro of 3 of them and is standing off to the side about 40 foot from the earthquake and is half dead. You throw him a heal and call him to come over to you thinking that he will draw those 3 mobs into the earthquake, but he will not respond for about 5 seconds. Then he will run up to you and immediately run back to the mobs cutting them off before they get to the earthquake, then he dies. Then the mobs wander into the earthquake just as it expires, and you have to spend another 80sp and cast it again.

LMAO this is a great example of exactly what happens :D

[unbongwah]

You can get it later on items.
AFAIK, the only item which provides Aug Summoning feat is eRoderic (http://ddowiki.com/page/Epic_Roderic%27s_Wand). Not that druids are not one of the listed classes, so in order to equip it you need either a splash of a different caster class or UMD 55(?!).

[Caarb]

AFAIK, the only item which provides Aug Summoning feat is eRoderic (http://ddowiki.com/page/Epic_Roderic%27s_Wand). Not that druids are not one of the listed classes, so in order to equip it you need either a splash of a different caster class or UMD 55(?!).

Upgraded Necklace of Mystic Eidolons