Wolf companion. Some observations and request for help.

[redoubt]

I had done some reading about making collars, which I didn't know you could do. So I tried it with some vendor trash handwraps and it worked. So then I made L24 TF w/first degree burns and turned it into a collar (level 20 druid/5 epic) can't use T2.

Next I read that ruby eyes were not working, so I bought a tool kit and then slotted a meteoric ruby eye on the collar and wandered over to Thunderholme with the dog. All I did was EQ and heal, I wanted him to do as much of the damage as possible. After 37 mobs, mostly skellies, but a couple humans, the ruby had not gone off once.

I went back to town, unslotted the ruby and stuck in 1d10 electric (its what I had avail). Back we went. First room he was getting nothing, only base damage, not even fire from 1st degree. I unequipped and re-equipped and both the fire and electric damage began to proc.

This seems to confirm other posts I have read about these 2% proc rubies not working for pets.

So, on to the request for help: How do I get him to do more damage? I have a STR8 hide of goristro and I fish it until it pops 8 con as well and then go quest. He is putting out 42-58 on the first number (non-crit). Then he gets 1d10 lightning (ruby), 2d6 light (druid crown of summer, but I give this to real melee in a group) and the fire damage from T1. All said, he is doing less than 100 points total per hit. That seems pretty low to me. Is that as bad as I think it is?

What can I try to make it better?

Thanks.

[Tilomere]

You can try swapping to an adamantine knuckle with triple rubies of endless night for -3 levels on vorpal or the neg level 20 handwraps. Against 10k hp EE mobs, EE knuckles like this will give a 5% chance of -2,700 max health, which is effectively over 100 damage per hit. Against minibosses with 100k hp, this will give a 5% chance of -27,000 max health, or over 1k per hit. More or less depending on mob max health and type, and useless vs red names and undead, but still seemingly the best solutions until a 28 MF collar.

You can get the rubies in the upcoming Halloween event.

You can also try a debuffing TF wolf collar.

Happy Halloween!