Artificer pets at late/end-game

[xveganrox]

I just started playing around with Artificer today and have one at level 4 - been soloing things up till now and it's all been good, and while my pet hasn't been terribly useful offensively it hasn't died yet either (30 AC, 130ish hp, 50% fort, semi-decent saves). My question, then, is this: Has anyone played as an Artificer in raids or epics? Shroud, Sub, eVon, eADQ, or ToD? If so, have you used your pets at all, and have they been useful or just a hindrance? And to be more general - have any of you who have gotten to levels 15+.. Vale, Shavarath, IQ.. found the pets useful? Do they scale well enough for their HP/AC/Intim DCs to be playable?

[Jackal912]

On my level 20 artificer, on a pet with no docent or weapon module, and with augment summoning taken and poorly planned pet enhancements the pet has:

42 STR
27 DEX
38 CON
14 INT
23 WIS
18 CHA

650 HP
50 AC

26 Fort
22 Reflex
12 Will

+20 BAB
25% fortification
DR 8 / Adamantine.


This is also completely unbuffed - there's a bundle of spells such as toughen construct and reinforce construct as well as bulls strength, etc. that can be used on them by the artificer, and I could imagine a good docent making the stats even better. Weapon modules apparently can give them prefixes/suffixes from a weapon, too, (I have no idea if it copies metal), so you could have a metalline or holy burst pet of pure good or somesuch.

[patang01]

Nice, those pets don't look overpowered at all.

[Jacoby]

Nice, those pets don't look overpowered at all.

They're good cannon fodder. At least that's what I use mine for, they can take a beating and keep on ticking while I heal and buff it. It's kinda like having your own personal hero tank. But, to spite the stats, they are no Barbarian. Your not going to use one to Solo the Shroud or anything. I use mine to open doors in Delera's and take the first wave of mobs while I sit back and twink them with my repeater. I love the artificer so far, mine is level 8 and I have yet to finish water works. Love the huge XP bump on Lamania to test these babies.

[Aerendil]

Nice, those pets don't look overpowered at all.

They're not, I assure you.

They're a bit like ranged damage IMO. Very nice for low levels, and lays waste to almost anything. But at higher levels, the differences between a pet tank and a real tank become very apparent.

I won't even get into the pet pathing issues, problems with "attack" vs. "defend" mode (buggy currently - I've had my pet charge into a room full of monsters, then turn around and run back to me for no apparent reason), etc.

He did manage to grab a hold of the corrupt warforged titan's attention yesterday during the dev event, however, and tanked for a good minute or so, but required me *spamming* reconstruct on him to keep him alive.

[budalic]

On my level 20 artificer, on a pet with no docent or weapon module, and with augment summoning taken and poorly planned pet enhancements the pet has:

42 STR
27 DEX
38 CON
14 INT
23 WIS
18 CHA

650 HP
50 AC

26 Fort
22 Reflex
12 Will

+20 BAB
25% fortification
DR 8 / Adamantine.


This is also completely unbuffed - there's a bundle of spells such as toughen construct and reinforce construct as well as bulls strength, etc. that can be used on them by the artificer, and I could imagine a good docent making the stats even better. Weapon modules apparently can give them prefixes/suffixes from a weapon, too, (I have no idea if it copies metal), so you could have a metalline or holy burst pet of pure good or somesuch.

Hmm, epic blademark docent would slotted with heavy fort would get 100% fort, 40 extra hp, and +8 AC. Shield of faith, +6 AC. Toughen construct, +6 AC, Bear's endurance additional + 40 HP; Rage also +20 HP; Armor enchantment aditional +1 AC; Haste +1 AC, Recitation +2 AC... Total 750 HP; 74 AC, and i'm sure there are some other buffs somewhere. Pet also can get some hate enhanchments. Unless, of course, some of exisiting AC is typed like some of the buffs... Impressive, I guess.

[budalic]

He did manage to grab a hold of the corrupt warforged titan's attention yesterday during the dev event, however, and tanked for a good minute or so, but required me *spamming* reconstruct on him to keep him alive.

*spamming* healing spells is relatively common survivial technique in this game.

EDIT: I think Heavy fort should be first thing you get on this pet, however. Will probably greatly reduce *spamming* issues

[MrLarone]

On my level 20 artificer, on a pet with no docent or weapon module, and with augment summoning taken and poorly planned pet enhancements the pet has:

42 STR
27 DEX
38 CON
14 INT
23 WIS
18 CHA

650 HP
50 AC

26 Fort
22 Reflex
12 Will

+20 BAB
25% fortification
DR 8 / Adamantine.


This is also completely unbuffed - there's a bundle of spells such as toughen construct and reinforce construct as well as bulls strength, etc. that can be used on them by the artificer, and I could imagine a good docent making the stats even better. Weapon modules apparently can give them prefixes/suffixes from a weapon, too, (I have no idea if it copies metal), so you could have a metalline or holy burst pet of pure good or somesuch.

O_o

erm...

o_O

...

wow, how many build points is that?

Hmm, epic blademark docent would slotted with heavy fort would get 100% fort, 40 extra hp, and +8 AC. Shield of faith, +6 AC. Toughen construct, +6 AC, Bear's endurance additional + 40 HP; Rage also +20 HP; Armor enchantment aditional +1 AC; Haste +1 AC, Recitation +2 AC... Total 750 HP; 74 AC, and i'm sure there are some other buffs somewhere. Pet also can get some hate enhanchments. Unless, of course, some of exisiting AC is typed like some of the buffs... Impressive, I guess.

ok, this is just getting silly.

[Valakai]

With stats like that I think I will rename my doggie Chuck Norris. Even feel a little jealoys of some of those stats. I'm pretty sure my dog has about 1 in both int and wis though the way he has been behaving.

[budalic]

Oh, I'm not suggesting nerfs - offensively, pet probably fares rather poorly; also AI will always be biggest issue with any kind of pet.

It's not rediculous - if pet had worse stats, it probably wouldn't even be worth summoning.

[Jackal912]

Personally, I've been really enjoying my pet - he's not overpowered in any sense of the word, but the extremely robust stats allows him to put up a fight despite being more than a little derp every now and then. He's pretty good at distracting an enemy or two too - if he had stats more equal to a player (like a henchman) he'd just die in seconds (like a henchman).

[jcTharin]

O_o

erm...

o_O

...

wow, how many build points is that?



ok, this is just getting silly.

this is all balanced by the fact that they have no brains and that they have no other bonuses other than what little they get from enhancements.

[Aerendil]

*spamming* healing spells is relatively common survivial technique in this game.

EDIT: I think Heavy fort should be first thing you get on this pet, however. Will probably greatly reduce *spamming* issues

Heavy fort not needed. Not sure how/why OP's pet's fort was showing 25%, as my 18/2's was showing 125% fortification...

I'm thinking that buffs (pet takes a LOT of damage from energy/spells, so keep it buffed with resist / prot from energy) and pet docents/weapons will make a huge difference, however.
Re-levelling up with a fresh Arti now, so I'll post any findings. So far from 1-10 the pet handles things just fine, when it's AI works correctly that is

[MrLarone]

oh i completly get that it's a hadnicap for ****** AI...

but still...

[kailiea]

The pet AI was the most frustrating part of the artificer experience.

Randomly they would run away from mobs while in defend mode and attack boxes or doors instead of monsters. I noticed that the AI was actually worse if I didn't dismiss it and re-summon it inside the quest.

Sometimes they they would run off and attack random monsters while in passive mode.

[budalic]

oh i completly get that it's a hadnicap for ****** AI...

but still...

Not only handicap for ****** AI, but also good for player experience. Think about it - would you hassle with 400 HP barb-like heal sponge that requires healing every 2 secs, but it's damage output is far, far below barb? Pets need to be tough enough that tossing ocasional healing spell should be enough to keep them alive. If they aren't, nobody's gonna bother with them.