Unofficial Guide to Iron Defender Pets

[Memnir]

so what effect does augment summon have on it?

I tried an Artificer w/o Augmented Summoning - and it didn't take long to realize it's just too good a feat to pass up. The dog is much more survivable with it then without.

If you decide to not take Augmented Summoning for any reason, like a multiclass build or whatnot, I would highly recommend taking the Uncaring Master enhancement. Because when your pet dies, the trauma of that death hits your Artificer with a loss of both HPs and SPs. Uncaring Master reduces that loss to zero - and without Augmented Summoning, your pet will be dying a lot more often.

[masterzzan]

Modules are created at the Trap crafting tables by using Mechanical Trap Parts and handwraps. The station will only allow randomly generated handwraps for use in the creation of modules; no named of Cannith Crafted.

i think you try to say :"no named OR Cannith crafted".

but i crafted more then once modules from crafted wraps:
http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/8...nshot00110.jpg

also some info you left out (maybe because it's obvious) but some people can use all the info they can get.:


- you can key-map the pet's hot bar so you CAN order it to attack your target . i use the "`" key for it (left of "1" key). the "use" (gear icon) hot bar key in the pet bar turns into an attack commend when you target an enemy.
- you can easily target your own pet by clicking on ctrl+f1. i asume that hitting ctrl+f2\3\4\5 etc will target other party member's pets.
- you can open the pet's character sheet ether by right clicking it's hot bar,life bar or your life bar and then clicking view pet's character sheet. or by clicking "pet" box iun your own character sheet.
- it is in that pet character sheet that you can add the items for your pet and drag his useable feats to his hot bar.
- a docent on the pet will effect how it looks. as it does for warforge ,but this come only as color strips added to his metal hide. so i find that before crafting a docent for the pet to use i like to find one that has a nice color to it.

[ejsmith84]

LOVE the guide. Like many other Artificer fanboys/fangirls, I cant WAIT to get one for myself, Tank Dog ftw.

[RedDragonScale]

i think you try to say :"no named OR Cannith crafted".

but i crafted more then once modules from crafted wraps:
http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/8...nshot00110.jpg

This is GREAT news!

Thank you for letting us know!

+1

[J'arel]

I have a +1 seeker module of pure good but I cannot give it to my pet. I'm lvl5 and chaotic good. The module has a white umd 18; min lvl 4, Iron defender required (umd 20) and required trait good (umd 20) write up. Isn't my pet good since I am? Isn't my pet lvl 5 same as me? Why can't I have my pet use this module -what am I missing? Thanks.

[RedDragonScale]

I'm not positive about this but I think pets are Neutral.

[Drakos]

I have a +1 seeker module of pure good but I cannot give it to my pet. I'm lvl5 and chaotic good. The module has a white umd 18; min lvl 4, Iron defender required (umd 20) and required trait good (umd 20) write up. Isn't my pet good since I am? Isn't my pet lvl 5 same as me? Why can't I have my pet use this module -what am I missing? Thanks.

As RedDragonScale stated, it is entirely possible that the Iron Defender is True Neutral not the alignment of its master. That would be in keeping with the Artificer homunculus from PnP. As constructs they would be Nuetral, but it is not shown on the character sheet, so I have no proof of this either way.

As for level, yet the Iron Defender is the same level os you (examine them in the focus orb they are considered to be Fighter of your level).

[DrenglisEU]

Thanks mate, a very good desciption for dummies (like me). Keep the good work rolling and have fun

[InSoNiAc]

Very informative guide, well done.

[J'arel]

If the iron defender is true neutral,would there be a way to change that. It seems strange that the modules for the iron defender pet that you may find would require being good or chaotic or whatever if the iron defender can only be true neutral. Turbine should make sure items like that cannot be randomly generated so you don't waste taking an end reward that can't work. Thanks for your replies.

[Drakos]

If the iron defender is true neutral,would there be a way to change that. It seems strange that the modules for the iron defender pet that you may find would require being good or chaotic or whatever if the iron defender can only be true neutral. Turbine should make sure items like that cannot be randomly generated so you don't waste taking an end reward that can't work. Thanks for your replies.

Could be the remnants of an old bug poking its head up again. In the days of yor (early DDO life) it was not uncommon to get items that could not possibly be used like Armor that had RR of Warforged and also asbolutly not usable by Warforged. Either way I'd report it to the Devs as a bug.

[masterzzan]

on lemania i crafted 2 docent of greater stability one for me one for the doggy. it worked . so i think they ARE true neutral

[BitkaCK2]

i think you try to say :"no named OR Cannith crafted".

but i crafted more then once modules from crafted wraps:
http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/8...nshot00110.jpg

also some info you left out (maybe because it's obvious) but some people can use all the info they can get.:


- you can key-map the pet's hot bar so you CAN order it to attack your target . i use the "`" key for it (left of "1" key). the "use" (gear icon) hot bar key in the pet bar turns into an attack commend when you target an enemy.
- you can easily target your own pet by clicking on ctrl+f1. i asume that hitting ctrl+f2\3\4\5 etc will target other party member's pets.
- you can open the pet's character sheet ether by right clicking it's hot bar,life bar or your life bar and then clicking view pet's character sheet. or by clicking "pet" box iun your own character sheet.
- it is in that pet character sheet that you can add the items for your pet and drag his useable feats to his hot bar.
- a docent on the pet will effect how it looks. as it does for warforge ,but this come only as color strips added to his metal hide. so i find that before crafting a docent for the pet to use i like to find one that has a nice color to it.

Which hireling bar/slot did you keymap? I mean if you have a pet and a hireling which one is hireling bar 1 and which is bar 2? There is also a hireling active bar. Does it depend on the order you summon them? I tend to dismiss my pet in public (don't want to add to lag) and summon on entering an instance. So if I accidentally summon a hireling before my pet will that mess the keymap?

Excellent guide and thanks,
bitkaCK2

EDIT: It seems to be Hireling Bar 1, Slot 6 for pet use/attack. Does the hired minion interfere or take precedence... do not know yet.

[Khumbaaba]

- you can key-map the pet's hot bar so you CAN order it to attack your target . i use the "`" key for it (left of "1" key). the "use" (gear icon) hot bar key in the pet bar turns into an attack commend when you target an enemy.

I was trying this last night to no avail. The pet bar should be a hireling bar, but the little roman numerals on the pet's bar did not seem to correspond to the available key mapping options. Strangely, I could get #1 on the pets bar bound to a key but no others.

Thoughts?

[mercedesbinns07]

Very informative, thank you!

I think EVERYONE should know this, if they plan to make an artie:

If your pet dies in a quest, and there are no shrines to use, and you have already used your 'raise defender' feat, then you CANNOT get your pet back if you exit the dungeon before raising him. This is especially bad if you fail a quest and it boots you from the instance before you raise your pet. You have to relog to get him back. I was fooling around in Redemption on elite, and Lars died since I had no means to heal him (noob move, I know, but I honestly thought he wouldn't die since he never had before on any of my other toons) and my pet died as well... but before I could raise him, we were booted from the dungeon for the fail, and I could not raise him outside. I tried summoning him to me, I tried raise, I tried dismissing him; all gave me the message, "Your pet is too far away to receive communications from you." My pet was still dead when I recalled to town and I still got the same message. I even went as far as trying to raise in the bar. Nothing. I had to relog to get him back. So if you think you're going to fail a quest or he's too low to keep alive and there's no shrines around... DISMISS your pet before he dies, then summon him again when its safe. (Until they fix this bug, this is the safest way I've found to keep my pet without relogging.)

I hope this helps. I found this out the hard way.

But other than that, you did a very good job with the guide. My guildies and I have bookmarked this thread already.

-Jess

[Whargoul]

[*]HP (without con): Begins at 36, the distribution seems to be a bit strange; you get +12 for levels 2 thru 9, +24 at level 10, +13 for levels 11 thru 19, and +57 at level 20, ending in 330 base HP at 20th level. When you add the bonuses from its CON it has an impressive 570 HP base at 20th level which can be modified thru AP’s and magic items/spells (see below).

At level 1, the Iron Defender benefits just like everyone else from the Heroic Durability feat (+20 HP).

It gains +10 HP per level (like a fighter).

At level 1, it also gets 2 toughness feats.

At level 10, it gains 1 toughness feat.

At level 20, it gains 2 more toughness feats.

Level	Base	Toughness	Per Level	Total		
1	20+10	3+3		36		36
2	10	1+1		12		48
3	10	1+1		12		60
4	10	1+1		12		72
5	10	1+1		12		84
6	10	1+1		12		96
7	10	1+1		12		108
8	10	1+1		12		120
9	10	1+1		12		132
10	10	1+1+12		24		156
11	10	1+1+1		13		169
12	10	1+1+1		13		182
13	10	1+1+1		13		195
14	10	1+1+1		13		208
15	10	1+1+1		13		221
16	10	1+1+1		13		234
17	10	1+1+1		13		247
18	10	1+1+1		13		260
19	10	1+1+1		13		273
20	10	1+1+1+22+22	57		330

[JeisonBlade]

Awesome job, I'd consider this required reading for any would be artificer

[Khumbaaba]

There is still that key mapping issue...

Anyone made progress/found work-around?

[BitkaCK2]

There is still that key mapping issue...

Anyone made progress/found work-around?

I was able to keymap the 'Use' command (gears) to Hireling Bar 1, Slot 6. This changes to the 'Attack Target' when targetting an enemy mob. So I've been targetting a mob (auto-attack off), hitting my pet attack key then tabbing to next target and opening fire.

Note: If you summon a hireling before your pet it becomes Bar 1 and your pet becomes Bar 2. The keymap will then tell your hireling to attack instead of your pet.

bitkaCK2

[CombatMedic]

Your pet can also use Guild shrines and is smart enough to open doors...