So I just started another playthrough. Orlan sharpshooter. I'm happy to say that Veteran is actually challenging now - enough for me to switch to Classic in some places, before I have a fuller party.

 

But even a proper difficulty level can't justify how stupidly fragile my ranger's wolf companion is. It goes down in a few hits, even on Classic. On Veteran, it's even quicker. Am I going to have to invest in talents just so it doesn't keel over so easily? There's not even that many talents to do that, only the increased DR one.

Not my experience. Perhaps they are squishier, but they're not supposed to be front liners anyway. At least they're no longer wounded when they revive.

 

I mean people complained about them in PoE I as well and they did their part fairly well. I mean you get a free permanent summon. Sure, they're not full party member, but that would be stupidly overpowered.

Common mistake. When choosing pet, choose bear. Bear stronk. Druid form? Bear. Pet-pet in inventory? Also bear.

 

You'll have to wait until it gets some xp and perks like extra armor. But in general, pet + lay on hands tanks alright. Some of the pets are also very fat and enemies get stuck between their models and doors. Great tool.

 

For now, you can just use pet to eat enemies opening salvo and die, while you cast chillfog on them.

Edited June 14, 20187 yr by Shadenuat

Bears seem to take about as much punishment as a summoned creature, which sounds about right to me. It's certainly not meant to fight on the front lines and survive the entire battle.

I took the resilient companion passive, see if it helps. And I suppose I should send it after my other melee fighters have rushed in... which right now would be Eder, so that's part of the problem.

Edited June 14, 20187 yr by MortyTheGobbo

Antelope works to keep a single basic enemy at bay in updated veteran, though I wouldn't have it tank a drake or one of those mature Port Maje boars without backup. Between my arquebus/pistol sharpshooter, the antelope, and multiclassed Eder, we cleared out the Port Maje digsite (and extended ruins, as Aloth got booted in PoE1) quite easily with some positioning. The antelope had the increased DR talent at the time.

 

Antelope defenses and the increased DR talent are good, but don't discount the increased pen/damage from Vicious Companion. Makes a single normal mob quite manageable for the pet.

Edited June 14, 20187 yr by Taevyr

Yeah, the best defence is often a good offence and all that. On Veteran, the first pack of boars and drakes was giving me trouble, and Eder didn't make it. So I might reload and give my wolf Vicious Companion instead so it kills them quickly.

They are fairly squishy at first, until you gain a few levels for hp and invest a point in the armor passive. I found it also helped once your party can cast some buffs and debuffs, like blind and +con. 

 

I play stalker so pet has +1 armor when near the watcher but I'm still using the wolf mainly as a flank attack. In off-tank situations I have Xoti cast +5 con on him.

Pet does go down occasionally still (i'm on PotD they hit hard) if caught in a bad spot, and has no way of escape yet or play dead.

 

If pet gets to low health (and is not engaged!), don't be afraid to pull him away or behind you, let him play guard dog in case something rushes past the frontline. Better have him alive and not suffer bond debuff and he can still help mob up the fight. Also don't have him rush in headfirst, sneak in from the sides once enemies are already engaged and get the -10 deflect from Flanked.

 

Atm my wolf can only handle 1 enemy on him, maybe 2 if there are heals still available. That said it helps that i'm multiclassed chanter and using skellys to take some of the hits.

I guess the bear/boar are the tanky ones, wolf has good damage and little squishy, but so far it hasn't been a problem once you get used to the micro, and Heal Pet/Play Dead will help a lot.

They could add more animal companion options that would make sense being fragile. Like birds, for example.

So I just started another playthrough. Orlan sharpshooter. I'm happy to say that Veteran is actually challenging now - enough for me to switch to Classic in some places, before I have a fuller party.

 

But even a proper difficulty level can't justify how stupidly fragile my ranger's wolf companion is. It goes down in a few hits, even on Classic. On Veteran, it's even quicker. Am I going to have to invest in talents just so it doesn't keel over so easily? There's not even that many talents to do that, only the increased DR one.

 

1. Make pet enter stealth

2. Send pet to edge of map far away from battle

3. Kill enemies

4. Let pet join you again