Ranger question: Is there a way to give the pet separate AI commands?

[Lampros]

I think I am going to bite the bullet and play a Ranger. A lot of my party ideas have not worked in practice, so I am going back to the convention - to a party that uses the traditional "archer."

 

But what I noticed when I tested the Ranger at level 7 from the inn is that I cannot seem to set the Ranger and pet separate AI commands. I want the pet to sit still and be in a defensive mode, until I give him an instruction - whereas I want the Ranger himself be in a more aggressive AI mode - like all other members of my party. But it seems like their AI commands are linked? Can anyone explain to me how this works?

 

Further, where do folks generally position the pet? I know that the pet is functionally immortal, but I still do not like getting knocked out for immersion purposes. (There is also the debuff on the Ranger to consider, too.) So I don't want to put the pet on the first line. But if I put him on the second line, he might just run around and do nothing while getting in everyone's way.

 

I guess these two questions are linked in so far as they deal with how to effectively use the pet without having to micro too much.

Edited October 1, 2017 by Lampros

[draego]

I generally play with wolf or if i am not a ranger take sagani. In tight spaces they are second line fighters plugging holes in the line and attacking once others have engaged. But in more open spaces i usually flank stealth with the pet and either a melee ranger or melee other character. I generally always keep them stealth during the first beats of combat until everyone has moved to their positions and taken some aggro and first spells are away. Then i usually send them to the squishiest enemy if any and focus my ranger and prob another melee on that enemy. This can lead to engagement issues if you need to run past others. You just have to avoid that. I do find myself turning off AI for ranger sometimes so the pet stays put until i want them to move. This is really for more critical battles though. I dont do it all the time. Of course there are times when also use my animal to come to the back line and try to aggro an enemy that is focused on my squishes. So ye i move them around alot and try to keep them from dying. Nice thing about wolf and Itumaak is they have +15 disengagement so its helps to get away from enemies. 

[Lampros]

I generally play with wolf or if i am not a ranger take sagani. In tight spaces they are second line fighters plugging holes in the line and attacking once others have engaged. But in more open spaces i usually flank stealth with the pet and either a melee ranger or melee other character. I generally always keep them stealth during the first beats of combat until everyone has moved to their positions and taken some aggro and first spells are away. Then i usually send them to the squishiest enemy if any and focus my ranger and prob another melee on that enemy. This can lead to engagement issues if you need to run past others. You just have to avoid that. I do find myself turning off AI for ranger sometimes so the pet stays put until i want them to move. This is really for more critical battles though. I dont do it all the time. Of course there are times when also use my animal to come to the back line and try to aggro an enemy that is focused on my squishes. So ye i move them around alot and try to keep them from dying. Nice thing about wolf and Itumaak is they have +15 disengagement so its helps to get away from enemies. 

 

So their AIs are indeed linked, and I cannot de-link it? Damn. I was hoping there was a special button that I was missing!

 

Also, even when I took Bear, it looked like he had the same HP/Endurance as my Ranger? So if I want them to soak more hits, I need to increase Constitution on my Ranger as well?

[draego]

Well there is a animal companion auto attack selection under the ai behavior for rangers. The passive option says the animal will not move to attack automatically under any circumstances. I generally dont mess with the AI but maybe that option would work. Havent tried it myself because when i say i turn off the AI what i mean is i turn it off for everyone. usually i use this tactic when i am doing a ambush by luring an enemy which is not my normal tactics. So i turn off all AI so all characters will sit tight until i want them to move and then just turn the AI back on.

Edited October 1, 2017 by draego

[Phenomenum]

Try it:

 

 

 

 

[draego]

Their health is not linked. The animal has their own health pool. Ranger Constitution will not help.

[Lampros]

Well there is a animal companion auto attack selection under the ai behavior for rangers. The passive option says the animal will not move to attack automatically under any circumstances. I generally dont mess with the AI but maybe that option would work. Havent tried it myself because when i say i turn off the AI what i mean is i turn it off for everyone. usually i use this tactic when i am doing a ambush by luring an enemy which is not my normal tactics. So i turn off all AI so all characters will sit tight until i want them to move and then just turn the AI back on.

 

Try it:

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, wow, thanks for pointing this out. I didn't see this one! I must be blind.

[Lampros]

Hmm, the fug. I just took a level 6 Ranger out for a test drive to Dyrnford Ruins - which I think is about level. And the pet cannot hit anything - even with Zealous Focus, Inspiring Radiance, and Devotions for the Faithful. So I can expect I am going to be frustrated with the pet. How do I ensure it can actually hit something?

[Phenomenum]

Try to debuff enemies defences, try to Prone or Paralyze them with your casters, then attack. Actually, Dirford Ruins is pretty tough on lvl 6.

Also, if you want to do good damage with your pet, take talents: Predator Sense, Vicious companion, Mersiless companion - then even Graze from you pet will be dealing about 30 dmg.

Edited October 2, 2017 by Phenomenum

[Lampros]

Try to debuff enemies defences, try to Prone or Paralyze them with your casters, then attack. Actually, Dirford Ruins is pretty tough on lvl 6.

Also, if you want to do good damage with your pet, take talents: Predator Sense, Vicious companion, Mersiless companion - then even Graze from you pet will be dealing about 30 dmg.

 

Yeah, it is an annoying dungeon with all those enemy Ciphers. I tend to do this one a bit later, but I just wanted to try a Ranger, and there wasn't appropriate place I could think of to test.

[Phenomenum]

I'd say it is not perfect place for testing new class. Especially on PotD;)

[Boeroer]

Lvl 6 in Dyrford is too low. That is an area for higher levels. The pet will hit stuff. It has a totally normal accuracy. Also use Stalker's Link. It will give both of you +10 ACC.

[Phenomenum]

Lvl 6 in Dyrford is too low. That is an area for higher levels. The pet will hit stuff. It has a totally normal accuracy. Also use Stalker's Link. It will give both of you +10 ACC.

Wai, wait, wait! BOTH?! Heheh... why i don't know it? It' cool then.

[Boeroer]

The wiki is totally outdated on that matter. Stalker's Link got changed a lot since the release. It just gives you and your pet +10 ACC if you attack the same target. No need to be opposite sides or whatever. Just attack the same target and +10 ACC will happen. It's like a vice-versa marking.

 

You can combine it with a marking weapon on the ranger (pet gets +20 ACC, ranger +10), with a coordinating weapon (pet gets +10, ranger gets +14 and +25% damage) or with both (Cladhaliath can be enchanted to be marking and coordinating) and you can also combine that with flanking which will result in the equivalent of another +10 acc for both. So, imagine a melee ranger with a marking & coordinating Cladhaliath (also gets +5 ACC because it's a spear) who has Gallant's Focus, Stalker's Link and flanks with his pet.

Pretty high ACC gain for both. You could even add Mob Justice from the Dozens an get another +5 ACC for the ranger.

Edited October 2, 2017 by Boeroer

[Phenomenum]

The wiki is totally outdated on that matter. Stalker's Link got changed a lot since the release. It just gives you and your pet +10 ACC if you attack the same target. No need to be opposite sides or whatever. Just attack the same target and +10 ACC will happen. It's like a vice-versa marking.

 

You can combine it with a marking weapon on the ranger (pet gets +20 ACC, ranger +10), with a coordinating weapon (pet gets +10, ranger gets +14 and +25% damage) or with both (Cladhaliath can be enchanted to be marking and coordinating) and you can also combine that with flanking which will result in the equivalent of another +10 acc for both. So, imagine a melee ranger with a marking & coordinating Cladhaliath (also gets +5 ACC because it's a spear) who has Gallant's Focus, Stalker's Link and flanks with his pet.

Pretty high ACC gain for both. You could even add Mob Justice from the Dozens an get another +5 ACC for the ranger.

Then ingame description wrong... Yes, i usually combine it with St, Guaram spark (with Swift Aim), thinking it give only additional acc for pet, and Stalker's Link giving add acc for Ranger. If talent work both ways, it's obviously better.

Edited October 2, 2017 by Phenomenum

[Boeroer]

Doesn't the in-game description say that both profit from Stalker's Link? I thought so...

[Phenomenum]

"Long experience fighting together enables the ranger and animal companion to fight as a highly efficient team. The ranger gains an accuracy bonus when fighting any enemy already engaged by the animal companion."

 

It totally wrong. As usual

[Boeroer]

No wait. I just tested it ingame and actually it only benefits the ranger. Mea culpa! THe pet doesn't get +10 ACC. I must have confused this with marking when I was testing all those +ACC things I spoke about above (using Cladhaliath and flanking and so on). I remembered incorrectly.

 

So forget what I was saying about Stalker's Link: it only gives the ranger +10 ACC. Still good, but does nothing for your pet's ACC.

 

But I tested my wolf and bear that I have in an old savegame and they both had 88 ACC (without any buffs, attacking alone) at lvl 13 which I think is pretty solid. My rangers only have 89 at that point (with Twinned Arrows + Stalker's Link = +/- 0) - so pretty similar. And that's with Weapon Focus, an exceptional Stormcaller and 19 PER.

 

Therefore I can't see why the pet should have troubles hitting things.

Edited October 2, 2017 by Boeroer

[Phenomenum]

No wait. I just tested it ingame and actually it only benefits the ranger. Mea culpa! THe pet doesn't get +10 ACC. I must have confused this with marking when I was testing all those +ACC things I spoke about above (using Cladhaliath and flanking and so on). I remembered incorrectly.

 

So forget what I was saying about Stalker's Link: it only gives the ranger +10 ACC. Still good, but does nothing for your pet's ACC.

 

But I tested my wolf and bear that I have in an old savegame and they both had 88 ACC (without any buffs, attacking alone) at lvl 13 which I think is pretty solid. My rangers only have 89 at that point (with Twinned Arrows + Stalker's Link = +/- 0) - so pretty similar. And that's with Weapon Focus, an exceptional Stormcaller and 19 PER.

 

Therefore I can't see why the pet should have troubles hitting things.

 

Oh, thanks, you did all job) I wanted to test it myself later.

 

About pet's accuracy - i usually flank the enemies with pet, so it gives another 10% hit chance.

Edited October 2, 2017 by Phenomenum

[Lampros]

Lvl 6 in Dyrford is too low. That is an area for higher levels. The pet will hit stuff. It has a totally normal accuracy. Also use Stalker's Link. It will give both of you +10 ACC.

 

Ok; I don't recall what level I tackled it in previous runs; that also explains why he was getting hit a lot and going down a bit too fast - in spite of Resilient and being a bear.