Elder Tiger in Pongmei Valley - no longer tamable - why?

This may not seem to be a big deal in the scheme of things but this is one of those unexplained changes in the game that I'd just really like to be supplied with a reason as to why it was changed at all, ( but of course know I'll never get an answer).

My main character is a Ranger, after charming and evolving up to level 20 several different pets (lvl 3 and lvl 5) I could not once get them to evolve into my personal choice of dire or elder. Several weeks ago ( could have been a few months) I chose to charm one of the elder Tigers that used to be found in a cave along side the Yetis in Pongmei Valley outside of Borus Seabed in Factions.

It was not an easy thing to do.
Usually the Yeti would charm the Tiger before I could get to it.
However, I don't mind a challenge, and guildwiki stated that once in a while another animal might be charmed in place of the elder Tiger and there would be a chance to charm one.
This is true.
After roughly 30 (or more) attempts and very close calls I was able to charm an elder Tiger as a pet for my Ranger.

Now comes NF and I have two Ranger Heroes.
Just because I want to, - I'd like elder Tigers for them as well.
However, things have changed in Pongmei Valley.
The elder Tigers are still in the valley, along side the Yetis, but they are no longer in the same place.
They have been moved from the cave where they were before out into the valley itself.
In fact there are 4 sets of Yetis that charm animals there. Usually elder Tigers but sometimes an Elder crane or just a level 3 Crane or Tiger.

After over 60 attempts I can not get close to charming one of these for my ranger hero.

Even after trying to just run there as fast as I can the Elder tigers are always charmed before my hero and I can get in range.
Not once did I even feel I was close to getting one charmed.

Before this change there were several attempts where I was able to at least start the skill before the Tiger was charmed by a Yeti but either the tiger or a Yeti would kill me or the Tiger itself might die before the charm was complete.
That was no problem. I accept that as part of the price for getting an already level 15 pet.
Like I have already said, it took a long time but in the end I was able to accomplish it.

Now there seems to just be no way to accomplish this.
I have even tried leaving from different entrances into the valley.
The result has always been the same. No matter how long it takes to get to the Yetis and Elder Tigers they are green when I first see them,
but immediately are charmed by the Yeti.
I have not been able to even get close to try and interrupt the Yeti, let alone get close enough to have the hero even try to start the skill
to charm the elder tiger.

AND, just to make it even more frustrating in many of the attempts to get close to the Yetis I have seen them charm an elder tiger, witnessed
the name go from green to red and then witnessed the Yetis stone the tigers to death.
Gheez, if they didn't want it, they could have left it for my hero.

So, I can only imagine that the GW gods have decided that we Shall Not be allowed to charm elder orange tigers.
(I know there is an elder white tiger in Melandrue's Hope but i wanted orange, and that one doesnt seem an easy one to get either)
I'm not sure why, and this is my point,...it is a huge grind ( to me) to evolve a pet and not have it evolve the way you want it.
BUT - before I'm accused of whining let me just say that I understand that some things in-game are NOT supposed to be easy.
I understand and accept this. If it was a pet for my Ranger Character, I would not have even written this at all.
I would have just charmed a level 3 or 5 Tiger and worked on my Pet Evolution abilities. If it did not evolve the way i wanted I always have the choice of selling it to a tamer and trying again.
BUT - as far as I know you can NOT sell Heros pets and then charm a second pet for your heros, at least at this point.
I dont want to charm a pet for my heroes and then NOT be able to sell it.

So, since it was not easy to do in the first place why would this change have been put into the game?
I'm curious and more than a bit frustrated.


*** And because i expect to get at least one reply of: - "Why do you care its *JUST* a Hero?"
My reply is - Its what I want to do - we all play the game in different ways.
This was a challenge i set for myself and wish It was at least still possibe.

I'm not really sure what the point of your thread is. I understand the pain of leveling a dire, but if you own nightfall, it is incredibly easier than it was. If you're looking for how to level a dire pet:
Take a monk hero and put charm animal on your skill bar.. Set him/her to avoid combat. Take off or disable all but one skill on this monk hero, ressurect. Travel to the place where your pet of choice is. Take off all your armor, let it kill you(by wanding it once, then stop attacking), and your monk hero will rez you with about 25%, or ~100 hp. The pet will continue killing you and will eventually level to 15. Put on your armor then capture it with charm animal, useing skills such as whirling defense as needed.
If that isn't what you're talking about, sorry.

heh

Understood - while i believe it was clearly stated - it was a long boring rant, I'll admit.

Point - I want an elder Tiger for my Ranger Heroes
- There used to be a way to charm one
- That way seems to have been nerfed
- I am afraid to charm a low level pet and evolve it for my heroes
because it never works well ( for me ) and You cant change Hero
pets.

I appreciate the advise and tried it but since i cant take hero armor off it doesnt seem to work, for heroes.

You can just flag away your ranger hero, and let the pet kill you. when he's a high enough lvl, just let your ranger hero cap it.

^- But you can take your armor off, and let the animal kill you. After the animal reached lvl 15, let your hero charm it.

I think the 'letting a pet kill you trick before you cap it' trick was nerfed a while back.

It was un-nerfed.

*redfaced*


I guess I really should have been able to come up with this on my own , - LOL

Thanks all for the idea - that's what I'll do

if you shadow-step and then quicky interrupt the yetti, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to tame a tiger there.

Well, i think the evolution of the pet depends on your level in beast mastery, if you level up a tiger with high best mastery i think you get a hearty animal, wiki will have the details but its pretty simple.

Raising an elder pet isn't hard at all.

Ive raised every variation of a warthog using Ephinephrine's guide:

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=89491

on a related sidenote: Do Canthan pets / Tigers now grow during their evolution?

Nightfall pets do, crocodiles grow almost exponentially.

Maybe Canthan pets that are tamed now grow, too?

I want my white tiger to grow T.T

Now it just looks like a cat.

Death leveling? You sure it's a dire pet?

There are "Agressive" Lions and Lioness's in the bluffs outside Sunspear Sanctuary... that are tamable

just a Little FYI

BowLad21

Thanks again for the info on this
I followed your suggestion and now have a level 15 dire tiger for one of my Ranger Heroes - it took abot 50 minutes to go from lvl 3 to lvl 15 Dire

edit to add: - the *dire* title does not show in the pet name until the hero charmed the pet

Thanks again to all who helped me out with this - It is appreciated