Benefits of hearty evolution?

nunix

nunix

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Dec 2005

N/

Anyone have any interesting uses for the extra +60 HP, or is it just a nice buffer? I generally level my pets hearty for the size, but I do feel like I'm "wasting" it when I could be getting the extra bit of damage.

Stormlord Alex

Stormlord Alex

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Dec 2005

Beyond the Forest of Doom, past the Cavern of Agony... on Kitten & Puppy Island

Soul of Melandru [sOm]

W/E

Tbh, all of my pets are either Dire or Elder.

The 2 situations where I take pets, I honestly can't think of a reason to run Hearty.

1. If I'm something like a thumper or HaO spearer, where Elder/Dire wins because of the extra damage.

2. Barrage/pet teams, where the survivability of the pet isn't important. It's there to bodyblock, and it can do that with 420hp or 540hp. It doesn't really matter if it dies, it just means the MM gets another corpse to play with (earlier on in B/P groups, lower hp pets may even be better, as they get the minion wall started faster.)
Lower hp is more useful in B/P situations - AI foes will target lower hp people first. A low hp pet is more likely to hold aggro.

Amy Awien

Amy Awien

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

R/

AI factors in HP, and the lower that is, the more eager they are to go after it. For a tanking pet, lower HP is actually preferable.