Black Bears

Black Bears have pretty much been the worse pet possible. With the Brutal Mauling skill that does the same amount of damage as a normal attack, and its longer attack time, other pets exceed him in damage. Of course its not like its huge, but when you are a thumper and try to time bestial mauling, then your bear does brutal mauling... it sucks.
Anyways, GWEN introduced the polar bear, which is basically the same thing as the blackbear except: its white, and it has no brutal mauling.
After spending 8 hours( and more due to failure) trying to turn my bear into dire, it feels like the only reason to have him is because he's the coolest pet(in my opinion) in the entire game. Why is he still the worst?

Since he's from pre-searing? >_>" Dunno, i don't really know much about pet's but wouldn't his low attack be made up for in the form of health and armour? Or compaired to others is he alittle nerf'ed?

You're right, black bear should at least make up for its slow attack ability by dealing more damage. Though, they seem fairly strict on keeping pet attack, life, armor fairly standard. It's unfortunate, I agree, but it looks like you're just going to have to find another pet.

Doesn't brutal mauling trigger anthem of flame etc?

Well, either removing brutal mauling or actually making it deal a little more damage seem to me to be the two options. Got my sin a black bear and now her jin has a polar bear

It used to, but then they nerfed most of the paragon chants so they only affect party members (which pets aren't).

There are still a couple that Brutal Mauling triggers, but the only ones that even has a chance of forming a combo that makes up for the downside are Anthem of Envy and Song of Purification. (Others that are triggered by Mauling are: "Make Haste" (which is bad), Song of Concentration (yay?), Anthem of Fury (just makes them use Mauling more often, slowing their attack rate even more), and Zealous Anthem (because running out of energy is a problem for animal companions).)

The nerf to the shouts not to affect ALL allies was such a retarded blanket approach by Anet.

To stop abuse with spirits they knocked out any possible synergy between a pet and a Paragon.

This is one of the deepest mysteries of the game.

Why don't they just fix it?

I've asked numerous times to have it fixed. I too am very disappointed that the new polar bears lack Brutal Mauling, but black bears still have it.

Please ANet, make a tamer who will give my bear a "calming elixir" or something, removing his tendency to stand on his hind legs wasting time.

There is no need to preserve this vestigial skill - we know evolution happens. My pet doesn't need to still suck to be proof that the game has a history.

There are more pet bugs:

- Black bear: Has pre-Searing's brutal mauling
- Canthan pets: Do not grow.
- North Tyrian pets: Do not grow, evolve wrong (Dire lose armor instead of health)

"All non-spirit allies"

WHY DID ANET NOT GO WITH THAT OPTION?

"For xx seconds, all non-spirit allies within earshot...."

It makes perfect sense, but nooooo

I noticed that about North Tyrian pets, kinda sucks

my "pikachu" or blackbear, needs to stop using such a crappy attack... anet needs some digivolution on him... grr!!

its seems so stupid that anet would miss black bear while making a polar bear the exact same... man...WHAT KIND OF ATTACK TAKES 4 SECONDS TO USE!( at least thats what i think i saw...?)

Too bad pets don't have skills we can program like Heros. Now, that would be making the most out of a Pet and Pet could have his own skill bar. And instead fo my taking the skill on my bar it would go on his. I loose 2 skills to take the pet he should have his own skills. Now this would make a ranger an awesome profession.

lol, meh...

i just dont wanna give up my traditional blackbear for some crappu newb polar bear

Yeah, and polar bears don't grow. I like my bear