E/R pet build?

I've been toying around with possible builds for a while. Two reasons I went E/R instead of R. First, energy storage in the long run seems it will be more effective than expertise. Secondly, a lot of mesmers will focus on the E/R with spells like backfire and trying to interrupt. Since this build doesn't focus primarily on spells, that takes them out of the fight for a while until they realize that.

I was looking at something like:

12 beast
11 energy storage
14 water

All of those are after the ES/W have their runes/mask of course. This leaves 195/200 skill points used.

Now, here's where I'm still deciding on what to do. I primarily wanted to have a pet which could help take down a single target. I was thinking something along the lines of:

Water Spells:
Water Trident - This is a reasonably fast and low cost spell which knocks down targets trying to flee. Without having the ability to cripple, this is the best way I could find to stop monks/mesmers from running from my pet while dealing damage to them at the same time.

Armor of Mist - Good self defense, easy escape spell, and a good way to chase down any monks/mesmers that are trying to stay away.

Beast skills:
Call of haste - makes the pet attack faster, and run faster.

Charm animal - no explination needed.

Comfort Animal - Help heal your pet if it gets focused on, can also use it to res it when everything is quiet. At 12 beast mastery it heals for slightly under 90 hp, and res is around 50% life.

Disrupting Lunge - Short recast time, and if you get a lucky timing off it can really mess with a monk or other target who was using a spell/skill at that moment.

Predators Pounce - Another short recast time. If it hits, it deals +17 damage and the pet gains 41 health.

The last spot is where I'm still trying to think of what to do. I've run through the idea of using Call of Protection (11 base damage reduction), water attunement (only way to get back energy...but with only small cost spells, it seems the gain wouldn't be worth it), Otyugh's Cry (the animal attacking target is useless, but it's +30 armor for 30 seconds for the pet, giving it base 90), Frozen Burst (if some warriors rush you)...

Any ideas for what to use for the 8th skill? Or any ideas at all? And don't give me any "Pets suck, blah blah blah" because I'm trying to make a new build that will work, here

Of course, if any of the skills I got the use for wrong, or if any of them would be better replaced by another similar one, that would be a good thing to know.

hmm in theory i see no reason why it wouldn't work. I'm a beast master ranger/elemetalist.. though i don't use any elemetalist skills. Check out the pvp pet theread down the page for some more pet skills? or heck... res sig?

Leave it open. Carry a Rez Sig if you want, Fertile Season if your team wants it, Call of Protection if you feel you need it. I try to keep at least 2 "open" slots on any build because no 2 teams are going to need the exact same skill set from you.

Question: How is this better than an R/E? Consider that water trident knocks down the target at any level of water magic, and that's the only elementalist skill you're using that rangers can't duplicate (see storm chaser). If you wear druid's armor and use the +5 energy bow from piken's square collector, you get 37 energy and just a little bit of expertise will make the pet skills cheaper. You'd also be able to get beast mastery over 12, which you'll want to do a respectable amount of damage.

Never had a big need for defensive pet skills in PvP so far, but I prefer otyugh's. If you do the math, it stops a lot more damage from heavier hits than straight 12-15 reduction. Also benefits all pets in the area (consequently, all allied/enemy pets too).

Water and Beast Mastery ? Two of my favourite GW black sheep combined; excellent

The only real comment I have, is that you probably have way more energy than you need, and not a vast amount of fire power. I would consider trying to squeeze a big hitting Water spell in there, like Maelstrom or Deep Freeze.

Oh, and a note on execution. Don't forget to hit space bar. It's easy when playing an Ele to just spam spells and forget to actually attack. If you do, your pet will just stand around doing nothing.

For your last slot...how about a water hex spell? Even though Water Trident can knock down a running target, it has a BIG possibility of missing if they're at normal speed. I'd consider bringing Deep Freeze, Ice Spikes, or maybe Shard Storm to slow them down.

Quote:

With all due respect, why bother with a beastmaster when a hammer warrior can out-damage, out-disrupt and out-live your pet? Cause when you take all beastmastery skills, you're pretty much devoting yourself entirely to your pet, and there's nothing a pet can do that a half-decent warrior can't.

By the way, as a mesmer, I keep a close eye on what most enemy casters are doing. Not only will mesmers keep most of their attention on the monks, but when they look at you and see that you're not casting anything dangerous/important, they really won't bother draining/interrupting you.

I know how mesmers act. I've played one since the betas :P

The big point is a lot of the less experienced mesmers will still cast backfire on elementalists. Or see someone on their team being hit for a lot of damage, target an ele, and interrupt the second they see a spell icon flash.

And the point of making a beastmaster is because everyone is so adament it isn't effective. I'm trying to find a way to make it viable. Why bother taking self heals when a monk can outheal you? Why bother taking interruptions as a warrior when a mesmer can be better at interruptions? Why bother bringing damage skills at all when an air/fire ele can outdamage you? The point here is not trying to be the BEST at something, but be effective at something. Most players focus on one thing: taking out a fighter or caster. This build will be equally effective against both.

Is a warrior coming for your monk? Water trident him and stop him from getting there. Is the enemy monk getting away? Sic your pet on him and let it attack him to force him to focus on it rather than his teammates. The point of this build is that you can successfully help at to spots at once with knocking down/slowing and your pet. Sic your pet on someone, keep an eye on what's happening (what skills to use, how their life is, etc) and then focus on taking care of people running after your monk, away from your warriors, etc.


And Tengoku, thanks for the advice. I completely forgot how easily water trident can miss, I'll definitely bring something else to slow them down.

Quote:

From what I've heard, it's hard to control who the pet targets, though. Playing a warrior or whatever gives you greater control over how your abilities are being used.