Solo Pve Beastmaster

MarlonB

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Apr 2006

18 Apr 2006 at 11:46 - 1

As a noob GW player, i'm trying to figure out what build to go ..
I know i will spend most time on solo PVE, and i always loved to be beastmaster (CH in SWG, Hunter in WoW) ...

Now, i've been reading builds for 2 days, and all the skills start swimming before my eyes, and i am having scary dreams about them

Can someone tell me, or point me to a good build that accomodates my prefered play-style ?

Jenosavel

Master of Beasts

Join Date: Jul 2005

Servants of Fortuna [SoF]

18 Apr 2006 at 12:41 - 2

I solo as a beastmaster often enough, and I don't mind sharing my build. It's not profitable as a farming build, but it is fun.

Beastmastery: 11 + 1 + 3 (15)
Marksmanship: 11 + 1 (12)
Expertise: 8 + 1 (9)

or

Beastmastery: 12 + 1 + 3 (16)
Marksmanship: 10 + 2 (12)
Expertise: 8 + 1 (9)

Ferocious Strike {E}
Predator's Pounce
Disrupting Lunge
Call of Haste
Tiger's Fury
Read the Wind
Charm Animal
Comfort Animal

With this set-up, you'll want a flatbow -I prefer a vampiric one- and probably either an Elder or Dire pet.

Predator's Pounce and Disrupting Lunge will help to heal your pet and mitigate some damage on it. I've lost count of the times Disrupting Lunge spam has disabled warriors' attacks or other things you'd never expect it to hit. Tiger's Fury, Read the Wind, and a flatbow will help you deal some damage while keeping a very good distance away from your enemies. Of course, as with most pet builds, Call of Haste is a necessity. The added mobility and increased attack rate are absolutely vital to pet damage dealers.

The reason this build is fun is that its a solo build without any healing for yourself. The reason is that most enemies will die before they can reach you, and the ones that would have managed to reach you can be tricked into attacking your pet instead.

MarlonB

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Apr 2006

18 Apr 2006 at 12:58 - 3

But if my pet dies ... I die ?

Jenosavel

Master of Beasts

Join Date: Jul 2005

Servants of Fortuna [SoF]

18 Apr 2006 at 13:02 - 4

Comfort Animal is a pet rez...

MarlonB

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Apr 2006

18 Apr 2006 at 13:09 - 5

Sorry, should have been more clear .... If my pet dies during combat, and all aggro turns to me .. i got a problem ? Or can i rez the pet immediatly ?

SnipiousMax

Perfectly Elocuted

Join Date: Sep 2005

18 Apr 2006 at 13:13 - 6

With a flat bow, you should stay far enough from the aggro that breaking it should your pet die would not be difficult.

Jenosavel

Master of Beasts

Join Date: Jul 2005

Servants of Fortuna [SoF]

18 Apr 2006 at 13:22 - 7

Additionally, I mentioned that it's a solo build and not a farming build. The difference is that a solo build generally takes on considerably less aggro than a farming build. You should never have more than one group of enemies on you to begin with, and your pet really shouldn't be dying. They have high armor, and Predator's Pounce recharges very, very quickly. The name of the game is to shift your usage of the three pet attacks towards whatever the situation demands of you. In dire straights, you can cut down to just the two most important attacks for a while.

Also, I don't usually even bother breaking aggro if my pet dies. I just rez it and wipe the enemies off of me and onto my pet... but until you get the hang of enemy AI, just making a break for it should work.

MarlonB

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Apr 2006

18 Apr 2006 at 13:34 - 8

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenosavel

... but it is all down to not take on more then you can handle ...

Huntmaster

Banned

Join Date: Jan 2006

I is not canadien

Guillotine Tactics [GanK]

18 Apr 2006 at 13:35 - 9

Symbiotic Bond + Call of Prot = A pretty invincible tank pet.

With this setup, your pet can take mobs in Tombs, except you will be killed because you take -28 damage from Symb Bond. A lot of it. More so then Troll can keep up, even.. Maybe with a 55 ranger with Prot Spirit it would work, seeing as you can gain energy from Ferocious strike.

Jenosavel

Master of Beasts

Join Date: Jul 2005

Servants of Fortuna [SoF]

18 Apr 2006 at 13:48 - 10

NazTH_F

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Apr 2006

18 Apr 2006 at 14:03 - 11

I have a stupid question, according to what I read, the rune is " In addition, multiple runes of the same type do not stack; if more than one is equipped, only one will function", then how is it that you can make 12+1+3 BM?

Yanman.be

Banned

Join Date: Dec 2005

Belgium

[ROSE]

18 Apr 2006 at 14:04 - 12

Because you can get 12 bm points, 1 bm hat, and 1 bm sup rune... 2 bm sup runes won't stack however.

MarlonB

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Apr 2006

18 Apr 2006 at 14:10 - 13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenosavel

Beastmastery: 11 + 1 + 3 (15)
Marksmanship: 11 + 1 (12)
Expertise: 8 + 1 (9)

or

Beastmastery: 12 + 1 + 3 (16)
Marksmanship: 10 + 2 (12)
Expertise: 8 + 1 (9) Got nother question ... why 12 in MM, if read the wind is the only MM skill ... isn't it more effecient to put it in expertise? .. or does it effect the auto-shot a lot ?

Why choose mm over expertise ?

Yanman.be

Banned

Join Date: Dec 2005

Belgium

[ROSE]

18 Apr 2006 at 14:13 - 14

I guess you'll do more damage with the extra bow attacks, and energy isn't much of a problem with ferocious strikes

NazTH_F

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Apr 2006

18 Apr 2006 at 14:15 - 15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yanman.be

Because you can get 12 bm points, 1 bm hat, and 1 bm sup rune... 2 bm sup runes won't stack however. thanks, so only the superior does stack, right, can we have more than 1 superior rune?

Yanman.be

Banned

Join Date: Dec 2005

Belgium

[ROSE]

18 Apr 2006 at 14:22 - 16

um a superior beast mastery and a superior beast mastery WILL NOT STACK, but a beastmaster mask will add +1 ( you can only wear one mask ^^ )

SnipiousMax

Perfectly Elocuted

Join Date: Sep 2005

18 Apr 2006 at 21:58 - 17

Quote:

Originally Posted by NazTH_F

thanks, so only the superior does stack, right, can we have more than 1 superior rune?

But you can use 1 superiour BM and 1 superiour Marks, etc. But generally, and in following general good practice, you only use one, because it hurts to lose more than 75 hit points.

Quote: This is not entirely true. Note the skill description:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenosavel

I really never suggest using Sybiotic Bond any time except for when training a new, low-level pet towards Dire. It doesn't slow down or reduce damage at all, it merely shifts it from your pet to you. The problem, of course, is that as a ranger it's much easier to do a lot of healing on your pet than it is to do a lot of healing on yourself.
Heal Sig actually works really well here, but you're forced to delve into tactics, thus losing points to put elsewhere.. But I agree (not that I'd disagree with the master of beasts!) that it's not the best way to mitagate damage. But it's rare I leave behind Call of Protection...Especially since it stacks with Call of Haste.

I would suggest a dire pet over the other two options. The additional damage is much more useful than the additional health.

Big Tony

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Feb 2006

Currently guildless

18 Apr 2006 at 22:05 - 18

The key for me has always been tiger fury,call of haste and ferocious strike.
Hit tiger fury when pet starts to get low on health and run in and start smacking some mobs. Ferocious strike recharges rediculously fast and i think it gives 9 or 10 mana at lvl 12 for a 5 mana skill. I love beastmasters!
but i wouldnt recomend a W/R hammer beast master. I'm..I mean "they" are too slow

Jenosavel

Master of Beasts

Join Date: Jul 2005

Servants of Fortuna [SoF]

19 Apr 2006 at 04:06 - 19

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarlonB

Got nother question ... why 12 in MM, if read the wind is the only MM skill ... isn't it more effecient to put it in expertise? .. or does it effect the auto-shot a lot ?

Why choose mm over expertise ? The nice thing about beastmastery attacks is that they're very low energy for ranger attacks. Add onto this the fact that Ferocious Strike gives a sizable net energy gain, and you should never have energy problems as a beastmaster.

Also, the damage from auto-attacking with a Vampiric Flatbow under Read the Winds and Tiger's Fury really shouldn't be overlooked.

The-Antipop

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Apr 2006

Finland

Vagabonds of Forgotten Saga

N/Mo

19 Apr 2006 at 12:56 - 20

That build sounds cool

I think I'll try that with my ranger and pet.

Jenosavel

Master of Beasts

Join Date: Jul 2005

Servants of Fortuna [SoF]

19 Apr 2006 at 13:59 - 21

Though it's a bit harder, it does work with a level 15 pet. It's what I usually use to level up my pet after it's hit the evolution I want. It's definitely slow, and you have to control your mobs carefully, but it's worth it for some nice quiet play every once and again.

ArianeB

Academy Page

Join Date: Mar 2006

Arthur

E/Mo

19 Apr 2006 at 16:12 - 22

Another way to go is try a similar set up only replace ferocious strike with Poison Arrow, and Disrupting Lunge with Feral lunge. Or, if you dont want to lose Ferocious strike, replace read the wind with apply poison. This will require moving some points into wilderness survival.

The idea is that poison and bleeding stack. But since the only arrow that causes bleeding is Melandrus Arrow -- an elite preparation, there is no way to stack it with either poison arrow or apply poison.

But you can stack both conditions fairly easily if you cause the poison and your pet causes the bleeding. And because poison arrow and feral lunge both recharge fast, you can keep both conditions going even on bosses that shake conditions off fast.

Man O Beast

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Apr 2006

Man O Beast

19 Apr 2006 at 17:53 - 23

I dont know if anyone tried out the beastmaster during the preview event, but after looking on the wiki and other places with documented new skills, i was wondering how these would change the normal beastmaster build. If you havent seen these, i suggest you take a gander, a good self/pet heal elite is in there as well as good normal skills including a poisionous bite and some new speed increases.

So, after lookin at those, anyone plan out a good factions beastmaster? Maybe even a ranger/ritualist to get his cheap ressurect?

Linkusmax

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Sep 2005

20 Apr 2006 at 06:35 - 24

Yeah I have a fairly good one for PvP at least. Of course It only uses one factions skill and thats Bestial mauling for the easy daze. I reckon stick three of these in a build and you have the possibility to daze a whole 3 monk backline with high dps to boot. Rit/Ra is somthing I havent checked out yet, but it could give your pets alot of health.

R/W Thumper
14 Beastmastery (Hat + Sup Rune)
12 Hammer Mastery
9 Expertise (Minor Rune)

Preferance + Druids Armour

Charm Animal
Comfort Animal
Hammer Bash
Irrisistable Blow
Bestial Mauling
Ferocious Strike (e)
Tigers Fury
Ressurection Signet

Huntmaster

Banned

Join Date: Jan 2006

I is not canadien

Guillotine Tactics [GanK]

20 Apr 2006 at 06:55 - 25

Quote:

Bestial Mauling
Your animal companion attempts a Bestial Mauling that deals 5..17 damage. If the attack stricks a knocked-down foe, that foe is interrupted and dazed for 5-17 seconds. Interrupted...? Knocked.. down foe.. O..k....

SnipiousMax

Perfectly Elocuted

Join Date: Sep 2005

20 Apr 2006 at 15:09 - 26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huntmaster

Interrupted...? Knocked.. down foe.. O..k.... Yea I thought that too... It should be vs. someone casting a spell instead, or without the interrupt.

blackbird71

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jun 2005

13 May 2006 at 05:57 - 27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenosavel

Symbiotic Bond
Stance. For (120...264) seconds, your animal companion gains +1 Health regeneration, and half of any physical damage dealt to your animal companion is redirected to you. (Attrib: Beast Mastery) The pet does gain one point of health regen. Not much, but I think that would qualify as slowing or reducing damage. And yes, this skill can make it difficult to keep up with healing yourself, but a monk secondary can be useful in overcoming that little obstacle.

SnipiousMax

Perfectly Elocuted

Join Date: Sep 2005

13 May 2006 at 06:37 - 28

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackbird71

The pet does gain one point of health regen. Not much, but I think that would qualify as slowing or reducing damage. And yes, this skill can make it difficult to keep up with healing yourself, but a monk secondary can be useful in overcoming that little obstacle. No, it doesn't reduce the damage taken, which is what you need to do when training a dire pet. Your pet regains what it has lost, but it still lost it to begin with, that is what Jeno was saying. Where as call of protection reduces damage by 15. That is reducing slowing not regening.

Man O Beast

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Apr 2006

Man O Beast

15 May 2006 at 04:36 - 29

So, reading this it looks like most people just stay with the ranger. Does anyone ever try to work more of the secondary in to a beastmaster build? Maybe a monk to use a staff and smiting prayers in conjunction with the pet?

Jenosavel

Master of Beasts

Join Date: Jul 2005

Servants of Fortuna [SoF]

15 May 2006 at 12:41 - 30

Some people do, but then it becomes less of a beastmaster build (in my mind) and more of a here's this body I use for corpses/to smite off of.

Investing in the pet requires a lot of room on the skill bar and a lot of attribute points spent, which is why you'll rarely see a secondary being used if the pet is being supported with attribute points.