Suggestion: Merge Charm Animal and Comfort Animal

Tarun

Tarun

Technician's Corner Moderator

Join Date: Jan 2006

The TARDIS

http://www.lunarsoft.net/ http://forums.lunarsoft.net/

Pretty much as the topic says. Merge the two skills into one. Having to take Charm Animal is pretty pointless since 95% of the time it has to be paired with Comfort Animal in order to take care of/res your pet. If you think this will unbalance the game or skill set, press Alt F4, Back or whatever. It's logical to merge the skills. They're needed for B/P groups and Rangers who use Beast Mastery. Charm Animal's only use is to capture a pet and to bring your pet into the field. Having the skills separate is like needing to have a skill in your skillbar just to hold your axe/bow/sword/hammer/wand/staff.

Wrath Of Dragons

Wrath Of Dragons

Burninate Stuff

Join Date: Aug 2005

New Mexico

E/Mo

it has been brought up in gaile conversations, and she has definitely been working toward it. im assuming it will be an improvement that comes out after the factions things settle. definitely need it tho.
/signed

quickmonty

quickmonty

Ancient Windbreaker

Join Date: May 2005

I see the search feature is down again I was looking for other threads where this has been discussed, as I know it has at least once.

But ..... yes ..... something that I would like to see in some form. Maybe charm and res in one skill, and comfort (heal) as a seperate skill?

Replicant

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jan 2006

R/Me

/signed

shaolin mind trick

shaolin mind trick

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2006

Canada

Aequitas Deis [AD]

Mo/Me

/signed

Having an extra skill slot in any build using a pet can go a long way

BahamutKaiser

BahamutKaiser

Desert Nomad

Join Date: May 2005

Heightened state of mind.

P/W

Search feature is weak. This has been brought up a dozen times, either players don't want to use a skill and get a free pet, or they want charm animal to heal their pet so they have one more skill slot, it is the same thing.

This is obviously unbalanced, having up to a lvl 20 pet which comes with 480 health and 80 AL is more then your average skills worth, being able to raise that companion and heal him with one skill is also more then a skills worth.

I find the use of Comfort animal to be particularly newbish, just because you use it 95% of the time doesn't mean it is a neccessary skill or that it is unbalanced to have 2 skills in order to bring a pet, heal him, and ressurect him. I almost never use comfort animal, the pet rarely takes so much damage in a battle that he needs healing, bringing monk healing skills can be used on my pet, myself, and human allies, and "Revive Animal" allows me to ressurect my pet, as well as any allies pets, freeing them from carrying any pet revive skills. Using Revive animal and symbiotic bond keeps my animal alive and revived easily, if I am with several other beast masters, Call of protection is better than symbiotic bond, and I don't bother healing them, because they don't die easily at all. If my pet is taking hits and getting killed instead of me or any player on my team, it is a victory, because I am alive and they are killing a sidekick.

I believe Comfort Animal is too expensive, for a mediocre cure and a very determental rez, 5 energy is more then enough, even though the skill is multifuncitonal, it doesn't amount to crap in healing at a cost of 10 energy, which is why I use revive animal instead of comfort animal, I will not waste all my energy pumping weak cures. I agree that the skill could be better, but charm animal is more then powerful enough to take a full skill slot on its own, and outside of pet control abilities, Charm Animal should not be changed.

/signatures don't mean jack, balance does.

shadowfell

shadowfell

hamonite anur ruk

Join Date: Jan 2006

Echovald Forest

[PhD] Teh Academy

Me/A

/signed

Between, charm, comfort and rez sig, thats 3 slots burned right there. No wonder people complain all rangers do is spam distracting and savage! =P All they have room left for.

Roupe

Roupe

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2005

well, id like the charm animal be redundant if u have a charmed pet, that way you only need confort animal in your skill bar.

OR

If you have a charmed animal, and charm animal in your skill bar then you can use the charm animal skill as a pet attack target command.( after all as it stands today why should I need to press it the skill?)

OR

let Confort animal heal other allied animals and pets (perhaps ,like orison of healing, perhaps like heal party)

OR

all the above

Kronos Raven

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: May 2006

E/

I think if you earn the charm skill, which truely is waste of space in the skillbar, that once the quest that earns you this is completed that this skill embeds itself into the character like a tatoo or something. and then to add a twist of chance to this change .. if your pet dies in the field and you don't want it, that you should be able to charm another pet. I mean why not allow the ranger to charm other pets if the current dies and the ranger has deteremine the pet to be useless.

just a thought

hey second thought if embedding charm or combining the charm with comfort is no good then why not increase the effect of charm or create a second charm skill, one to allow you to charm two pets??? since our levels are maxing to 20 either get the skill around level 15 or call elite charming.

just another thought

oh and for the rez sig, I feel all signets should be on a bar called signet bar seperate from skills to start with...my two cents.

/signed

BahamutKaiser

BahamutKaiser

Desert Nomad

Join Date: May 2005

Heightened state of mind.

P/W

I will agree that there is a serious lack of skill slots in all builds, which I don't like, it forces players to focus their build on one thing or another, when any character needs several key skills to be a helpful team member.

Having limited skills for you build isn't exclusive to Ranger, as an Elementist, I almost always need to bring 2 energy management skills just to operate, as well I have to put high to max points in energy storage, then put max points in an element and have enough room to actually bring attack skills.

The structure of this game dictates that there is a limit of 8 skills, it limits ranger just as much as it limits everyone else. I would like for there to be 10 skills, that way we could all make more diverse builds, but Anet wants players to be limited, and limited for one is limited for all, trying to get extra room on your skill bar so you can have more functions is an obvious imbalance, it is no different then elementist trying to get 1 skill which saves energy and heals him.

Beast mastery skills are suppose to be cheap because they are sustaining a less important companion, but that doesn't justify extra skill slots, in this way, or another.

M3lk0r

M3lk0r

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jul 2005

R/Mo

Yes, this has been debated extensivly in the past. I believe there were even suggestions of a combined Elite, requirements in BM for ress. and many more.
You see any changes to this has an affect on the infamous IWAY build, so its a bit more complicated then that.

Nevin

Nevin

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jul 2005

This would have to be an elite... Think about it

-It brings your pet into battle
-It heals your pet
-It resses your pet

That is pretty powerful... How about turning it into an elite? The only problem is the cast time.. Charm Animal = 10 seconds... Comfort Animal = 1 second. So I guess thats the balancing point.

{E}Bond Animal: 10 Energy 3 Cast Time 15 Recharge
Skill. Charm target animal. Once charmed, your animal companion will travel with you whenever you have bond animal equipped. If targeted on animal companion you heal it for 30..97 [125] Health. If your animal companion is dead, it is resurrected with 10..54 [75]% Health.

fiery

fiery

Banned

Join Date: Oct 2005

maryland

InYurFace Gaming [IYF]

R/

Disagreed, it's meant for 2 skills not all in one. I love the ranger class but this suggestion will make rangers more powerful, an extra interruption, or another skill from secondary.

BrotherGilburt

BrotherGilburt

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Feb 2006

USA

Mo/

Charm animal takes 10 seconds to cast. I assume for a reason. Merging the skills would force Anet to make it last 1 second. Thats 9 seconds less, wow. I assume it so you can't just run to a pet and cap it or cap one thats way more powerful than you alone. That probably shouldn't be changed.

/notsigned unless its made into some kind of elite skill. Even if it is... Anyways, as fiery said, its ment for 2 skills, not one.

Brother Gilburt

A_Muppet

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Dec 2005

I don't really see what you're complaining about Gilburt-when I tamed my level 20 black widow spider in the Uw, the damage it did was minimal. I think the only reason they have it so long is so it can be itnerrupted or the pet dies. Unless there's a beastmaster controlling the pet, so it can do pet attacks, a pet on it's own even at level 20 cannot kill a player unless you actively try.

MCS

MCS

Banned

Join Date: May 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by shaolin mind trick
/signed

Having an extra skill slot in any build using a pet can go a long way
Which happens to be the problem with doing this.

The fact that it takes 2 slots and high ranked guilds are still using pet builds has to mean that giving them an extra slot would only further increase the power of an already powerful build.

If it was nerfed in some way and combined I'd be fine with it.

CorstedPirate

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jan 2006

Knights of the Void

Mo/

I like the idea better of having it so that if you have a pet skill equiped then your pet comes with you. If it isn't comfort animal or revive animal, then when your pet dies you have a useless skill on your bar. That way charm is a one time use, or rather you only use it to get a pet. That makes a bit more sense to me than changing the Charm animal skill. Plus it still comes at a cost if you don't have a way to res your pet.

On the other hand, that way would also mean that one person could have revive animal and everyone else could just have a pet attack. That would be rather bad for some of the PvP builds out there I would imagine.

shardfenix

shardfenix

Banned

Join Date: Dec 2005

Il Power Overwhelming Il [HaX]

/notsigned
I think getting a level 20 ally in exchange for 1 skill slot is already overpowered,

Mandy Memory

Mandy Memory

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2005

USA

Xen of Sigils [XoO]

W/

Merge Eviscerate and Executioner's Strike since 95% of the time you will use 1 following the other.

Just because it takes 2 skills doesn't mean it shouldn't be 2 skills. Charm animal doubles your damage (Assuming equal investments in beast mastery and markmanship)...if it also healed and ressurected your pet....wow broken.

/notsigned

(And just so you know...it will never happen unless they make it a new elite skill or something...would you give up your elite slot for it? Because you are saying that you are giving up nothing for it....come on....meet me halfway.)


Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarun
Having the skills separate is like needing to have a skill in your skillbar just to hold your axe/bow/sword/hammer/wand/staff.
Actually, having the skills seporate is like needing to have a skill in your skillbar to DUAL WIELD your axe/bow/sword/hammer/wand/staff.

Priest Of Sin

Priest Of Sin

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Dec 2005

Sitting upon Kerrigan's Throne.

Live For The Swarm [ZERG]

Me/N

How to implement: If you do not have a pet, this skill (charm/comfort animal mix) takes 10s to cast. If you do have a pet, this skill is instant cast.

/signed

Zubey

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2005

Wildly Unsuccessful Pacifists

I'd be happy if Charm Animal just worked as a rez too.

Even if it was the worst rez ever: 10 second casting time and 5% health

reverse_oreo

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Dec 2005

Scars Meadows [SmS] Officer (not recruiting)

You dont even need to merge the two. Take charm animal to aquire the pet, then just change comfort animal to have the same effect as charm in the means of being able to bring your pet with

/signed tbh D:

Dougal Kronik

Dougal Kronik

Forge Runner

Join Date: Aug 2005

Ontario, Canada

Glengarry Fencibles

R/

As stated in previous threads:

Make the Charm Animal into a Tame Signet.
Changes to Tamed <Pet Type or Name> Signet.
Multiple Signets can be kept in your skill inventory.
Choose which Signet when you enter an explorable area. (Only one signet can be equipped at a time).
Most players wouldn't mind using a slot to bring their pet into battle this way as they would be able to have multiple pets. Depending on which signet you equip.

Charm (or Tame) and Comfort are kept as two separate skills but the Tame Signet adds more versatility in that the Rangers can keep multiple pets.

Tarun

Tarun

Technician's Corner Moderator

Join Date: Jan 2006

The TARDIS

http://www.lunarsoft.net/ http://forums.lunarsoft.net/

Bump.

Zubey

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2005

Wildly Unsuccessful Pacifists

Quote:
Originally Posted by reverse_oreo
You dont even need to merge the two. Take charm animal to aquire the pet, then just change comfort animal to have the same effect as charm in the means of being able to bring your pet with
I like this solution too.

Lepton CFd

Lepton CFd

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2006

Pantheon of Shadows [dei]

Mo/Me

Seems as though ANet set it as 2 skills for a reason. However, if they did have it as 1 skill, it would HAVE to be Elite and have to have strict requirements. Perhaps a certain level of Beast Mastery in order to do the different things (i.e., a certain level of BM to have this skill in your skillbar, therefore meaning you have a pet, a certain level of BM to be able to heal your pet, and a certain level of BM to be able to rezz your pet).

Panquo

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Apr 2005

Planet Earth

R/Mo

/signed

Infinity^

Infinity^

Academy Page

Join Date: Jan 2006

House Behelit

R/

/signed

Quote:
Originally Posted by reverse_oreo
You dont even need to merge the two. Take charm animal to aquire the pet, then just change comfort animal to have the same effect as charm in the means of being able to bring your pet with
Is the best solution i've seen so far.


Quote:
Originally Posted by shardfenix
/notsigned
I think getting a level 20 ally in exchange for 1 skill slot is already overpowered,
Flesh Golem*

*yes, I know it's not an actual ally, but at level 26 who cares?

Kailin Aer

Kailin Aer

Academy Page

Join Date: Nov 2005

USA

Bad Karma Resurrection [BKR]

/signed

Xasew

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Sep 2005

Storm Bearers[SB]

"If you bring a Pet Skill in battle, you will automatically have your pet with you." That would make it simple.

freekedoutfish

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jun 2006

E/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarun
Pretty much as the topic says. Merge the two skills into one. Having to take Charm Animal is pretty pointless since 95% of the time it has to be paired with Comfort Animal in order to take care of/res your pet. If you think this will unbalance the game or skill set, press Alt F4, Back or whatever. It's logical to merge the skills. They're needed for B/P groups and Rangers who use Beast Mastery. Charm Animal's only use is to capture a pet and to bring your pet into the field. Having the skills separate is like needing to have a skill in your skillbar just to hold your axe/bow/sword/hammer/wand/staff.
Ive only just started using a ranger, so im no expert.

But your suggesting merging the two?

So when you dont have an animal, and you select the now merged skill, it will capture you an animal.

If you do have an animal it will only heal it.

So how (and I could be wrong in my understanding of loosing and charming a new pet), would you go about getting a new pet if you wanted to loose the one you have.

If your unable to charm a new one because the skill is set to heal, your stuck?

Caleb

Caleb

Nil nisi malis terrori.

Join Date: Aug 2005

Mo/Me

/signed

teenchi

teenchi

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2005

PST

Heros of Titans Realm [HotR]

W/Mo

/signed! I have totally given up on pet build all together because of how many slots it hogs. I love certain pet builds but I hate that waste of a slot.

teenchi

teenchi

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2005

PST

Heros of Titans Realm [HotR]

W/Mo

Quote:
Ive only just started using a ranger, so im no expert.

But your suggesting merging the two?

So when you dont have an animal, and you select the now merged skill, it will capture you an animal.

If you do have an animal it will only heal it.

So how (and I could be wrong in my understanding of loosing and charming a new pet), would you go about getting a new pet if you wanted to loose the one you have.

If your unable to charm a new one because the skill is set to heal, your stuck?
Oh good point. What about once you have charmed an animal you can unequip that one and comfort animal acts as a dual skill where it automatically equips the pet?

Solar_Takfar

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2006

just drop the animal at a tamer. it's always worked like that.

Plastic Cutlery

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jun 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by freekedoutfish
Ive only just started using a ranger, so im no expert.

But your suggesting merging the two?

So when you dont have an animal, and you select the now merged skill, it will capture you an animal.

If you do have an animal it will only heal it.

So how (and I could be wrong in my understanding of loosing and charming a new pet), would you go about getting a new pet if you wanted to loose the one you have.

If your unable to charm a new one because the skill is set to heal, your stuck?
This isn't an issue honestly... you can't go out with your current pet and capture a new one anyway... you have to turn him into a Tamer or whatever (like the one outside Ascalon) and after that he is no longer with you, so charm/comfort merged would work like it should.

Plastic Cutlery

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jun 2006

Dang error... double post sorry.

Sir Mad

Sir Mad

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2006

Moe's Pub

Pigs Can Fly [Pigs]

R/

/not signed, for all the reasons explained in all the threads about this.

Dougal Kronik

Dougal Kronik

Forge Runner

Join Date: Aug 2005

Ontario, Canada

Glengarry Fencibles

R/

Just change Charm Animal into Tame Signet.

You can have multiple Tame Signet that change to Tame Melandru Stalker Signet, or Tame Black Widow Signet.

You can choose which Signet to equip, that brings that pet with you.

Thus Comfort Animal does not change, and the other slot is actually used becasue you are bringing a specific pet associated with the Signet.

Pathfinder_Monk

Pathfinder_Monk

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jun 2006

House of Blackrock [HoB]

Mo/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by Xasew
"If you bring a Pet Skill in battle, you will automatically have your pet with you." That would make it simple.
Yep.

Or if that won't fly: Allow other rez skills (signet, rebirth, etc.) to target a pet. Other players can already throw a heal at a pet, why not open it up a bit and allow pets to be rez'd, too?