Lyone_Manes

So here's where we disagree: You want them to fix the existing mechanic...I don't, honestly, think that's an option and feel that if you're trying to say that it "Takes away" from Teleport Target...it's only MMs who have to do this on a Power available to every AT, so it should NOT be taking away from existing powers, if the only reason you took it is because it helps move your Pets around, I'd say that simply proves the point I've been making, and if you say 'it's not the only reason', even if it was a large reason...and the reason you think it 'takes away' from the Power, that still is a problem. Teleport Target's usefulness shouldn't be diminished by not being a useful way to move pets around. I, also, don't think "fixing" the mechanic is likely to result in much change...the issue is the pathing and such is going to always be problematic. This solution requires the least effort, and the most immediate results. Meaning they can spend time on other far more important and actually fixable things. (Side-note: I really wish there was a "Carry" command for escort NPCs where you can freeze all your offensive powers in order to "carry" the NPC. Then you don't need to worry about trying to fix something that is probably not fixable...you're moving yourself. PLUS...it's very appropriate for the game. Both hero and villain side.)

I think, overall, the simplest reason I feel it's needed as simply a Pet Command: A Brute doesn't need to get a START power to use Fury in a group. A Tank doesn't need to get a START power to use their shields in a group. A Stalker doesn't need a START power to use Hide in a group. A Defender doesn't need a START power to be able to offer support to Players in a group. I need a START power to in-consistently use my pets on my MM in a group.

As someone who plays "Bad" options, I would prefer we not base corrections on popularity. 😛 Being popular just means it should be even more heavily considered for proper balance, as more people are affected by it.

But isn't cheap or easy for new people to get. It's cheap to many players because many have been around awhile and have like 30 million sitting around to do whatever with...or have a 50 to go farm it quick...or whatever. So only vets are allowed to have limited usefulness of a thing that will help with the problem once every however long the delay on it is? (Usually 30 minutes for those iirc?)

Niche use, yes. And requires forcing all MMs to go Teleport just to be able to recall their Pets to be able to use them consistently in groups...One at a time. So once again...doesn't really help with the issue at hand? The auto-Recall isn't working...this is my suggestion to fix that broken mechanic that they're supposed to already have.

I think the big issue here is...They don't really Tank any better than Scrappers and don't do more damage than Brutes. Individuals they may do more, but the Tanks hit more targets with fairly similar levels of damage. They should have HP set to be between Scrapper and Tank....They're too squishy atm. For Damage...I'm not really sure. The Damage Auras should, in my opinion, be their real "Key Skill" Maybe make it tick a little faster for them than others based on number of enemies or something? Or something.

Thing is, you're talking about Boxing/Kick as being equal to Teleport Target. In order for all the other ATs to fly, they only need fly. For them to Teleport, they only need Teleport. For us to recall our Minions we need to take Teleport Target. We need to take 2 of Hover/Air Superiority/Fly...or 2 of Teleport Target/Combat Teleport/Teleport just to be able to use Teleport or Fly on our Minions. Boxing/Kick may not be awesome, but they are attacks you can still use pretty consistently and is a single "Skill Point" invested. We need 1 invested just to efficiently -use- our Minions...and another to be able to teleport inefficiently with them...Or 2 more 2 be able to Fly with with AND Teleport Target for the Recall. So at -least- 2 Skill Slots invested in things that serve no real purpose and have no consistent use beyond enabling the better use of core mechanics. I would still want the recall -without- the existing Skill Slot tax...because no one else needs to spend a skill point just to use their core AT Mechanics consistently. I just want to keep up with my damn team. Sure I can dismiss and re-summon...but by the time I've done that the fight is basically already over...and I get to start over. Just making Manual Recall lets me actually participate more consistently.

They could just not automate it...make it a Pet-Command. It can already be done...just making it on-demand instead of automated doesn't seem like it's asking for a lot.

0) ...Good to know you're the only one whose statements aren't theoretical because you've played MMs. While I'm sure there may be 1 or 2 others out there, I have done so as well. This seems to either imply your opinion matters more or mine doesn't at all? Seems completely un-necessary. 1) Re-summoning is a good thing, but it's not perfect. You also occasionally get the glitch where you Dismiss a Summon and then can't summon a new one because it's still on the map stuck somewhere. By pulling them instantly to you -ON COMMAND- instead of automatically, you can fix that issue. It should also not be a "Targetable" command, but rather be limited to targeting yourself. That way you can't send the pets wherever you want...just pull them to you. 2) It can, but that doesn't remove the usefulness of this option in dealing with the various AI issues. It isn't perfect, but it'd at least be better than what we have while using existing mechanics so not requiring a lot of coding changes. 3) ...This really has absolutely no bearing on the conversation. You want to stop that kinda thing, you deal with the problem itself and there's only so much you can do about it. This doesn't make that easier, harder, better or change -anything- in how they would do things. 4) I'm glad that it's one of the last things you'd worry about, personally, I don't limit myself to thinking about multiple things at once and offering suggestions that I feel would improve the game for me.

That's great...but it seems silly to need to get other powers to help control the core aspect of the Class you're playing? I still think it's stupid an MM needs to get "Group Teleport" or "Group Fly" to have their Minions Fly/Teleport with them. Again...it's extra expenses on powers that no one else needs to do to use their core abilities effectively. This is a simple solution that doesn't hurt to simply add as an optional command.

So...I suspect you guys are going nuts with lots of MM Stuff. But was talking in General and had this thought: Could MMs get a default "Recall Pets" command which instantly teleports them to you and resets their AI and such? Could make it like the "Goto" command, but with "Teleportation" that auto-targets yourself as the target point? It won't fix some of the AI issues, but it would improve things a lot I think using existing mechanics...

Went ahead and replied there. 🙂 I think a lot of folks want individual customization...which I think is asking a lot. I figure there's a lot of groups to pull generic appearances from in the game already...Arachnos, Longbow, Sky Raiders, etc. etc...Using those wouldn't seem to use any more memory than is already being used when we enter a map?

So...there's a lot of ideas to individually and specifically customize the MM Pets...but I think that's asking a lot with the old coding and such. I believe most Maps pull from specific "Enemy Groups" with generic descriptions..."Arachnos Soldier" "Mu Blaster", etc, etc. Couldn't you just allow us to choose from the default pool that's already there? We could have an option to select which group each tier pulls from as maybe a section like "Weapons" in the Tailor?

I'm just wondering if I'm missing something...but Energy Drain is Tier-7 Power, and Power Sink is a Tier-8 Power...but Energy Drain seems superior to Power Sink? Power Sink: 10' Radius, -40% Endurance Debuff on Target, -100% Recovery Rate for 4s and +25 End. Energy Drain: 12' Radius, -33% Endurance Debuff on Target, -100% Recovery Rate for 4s, +25 End and +0.38 or +0.75 to basically every Defense for 45 Seconds.(More or less permanent since they can easily get the time down to 45 seconds Recharge.) Same Recharge Rate, same Endurance cost, the activation time for Power Sink is .3 seconds less. For a Defensive Power...In nearly every way it just seems like the T8 power is weaker? Maybe give it a similar Resistance to everything?

So...I assume there's all sorts of coding stuff/difficulties with MM Pets...so here's a thought on how to allow us to adjust them(maybe through Costume Editor or such?) What about the possibility of allowing people a "Pet Customization" where you change the default group it pulls from? Like Hellions, CoT, Council, Wyvern, Longbow, Arachnos, etc...? Could pull from the same default options that I assume Missions do, but for appearances only? I would -REALLY- rather the "Weapons" options be part of Secondary Groups, specifically...could you have the "Attacks" be fairly generic, but associate the Animations with Weapons determined by the Secondary Power? A Magic Staff for the Plant, Rifle/Plasma Blaster for Force Field, I dunno...anything other than being forced to take a specific weapon with a specific Minion. 😛

Honestly...I feel like only 2 things need to really be done to make MMs better: 1) Make all the "Buff" Powers enhanceable with Sets. Right now most of them can't be used for -ANYTHING-...and Procs/Constant Enhancement Buffs are what is important right now. You can limit them to the MM Sets(which is an AWESOME idea...allow the Minion-Powers to be freed up for better abilities.) 2) Have more options for Pets to Proc and be affected directly by. Whether it's Resistance, Defense, Hit Points, really doesn't matter...more Pet-Focused Procs would help a LOT. That is my opinion. 😛