ranged pet update MM Pets & Henchmen Updates (Jan 23rd Update)

[Dr Causality]

I finally got around trying out pets after the recent update that just fixed ranged Bots, Mercs and Thugs tie1 and tier2 henchmen from running into punch things when they have guns and lasers.

 

Pretty amazing difference.    With this change it should be so easy to level up either Bots/Storm, Mercs/Storm, or Thugs (since the update also applied to their tier1 and tier2.)     Once you get Hurricane, you can just leave it running and the pets stay near you in defensive bodyguard mode, so well inside of your Hurricane safe zone.  All the critters keep trying to run at you, into the Hurricane so keep getting repelled and Knocked Down, while the pets just stand there and picking them off like it's a shooting gallery.   It also felt like a notable DPS increase, which makes sense because their melee attacks are weak, combined with anytime they spent running to a target was time they weren't attacking...so now pets are attacking more frequently with their higher dmg attacks...

 

 

This is a big mechanics tactics change.   What new strategies or play styles do you think this will open up or will be best now?

 

 

I'm thinking storm will be helped the most.  Followed maybe probably Traps.   But any 2ndary set that creates a safe or kill zone, or has tools to keep critters at a distance should be significantly better now with Bots, Mercs or Thugs.  

 

• Hurricane slotted with KB to KD, already mentioned was easy mode.
• Bonfire was also effective.  Bots stayed in the safety of the Bonfire with Overwhelming proc, while I Taunted enemies to come fight us in the flames.   Any enemies that made to the Bonfire without dying just started bouncing from the Overwhelming proc, then Assault Bot laid his Burn Patch on top of the Bonfire and the mobs just melted.    So setup works like drop Bonfire around a corner.  Tell Bots to stay, run around the corner to pull, then run back stand in your Bonfire, and set Bots back to Defensive.   The Critters come around the corner into the firing range and the ones that don't immediately die end up bouncing in the Bonfire, while the Bots pick them off.      Only problem was eating AOE's.  But if playing a Tankermind, that can be solved once you get a feel for how far away from pets you can move without them following you.  Once you a feel for that distance you can taunt the initial attacks to your MM while you're  a safe distance from pets...

 

But also any immobilize or significant slow power that keeps critters from closing the gap, should let your pets just pick them off at range.: 

• So /Dark's Tar Patch  or /Time's Distortion Field slotted for a bit of slow.   Caltrops, Glue Arrow etc. 
• For leveling probably any reliable AOE Knockdowns you can cycle or combine with Slows would work well.
• So early /Storm's Gale should be great before they get Hurricane. 
• Or probably even any aoe with chance of KB slotted with an Overwhelming proc, to make it more reliable.  So the recent 'Wall of Force' from 'Force of Will' pool with  /Thug's Empty Clips, /Merc's M30 Grenade. 
• Or if you can't cycle KD's,  then a KD combined with slows like Tar Patch, or maybe even /Cold's Snow Storm should let you keep mobs at distance while pets shoot them. 
• Once you get access to immoblize from the Epics should be easy mode. 

 

Using support healing zones should be much better now too.

• Pets will finally stay in Nature's Lifegiving Spores  or Triage Beacon's healing field...
• Should be easier to keep pets near Dark Servant now, so /Dark will likely be more self-sufficient.

 

Thoughts?   

 

The funny thing is I'm not sure how I'm going to play my normal Tankermind style now.    I used to count on the pets being bugged to do melee attacks, so I planned on MM being in the heart of the battle with them, so that pets were always nearby enough for heals and buffs. (Except of course there was always that one that ran off by itself to punch something...)     But now if I run to specific targets the pets tend to stay where they are shooting things, so we get spread out.  And when they do move to follow me they don't come all the way to what I'm attacking.     If I command them to move to spot near me, then it would take themout of BG mode.    I guess I could just spam follow until they get to where I am, but that would stop them from shooting for that time.  Definitely a game improvement I'm super excite to have, but I will have to relearn how to play my Bots and Thugs.       

 

[nzer]

4 hours ago, Dr Causality said:

If I command them to move to spot near me, then it would take themout of BG mode.

Bodyguard mode works with goto and stay as well as follow as long as the pets are in defensive stance, you're fine to command them to move somewhere near you

[Dr Causality]

11 hours ago, nzer said:

Bodyguard mode works with goto and stay as well as follow as long as the pets are in defensive stance, you're fine to command them to move somewhere near you

Interesting, I must have gotten it confused with BG not working when tell pets to attack your target, even if they are in Defensive...      

 

If BG mode works with Defensive Goto, then all ranged MM sets have a lot of tactics available now with these changes.      For Tankermind builds you'll finally be able to have your pets stand safely away from the AOE damage in AV fights while you Taunt the AV.    

[nzer]

31 minutes ago, Dr Causality said:

Interesting, I must have gotten it confused with BG not working when tell pets to attack your target, even if they are in Defensive...      

 

If BG mode works with Defensive Goto, then all ranged MM sets have a lot of tactics available now with these changes.      For Tankermind builds you'll finally be able to have your pets stand safely away from the AOE damage in AV fights while you Taunt the AV.    

They still need to be close enough for you to heal them when necessary, and some of the pet unique auras are fairly small (20' iirc), but yes, it opens up some possibilities.

[Force Redux]

On 1/30/2020 at 1:08 PM, Dr Causality said:

Interesting, I must have gotten it confused with BG not working when tell pets to attack your target, even if they are in Defensive...      

 

If BG mode works with Defensive Goto, then all ranged MM sets have a lot of tactics available now with these changes.      For Tankermind builds you'll finally be able to have your pets stand safely away from the AOE damage in AV fights while you Taunt the AV.    

The AI changes really opened up tactics for my MMs. 

 

My  Bots/FF was able to use Force Bubble to keep farm mobs our of melee while the pets stayed in place and used range. Very handy, for instance. Normally the Bubble is too big and pets run it of it. Not any more!