Shattered Kingdoms

If storebought pets are wimped than this will be such a huge burden on so many classes it'd be ridiculous. Priests would be screwed, as would rogues and it'd be mandatory for them to join a tribunal just to have a guard to survive long enough to flee should they have any enemies. Besides, as it stands now if you can't 2-4 round a pet, you're doing something wrong. I've seen some barbs / mercs able to decimate pets almost instantaneously not to mention rogues / sorcs can just petrify them. Pets are the only defense that some classes have to not spam die to every merc / barb they meet. And you know as well as I do that playing a completely neutral character is impossible. You're always on -someone's- list.

If it takes more circle stabs to kill a barb, either the barb was an idiot, or you just suck. And the fact that it took you four circle stabs, says a lot about your char.

I disagree. I currently play a rogue and the only thing I use a pet for is to prevent being bashed. I do not expect it to tank for me or last a significant amount of time. Maybe a round or so, so I have to time to move out of the room, flee or quaff recall. And, yes, if you want to blow a petrification scroll, you can instantly kill a pet. I fail to see how that justifies certain store bought horses have more HP than GM mercenaries and barbarians that trained HP.

It is fairly obvious from the comments in this thread that we will have to agree to disagree. Whatever Dulrik decides to do or not to do, I am fine with. It is not a game breaking issue, but it is a bit silly that horses are more durable than GM characters.

I think it's funny that you're talking about 2-4 round a storebought pet when there are front-row PC GMs that routinely get 2-3 rounded.

It would take my rogue roughly three circle stabs to kill a GM barbarian that has trained max HP. This is based on actual game play - not theory.

It takes my character between three and four circles to kill imperial warhorses and armored warhorses. This is with Herculean strength, high level frenzy, a certain cabal skill that is mastered and a two-handed straight dagger that is +7/7 or thereabouts.

Yes, I get it. You can petrify pets with scrolls. However, I don't have an unlimited supply and that is simply not a strong argument as to why these pets should have more HP than a GM warrior class. It would slow down leveling a bit. In the end, I am fine with whatever happens.

THIS.

Have you ever tried to stab a horse to death?

I have on a few occasions, but it is rare for neither party to be in combat. Especially when guard NPCs are involved and automatically initiate combat faster than any human being can react.

Anyway, I know I haven't seen a recent log where a pet took 4 circle stabs to die. Even then, I'd be very curious to know what all the mitigating factors were behind that. If you're looking to argue that circle stab needs a buff (Which is, of course, why you made this thread) you picked a bad thread title.

Just gave a look see, and a GM heal gave my thick-maned lion about 32% HP. Hope you enjoy that since it made me age-death my shelved priest! In comparison, Alaric quaffed a double heal vial for 26% in a recent log.


And Finney: I think Baldric meant IRL. That said, I would wager that on average for most pets, 2-3 circles would be enough, but with sanc that gets pushed to 3-4. If you were to circle stab a barbarian who was sanc'ed and taking absolutely no damage from any other sources, it would take him at least 3 stabs also. One difference is that the horse won't quaff heals.

In short, if horses are more durable than GM PCs, it's not the horses' fault.

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I meant in real life.