Determining primary pet question.

[Hendric]

Good morning tamers!

I have a question regarding determining who will be my primary pet, i.e. which one will tank if I'm using multiple tames. For example, my mare always tanks when I pair him with a rune beetle. Is it just that my mare gets the first strike in?

Best regards,

Hendric

 

[Grace of Minoc]

The pet you take out of the stable first will be the tank. Sometimes the other pet will end up tanking as a creature spawns, but most of the time it will be the first pet.

 

[Hendric]

The pet you take out of the stable first will be the tank. Sometimes the other pet will end up tanking as a creature spawns, but most of the time it will be the first pet.

Thanks for the info! I had no idea that was the case.

 

[jeza]

On top of what's already been said a couple of things to consider :
You can make certain of which pet will take the aggro by simply have a macro with : "petname kill", use first the one you want to tank then use the other only once your tank pet has begun to attack.
Aggro may switch mid fight , 2 common reasons for that : you use peace , it wears off , the next pet to hit will take the aggro, same one with the mob using invis on himself.

 

[Hendric]

Thanks for the additional input, Jeza!

So far just by taking out my beetle first and my mare second has made a world of difference. I will keep that in mind to. Another factor is the "dragon AI" I think it's called, including paragons, liches, and dragons, switching targets. I got taken down by a lich that way the other day. Gotta be more careful I suppose!

 

[jeza]

Yes paragons are a pain, I have peace and that helps (area peace + invis) but I also noticed this :

As long as I don't move once the paragon has aggroed my pet it doesn't change aggro. But keep in mind that I don't deal any direct damage to the paragon and I stand with my pet between me and the paragon so it may help with that.
But of course , and this is valid for any mob, if I'm hit by an area attack, then it'll switch aggro on me over my pet. So for example succubus, even the non paragon ones, I stay away from her area damage range and use a Cu because he can heal himself.

If I really need to move for whatever reason while in sight of a paragon I'll walk very slowly. It's mostly safe but any fast movement and he's on me like white on rice. If the move is done in order to come in range of your pet to heal then it would be a better idea to have your pet walk to you with the paragon in tow. But of course sometimes it's not possible and you just have to take a chance but be very careful to be slow : one step, a tiny pause, one step etc

 

[Hendric]

A neat trick I learned from these forums a long time ago was to use teleport instead of moving. Sometimes it's hard to get up next to the paragon due to being unable to teleport to that spot but most of the time it will work.

 

[jeza]

Oh teleport !
Thank you so much for the trick I would never have thought about it