Creature Handler Archive
Thread: Discussion Topic: Know your Role
Secondly, I don't want to have to rely on somebody else to supply me with my mount. If I can get my spat tonight, he'll probably end up being my first mount. Him or Chalupa my Cu Pa.
Hehe, I want to get a slicehound and call him Yeller ;-)
Plunk
I'm not almost an MCH (3 boxes to go), but here comes my 2cts....
1. Whatwas the appeal of the Creature Handler profession to you? In other words, what things make being a Creature Handler something you have chosen to do?
As I was decided on going to be Master Ranger I had a long talk with one before it. He suggested to pick up Riflemen to be at least somewhat able to do combat. So I started out for those professions as well as Novice Medic. When I learned more from the game, the diverse creatures and that they could be "controlled" in some way became very appealing, so I made the switch to MRanger/MCH. I had to drop to Rifleman -1-- (only concealshot) and anything else.
Since then I have found myself to be Roleplaying a lot (which I like) and have fun with other CHs when talking about our pets or companions. Even telling the stories how we got them to strangers are appreciated.
As for combat, as a soloist ranger, I feel no need to group, tough I occasionaly do. My companions are my tanks in case a plan goes wrong. Using concealshot allows me to take out most, but sometimes I get aggroed and in that case my companions come to my rescue.
I also find it fun to ride them; had a laugh a few days ago when I met another CH and we both took out our Dewbacks and did a little dance with them
Even when I knew I would not be able to PVP with a decent combat profession (Ranger has only traps which only work on AI controlled creatures) beside a bit of riflemen, I choose CH because it sounds like fun. Even tough it's sometimes ridicilous (see further).
2. What role(s) do you, as Creature Handlers, fill in the game world? For example: Tanks, damage-dealers, roleplayers, status effect inflicters (i.e. poison, disease, knockdown), resource harvesters, mission runners, pet salesmen, pet trainers, etc. Which roles (combat or non-combat)does the CH fill better than any other profession?
To be honest: a novelty, occasionaly training/naming a pet for a non-ch or a beginning ch. Roleplaying.
PVP: not done. Not a chance
PVE: possible, but as someone mentioned before... pets (wether BE-ed or tamed ones) always go down too fast against similar (level) creatures. So it's not a combat profession either. With 3 pets out, maxing to level 70 (only human), I can have 3 level 23 out... Why level 70? Everything else maxes at level 100... And can be increased by CA/AAs but not max creature level. So far there is no way to go up against a rancor lair with 3 pets and only a bit of riflemen but in a group. Not thatI would mind being in a group, but pets are not allways appreciated (standing in the way, stealing (?) xp, annoying) nor are they viable: pathing problems, calling problems before/after and so on.
Fun:roleplaying, go out and tame, teaching, can be fun, but other than that no use for CH... 
As for saling tamed: why? they're never better then their BE counterparts. And nobody is going to pay for someone to tame. So as in pet sales, training: 0.0 credits, except the occasional tip from nice players that do understand the profession and appreciate it.
3. What should a Creature Handler's place in a hunting group be? Everyone in the group wants to feel important... what should make the Creature Handler an important addition? What would it take to get us to that point?
In a hunting group I think, a CH and his pets should help out the group by whatever means... Protecting the weaker players, tanking againts the nasty ones, riding them along swoops and be able to retreat while pets stay in fight and slowly draw back. Stampede into a mob of bad guys and so on.
Sort of cavalerie... Allow pets controlled by CH's to be mounted by NON-chs to retreat fast...Imaginge 2 CH's in a group with both of them having out 3 mounted pets... 2 pets with combat medics, 2 with riflemen and 2 attacking/tanking/protecting... Would be a great group experience for everyone involved.
1. Whatwas the appeal of the Creature Handler profession to you? In other words, what things make being a Creature Handler something you have chosen to do?
The thrill of finding and taming new pets. They have saved me many a time. Most people don't seem toshare my enthusiasm for going some where just becasue I've never been there. I think I have traveled over 9/10 of talus, and a swoop doesn't let you have much sight seeing time. I like to explore, and having a protector while doing it is appealing. Also it is nice to show people creatures they have never seen before.
2. What role(s) do you, as Creature Handlers, fill in the game world? For example: Tanks, damage-dealers, roleplayers, status effect inflicters (i.e. poison, disease, knockdown), resource harvesters, mission runners, pet salesmen, pet trainers, etc. Which roles (combat or non-combat)does the CH fill better than any other profession?
In the game world, currently I seem to be a travelling circus. Sometimes a harvester, othertimes a roleplayer.
I can't sell pets, and what would be the point? unless it is a rare pet, other CH's prolly already have one. Plus non-CH's can't use most of the mounts or pets i find. I can't solo big missions like a TKA, so why run missions exept for a bit of cred (key word "bit"). Tanking?? sure a meat sheild is good if you can't find a TKA.
3. What should a Creature Handler's place in a hunting group be? Everyone in the group wants to feel important... what should make the Creature Handler an important addition? What would it take to get us to that point?
What should it be? Well depending on your playstyle and your pets.
A tank or damage dealerif you have a pet worthy of being one, depending on what you are hunting.
A status inflictor if that is what the group needs, and if your pets are capable .
What do I feel like now? just another person so the group gets better missions with a meat sheild add-on. But I'd rather solo, I'm rarely around civilization to look for a group. I'm suppose to be able to command pets that can maul the unwary, so why would i want to group.It has already been mentioned that SWG is a very social game. My friends list is a very long one, and I have only been playing a short time.
So what shouldmy place in a group be for my playstyle and skills......I should be the leader of a group of pets, able to kick some serious creature carcass. Depending on my CH level and my pets. Also known as aSolo group. I have no problem being in group with other players, but I shouldn't have tojust so I can kill creatures other profesions kill alone with ease.
Message Edited by SirCruelT on 02-09-2005 02:36 AM
-Elder Medic-- A couple of things got me into CH: Fun, and Practical Value. Of all the professions I tried, CH still has the highest pure-fun level, hands down. I have more screenshots of me taming a dangerous pet or using my pets or looking at a creature and wondering what kind of pet they'd make than any other single topic in this game. Hang it all, despite all the nerfs and all the derision I get from other players, I stick with CH... because it is just plain fun!
- There is a huge gap between the actual present-day role of CH and what ought to be the role of CH's. My profession's actual role in the game is enhanced solo gameplay -- my pets help me pull more-valuable, tougher missions, and later, to complete those missions by tanking for my otherwise low-defense character while he dishes out the heavy damage from afar. My pets don't do enough damage to qualify as primary combat tools, so they default to "tank" status. And at the level I am playing these days, they're increasingly fragile relative to the high-level MoBs I take on with increasing regularity.
- Pets ought to be superb tanks and superb damage dealers and status-effect changers. They ought to excel at this role in both PvP and PvE. Unfortunately, they fail miserably in PvP, because of the repeated layers of draconian nerfs. Now, all a pet can do in PvP is induce lag. Other players hate waiting for my pets to materialize after being summoned. The 15-second timer on pet callups is unmatched by any other profession for pulling out its primary tool. This resentment is due to one simple fact: For every possible use for a pet, there is a player profession that does it better. I use pets mainly as tanks -- but TKM's and fencers sporting a full set of buffs and composite armor are infinitely better tanks than my pets. I use pets to inflict state changes-- but a fencer or even I myself can outperform my pets on this one.
My call is the same one being voiced by creature handlers all over the world: Un-nerf pets!
1. Whatwas the appeal of the Creature Handler profession to you? In other words, what things make being a Creature Handler something you have chosen to do?
Just being able to tame and have pets. As a Scout, it sometimes gets to be lonely out in the wilderness. My pet keeps me company, and I enjoy watching my pet(s) grow up, and mature. They will always watch your back, and will never turn on you, or abandon you.
2. What role(s) do you, as Creature Handlers, fill in the game world? For example: Tanks, damage-dealers, roleplayers, status effect inflicters (i.e. poison, disease, knockdown), resource harvesters, mission runners, pet salesmen, pet trainers, etc. Which roles (combat or non-combat)does the CH fill better than any other profession?
Too new to rate. As of now, I use my young cu pa to attack lairs, and I kill the mob's around the lair.
3. What should a Creature Handler's place in a hunting group be? Everyone in the group wants to feel important... what should make the Creature Handler an important addition? What would it take to get us to that point?
The CH's role in hunting is very important, most hunters do not go hunting without their hunting party. One of the best things about CH is when a new player is taken on a big game hunt. The pet is able to guard a member of the party as well. This is especially good when you are helping a new player grind.