Ranger Archive

You see an awful lot more EvE (ie critter vs critter) fights occuring on most planets of late. Typically a mob/critter will run across another mob/critter, aggro it, and fur starts flying. Which set me to thinking if used carefully, you can get wild pets to do some of the nasty hunting work for you. It does work with a bit of planning.

Cammed up, take a few long range shots at a target. Critter eventually realises you are taking chunks out of its hide and rushes you. At which point you retreat quickly with a run/walk through the nest of aggro critters you scouted earlier. Target critter then tries to do the same, and gets jumped by the aggros who have just ignored you. Instant critter fight with the chasing critter stopping to fight the other mobs. You then stand there taking leisurely shots at the first critter. Your wild "meat shield" takes all the damage and you get the chance to use your ranged weapon at a range it's comfortable at.

Depending on the relative levels involved, this can work many many times until your meat shield critters are eventually broken. And I guess it would be of some benefit to melee types. The only thing to watch is that you don't accidentally target your meat shield - otherwise your troubles have just doubled!

OK, you don't get all the xp, but you should still get a decent harvest - especially from critters you'd normally shy away from. And it seems quite "rangery" to use the natural environment and your brains to help in a hunt, rather than just wading in with feet and energy bolts.

Ya they are mussing each other up much more than they used to. Or is more like they used to? lol. I've heared some comments that they used to do this a lot more and stoped at some point.

Yes, the devs in the last patch gave the animals back their ferocity level. The higher it is, the most likely they will fight other animals and the quicker they will fight you. There is a thread about it in the CH(Creature Handlers) forums

Just before the servers reset today I was on Naboo paying the rent on one of our guilds beach huts.

Standing out front, admiring the view, I spot a Lambda shuttle coming in fast. Quick check on my character sheet in case I'd inadvertantly left my 'shoot me' sign on, saw I was in the clear so went round to see who the visitors were.

Dropship of Storm Commando. Hmm. Bit tough for me right now, been in space so more than 50% wounds... Still, there's some critters around, lets see if I can use the ST's firepower to help with the hunting. Been doing it that way for a dogs age and it can be quite fun. Try as I might I just couldn't interest those guys in shooting any of the local beasties. Hmm, maybe that's been nerfed then, or maybe it's my -ve Imp faction thats making htem not want to be helpful...

OK, servers nearly going off, might as well do something rash.

There's some tusk cat riders nearby. They don't like me either. I run up, utter a few oaths in their direction and then try and outrun the tusk cats as they come tearing out onto the beach. The NPC's are spamming AoE attacks. JUST what I needed... as I /burst into the ST patrol.

All hell broke loose.

Stormies got hit by AoE, start firing back and lobbing grenades. Cats lose interest in my rapidly vanishing form and start chowing down on black plasteel armour. Some passing peko peko get snarled up in it and finally I manage to drag a faamba back along the beach.

I retire to a safe distance, start pot shotting anything and everything. The clock is ticking, that shutdown is mere minutes away... FINALLY the waterfront looks like the opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan. There's dead stormies, cats, civilians, big reptiles, some nuna like birds... and one demented ranger with no armur, no buffs, and 50% wounds running round like a madman trying to loot and harvest anything and everything.

Lost Connection to SWG

/bliss

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JBMat wrote:

While there is an increase in EvE combat, it has been a tactic of mine to at least provoke EvE as a way of getting quick harvests without the aid of others.

Makloks will aggro Rancors. Drag Mr. Rancor thru the Maklok herd, free help. Fact is, pop a round into each Maklok, and if they die, you get to harvest them too.

JB

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Ditto, I always do the same, it just helps take em down faster AND if you get atwo or three nasties on yah the herd will usually grab some aggro so you only have one.

Oh and I forgot to mention that I have noticed this as well. Saw a Gubber get ganker by a Butterfly by Coronet yesterday, that was funny. On Lok a Mountain Vesp was stalking Gurnasets as well... Was pretty cool to see the creature AI being realistic...

Message Edited by Ickpon on 03-08-2005 03:24 PM

Ive been seeing the same thing on Endor (I had Crimson Blurggs eat my Speederbike, I was shocked!)

It definately doesnt seem to be an accident, I have been seeing all sorts of predatory type creatures stalking the herbivore type critters and attacking.

Its cool, and nice, as I get in some shots, I can harvest the loser of the battle, then finish off and harvest the winner :-)

I think this has always been in the game, its just the spawn rates have been so low, that these creatures dont get to interact very often. I would wager this effect was brought out more by the spawn rate increase.