Druid Charming
 

First - sorry for all the threads I start but I figured the Priest sub-forum doesn't get much action and I like to learn different methods of grinding out levels.

I've been quadding since 35 and am now 45. I've charmed before but after reading some threads, it sounds like I've been doing it all wrong. I read an old thread from 2011 of two people going at it about what is more efficient, charm-tanking (DS'ing your pet and letting it take hits) or Charm-Fear Kiting. This left me more confused than when I started but I now realize the importance of the Savage spirit line of spells which I've never used before when charming.

I guess my question is, what way have you found the most efficient. Can you let me know what a typical encounter looks like from picking something to charm, to what spells you cast first, etc? And, have you found this to be better than quadding?

I really like the idea of getting a routine down so that I'm sitting at or near full mana for a long time just killing things. I don't expect anyone to give away their hunting spots, I know places are camped enough.

The best answer I can give is "it depends, but I usually kill the pet every fight"

If there's plenty of animals around, I usually just charm-tank equal-level mobs without buffing, break charm when they're both almost dead, then nuke them both down. There's less chance of a charm break if your pet is only alive for 1 fight, you get full xp for 2 kills per fight, and you have plenty of reserve mana if things go south. You can make things go faster by buffing your pet and dot/nuking the target, but say goodbye to that reserve mana, and it can be a bit harder to keep health levels even.

Keeping the pet alive drastically lowers your xp gain, IMO. You're either losing half the xp from each kill (and only getting 1 kill per fight) or you're blowing a ton of mana to out-damage your pet.

That said, there are times when I keep the pet alive as long as possible... If I'm killing higher-level animals than I can efficiently charm, I'll fear-kite with a lower-level pet. If my supply of animals is limited, I'll buff/heal the pet and dot/nuke the target (same if I'm killing higher-level mobs I can't fear).

For your stated preference of sitting with near-full mana killing things, the first option is probably the best. Pull 2 mobs, sit, break charm, nuke twice, repeat.

Generally, you will want to charm a mob. Root a mob. Send them to fight each other. Break when both are low HP. Root your old pet. ES Vambraces or Nuke to kill.

Reroot the mob your pet is fighting as needed.

ES Vambraces, Haste and DS you can use as a means to even out an otherwise uneven fight. IE if your pet is 4 levels lower than what you're fighting, you can haste or DS your pet to add some damage so that when you have to break your pet they are both low HP.

Your goal is to have both mobs under 20%, or more ideally 5-10%.

Generally if I was charming for EXP I would not haste my pet. Since that can backfire on you far more than the other two options of ES Vambs and DS. If you're duoing with a cleric however, haste that pet for sure and let him CH it.

Fearing or keeping pets solo is very inefficient EXP wise. If your goal is exp you want to do what I suggest above. Have two fight, keep EM rooted, break and kill at low HP for full exp on 2 mobs.

Everything Daldaen said, although I would highly recommend using Ensnare instead of root at lower levels, if in open outdoor zones. Root is too fickle.

But once you get a little higher, root is your best friend in Kedge and Permafrost.