Game Mechanics: Pets and Mez

[Takshaka]

I havent tested this yet. But I know for sure that pets(read pets, not animations) could attack mezzed targets on Live in at least in 2000. I played a chanter back then and I remember having great problems with idiot mages who didnt know how to attack the right target.

*ironically I just started playing on this server the other day as a mage...

[Reiker]

Okay... at release in 1999 there was no protection against pets breaking mez. Pets broke mez a lot and enchanters were sad. But that was life, EQ was hard.

I distinctly remember a patch I think around Velious where they added two things:

a) Pets will disengage a mezzed mob.
b) You cannot make a pet attack a mezzed mob.

Currently, a) does not happen (good). B does however, which is the issue. It's not even anything too major, but just another classic inconsistency to point out.

[entilza]

This made the difference between a good pet controller and not...

And the risk factor of using a pet in dungeons.

[guineapig]

http://everquest.allakhazam.com/history/patches.html

This should help. I dug around but couldn't find anything but that's not to say it isn't there. It's a lot to control+f through.

This is starting to make a little more sense now. I still think Animations were meant to have a different rule-set than other pets since there is no way to control them.

EDIT:
It seems odd that the predominant crowd control class should be equipped with the "absolute worst possible mez breaking nightmare machine".

As it works now when I have to mez an add I simply root it and when mez wears off i just get close enough to get hit once and my pet takes over.

[Caelor]

If a MOB is mezzed as the initial action, a pet will not break the mez if commanded to attack. If a MOB hit the chanter, and then got mezzed, the pet will break the mez immediately, or after its current target is dead. This is not ideal behavior but is classic.

[datapunk79]

Originally Posted by guineapig [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

http://everquest.allakhazam.com/history/patches.html
It seems odd that the predominant crowd control class should be equipped with the "absolute worst possible mez breaking nightmare machine".

Not to beat a dead horse but I totally agree. The mechanics of an animation should be in line with their chanters crowd control ability. Doesn't seem right, and I was much happier with a smarter animation.

[mimixownzall]

The animation was done as a way of ballance. Enchanters weren't meant to be a pet class. They were given an animation to help level. Imagine if a mage had as much CC as a chanter? Would be pretty OP.

Besides, chanters dont use their pet after a while anyways.

[mmiles8]

Originally Posted by mimixownzall [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

The animation was done as a way of ballance. Enchanters weren't meant to be a pet class.

In terms of classic, this, this and this^.

Q: Why doesn't my pet start attacking the thing i attack until I get hit?
A: Enchanters were lucky to even get pets. The big string they attached to allowing them was to make them defense only. This means you cannot control them, and they only act to defend you.

You're either going to be able to mez effectively, or have a small chance that your pet will pull a mob off of you so you can continue to cast a mez that will likely get broken. And by small I mean none, since pet taunt doesn't work like player taunt.

Mezzing contraindicates the use of an animation. Attempting to do otherwise results in posts like these.

[Chicka]

Originally Posted by guineapig [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Wait, can anyone else confirm this? Because that sounds insanely backwards. Why would you want your pet to attack a mezzed mob (speaking strictly as a chanter).

It's not a question of want, it was the way it was. No self respecting chanter had a pet out in a group back in the day, just didn't happen.

[Lazortag]

I would really like someone to provide proof of all the stuff being asserted in this thread since I play a Bard and Bards have mez, and would probably prefer if things were changed so that mez's interaction with pets wasn't confusing.