Dire pet builds

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It's well known that one can level his/her pet to Dire either around Ice Tooth Cave or Gates of Kryta. To do so, builds are not hard to come by. A bit armor or evasion, and healing via Predatory Bond is enough. The main thing here is to get builds together that are capable tanking foes with at least lvl18 somewhere around Tyria or Cantha.

Discuss each build on this page, as this is a 'Creative Corner'. Please also sign your comments.

W/R

Attributes and Skills

Warrior / Ranger	Attribute Rank
Beast Mastery	11
Tactics	11+1+3

Equipment

A staff with maximum energy and health bonuses. Wenslauss' Faith or Flint's Fleshcleaver are ideal. The use of a staff ensures that you will do minimal damage when you attack.
Maximum Gladiator Armor.

Notes/Ideas

The leveling of your pet is best done by killing the minotaurs around the Ice Tooth Cave, as they are level 10 and only do physical damage. Avoid all other monsters in the area.
As soon as you enter the explorable area, use Symbiotic Bond, Call of Protection, Call of Haste, and Predatory Bond. When you have a group of minotaurs surrounding you, use Enraged Lunge and Healing Signet repeatedly.
Constantly attack the minotaur closest to your pet with your staff. While only doing a minimum amount of damage, it will direct your pet and build up adrenaline.
When you have adequate adrenaline,stop using other skills and use Bonetti's Defense. Your energy will rapidly increase to its maximum (with the equipment listed, that maximum should be 43). When it reaches its maximum, continue using Enraged Lunge and Healing Signet. Repeat as necessary.
--Token Cleric 21:38, 6 September 2006 (CDT)

Alternate W/R

Attributes and Skills

Warrior / Ranger	Attribute Rank
Beast Mastery	11
Tactics	10+1
Strength	10+1+3

Equipment

any hammer

Notes/Ideas

This should work to tank at least some minos HJT (talk) 01:19, 6 September 2006 (CDT)

R/any

Variation of the farming build designed to solo the Desert Griffons at The Scar near the east exit of Destiny's Gorge (Desert Griffon Farmer build). Depends on constant defensive stances to tank while the pet kills the enemies and evolves to Dire.

Attributes and Skills

Ranger / Any	Attribute Rank
Expertise	12 + 1 + 3
Wilderness Survival	9 + 1
Beast Mastery	9 + 2

Equipment

Explorer's to increase max health.
Your damage doesn't matter, any staff will do, +10 energy and health upgrades are a good idea.

Usage

Step out of Destiny's Gorge, walk north until you reach the Resurrection Shrine nearby, then go east to the open area. Try to avoid Devourers and Scarabs, you can kill them slowly but it's a waste of time.
Aggro a group of griffons, remember to always step ahead so they attack you and ignore your pet. If your pet gets attacked, zone out immediately, come back and start again, it's not far so you won't lose much time (that's why Comfort Animal is not needed).
Stances sequence is the following: Whirling Defense - Escape - Lightning Reflexes - Escape - start again. Wait one or two seconds between each one to keep timing holes from merging. If by mistake you find yourself stanceless, use Throw Dirt to gain some time.
The pet will deal most damage troughout Predator's Pounce and Disrupting Lunge, chosen for their damage bonus, low cost and low recharge. Healing and disrupting are leftovers.
Use Troll Unguent when damaged. Don't let you health drop below 50%, or their Final Thrust can get you in trouble.

Counters

Making a mistake with the stances sequence or letting your health drop below 50%, will mean a quick death if you don't react fast.

Notes/Ideas

I used a previous version (similar to the original farming build) of this build to evolve mi Dire Lizard after reaching lvl 15 traditionaly, by killing Minotaurs outside Ice Tooth Cave. Then it was more like solo farming Griffons with the pet by your side, it got attacked a few times but it still came out Dire at lvl 20. I haven't tried this version, but theorically could be use to evolve the pet even from low levels (including newly charmeds). Good luck, Ereanor

see Build:R/any Tank Master.

R/Mo

Ranger / Monk	Attribute Rank
Beast Mastery	11+3
Protection Prayers	10
Smiting Prayers	10

Equipment

No Weapon is required, but a Melee weapon will help keep aggro off of your pet. When starting combat hit the first enemy coming at your with your melee weapon then activate Spirit Bond and Protective Spirit. This will not eliminate aggro on your pet but it will significantly reduce it, especially on Mountain Trolls.
A +12 off-hand with optional enhancements to either Smiting Prayers (to increase damage) or Protection Prayers (to make sure you stay alive). Shen's Censure works nicely for this build. The extra energy this provides makes staying alive easier.
Starter Armor...the lower the armor the better. As a Ranger's Default Armor is AR 10 it's the best. I don't know how well the basic armor sold at the the Shing Jea Monestary will work. Wear only the Vest for the extra energy and the leggings for extra energy recovery.
Superior Rune of Beast Mastery - Apply to one of the two peices of armor you are wearing. This is soley to increase the amount of energy you get with Ferocious Strike.

Notes and Ideas

This can be used to tank any of the well known high level Warrior Spawns, such as the Mountain Trolls (avoid Avicara in the area) outside of Droks or the Minotaurs in Elona Reach.
When you first enter the instance (whichever one you choose) start by casting Essence Bond and Balthazar's Spirit. Wait for your energy to regen to at least 30, though I recommend waiting until your energy is fully charged though. Cast Retribution. After casting this you will have no energy regen except what is provided by Essence Bond and Balthazar's Spirit.
Before entering battle make sure you have 20 energy to cast both Spirit Bond and Protective Spirit on yourself, you will die quickly if you do not.
When entering combat immediately cast Spirit Bond and Protective Spirit and keep these two spells up all the time while you are in combat otherwise you will die in a short period of time.
Ferocious Strike is used when low on energy (usually when you are facing low numbers of enemies) or when you want to speed things up.
This build works because as the enemies hit you you deal damage back to them via Retribution. It's only a small amount (14 or 15 damage) but it adds up over time and due to Spirit Bond and Protective Spirit you can tank as many enemies as you can aggro. The reason this build is faster than others is because you are doing the damage to all enemies that are attacking instead of relying on your pet to kill each one, one at a time. I have leveled up 3 pets to dire using this method, it works as long as you don't let your pet take too much damage or die too many times (I've had my pet die up to 8 times from 5-15 and still got dire).
This build can be used to level a pet from when you charm them all the way up to level 20...slow down in leveling is mitigated by the fact that you are facing high level enemies
The opposite build (Mo/R) with the same skills is even more effective due to more Retribution damage and better energy management.
--Thor79 13:49, 8 September 2006 (CDT)

If your pet dies just keep killing with Retribution but stop attacking your pet will still level up and has still done most of the registered damage so will still turn dire, do not use Comfort Animal to rez else your pet will take more damage. --Heurist 14:44, 29 September 2006 (CDT)

Mo/R

Attributes and Skills

Monk / Ranger	Attribute Rank
Beast Mastery	10
Healing Prayers	10+2
Divine Favor	9+2

Equipment

Any Staff that provides maximum energy and life. A maximized Insightful Staff of Fortitude does well. It is preferable to use a staff that does not have a monk-based prerequisite for damage so that damage actually dealt by the monk is minimized. Wenslauss' Faith is a good choice.

Strategy

The leveling of your pet is best done by killing the minotaurs around the Ice Tooth Cave, as they are level 10 and only do physical damage. Avoid all other monsters in the area.
As soon as you enter the explorable area, use Essense Bond, Balthazar's Spirit, Symbiotic Bond, Call of Protection, and Predatory Bond. When you have a group of minotaurs surrounding you, use Enraged Lunge and Orison of Healing repeatedly. Do not get a group of more than 5 minotaurs at a time.
Do not attack the minotaurs. Run to the front and allow them to attack you. Repeated use of Orison of Healing should be enough to keep you alive.

N/R

Me/R

Attributes and Skills

Mesmer / Ranger	Attribute Rank
Beast Mastery	10
Inspiration Magic	11+3+1
Wilderness Survival	10

Mantra of Flame

Greater Conflagration

Equipment

please add

Notes/Ideas

hm, this may work, but probably not :\ pretty sure still too much damage, but... maybe someone else has an idea? HJT 08:36, 23 August 2006 (CDT)

hmhm, i started mino leveling as R/Me only tanking 2 or 3 at a time, with only predatory bond and physical resistance... so... that may work too, just not superfast :\ HJT 04:27, 30 August 2006 (CDT)

Physical Resistance? You sure? Greater Conflagration will make all physical damage elemental so Physical Resistance is counter productive, replace with Elemental Resistance and this may work. --Heurist 00:20, 21 September 2006 (CDT)

Well, what happens when GC wears out? dying is not the best idea, so... first have GC/MoF on, then PR... HJT (talk) 01:54, 22 September 2006 (CDT)

When GC dies 110 seconds later? Put up another one. But yes you are right, have some contingency plan. --Heurist 03:53, 22 September 2006 (CDT)

- Why not replace Physical Resistance with Winter and Mantra of Flame with Mantra of Frost? I know you're thinking it doesn't work that way but it does. A friend and I have tested it.

E/R

Attributes and Skills

Elementalist / Ranger	Attribute Rank
Beast Mastery	12
Earth Magic	10 + 1 + 3
Energy Storage	8 + 1

Equipment

Any weapon with an Of Enchanting upgrade. Galigord's Stone Staff works well.
Geomancer's Armor

Notes/Ideas

Problably is more reliable for getting a dire pet than the old version, as now only your pet deals damage. It is possible to just keep using all the enchantments (except Aura of Restoration), Ward Against Melee and Ferocious Strike when they recharge without running out of engergy. --Curse You 20:34, 1 December 2006 (CST)

A/R

Attributes and Skills

Assassin / Ranger	Attribute Rank
Beast Mastery	12
Marksmanship	6
Critical Strikes	10 + 1 + 3
Shadow Arts	6 + 1

Equipment

Zealous Shortbow of Warding. Damage is not important, mods should be perfect.

Usage

Use Call of Protection
Use Critical Eye and Way of Perfection.
Run into the enemies.
Attack with the bow to make your pet attack.
Use Tiger's Fury/Bestial Fury followed by Enraged Lunge for damage.
Reapply Critical Eye as needed for energy.

Notes/Ideas

This works well for killing Mergoyle Wavebreakers outside Gates of Kryta (Location). Best with a level 20 that has max armor (70).

You may wish to remove Way of Perfection and put the points from Shadow arts into Critical Strikes. However, it helps to have some healing for the damage you take.

The marksmanship is intentionally lower than any requirement for a max damage bow. At first you deal slightly more than your pet with normal attacks, but as it levels, it should deal much more than you.

Moved the discussion to the discussion page -Thor79 13:34, 13 September 2006 (CDT)

Alternate A/R

Attributes and Skills

Assassin / Ranger	Attribute Rank
Beast Mastery	12
Shadow Arts	12 + 1 + 3
Deadly Arts	3 + 1

Equipment

A Zealous Sword or Axe of Defense and a shield.

Usage

Gather some Minotaurs by walking backwards with Dark Escape on.
Make sure they are all bunched up then use Deadly Paradox, Palm Strike and Blinding Powder to blind them all.
Attack with your weapon to make your pet attack, and use pet attacks to take down your target. Your pet will deal more damage, and the energy for each hit will help.
Re-use Blinding Powder after about 14 seconds, making sure that Deadly Paradox is up when you use it.
If you start taking too much damage, use Dark Escape to reduce the damage and Shadow Refuge to regain health.

Notes/Ideas

With Deadly Paradox, you can keep the minotaurs blinded perpetually.
Energy can be a problem if you use the skills more than you need to.

Made changes to improve build. It needs to be tested on the minotaurs, unfortunately, I don't have the Desert on my assassin. --Curse You 01:54, 14 December 2006 (CST)

Rt/R

Ritualist / Ranger	Attribute Rank
Restoration Magic	11 + 1 + 3
Wilderness Survival	11
Beast Mastery	8

Notes

any pet attack can be inserted...

This doesn't count as doing too much damage to consider the pet dire? — Azaya 19:06, 16 February 2007 (CST)

see Rt/R Vengeful Extinction HJT (talk) 01:30, 31 August 2006 (CDT)

P/R

Paragon / Ranger	Attribute Rank
Leadership	12 + 1 + 2
Motivation	8 + 1
Beast Mastery	10

Equipment

A spear of Shelter with an "I have the power!" Inscription
A motivation shield of Fortitude with a "Luck of the Draw" Inscription

Usage

Use "They're on Fire!", Blazing Finale, Mending Refrain and Anthem of Flame
Aggro
Use Fericous Strike and keep using it whenever it recharges
Maintain "They're on Fire!", Blazing Finale and Anthem of Flame
Use Signet of Synergy on your pet if health drops too low

Notes/Ideas

Initial testing shows that this build can keep up energy while maintaining the shouts. Needs testing on a group of foes. --Curse You 19:19, 3 March 2007 (CST)