Dissappointing Summons

[twidget658]

I was looking forward to getting an Ancient Dire Bear for my summons. When I got it, what a waste of a spell.

When I got my Level III summons, an Ancient Dire Wolf, it is a Level 15 summons. I thought it was Level 15 because that is normally where a ranger will get the summons. Well, the Ancient Dire Bear is only Level 11 and it actually acts like a Level 4. The attacks are very slow and it just gets pommelled. I usually end up unsummoning it before it dies and finish the fight with my wolf. The bear does have about 259 hit points, but the way it fights, it needs it.

This definitely doesn't follow the path of progression. Any insight?

[Talan Va'lash]

twidget658 - 10/20/2005  11:46 AM

I was looking forward to getting an Ancient Dire Bear for my summons. When I got it, what a waste of a spell.

Lets not be complaining, its not like you chose it over a different spell like a wizard or a sorc.

The ranger summons were changed not that long ago, and this is probably an oops.  Post it in bugs, the spell probably just has the wrong tag as I think there is a bioware ancient dire bear and a layo ancient dire bear.  The bioware one being wimpyer.  Its probably calling that one.

-TV

[EdTheKet]

Moved to bug reports to see if spell is calling the wrong ancient dire bear summons.

[twidget658]

"Lets not be complaining,..."

Not really complaining...it just didn't come out in written words the same as it was in my head.  Common phenomenon in the world of text.

"...its not like you chose it over a different spell like a wizard or a sorc."

Rangers selects spells the same as a wizard, just no spell book.

I do apologize, though. I can see how it can be easily misconstrued, my fault. My intent was not to complain.

Edit: I do appreciate the attention and relocating the thread. I didn't think it was a bug.

[KageKeeper]

Not sure it's a bug...

Luna's 6th level summon is the Ancient Dire Wolf...it kicks butt. Hardy, fast, tough (has regen)

Her 7th level summon is the Ancient Dire Bear. I have to agree with Twidget...it is disappointing. Sure it packs a wallop and has many HP, but, well, it is very slow, and it takes damage like there is no tomorrow. I always thought summons got progressively tougher. It seems the Wolf is much more tough then the Bear.

Note, not complaining, merely stating an observation. Perhaps the Bear should be made a touch more hardy?

[Aragon]

All I can say is becareful what you ask for.  I asked for a nightmare that was resistant to fire.  In researching the nightmare it was discovered that it had the wrong hide associated with it and made it not much better than a flaming cow.  But no the summons don't have to get better and better is a term based upon your point of view.  Besides if you can cast level 7 summons then you can put stoneskin on the bear and your tank is back in action.

[Talan Va'lash]

Aragon - 10/20/2005  1:50 PM

All I can say is becareful what you ask for.  I asked for a nightmare that was resistant to fire.  In researching the nightmare it was discovered that it had the wrong hide associated with it and made it not much better than a flaming cow.  But no the summons don't have to get better and better is a term based upon your point of view.  Besides if you can cast level 7 summons then you can put stoneskin on the bear and your tank is back in action.

They should get better though... otherwise, whats the point of having progressive summons?  If a lower summon is just better, then put stoneskin on that one and it will be better.  The summons are supposed to be progressive.

HOWEVER, that does not mean they'll always increase in HD or do more damage or whatever.  Some summons have different purposes or abilities rather than brute HD.

-TV

[Talan Va'lash]

Is it possible that these are summoning in the wrong order?  That ancient dire bear should be first and the wolf next?

Either that or the bear may have the wrong skin stuck on him since he doesnt have any of the nifty properties?

Or perhaps as I mentioned above its calling the wrong ancient dire bear?

Who knows what this should be and can verify it? heh.

-TV

[miltonyorkcastle]

oh, and twidget, rangers do not cast like a wizard, in that wizards only have access to a few spells they have learned (not to mention the whole divine/ arcane bit).  rangers get access to every single ranger spell at the level they can cast.  rangers cast like clerics, druids, and paladins.  you get access to every spell of said level all at once, while a wizard gets stuck with only having an option of 2 spells out of the whole list of possible spells for said level.

[orth]

Okay both the Dire Bear and Ancient Dire Bear have been given a touch of fine tuning.  Let me know how they are now.