For those with Pet Affinity

[Bloodgod]

Hi everyone.  I have a question for anyone who has purchased Pet Affinity.  Are you happy with your purchase?  Is it worth the 20AA's?  I really want this AA and decided to save for it...  but sometimes I have second thoughts because I think of all the other stuff I could get for 20AA's.  

Thanks

[Tardar]

I don't know about pet affinity, but I would think you would get more bang for your buck somewhere else.  Why do you want pet affinity so much?  I would think Ambidexterity would be more useful.

[Bloodgod]

I basically want it for convenience, I guess.  I bot a druid and always group with a shaman and cleric.  My pet off tanks some and would really benitfit from getting things like group damage shields, sow, regen, virt, heals, and such.  My pet is a big part of the groups dps as well and he's died at times where group heal would have saved him.  I admit that a lot of other AA's would help me beat more ass....I guess I'm just lazy and tired of single targeting my pet for buffs.

Although if I don't get pet affinity, Ambidexterity was going to be my next choice.

[Shrouded]

From what I've heard, pet affinity is worth it if:
1.  You raid a lot
AND/OR
2.  You regularly group with a bard

OTHERWISE:
Listen to Tardar and get a bigger bang for your buck.

If your pet is dying during normal exp groups, the probablem is not the hitpoints of your pet, the problem is that your pet is not effectively able to offtank without: paying attention to heals/paying attention to enrage/allowing time for it to regenerate its hitpoints.

This is my suggestion:
1.  Make sure your pet is attacking from behind
2.  Make sure your pet has a sufficient amount of life to offtank a mob (can't tell if this is what you're primarily using the pet for or not)
3.  Make sure your pet's mob is slowed
OR
1.  Simply tank all mobs yourself since you are usually grouped with 3 other healer classes and avoid pretty much all problems.

All of that being said, if you are looking for convenience, pet affinity will save about 30 seconds (roughly the combined time that all casters in your group would spend single-target buffing your pet) of your time every 2 hours at a cost of 20 AA.  If this is worth it to you, go for it, but I would definitely say that, given your situation, you would benefit the most spending your AA on something else.

[Tastian]

Pet affinity depends a lot on what you are doing.  In raids with AEs it can make all the differance.  Just remember that your pet still doesn't zone with you, so if you are doing an LDoN something he still isn't likely to get those buffs at first because most casters like to do buffs, then med to full before doing an LDoN, just us pet classes get to start every single adventure down hundreds of mana.  8P

With a bard it's great, lots of group/ae heals it's great, you have quite a few AAs and seem to want it, so I'd say go for it.  The 20 AA is a bit much for some, but pet affinity is one of those AAs that I just randomly notice I have and smile.  Seeing pet get cured or included in buffs, knowing my already has buffs, or being in the middle of a tell just as mob enrages and seeing pet live at 7% life with virtue and focus and brells on is nice too hehe.  *shrugs*

[Bloodgod]

Just to clarify, when I said

"My pet is a big part of the groups dps as well and he's died at times where group heal would have saved him."

This is mainly from AE's fighting dragons or something of that nature.  Very infrequent.

Thanks for all the input so far!  I appreciate your thoughts.

[Tardar]

Well then I guess it's just a matter of your preference then.  If buffing your pet is that much of a hassle for you, then getting Pet Affinity should help you out.  By doing that, you will be putting off your own DPS.  With defensive AA maxed, you will make a better tank than your pet also, so I would also consider maxing out those before Pet Affinity.  If the convenience out weighs all of that, then go for it, and enjoy.

P.S.  I would get a haste item if I were you.

[Rhaynne]

Unless you raid alot, I would recommend getting defensive and offensive AAs first.  It's definately a huge plus on the high end raiding scene (and lord do I need it) but it's nowhere near as useful in a single group setting.

[Vidyne]

IMO...

If you raid alot...(uber raiding guild x), then get it around 50-100aa or somewhere ish there.... though id still say wait til 100-140 or so.

If you group with bards in ldons or clerics/shamans/etc... in planes where you think hed be hit by buffs and it would help...   maybe 150-200 somewhere in there.  maybe earlier, up to you.

If you do neither, Id recommend waiting til 250 or so, to consider pet affinity.... theres alot thats more valuable.

I kinda wished I woulda got healing aas and weapon affinity more, before my pet affinity now... i like it, it really helps sometimes, but 20aas seems a lot for it.

[Sharrien]

I believe pet affinity has been worth it for me.  Any buff that lands on our pets to improve their hps or atk is a good thing, but the aboslute best thing about it is having paragon land on our warders.  I solo a lot, mostly fighting dark blue con mobs.  When kitty is off tanking a mob of two while I'm fighting another paragon at the right time will save the battle.  Other aas may increase dps, that's true, but think of all the additional dps I produce when I don't have to run to zone or find a rez after a kitty death.

[Tardar]

Our guild raids 6 days a week, and we are so seldom allowed pets, this aa just doesn't seem worth it atm.  Pets can't be shrunk enough and they have too much push, so we often can't use them, of if we do, it will be for a permarooted, or AoW mob only.  If you rarely raid, or pets are allowed on raids, or you pretty much only group, then I could see this being a decent investment.

[Kebrarn]

I have it, and I'm really really happy with it.  Saving 20 aa is a pain in the but unless you have a nice place to crank them out in a few days.  I did my 20aa's in 2 days in Pofire tables.  Was a pain for 2 days, but i'm glad I got it.

I raid pretty much every night, and its nice having a pet thats fully buffed for those AE"s as I notice my pet staying alive while others are dropping.  Although it makes dying on a raid seem like a bigger deal, because you need to get new sets of buffs for the pet.

Aside from raiding, I found it really useful to having when I'm soloing.  I just let the pet tank a bit before I hit paragon, and both of us get a nice jump in hp.

edit: While it doesn't bother other people, i hate seeing the bard's song fades on your pet message.  The bard i group with alot likes to switch alot of songs in and out, and they fade alot and I see the message in yellow.  Not really a huge deal, but annoying.

[Sharrien]

Tardar, I grieve for you that pets are not allowed on raids in your sadly intolerant and mis-informed guild.  Maybe suggest that the wizards don't nuke or the warriors can't bash since they push too much. Our policy is that pets are ok on nearly every hit as long as the owner has pet hold.

[Rhaynne]

Yeah...

Personally I would leave a guild that routinely asked me to lose 1/3 of my dps and join a guild that likes to make sure I'm not hamstringed.

[Tardar]

Don't get me wrong, they aren't militant about it, and I'm sure if I raised enough of a stink, they would let me.  It's also not all about me though.  Pets in VT are a pain, because everything AE's, and the confines are small.  I don't use a pet in Air, too cramped.  Water no, too cramped.  Earth yes.  Fire yes.  Alot of times it just depends on the situation.  I try to take into consideration everyone else, trying to target and move around that big ole doggy is a pain sometimes.  Plus alot of times I am so busy off tanking, or slowing, or healing or whatever, so alot of times the pet just is just a nuissance.  Anyway, sorry for the derail.  

Game on!