[dev1135] Beastmaster 2-Hour Ability Comments After Testing.

[Vandheer]

Moving this discussion over from the "[dev1088] Beastmaster two-hour abilities" thead I started over to this new thread with the dev1135 tag to ensure our comments and feedback are reviewed.

That being said, Mavrick has tested the Beastmaster 2-Hour ability and below are the notes of his results. In bold I highlighted a few key points of this ability.


I just used this 2 HR on the test server...
It does exactly what it says and not much more.
- Can be used regardless of distance between master and pet
- Kills pet and absorbs HP.
- Gain the effect of Reraise III
(ie you still loose exp if you die with this RR effect, and you will have weakness for 5 mins)
- The RR effect wears off after if it is used.
- Call Beast timer does not get reset.
- This is most likely a glitch but the pet command "Ready" gets reset to 2:00:00. At this point I wouldn't be surprised if it was working as intended.
- This ability does not work with charmed pets.

Worst job ability ever.

Since Mavrick tested this ability and shared his results, my opinion of this ability remains unchanged in thinking that the ability needs to be redone. It is of no benefit to the Beastmaster job and makes me question what SE had in mind that deemed this ability worthy of being a 2-hour. As for the Read getting reset to 2:00:00 i do hope it is a glitch of sorts and that it will be addressed.

Please share your thoughts and feedback of this ability after we have tested it so perhaps it can revisit the drawing board.


Again thank you Mavrick for testing the Beastmaster 2-Hour hope you don't mind my moving your post over here.

[Phogg]

I would submit suggestions but SE might find the criticism inflammatory and lock the thread :P

Kidding aside, my suggestion doesn't change. If it does not reset pet timers, it's utterly useless.

[SpankWustler]

The new ability is even worse than I expected it to be, and I was expecting the worst thing since sliced bread that somebody pooped on.

The times when I would want to eat a jug-pet for buffs would be group activities. Some healing provided just as well by somebody casting a simple spell or two on me, and a better Reraise effect than my earring or scroll could provide are not things I am hurting for in those situations. They are not even things I want at all if they come in the form of my 2-hour ability.

If this ability were more in-line with Spirit Surge (http://www.bg-wiki.com/bg/Spirit_Surge), and offered a mix of unique bonuses and offensive bonuses then I would hate it much, much, much, much less. Not that Spirit Surge is even good, but it is several worlds better than the new Beastmaster ability.

If the theme of this ability is "Eat your pet rabbit and get some buffs and stuffs." then I'd be much happier if the buffs and stuffs were offensive in nature.

[Ihnako]

The ability right as it reads on the paper is a good one.
As a BST you allready got the best support buddy why do you want to boost yourself?
As for the original DRG and then overhauled 2h it's an emergency ability and compared to that BST got a better one.
Please spare me with Twilight-Set, RR-Ring/-Scroll. It's an emergency 2h. Nothing that would break the game but will help the job in certain situations.

But before the flamewars beginns, lets see how the new 2h will work out after it got fixed on the testserver.

[Xilk]

The ability right as it reads on the paper is a good one.
As a BST you allready got the best support buddy why do you want to boost yourself?
As for the original DRG and then overhauled 2h it's an emergency ability and compared to that BST got a better one.
Please spare me with Twilight-Set, RR-Ring/-Scroll. It's an emergency 2h. Nothing that would break the game but will help the job in certain situations.

But before the flamewars beginns, lets see how the new 2h will work out after it got fixed on the testserver.

how is this anything other than a trolling post?
The ability is useless. Wait, no its not useless. Its impractical to the point of being useless.
As far as fixing on the test server... you mean the ready timer set to 2 hours? Fixing that won't affect how practical the 2-hour is. The way it works won't change. what need is there to test more? its easy to see what situations it will work in for any bst veteran. There is nothing to see. Like many other bsts here, I've been in all those situations. I've tried to stretch the possibilities of what can be done on bst for years.

Automatons are 'support buddies'; BST pets are fighting/tanking partners. An ability like Cannibalize doesn't help the story either. Bst don't hate their pets, they are akin to them. The entire implication of this ability is that we eat the pet. No one wants to eat their cat or dog or any companion.

There is no "sparing the twilight set/rr scroll." both are Legitimate, much-more-cost-effective alternatives which require the same amount of time to execute (twilight anyway, scroll takes 2seconds of forethought). You want to illegitimatize the argument w/ attitude?

I'm not asking for anything game breaking, but they want to make a new 2-hour, at least make something worthwhile. Familiar is a good solid 2-hour. Its not as fantastic now as it was when charming was actually useful, but 10% hp and 10% haste (w/augmented gear) for pet is really good.

Instant JA restoration/reraise is cool... but compared to the opportunity cost, its silly.

[Badieh]

That is lame! It doesn't work on charmed pets? That would be the most ideal situation to use it, instead of wasting your jug pet...

[Vandheer]

The ability right as it reads on the paper is a good one.
As a BST you allready got the best support buddy why do you want to boost yourself?
As for the original DRG and then overhauled 2h it's an emergency ability and compared to that BST got a better one.

Yes we do have a strong Pet to the point it is more then a "support buddy". Our pets are designed to work along with us and most times take damage for us that would prevent us from loosing much HP except for scenarios when we have no pet and at those times this ability does not do Beastmaster any good because we need to have a pet to kill to use it. This ability can not be compared to the Dragoon 2-Hour because on Dragoon the player is actually taking damage, not the pet. Not sure were your question "why do you want to boost yourself?" is coming from.


Please spare me with Twilight-Set, RR-Ring/-Scroll. It's an emergency 2h. Nothing that would break the game but will help the job in certain situations.

Let me try get on the same page as you understand how your saying this ability is useful through your eyes. No I will not bring up the many ways to already have Reraise on yourself.

So your saying as a Beastmaster you've been in "certain situations" were your low on hp you are drenched in status downs and your pet is alive but has been unable to prevent you from taking the damage you have. This would be when your either outside of Aby (because Aby has temp items to heal you or prevent damage with fanatics/fools) or your in Aby and have already used up all your temps. In this scenario you would most likely not be subbing dancer to heal yourself with TP or remove status aliments because your low on HP and have status aliments on you. Your Call Beast timer would probably be down because you just took the damage and status aliments and probably recalled your pet that was killed (hence how you most likely took the damage in the first place I don't know how you'd be in this scenario and have taken that much Damage with Call Beast up and your pet alive). In this "certain situation" I had just described your saying that you would, as a Beastmaster, kill off your pet to heal yourself? How would this help Beastmaster?

If I'm mistaken in the "certain situations" this new 2-hour would help can you please share when you personally would use this 2-hour over Familiar? I'd love to see some good in this 2-hour and would be delighted if you can point it out to me but as much as I've thought about it i can't see any use in the 2-hour.


But before the flamewars beginns, lets see how the new 2h will work out after it got fixed on the testserver.

After it "got" fixed on the test server? You lost me here, it has not yet been fixed or altered in any way nor have they stated they will. They most likely will when they see the Ready timer goes up to 2:00:00 on use but what do you expect them to fix in fixing that that would benefit Beastmaster?

[tyrantsyn]

That is lame! It doesn't work on charmed pets? That would be the most ideal situation to use it, instead of wasting your jug pet...
I agree 100%, that would have been one of the best perk's of this 2 hour. The way it's set up now basically has player's admitting there defeat by converting there pet and waiting to eat it. Seem's like a lousy way to go out. It's like saying I give up. I'll kill my pet you kill me and I'll come back in 10 minutes. Lame

[Shadax]

They might as well have not given us anything... that's how unlikely I am to ever use this.

[Hashmalum]

This ability shouldn't be "fixed" or "sent back to the drawing board". It should be put to sleep, so that the dev team can restore HP and get a reraise effect.

[Xilk]

This ability shouldn't be "fixed" or "sent back to the drawing board". It should be put to sleep, so that the dev team can restore HP and get a reraise effect.

I hope the dev's don't start cannibalizing their pets...

[Calamity]

To put this in perspective, this ability is kinda like giving pld a new 2hr that restores them to full, removes status effects and gives them reraise, and in exchange, encumbers their shield slot for 5 minutes. Yep. It's just that good.

[Logandor]

So instead of boosting power to our tanks (pets- charmed or jug doesn't matter) as beast master it will just do like dragoon does and give us boost and help us? I think this might be more of a nerf then a help but only time will tell and yes that is my opinion on this, sorry if I misread it but that is what it sounded like to me.

[Shadax]

Here you go Devs... you can have this one for free:

Job Ability
Primal Surge - Recast: 2:00:00, Duration: 0:30
While under the effect of Primal Surge, pet TP gain will increase dramatically, Sic/Ready commands will have a 0 second recast, and Ready commands will not require charges.

Basically, it would allow you to get 3-4 Ready commands off in a row. Being able to do this once every 2hrs is not overpowered AT ALL and would be a much better "emergency" 2hr than cannibalizing your pet for a damn reraise.

[deces]

Here you go Devs... you can have this one for free:

Job Ability
Primal Surge - Recast: 2:00:00, Duration: 0:30
While under the effect of Primal Surge, pet TP gain will increase dramatically, Sic/Ready commands will have a 0 second recast, and Ready commands will not require charges.

Basically, it would allow you to get 3-4 Ready commands off in a row. Being able to do this once every 2hrs is not overpowered AT ALL and would be a much better "emergency" 2hr than cannibalizing your pet for a damn reraise.
Awe, I think Blizzard just patented your original idea. Its to bad we get nothing but shit this whole year, thanks devs.

I am sure its been said, and I know every one here has thought that this pitiful so-called "2 hour" and wild run were drafted as one single JA. When used, the jug gets the hp regen and w/e haste for 5min. then poofs... and this "game changing" 2H ja would grant the said buffs to the Jugmaster. but I'm sure some lazy fuck or asshole said "No,No,No, we can milk this and save a years worth of development costs". I hope this is the case, if not your par is pathetic.

[Xilk]

Here you go Devs... you can have this one for free:

Job Ability
Primal Surge - Recast: 2:00:00, Duration: 0:30
While under the effect of Primal Surge, pet TP gain will increase dramatically, Sic/Ready commands will have a 0 second recast, and Ready commands will not require charges.

Basically, it would allow you to get 3-4 Ready commands off in a row. Being able to do this once every 2hrs is not overpowered AT ALL and would be a much better "emergency" 2hr than cannibalizing your pet for a damn reraise.

that would be more situationally useful, its more like Meikyou shisui for pet. which I suggested once also, but I would prefer if we could skillchain w/ it.

[Luvbunny]

Totally agree with many of the posters here, this new 2 hours really really suck and one of the WORSE thing ever. Somebody there in the team does not like beastmaster apparently.

[Calamity]

I've wracked my brain trying to think of a use for this ability, and the result I came up with is: If you can actually come up with a way for this ability to be useful, odds are, you're playing the job wrong. Seriously, I really tried. I can't come up with any possible use for this ability that doesn't have a better alternative. And besides that, even if theoretically I could come up with a reason why I might need to sacrifice my pet for a sudden hp restore, odds are I'm fighting something strong enough that I already used familiar and prepped myself with reraise.

[Mayoyama]

Really need to get rid of this and design something better, this is terrible

[Raborn]

Before I go an give my 2 cents on a "better idea" for BST's merit 2 hour. I see opportunity in this. In your testing, did you get your pets hp to < 10% or <1% and what is the hp ratio returned to the master?

So here's the scenario: Your pets almost dead, you've been getting thwacked on by AOE's, no healers in sight. You know the second your pet falls you're going down, what do you do? pop the 2 hour get cured to full, pop another pet, slam it back on the monster. I don't understand the whole recast of 2:00:00 on ready but I'm pretty sure the devs will look into that (there is no reason what so-ever why the devs would need to restrict our pets tp usage). As long as this 2 hour DOES NOT reset Call Beast this could be very useful in high end engagement material (potentially stuff like higher level legion type matches or upper area KSNMs in bad spots) On top of this you get reraise 3. So if you die later on guess what? Chances are your call beast timer is back up so you reraise and throw another pet on it.
Almost seems like SE is setting us up to win. Can't tell you how many times pre-75 cap break I died and wished I had just one more pet to throw out to finish off the fight.

I know its not the best 2hr but it does answer the few cries of those who are complaining about gil loss. (Now you guys dont need to blow alot of money on reraise items!) /trolls

[Dreamin]

Before I go an give my 2 cents on a "better idea" for BST's merit 2 hour. I see opportunity in this. In your testing, did you get your pets hp to < 10% or <1% and what is the hp ratio returned to the master?

So here's the scenario: Your pets almost dead, you've been getting thwacked on by AOE's, no healers in sight. You know the second your pet falls you're going down, what do you do? pop the 2 hour get cured to full, pop another pet, slam it back on the monster. I don't understand the whole recast of 2:00:00 on ready but I'm pretty sure the devs will look into that (there is no reason what so-ever why the devs would need to restrict our pets tp usage). As long as this 2 hour DOES NOT reset Call Beast this could be very useful in high end engagement material (potentially stuff like higher level legion type matches or upper area KSNMs in bad spots) On top of this you get reraise 3. So if you die later on guess what? Chances are your call beast timer is back up so you reraise and throw another pet on it.
Almost seems like SE is setting us up to win. Can't tell you how many times pre-75 cap break I died and wished I had just one more pet to throw out to finish off the fight.

I know its not the best 2hr but it does answer the few cries of those who are complaining about gil loss. (Now you guys dont need to blow alot of money on reraise items!) /trolls

7 CP = 1 RR Scroll.

If you're fighting alongside your pet and you're eating AOE and know that your pet is going to die and you're out of Reward Items (or reward recast is down) and you're out of Mulsum, chances are you should be smart enough to run out of distance so you CAN call a new pet or zone/warp out or what have you. But what the heck does eating your pet so you can get some HP and RR will do at all? The much better alternative is to give us a real 2hr that will boost the dmg output of our pets or give it an increase in either PDT- or MDT- for a 30s-1min duration.

I seriously prayed that the dev will please please please play the BST job sometimes so that they truly understands what the BST community really want. Giving us something that is useless after multiple nerfs isn't what most of the BSTs want.

[Calamity]

That sounds exactly like what I was talking about. If you're fighting something with that kind of potential to kill you and your pet, you should have already prepped yourself with RR and probably a few emergency mulsums. And also as I stated previously, if the mob is that powerful, odds are, I already used familiar for the HP boost and 10% haste. If you declined to use familiar under the basis of "Well I might need to use cannibalize later in the fight" You really might want to consider not fighting at all.

[Luvbunny]

I seriously prayed that the dev will please please please play the BST job sometimes so that they truly understands what the BST community really want. Giving us something that is useless after multiple nerfs isn't what most of the BSTs want.

I have the same wish as you as well but apparently the developer still hate pet jobs, again and again. But yeah this is one of the worst 2 hours ever created - seems like the IQ over there just went downhill during the summer.

[Ihnako]

Everyone is ranting about a 5 minute recast timer. In case your a BST and your recast timer is at 5 minutes your just a lousy one. I don't know any BST that would need to cast a pet - use the new 2h - and have to wait.
If you do it that way your just the worst BST on your server!

The situation this 2h comes in handy is when you can't prevent you or your pet get beaten.
Regardless the RR-effect this 2h will fill your HP bar and you can call a new pet or charm just another one - that mean yo u have to get your ass out of abyssea and other restricted areas.

[Calamity]

Everyone is ranting about a 5 minute recast timer. In case your a BST and your recast timer is at 5 minutes your just a lousy one. I don't know any BST that would need to cast a pet - use the new 2h - and have to wait.
If you do it that way your just the worst BST on your server!

The situation this 2h comes in handy is when you can't prevent you or your pet get beaten.
Regardless the RR-effect this 2h will fill your HP bar and you can call a new pet or charm just another one - that mean yo u have to get your ass out of abyssea and other restricted areas.

You have it backwards, if you actually force yourself into a spot where you need this ability, you are the worst bst ever. Nice try though. Care to troll again?

[Ihnako]

Sure but you need to make a move.
All I read is that you don't like the 2h cause it's not game breaking.

I pointed out where it's stength lies within. And I also pointed on your weak argumentation.
All in all it's a well balanced 2h. Now SE has to make sure it will work as intended and everything is fine.

[Calamity]

All the argument on the subject has been made already in my earlier posts. This is, in fact, a useless 2hr. In any fight that matters, you'll use familiar. In any fight that doesn't matter, there's no reason to need this at all. For the rest of my opinion you can read my previous posts in the topic. I don't need to repeat myself again.

Not that anyone in this thread would take you serious either way. Your anti-bst sentiment is fairly infamous. But if you can come up with an actual use for this 2hr that isn't a result of being stupid and/or ill prepared, by all means, let's hear it.

[Ihnako]

Haha... I like this forum and those BST. It's obvious they (that includes you too) are selfcentered, nonrealistic, associal individuals that screm that SE will throw them a cookie and ony them. I assume you will answer with a rant but that's something every idiot will do. ;p

[SpankWustler]

Haha... I like this forum and those BST. It's obvious they (that includes you too) are selfcentered, nonrealistic, associal individuals that screm that SE will throw them a cookie and ony them. I assume you will answer with a rant but that's something every idiot will do. ;p

I don't like the incoming Beastmaster 2-hour because I don't like bad things. I hate the incoming Blue Mage 2-hour even more, because it may be even worse.

I want the Development Bros to give all jobs cookies, instead of giving most of them nothing and giving a couple of them baggies of cat vomit.

Why do you like cat vomit and bad things?

[Vandheer]

Your very persistent Inhako but I do thank you for helping this thread get more traction. That being said your missing the point we are making.


Everyone is ranting about a 5 minute recast timer. In case your a BST and your recast timer is at 5 minutes your just a lousy one. I don't know any BST that would need to cast a pet - use the new 2h - and have to wait.
If you do it that way your just the worst BST on your server!

For starters, I actually do agree with you here. If you call your pet and use this new your 2-hour you would be a challenged Beastmaster. However none of us have stated we would use it in this way. In fact in my first reply to you I gave you a detailed scenario of when this might be useful that didn't include any of this. Like Calamity said if you force yourself to use this 2-hour then that seems counter productive.

I don't know what rants about the Call Beast recast timer you are talking about. We have not complained about the recast timer at all... Perhaps reread the thread? :)


The situation this 2h comes in handy is when you can't prevent you or your pet get beaten.
Regardless the RR-effect this 2h will fill your HP bar and you can call a new pet or charm just another one - that mean yo u have to get your ass out of abyssea and other restricted areas.

When a Beastmaster knows their pets will die we have something called Run Wild. Its a very niche ability that a Beastmaster may use in a situation where they know their pet will die. It kills off our pets 5 minutes after its use but gives Regen and various other buffs to our pet that should buy the Beastmaster time to react to the situation accordingly. This ability is on a 15 minute recast timer which is more reasonable then a 2-hour recast timer. Even though Run Wild is incredibly niche it at least stays in the idea of Beastmaster more so then Beastmasters "eating" their pets as a last resort.


Sure but you need to make a move.
All I read is that you don't like the 2h cause it's not game breaking.

If all you have read is that "we don't like the 2-hour because its not game breaking" I further suggest you reread the past comments in this thread more carefully. Many of us have also stated that this ability lacks game flavor as much as it isn't useful (though I have not brought it up in this thread personally yet i have in others). When have you seen any Beastmaster "eat" there own pets?


I pointed out where it's stength lies within. And I also pointed on your weak argumentation.
All in all it's a well balanced 2h. Now SE has to make sure it will work as intended and everything is fine.

I fail to see the strength that lies within this 2-hour that you have apparently pointed out to us. I'm afraid all you have pointed out Ihnako is the invalidity in your own argument when you suggest for us Beastmasters to charm a new pet after we eat our pets. Charm can't be used in much of the new content with the acception of some cases were we can Charm a Too Week monster. In addition even if we were to Charm Snarl does not work on charmed pets so if you did anything to take damage enough to actually use the Beastmaster 2-hour I recon you would have hate and now a useless Charmed pet if you somehow manage to find one in content were this 2-hour is remotely helpful.

Yes we can Call Beast instead of Charm but if your putting yourself in a scenario where you need to fully heal yourself at the cost of your pet your doing something wrong and we loop back to the question "When would this 2-hour actually be helpful?".

In addition you have yet to explain why it is a well balanced 2-hour on par with the majority of other 2-hours.


Haha... I like this forum and those BST. It's obvious they (that includes you too) are selfcentered, nonrealistic, associal individuals that screm that SE will throw them a cookie and ony them. I assume you will answer with a rant but that's something every idiot will do. ;p

It's at this point you have lost what little logic you had in whatever point you were trying to make. In result of this you turn to criticism. The Beastmasters that have posted in this thread are none of the above that you mention. All of them have submitted reasonable and logical feedback to help SE fix this 2-hour.

[Calamity]

Thank you Vandheer, I don't know if I could have said it better myself ^^

[Delvish]

Thank you Vandheer, I don't know if I could have said it better myself ^^

Agreed. I would like to tack on to your comment about Run Wild being a niche ability. In my mind, this two hour is really only usable in conjunction with Run Wild. In the event that you did not use Familiar and only used Run Wild, at 4:30 min you can use this 2 hour and pull RR/Erasega/Cure out of your pet that will die anyway. That being said, using a 2 hour in conjunction with an already niche ability isolated even more by assuming that you did not and do not plan to use Familiar already... Essentially we have a super niche 2 hour.

That is honestly the only feasible use for this. Except in the event you match the aforementioned scenario to the 'T'.

[Xilk]

My fellow BST, the way to deal w/ a troll is NOT to feed them.

Do you NOT know what a troll is!? A troll IS NOT someone who just has an opposing opinion and inflammatory rhetoric (though its a popular style of trolling).

A troll isn't trying to be right. A troll is trying to drag everyone into the Mud.

You don't counter a troll w/ logic and reasoning. You IGNORE THEM!

[Glamdring]

my opinion (assuming this thread is about letting SE know our opinion on the new 2hour). Some jobs got nice, this is crap. it's built to reduce downtime after we lose, but the idea of a 2 hour (at least to me) has always been something to burn if you are ABOUT to lose SO YOU DON'T. It's an emergency ability (not meant to be the foundation of a strat) that let's you snatch victory from the jaws of defeat; THIS 2HOUR ISN'T!!! Seriously, go back to the founding of the forums, when you 1st announced your intention to redesign 2 hours, there are at least 50 suggestions that are better than this that have a negligible effect on game balance, i.e. the amount a good 2-hour should. Try again SE.

[Calamity]

Yeah, again the thing that annoys me about this 2hr is that every scenario it can be used in basically assumes that we failed to properly prepare, or in some other way messed up. And even then the potential for it being used is so unlikely even in such a scenario. Plus the fact that if we ended up in a situation where we seriously need this 2hr, familiar has more than likely already been used. Maybe not so much in the old days when familiar just added a small hp boost, but now with monster trousers +2 and the 10% haste they add? Yeah.

[Caketime]

Perhaps SE envisioned us using the new 2Hr casually, since there are no other scenarios in which it can be used in a parctical manner aside from when you're sitting around and feel like eating something. Virtually.

[Nightstrike]

I think one of the problems SE has with making ability's and adjusting them is that they look only at how they envision them, rather than how they are currently working with gear and combinations with other ability's and such. And with these 2 hours they probably only compared them to the originals without the added effects of anything else.

From what i gather with this 2 hour is that it's pretty much best used after Run Wild, or in the few situations where you your self will be in actual danger. So id guess it would be a safe bet to say people would be more ok with this 2 hour if it didn't share the recast with the original and worked on charmed pets? Tho it still isn't a very piratical 2 hour, and then the fact that it does go against the beastmaster story.

I guess they could have had a, "Hay, bst is all about the pet, we don't really have anything for the master them self's." train of thought. I can see that tho, them trying to get the masters to do more than effectively just stand by and watch.(from my experience watching bst's, that's pretty much all i ever see anyways.) If it gave the master them self's a stat boost also like Spirit Surge(tho it then would pretty much just be a copy of that but with a RR effect) then it could be more piratical as long as it also doesn't share the recast timer with the previous one.

[Luvbunny]

I guess they could have had a, "Hay, bst is all about the pet, we don't really have anything for the master them self's." train of thought. I can see that tho, them trying to get the masters to do more than effectively just stand by and watch.(from my experience watching bst's, that's pretty much all i ever see anyways.)

If beastmaster is all about the jug pets (which we know this is only half the truth - after all this job is not a melee version of summoner's job) - then this new 2 hours should be ALL ABOUT THE PETS. Give super buffs on the pet and master, embrava effect that last for 10 minutes (stack with embrava), zero recast for ready for 30 seconds (so we can spam most of the LOLs ready abilities) AND grant reraise 3 to the master. There, with that fix, no one here will complaint, and probably will use this 2 hours.

[Calamity]

If beastmaster is all about the jug pets (which we know this is only half the truth - after all this job is not a melee version of summoner's job) - then this new 2 hours should be ALL ABOUT THE PETS. Give super buffs on the pet and master, embrava effect that last for 10 minutes (stack with embrava), zero recast for ready for 30 seconds (so we can spam most of the LOLs ready abilities) AND grant reraise 3 to the master. There, with that fix, no one here will complaint, and probably will use this 2 hours.

Hey now, I'm not asking for anything game breaking or over powered, but I am of the opinion we should get something that is deserving of blowing a 2hr on. As it stands, this ability is worth at best, a 10-20 minute recast. But a 2hr? Sorry, I just can't quite get there. I mean I know we're not the only job to get a really horrible 2hr out of this batch, but some jobs got some really awesome ones too. I'd just like to see a little more of this "balance" they're always going on about

[Daniel_Hatcher]

So they're changing Reraise to ..................... Stoneskin. fun!

[Xilk]

So they're changing Reraise to ..................... Stoneskin. fun!

you better put some tags around that post.

SE will take you literally and baransu the ability to match your 'suggestion'

[Mnejing]

you better put some tags around that post.

SE will take you literally and baransu the ability to match your 'suggestion'
Except its not sarcasm, its straight from the JP dev tracker.

[Calamity]

I like how stoneskin is replacing reraise instead of being added to it. I mean, not that I'd be any more likely to use it, but I mean come on, at least move it a half step closer to being a worthy 2hr instead of just making it unworthy for a completely different reason.

[Vandheer]

So they're changing Reraise to ..................... Stoneskin. fun!


you better put some tags around that post.

SE will take you literally and baransu the ability to match your 'suggestion'


Except its not sarcasm, its straight from the JP dev tracker.

Like Mnejing said, it has been stated by a Japanese Dev and has yet to be put up by the English Devs. Link is bellow to the post.
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/threads/22813-dev1058-メリットポイント新２アビについて?p=351464#post351464

From what I got from my "lol translate" (on Google Translate) it goes on to say that they will replace reraise with Stoneskin and that the amount of Stoneskin provided with vary biased on how strong your pet is. Remember, since this is a translation it may not be 100% accurate.

With that in mind, it seems they are really getting into the idea of Beastmasters eating their pets with this new 2-hour. Different pets will give different variants of Stoneskin biased on what pet you eat... just like food gives different effects depending which food you eat even if its only a slight difference.

From what I understand from the translation this Stoneskin doesn't help Beastmaster any more then the Reraise effect because it doesn't change the scenario we would use it in. From the looks of it the Japanese players aren't fond of this either.

Lets hope the English post comes out soon so we can get a better grasp of just what this does.

[Calamity]

If they really want us to lose a pet for a 2hr why not just make it explode? Sure I still probably wouldn't use it, but it would be more useful and the novelty of it would be entertaining once or twice.

[Xilk]

Like Mnejing said, it has been stated by a Japanese Dev and has yet to be put up by the English Devs. Link is bellow to the post.
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/threads/22813-dev1058-メリットポイント新２アビについて?p=351464#post351464



Thanks for the link. Wow, I really should check the Japanese announcements more often. That was shocking... I REALLY thought it was a bad joke... I thought Hatcher was just throwing out the most useless alternative he could think of..

Wow. Google did fair job of translating also.
I'll finish it for you:

獣使い
HP回復、状態異常回復はそのままで、リレイズの効果→ストンスキンに変更します。
ストンスキンの効果量は呼び出したペットにより変化します。
獣使いの2Hアビリティは、使い魔がペットの攻撃面の底上げなのに対し、マスターの防御面を大幅に引き上げるという方向性で考えています。


Beastmaster
HP Restoration and status ailment restoration will remain unchanged; Reraise effect will be changed to stoneskin effect.
Stoneskin effectiveness will vary depending on called pet.
The idea forming beastmaster's new 2H ability is, in contrast to how familiar increase the pet's attack power, to increase the master's defense power.


Now this last line in the makes me a bit irritated for a different reason. That is, I've done a fair bit of testing on bst and I have not found how it increases pets attack power save for the new haste boost on the monster trousers +2. grrr... I think I have the basework though, so I might go do another test w/ familiar up to find out if it actually does affect pet's attack.

AS far as stoneskin goes... Well, it seems silly. It IS silly. but a 5k stoneskin (equal to pet hp) would actually be much more worthwhile and useful than the re-raise effect.

IF it were a rinky-dink stoneskin below 1k it would be pathetic and completely not worth it.

IF its less than the pet's max hp, its a rip-off. The pet pretty much already IS my stoneskin. Its the wall of damage between me and whatever I'm fighting. IF i sacrifice that wall for something less... its a net loss.

I'm glad they shared the idea behind it also. It does kinda have a contrast and balance. That is, familiar boosting pet attack vs cannibalize boosting master defense. attack balanced against defense, pet balanced against master... there is an elegance about it, design-wise... but it also makes me feel they approached it from the wrong direction.

They came from a top-down approach rather than a practical approach of what the job could use. It doesn't surprise me that developers wouldn't play their game enough to have a good practical approach. (I do work for a co. that has a software product which is developed. Plenty of users know alot more than devs about what would be useful).

Anyway. If you want balance... familiar improves pet attack. Let cannibalize improve master attack.
We are happy w/ the defense in the pet itself.
IF you want to buff master defense, the killer effects augment from gausape +2 is they coolest way to go. Make it related to a beastmaster's inherent killer effect and relationship to the beasts.
A supped up killer effect would be very cool.

[Vandheer]

K guys heres the official translation of the 2-hour tweek that was found in the Japanese threads. Xilk's translation was pretty spot on so props to Xilk.


Greetings!

The Development Team has returned from their summer break and has started preparing their responses in regards to all the feedback we have been receiving on the new 2-hour abilities.

To start off, I like to first share some changes that are being planned.

Beastmaster
We will be keeping the HP recovery and status ailment recovery as is, but we will be changing the reraise effect to a stoneskin effect. The strength of the stoneskin effect will vary depending on the pet. The idea is that Familiar will increase the pet’s offensive capabilities, while the new 2-hour ability will enhance the master’s defensive capability.


I am also happy they have shared with us their thinking for this 2-hour but the execution, in my opinion, is poor. When they get this out on the Test server if someone could test it for us and post results that would be great because the Stoneskin can vary very much.


Finally, I have one request when submitting feedback. We have been seeing comments stating that “we don’t want this” and “totally remake it.” Your feedback is something we wish to utilize in our efforts to make the game better, so instead please try to be as specific as you can with how you’d like it aspects to change.

Above Camate requests for us to be more specific with what we want this 2-hour to be. I would like to strongly urge everyone to use this thread to share your ideas for creating a 2-hour we would all approve off. To do this lets just spitball ideas and get the ball rolling and use likes to show the ideas we like best.

Lets fix this people. :)

[Kytan]

A special Reraise will be nice.
i.e. A Reraise with no weakness and no EXP loss.

Alternatively, a Stoneskin that absorbs the Pet's HP.
Pet's Max HP. Not Pet's current HP when 2 Hour is used.

Or just add the dev's proposed Stoneskin to the dev's originally proposed Reraise. Rather than make it just one or the other.

[Delvish]

Above Camate requests for us to be more specific with what we want this 2-hour to be. I would like to strongly urge everyone to use this thread to share your ideas for creating a 2-hour we would all approve off. To do this lets just spitball ideas and get the ball rolling and use likes to show the ideas we like best.

Lets fix this people. :)

Please read....well...every post/thread/comment relating to this two hour. All of the responses say it sucks, but at least half of the responses have alternatives. It is true that negativity stands out more, but we aren't not giving some constructive criticism, up to and including replacing the dev team.

[xbobx]

If you got equal stoneskin to the pets HP it wouldn't be too bad. Getting a 3k stoneskin could help you get away. Now if they would add fast run walk boots for bst.

[Daniel_Hatcher]

If you got equal stoneskin to the pets HP it wouldn't be too bad. Getting a 3k stoneskin could help you get away. Now if they would add fast run walk boots for bst.

Fast Run walk boots?

There is already an item with Movement Speed +12 for BST.

[xbobx]

OH, skadi. forgot about those, something I will never get because too much of a pain.

[Dreamin]

I would like to thank SE for providing me with my daily "Laughes". Thank you.

Now that being said, so the same premise is still wrong, what the heck is eating our pet going to get us? Are they willing to give us a ~5k Stoneskin (HP of falcorr). At best, all this will just be an 'old shit' moment saver that has a very limited use. Guess it is at least better than a RR afterall.

I like someone's else idea up there where this 2hr ability would just BLOW UP like NIN's 2hr right now and the dmg done will be based on the current pet's HP. Definitely can see that as being a useful strategy where you use Run Wild on your pet and let it hammer down the mob you fighting for 4.5min, then pop a reward to recap its HP, pop this 2hr follow by a new call pet. I can see that being a more useful strategy against some NMs. Heck, if they want to be real creative, they can even make the BLOWN UP dmg elemental damage based on the pet's family. That will even give us more reasons to use other pet types (okay my inventory will hate this). But at least that will give us some interesting usage scenario and expand our play strategy.

[Xilk]

OH, skadi. forgot about those, something I will never get because too much of a pain.

skadi are not that hard to get now. you just need 3x ppl to get in, then you can solo it. they are well worth it.

[Camiie]

See it's hard to offer constructive criticism and advice when I think the entire premise is flawed. I don't want an ability to kill my pet. I want something that will enhance my ability to fight along side it. I'm not much of a theory crafter, so I'm not sure what I can offer at the moment as an alternative, but I think approaching the ability from that angle is a start.

[xbobx]

How about a 2 ton CC drops from the sky and squashes the mob for x amount of damage, while fireworks emit from his baskets.

[Luvbunny]

This new 2 hours is gone from being bad to ridiculously bad.... way to become dumb and dumber, seriously what they have been smoking over there at the office. The whole idea of beastmaster is to have the jug pets as the extension of their DD capabilities, the 2 hours should focus on the PET, look at the new ones for summoner and puppetmaster, both are highlighting their pets DD abilities.

[Calamity]

It's also hardly for them to really say familiar was designed with our pet's offensive capabilities in mind. I mean, yes, it does give the pet haste, but that is only if you put on your augmented relic pants +2. Without those what is familiar? An HP boost. So what we have is essentially a lackluster defensive 2hr that was modified into a "decent" offensive 2hr through the use of gear. So I'm very sorry, I think the rationality on the difference between the two 2hrs is quite faulty. In lacking expectancy of getting a better 2hr, I at least expect a better explanation.

[Okipuit]

Hello Beastmasters,

Thank you for all of your feedback. As you have heard, we updated the new BST 2 hour ability:



Beastmaster
We will be keeping the HP recovery and status ailment recovery as is, but we will be changing the reraise effect to a stoneskin effect. The strength of the stoneskin effect will vary depending on the pet. The idea is that Familiar will increase the pet’s offensive capabilities, while the new 2-hour ability will enhance the master’s defensive capability.

We received a bit more information regarding the details of this update:
The potency varies depending on the pet but the amount of damage the Stoneskin can absorb will be more than the actual spell.

As for why this ability cannot be used on charmed pets is directly related to its mechanics. Since the effect variation is dependent on the pet, it is limited to only jug pets.

We're still collecting all your feedback regarding all these new abilities so please let us know your thoughts.

[FrankReynolds]

We received a bit more information regarding the details of this update:
The potency varies depending on the pet but the amount of damage the Stoneskin can absorb will be more than the actual spell.

Hopefully its like 10,000 HP.

[Rekin]

The 2hr is bad. It will be never used in any situation ever. If there is a situation in which you'd even consider using this 2hr more likely than not you'd have already used the old 2hr before hand in an attempt to prevent the situation you might use the new 2hr.

What is the developer's problem with BST? What angle are they viewing the job? Do they even understand the job's current state in the game?


Hopefully its like 10,000 HP.
Even if it gave twice that, the 2hr would still be useless.

[deces]

Hello Beastmasters,

Thank you for all of your feedback. As you have heard, we nerfed the new BST 2 hour ability:



We received a bit more information regarding the details of this update:
The potency varies depending on the pet but the amount of damage the Stoneskin can absorb will be more than the actual spell.

As for why this ability cannot be used on charmed pets is directly related to its mechanics. Since the effect variation is dependent on the pet, it is limited to only jug pets.

We're still collecting all your feedback regarding all these new abilities so please let us know your thoughts.

I fixed your post, you can thank me later.

[Calamity]

Hello Beastmasters,

Thank you for all of your feedback. As you have heard, we updated the new BST 2 hour ability:



We received a bit more information regarding the details of this update:
The potency varies depending on the pet but the amount of damage the Stoneskin can absorb will be more than the actual spell.

As for why this ability cannot be used on charmed pets is directly related to its mechanics. Since the effect variation is dependent on the pet, it is limited to only jug pets.

We're still collecting all your feedback regarding all these new abilities so please let us know your thoughts.

I'd still like an explanation on why this 2hr comes at a cost. The ability by itself is very lackluster, made even worse by the fact that we have to sacrifice a pet for it. Maybe, just maybe if you added an effect to this similar to the rng and nin 2hr that negated the loss of the next jug used, well, ok I still probably wouldn't use it, but it would be an improvement.

[Mefuki]

One thing the Dev's don't seem to understand is that a BST's pet is integral to the job. Why would BST want to kill their pet in an attempt to "play defensively" when you need your pet to "play defensively"? I'm not a BST but I'm pretty sure that's how it goes.

[Enochroot]

If you make it so that the stoneskin effect is simply the amount of HP the pet currently has, it should be easy to make it work for charmed pets as well. Using this on a local, charmed pet then pulling out their own jug pet would make it safer for bsts to melee alongside their pets on mobs with nasty aoe's.

[Limecat]

I wonder how long the effect will persist without being broken by damage.

[larrymc]

Hello Beastmasters,

Thank you for all of your feedback. As you have heard, we updated the new BST 2 hour ability:



We received a bit more information regarding the details of this update:
The potency varies depending on the pet but the amount of damage the Stoneskin can absorb will be more than the actual spell.

As for why this ability cannot be used on charmed pets is directly related to its mechanics. Since the effect variation is dependent on the pet, it is limited to only jug pets.

We're still collecting all your feedback regarding all these new abilities so please let us know your thoughts.

Hello Okipuit,

Would it be possible for the devs or community reps to present to us a scenario where this 2 hour would be useful? I think that is where we are struggling. It seems that if an enemy is strong enough to kill one of our formidable jug pets, it will slice through a stoneskin effect in 1 or 2 hits.

[Raucent]

aye for a good number of these new "2hrs" they would probably answer a lot of questions "what the hell are they envisioning?" "why should we use this over the original?" if they gave us plausible scenarios in which we would use New over Old 2 hr

[hideka]

Hopefully its like 10,000 HP.

id have to agree since falcor has like 4k HP.... and you can just dump 100% of your hate on him every 30 secs... almost no reason to ever use this 2hr....

[hideka]

2hr fix: give BST the ability to call two simultaneous pets at once, the second pet will be completely random and last for five minutes. random chance of getting a HNM mob like Behemoth.

[Calamity]

Hello Okipuit,

Would it be possible for the devs or community reps to present to us a scenario where this 2 hour would be useful? I think that is where we are struggling. It seems that if an enemy is strong enough to kill one of our formidable jug pets, it will slice through a stoneskin effect in 1 or 2 hits.

Careful what you wish for. Remember when the bst community asked for a buff on Cloudsplitter and they responded with a test they ran while on war with optimal gear, restraint,, temp items, top atmas and basically everything else you could stack on and said "After our tests we found it sufficiently powerful"

[Babekeke]

Hopefully its like 10,000 HP.

Then it would basically be like Invincible... but that it would nullify magic damage as well. And PLDs get enough shit as it is.

[FrankReynolds]

Even if it gave twice that, the 2hr would still be useless.

I agree, but I think we all know that it's going to be like 1,000. /sigh SE


Then it would basically be like Invincible...

Even if it was 50,000, I doubt it would make people bring beastmaster to anything that they bring paladin for now.

[Logandor]

You know I actually like a suggestion one person had asked for was for a stronger pet to be able to be called as the 2hr that lasts for about 5 minutes. That seems more useful then eating your pet for stats and now stoneskin. Sorry Devs but give us good reason to why and where this new one would be used because if your in a bad spot where you have to eat a pet in order to live then your in a bad spot period at least that is what I was taught. Now if for say this new expansion has mobs that are able to foresay charm our pets (unlikely but a thought) and we could not recharm them back, I would probably be more willing to take the pet loss for hp regain. In fact that kinda scares me to think of what a charmed automaton would do to it's master/partner. And please before anyone goes off about it I know our pets as of right now can not be charmed by mobs. :)

[Cabalabob]

The thing I find funny about this lvl 99 ability that won't work on charmed pets. Is that I can only picture it being used by a lvl 1-10 using a charmed pet. I remember when I levelled bst from 1-10 I'd do the kiting strat of charm, attack, run and find another pet. I can see this being used if you were fighting something too strong and from the occasional hit between charms it had got you down to red, before your pet dies you could use the new 2hr to full heal and continue. Sadly it's not for charmed pets and by 99 you'll probably be experienced enough not to be in a situation like that

[fernando]

i think i bought my last jug pet,this new 2-hour is worthless and SE knows it.. Time to hang up my axe's i guess.

[Caketime]

Excuse me Waiter, there is hot garbage in my new 2Hr.

I knew SE hated our job, but not to what extent. This "fix" gives some insight.

[Economizer]

Hopefully its like 10,000 HP.

Mostly I would hope it lasts 2hours and is undispelable. However much it does from there would be subject other factors, but having your 2hour Stoneskin wear after a few minutes or just having it dispelled would suck.

[Kari]

Hello Beastmasters,

Thank you for all of your feedback. As you have heard, we updated the new BST 2 hour ability

Your update made it more of a garbage ability than before, sorry.
Anything that KILLS YOUR PET is already a no-go for BST.
One of the worst parts about BST is any time where you have no pet and your Call Beast is on cooldown.
Why would we want to force this upon ourselves for a crappy heal/stoneskin that will not even allow us to tank half of what our pet could have?

USELESS 2 hour.
Remake it along with DNC and THF.

[Vandheer]

We received a bit more information regarding the details of this update:
The potency varies depending on the pet but the amount of damage the Stoneskin can absorb will be more than the actual spell.

Thank you Okipuit for lending us more insight to this 2-hour. I'm sure most of us would also like to know when these changes will be made on the test server so that we can reply accurately with test results of the specifics of the Stoneskin effect (its duration, how much Stoneskin is given from a majority of our pets, what stats of the pet modifies stoneskin, ect...). Or if we could bypass that and you could share some numbers with us? :D Probably won't happen but was worth a try.

I am curious as to why SE didn't give us this Stoneskin ability right off the bat especially if this 2-hour is intended to raise the Masters defensive capabilities. It just seems odd that to raise the Masters defensive capabilities they choose to give us Reraise first then after we speak our 2 cents they give this 2-hour Stoneskin instead then say its meant to raise the Master's defensive capabilities.


As for why this ability cannot be used on charmed pets is directly related to its mechanics. Since the effect variation is dependent on the pet, it is limited to only jug pets.

As many of my fellow Beastmasters have said, if the stoneskin effect is dependent on the pet it would seem logical to let us use this on Charmed pets as they are pets as well. The only difference between the two is they they are not Jug Pets which makes me think its more that the coding is being tied to Jug Pets some how... but now I'm getting carried away. The point is we would appreciate it if we could use this ability on Charmed pets as-well since Charm was the initial ability of Beastmaster.


We're still collecting all your feedback regarding all these new abilities so please let us know your thoughts.

A few of my fellow Beastmasters, including myself, have also asked when SE would see this 2-hour as useful. It has many limitations such as killing off our pet and the ability itself implies that we would have been taking damage prior to using the ability, enough so to want Reraise at first but now enough so to want a "potent" Stoneskin. Sure a "Potent" Stoneskin would enhance our defensive capabilities but our Pet is our biggest defense. Do they intend for Beastmasters to use this then "Call Beast" right away? If that is the case can we tack on resetting the "Call Beast" timer to this new 2-hour? Additionally it is limited to being attached to Familiar. :S

Personally, as I'm sure everyone knows, I am still not a fan of this 2-hour. Its effects are lackluster and against all flavor within the Beastmaster job (unless there is a pet calling kabob making craze amongst the NPC Beastmasters I'm unaware of). On the other hand familiar as a 2-hour was incredibly flavorful, it involved Beastmaster communicating with their pets and the pets kicking ass alongside the Beastmaster. Not to mention Charmed pets sticking around for 30 minutes while under the influence of familiar.

In my opinion, there are a few key parts to Beastmaster and flavor, communicating with the wilderness (charm and our abilities that work with pets), calling forth and utilizing pets that are always loyal to Beastmasters (Call Beast), and possessing knowledge of the wilderness and its creatures (widescan and killer traits). I see Familiar as representing the first part of communicating with our pets on a high level but what about the other two parts of Beastmaster? Perhaps if we were to change this ability we could go off of either of those. I'd love to have a pet called via 2-hour that is a total badass. Ideally I'd like for the pet to stick around for 30 minutes just as Familiar makes charmed pets stick around for 30 minutes. The pet itself would have high stats to make it 2-hour worthy and not just an average pet perhaps with more then 1 killer trait. ;)

[Daniel_Hatcher]

The sheep will give you 500 Stoneskin.... I bet'cha.

[Minikom]

I have done server test to check the new 2 hours Bst but if stonesking is just like Mighty guard should be something really cool, SE said familiar was for pet and new one for master, stoneskin and regen should be nice then

[Shadax]

We're still collecting all your feedback regarding all these new abilities so please let us know your thoughts.

Okipuit, can you please explain to the devs that the reason we're all so upset is because while we understand they want the duality of having an offensive and a defensive 2-hour ability, the problem is that while the offensive 2-hour augments our pet as it's supposed to seeing as how we are one with our beasts, the defensive 2-hour selfishly destroys our companion to give us a souped-up version of a spell that most mages can recast every 30 seconds. It is in no way comparable in strength to any other job's 2-hour ability but more importantly, it just makes no sense. A defensive 2-hour ability, if that is indeed what the devs think is best for the job, needs to augment the defensive capabilities of our pets and it would have to have a strength and duration that actually makes using it useful - something like pet damage taken -50% for at least 5 mins.

Of course, considering the devs went from Reraise to Stoneskin... I'm not expecting much of a change at this point. I just hope that they are at least hearing the large amount of dissent to this new 2-hour and will realize that there's only so much the player base will take before they just get frustrated by the lackluster sideways "improvements" they keep wasting their time with.

[Leonardus]

SE,

Please stop with the "kill your pet" abilities. I've forgotten I even have "Run Wild." What is so exciting about Dooming your pet or eating them to recover HP? I consider them my ally in battle. Why would I want to make them disappear? Isn't the enemy trying to do that?

Some future suggestions:
-Pet "Regain" effect (Not on an outdated Glyph Axe)
-Pet "Wall" effect (Protect/Shell)
-Pet "Drain Daze" effect
-Pet "Trance" effect (Free use of Charges)
-Pet "Unbridled Learning" effect (Thunderbolt/Nihility Song/Disorienting Waul/Frigid Shuffle/Mucilaginous Ooze/Petrifactive Breath/Etc, this existed in FF Tactics as "Monster Skill/Beastmaster")

It would be nice if, in the future, we could temporarily boost the ferocity of our pet. A "morale" boost, if you will, like "Spur," but with a little more empathic flavor.

Thanks.

[Calamity]

SE,

Please stop with the "kill your pet" abilities. I've forgotten I even have "Run Wild." What is so exciting about Dooming your pet or eating them to recover HP? I consider them my ally in battle. Why would I want to make them disappear? Isn't the enemy trying to do that?

Some future suggestions:
-Pet "Regain" effect (Not on an outdated Glyph Axe)
-Pet "Wall" effect (Protect/Shell)
-Pet "Drain Daze" effect
-Pet "Trance" effect (Free use of Charges)
-Pet "Unbridled Learning" effect (Thunderbolt/Nihility Song/Disorienting Waul/Frigid Shuffle/Mucilaginous Ooze/Petrifactive Breath/Etc, this existed in FF Tactics as "Monster Skill/Beastmaster")

It would be nice if, in the future, we could temporarily boost the ferocity of our pet. A "morale" boost, if you will, like "Spur," but with a little more empathic flavor.

Thanks.

At least with run wild I can pop it near the end of an nm fight to ease things along (assuming I'm warping out right after) But this, this is something else. Something without any real practical use. And as I've said before, it's the bsts that don't really know what they're doing that are more likely to find use for this 2hr than the ones who do. -.-

[Hashmalum]

Dear dev team: you still don't understand. The core concept behind this ability is fatally flawed. We will not tell you how to "fix" this ability, because it cannot be done. There are two things you fail to understand here that I must now explain to you.

The first thing is, what makes a good 2 hour ability. Some of the best 2 hour abilities fall into the category of "ignoring restrictions". Examples include Manafont, which lets Black Mage ignore the restriction of having to use MP to cast magic, and Chainspell, which lets Red Mage ignore the restriction imposed by casting time.

Another category of 2 hour abilities is the category of "enhanced specialty", that is, allowing a job to do something they are already good at to the highest degree possible. Examples include Invincible, which is the natural progression of the Paladin's ability to reduce physical damage taken, and Benediction, which is the White Mage's ability to remove damage and negative status effects taken nearly as high as it can go. Even our current 2 hour ability, Familiar, lets us charm stronger pets for longer and thus mostly fits into this category.

However, these are not the only categories of 2 hour ability that exist. There is also the category of "sacrifice something valuable to do something your job is bad at", previously filled by the very worst 2 hour in existence, Mijin Gakure (in this case sacrificing your life to do non-elemental HP-based magical damage). Guess what category your proposed ability falls into? Yes, that's right, you guessed it--sacrifice something valuable (your pet) to do something your job is bad at (take damage). Not only is Mijin Gakure now not alone, it is no longer the worst 2 hour ability that there is. The pet is Beastmaster's defining trait and most important tool. Losing a pet is never good; wasting your 2 hour ability to do this to yourself is about the stupidest thing you could possibly do.

The second thing you need to learn is this: offensive utility always trumps defensive utility. "The best defense is a good offense." There is a reason Fire Geodes cost as much as the other types put together, and is because they are associated with boosting Strength and Attack--physical offense (the best type) in its purest form. You "win" in this game by killing monsters. 99% of the content in the game is based around doing this. 1% is based around avoiding monsters (HELMing and fishing). Precisely 0% of the game's content is based around minimizing damage. This is why Perfect Dodge is considered such a weak 2 hour ability. But at least it doesn't require the Thief using it to sacrifice something valuable to do so. Abilities that sacrifice offense for defense do not help you win, they just help you lose more slowly. The objective is not to lose at all, but to win, and this ability actively hinders that ultimate goal.

[Hashmalum]

Now, dev team, you want to know what our 2 hour ability should do instead? Well, I'll tell you. I suggest that we get an ability that allows us to ignore the restriction of having only one pet at a time. Have the current pet go into a semi-NPC status, no longer controllable and attacking automatically, while allowing us to charm or call another normal pet. Certain enemy beastmasters, like Gig'ghi Cockchopper, can have 2 pets out at once. We should be able to do this too.

[Daniel_Hatcher]

I have done server test to check the new 2 hours Bst but if stonesking is just like Mighty guard should be something really cool, SE said familiar was for pet and new one for master, stoneskin and regen should be nice then

Says on the JAP forum, Stoneskin is 1/2 the Pets HP.

[ProfessorD]

Here is a quick fix i think would be good for bst 2 hr. Why not make it where when you use it the pet disappears but in its place either a HNM or NM type from the same family appears gives you some buffs and damage based off of there tp moves. Example would be like CC. When used she will disappear and be replaced by a huge crab that does scissior guard on you and then lets say bubble shower on the mob then disappears. That way will kind of keep the way they want to go and I as a bst wouldnt feel so bad about using it.

[Vandheer]

Says on the JAP forum, Stoneskin is 1/2 the Pets HP.

Thank you Daniel_Hatcher for getting the info from the Japanese forums but now its official.


Greetings!

During this week’s Test Server update we will be making the below changes and additions to the new 2-hour abilities.


Beastmaster
Reraise effect will be changed to a Stoneskin effect
(The strength of the Stoneskin effect will differ depending on the type of jug pet called, and will be half of the pet’s max HP.)

While this week’s update will only encompass the above changes, we are continuing to look into other jobs as well, so there is a possibility for further changes and adjustments.

I went ahead and took the Max HP of all the pets most commonly used at the 99 cap (with the acception of Nursery Nazuna at the level 86 Cap) and divided them in half for the total amount of damage the Stoneskin from each pet would absorb. Bellow is a list containing the totals.

Commonly used Jug Pet Stoneskin
Lucky Lulush LV 99 (4912 HP): 2456 Stoneskin

Dipper Yuly LV 99 (4092 HP): 2046 Stoneskin

Nursery Nazuna LV 86 (5114 HP): 2557 Stoneskin

Fatso Fargann LV 99 (4298 HP): 2149 Stoneskin

Faithful Falcorr LV 99 (4968 HP): 2484 Stoneskin

Gorefang Hobs LV 99 (5218 HP): 2609 Stoneskin

Gooey Gerard LV 99 (4298 HP): 2149 Stoneskin

Crude Raphie LV 99 (4212 HP): 2106 Stoneskin

The damage absorbed by the spell Stoneskin maxes at 350. While these numbers are far over the normal Stoneskin numbers we still need to know how long it lasts and if it can be dispelled. I'm still disappointed that this 2-hour kills off our pet in exchange for the various effects it gives and will continue to question when us Beastmasters would actually have a use for this. :confused:

[Falkirk]

As an addendum to Vandheer's list, anyone with 5/5 Beast Affinity merits and enhanced Monster Gloves +2 will have a level 99 NurseryNazuna with 6140 Max HP (3070 Stoneskin).

... I'll be very sad to see this 2-hour enter the main servers, as-is. There must be some sensible alternative that the Dev Team will consider. Please. ; ; I really like some of the suggestions in this thread, especially the one-time HNM summon and the Killer Effect boost. Both of these would make me feel like I had supreme dominion over the Beasts and Birds of Vana'diel and would be very fitting BST 2-hours.

It's very satisfying to see a long string of intimidation messages in the chatlog as a foe cowers in fear before you. Giving us 3 minutes of capped Killer Effects would give us that mighty Tarzan feeling, as our mere presence threatens oncoming hoards. If the Development Team is dead set on a defensive tactic for BST, this would be a fine way to go. It goes without saying, but there would be a -25% Damage Taken effect while wearing Ferine Gausape +2. And even for BSTs who don't have the AF3+2 body, there will still be a defensive solution in place with intimidation procs.

This would fall under the "Enhanced Specialty" category of 2-hours, and when applicable would be fun and empowering. Probably more fun than a Stoneskin effect which will be smashed into oblivion after several hits, followed by a lonesome BST hitting the ground.

[Calamity]

So what you're saying is there will actually be a reason to have 5/5 beast affinity again? Oh good. -.-

[Limecat]

If the overall duration is really long, I could see it being "eh, why not" for things where you have to run in and out(Carabosse changing to BLM mode, for example). Call pet, wait on call beast timer, eat pet, call new one, start fight. One improvement I would suggest is that the stoneskin also comes with any feral skills the pet had. If you could eat a pet and suddenly have huge specific damage reductions, it would make this situational but actually useful.

Also, I dare you to make the icon a picture of a chocobo head inside a hamburger bun.

[Vandheer]

If the overall duration is really long, I could see it being "eh, why not" for things where you have to run in and out(Carabosse changing to BLM mode, for example). Call pet, wait on call beast timer, eat pet, call new one, start fight. One improvement I would suggest is that the stoneskin also comes with any feral skills the pet had. If you could eat a pet and suddenly have huge specific damage reductions, it would make this situational but actually useful.

This is true if the duration was long it could be used for something like this but even that is still pushing it. If you were to call a pet just to eat it you would be tossing gil down the drain without even utilizing this 2-hours full effect. The other two parts of this effect are to heal the Beastmasters HP to full and to remove all debuffs. Saying you'd use it only for the Stoneskin is also funny because originally it didn't have any Stoneskin... it was a dinky reraise. Stoneskin is an improvement but so long as this 2-hour kills off the Beastmasters pet it will remain incredibly niche.

[Caketime]

+1 for Chocoburger. If they're going to give us this horrible ability it might as well sport a humorous icon.

[SpankWustler]

I just can't wait for the discovery that, while the Stoneskin provides 2000+ HP, it only has a 15 second duration.

[Calamity]

I'm also waiting to discover that there's a cap they have neglected to tell us about.

[Dreamin]

I just can't wait for the discovery that, while the Stoneskin provides 2000+ HP, it only has a 15 second duration.

Dont give them anymore ideas...

[Glamdring]

Ok, so, you modified the 2-hour, great, thanks for listening. Now for the comments...
IT STILL SUCKS!!!
we're a pet job, the job is built around and pretty much all about the pet, to 2hour, we have to waste the pet, survive through the repop timer and try to get things done AT OUR WEAKEST! BRILLIANT!

try again man, you're still failing miserably (the devs, not singling you out Cam...)

I honestly can't think of a single situation where I'd want to purposely waste a jug pet and try to play petless through a cool-down timer.

[FrankReynolds]

Do they really not understand that you wouldn't need stoneskin if you hadn't just one shotted your pet?

[Caketime]

Apparently not, Frank. At this point I'm positive they don't play the job and have no idea what to do with it, hence this "defensive ability".

[Vandheer]

Anyone get around to testing the specifics of this Stoneskin effect? Its duration, if it has a cap (tough to test but would be good to know), if it can be dispelled... Until we get some more results we can work with theres nothing else we can do but continue to disagree with SE and this 2-hour and feed them our ideas for a 2-hour in hopes that they listen.

In the spoiler text bellow are two ideas for a new 2-hour we posted either of which I would like to see implemented to replace this new pet eating 2-hour.





I have one request when submitting feedback. We have been seeing comments stating that “we don’t want this” and “totally remake it.” Your feedback is something we wish to utilize in our efforts to make the game better, so instead please try to be as specific as you can with how you’d like it aspects to change.

You asked for us to be more specific with what we want SE, I do hope you know that implies your willing to listen.

[Raborn]

Suggestion for a modified version of the Beastmaster 2 hour -

"Places your pet in a weakened state, in order to boost the master and parties defensive capabilities."

Pet: (Slow+20% Attack-50% Defense-50% and locks Ready/Snarl so TP moves cannot be used for the duration of the effect)

Effect: Grants a Stoneskin and Regen Effect to all members within range. (Regen is 100 hp / tick, Stoneskin effect roughly 1/4 the pets maximum HP) Duration: 2 minutes.
Secondary Effect: Master and Party members gain intimidation and defensive killer traits of the called pet at maximum capacity. (Secondary Effect only works with jug pets active). Duration: 1 minute.

The idea of having 2 active pets at once is too good to be true. But I'd like to say that would be fun to watch as well. I'd rather that not be a 2 hour though :P. (Make bst the only pet based job in the game capable of controlling more than 1 monster).

[Hashmalum]

The idea of having 2 active pets at once is too good to be true. But I'd like to say that would be fun to watch as well. I'd rather that not be a 2 hour though :P. (Make bst the only pet based job in the game capable of controlling more than 1 monster).What if it's only active for 5 minutes. After that the NPC-type leaves (or decharms). Hey, if SE absolutely demands that the new 2 hour get rid of our pet, that's ok... as long as it sticks around for 5 minutes of tag-teaming action first!

[Vandheer]

Hey everyone,

The new 2-hours were developed based on the idea that they would share the existing 2-hour ability's recast timer and players would be selecting which ability to use based on the situation. Instead of these being a higher-tier or universal abilities that can be used for any situation, they are abilities that are designed to be used for specialized conditions.

Hmmm well I suppose this makes sense, they can't give us a 2-hour that calls 2 pets or a single badass pet because it would be better then Familiar. I can accept that but I can't accept killing off our pets. While I can easily see how this 2-hour would be used in a different situation then when wed use Familiar it is to dependent on the Beastmaster being underprepared for whatever they have gotten themselves into. Then of corse theres the issue of the legitimacy of "eating our pets" actually being applied to Beastmaster biased on the story and idea of the Beastmaster job itself.


Amongst the feedback we have been receiving, there have been a lot of comments about changing the effects, reducing the 2-hour recast time, removing the shared recast timer aspect, and other ideas for largely changing the concept. It may take a bit of time to discuss and look into all of these, but we are planning to spend time on this without rushing implementation so that these are abilities that everyone is satisfied with.

This is good news that your willing to keep at this until everyone (the majority at least) is satisfied with these 2-hours. I don't mind Beastmaster having a 2-hour that shares a timer with familiar nor do i mind this concept of 2 different situational 2-hours... so long as the new 2-hour will actually have a use to Beastmaster and keeps to the ideas of the Beastmaster job.


The idea is that Familiar will increase the pet’s offensive capabilities, while the new 2-hour ability will enhance the master’s defensive capability.

Familiar at its most basic is to increase the pet's offensive capabilities... (Though I'm unaware how it does this without Monster Trousers +2 for +10% Haste, anyone have any insight here?) This new 2-hour was supposed to enhance the master's defensive capabilities though its at the cost of our pet. Perhaps we can start in replacing this current new 2-hour by replacing the idea of enhancing the master's defensive capabilities? Ideas anyone?

I will share my own ideas once I've had a chance to brainstorm a bit and wrap my head around this.

[Malthar]

I've just had a brilliant insight of what the beastmaster 2hr *should be*. Grant the 2hr to the pet specific to the job.
For example: The fish is warrior. Grant mighty strikes to the fish when the new 2hr is used.
The mandy is a monk. Grant hundread fists to the mandy when the new 2hr is used.

[FrankReynolds]

Why not reverse it? Refill the pets HP, increase the pet's max HP and give it a stone-skin effect equal to the HP of the master.

[Malthar]

I think I like my idea better.

[FrankReynolds]

I think I like my idea better.

Better hope they don't give your war pet the new 2 hour ability instead :P

[deces]

Square Enix has been waving a carrot over our heads about a new 2 hour for over a year, and this is the best they can come up with? Dev team should of got fired too.

[Vandheer]

After giving this some thought heres what I've come up with to re-address this new 2-hour.

With Familiar being Pet Offensive we could do Master Offensive? Perhaps Beastmaster utilizing a Killer Traits and understanding of Mobs to put the monster in a weakened state granting "Killer Mob Type" to everyone fighting the mob, preferably pets would be included. This would mean everyone attacking the mob has a good chance to intimidate the mob and is given a damage boost and damage reduction similar to how Ferine Gausape +2 gives to Beastmaster. The amount of Killer granted would be would add on to whatever amount of Killer Traits people already have to encourage using alongside Circle Effects and encourage use of different pets to line up the Killer Traits to utilizie Killer Instinct. While under the influence of this 2-hour the cap for Killer trait and buffs received from killer traits should be raised. :D

This is a rough idea of course and is up for tweaking so it isn't to OP but lets remember that this is a 2-hour were talking about. As always remember to leave a like if you like my line of thinking and in this case feel free to give your spin of my suggested new 2-hour or your idea of what Beastmasters new 2-hour should be. :)

[Mavrick]

With Familiar being Pet Offensive ...

You lost me right about here.

[Vandheer]

You lost me...

I know its a little weird however its not my logic.


The idea is that Familiar will increase the pet’s offensive capabilities, while the new 2-hour ability will enhance the master’s defensive capability.

Perhaps its a typo on Camates part? I'm not sure... nor am I sure about how Familiar raises the pets offensive capabilities outside of Monster Trousers +2 giving 10% haste to our pet. However I also stated all this in my previous post (post #105). ^^

[Xilk]

I know its a little weird however its not my logic.



Perhaps its a typo on Camates part? I'm not sure... nor am I sure about how Familiar raises the pets offensive capabilities outside of Monster Trousers +2 giving 10% haste to our pet. However I also stated all this in my previous post (post #105). ^^

I ran a few tests after that post trying to see if it improved pet attack, but my results showed no improvement. Aside from the haste on trousers +2; I see no offensive improvement from familiar.

[Vandheer]

Thank you for doing testing on this Xilk. I went and searched the Japanese forums for their Japanese version of Camates post and translated it to find that Camate didn't translate wrong. Camate clearly says offense while from the translator Oriole specifies attack. How Familiar does it is beyond me and I will try to do some testing myself to see if I can figure it out.

Heres both copies of text for anyone else interested.


Beastmaster
We will be keeping the HP recovery and status ailment recovery as is, but we will be changing the reraise effect to a stoneskin effect. The strength of the stoneskin effect will vary depending on the pet. The idea is that Familiar will increase the pet’s offensive capabilities, while the new 2-hour ability will enhance the master’s defensive capability.



獣使い

HP回復、状態異常回復はそのままで、リレイズの効果→ストンスキンに変更します。
ストンスキンの効果量は呼び出したペットにより変化します。
獣使いの2Hアビリティは、使い魔がペットの攻撃面の底上げなのに対し、マスターの防御面を大幅に引き上げるという方向性で考えています。

[deces]

I guess were being lied to... Again.

[Camiie]

I guess were being lied to... Again.

The Devs are nothing if not consistent!

[Glamdring]

Do they really not understand that you wouldn't need stoneskin if you hadn't just one shotted your pet?

methinks the devs got some spoiled fish in their sushi and came up with the new 2 hour while they were halucinating during the dehydration caused by explosive diarrhea Frank, so no, they probably DON'T get it...

Tip, cook the damn fish, it kills the various bad stuff that grows in it.

[Calamity]

Thank you for doing testing on this Xilk. I went and searched the Japanese forums for their Japanese version of Camates post and translated it to find that Camate didn't translate wrong. Camate clearly says offense while from the translator Oriole specifies attack. How Familiar does it is beyond me and I will try to do some testing myself to see if I can figure it out.

Heres both copies of text for anyone else interested.

I assume they're adding bst relic +2 legs which add the 10% haste to the 2hr. I suppose it counts, but it's pretty sketchy to call it an offensive 2hr considering a piece of gear is required to make it offensive.

[Xilk]

Familiar was more of a 2 hour when it meant we could keep an IT pet.

There were actually fights where this was awesomely useful that is. you can still do it... but there is nothing in the game anymore where its worthwhile..

also, I would say familiar is both offense and defense. you get haste for offense now, and hp for defense.

[Camiie]

Why does this 2-hour even involve eating our pet? Why does a 2-hour have to have a drawback other than a 2-HOUR RECAST TIMER? Because it's something for BST?

[Calamity]

Why does this 2-hour even involve eating our pet? Why does a 2-hour have to have a drawback other than a 2-HOUR RECAST TIMER? Because it's something for BST?

I've been repeating this same question every single chance in multiple forum topics. I keep waiting and hoping that maybe eventually we'll have an answer.

[Fadnog]

So as it stands now the new 2Hr is only good for swapping pets when yours is about to die?

Though at that point the heal and erase would be pretty much wasted because if I'm needing to swap pets I'm probably not fighting along side of it.

I guess if I'm in a group on BST for whatever reason, and fighting something that spams AoEs I could use it help the healer I guess.

If they insist on keeping it this way they should at least make it reset our Call Beast timer, that would make it slightly useful.

[Xilk]

yeah, it doesn't make sense that the bst 2 hour requires a major sacrifice (especially for such lackluster benefits)

[Glamdring]

So as it stands now the new 2Hr is only good for swapping pets when yours is about to die?

Though at that point the heal and erase would be pretty much wasted because if I'm needing to swap pets I'm probably not fighting along side of it.

I guess if I'm in a group on BST for whatever reason, and fighting something that spams AoEs I could use it help the healer I guess.

If they insist on keeping it this way they should at least make it reset our Call Beast timer, that would make it slightly useful.

The above post is what is known as "looking at the yellow snow and calling it an Italian Ice"

devs, we are trying to force a theoretical situation that will never occur in normal play where this 2-hour might have some kind of utility. We can only come up with something like this, which doesn't happen. It just doesn't. A Group of beasts will stagger their recall timers if it is something THAT bad so we never have to make it easy on the healer, we have pet food and dawn mulsum if we are approaching a killer fight, usually a temp item like a shepards drink or something too since there are virtually no fights in areas that don't feature temps that are difficult. Maybe Arch-Dynamis lord, that's about it.

Take the hint.

[Vandheer]

BST:
We understand that sacrificing your pet for Stoneskin results in a reduction in attack power. This Stoneskin effect is not used like the magic spell Stoneskin that you would use before entering a fight. It is something that is used in a crisis situation in order to recover and avoid emergencies (For example, if your pet is on the verge of dying and when that happens you will be put in a dangerous spot, etc.)

Thank you for getting an example of how this 2-hour would be used from the team Okipuit. They still just don't get it though. In order for Beastmasters to utilize this 2-hour how it was intended in the our example would force Beastmasters to play at a lesser skill level then we do to get the most out of the 2-hour. Beastmaster pets have, Dawn Muslum and Reward (to keeping them alive), Run Wild when the (pet will def die or to wrap up a fight), and a 5 min recast timer on Call Beast. For the Master we have our pets to take most of the damage, /dnc to heal ourselves, /dnc to heal status aliments, or various other subs to fill in what we need for whatever we plan to take on. The reality of this new Beastmaster 2-hour is it will not do anything for Beastmaster unless you force it to.

If you want to make 2 different situational 2-hours at least give us something more reasonable then this.

[Caketime]

BST:
We understand that sacrificing your pet for Stoneskin results in a reduction in attack power. This Stoneskin effect is not used like the magic spell Stoneskin that you would use before entering a fight. It is something that is used in a crisis situation in order to recover and avoid emergencies (For example, if your pet is on the verge of dying and when that happens you will be put in a dangerous spot, etc.)

Or I could pop a Dawn Mulsum and laugh all the way to the bank. Or put on my movement+ shoes, pop Feral Howl and go into kite mode until timers are refreshed. Or go into the fight with Call Beast up and simply change pets when needed and Snarl, crisis averted. Or just allow the other BST to tank for a minute while my timer is refreshed. There are so many ways to avoid the above scenario, this ability is worthless for any BST that knows how to do it right, and the rest who don't need to learn.

[deces]

Maybe if we type all of our comments in japaneses onry so they will take a second of their time and read some of them.

[FrankReynolds]

Maybe if we type all of our comments in japaneses onry so they will take a second of their time and read some of them.

The JP players are saying the same things as far as I can tell (note to self: learn to speak / read Japanese).

[Ophannus]

What happened to the new 2hr they promised BST that would allow them to call a powerful notorious monster pet? Or did they just turn that into Run Wild?

[Mefuki]

What happened to the new 2hr they promised BST that would allow them to call a powerful notorious monster pet? Or did they just turn that into Run Wild?

I don't remember any such promise.


The JP players are saying the same things as far as I can tell (note to self: learn to speak / read Japanese).

Exactly. I just glanced at the Matsui suggestion thread and guess what? Be it a bad suggestion or a good one, the JP forum, more or less, mirror our own. It really is remarkable.

[Caketime]

Does the JP forum have more or fewer trolls? I'm curious how many "visits" our fellow BST get from other jobs who hate them for being alive.

Also, that "Summon an NM" ability was kicked around here for a few weeks, but no reps ever hinted at it being used or even considered. It would probably be too much fun.

[Raborn]

I just had a crazy Idea! How about this Defensive 2 hour Force all the Enmity onto our pet from everyone inside of the group with us, grant the PET a stoneskin effect = to its max hp and grant it a regen effect = to what they want US to recieve. Kinda like an emergency Invincible for groups in dire need of a sloppy seconds tank?
Or is that too far off base from what we're going for and overpowered...

If thats the case we should probably make the defensive ability something that actually would benefit the job in an emergency situation allowing it to play off of its other JOB abilities or traits (oh i think im onto something bst uses pets? right?)
So maybe those ideas about an emergency 2 hour pet that lasts 5 minutes isn't a terrible idea? Oh and then we could vote on what type of pet we'd like to see as a defensive backup pet and you guys get to satisfy your community base!
Partially.

Oh or we could make the emergency 2 hour so that BST can charm normally uncharmable monsters. (Up to a certain point of course IE: no charming bosses or NMs). Not that thats really much of a 2 hour either. But I would love to charm me some quadav :3.

[Xilk]

The trolls always come around to the bst thread trying to share their unhappiness.

[Chamaan]

Eating your own pet in front of a monster should give 100% to all Killer traits to you and anyone in your party. Man if I was a monster that'd scare me to see a beastmaster just turn on his own pet and start eating it right there in the field like some kind of ghoul.

[Leonardus]

Oh or we could make the emergency 2 hour so that BST can charm normally uncharmable monsters. (Up to a certain point of course IE: no charming bosses or NMs). Not that thats really much of a 2 hour either. But I would love to charm me some quadav :3.

Give BST Fanatic Dance (Charm beastmen, AoE). It'll be just as useless and random as Cannibalize, but at least a more entertaining usage of one's 2-Hour.

(Or they really could just give the stoneskin to the pet?...)

[Camiie]

How about this:
Devoted Master (I'm bad at naming things. Woe be to any children I may produce.)
Recast 2:00:00
All Enmity accrued by the pet is shifted to the master. The master gains a Stoneskin effect (equal to half of the pet's maximum HP). The master is immune to status ailments for 30 seconds. Reward recast is set to 0 during this 30 seconds.

Basically you take hate, Cure bomb your pet, Snarl, and you're back in business. A smart BST probably wouldn't even get hit, but there's the Stoneskin if you're in a position where it's unavoidable. It's probably broken as hell, but that's what a 2-hour should be IMO.

[Caketime]

How about this:
Devoted Master (I'm bad at naming things. Woe be to any children I may produce.)
Recast 2:00:00
All Enmity accrued by the pet is shifted to the master. The master gains a Stoneskin effect (equal to half of the pet's maximum HP). The master is immune to status ailments for 30 seconds. Reward recast is set to 0 during this 30 seconds.

Basically you take hate, Cure bomb your pet, Snarl, and you're back in business. A smart BST probably wouldn't even get hit, but there's the Stoneskin if you're in a position where it's unavoidable. It's probably broken as hell, but that's what a 2-hour should be IMO.

No, it should be counter-productive in emergencies and of dubious quality in any other practical situation. At this point I'd rather have a 2 hour that does absolutely nothing over the current one, like an ability that summons a unicorn that talks about friendship and then disappears in a flash of rainbow dust and butterflies. I think it'd be good for moral support, plus I like butterflies and unicorns.