Is Animal Companion Worth It? A Deep Dive into the Beast Mastery Hunter Talent
Animal Companion, the Beast Mastery Hunter talent that summons a second pet, is a complex decision in Dragonflight. The answer isn’t a simple yes or no; its value depends heavily on your playstyle, content focus, and gear level. In short, the talent can be worthwhile, providing increased burst damage and utility. However, it comes at the cost of a damage reduction to your main pet, and its effectiveness varies greatly depending on the situation. Choosing Animal Companion requires a careful assessment of your individual needs and understanding the trade-offs involved.
Understanding Animal Companion: Mechanics and Considerations
How Animal Companion Works
The Animal Companion talent allows Beast Mastery Hunters to summon a second pet. This extra companion mimics the attacks of your main pet, providing additional damage output. Here’s a breakdown of key mechanics:
- Shared Abilities: The second pet benefits from Beast Cleave and the attack speed bonus granted by Barbed Shot. This ensures the second pet contributes significantly to AoE damage and benefits from core rotation abilities.
- Damage Reduction: The trade-off for summoning a second pet is a 35% damage reduction to your main pet’s attacks. This is crucial to understand – it’s not a straight damage buff, but a redistribution of damage across two pets.
- Basic Attacks: The secondary pet will do everything except Basic Attacks (ie, Bite, Claw, and Smack).
- Pet Family: The second pet mirrors the family of your first pet so it’s recommended that you use a ferocity pet, this way the second pet is also a ferocity pet.
- Doesn’t benefit from Kill Command: It’s important to note that the second pet does not benefit from kill command.
Factors Influencing Animal Companion’s Value
Several factors determine whether Animal Companion is a beneficial talent choice:
- Gear Level: At lower gear levels, the increased burst and consistent damage from two pets might outweigh the 35% main pet reduction. As your gear improves, the value of your main pet’s damage grows, potentially making the talent less impactful.
- Content Type: Animal Companion shines in situations with frequent target switching or AoE encounters. The split damage across two pets helps maintain uptime and cleave damage effectively. In single-target, sustained damage scenarios, the main pet’s raw power might be preferable.
- Playstyle: If you prefer a more active, burst-oriented playstyle, Animal Companion aligns well with your focus. If you favor a smoother, sustained damage output, the talent may not be the best fit.
- Synergy with other talents: Animal Companion can greatly benefit from talents like Training Expert because this makes your pets do an essential part of your damage.
Optimizing Animal Companion for Maximum Effectiveness
If you decide to use Animal Companion, here are some tips to maximize its potential:
- Pet Selection: Ensure you choose the correct pet family (typically Ferocity for the Bloodlust/Primal Rage effect) for both pets.
- Gear Optimization: Prioritize stats that benefit both you and your pets, such as Agility, Critical Strike, and Haste.
- Strategic Ability Usage: Focus on using abilities that empower both pets, such as Barbed Shot and Beast Cleave.
Animal Companion: FAQs
1. What is the best Hunter spec in Dragonflight?
Beast Mastery (BM) is generally considered a strong and accessible spec for both leveling and endgame content in Dragonflight. Its simplicity, mobility, and pet-based damage make it beginner-friendly and effective in various situations. The best Hunter spec is subjective and depends on the player’s preference and goals.
2. Do animal companions get feats?
In WoW, animal companions do not gain feats like they might in tabletop RPGs. However, they do gain passive benefits and increased stats as you level up your Hunter.
3. Does the second pet matter in WoW?
Yes, the second pet significantly contributes to your damage output, especially in AoE scenarios. While it doesn’t benefit from Kill Command, it benefits from Beast Cleave and the attack speed from Barbed Shot, providing a substantial damage boost.
4. Can Hunters have 2 pets out at once?
With the Animal Companion talent, yes. Without it, you can only have one active pet at a time. You can store multiple pets at the stable and swap them as needed.
5. Is Animal Companion worth it for leveling?
Animal Companion is a strong choice for leveling because of the additional damage it will do. It is also a strong talent to choose because it will allow our pets to do more damage with their Kill Command.
6. What is the best pet for a Night Elf Hunter?
The racial choice of Night Elf does not dramatically change the best pet. However, Owls, Bats, and Carrion Birds are popular choices due to their Screech ability, which provides AoE threat and damage mitigation.
7. What are the rarest pets in WoW?
Rarest pets often come from limited-time promotions or very low drop rates. Some examples include pets from the Recruit-a-Friend program, such as the golden pig, silver pig, jade tiger, and zipao tiger, and the Poley pet from an iCoke promotion.
8. What pet is best for soloing in WoW?
For soloing, Clefthooves and Spirit Beasts are excellent choices. Clefthooves provide high survivability and damage, while Spirit Beasts offer healing capabilities.
9. What is the most tanky pet in WoW?
Carrion birds are considered among the tankiest pets due to their high armor, attack power debuff, and constant AoE threat generation.
10. Can animal companions wear barding/armor?
Yes, animal companions can wear armor, often referred to as barding. However, if the armor has an armor check penalty and the pet isn’t proficient, it will suffer attack penalties.
11. Can animal companions take the Help action?
Yes, you can command your animal companion to take the Help action, which is an action that causes a creature to aid an ally in attacking a creature.
12. What is the best leveling pet Hunter in Dragonflight?
For leveling, a Ferocity pet is usually the best choice. Their leech ability provides self-healing, and they grant the Primal Rage buff (similar to Bloodlust) to your party.
13. What are some of the best Hunter pets in Dragonflight?
Some of the top Hunter pets in Dragonflight include:
- Ohunas
- Fey Darters
- Spectral Armoredons
- Slyverns
- Cloud Serpents
- Ice Bears
- Veilwings
14. What is the easiest solo leveling class in WoW?
Beast Mastery Hunter is often cited as one of the easiest solo leveling classes in WoW due to its strong pet, mobility, and relatively low gear dependency.
15. What is the rarest item in WoW ever?
The Big Love Rocket, a mount dropped during the “Love Is In The Air” event, is widely considered one of the rarest items in WoW due to its incredibly low drop rate.
Conclusion: Making the Right Choice
Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to take Animal Companion rests on your individual circumstances. By understanding the mechanics, considering the influencing factors, and optimizing your gameplay, you can determine if this talent is the right choice for your Beast Mastery Hunter in Dragonflight. Remember to experiment and adapt your talents based on the content you’re tackling and your personal playstyle.
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