Pure Nature: Wanderer

[Violos]

A few words on Typhon strategy, because I just enjyoed a nice fight with him.

First: Keep the pets behind him so he doesn't "accidentially" hit them with attacks directed at you. While obvious, this is not always easy to do, especially when they teleport back. So staying close-ish, even when not using a scroll, is indeed a good idea.

And second: Look out for his Thorns, as always, but even more so for the sake of your pets. With the low health they have by the end of Act 3 (only in Normal), and their beefed-up damage, my Wolves would kill themselves the second he activated that ability. This is in fact more dangerous than his AOEs, so order them away as fast as possible.


It was a fun fight. I realize that even though legendary Hades was no problem in testing, getting the pets through there in normal promises to be the most challenging time in this Druid's life.
At this point, it might be wise to use the adavantage of a second mastery to respec to shards and use those to easily reach epic, for those so inclined.
I'll stick to being a petmaster, though, and let you know how it goes. Who knows - maybe I will miss some of the nature buffs after all.

[Tyr]

Micromanaging your pets does help a lot.

I can give you some advice on that. I have tried killing him with every pet-item defensive, pet-item +HP, and maxed-survival-instinct-and-level-high-heart-of-oak-and-regrowth strat I could think of in normal... and well, none worked. In this respect the "defensiveness" of the pure Wanderer class fails in normal. Typhon has absolutely almost nil problem killing wolves in normal and the only solution I've found is to get level 4 Refresh, to keep the wolves summoned at all times. Killing him with your wolves alone in normal (with your toon running around) is also very difficult to pull off. Fortunately you can take matters into your own hands and use Plague+your staff attack+Sky's Rage, which is a pretty nifty and effective strategy for anyone with maxed Plague.

Still, if you discover anything new I'd be interested in hearing it.

PS
Incidentally in the first half of the expansion act it is still better to focus on offense more on defense, since the nightmare lords (the ones which use Dream aoes) have little difficulty killing your pets and being able to resummon them quickly is more important than raising their survivability. In the second half of the act however (when you reach the first underworld city) the balance shifts again and survivability becomes more important, because less mobs use Aoe's. In epic and legendary pets are tougher and you should have invested more skill points in them so the changes are less obvious.

[Kiley]

Is there a way to give pets orders, other than one and a time right clicking?

I just came back after a couple years of not playing, downloaded the player made patch and am giving the game another try. Before, I had always played X/defense mastery or hunting/x builds. All my old toons could tank most anything, not much finesse involved other than an occassional crowd control on particularly bad archers or casters.

This time around I decided on a pure intelligence character. I knew to expect the suckage of pets in late normal mode. Still, I can't say I'm having fun. It seems my wolves are not only bad at tanking or damage during normal mode(I expected this), but also they cannot keep aggro.

Wolves are on aggressive, I move slowly to let them bee line to targets first. Before they even reach the pack of 8 critters, 3 or 4 of them run straight at me even thought I haven't did anything.

So I cast max plague and run in circles till they die

I wanted to stay pure nature, but I can't see how this is ever
going to work out!

I'm not sure what to do, I definitely do not want dream as a secondary, I've did it a few times, its just TOO GOOD.....imho.

Storm doesn't interest me.

Spirit seems cool but I don't know enough about pets. I don't want to invest into 2 full masteries of pets then continuously run into bosses and rares that wipe out or mind control all of your offense in one explosion over and over...

Oh well rambling, not sure if I try to salvage this character or go with my old mainstay of defense plus whatever I feel like mixing with it.

[Violos]

There are keys to directly select your pets, and one that selects all (F2-F5 iirc).
You can rebind those in the options to more convenient positions.

[demilich]

Originally Posted by Kiley

I wanted to stay pure nature, but I can't see how this is ever going to work out!

I'm not sure what to do, I definitely do not want dream as a secondary, I've did it a few times, its just TOO GOOD.....imho.

Storm doesn't interest me.

Spirit seems cool but I don't know enough about pets. I don't want to invest into 2 full masteries of pets then continuously run into bosses and rares that wipe out or mind control all of your offense in one explosion over and over...

Oh well rambling, not sure if I try to salvage this character or go with my old mainstay of defense plus whatever I feel like mixing with it.

You may mix it with Earth and leave the Core Dweller alone, I mean go for Volcanic Orb and Eruption. And aquire a good firestaff.

[Asheron]

You could update your guide because in fanpatch Nymph attacks are boosted by +pet items

[Corvus_corax]

I would take dream as second master becaose of nightmare

[Feerkon]

Hi!
I just started my new toon, a wanderer. Discussions are very helpful, too soon for me btw (lvl 15) ..but is a little bit dissapointing to find out that i am going to run around every boss i encounter. i played slayer, templar and started a harbringer, so i could take matters in my own hands..i'm not sure i want to continue with the wanderer, most of bosses have poison resistances, and without a good staff ( i have plenty since farmed hydra 2-3 hundred times already) i'll probably die 1000 times.
I invested all my skill in INT, put 1 in STR and 2 in Dex, my INT = 286, I deal a reasonable amount of dmg, but i already run like a scared rabbit all around. Want to play fair...no import gear from other toon, and the loot was low lvl. Are there honest chances to finish at least normal level with , let's say, 20 deaths? I got none 'til now after cyclop 5 times.
10x

[Violos]

Is your problem with the running, or with the dying?

There is no shame in avoiding enemies as a petmaster. It's part of the style. To avoid deaths, you have to find ways to keep them away (slow, confuse, freeze etc.) - or take care not to draw aggro in the first place.

If this approach is not your cup of tea, make your Wanderer a pet/fighter hybrid. Champion is good at this thanks to the Standard, and Warden works well too.

If you insinst on playing single mastery, I guess you will have to resort to plague / briar ward and keep running. Scrolls might help in a pinch.

[Feerkon]

Actually, my problem is with the vulnerability...thanks for reply, made my choice with soothsawer, but died twice in normal greece with poisonous crates like a stupid dog checking my loot...if i'm not totally focused on toon, may die in a instant...that's my prob..thanks again, i was just frustrated, i suppose