August BST Update

"The duration for which a beastmaster can maintain a pet invoked with the "Call Beast" ability will be extended. The new length of time, though varying depending on the type of pet brought forth, may be up to 90 minutes. Additionally, when not engaged in combat, pet healing will be possible through use of the "Stay" ability. Finally, the experience penalty previously incurred by a beastmaster while using a charmed monster will be done away with."

Sadly, this update does not seem too useful for my endgame BST. Here is why:

1) Although an extension on "Call Beast" sounds nice, most of the good jug pets are still very expensive to buy/create. The situations where the time extension could be useful are thus limited to low-level areas or scenarios where our pets could survive an enemy encounter(s). I know some BSTs will probably point out that the new pet healing will allow jug pets to be more durable, but I seriously doubt SE will make the healing potent enough to be useful.

2) Getting rid of the experience penalty seems misleading. There are currently two exp penalties in play: one for using monsters rated Tough (T) or stronger and another for having a charmed pet upon slaying a foe. The latter can be currently avoided by dismissing one's pet, but removing the former penalty seems just as useless because a T or stronger pet has the charm duration of only two minutes or less -- a duration far too short to rely on even if we could charm those pets reliably.

3) Endgame BSTs lack damage improvements; something SE seems highly reluctant to change. I think melee BSTs, like myself, were hoping for changes to improve BST at endgame events (or at least something to balance ourselves against other melee jobs), but it does not look like we will ever see such changes.

Overall, I feel this BST update will poorly implement the wishes of many a BST; it feels like SE is distributing candy to keep upset children quiet even. I am not sure whose forum signature this is, but I feel it properly describes my anguish:







Please SE, give BSTs a real boost!



Notes:
a) BSTs can charm or summon their own pets to fight alongside with. A BST charming wild pets can suffer exp penalties if:

•  the BST charms a pet that is greater than his/her level and/or
•  the BST does not release his/her pet before his/her foe's death.

b) There are seven enemy ratings in the game. From weakest to strongest, they are:

•  Too Weak to be Worthwhile (TW)
•  Easy Prey (EP)
•  Decent Challenge (DC)
•  Tough (T)
•  Very Tough (VT)
•  Incredibly Tough (IT)
•  Impossible to Gauge (equivalent to no information; NMs only)