If You Could Make ONE Change...

"STUPIDITY" should never be used for justification of Game Balance.

End of Line.

It's the end. But the moment has been prepared for ...

Considering Synapse still speaks about Melee pets vs Ranged pets and the "Increased danger" Melee pets face, i'm going to guess that the AI isn't intentional.

However, since we're MMs and about the toughest things in the game I'm also going to guess our problem isn't at the top of the to-do list.

I myself would be deadlocked at a tie between:

1. improved henchmen A.I.

2.Pet customization.

3.Having bodyguard mode always be in effect as long as they are in defensive mode and within supremacy range.

Bodyguard mode. Either have your bots aid you in attack (finally a use for attack powers!) or have it always be on if they're set to defensive. Right now I flat don't use it, if you let your minions attack first they don't shoot at you anyways, and your minions are much more durable than you are (especially with /FF, even with the -2 level shift my drones are tougher to hit than I am).

Being able to enable/disable attacks would be nice too. Turn off that melee attack on the drones so they don't go running halfway across the map and out of the limited range of my forcefields heals.

I think the biggest change I want if alternate pet appearance and AI fix isn't doable is to have the 'Supremacy Incarnate Shifts' Minion and Lieutenant pets get in Incarnate Trials to be made appliable to the entire game.

Just because you now get two minions instead of one, they both drop a level, and it gets worse when you have three, as they drop two levels. They're still minion class, so it's not like they're completely overpowered or anything. As it is, they can literally become useless in higher level content due to being underlevelled (even more so if you yourself is lower level than enemies you're fighting). Same goes for the lieutenants, they drop a level when you get two of them. They're still lieutenant class, meaning they have less HP than a standard Pet-class (controller and dominator pets).

Alternatively, look at the three attack powers a Mastermind gets. Wonder why nobody ever takes them? Because they do pathetic and pitiful damage! They only have three attacks, a minor, moderate and a cone, so adjusting the damage level so it's about the same level as say a Corruptor wouldn't be gamebreaking and stepping on their toes. They only have three attacks anyway!

I'd love to be able to customize MM pets. Add derbies to my zombies, some armor bits on my Grave Knight, top hat, monocle and cape on my Lich; turn my soldiers into an all-girl guerrillista team; dress my ninjas in black; the list goes on.

Realistic (and easy): Allow all pets to slot recharge intensive.

Pie in the sky: Pet customization.

I'd have all pets be the same level as the MM.

I would ask that at least one of the MM attacks be a strong attack. Either the middle can do as much as a blaster second attack or something like a decent cone for the sets. Make it a reverse supremacy. As long as you are in supremacy range, those attacks get a 25% bonus. That way I would have a reason to keep the powers at high levels. doing this would not be overpowered as most pool powers do as much damage as some MM powers.

Although I would love to have various skins on my henchmen as someone else suggested (Nemisis looking bots, Mook/family Thugs and arctic wolves or coyotes), having pets that had half a brain between them would be better.

I know my zombies are disposable, dime a dozen walking corpses, but I dont want to have to raise another bunch just because they decided to go for a walk into a mob because I didnt stop them quick enough. Even worse is when I click heel, they start to walk back to me, get attacked by the mob they aggroed and turn around and dive back into the fight.

Luckily, I tell myself its because zombies ARE stupid, but it really annoys me on the other sets.

Also, make the 1st set of pets just a tiny bit more resiliant at higher levels. Its frustrating spending all that time summoning and buffing them only to have them all keel over from one Aoe from a minion mob. In later missions, I dont even bother summoning them.

Major: Full pet customization.

Minor: Add "chain" as a stand in for whip on Demons set.

Yes, the Ninja attacks are basically useless aside from helping with grabbing aggro. Like all the MM personal attacks you would never use them for damage, but unlike the others there is no other reason to use it, aside from aforementioned aggro. Even this is hard due to Lethal being the most defended type in the game.

Perhaps if each worked like a poison arrow, and provided some minor res debuffs to up the Ninja damage even higher. Perhaps even give them a -runspeed component like the BM attacks.

By the way, BM attacks are perfect. Great looking, great effects, good reasons to actually use them. Though I really would not have needed better reasons than the fact that I'm throwing bees at people.