Pet focus

(work in progress)

Introduction

Pet Focus enhances various combat statistics of the pet, and is very essential for the primary pet classes: Magician, Necromancer, and Beast Lord.

Older Foci had different names, but nowadays all foci has the name "Enhanced Minion", and a roman numeral after it. This is typically abbreviated, for example like "EM XVI".

Typically, at any given time, three levels of EM will be available. One level that can be purchased in the Bazaar from other players, one that is available with a strong maximum level group, and one that is available via raids. Currently (TBM), The highest Bazar purchasable level is EM XVI Chitin Stud, Group is EM XVIII and the level available from raids is EM XXIII.

How do they work

Pet Focus will function for a range of pets, as well as be placed on an item, which will have a level requirement to it.

Pet Focus functions by increasing pet level and statistics, as well as adding a cloak with some stats.

A "Pet Power" stat is given, but this figure is most likely merely and indication that each level of EM is more powerful than the previous.

Some Pet Focus will as already mentioned increase pet level, which is important, since increased levels has quite a significance for damage and mitigation in the group and solo game. See Level and AC's impact on damage.

Pet Level Increase

Pets summoned by different levels will come with a level based on the spells used. Equipping the EM will potentially allow the pet to be summoned at a higher level. For example, a level 101 magician summoning her level 101 air pet (link to spell) without a pet focus item will get a blue pet (find actual level), but if she dons an item with EM XVI, her pet will be summoned at level 103. Level ranges within +/- 5 levels have a very significant effect on damage mitigation and damage output.

Enhanced Minion levels and Items

Select items have been linked to directly

EM level	Pet Level Increase	Pet Level Range	Pet Power	Availability	Comments
XXIII	6	101 - 120	165	Best Raid Zam	Earth pet is even con at lvl 105
XXII	?	101 - 120	160	none
XXI	?	96 - 115	155	Zam	...
XX	?	96 - 116	150	Zam	...
XIX	?	91 - 110	145	Zam	...
XVIII	?	91 - 110	140	Best Group Shade's Phase, Zam	...
XVII	?	91 - 110	135	Zam	...
XVI	4	86 - 105	130	Best Bazar lvl 100 (Chitin Stud)
XV	?	86 - 105	125	Zam
XIV	?	81 - 100	120
XIII	?	81 - 100	115
XII	3	76 - 95	110	Zam Best Bazar lvl 92 Twitching Snood	Example,
XI	?	76 - 95	105
X	?	76 - 95	100
IX	?	76 - 95	95
VIII	?	76 - 95	90	Best Bazar lvl 90 Whisper/Steel Loop
VII	?	76 - 95	85
VI	?	76 - 95	80
V	?	76 - 95	75
IV	?	76 - 95	70
III	?	76 - 95	65
II	?	71 - 80	60
I	?	71 - 80	55

Older Pet Focus items =

(table: pet focus items that are not EM: Item name with link, pet level increase, other stats increase, availability (Bazar/Group/Raid), Pet range, required level)

A discussion regarding the usefulness of pet foci

Everquest was originally balanced around a concept where mobs 5+ levels higher than the player would hit close to maximum every time, and mobs 5+ levels lower would hit closer to minimum every time. Pets have historically almost always been lower levels than the players, meaning that an even con mob would hit a pet quite hard.

Pets over the years increased in ability to tank, going from a very low point around when the game came out (mages would often step in and tank for the pet), to a high point around 2013 where mage pets where some times being used as raid tanks over players. In the end, a balancing effort from the game developers reduced the efficiency of pet tanking, to the level where we are today (fall 2016).

Another change that happened over the years was that mobs in the game increased levels. In the group, and especially in the solo game for non-raiders, fighting against light blue and green mobs was quite common early on, where the solo/group game today is to a much higher degree oriented towards even con and up.

A perceived consequence is that after a certain point, the increase in pet focus power has almost no effect on game play, especially from the point of view of the player base with the best gear, most AA, and strongest skills. The pet DPS pales when the players DPS increase as much as it does with better gear and more AA, and the stronger players almost always face mobs that are 5+ levels above, meaning that no matter what, the mob will be hitting close to maximum on each hit, all things equal. Going from EM XVI to XXIII does not yield the improvements that a end game player would expect, the pet DPS and tanking ability falls significantly behind.

The conclusion is: Pet Focus is very good for the leveling/grouping/soloing players, but leaves a lot to be desired in the End Game