Constantly gaining aggro over pet

[Nudi]

Hey,
My problem is - as the title says - that I always seem to pull aggro off my pet. I am a level 70 surv hunter using a wolf, as that is the highest dps pet.. But I am wondering, would a tenacity pet really be able to build more aggro? Isn't it just a tank pet in the way that it has more armor and health, but not necessarily more abilities to gain aggro?

And yes, I am using misdirection on my pet, but sadly it has a cooldown, so its not always available, and tbh, in a way, it bothers me always having to use it on my pet, so I'd like to do without it, if it is possible with a tenacity pet..
What do you guys use to level?

[Suture]

I switched from a bear at about 72 to a wolf. They hold aggro about the same when you are putting out so much dps, so I think the wolf, for more dps, is better. Tenacity pets have more aggro gainning abilities, but you will still pull off of them fairly easily.

Get a good MD macro and bind it to an easy key like 'G' to press when it is off cooldown. Honestly, if you are at max range, you should be killing everything before it gets to you anyway. I know there can be tight spots making max range not applicable, but FD is always an option.

[Daieon]

It'll happen. Personally, I liked BM for lvling, I found it to be much easier and it may have been slower but I solo'd 5 man quests. A lot of groups who weren't that bright sat there and watched me do it instead of helping me and speeding up the kills though. Your wolf can't hold off of you because you do too much damage at the beginning. For regular mobs this wouldn't be a problem because they're dead before they get to you. I can see why this is an issue with elite mobs and such =/ I'd say roll BM or start kiting like a boss.

[Harvesting]

If I remember correctly until you get the highest rank of growl (and even then its lame) they will not hold any agro. I personally used a ape for the aoe ability. You will be using MD and FD every pull. It does suck and thats just the way it is.

[Nudi]

Right, thanks guys..
Guess I'll try and be more catious and get to max range, because right now, I don't kill mobs before they reach me, but I often fly down into groups and right upon the action though, so that is probably why xD

Oh and btw, one more thing.

A misdirection macro, could that be something like:

/target pet (or focus, maybe - so it can work in groups too)
/cast Misdirection
/target last hostile <--- don't know how to build that into the macro

[Suture]

If I remember correctly until you get the highest rank of growl (and even then its lame) they will not hold any agro. I personally used a ape for the aoe ability. You will be using MD and FD every pull. It does suck and thats just the way it is.

Now all tenacity pets get the Thunderstomp ability sometime around 44. Bears have an AoE swipe while gorillas now have a spell interupt.

It'll happen. Personally, I liked BM for lvling, I found it to be much easier and it may have been slower but I solo'd 5 man quests. A lot of groups who weren't that bright sat there and watched me do it instead of helping me and speeding up the kills though. Your wolf can't hold off of you because you do too much damage at the beginning. For regular mobs this wouldn't be a problem because they're dead before they get to you. I can see why this is an issue with elite mobs and such =/ I'd say roll BM or start kiting like a boss.

Decently geared, you will still pull off of your pet as BM. You might as well be doing more damage to the mob running at you as MM or Surv, but it is a personal preference.

[tibben]

Right, thanks guys..
Oh and btw, one more thing.

A misdirection macro, could that be something like:

/target pet (or focus, maybe - so it can work in groups too)
/cast Misdirection
/target last hostile <--- don't know how to build that into the macro

There's no need to switch targets at all.

/cast [@focus] Misdirection

Just keep your pet on focus, or when you run a dungeon keep your tank on focus.

[Seveer3]

/target last hostile <--- don't know how to build that into the macro

i think it would be /targetlasttarget

also i dont think anybody has said this already but tenacity pets have a ability called guard dog i think and this increases aggro with growl by a further 20% and thunderstomp is good for more aggro, put growl on (i dont have to tell you to make sure that cower is off if growl is on do i ^^) and pull with the MD macro given you already and trust me you will not pull aggro, ofc if u do good old FD works a treat

[Calon]

Right, thanks guys..
Guess I'll try and be more catious and get to max range, because right now, I don't kill mobs before they reach me, but I often fly down into groups and right upon the action though, so that is probably why xD

Oh and btw, one more thing.

A misdirection macro, could that be something like:

/target pet (or focus, maybe - so it can work in groups too)
/cast Misdirection
/target last hostile <--- don't know how to build that into the macro

An easier macro would be
/cast [target=pet] Misdirection
That will let you cast MD without changing targets. You could also use...
/cast [target=focus] Misdirection
to MD your focus target, usually your tank.

[Deleted]

Right, thanks guys..
Guess I'll try and be more catious and get to max range, because right now, I don't kill mobs before they reach me, but I often fly down into groups and right upon the action though, so that is probably why xD

Oh and btw, one more thing.

A misdirection macro, could that be something like:

/target pet (or focus, maybe - so it can work in groups too)
/cast Misdirection
/target last hostile <--- don't know how to build that into the macro

You can create more complex macros that check conditions of several targets, choose the first that meets your conditions, and cast a spell at that target without ever having to switch targets. MacroExplain.com is very good for writing macros, as it tells you any problems without having to try them ingame.

For example:

#showtooltip Misdirection
/cast [@focus,noharm,exists,nodead][@pet,exists,nodead][@target,noharm,exists,nodead]Misdirection

What this macro does is first, it looks at your Focus target, checks if it's alive, a valid target and not dead. If your Focus fails any of those checks, it sees if your Pet is alive and a valid target, if your pet isn't valid then it looks at your current target. It fires a Misdirect at the first of those 3 things to pass all its checks, if none pass then it won't fire off a misdirect. You could also add [@targettarget,noharm,exists,nodead] after the final square bracketed section, to make misdirect check your current target's target and misdirect onto them - but that might end up misdirecting onto a healer or DPS who's also got aggro.

The #showtooltip Misdirection line means that the red ? mark icon that macros have by default will turn into the Misdirection icon when you drag it onto your actionbars, and it'll correctly show its cooldown etc as if it were the misdirect icon from your spellbook.

You can target things using macros too - I just prefer to use /cast [@blahblah,conditions]
/target focus (This targets your focus, similar to macroing to cast [@focus])
/targetlasttarget (targets your last target)
/assist focus (targets your focus's target
/assist target (targets your target's target)

[Honzi]

I've leveled always with a bear. With the skilled charge and stomp (or whatever its called) its really easy to nuke the target even without Misdirection. I've tried the wolf which is OKish single target threat but the bear can do some aoe threat. I've played survival till about level 70 when threat really became a problem. So I switched to MM and aggro wasnt a big problem anymore and the mobs were dead quicker.

Also you don't need a macro to cast MD on your pet. If you're not in a group soloing, MD automatically applies to your pet.

[Nudi]

Cthulhu, you just made a hunter's life easier! that macro is superb, and thanks for the website aswell - will make sure to check that out

[Lidd]

From what i remember leveling as MM, its about shot management as well. MD to your pet then serpent sting, um no. Gotta hit the big shots first. Also give your pet a chance to get the the mob before you begin attacking.

/cast [@petname] misdirection
/pet attack

Then next pull be ready to FD. Then go back to your md macro.

Also i would get a tenacity pet like a crab personally. I leveled with a spider, cuz it was fast and could web when my MD was off cd. Plus I spec'd it into speed, so it could get the the mob quickly and save me from waiting. Remember the wolf is the highest dps because its ability buff's the hunter as well, further exacerbating your issue.

[Seveer3]

Cthulhu, you just made a hunter's life easier! that macro is superb, and thanks for the website aswell - will make sure to check that out

Agreed, some awesome advice, give that man a cookie

[VolcanoAsh]

Try rolling a Warlock and then understand what over aggro'ing your pet really means

[Huntaer]

It'll happen. Personally, I liked BM for lvling, I found it to be much easier and it may have been slower but I solo'd 5 man quests. A lot of groups who weren't that bright sat there and watched me do it instead of helping me and speeding up the kills though.

That's probably because you see people waiting for that, you start stealing it off them, instead of grouping with them. I wouldn't help you. Some spawn times are really long you know.

[Gotjuice]

lol, just ..... lol

and ppl wonder where the "huntard" thing came from.

[Seadog]

Damn it , wait for 4-5 sunders !!!!!

[hom]

ask the Paladin in your group for Bless of Salvation

[Mixon]

quick answer -

1) if you cant pull agro off your pet your doing something wrong
2) a wolf is only the top dps pet because of the buff it gives the hunter therefore further causing your problem
3) and for future - start as suv - change to mm as you get more arp - dont scrub it up and gem arp b4 you can hit the cap and keep 50% crit min
4) turn growl on for now but take it off when you hit 80
5) spec charge the stun give all the time you need to kill the mob b4 it gets to you.
6) don't melee - marco your wing clip to you disengage and if anything gets close fly away and keep shooting
7) use a 2h wep - less hit needed and a harder hit in the one sec your in melee range
8) take a nap, as bm your not even needed you pet can solo everything.
9) yes tank spec pets do have more agro gen abilities

ok maybe not the quickest but i hope this helps avoid the next 9 questions most of you will ask.