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  1. #1

    Reflective Armor Plating Uses

    Ok.. I really think this new pet and ability is really cool, and I'm HOPING that there we will be some PVE instances were the ability is useful. I thought having a thread listing where it can be effectively used would be a good idea.

    Reflective Armor Plating
    Channeled
    30 sec cooldown
    Deflects all spells cast in front of the Direhorn for 6 sec.

    Note: You have to get the Ancient Tome of Dinomancy and learn the ability to tame Direhorns. These drop off of Zandalari Dinomancer. The drop chance isn't too bad. Didn't take to many kills to get one. Maybe 15 minutes of farming.

  2. #2
    Wow, that's pretty neat. I didn't expect the direhorn's to actually have a new ability, let alone a good one. I could see that being really overpowered if you find a good situation for it...

  3. #3
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    So far -- though I know this should be obvious -- I can say that the ability functions as a reliable counter to single-target spells cast directly at the pet by an enemy it is actively tanking (so they're facing each other).

    What I have yet to test is whether targeted spells cast at another target standing behind the pet are affected. I have my doubts; the description of the ability is probably just poorly worded.

    Also still need to do a controlled test against AoE spells.

    The ability cooldown IS modified by the beastmastery specialization, which reduces it to 21 seconds.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Kaeth View Post
    So far -- though I know this should be obvious -- I can say that the ability functions as a reliable counter to single-target spells cast directly at the pet by an enemy it is actively tanking (so they're facing each other).
    This much I do know... like you said, I really want to know if this ability can be used in situations during a raid.

    I can see it now... EVERY ONE STACK BEHIND PUERTO'S PET!

  5. #5
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    I intend to test items 2 and 3 in my prior post tonight or tomorrow. I'll probably head into normal Jade Serpent or Brewery and see what mobs want to volunteer to spam spells at me while I manually move my pet around.

    It's been a crazy week IRL, and I haven't really been able to give 5.2 the attention it deserves.

  6. #6
    Eh, wasn't impressed, I used the pet for about 15m, then went back to the spirit beast.

  7. #7
    Direhorn pets are stupid imo, cause at least mine attacked from the front(on dummies)and it got parried quite often. They probably need to fix that. anyone else noticed that too?

  8. #8
    Yeah, I think I jumped the gun a bit thinking that it would block spells from hitting things/players behind the direhorn, there's no way it does that. I'd be surprised really if it was even easily possible for them to implement in the current game. I don't think something can just pull a spell out of the air based on a position on the ground/in the world.

    I think I just read it and "blocking everything" was what immediately came to mind because that'd be really cool (and potentially crazy overpowered in a raid environment).

    Maybe if it was possible for him to channel it on someone else it would be okay.... but looks basically like trash to me. Reinforces the fact that taming one is very low on my priority list for this patch... just like the porcupines and most every other new or rare pet.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by jimakos84 View Post
    Direhorn pets are stupid imo, cause at least mine attacked from the front(on dummies)and it got parried quite often. They probably need to fix that. anyone else noticed that too?
    You have growl on?

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kantoro View Post
    Eh, wasn't impressed, I used the pet for about 15m, then went back to the spirit beast.
    Did the same. Learned Dinomancy and tamed a green one on patch day, then ... swapped right back to my loyal soloing companion -- my tenacity spirit beast -- to help a handful of other hunters farm the book.

    Just another pet ability that is far too situational to bother using. Maybe someone will discover some old raid mechanic that it trivializes, and we'll all take one with us for farming that old boss but, until then, mine is going to the stables.

    It's only really useful if the pet itself is actively tanking, and then - unless you're up against a specific enemy with a really devastating spell (that doesn't somehow ignore the deflection mechanic anyway) - Shell Shield and Spirit Mend are better.

  11. #11
    I love my Direhorn just because I can use it as Survival, no need to be BM . I will still use my Spirit Beast as BM though.

  12. #12
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    According to a recent post over at WoW-Petopia, Reflective Armor Plating may be able to deflect more than just what we traditionally categorize as "spells."

    If this is true and intended, it could be very useful after all...

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Kaeth View Post
    According to a recent post over at WoW-Petopia, Reflective Armor Plating may be able to deflect more than just what we traditionally categorize as "spells."

    If this is true and intended, it could be very useful after all...
    Not really just because most of the time it will be attacking from the back if you are soloing you should be using a wolf or spirit beast anyways.

    I did find that the snail trash mobs in the new raid auto aggroed my Direhorn making it fun to follow people and kill them.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Slot View Post
    Not really just because most of the time it will be attacking from the back if you are soloing you should be using a wolf or spirit beast anyways.

    I did find that the snail trash mobs in the new raid auto aggroed my Direhorn making it fun to follow people and kill them.
    Why a wolf? I don't solo often so I don't know much about soloing.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slot View Post
    Not really just because most of the time it will be attacking from the back if you are soloing you should be using a wolf or spirit beast anyways.
    If you're soloing, your pet won't be attacking from the back. When Growl is on, your pet's AI behavior changes, and it attacks from the front. If we're talking about some trivial non-elite that your pet isn't tanking, then pet choice is of little consequence.

    Or, I suppose you might be kiting rather than pet tanking. Admittedly the direhorn --or any tank pet -- would be a poor choice for most kiting-centric battles (I still use my tenacious spirit beast soloing pterrorwings, despite kiting at least half the fight).

    And in a non-kiting solo situation, while fighting anything hard enough for pet choice to even matter, when would you ever take a wolf over a turtle/beetle (or spirit beast)? I'll kill random non-elites in a few seconds with or without 5% more crit chance; when soloing a Pterrorwing Skyscreamer, shell shield or spirit mend will do noticeably more good than 5.15% additional dps.

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Kaeth View Post
    If you're soloing, your pet won't be attacking from the back. When Growl is on, your pet's AI behavior changes, and it attacks from the front. If we're talking about some trivial non-elite that your pet isn't tanking, then pet choice is of little consequence.

    Or, I suppose you might be kiting rather than pet tanking. Admittedly the direhorn --or any tank pet -- would be a poor choice for most kiting-centric battles (I still use my tenacious spirit beast soloing pterrorwings, despite kiting at least half the fight).

    And in a non-kiting solo situation, while fighting anything hard enough for pet choice to even matter, when would you ever take a wolf over a turtle/beetle (or spirit beast)? I'll kill random non-elites in a few seconds with or without 5% more crit chance; when soloing a Pterrorwing Skyscreamer, shell shield or spirit mend will do noticeably more good than 5.15% additional dps.
    I have not been in the situation were I needed a true tanking pet like a turtle. 5% crit or spirit beast with heal is what I was saying about soloing aka you would not be using a Direhorn for the spell reflect armor anyways. My whole argument was for raid bosses where the Direhorn would be behind the boss most times away from everyone for the spell reflect (seeing if it does in fact reflect anything that is shot in front of it that is). Making the pet not so intising to use at all over other pets.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Kaeth View Post
    If you're soloing, your pet won't be attacking from the back. When Growl is on, your pet's AI behavior changes, and it attacks from the front. If we're talking about some trivial non-elite that your pet isn't tanking, then pet choice is of little consequence.

    Or, I suppose you might be kiting rather than pet tanking. Admittedly the direhorn --or any tank pet -- would be a poor choice for most kiting-centric battles (I still use my tenacious spirit beast soloing pterrorwings, despite kiting at least half the fight).

    And in a non-kiting solo situation, while fighting anything hard enough for pet choice to even matter, when would you ever take a wolf over a turtle/beetle (or spirit beast)? I'll kill random non-elites in a few seconds with or without 5% more crit chance; when soloing a Pterrorwing Skyscreamer, shell shield or spirit mend will do noticeably more good than 5.15% additional dps.
    Actually, what really happens is that when the pet is being targetted, the pet doesn't try and move behind the mob. As soon as the mob detargets your pet, the pet will immediately move to attack from behind. This happens regardless of whether growl is on or not.

  18. #18
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    This is an amazing spell , but if the pet would attack from the front instead of behind , we could deflect something. I mean activate it against a mage and hide behind your pet what? :P

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slot View Post
    I have not been in the situation were I needed a true tanking pet like a turtle. 5% crit or spirit beast with heal is what I was saying about soloing aka you would not be using a Direhorn for the spell reflect armor anyways. My whole argument was for raid bosses where the Direhorn would be behind the boss most times away from everyone for the spell reflect (seeing if it does in fact reflect anything that is shot in front of it that is). Making the pet not so intising to use at all over other pets.
    Oh, understood. I didn't even consider using a direhorn in current group/raid content, so I was in a bit of "mind trap" when I read your post regarding deflecting boss abilities. Yes, definitely a useless ability for raiding unless/until someone finds some huge abuse for it in a specific encounter (which is then inevitably hotfix nerfed).

    As for using a tenacity turtle/beetle/spiritbeast while soloing, I don't find it necessary a lot of the time, either, but it also doesn't seem any slower -- though when I'm soloing with a tank-spec spirit beast as BM, I suppose that's enjoying the best of both worlds.

    Soloing the adult direhorns has been the first time in a while that shell shield -- and now perhaps reflective armor plating -- has been noticeably useful. With so-so gear, they're tank-and-spankable.

  20. #20
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    I'd love to try something creative with my Direhorns but my guild leader won't let me :<

    I was thinking on megaera you could perhaps glyph Distracting Shot and after placing your Direhorn in front of the high stack head use it to soak a breath giving the tank a breather.

    Not that you would need to but still a fun gimmick if its possible.

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