Beastmaster Savage Bond - What builds would use it?

Primalist
1

Savage Bond: +1 Companions. Your minions do half damage unless you hit an enemy with a melee attack recently.

With the new Mastery Quest and Beastmaster coming with a +1 companion by default instead of the old way where minions had half leech, I’m wondering where this passive would ever be useful. If you need 4 minions, you have the Unique Helmet that gives +1 Companion. Since Beastmaster likes using Dodge as a defensive option, there is little incentive to go up to an enemy and use a regular attack, so the optimal way to go would be 4 minion skills + 1 melee skill. Question is, why would anyone take this option instead of using Frenzy Totem for better buffs all around.

You have Swipe, which is paltry unless you’re using Wearbear (a skill that is now Druid Exclusive), you have the Tempest Strike that gives nothing to pets, and you have Serpent Strike, which at least helps with Poison pets but is again obsolete by Frenzy Totem and its Poison Chance.

Savage Bond needs an overhaul for anyone to take this, especially with the Unique that gives +1 companion.

2

Bear companion can use spec’d swipe, so maybe a bleed build. Could also use with 3 pets and 4 companions if you use wolves

3

It may not be the most powerful node but someone who wants to play with more minions and still get in to attack will likely take that node. Depemds on olaystyle you want.

4

I did not realize that Bear’s Swipe had the bonuses from the Swipe tree. That’s the sort of thing I was looking for. Thank you for this.

@boardman21: My point was that currently there is nothing that promotes this sort of playstyle. You have 3 companions by default by choosing the Beastmaster Mastery, and there is a Unique Helmet that gives you an extra Companion with no penalties if you want to do the 4 companions. If this node is going to be useful, you either have to have an amazing Legendary Helmet that requires you to give up the +1 Companion Unique or a Melee Attack skill that makes the best use of this node. As of now, nothing really qualifies.

5

Summon Bear doesn’t use your Swipe ability. It’s just an attack it does, called ‘Swipe’. It is only Werebear Form that uses your Swipe ability.

It is possibly minion abilities like this should be named differently, as to reduce confusion with player abilities.

6

I’m not sure I recall saying the bear uses your swipe I know in a stream I tested this and it didmt seem to work. But I can confirm swipe works for werebear but not summon bear

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