Archive:R/any Tank Master

This is a PvE build. It is an excellent build for evolving a new pet into its dire form (see animal companion for details), as the pet does incredible damage with Enraged Lunge.

Attributes and Skills
[build prof=range/any beastm=11+2 expert=10+1+2 wilder=10][enraged lunge][symbiotic bond][call of protection][predatory bond][feral aggression][troll unguent][comfort animal][charm animal][/build]


 * See "Variants" for other choices for a self-heal.

Equipment

 * Use a Longbow or a Flatbow to get your pet to attack foes while keeping the foes out of your aggro area. If you wish to deal some damage, use a Candy Cane Bow.
 * While your pet is attacking, use a staff that maximizes energy and health (Kole's Torment, Illyana's Staff, Bohdabi's Spire, or a maximized Insightful Staff of Fortitude are ideal). The sole purpose of the weapon is to tell the pet whom to attack.
 * Use Survivor Insignia to maximize health.

Usage
General usage of this build:
 * As soon as you enter the explorable area, use Symbiotic Bond and Call of Protection. These will protect your pet, and will be the first two skills that will be recharging for you.
 * As soon as combat starts, use Feral Aggression and Predatory Bond.
 * Now that you have 4 skills recharging, use Enraged Lunge repeatedly for +80 damage every 5 seconds.
 * Use Troll Unguent repeatedly to keep your health high (symbiotic bond redirects some of the damage to you).
 * On the rare occasion that your pet does take heavy damage, use Comfort Animal to restore its health.

Key mindset of this strategy:
 * With the exception of Charm Animal and Comfort Animal, no skill should ever remain fully charged in combat. You need your skills to be constantly recharging to fuel Enraged Lunge.
 * With high Expertise you should not run into any energy issues except when fighting multiple bosses. This is because each time a boss dies, your skills reset.  With this build, your skills should be constantly recharging, so killing a boss means a slight energy drain from using your 4 shouts again.
 * Remember that you can use any of the shouts, as well as Enraged Lunge, at any time, even while you are activating Troll Unguent.

Variants

 * Replace Call of Protection and/or Predatory Bond with one or two pet attacks, such as Brutal Strike, for more damage. When using multiple pet attacks, however, remember to watch the pet's damage closely to ensure that the first attack hits before the second attack is played.  Otherwise, only one of the attacks will succeed.
 * Otyugh's Cry can replace Call of Protection, giving your pet an Armor bonus and unblockable attacks for a short time.
 * If it will not be needed for a run, replace Symbiotic Bond with an optional skill.
 * An extra pet attack: Brutal Strike or Disrupting Lunge are good choices. Disrupting Lunge can be very annoying in PvP.  Be sure to go R/W and carry Healing Signet if you do this so you don't have to spend energy healing. Also, consider bringing Call of Haste to improve the accuracy of your pet's disruptions.
 * A nature ritual such as Symbiosis or Edge of Extinction
 * A defensive stance or shout like Whirling Defense or "Watch Yourself!".