Team Quitter: Damon and Jaden overview the Ranger + look forward

[Sir Jack]

Yes, that'd be the whole point. Ranger should either be viable without a pet or have complete control over a more "passive" pet.
Pets don't have to completely dissappear for me, like I said, you could work them in to function like Engi Flamthrowers or Ele Weapon summons turning the Ranger in a "Beastmaster" rather than a Ranged/Melee char.

But yes, Pets as THE main trait for Rangers is not going to make me happy, as AI can be relied on even less than the random rolls on Thief Steals. It just removes skill from the game and adds a significant luck factor. It doesn't really matter how good they make it work, they'll never work perfectly in tune with the player.

[Akirai Annuvil]

Oh yeah, the pet improvements suck (well, no, the improvements are good. Pets as a mechanic still suck). It's going to suck even when you do get perfect control simply because it's not synergetic nor does it feel unique.
I'm going to repeat what I want to happen to the pet mechanic.

Calixte had a much cooler idea. Essentially, doubled up skill bars. Any skill you can use, your pet can use. If either of you uses your skill, the other's skill goes on cooldown too (possibly reduced duration). She wrote three excellent reasons why this would be cool so I'm just quoting those: [check previous post in this thread]

[Sir Jack]

I'd actually like to see Preparations moved to the F-Keys.

Kind of like how Green Arrow in comics has trick arrows stuffed in his quiver in a similar way Batman has Bat-Shark-Repellent in his Tool Belt, a series of natural preparations/concoctions and special arrows can be slotted, for a total of 8 preparations (4 for each weapon set). e.g. take out a Diamondtipped Arrow, your next Bow attack can't be blocked, Rotwood Coating, your next X attacks cause Weakness and Poison, Purified Spring Water, next attacks deal +X Holy damage, Explosive Tipped Arrows, your next 6 attacks deal +X AoE Fire damage, etc...Depending on the skill, different recharges,...

It would give the Ranger a Natural counterpart to the Engineer's mechanical Tool Belt, except the Ranger would not be limited to the Utility Skill he brings. On the other hand, his preparations aren't as easy to switch out and are limited to the weapon he brings (no arrow preps can be usedwhen using melee weapons for example).

[Alaris]

Akirai, I don't care much for having my pet use my skills, causing them to refresh. The idea is interesting but only if I keep control of my skills, and the pet has his own bar.

[Akirai Annuvil]

Oh yeah, obviously you'd keep control over both skill bars. Otherwise it'd suck, immensely.
Preps are good too, but ANet's ANet, they're stubbornly going to stick with pets.

[Alaris]

I think it's fine that they make pets "manditory" in GW2, I'm happy that they have ranged pets to start with, and I guess they can make passive pets support-like.