mayhooligan on Jan 3, 2015 wrote:

Sorry if this is well known information. I've learned a lot from my last posts, so figured I would keep going. I believe I already have tough 2. I'm a swashbuckler, but I got it using practice points. One of my pets just showed the talent grants tough 2. I was wondering if it is useless for me, or if it will double the effect. Always eager to learn, so thanks for any replies.

Hi mayhooligan, great question there! I think a lot of players had this question come up at some point or at least a similar one concerning another trait or talent.

Currently in the game the highest Rank of Talent or Epic Talent your pirate can be "equipped" with is Rank 3. This can mean any combination of Rank 3 via "equipped" gear & weapons, training from your class trainer, training from non-class trainers using practice points & granted from pets.

If you possess zero ranks of a talent (hmm, how can you possess nothing), when you equip an item or pet with +2 Ranks, then you will gain two Ranks of that Talent-- leaving you at Rank 2. If you possess one rank, then the equipped gear or pet will leave your pirate with Rank 3, the highest rank currently possible. If you possess 2 ranks, via training or equipment, & you equip another piece of gear or pet with +2 ranks of that same talent, then you will receive only +1 Rank & the other rank is "forfeited", so to speak.

So, if you are already at Rank 3 of a given talent, such as Tough, then equipping any piece of gear, including a pet, will not provide any additional ranks or bonuses concerning that talent. For example: my LVL 65 Buccaneer has a pet that grants Blade Storm, grants Tough +2 ranks and grants Dodgy +2 ranks. Before equipping the pet my pirate has Blade Storm Rank 3, Tough Rank 1 & Dodgy Rank 2 granted via training and/or gear. When I equip that pet, I will gain no Ranks from the Blade Storm, 2 ranks of Tough, & only 1 rank of Dodgy-- leaving me at Rank 3 of all of the talents/epic talents.

When equipping a pet with grants, it's important to know what talents your pirate already has trained up or granted from gear. I have a couple pets that grant my pirate 6 powers/talents, but only 2 or 3 of them he can benefit from. So that pet will get passed onto another pirate that can better make use of it. Or if you feel like investing the gold (if you have membership) and time, you can find an amazing pet that grants your pirate talents that it already possesses the full complement of Ranks in, but only granted from extra training or gear, and you can use that awesome pet to free up some practice points or gear to invest the points or gear slots into other powers & or talents. If I have a pet that grants talents that my pirate has acquired Rank 3 of from class training, I could still equip that pet, reset my pirate's training points and choose some other talents or powers I don't or can't possess through equipped gear & or pets. Or the pet would free up gear slots, allowing you to choose other powers or traits (such as extra health/damage/armor or class primary attribute boosts), that can complement or add to your already awesome pirate. Something of this nature would be more of a long term, committed to option, after you have already "finished" the game & thus also your class training as you progressed... & after you have found that "perfect pet".

Well, hope this helps & good luck to you!

Thanks for the replies Valkoor and Blaze. I really appreciate all the information Valkoor. I understand completely, and will use what I've learned to my advantage. Maybe I can pass on the knowledge to someone else in need as well. Thanks again guys.

mayhooligan on Jan 5, 2015 wrote:

Thanks for the replies Valkoor and Blaze. I really appreciate all the information Valkoor. I understand completely, and will use what I've learned to my advantage. Maybe I can pass on the knowledge to someone else in need as well. Thanks again guys.

You are very welcome and you betcha....

passing on what we've figured out, is what being a marauder is all about!