Pack Instinct

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The Pack Instinct, introduced by Publish 16 in mid-July 2002, refers to a damage bonus that is granted when certain like-type creatures engage in combat under the control of a single Tamer. It recognizes that certain animals fight far more efficiently as a team than when solo. There are seven types of pack instinct creatures:

Pack Type Creatures
Arachnid Frost Spider, Giant Spider, Scorpion
Bear Black Bear, Brown Bear, Grizzly Bear, Polar Bear
Bull Bull
Canine Dire Wolf, Dog, Grey Wolf, Hell Hound, Leader Hell Hound, Timber Wolf, White Wolf
Daemon Fire Steed, Imp
Feline Cat, Cougar, Hellcat, Leader Hellcat, Panther, Predator Hellcat, Snow Leopard
Ostard Desert Ostard, Forest Ostard, Frenzied Ostard

As suggested above, a Frost Spider and a Giant Spider both belong to the Arachnid group and can be used together to receive the pack instinct damage bonus. However, while a Frost Spider and Black Bear both can use pack instinct, they do not receive the damage bonus when used together since one is of the Arachnid group and the other is of the Bear group.

Pets in Pack Damage Bonus
2 +25%
3 +50%
4 +75%
5 +100%

Notes

  • All of the pets within the pack must be engaged with the same target to receive the maximum damage bonus. For example, if your 5-pack team engages two targets, with 3 pets on one target and 2 on the other, then you will only receive a total damage increase of +75%. The group of 3 garner a +50% bonus and the group of 2 receive a +25% bonus.[1]
  • Pack Instinct is of particular value to Animal Tamers that are still mastering their skill. It allows them to hunt creatures that would otherwise handily dispatch the creatures that are subject to lower levels of Animal Taming skill. Put simply, Pack Instinct allows a Tamer to hunt bigger monsters, sooner.
  • The Fire Steed, Imp, and Leader Hell Hound require 2 animal control slots.

References

  1. The Taming Archive on Pack Instinct

See Also

Publish 16 - Taming Changes
Animal Taming
Animal Lore
Veterinary

Animal Taming page on UO.com
  1. http://www.tamingarchive.com/pets/packinstinct.php