Pet Training

This is a bit of a work in practise, not so much an "informational" page as it is a guide page. I reckon we should make a category for "guides" where users can "ramble" in "their own words".

Training your pet well is important for a number of reasons:

Even a highly scored pet is weak and can die a lot without training
Your Veterinary skill will go up while you are training your pets which in turn raises your Animal Lore skill, the Animal Lore skill in turn effects (among other things) how much control you have over you pets and which pets you can control i.e. Raise your Animal Lore through Vetting your pet while training and you will quickly be able to other control higher level pets!

Notes:

You should always use jewelry for hunting and to control your pets, get a ring and bracelet that give you as high Taming and Animal Lore as possible (max 15) in order to control higher level pets earlier;
Fighting higher level monsters do more damage and thus raises your Vet skill (and thus Animal Lore) faster; besides this they also provide better loot drops, money and you will develop better hunting skills
You will not be able to tame your own pets initially for hunting so get a guild mate or friend to tame one for you
Besides the Greater Dragon any pet that spawns with less than GM in a skill can only be trained up to GM, skills that start over GM will not go any higher; Greater Dragons maximum skill is based on their skill when tamed (the higher the better) you can work out maximum skills using the UOCraft Pet Power Calculator

Initial Selection

Pet training begins by getting a pet worth training. If you're going to invest time in making your creatures more powerful, it stands to reason that you should first spend some time making sure the initial specimen is as powerful as possible.

There are a few aspects of your minions that you need to take heed of. First off, set yourself up a macro to activate the Animal Lore skill (as a tamer you should already have a fair bit of this, but if not, remember that humans get an inferred minimum of 20 points in every skill). Using this on your pets will grant you a detailed window which goes through their strengths and weaknesses.

A good way to find out how powerful a pet is likely to be before you tame it is to use Animal Lore and enter the information into the Pet Power calculator on UOCraft Pet Power

You can also work out your chance of controling a pet is using this link on UOCraft Pet Control

Skills

Any skill a creature has can be trained to either 90% of what it was before taming, or 100.0 points (which ever is higher). For example, a creature tamed with 144 Wrestling will have a training cap of 129.6 (144 - 14.4), while a creature tamed with 50 Tactics can only be trained to GM level.

Like Stats, these skill levels are subject to no overall cap - Some creatures, such as the Rune Beetle, can be trained to have over 800 skill points.

Wrestling, Tactics & Anatomy

A pet's ability to Wrestle improves it's chance to hit a target, while Tactics improves the amount of damage it can actually deal. To improve in these two skills your pet must fight something within about 25 points of it's own skill ranges.

Anatomy on the other hand can be trained by fighting against a target of any skill level. It tends to raise at a much slower rate, however. It improves your pet's chance of dealing critical hits.

Magery, Evaluating Intelligence & Meditation

Characters mostly rely on their Magery skill to determine their chance to cast a spell, however a magic capable pet is only limited by the amount of mana it has in reserve. A wild Nightmare, for example, will quite happily open up with Flamestrikes despite only spawning with a maximum of about 50 Magery.

Nevertheless, Magery does serve to improve the effects of some spells. For example, a pet with more skill is more likely to succeed when casting Cure or Arch Cure, and will be able to repair more damage with Heal or Greater Heal.

Evaluating Intelligence serves to boost the effects of most combat-orientated spells, improving damage dealt along with the duration of buffs or debuffs. The Meditation skill serves to improve mana regeneration, hence helping your pets to remain effective for prolonged periods of time.

It doesn't really matter what you fight for the purpose of improving these skills, as pets cast spells automatically in combat and do so whenever they find themselves with a shred of mana to spare. However a pet which has used up all it's mana will mostly cast lower level spells, hence reducing their chances of gaining Magery when they hit the higher skill levels. One solution to this is to fight creatures that spawn solo, hence allowing for some recuperation between kills.

Resisting Spells

A pet's ability to resist spells essentially makes it harder to inflict a debuff upon it. For example, at 100 skill, you will require over 110 points in Magery to inflict a Curse on your pet - and even if you manage it, it won't last anywhere near as long or lower it's abilities by anywhere near as much as if it lacked spell resist altogether.

This skill was traditionally very hard to raise until the destruction of the original Haven introduced Spectral Spellbinders. These are unique in that they only cast the types of spells which trigger spell resist checks (debuffs), and of those they only cast the spells that deal no damage. In terms of physical combat they are also extremely weak.

To train in this manner, simply wander the streets of Old Haven ordering your pets to "kill" the Spellbinders you see. As soon as you can, tell them to "follow" you again and the undead spirit will follow your pet blasting it with spells.

If you cannot find any Spellbinders, simply kill all the undead spawn in the area and a fresh wave will appear in short order. If you have a particularly weak pet you'll need to keep a close eye on it's health bar, a full Lower Reagent Cost suit helps maintain a lengthy session of Greater Heal spells (but be careful to conserve your mana as much as possible).

Once you've got as many Spellbinders as possible simply sit back and let them cast away. While their spells do no damage at all, the eight closest to your pet will be able to deal melee attacks, so you might like to take advantage and practise your Veterinary skill while you wait. Depending on the amount of monsters you attracted you should be done within an hour, perhaps a little longer should you wish to cap your pet's Stats while you're at it.

Poisoning

Guess Poisoning is a lot like Anatomy, target any type of enemy you wish and just keep belting them.

Healing

The only pet with the Healing skill is the Cu Sidhe. It will not only use the skill to aid itself but it's master as well, assuming you're in range.

It'll automatically use the skill whenever it's health level is below a certain amount (90%?), and continue until fully repaired. However, in order to train past 90.0 points, it must cure deadly poison.

An otherwise well trained Cu is quite capable of killing single Rotting Corpses indefinitely without intervention from it's master. Be warned that because the process of getting poisoned and then curing itself is very slow, it can potentially take months to reach Grand Master level. Many players choose not to bother, more still now that the Greater Dragon is a far more effective pet then the Cu Sidhe in terms of both giving as well as taking damage.

Stats

Use Animal Lore to check out your pet's stats. Your character's stats can each be trained to a maximum of 125, and this is also true for your pets. However, unlike characters, pets have no "overall" stat cap and so Strength, Dexterity and Intelligence can all potentially reach their maximums.

Pets gain stats by exercising their skills, but gain them far faster if using skills that are already capped out. A good way to get stats up quickly (particulary Dexterity, which can be very slow to train) is to raise Resisting Spells first, and continue to have spells inflicted on your pet after that has reached it's maximum.

Each time a creature gains in a stat, it will also gain in a related statistic - For example, improving Strength will also improve Hit Points. Therefore you want to tame a pet with the highest hit point total possible (so as to have the best starting point to train from), and the lowest strength value possible (so as to have the greatest number of potential gains to the hit point total).

An exception to this rule is when a creature's initial strength value can start at 125 or higher. As you won't be able to improve it any further, you therefore wish to tame a creature with both the highest strength and hit point totals possible. Similar rules apply to Dexterity (which improves Stamina) and Intelligence (which improves Mana).

Strength

Every time a creature gains a point of Strength it's maximum Hit Points will also increase by one. This also determines your pet's base damage output.

Dexterity

Every time a creature gains a point of Dexterity it's maximum Stamina level will also increase by one. The more stamina a pet has the faster it can strike and the faster it can travel.

Intelligence

Every time a creature gains a point of Intelligence it's maximum Mana level will also increase by one, which also improves it's regeneration speed.

Resistances

Use Animal Lore to check out your pet's resistances. Unlike your character (which starts with no resistances and gains them by donning armor), pets come with their own "base" resistances which vary between specimens.

Your character can improve his or her resists by training Resisting Spells (albeit by a very small amount) - While your pets can also train in this skill, they will not receive a resistance bonus from it. Hence they cannot improve their initial resistance levels at all - make sure the pet you choose to train starts out with the highest levels possible for that particular creature type (especially in terms of physical resistance).

Pet Training: Which, When and Where

This section goes through the different Monsters used for pet training, the list is compiled based on ease of training (less chance of dieing), loot available and spawn rate; using these monsters you should be able to train any pet up to its maximum skill levels

Arctic Ogre Lord

Artic Ogre Lord

Rating: **
Danger level: **
Advantages: Good low level gains for melee based pet skills
Disadvantages: No gains in magic resist; only good for low level skill training
Pets: All
Location: Ice Dungeon Level 1
When to train: Freshly tamed
Notes:

Perfect place to train any higher level pet initially to bring their freshly tamed skills up to basic levels
They spawn one at a time
Very little other spawn in the area
Area can be recalled into / out of for bank trips

Ogre Lords

Ogre Lord

Rating: **
Danger level: ***
Advantages: Good place to train mid level skills; Due to multiple Ogre Lords damage can be high thus more Vet/Lore gains; Chance of an artifact
Disadvantages: Can spawn 2 or 3 at a time which can be difficult to manage; No Magic resist gains
Pets: Greater Dragon, Cu Sidhe, Nightmare / Rune Beetle combo
Location: Despise Level 3 on the Island in the middle, Singles can be found in the corners of the same open area
When to train: Mid Level skill to GM
Notes:

Area can be difficult to control initially
Good alternative to Sphynx with chance of artifact drop
Best pet to train here is Greater Dragon
Area can be recalled into / out of for bank trips

Spectral Spellbinders

Spectral Spellbinder

Rating: **
Danger level: *
Advantages: Can train any pet up to GM in Magic resist
Disadvantages: Only useful for magic resist gains; takes a while to set up
Pets: All
Location: Haven, Abandoned house
When to train: Any skill level to GM
Notes:

Walk around the eastern section of Haven outside guard zone and collect Spell Binders by attacking them and making them follow you
You need about 5 Spell binders (the more the better)
Lead them to the abandoned house which is to the south west of the area you found them (down the road to the farm)
Lock yourself in the house and stand near the opening to the south
Tell your pet to stay and make yourself invisible; with luck the Spell binders will cast on your pet (tested on Cu Sidhe)
Wait until you GM Magic resist
Area can be recalled into / out of

Elder Gazers

Rating: ***
Danger level: **** if outside room then *
Advantages: Chance of an artifact, trains all skills up to GM, very low danger level
Disadvantages: Need to train basic skills before this area is safe, Slow gains at higher levels
Pets: All
Location: Shame Level 4, two rooms on their own
When to train: Mid to GM skill levels
Notes:

Can train any pet up to GM in all skills except Cu Sidhe healing
Great for mid level Cu Sidhes which can be left in a room on their own without healing
You can stand outside the room if pets do not need healing, making the area very safe to train in
Best pet to train here is Cu Sidhe
Area can be recalled into / out of for bank trips

Rotting Corpse

Rating: ****
Danger level: ***
Advantages: Gains above 90 in Healing for Cu Sidhe, gains up to GM on melee skills; Fair loot; Chance of an artifact
Disadvantages: Potentially dangerous location, No magic resist gains
Pets: Cu Sidhe, Greater Dragon
Location: Doom, North East area
When to train: Mid - GM skill, Cu Sidhe 90 healing
Notes:

Only way to train Cu Sidhe above 90 in Healing
Great spot in North west area in Doom where 2 RC's spawn with 2 Mummies, lure Mummies off and you can train without other spawn interfering
Area can be recalled into / out of for bank trips

Sphynx

Rating: *****
Danger level: *
Advantages: Can train any pet up to GM in all skills (except CU Healing), Great loot, Very safe area
Disadvantages: No artifact, Very boring over long periods, Pets will require vetting
Pets: All
Location: Lost Lands Desert
When to train: mid to high skill level
Notes:

The Sphynx is the de-facto standard monster for most tamers to train their pets from mid level skill to GM
Can be heavily camped
Very safe area
Area can be recalled into / out of for bank trips

Swoop

Rating: ****
Danger level: *
Advantages: Great for higher level skill training
Disadvantages: Artifact Spawn rates are very low; its a long walk to bank loot; No magic resist training
Pets: Cu Sidhe, Nightmare / Rune Beetle Combo, Greater Dragon
Location: Twisted Weald, entry area
When to train: Finish off GM and above
Notes:

Great safe place to train Greater Dragon above GM besides Magic resist
Long run to recall spot for bank trips

Miasma

Rating: *****
Danger level: *****
Advantages: Great loot, Chance of an artifact, train Greater Dragon above GM
Disadvantages: Very dangerous area to inexperienced players
Pets: Greater Dragon
Location: Labyrinth
When to train: Finish off GM and above
Notes:

You can train CU's in here but occasional paragon level Miasma will likely kill it even with high level vetting / healing
Lots of other dangerous spawn in the area
If hunted with Discordance skill can be a very efficient way to farm gold, loot and artifacts
Great place to train Greater Dragon to maximum skill levels
Highly camped location
Short run to recall spot outside area

Monsters worth a mention:

Below are some Monsters that arnt specifically used for skill training but can be used to kill the boredom and receive other benefits while doing it

Dark Guardian

Rating: **
Danger level: *****
Advantages: Best place for farming Demon Bone, trains pets in all skills up to mid/high level; Chance of an artifact
Disadvantages: Very dangerous area for inexperienced players
Pets: Cu Sidhe
Location: Doom, Dark Guardian room
When to train: Mid/high level
Notes:

Great place to train CUs as you can collect Demon Bones while training
Area can be recalled into / out of for bank trips

Bone Daemon

Rating: ***
Danger level: *****
Advantages: Where you get Golden Skulls from; Chance of an artifact
Disadvantages: Very dangerous area to inexperienced players; must complete quest to summon
Pets: Greater Dragon
Location: Doom, Bone Daemon room
When to train: GM and Above
Notes:

Great place to max Greater Dragon skills while getting great loot and a Golden skull
Area can be recalled into / out of for bank trips

General Notes:

Shadow Iron Elementals have also often been used for training melee skills however due to the difficult locations needed to find a good spawn (Yomotsu Mines) i have left them out of this section
Daemons in Hythloth dungeon level 2, north eastern most room are also used to Magic resist training and mid level melee training; a room where 1 spawns at a time; in theory you can hide in here and just let your pet go on a killing spree, this was left out of the above list due to the dangerousness level of the area and the fact there are easier spawns to work elsewhere
Train Nightmare and Rune Beetles together to protect either from dieing
Setup a macro to bandaged next follower, this will enable you control the healing of two pets alternatively

Quick guide to Power Training:

This mini guide provides you with a quick reference to the fastest way to train any pet

Freshly tamed pets train on Arctic Ogre Lords until melee skills are above 50
Spectral Spellbinders to raise magic resist up high enough for Sphynx
Sphynx to GM all skills except CU Healing
Rotting Corpses to GM CU Healing (can take a while)
Miasma to train Greater Dragon above GM