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Companion Upgrade: Handsome Dan

AuthorMessage
Ensign
Sep 04, 2008
13
For future companion updates, I would love to see something happen with Handsome Dan, our loyal bulldog privateer. Honestly, I love this guy! His design is great and his attack animations are fantastic. Once you get passed his aesthetic appeal though, he kinda falls short on usefulness.

Handsome Dan comes equipped with rouse and bladestorm and at max level (Currently lvl 70) gains 6 more epic talents for a grand total of 7. He has access to a lot of decent epic talents like relentless, blade storm, repel boarders etc, but thats about it for our furry friend. He has no guaranteed epic hit and no power outside of rouse, which puts him in the healing companion category with a lot of stiff competition (Wing Chun and Kan Po who receive rally upon their 3rd promotion). Something needs to be done!!!!

I have a few ideas in mind that I think would help make Handsome Dan much more usable:

1) Give him an epic hit! I understand the dilemma you guys face when it comes to balancing crown companions, but giving him an epic hit (Maybe upgrade it to mega hit upon his third promotion) would provide the pirate with more damage dealing options and work well with his inherit epic talent, bladestorm, without making him too over powered.

2) Upgrade Rouse to Rally! I get Rouse for the earlier levels of the game, but Rouse on a lvl 70 privateer with no other powers or unique attributes? It seems a little underpowered, even if you wanted to keep him in the healing department. Compare him to Wing Chun (Another privateer with a similar role) and there's no competition. The latter comes with Rally, a super hit and call to arms way before he even reaches max lvl.

3) Give him a unique power! I've always liked the idea of him having Valors Shield, AND, even more so, upgrading it to Valor's Rampart upon his third promotion. Since the latter is currently a unique, weapon exclusive power the appeal of Handsome Dan would skyrocket if he could eventually get his hands on it. Valor's Rampart is useful but in no way over powered, due to his average spooky power, eliminating the threat of him being too meta while still adding to his uniqueness and overall appeal.

Personally I would love to see the Valor line of powers (Shield and Rampart) come to fruition, but I would be happy to see any one of these suggestions (Or a combination of any of them ) implemented into the game. Handsome Dan is just too good a companion to not have something that makes him worth using. Thanks for your time!

Lieutenant
Dec 30, 2012
157
toontower on Feb 28, 2017 wrote:
For future companion updates, I would love to see something happen with Handsome Dan, our loyal bulldog privateer. Honestly, I love this guy! His design is great and his attack animations are fantastic. Once you get passed his aesthetic appeal though, he kinda falls short on usefulness.

Handsome Dan comes equipped with rouse and bladestorm and at max level (Currently lvl 70) gains 6 more epic talents for a grand total of 7. He has access to a lot of decent epic talents like relentless, blade storm, repel boarders etc, but thats about it for our furry friend. He has no guaranteed epic hit and no power outside of rouse, which puts him in the healing companion category with a lot of stiff competition (Wing Chun and Kan Po who receive rally upon their 3rd promotion). Something needs to be done!!!!

I have a few ideas in mind that I think would help make Handsome Dan much more usable:

1) Give him an epic hit! I understand the dilemma you guys face when it comes to balancing crown companions, but giving him an epic hit (Maybe upgrade it to mega hit upon his third promotion) would provide the pirate with more damage dealing options and work well with his inherit epic talent, bladestorm, without making him too over powered.

2) Upgrade Rouse to Rally! I get Rouse for the earlier levels of the game, but Rouse on a lvl 70 privateer with no other powers or unique attributes? It seems a little underpowered, even if you wanted to keep him in the healing department. Compare him to Wing Chun (Another privateer with a similar role) and there's no competition. The latter comes with Rally, a super hit and call to arms way before he even reaches max lvl.

3) Give him a unique power! I've always liked the idea of him having Valors Shield, AND, even more so, upgrading it to Valor's Rampart upon his third promotion. Since the latter is currently a unique, weapon exclusive power the appeal of Handsome Dan would skyrocket if he could eventually get his hands on it. Valor's Rampart is useful but in no way over powered, due to his average spooky power, eliminating the threat of him being too meta while still adding to his uniqueness and overall appeal.

Personally I would love to see the Valor line of powers (Shield and Rampart) come to fruition, but I would be happy to see any one of these suggestions (Or a combination of any of them ) implemented into the game. Handsome Dan is just too good a companion to not have something that makes him worth using. Thanks for your time!
I agree 100%! I redeemed Handsome Dan on my musket a little while ago and was pleasantly surprised to find out about his wonderful selection of epics and his tendency to critical. He could definitely use a revamp though, rally would be a really nice touch and a guaranteed critical strike most certainly wouldn't hurt. Hopefully in the near future we'll see this new and improved Handsome Dan. (Although I don't know how to improve his outfit should he get another promotion, he's already pretty decorated. I guess we'll just have to wait and see...)

Ensign
Sep 04, 2008
13
Actually!!... If you go and compare him to Admiral Dogget in Marleybone, it looks like Handsome Dan might have one more promotion up his sleeve. Its not a huge difference, but the Admiral's feather is a tad larger and it seems he's found even more decorations to display on his wardrobe. I really hope this companion gets some attention in the near future!

Lieutenant
Dec 30, 2012
157
toontower on Mar 2, 2017 wrote:
Actually!!... If you go and compare him to Admiral Dogget in Marleybone, it looks like Handsome Dan might have one more promotion up his sleeve. Its not a huge difference, but the Admiral's feather is a tad larger and it seems he's found even more decorations to display on his wardrobe. I really hope this companion gets some attention in the near future!
Yeah, I realized this myself just a day or so after I first posted on this thread while questing on my swashbuckler. I suppose this look could work should Dan ever get another promotion, definitely a bit more decorated than his current appearance. As you said, hopefully this furry little officer receives a little more attention in the (hopefully) very near future.

Ensign
Sep 04, 2008
6
Agreed! He's so cool looking that it makes me upset when I have to bench him for another better equipped privateer/healer. Also, that Valors line of powers seems like a really cool idea. Personally I could see Valors shield along with an epic hit and rally at his 3rd promotion, and if he were to get a 4th promotion upgrade it to Valors Rampart? IDK but I like the idea of this guy getting some attention!