I would be excited to see start pet specific things. When I started, I was so invested in my starter and couldn't wait to see what I'd be able to do with them. I was bummed that there wasn't anything. I don't know exactly what I would like to see and how it would work, but I really want to do more with my starter pet. Maybe special mutators that affect them that I can work towards, or something?

I'd just really like to see starter pets feel more special.

i'm not sure what i could suggest, but i definitely like the idea of having a reason for a starter pet other than for the tutorial. i feel kinda bad that mine just sits inside of a stable and hasn't been touched in a while.

perhaps there could be bosses that can only be fought by your starting companion or something?
i like the idea of being able to add traits to your starter, but i'm not sure how that would go if it was an ability people gained. i know a lot of folks want the ability to redesign their starters after revamps or just from how much time has passed, maybe the ability to regenerate your pet for a cost would be cool too.

Link: https://www.sylestia.com/forums/?thread=105331&page=1#2 Author: YureiNeko Time Posted: 2/8/2023 at 10:39 AM i'm not sure what i could suggest, but i definitely like the idea of having a reason for a starter pet other than for the tutorial. i feel kinda bad that mine just sits inside of a stable and hasn't been touched in a while. perhaps there could be bosses that can only be fought by your starting companion or something? i like the idea of being able to add traits to your starter, but i'm not sure how that would go if it was an ability people gained. i know a lot of folks want the ability to redesign their starters after revamps or just from how much time has passed, maybe the ability to regenerate your pet for a cost would be cool too.

This is so much how I feel. I joined the site very early on and I loved the qitari most of the starter pets. They've been revamped since. While I think the revamp has been definitely for the best, it also caused my starter to lose the vision I was aiming for with him. I can't even think of the last time I even looked at my starter. He's not what really what I started the game with and it's pointless to use him for battling when there's super stats that are much more powerful.

If I had a way to transform the starter into something I really enjoyed then that would be great. Whether it was a cost to rearrange the traits or to even species change. I would honestly just like to swap him over to kelpari and use their kirin traits if I had a say. I could even settle for him being infertile if it meant having the ability to make him into something I felt I truly loved again.

I also support this idea, in the name of future players.

This is planned. I'd say to expect these types of things to first appear when our exploration content is rebuilt and the game relaunches and leaves Beta.

I know I'm very late to the party, but I have a suggestion for a Special Thing to add--since I do, always have, and always will use my starter in battles, and there's a huge rise of max stat pets, some kind of stat boost! I see two general options:
1. Immediate and permanent stat boost. Starter pets in general would just have enhanced or even maximized stats. It's pretty simple, but I do see one possible problem. Boosting/maxing the stats from the beginning might make early game too easy? I'm not sure how that would work exactly, but that's why there's option 2:
2. Gradually growing stats. Now I know stats already grow with levels, but this would make starter stats just a bit more sweet. They'd grow just a bit more than other pets with each level, maybe even surpassing max stats by level 60?
With either of these or any stat boost, I think it'd encourage other players to bond with their starters like I have--as their permanent battle buddy! Though, maybe it's just me who thinks this way, since I'm slightly bonded to every pet I battled with in early game. It took way more mental stress to switch Ermoor's attunement to make him a mission boy than it should've....
(And btw here's my beloved battle buddy, Illmania: he's only 1 visible and I'm pretty sure that's because young me was confused and a little dumb, but I love that about him, it makes him special <3)

Both suggestions sound good! Especially the stat boost. Maybe have some storyline relating to the bond between starter pet and owner? I apologize, I don't really have any ideas lol