Bio-Engineered Evolution Pets

## Bio-Engineered Evolution (Evo) Pets

The bio-engineered evolution pet system is a unique custom feature designed specifically for Ultima Online Phoenix. Players are able to sample DNA from nearly any creature in the game and use those samples to create their own bio-engineered pet. Start by choosing the best DNA based on Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence, then choose a form you wish the creature to take on, providing the ultimate customization experience. Then begin training and evolving your pet through ten experience based levels in which the creature becomes stronger. Starting after level 5 the creature then begins to earn ability points which can be allocated towards a variety of special abilities which further enhance the customization and specialty of the pet.

### Getting Started

In order to begin crafting your pet you will need to sample DNA from creatures you have killed. Alchemists make the bio-engineering tools used to sample DNA and create the evo pet. Anyone can sample DNA, but only those with GM Animal Lore are knowledgeable enough to properly mix the samples and create an evo pet. A minimum of GM Animal Taming is required to control a bio-engineered creature.

### Collecting DNA Samples

Collecting DNA requires a DNA Extractor tool created by alchemists with the Glassblowing skill. Double click the tool and select the corpse of the creature you wish to sample. If successful the creature's DNA be placed into an Empty DNA Vial in your backpack and the creature will turn grey, signifying that the creature has been utilized. You may only sample creatures you have the right to loot.

When choosing DNA samples, you'll want to try to find the highest stats and skills on the creatures you are sampling. Mixing the best samples of DNA in the areas of Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence will produce the highest quality creature. Optionally you may also choose a sample to be used as the form in which your creature will ultimately become. If you choose not to use a 4th sample, the pet will automatically take the form of the creature used for the Body slot (see Mixing DNA Samples). Restrictions on sampling include:

* Humans
* Pets (including other evo pets)
* Aquatic creatures
* Bosses and other creatures of high fame
* Paragons

In addition, creatures that are usually mountable can be sampled but the resulting evo pet will not be a mountable creature. So you can have an evo in the form of a horse, but you cannot ride an evo in the form of a horse.

### Mixing DNA Samples

Once you have collected at least three samples you can use the DNA Combiner tool to attempt to mix your samples. Success rate is dependent on your Animal Lore skill. Since Evo pets require 3 follower slots available, you cannot create a pet if you have more than 2 followers at that time.

If successful the pet will instantaneously appear and be bonded to you. Upon failure - OR IF YOU HIT THE 'X' TO CANCEL - your samples will be lost. The sample slots are as follows:

* Body: Relates to Hit Points, Strength, Armor, and Magic Resist. Default form unless a Form sample is provided.
* Soul: Relates to Dexterity, Damage, Wrestling, Tactics, Anatomy, and Poisoning
* Mind: Relates to Intelligence, Magery, Eval Int, and Meditation
* Form: Optional slot to specify the form in which the pet takes it's shape.

Your chance of success with samples near the limit is around:

30% at 110 Animal Lore

50% at 120 Animal Lore

### Special Abilities

Starting after level 5 your evo will begin to earn ability points (for a total of 5 points at level 10) which can be allocated towards special abilities. This provides further customization of your pet for specific purposes (i.e. Tanking pet, dps pet, soloing pet, etc). Between the DNA samples you select and the abilities you choose, the possible combinations are practically endless! Abilities and costs are defined below:

### Pet Level/Ability Gump

Double clicking the pet will open the pet level and ability gump, which displays information on the pet's current level, amount of current experience (XP) points and amount remaining until next level, genetic makeup, and ability points available/allocated.

If the pet has enough ability points, the ability will become unlocked. Clicking the box will allocate the point(s) to that ability and the box will change to a + indicating the ability has been purchased. There is currently no way to reallocate ability points once spent, so choose wisely!

Note: The level selector arrow displayed here is only available on the test center.

### Leveling Your Pet

In order to gain XP and level your evo pet, you must use it to kill monsters. The amount of XP earned is based on the amount of damage done by the pet and the amount of fame awarded by the monster. When your pet has earned enough points it will progress to the next level, which is accompanied by a visual and audio effect.

Pets begin with approximately 55% of their final skills and stats at level 1. This varies a bit for skills but is precise for HP and stats. They will gain another 5% every level, until 100% of their final stats at level 10.

### Maximizing your Pet's Skills

As long as your pet has some basic competency in a skill (around 10.0 to 15.0 points), it will be able to reach its skill cap for that skill. Do not worry about the skills of your samples outside of ensuring this basic level. The only exception here is Anatomy and Poisoning (see note below).

### Maximizing your Pet's Stats\*

There is a method you can utilize in order to guarantee that your level 10 evo pet will have max Stats (HP, Mana, etc). Below is my summation on how to achieve this "perfect" pet.

The Maximum Stats/Skills that can be achieved by an Evo is:

The first thing to decide when gathering DNA for your evo is do you want the evo to have the poisoning skill or not. In order to engineer a pet that will be guaranteed to achieve maximum just follow the guidelines below:

Path 1- (No Poisoning Skill on Evo)

* BODY- Sample DNA from any creature with at least 1211+ HP and 1134+ Strength. I utilize Greater Dragons because the dragons give you the highest natural armor bonus (60 at level 10) while being able to achieve both the max HP and max strength attributes as well. Balrons will get your level 10 evo to 66 natural armor but I haven't found one to spawn that can max the HP and strength attribute. Use your discretion here.
* SOUL- Sample DNA from any creature with 221+ dex. Furious Ostards and Glacial Ostards achieve this easily. Raging Phoenix or Hiryu can too but it may take more searching to find one.
* MIND- Sample DNA from any creature that has over 682 mana. I use ancient wyrm or ancient lich.

Path 2- (Poisoning Skill on Evo)

* Use the same criteria as above for the body and mind.
* Sample DNA from a Greater Poison Elemental to use for the soul. You can access one of these creatures in Caverns level 3 if you have GM stealing or there is one inside Blackthorn's Dungeon. Greater Poison Elementals wont reach the 221+ dex requirement in order to maximize the evo's dex stat, but they do usually hover in the 195-200 range. Just keep looking for one with as high of dex as you can find.
	+ It should be noted if you decide to give your evo the poisoning skill your evo will have it's anatomy skill capped at 80\*
	+ (Player Baloo discovered that if you let the Greater Poison Elemental battle your pet for some time before killing it and collecting the DNA then it will raise that monster's anatomy skill high enough to actually cap anatomy and poison both- November 22, 2017).
	+ The evo will only benefit for the poisoning skill when it casts the magery spell "poison".The magery spell will cast lethal poison. If you also choose to take the "ability" of poison it will still only hit for deadly poison. There is no way to increase the level of poison done from the "ability" poison.

\*Section "Maximizing Your Pet's Stats" written by HibbiGibbi with data collected through personal experience along with input from many players.