So, you want to have a pet? Are you ready for the responsibility to feed it and pick up after it? Do you have a place for the pet to sleep? Oh... wait... this is an online game, none of that is needed :)
But, first we need to define "pet" since there are a few different types in Everquest. Do you want a pet to fight in combat with you, just something to follow you around, or something to decorate your house or yard? And, if you want one to help you with combat, what kind of help do you want?
"Follow Me" pets - Familiars
Every class and race can have a familiar that will follow the character around. Most of these pets are purely cosmetic, just a visual NPC following the character on their adventures. Some give a small stat boost to the character while this pet is summoned. This type of "pet" will not fight for or with the character but will stand off to the side. NPCs usually ignore these types of pets, too, though they can be hit with area effect damage. If they get hit, they usually have very very very low hit points.
For most classes, the only familiars available are cast or summoned from an item. Many of these items are available on the DB Marketplace, a few are available from the Loyalty merchant, some are available as quest or achievement rewards, and a handful are available from expansion purchases or events gifts.
Wizards have a class spell (and later AA) to summon a small dragonette hat gives them a small abilities boost while it is summoned.
Because familiars have negligible effects or are purely cosmetic, in crowded locations or in large groups like raids, there is usually a request to not have familiars summoned since they can contribute to the "lag".
House Pets
The other type of purely cosmetic pet is one that is placed in player housing or guild hall.
There are special housing only pets that can be purchased in the neighbourbood, but any familiar or mount can also be placed in a plot. All placed pets have options to wander or stay put. They'll only wander on the plot where they are placed. If they're placed inside a house or guild hall, they'll stay in the building. If they're placed in the yard, they'll stay in the yard.
Combat Pets
Enough with the cosmetic stuff, how can I have a pet to fight with me?
Only certain classes in Everquest have combat pets they can summon. Some
of these pets can be summoned outside of battle and can be somewhat
controlled to do what the summoner wants. Others can only be summoned in
battle to "swarm" the target with minimal control by the summoner.
Summoned Controllable Pets
A pet that can be controlled will come with it's own window with command buttons. These also have slash / command equivalents usually starting with /pet [command]. There are a few other commands that get added later with AA.
Follow to have the pet stay with you as you move from place to place. Guard to have it stay in the same spot and attack if attacked or character attacked. Sit will drop the pet into a sit and stay until you move (with follow) or the battle came to it (with guard).
Attack will send the pet to the NPC the character has targeted. If you don't send it in to attack, it will only attack if its master is hit. With Taunt, the pet will try to keep the attention of the combat target. Stop and Back will get the pet to stop attacking its current target and return.
Finally, Leave will tell the pet to.. umm.. destroy itself so you can make a new one.
A controllable pet can also buffed and healed like any other group member. The summoner may have special buffs and heals for their own pet. Controllable pets can also be given weapons and some equipment. Equipment and weapons can improve the pet's survivability and damage.
Magicians, Necromancers, and Beastlords have the strongest of the
summoned out of battle, controllable pets. Magicians can even summon
"toys", equipment and weapons, for pets. Magicians also have the
greatest variety of summoned pets.
Enchanters start with a summoned pet that will only attack if the enchanter is attacked but is somewhat controllable (and can be given equipment and weapons. This changes to a more controllable pet in later levels. The Enchanter's summoned pet is rather weak, especially in the lower levels.
Shadow Knights have a controllable pet that's a bit of a "speed bum'" if it gets agro, as in, it will die very quickly and only slow down the NPC determined to kill the knight. But it can add to the kinght's damage as long as it's alive.
Druids and Shaman have controllable pets in lower levels that are also little more than speed bumps but can help with group damage while the character is healing.
At level 81, Druids and Rangers get a spell to make an item that allows them to summon a controllable pet that is a mini-duplicate of an NPC. It's a weak pet, but it can be fun to have a mini-snake in the House of Thule.
Bards, like Enchanters, can charm an NPC. Necromancers can charm undead. Druids and Rangers can charm
Charmed Pets
A few classes have the ability to turn and enemy into a friend to fight for them. A charmed NPC becomes as controllable pet for a short (minutes) duration. he charmed pet can be strong or weak depending on the creature charmed and its relative level to the charmer. The charmer can only have one pet, so only a summoned controllable pet or a charmed pet, not both.
When charm breaks, because the duration has expired or the the target resists the charm, the formerly charmed NPC hates the former charmer most in the world. The charmer either needs to kill the former pet or try to get it back under control such as my mezzing and recarming. Any buffs or items the charmed pet was given will remain on the former charmed pet potentially making it stronger than others of its own type.
Enchanters have the best charm spells that work on any type of target (that does not block charm) in any location. Bards can also charm any type in any location.
Necromancers can charm undead while Druids and Shaman can charm animals outdoors. Shaman only have this ability in low levels.
Warning: Invisibility of any type breaks charm! If the charmer goes invisible, the charm breaks.
Short Duration or Swarm Pets
These pets can only be cast while engaged in combat and are, essentially cast at the target. Some swarm pets, often with nominal damage, are also available on items, either for specific classes or for all.
Swarm pets are a lot like a Damage over Time (DoT) spell but that has a physical presence. Swarm pets can't be healed or buffed, but they can be attacked directly or by AE and generally don't have a lot of hit points, so they're also a DoT of an unknown duration. Even if they aren't attacked, they usually only last a few minutes or may only last until the death of their target.
For those swarm pets that have lives not tied to their target's demise, there are a few commands to control the swarm if it outlasts its first target.
Bards have a song to make a small group of mini-mes which can be utterly adorable. They also have a flock of gargoyles.
Magicians and Necromancers have several swarm pets.
Clerics have a hammer (they'll hammer in the morning...) and Wizards have a sword, both of which only last to the death of their target if they're not killed by the target.
The Loyalty merchant sells a Vicious Rabbit that any class can use.
Mercenaries
Not actually pets but sorta, Mercenaries can be hired to help with combat. They cost a fee to be hired and charge an additional fee every 15 minutes with the amount based on the character level.
Mercenaries are available in four types (Tank, Healer, Melee DPS, and Spell DPS) and two qualities (Journeyman and Apprentice). Journeyman requires an active All Access subscription. You can only have one mercenary active at a time though you can have several mercenary slots to swap without rehiring.
Mercenaries cannot be directly controlled by have 'stances' to determine how they react and can be set to only engage if you direct them to do so. But, there is no "back off" command for a mercenary. The Passive stance allows you to have the mercenary summoned (or "out") without the recurring charge. In passive mode the mercenary will not attack or heal, so before you adventure, check the stance. The stance cannot be changed nor a mercenary summoned while you are engaged in combat.
Mercenaries level up with the character but only when they are summoned or zone. If the character levels up several times without zoning, the mercenary will remain at the level they were when summoned. Dismiss, wait a few minutes, and resummon to have the mercenary -at- the level of the character.
Mercenaries improve their skills with points (Mercenary AA) earned by character adventuring. Mercenaries can also use some special jewellery (a tab on the character inventory UI).
Tank has a mild taunt and some melee damage. It's easy, though, to take agro even from the Journeyman tank if you out damage them.
Healer will only heal and cast a couple cleric buffs. The healer will do no damage, no matter what it looks like they're carrying.
Melee DPS is rogue-like in its damage and Caster DPS is wizard-like.
Mercenaries can be hired from any Merc Liaison. Generally, the mercenaries you can hire match the race of the laison unless that race does not have that class. Then an alternate appearance will be available, such as the High Elf liaison with a Brownie for hire. The appearance of the mercenary is entirely cosmetic.
There are special "contracts" for mercenaries of particular appearances. These contracts can be obtained with expansion purchases, events, quest or achievement rewards, etc. You can also use potion from the DB Marketplace to choose a name your mercenary to use any time it's summoned.
Cuddly Pets
While you game, you might have a pet who sits on your lap or shoulder or begs you for attention. Those aren't game pets, but a whole lot softer 😜
Scout is my 14 lb kitty who thinks he should be able to hang out on my
shoulder and demand cuddles even if I am in the middle of combat in
Everquest.
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He also thinks he should be able to shut off my monitor when he wants my attention.