Nethack: Anybody else dislike pets/how necessary are they?

[RiC David]

I don't know exactly why but I really dislike pets in Nethack. Funny enough, I love amassing a small party of followers in Brogue and I quite like the pets in WazHack but in Nethack they just get in my way and cramp my style. When I hear people's strategies for winning, they heavily feature the pet and so I'm wondering how many people are successful (not necessarily winning but playing a respectable game) without the pet.

Cheers.

[Krice]

Dislike it too and also my pet often dies early on some stupid thing like trap. How do you keep it alive anyway?

[Vanguard]

I don't when an important aspect of your character is out of your control.  I've never enchanted a wand of empowerment in Brogue for that reason.

[guest509]

I dislike them personally. But I think a sidekick in a Super Hero type game would be great to keep the comic relief part alive.

[ekolis]

I find them annoying, if only because I tend to compulsively go back to shops and sell whatever my pet steals, which of course leads to another round of stealing, which of course leads to another round of selling... 

[miki151]

The pet AI make them unbearable. But they are great if you have a magic whistle. I had lots of fun once as a wizard with seven cats. I still remember that character, even though it was years ago. How many games can make you do that?

[stellahensem]

Contrary to your opinion, I like pets, maybe because it makes me feel as if the world in Nethack is my real world.

[jim]

Yeah, pets / allies are fun in theory IMO, but oftentimes you end up doing a ton of micromanagement (as with Nethack pets) in order to steal rubies or whatever. That's a form of grinding and in general should be avoided.