More fun stuff is coming out of this weekend’s initial datamining, this time related to pets. MMO-Champion has been posting a bunch of new models, and some of them look like they could become Hunter pets.
Standard disclaimer: This is still super early in the beta process and literally everything could change.
Pet buffs removed?
It looks like raid buffs in general may be getting the axe in Legion. Our own Trueshot Aura was removed (as are other class buffs), and all Hunter pet buffs (Furious Howl, Blessing of Kongs, etc.) are kaput. Pets that had non-buff abilities are still intact.
It’s possible that pets which used to provide a raid buff will get a new ability such as a snare, root, or interrupt. I would hate to lose pet family abilities entirely. If they go down this route, there’s a lot of work to do as many pets provided buffs only. Some Exotic families will need extra love because their main benefit was providing 2 buffs.
I’d say I am indifferent to the idea of buffs being removed from the game. The odd time I can whip out the correct pet and provide a missing buff is cool, but nowadays it just seems like having full buffs is a given. Where is the gameplay and complexity in the current raid buff system? Seems more like trimming the fat to me.
Potential Hunter pets
I stress the word “potential” here. First up, I’m going to start with my favorite.
Look familiar? It’s basically a Mystic Runesaber without the mount hardware. I wanted one of these as a pet ever since I saw it teased at the start of the mount’s video. Pretty sure I’ve nagged Muffinus on Twitter about it like 3 or 4 times now. This isn’t a confirmation that it’s going to be a tameable pet, just that the model was added to the Legion database.
UPDATE 11/25: The above cat (or one similar to it) is listed as a tameable Manasaber (cat) in the database. This is subject to change but it looks like we will be able to tame them.
Also on the cat front is this Night Saber. I think it’s safe to say these are the Broken Isles cat models.
Nope. I’m not much for spider pets (none at all in any of my stables), but if you like spiders I’m sure you’ll find this one interesting.
Nope nope nope.
This particular wolf is actually a boss, so don’t expect it to be tameable in this state. The main thing to take away is this could be the new Broken Isles wolf model. Looks very similar to the Draenor wolves, just with a different sized head and more of a snarl. Actually, kind of like a cross between the Draenor wolves and the Northrend saber worgs.
This is what happens when you combine an owl and a cat: Owlcat. OK, don’t get too excited for this one. My guess is these are mounts or Druid forms only, but hey, maybe I am wrong. I’ve already seen tons of stuff happen in Legion that I was sure would never happen.
Moose. Enough said.
Great looking Raven that’s hopefully tameable somewhere.
This appears to be the new bear model in Legion. New dwarf Hunters will start with a similar bear, and I’m sure they’ll be tameable in the Broken Isles. No idea yet if they are replacing vanilla bear models with these or leaving them intact.
Mech pets? YES!
When Alex Afrasiabi first posted the following image to announce Gnome Hunters, I just assumed the mechanical pet was some kind of joke. It turns out that it’s not!
Mechanical pets will be available for both Gnomes and Goblins from the get-go, and other races can learn the ability to tame them with the Mecha-Mind Synchronization Fluid. Nanobots. WoW has officially done everything. This item is crafted by engineers (very fitting).
Gnome Hunters will start out with the above mech bunny.
Petopia has a list of a few mechanical animal models that already exist. These aren’t confirmed pets, just examples of possible pets.
Very, very excited. I will certainly have at least one Gnomish hunter, and already have a couple of engineer hunters, so my mech pet lust is covered.
All looks great. Hunterdom strides forward!!
Man all things hunter have me excited for legion… I really hope that the runesabre is a tamable pet that would be awesome having a unique cat skin like that…also I’m interested in the gnome hunters…I wonder if the pets of a gnome hunter scales like their mounts so you would see this gnome that tamed a T-rex tower the gnome.. I’m also excited for survival total shannox style sounds awesome and the new changes to BM having multiple pets out at the same time is like a dream come true
Well glad you’re excited, cause I ain’t. Survival hunters are warriors without the armor mit, so let’s just call’em what they are, Berserkers. Marksman really can’t use the pet the way it was intended, with no buffs and muted DPS, the lone wolf is really the only way to go, so let’s call them what they are, Rouge Assasins. That leaves the beast master, and again no buffs, a little better DPS, maybe some CC, maybe, so the beastie is just something fun to play when your by yourself. Well fun if they let’s us tame some cool pets, looks wize if not for any special abilitites. I long for the days when hunters actually had to play with their pets to learn skills they could teach other pets. When hunters their pets were actually important to a raid as a team. Thanks Blizzard! I’ve been a hunter since beta and watch you basically destroy the class
Even that normal new cat model is so freaking awesome..
I am not going to lie I am not a fan of the aspect of mech pets, it just doesn’t suit hunters to me. I hope the only mechs tamable are those that are clearly animal derived like the fluxfire feline and mechanostrider.
At least with bet buffs removed, pets that were “worthless” before for not having them like Riverbeasts, Carrion Birds and Foxes aren’t second-rate anymore.
Speaking of which, I want to inquire with Muffinus about foxes staying small after taming, it ruins immersion and they look awful blown up so big. There are plenty of small pets like gazelles, seagulls and monkeys, I don’t know why foxes need to be unrealistically big.
I would love to see mechs be another exotic pet family. Spirit beasts were neat at first, but it’s not a particularly interesting or diverse family today. I wouldn’t expect them to be anything other than skins for existing pet models — mechanical boars, bears, wolves, cats, etc., but it’d be a nice additional flavor injected. The troll/elf/tree-hugger spirit beast have been well-represented so far, but gun-wielding engineer dwarf hunters have been a core part of WoW since vanilla and it’d be nice to see that flavor get some love.
I don’t think they can be exotic, not if they are going to be the starting pet for Gnomes.
I have wanted too tame mole in the basin since the first time I saw her. A mech gorilla would be awesome
Right this just occurred to me: You know how Moonkin can be druids right? I think the Owlcat is their cat form.
Druids get their cat form at level 8.
You choose your talents (and possibly become moonikn) at 10.
New pets are always good, however, every time new ones come out, I find find myself releasing some that i have had for ages. Please Blizz give us some more slots. We can have 999 battle pets but only 55 hunter pets
MooSE MOOOOOOSE MOOOSEEE….
mech pet…SOB….
ROBOT MOOSE I WANT A ROBOT MOOSE!
(been asking for a moose since BC..dwarf with a pet moose!)
Since Mecha-Mind Synchronization Fluid is a level 1 item, could it be an item only available in the gnome starting area ? Probably, not but at the same time it wouldn’t make much sense for elf/troll/orc hunters.
Looking forward to see what mech models will become tameable. I hope Mechanical Gorilla’s will become available.
If I had to guess about how to get the Mecha-Mind Synchronization Fluid I would have to put money on Engineering, with a hunter only quest kind of like how Gara worked. Or both, they did say at Blizzcon that all professions would be getting quests and that, perhaps one of those quests is a Hunter only quest that rewards the Fluid.
But more importantly, Iron Juggernaut as a pet, just think about it for a min. IRON JUGGERNAUT AS A PET!!!! I am one hell of a happy goblin!
omg….iron juggernaut….yar brilliant even if yar a dam goblin.
I think what they will do is make the mech fluid a new world drop from mech enemies, particularly around New Tinkertwon and Gnomergan, it is the only way it seems fair with gnomes getting it right away.
Oh my god that new bear model looks horrible.
A broken back, too big a head, its face looks like Scar from the Lion King.
New post on the warcraft site detailing Gnome Hunters and the new Mech family.. Gnomes and Goblins start out being able to tame mechs and everyone else needs something made by and an Engineer. Mech tames will be challenge tames it seems.
“Moose.. Enough said”
I laughed tears x’D
but srsly I WANT ONE!
That bear looks like total garbage, why does Blizz insist on making things with heads that are too big now? And it looks stoned, and it’s swaybacked as heck, and the butt is still too high.
I want that wolf though.
I’m a pretty upset that the wolf may not be tamable, it matches my night perfectly with the brown and the blue matches the mount I ALWAYS use. I think I may cry if I can’t tame it.
Manasaber tail flame 😀