Our favorite WoW dinosaurs outside the Isle of Giants
I'm worried, WoW Insider readers. I love patch 5.2 and all of the dinosaurs improvements that have come with it, but in the patch's frenzy of dinosaur-fueled excitement I fear we're forgetting something... namely, the long and noble history of WoW's dinosaurs. Indeed, dinosaurs have roamed the game since patch 5.2 was nothing but a far-off dream in a developer's heart. Dinosaurs have been with WoW since launch day, and just so you don't forget the heroic dinosaurs who have brought us to this age of dino-popularity, today we're going to review the 10 best (or at least most memorable) dinosaurs in the game.
So pay attention, because there may be a test later.
10. Living Fossil
The Wetlands is home to plenty of raptors as well as the very dinosaur-like crocolisks. However, none of those stuck in our memory like the Cataclysm-added Living Fossils, which are just what they sound like: fossilized dinosaurs who are walking around hungry for your blood. Archeologists beware.
Unfortunately these posthumous dinos aren't tamable (they're undead), but if you like the look, you can get your own Fossilized Hatchling pet and even your own full-scale Fossilized Raptor mount from the archeology profession.
9. Sunscale Ravagers and Scytheclaws
The Barrens is full of wildlife, including a number of varieties of raptor. These two, however, are truly terrifying. Why? Well, here's what the in-game quest text has to say about them:
Before you lies an entire community of raptors, ducking in and out of hovels, snarling at one another, and working together to construct primitive huts. Collections of shiny things surround their nests.
This is Jurassic Park all over again! Clearly, the only reason they aren't already using weapons is because their claws are better than any puny sword. Thank goodness they don't seem to get higher than level 17.
8. Tethis
Oh, Hemet Nesingwary. who could forget your enthusiasm for hunting throughout the world -- especially your enthusiasm to send us to hunt things for you. As a raptor, Tethis is almost completely unnotable, but as a memory, who can forget the endless chain of beast killing quests from Nessingwary's Expedition in Northern Stranglethorn? These days it's Nesingwary Jr. sending you off to kill Tethis once you've killed nearly every other beast in the vicinity. Fortunately for quester-goers in the future, Tethis respawns about every seven minutes.
7. Takk the Leaper
Returning to the Northern Barrens, there's Takk the Leaper, a rare some raptor with unique black and green hide. Other than his coloration, which makes him fairly desirable as a pet, Takk -- you guessed it -- has a tendency to leap long distances (and out of range of your spells). If you're looking to tame Takk for yourself, bring plenty of patience -- this raptor wanders all over the place and doesn't spawn often.
6. Ohgan
Poor Ohgan. Once a flesh and blood raptor with bright orange hide, Ohgan fought many a battle with the heroes who came through Zul'Gurub to challenge Bloodlord Mandokir. The inseparable duo enjoyed decimating level 70 raids and, if heroes managed to take out Ohgan, Mandokir would enrage, making life extremely challenging for raiders.
Today, Ohgan and his master still roam Zul'Gurub, but in a undead form - Ohgan is literally no more than a pile of bones.
And now we've moved from raptors to bigger game! Netherstorm isn't a particularly hospitable place, but in its greenery-filled eco-domes, many strange creatures lurk, including Tyrantus, a tamable black devilsaur. He's the only dinosaur on our list to hail from Outland, and we imagine it must be a lonely life, being the only one of his kind on the continent. He does, at least, have some raptors to keep him company in his cozy eco-dome.
4. King Dred
King Dred is a devilsaur found in Drak'Tharon Keep in Northrend. He lurks there with a number of his smaller raptor brethren, whom he'll call on for help during a fight. It seems like pure laziness to us: a devilsaur who needs raptors to do his fighting for him? Dred really ought to be ashamed (even if he is a king). Fortunately, he's tamable by hunters, so any hunter who's up to teaching Dred how to fight is welcome to take him.
3. King Krush
King Krush is the second of the Northrend devilsaurs, residing in the jungle-like Sholazar Basin, respectively. Krush is bad news for you if you're wandering Sholazar without paying attention to your surroundings. (Can you say "Chomp?") But the fact that Hemet Nesingwary has made Sholazar his home away from Azeroth is bad news for him. This dino had best hope Nesingwary isn't after his uniquely colored bright green hide. But knowing Nesingwary's fondness for hunting, well, we're just glad we aren't in Krush's place.
2. And a Dinosaur
Epicus Maximus is a paragon of epicosity, or so his in-game title would have us believe. But, really, it's hard to argue. Epicus Maximus is a shark with rockets and a laser mounted on his back. Riding on Epic Maximus is And a Dinosaur, a bright orange devilsaur. And riding on And a Dinosaur is ROCK ON, a forsaken carrying an Arcanite Ripper. This intensely epic trio was added to the game during the Cataclysm beta when players complained that the Maelstrom just wasn't epic enough.
Today, Epicus Maximus and crew live on in the Brawler's Guild. You can fight them, if you dare, at rank 8.
1. Devilsaur
We admit, this ordinary white devilsaur in Un'Goro crater, with no name beyond "devilsaur," cannot possibly be more epic than And a Dinosaur. However, this was the first large large dinosaur any of us encountered while leveling up and it remains very memorable. Who hasn't been wandering Un'goro to find this beast -- surprisingly stealthy for its size -- sneaking up on you, only to devour you and leave a corpse run in your future? Being squashed by an angry devilsaur is just one of those essential World of Warcraft experiences we all share, and that, more than any amount of epicosity makes this plain jane devilsaur top our dinosaurs list.
So, readers, instead of rushing to the Isle of Giants, we hope you'll take some time to appreciate the many dinosaurs that came before. And, please, we hope you'll take some time in your busy WoW-playing schedule to visit these old-school dinos and remind them of how fierce and scary they are.
Well, right before you kill them, of course.
